All Things 2019 Gophers Fall Camp Thread

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Went to Gophers football practice today. Thing that jumps out is massive size of their offensive line. Here are measurements of starters from LT to RT: 6-6, 325 lbs; 6-6, 325; 6-5, 305; 6-5, 345; 6-9, 400. They also line up a TE at 6-7, 270 pounds.

https://twitter.com/chipscoggins/status/1159993846601789440?s=20


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Dropped in to practice for a few minutes before the Twins and my takeaways are minimal but this team looks both very athletic and has great size. Getting on field level really helps with gauging relative size of the players — to settle the debate I’d guess Morgan is about 6’ 0.5” to 6’ 1”. He’s not small but he’s dwarfed by JC. Love his command out there - said it before but IMHO can win a lot of games with this guy’s intangibles and work ethic.

Other nonsense opinions: TJ is a larger man in person, thicker and taller than CAB or DD. NAM looks like a future tight end - massive/stocky for a WR. Wiley has the taller, leaner build of a WR and was getting hammered on by PJ on pad level. Michael Brown Stephens got an earful for something. Typical freshman stuff. Van Dyne and Udoibok bring some height to the WR corps. Ibrahim is impressive in person - a bowling ball. Faalele is as impressive as advertised. Andries, SS, Dunlap etc all look the part but pale in comparison. The defensive ends Mafe, Devers, Esezi look more developed. I didn’t see the tackles. Kamal Martin looks impressive but hasn’t really turned the corner on the field yet. Coughlin is thicker. Kieft has an impressive red mane. Spann Ford is enormous and really looking forward to seeing him more in a pass catching role.
 

denguegopher said:
2. Schlueter this year will have the benefit of blocking for a QB that has much better pocket presence and is a more decisive runner than Annexstad.
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That's a fair point.

Do recall though that Annexstad hurt his ankle like the first or second play of the Miami game last season, and that really screwed up his mobility. Then when we started playing teams like Maryland and Iowa, they either went right around or right through Schlueter and just pummeled ZA into the dirt. He couldn't run away from the sacks, and Schlueter had issues blocking.


TM can get away, so that helps. And hopefully Schlueter is much improved, if he indeed ends up being the starting LT.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Dropped in to practice for a few minutes before the Twins and my takeaways are minimal but this team looks both very athletic and has great size. Getting on field level really helps with gauging relative size of the players — to settle the debate I’d guess Morgan is about 6’ 0.5” to 6’ 1”. He’s not small but he’s dwarfed by JC. Love his command out there - said it before but IMHO can win a lot of games with this guy’s intangibles and work ethic.

Other nonsense opinions: TJ is a larger man in person, thicker and taller than CAB or DD. NAM looks like a future tight end - massive/stocky for a WR. Wiley has the taller, leaner build of a WR and was getting hammered on by PJ on pad level. Michael Brown Stephens got an earful for something. Typical freshman stuff. Van Dyne and Udoibok bring some height to the WR corps. Ibrahim is impressive in person - a bowling ball. Faalele is as impressive as advertised. Andries, SS, Dunlap etc all look the part but pale in comparison. The defensive ends Mafe, Devers, Esezi look more developed. I didn’t see the tackles. Kamal Martin looks impressive but hasn’t really turned the corner on the field yet. Coughlin is thicker. Kieft has an impressive red mane. Spann Ford is enormous and really looking forward to seeing him more in a pass catching role.
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Thanks for your observations. I’m excited about the DE group.
 


PitinoFan said:
Morgan was sacked 12 times in his 6 starts. I think that can improved upon, but it’s not terrible.

He was not sacked against Wisconsin.

Annexstad was sacked 15 times in 6 games.

I didn’t include the 1 sack given up to Nebraska, since they both played a half, and I don’t which QB was sacked.


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The o-line play was night and day from the start compared to the end of the season.

I would look no further than the rushing yardage per game. Gophs averaged 50 yards more per game for the last six games (includes bowl game) compared to the first six games. That made an measurable impact on ability to pass block.
 

PMWinSTP said:
The o-line play was night and day from the start compared to the end of the season.

I would look no further than the rushing yardage per game. Gophs averaged 50 yards more per game for the last six games (includes bowl game) compared to the first six games. That made an measurable impact on ability to pass block.
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Both QBs faced too much pressure at times. They have to be more consistent.


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Thanks for the updates. I haven't been able to get to practice this year. There is a lot to be optimistic and excited about this coming season barring injuries. We hope the depth at each position is much improved.
 



Sid, Meg Ryan, Coyle all in attendance. St Juste as noted is a tower at DB. Durr is tank-like. Kiondre is a physical specimen. PJ yelling commands alone is entertaining and worth the effort to attend. Antoine’s calves are a work of art. I could go on.
 

Potts #23 looks explosive looks like a combination of Smith and brooks.
 





GopherDog1 said:
Dunlap was at RG. Olson at Center and Andries at left guard. Big Dan at RT. Schlueter at LT.
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I worry about Schlueter at tackle. The way he looked last year was not good at all at that position. Had some of the worst games I’ve seen for a tackle. Sure hope he’s improved immensely.


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Is it football season yet?
 


Am I the only one who is perplexed that Andries is not the starting left tackle?
 

BroncoRedux said:
Am I the only one who is perplexed that Andries is not the starting left tackle?
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There are still almost 3 weeks to go. Maybe they just want to see what else they have first. I doubt they’ll allow opposing defenses to tee off on Morgan.


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Does anyone who has been to practice have any report on how the freshman D tackles are looking?
 

SPEGOPHER said:
Does anyone who has been to practice have any report on how the freshman D tackles are looking?
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I'd be surprised if any of them cracked the regular rotation. Right now it's Renner and Drew-Treadway with the ones, Teague and Schad with the twos, Ahanatou and Hickox with the 3's.

Also from one of the videos from gopher athletics of the practice, Faalele and Richter did a one on one and it looked like Faalele was about to pancake Logan but the video cut out right before it.
 

Hmmm okay thanks for the update. Interesting b/c Cheney and Carter were both highly rated with good offers and we are thin at D tackle.
 

If the highly touted Freshman aren’t threatening for playing time, that might be a good sign that the older guys are stepping up.

Yeah, 340 lb Richter was about to get a facemask full of turf, courtesy of Faalele, right before that video cut out. It probably won’t be the last time. He didn’t face guys like that in high school, playing against Pequot Lakes and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, so he probably needs a year or two to adjust.


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SPEGOPHER said:
Hmmm okay thanks for the update. Interesting b/c Cheney and Carter were both highly rated with good offers and we are thin at D tackle.
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They should be able to finally redshirt these guys, which is a good thing. Not many true freshman DTs can step right in and make an impact in the B1G.
 

PitinoFan said:
If the highly touted Freshman aren’t threatening for playing time, that might be a good sign that the older guys are stepping up.

Yeah, 340 lb Richter was about to get a facemask full of turf, courtesy of Faalele, right before that video cut out. It probably won’t be the last time. He didn’t face guys like that in high school, playing against Pequot Lakes and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, so he probably needs a year or two to adjust.


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Richter isn't a small man either. He wasn't dwarfed by Faalele's size like the rest of the world is.
 

Halsey Hall said:
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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In some ways, I kind of get it.

Andries looks really good in space and I think is likely a better G than a T. So while you might be upgrading LT, I think you're downgrading the guard spot by moving him.
 

I didn’t follow the 2019 recruiting much, and just noticed Rashad Cheney committed and decommitted to both Alabama and Georgia. It is interesting that he’s not even in the 3 deep in camp at this point.


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PitinoFan said:
I didn’t follow the 2019 recruiting much, and just noticed Rashad Cheney committed and decommitted to both Alabama and Georgia. It is interesting that he’s not even in the 3 deep in camp at this point.


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From my understanding, he's been a bit dinged up.
 

PMWinSTP said:
The o-line play was night and day from the start compared to the end of the season.

I would look no further than the rushing yardage per game. Gophs averaged 50 yards more per game for the last six games (includes bowl game) compared to the first six games. That made an measurable impact on ability to pass block.
Click to expand...

This is true.

However, ZA's biggest weakness is his pocket presence. I don't think we blocked well for him, but I don't think he did himself any favors.
 

BroncoRedux said:
Am I the only one who is perplexed that Andries is not the starting left tackle?
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No, I think Andries can play LT, but if staff feels his best spot as @ G, that is where he'll play.
 

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