Roster Update: CB Mark Lee Jr. Unlisted
The former starter made 66 tackles in his 26 career games played.
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Today marks the first day of spring practices for Eastern Michigan as it brings back most players on last year’s bowl-winning campaign to build off of its historic 9-win season.
One former starter, however, had his name scratched from the team’s official online roster.
In a recent roster update which also included uniform assignments for its winter enrollees, cornerback Mark Lee Jr.’s name was nowhere to be found.
Details of the departure are currently unknown.
Lee was a starting corner for EMU’s defense in 2022, but he did not start in the bowl game vs. San Jose State. For the season, Lee racked up 29 total tackles, intercepted one pass and defended three passes. For his career, Lee played in 26 games, and recorded 66 tackles, one interception, eight pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Until the recent removal, Lee had two years of eligibility remaining with the team.
For EMU’s cornerback room, things don’t look too grim without Lee. The team’s in a comfortable position with returning corners Kempton Shine and Joshua Scott. Each of them have two years of eligibility remaining, as do returning backups Keylen Gulley and Corry Thomas. Jaheim Jenkins joins the team through the junior college ranks with three years of eligibility left, so he’ll have the chance to prove where he stands in this position room over the next five weeks, and three more freshmen will join the team this summer: Chase Arrington, Caleb Dobbs, and Daiquan White.
Numbers assignments
Spring, of course, is always a great time to try to learn how to recognize players by the numbers they wear in practices. Winter enrollees finally received their first uniform assignments, which means number changes for the returning players should be formally made sometime between now and summer camp.
For instance, starting free safety Quentavius Scandrett has worn #35 in his first years with the team, but now it looks like he’s ready for a new number to wear on gameday after incoming corner Jaheim Jenkins was assigned #35.
Same could be said at defensive tackle and running back. Returning lineman Adrian Gonzalez already wears #96, but that was also the assigned number for incoming JUCO player Ugo Nosike. Freshman running back Deion Brown has #30, just like he wore in high school, so it wouldn’t be surprising if walk-on wide receiver Quinn Fracassi were asked to change numbers to accommodate.
Offense
#3 QB Ike Udengwu III (last worn by TE Aaron Jackson)
#7 WR Javon Swinton (last worn by DB Brandon Benson)
#11 WR Terry Lockett (last worn by DB Isaiah Watson)
#30 RB Deion Brown (assignment currently shared with walk-on WR Quinn Fracassi)
#50 OL Owen Snively (last worn by DL Rafe Reyes)
#55 OL Dan Sunderman (last worn by DE Jose Ramirez)
#69 OL Trenton VanBoening (last worn by OL Jake Donnellon)
#76 OL Chris Mayo (last worn by OL Richard Bates Jr.)
#82 TE Cedric Anton (last worn by TE Gunnar Oakes)
#84 TE C.J. Horton (last worn by WR Zach Westmoreland)
Defense
#13 S Javian Norman (last worn by S Russell Vaden IV)
#35 CB Jaheim Jenkins (assignment currently shared with S Quentavius Scandrett)
#96 DT Ugo Nosike (assignment currently shared with DT Adrian Gonzalez)