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"I prefer Mike," Morgan said. "I like being in the middle of everything, I can go left or right. But if he says so [about playing any of the three], then I guess I can." As a 2013 freshman, Smith started at Sam, but he was shifted to the in- side at Will in order to have him more central to the action. He will be the centerpiece of the defense after re- ceiving second-team Associated Press All-America notice as a 2014 sopho- more and becoming one of five final- ists for the Butkus Award, presented to the nation's top linebacker. When Schmidt returns as a fifth-year senior this season, he is expected to be the defense's quarterback again at the Mike position. So where does that leave Morgan? Does he apprentice be- hind Schmidt, or does he move to Sam in an effort to get Smith, Schmidt and Morgan on the field at the same time. An X-factor is Grace, who began practicing in full again during the preparation for LSU and for the first time demonstrated enough to warrant a potential return for a fifth year in 2015. That would leave both Grace and Schmidt at Mike … and then where to with Morgan? "There will be some good problems there that we'll have to work through in the offseason," Kelly admitted. Whichever way the linebacker corps shakes out in 2015, Morgan is bound to be in the action, wherever most needed. ✦ Sophomore Jaylon Smith will likely continue to man the Will linebacker position in order to better utilize his skill sets. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA