Better or Worse? Previewing Minnesota's defense in 2021

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Per Saturday Tradition​

Better or Worse? Previewing Minnesota's defense in 2021​

Phil Ervin
https://www.facebook.com/dialog/sha...-worse-previewing-minnesotas-defense-in-2021/
Minnesota’s defensive prospects this year are a conversation in good news, bad news and recency bias.
Inspired defensive performances during the final couple games of a COVID-19-sideswiped 2020 season can’t sugarcoat a simple fact that has many Golden Gophers fans concerned going into this fall.

The boys in maroon and gold were downright out-classed by even mediocre offenses last year.

That’s the bad news. The good: The Gophers gained a ton of valuable experience while taking their lumps.
What remains to be seen is whether essentially the same unit that ranked 10th in the Big Ten in total defense learned enough to be dangerous once again. That 2019 performance that had many folks in Dinkytown starting to smell roses seems like a long time ago.
With that, it’s time for another round of Better or Worse.

Pressuring the QB: Better​

The only way is up.
Right?
Minnesota’s 8 sacks — a little over 1 per game — ranked 115th out of 127 active FBS teams in 2020. Its defensive line was often gummed up at the line of scrimmage, and its linebackers drew much ire over the course of the season for being woefully out of position (more on that in a later, run-related category).


And yet the Gophers aren’t bereft of returning talent. Defensive end Boye Mafe (4.5 sacks last season) is an athletic specimen. Fellow redshirt senior Esezi Otomewo can get to the backfield when he commits to it. Coaches have been high on will linebacker Braelen Oliver’s motor for a while.
What might help even further? Some creativity from coordinator Joe Rossi. Sending nickelback Justus Harris and others off the edge more often might help this struggling area of the defense.

Run defense: Better​

We’re counting on marginal gains by virtue of experience in this category, too. But first, to rehash …
Perhaps the most dramatic dropoff for Minnesota from a magical 2019 season to last year was its ability — or inability, rather — to stop the run. Two seasons ago, the Gophers ranked 23rd nationally, allowing 122.38 yards per game.
Last season? 102nd. The carnage, blow-by-blow:
  • Michigan: 256
  • Maryland: 281
  • Illinois: 181
  • Iowa: 235
  • Purdue: 125
  • Nebraska: 197
  • Wisconsin: 175
The reasons are varied. A lot of folks in Minnesota point to less-than-inspired linebacker play. While Oliver, Mariano Sori-Marin and the rest of the defense’s middle tier certainly underperformed, Rossi’s scheme only works when the big guys up front are clogging up running lanes. Too often, Sori-Marin and company felt like they had to over-extend themselves on plays because holes opened up as soon as the ball was snapped.
Call that lack of trust, lack of discipline or both, but this is an issue that rests with the entire front seven. And with most of their key contributors back, the Gophers will have had an entire offseason to work on a remedy.

Pass defense: Even​

It’s hard to replace the reliability of Benjamin St-Juste, but at the opposite corner, Minnesota returns Coney Durr. Not only is Durr a lockdown defender, but he’s gotten better and better at making plays on the ball over the course of his career.


Minnesota has been a difficult team against which to string passes together lately. That trend should continue with Durr and safeties Tyler Nubin and Jordan Howden back in the fold.
That other corner vacated by St-Juste — a 3rd-round pick by the Washington Football Team — is one of the defense’s biggest question marks heading into fall camp.

Special teams: Better​

The Gophers added Louisiana Monroe transfer Daniel Sparks to bolster a punting room that ranked last in the Big Ten last year but did land 12 inside the 20-yard line.
Sparks averaged 44.6 yards for the Warhawks and also booted 33 kickoffs with 6 touchbacks. He’ll compete with Mark Crawford (37.6 yards on 17 punts) for duties this fall.

Overall: Better​

Which brings us back to where we began. It’s hard to imagine Minnesota being as bad defensively as it was a year ago.
Remember, this is a team 2 years removed from finishing 26th defensively in ESPN’s SP+ rankings. A lot of the talent has turned over, yes, but the Gophers don’t go after a ton of 4- and 5-star recruits. They rely on development, and there were plenty of learn-on-the-job opportunities for a youthful group last season.
Can it pay off? That could go a long way in determining the long-term trajectory of this program, believe it or not.
What P.J. Fleck has built so far is impressive. But he inherited a good amount of defensive talent from the Jerry Kill/Tracy Claeys era. If Fleck and his staff can bring players along as well as their predecessors did, watch out.
If not, Minnesota will remain somewhere in the monotonous middle — especially on the defensive side of the ball.

saturdaytradition.com

Better or Worse? Previewing Minnesota's defense in 2021

Minnesota's defense should be improved simply based on the hard-earned experience many players gained during a rough 2020 season.
saturdaytradition.com saturdaytradition.com
 

As far as I know, the Gophers historically have been mediocre defensively. That is putting it mildly.

Bottom line, I'd like to see the Gophers be tough against the run consistently to join an elite company in the Big Ten. Then, you build the defense further from there.

PJ Fleck has been paying attention to details. The Covid-ridden season underscored the urgency. We can bet that he is going to elevate the strength of the Defense moving forward.

Over the years, we have witnessed many last-minute victories salted away by defensive foibles.
 


hungan1 said:
As far as I know, the Gophers historically have been mediocre defensively. That is putting it mildly.

Bottom line, I'd like to see the Gophers be tough against the run consistently to join an elite company in the Big Ten. Then, you build the defense further from there.

PJ Fleck has been paying attention to details. The Covid-ridden season underscored the urgency. We can bet that he is going to elevate the strength of the Defense moving forward.

Over the years, we have witnessed many last-minute victories salted away by defensive foibles.
Click to expand...
Recent history they have been good.
 

If they can get above average safety play the gophers will have a top 5 defense in the conference. If they can’t, they won’t
 


hungan1 said:
I'd like to see the Gophers be tough against the run consistently
Click to expand...

With a ball hawking secondary. Let the rack up completions, just as long as we get two picks a game!
 

Essentially the same unit"

sure. if you ignore two transfers who will start or get major playing time in the D-Line, and a transfer who will either be a starter or major rotation player at LB.

But he does mention a transfer at P. Odd.
 

I became a Gopher fan during Mason's tenure. It seemed like the 1999 Defensive Unit was the best he fielded. Having Tyrone Carter on the field certainly helped with that. The seniors were all Wacker 'crutes as I recall.

Historic defensive collapses were Mace's ultimate downfall. Coach Kill/Claeys made us at least respectable. Many thanks for that.
 

I agree with more creativity from Rossi. Seems like he rarely likes to blitz.
 



BilldGopher said:
I became a Gopher fan during Mason's tenure. It seemed like the 1999 Defensive Unit was the best he fielded. Having Tyrone Carter on the field certainly helped with that. The seniors were all Wacker 'crutes as I recall.

Historic defensive collapses were Mace's ultimate downfall. Coach Kill/Claeys made us at least respectable. Many thanks for that.
Click to expand...
I think that it was more than defensive collapses that were the undoing of Mason. In several of those epic blown leads we would likely have won if the offense would have been able to make just one more first down. Those losses were an entire team effort, stating with the coaching staff.
 



Gophers1992 said:
To be fair he wasn't much of a contributor.
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Yeah, it was almost like he didn't even see the field last year :)

I was admittedly high on the potential of the defense heading into last year but it was very clear the lack of an offseason combined with injuries and other factors were just too much to overcome. It was easy to see improvement on D as the year went on and hopefully we will see a much better unit out there this season.

The experience gained last year combined with some potential impact transfers should put that unit in a much better position to succeed in 2021.
 



I predict Oliver will perform much better in 2021 than the prior year (!). We played a raw freshman, Lindenberg, against Michigan in the opener last year. This year I expect Lindenberg to be a force in the LB rotation. Bottom Line: If we get a consistent, respectable pass rush in 2021 (almost non-existent last year), all phases of our defense will be better.
 

Strong play at DT especially will protect the LB's. if the DT's can tie up the middle of the OL, that keeps any OG's from leaking out and blocking the LB's. That in turn leaves the LB's open to diagnose and flow to the play.

Look how bad the Vikes' run defense got last year when their DT play was sub-par.

If I could have one wish on D every year, it would be to have a big space-eatin' dude at DT - a Pat Williams type 350-lb guy who occupies two OL on every play.
 

denguegopher said:
In several of those epic blown leads we would likely have won if the offense would have been able to make just one more first down.
Click to expand...
Nothing will top Maroney being stopped on third and short which led to the botched punt against fricken Wisconsin. After we ran up and down field all day on them. That's as shell shocked as I've ever been. The Michigan game and the bowl game were the other two I remember, but you sensed them coming because we got conservative. Ya, coaching was most definitely to blame.
 

Good call on behind stunned after those three outcomes. I had the pleasure of being on hand for all three with varying levels of sobriety, and surprise.

Michigan got a little foggy around halftime due to the long day of golf, followed by the pre-game at Sally's, then the ecstasy of the 28-7 lead. I sensed the outcome was in doubt though.

At that dreaded Texas Tech game I went over to the other side at halftime to get some of the better beer over on that side, and assured the TT fans I talked to that they should perk up as our defense was not good and the game was not over. Sadly getting the field goal on the first possession of the second half rather than the TD probably what swung the game. 42-7 somehow might have been enough even thought 38-7 was not.

That 2005 Wisconsin game was the most surprising outcome for me, as the tide seemed to have turned against Wisconsin that day, and the running game had been working all day. The deciding, and very jolting sudden play was pretty much as fluky as you will see for years at time.

Those are my top three all time worse unlikely losses but there are more, like the Gutey loss at home vs OSU, the Mason losses at Indiana, then of course the Mason losses to NC State, Purdue and Northwestern. (plus I'll toss in the 2004 at MIchigan Stadium- another bad in person event)

edit:

I will add the 2014 and 2016 games in Madison to the list, as the stakes were high, and we were teased in the early parts of the game only to have the wheels fall off late, getting beat by the likes of unlikely UW offensive stars like the short, not that impressive WR Erickson.
 
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oak_street1981 said:
Good call on behind stunned after those three outcomes. I had the pleasure of being on hand for all three with varying levels of sobriety, and surprise.

Michigan got a little foggy around halftime due to the long day of golf, followed by the pre-game at Sally's, then the ecstasy of the 28-7 lead. I sensed the outcome was in doubt though.

At that dreaded Texas Tech game I went over to the other side at halftime to get some of the better beer over on that side, and assured the TT fans I talked to that they should perk up as our defense was not good and the game was not over. Sadly getting the field goal on the first possession of the second half rather than the TD probably what swung the game. 42-7 somehow might have been enough even thought 38-7 was not.

That 2005 Wisconsin game was the most surprising outcome for me, as the tide seemed to have turned against Wisconsin that day, and the running game had been working all day. The deciding, and very jolting sudden play was pretty much as fluky as you will see for years at time.

Those are my top three all time worse unlikely losses but there are more, like the Gutey loss at home vs OSU, the Mason losses at Indiana, then of course the Mason losses to NC State, Purdue and Northwestern. (plus I'll toss in the 2004 at MIchigan Stadium- another bad in person event)

edit:

I will add the 2014 and 2016 games in Madison to the list, as the stakes were high, and we were teased in the early parts of the game only to have the wheels fall off late, getting beat by the likes of unlikely UW offensive stars like the short, not that impressive WR Erickson.
Click to expand...
I live far out of state and was only at the TT debacle. IMHO the field goal was not the problem. It was the next possession that blew the game. We ran a couple of times got a first down and then decided that it would be real tricky to start passing. We threw that stupid fade, incomplete. Stopped the clock. Stupidly passed again and either got sacked or a holding penalty, but did stop the clock again. Stupid! Then we threw on third and long to a young Decker who caught the ball going out of bounds, far short of a first down. Stopped the clock. Again, STUPID! It got Mason fired, but hiring Brewster was obviously not slick move. Kill and Fleck's teams have not been nearly as frustrating to watch. Go Gophers!
 

Mulligan said:
Nothing will top Maroney being stopped on third and short which led to the botched punt against fricken Wisconsin. After we ran up and down field all day on them. That's as shell shocked as I've ever been. The Michigan game and the bowl game were the other two I remember, but you sensed them coming because we got conservative. Ya, coaching was most definitely to blame.
Click to expand...
I assume you mean the TT bowl game, but let’s not forget the collapse to Phillip Rivers and NCST.
 





Mulligan said:
Nothing will top Maroney being stopped on third and short which led to the botched punt against fricken Wisconsin. After we ran up and down field all day on them. That's as shell shocked as I've ever been. The Michigan game and the bowl game were the other two I remember, but you sensed them coming because we got conservative. Ya, coaching was most definitely to blame.
Click to expand...
Yes!!!!!!!!!

That one game was the worst I ever felt leaving the dome. Killed em all day.
 

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