Our defense has potential next year - Perich, Brown, Kingsbury, Karmo, etc.

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SeaBee_Gopher

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Sometimes it's tough to watch this Gophers team when they struggle lining up enough high quality athletes, but there seems to be reason for hope.

- Watching Koi make up all the ground running that RB down from behind was fun even if the guy did gain 71 yards. It was also fun watching him play as a default third LB sometimes. He's too light and got pushed around some, but led the team with 10 tackles. I think he puts on 5-10 more pounds and becomes even more of a defensive Swiss army knife. He can make more of an impact if they play him closer to the line. We have other good coverage safeties like Kerry Brown (7 tackles) and Gousby.
- Kingsbury plays with force, and has size and speed we could use at LB. He misses some plays, but has potential as a sophomore. Same with Karter Mentz at DE.
- Manual Karmo looks like a great athletic, but not great instincts yet. He could be special.
- John Nestor continues to lay the wood at corner (6 tackles). Get help at corner & move him to safety.

Who do you like for the coming years?
 


There's a lot of talent on the defense.

Perich isn't having the visible impact he had last year, but running down that RB was spectactular.

I have noticed Kingsbury from time to time, and usually for good reasons. That strikes me as a positive sign.

Karmo - see Kingsbury, only more so.

Nestor seems like a feast-or-famine guy. I notice him when he either makes a great play or gets burned. In that respect, he reminds me of Terrell Buckley.

I don't know why we don't talk about Brown as much as we talk about Perich. His impact seems to be just as great.
 

everybody knows my name said:
There's a lot of talent on the defense.

Perich isn't having the visible impact he had last year, but running down that RB was spectactular.

I have noticed Kingsbury from time to time, and usually for good reasons. That strikes me as a positive sign.

Karmo - see Kingsbury, only more so.

Nestor seems like a feast-or-famine guy. I notice him when he either makes a great play or gets burned. In that respect, he reminds me of Terrell Buckley.

I don't know why we don't talk about Brown as much as we talk about Perich. His impact seems to be just as great.
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I really like Kerry Brown and Aiden Gousby as cover guy's this year, I think both safeties playing well. Nestor made two plays yesterday where if he doesn't shed his block and stand his ground, both plays are out the gate for even bigger gains.
 

everybody knows my name said:
There's a lot of talent on the defense.

Perich isn't having the visible impact he had last year, but running down that RB was spectactular.

I have noticed Kingsbury from time to time, and usually for good reasons. That strikes me as a positive sign.

Karmo - see Kingsbury, only more so.

Nestor seems like a feast-or-famine guy. I notice him when he either makes a great play or gets burned. In that respect, he reminds me of Terrell Buckley.

I don't know why we don't talk about Brown as much as we talk about Perich. His impact seems to be just as great.
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To your last point, Perich gets the attention because of the local angle but yeah, Brown has been the more impactful of the two this year.

Karter Menz wasn't mentioned but he also has a chance to be really good as he keeps developing, has made some nice plays this year.

Tough part of course is knowing what the roster will look like next year with the way players move around. Overall Fleck has done a good job of keeping key players around, hopefully that trend holds after this season and we are able to add pieces to what should be a solid core on both offense and defense.
 


I'm a Perich fan through and through but saw something yesterday I personally have only caught once before regarding The Ball Is The Program rule and always handing a dead ball to an official.

Our players always hand a dead ball under any circumstance to an official. Always.

My first time of seeing that not happen was during the Outback Bowl after one of Tyler's nice receptions. As he popped up he did the spin like a top ball motion and trotted back to the bench as part of the normal post-catch rotation. As the ball spun on the ground I noted to Mrs. Billd that well he's leaving so guess he thought what would happen at that point if he didn't find an official.

Yesterday some time in middle of the game Koi took a punt I believe and made it to mid-field before being tackled. He got up with the ball and as he headed to the sideline he just set it down basically at midfield. I should have scanned for the nearest zebra but will do that when I fire up the DVR for the game later.

Not really thinking it was deliberate or even has meaning but it was surprising. Reality check is that on insurrection scale of things we have Troy Stoudemire's example of arguing with the HC and assistants on several occassions on the sideline. Truly a low point in Gopher history.
 

SeaBee_Gopher said:
Sometimes it's tough to watch this Gophers team when they struggle lining up enough high quality athletes, but there seems to be reason for hope.

- Watching Koi make up all the ground running that RB down from behind was fun even if the guy did gain 71 yards. It was also fun watching him play as a default third LB sometimes. He's too light and got pushed around some, but led the team with 10 tackles. I think he puts on 5-10 more pounds and becomes even more of a defensive Swiss army knife. He can make more of an impact if they play him closer to the line. We have other good coverage safeties like Kerry Brown (7 tackles) and Gousby.
- Kingsbury plays with force, and has size and speed we could use at LB. He misses some plays, but has potential as a sophomore. Same with Karter Mentz at DE.
- Manual Karmo looks like a great athletic, but not great instincts yet. He could be special.
- John Nestor continues to lay the wood at corner (6 tackles). Get help at corner & move him to safety.

Who do you like for the coming years?
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And Karter Menz, whose got some Dog in him!!

Like the positivity and yes, yes and YES:)
 






We will be better on defense next year our cornerback room will almost certainly improve, and it will be a very mature bunch overall.
 


UpAndUnder43 said:
A former gopher LB I’m friends with is SUPER high on Menz.
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He is really settling in and becoming an impact player. He popped early in the Rutgers game but these last 3 weeks you can see him finding his role and flashing some major potential.

If he can add some size/strength in the off season he could set himself up to be a leader along the D-Line over his final 2 years after this one.
 




Some other names who should/could return.

LB Baranowski has another year. DE Howard is just a sophmore. DE Nate Becker has come on lately, he is listed as a SR, but he only played in 3 games his fr year. FR LB Carrier was highly rated.
 


march madness said:
Obviously, the biggest unlikely returner is A. Smith. 8.5 Sacks in 9 games as a junior. I imagine he will be a 2nd or 3rd round pick if he runs well.
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Yeah, as much as I would love to have him back next year, Smith has NFL size and athletic ability....I will be shocked if he doesn't go pro and get drafted in one of the earlier rounds. Dude is an athletic freak, wouldn't shock me to see him go really high in the draft given that and the success he is having in college.
 

These players are in their last season on Defense

Devon Williams LB
Darius Green DB
Rushawn Lawrence DL
Jeff Roberson LB
Jai'Onte' McMillan DB
LeCaptain LB
Finnessy DL
Omonode DL
Eastern DL
Logan_Redding DL

Possible to return
Gerlach LB
Nestor DB
Gousby DB
Baranowski LB
A. Smith DL
 

I'm interested in some of the younger players who have not seen much action but have good size for their position. Colin Hansen, Adam Kissayi and Riley Sunram. Also Stendel from Caledonia has already burned red shirt I believe getting in six games on kickoffs.
 

march madness said:
Some other names who should/could return.

LB Baranowski has another year. DE Howard is just a sophmore. DE Nate Becker has come on lately, he is listed as a SR, but he only played in 3 games his fr year. FR LB Carrier was highly rated.
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Carrier was a high 3 star player and 4th in the state. getting ST run and that's not a bad thing as there are quite a few LBs that are older on the roster as detailed above.
Speaking of that class, you wonder if Gilmore (Oklahoma) or Mandell (WI) are regretting not staying home for PT reasons and on field reasons, respectively. Unsure how much Abisiri is playing out at USC.
lot of P4 talent in state that year
 



minnyrules11 said:
I'm interested in some of the younger players who have not seen much action but have good size for their position. Colin Hansen, Adam Kissayi and Riley Sunram. Also Stendel from Caledonia has already burned red shirt I believe getting in six games on kickoffs.
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Pretty sure Kissayi played Saturday. He has natural size and height as a defensive end, he looks like he can still help this season as a rotational guy.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
Pretty sure Kissayi played Saturday. He has natural size and height as a defensive end, he looks like he can still help this season as a rotational guy.
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yeah think all of the ones I named have played about 5 games just with Adam being 6'8" 255 hope can be an Anthony Smith type at some point.
 

Smith leaving (most likely) is tough because he is definitely a difference maker. Interior D line is a mystery as it’s Eastern (solid) all the time and JLR. They sprinkle in Becker who has looked solid and Lawrence but no one else really as underclassman. I was hearing rumbles that Sunram was wreaking havoc in practice and he might not even redshirt last year yet I’ve never really seen him play. I like Howard and Menz on the edge but the DT position is ripe for some impact players. Where is Rasheed Hagamen when you need him?
 

Sunram has played in 6 games (NW State, tOSU, Purdue, Nebraska and Iowa and MSU)
Kissayi has played in 7 games
Stendel 7

Zack Harden has played 7
Jaylin Hicks 6
Naiim Parrish 3
 
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MaxyJR1 said:
These players are in their last season on Defense

Devon Williams LB
Darius Green DB
Rushawn Lawrence DL
Jeff Roberson LB
Jai'Onte' McMillan DB
LeCaptain LB
Finnessy DL
Omonode DL
Eastern DL
Logan_Redding DL

Possible to return
Gerlach LB
Nestor DB
Gousby DB
Baranowski LB
A. Smith DL
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Nate Becker is a senior, but as march madness said, has another year of eligibility left. He's flashed a little on the interior lately so he should help next year. 6-6 & 300 Ibs.

https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster/nate-becker/23014
 




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