Sean Tyler RB from Western Michigan to transfer to Gophers!!!!!

From the few highlights I've seen on Tyler's big plays, it looks like WMU ran a zone blocking scheme with the H-back trapping to the opposite side. I recall the Gophs running that a lot in Fleck's first few years (e.g. Paulson & Kieft blocking at H-back) but I don't recall seeing it much lately. Maybe because BSF was being used as a receiver and Mo would find his own holes?
 

Curious if Potts will go to the portal. This move clearly sends a signal that staff doesn't believe he can take the reigns and by next year, Williams, Taylor Evans will all have another year in the program
Potts will probably get 10-20 carries per game here anyway. There’s <50% chance he would get that many at a transfer destination even under the best circumstances.
 

I feel a little sorry for Western Michigan as we have poached their coach a few years ago and now we are taking three of their best players!!

I know you felt we were good at RB from exchanges we have had on here but I feel a lot better about our RB situation now with this new Sean Tyler addition. We really needed someone who was ready to go right now. We have high hopes for our incoming freshman though and hopefully they can gain some experience and be ready to help out because we will need them in the future!!
I feel bad for lower level teams who know that when they win a lot their coach is going to get stolen and now when their players blow up they are going to end up leaving for somewhere else. But we didn't poach anything from Western as those guys were going to be playing somewhere else regardless of whether or not we recruited them.

I think we would have been ok with what we have in house but this pickup is a no brainer. Bringing a guy with a couple 1,000 seasons under his belt for one year will only help the young guys and provides some very experienced depth as well.

Added bonus if he can be part of the return game as well.
 

I feel bad for lower level teams who know that when they win a lot their coach is going to get stolen and now when their players blow up they are going to end up leaving for somewhere else. But we didn't poach anything from Western as those guys were going to be playing somewhere else regardless of whether or not we recruited them.

I think we would have been ok with what we have in house but this pickup is a no brainer. Bringing a guy with a couple 1,000 seasons under his belt for one year will only help the young guys and provides some very experienced depth as well.

Added bonus if he can be part of the return game as well.
True!!
 

I feel a little sorry for Western Michigan as we have poached their coach a few years ago and now we are taking three of their best players!!

I know you felt we were good at RB from exchanges we have had on here but I feel a lot better about our RB situation now with this new Sean Tyler addition. We really needed someone who was ready to go right now. We have high hopes for our incoming freshman though and hopefully they can gain some experience and be ready to help out because we will need them in the future!!
Word on the street is they are changing their name to Eastern Minnesota. A lot more prestige to it.
 


If you get a chance, watch the Kent State offense (our new TE coach was OC) on youtube. It's a really innovative offense and uses the guy in the slot to run a ton of jet sweeps, bubble screen, and almost triple option (zone read + bubble screen).

Tyler's speed and running ability would look pretty good in that spot.

I have no idea if we are adding that wrinkle, just throwing it out there.
It does seem that Sean Tyler would thrive in this type of offense...
 


I feel a little sorry for Western Michigan as we have poached their coach a few years ago and now we are taking three of their best players!!

I know you felt we were good at RB from exchanges we have had on here but I feel a lot better about our RB situation now with this new Sean Tyler addition. We really needed someone who was ready to go right now. We have high hopes for our incoming freshman though and hopefully they can gain some experience and be ready to help out because we will need them in the future!!
The portal is an absolute disaster for MAC type teams.

I don't have a better solution, I don't like restricting players more or anything... but the outcome is pretty nasty at that level.
 

So how many times can a player transfer and not sit out a year?
 



Potts will not get 10-20 carries a game here ... This new transfer just totally ruined anything remotely close to that
Potts almost averaged 10 per game behind the best RB in program history. The transfer will get a big workload, but nothing like MO’s. People vastly underestimate the void that Mo leaves behind.

Why don’t you tell me what you think they’ll all average next season?
 
Last edited:

Who really knows how many carries the RBs will get? Are we gonna pass more next year? If so, the carries per game have to go down, right?
 

Who really knows how many carries the RBs will get? Are we gonna pass more next year? If so, the carries per game have to go down, right?
Not necessarily. You can keep runs the same and throw more passes simply by not running the play clock down to zero every play. Creates 7-10 more offensive plays per game. Going with pace, on a fast count, might add even a few more plays.
 

Hasn't that kind of been Fleck's deal? Running the play clock down to zero. Agree, if we play more up tempo and pace, we can squeeze a few more plays out over the course of the game. Also, if we are behind more (due to a tougher schedule), we may be running plays more quickly.
 



Interesting that he can catch the ball out of the backfield and committed after the departure of KC. Wonder if it signals a potential expansion of the playbook?

Welcome aboard, Sean Taylor. RTB!



The 4-star prospect QB Athan Kaliakmanis is likely an upgrade for the Gophers.

All football is shifting to more passing. So maybe the Gophers will pass slightly more including to RB.

In 2024, two warm sunshine states will join the Big Ten -- UCLA and USC.



Sean Tyler does it all on impressive WMU TD drive





1673746619433.png
1673746654712.png



Sean Tyler Scores on 63-yard run

 

Who really knows how many carries the RBs will get? Are we gonna pass more next year? If so, the carries per game have to go down, right?
One would think so. But I doubt the (hopeful) improvement in the passing game will effect rushing attempts much.

In 2019, with one of the most productive QBs in the conference and 2 NFL WRs, MN only averaged about 2-3 fewer rushing attempts per game than in 2022 (when MN had a featured NFL-talent back). Yet still Mo only had 55% of attempts; fans just remember him more.

If Sean Tyler can match his MAC stats in the Big Ten, he’ll have been a smashing success (roughly 200 att/ 1,000 yards), and there will still be the need for at least 2-3 other backs to account for the other rushing production (350-400 atts and 1,250-1,500 yards).
 

Potts will not get 10-20 carries a game here ... This new transfer just totally ruined anything remotely close to that
You never know with injuries and such. I am certain Potts is trying to get back to where he was before the injury - if he could do that he could still be very successful here!
 


I think it's just one, but this guy is a grad transfer.
1 free transfer with immediate eligibility
2nd transfer would require a waiver for immediate eligibility unless you are a grad transfer.

supposedly the NCAA is going to get stingier with the waivers but will believe that when I see it.

but Tyler won’t need a waiver so doesn’t matter in his case.
 

1 free transfer with immediate eligibility
2nd transfer would require a waiver for immediate eligibility unless you are a grad transfer.

supposedly the NCAA is going to get stingier with the waivers but will believe that when I see it.

but Tyler won’t need a waiver so doesn’t matter in his case.
Was the free transfer put into place at the same time as the extra covid year was given out?
 


The portal is an absolute disaster for MAC type teams.

I don't have a better solution, I don't like restricting players more or anything... but the outcome is pretty nasty at that level.
Yes, but that is the lay of the land. It is a great opportunity for the players to prove themselves at a higher level and increase their chances of being drafted.
 

The portal is an absolute disaster for MAC type teams.

I don't have a better solution, I don't like restricting players more or anything... but the outcome is pretty nasty at that level.
The flip side is that they also have access to more high quality athletes who couldn't cut it at power 5 schools for one reason or another but might be able to drop down to the MAC level and succeed.

But it would suck knowing that anytime a player/coach blows up they are likely gone the next year.

I mean our fans still panic about having our coaches poached because Holtz left like 40 years ago, imagine what it is like for MAC fans who actually know they are going to lose their coaches when they have success.
 

Will be interesting to see this fit. He’s gotten 1,000 yards on about 15 carries a game. Will that ypc equate next year. Heard the stat on latest Burns podcast
 

Will be interesting to see this fit. He’s gotten 1,000 yards on about 15 carries a game. Will that ypc equate next year. Heard the stat on latest Burns podcast

He had 17.5 carries per game last year. His YPC dropped from 5.7, 6.6, 6.5 to 4.9 as a JR. The much maligned Trey Potts was at 4.7 last year for the Gophers.

I do not know much about Western’s OL, blocking scheme, etc. so hard to say what, if anything, the issue was. Nice to have an established back though.
 

He had 17.5 carries per game last year. His YPC dropped from 5.7, 6.6, 6.5 to 4.9 as a JR. The much maligned Trey Potts was at 4.7 last year for the Gophers.

I do not know much about Western’s OL, blocking scheme, etc. so hard to say what, if anything, the issue was. Nice to have an established back though.
The WMU offense was really bad last year.
 

The flip side is that they also have access to more high quality athletes who couldn't cut it at power 5 schools for one reason or another but might be able to drop down to the MAC level and succeed.

But it would suck knowing that anytime a player/coach blows up they are likely gone the next year.

I mean our fans still panic about having our coaches poached because Holtz left like 40 years ago, imagine what it is like for MAC fans who actually know they are going to lose their coaches when they have success.
MAC could also be treated like how JUCO used to be.

If you think you're a solid player in high school or perhaps a late-bloomer, and didn't get the offers you wanted, go to a MAC school first and prove yourself, then try to "Portal Up".

Rather than walking on at a P5 school and never see the field to prove yourself.
 

And speaking of JUCO, I'm guessing there are going to be a lot less of those transfers into P5 programs.

Transfers from NCAA schools are immediately eligible and usually much less risk on the academic side.
 


MAC could also be treated like how JUCO used to be.

If you think you're a solid player in high school or perhaps a late-bloomer, and didn't get the offers you wanted, go to a MAC school first and prove yourself, then try to "Portal Up".

Rather than walking on at a P5 school and never see the field to prove yourself.

The frequency of kids who “portal up” is very low
 





Top Bottom