BTN: Big Ten Defensive Line Rankings (Minnesota #12)

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per BTN:

12. Minnesota. How do you replace Ra’Shede Hageman? You don’t. Still, the Gophers have some nice options. Workmanlike tackle Cameron Botticelli is inside along with Scott Ekpe. Lithe Theiren Cockran is one of the Big Ten’s better rushers. Michael Amaefula is a vet on the other side. Depth is solid.

http://btn.com/2014/07/04/buckeyes-lead-defensive-line-unit-rankings/

Go Gophers!!
 

#12? Good bulletin board material For our guys.
 



Alright LBs is one thing to put us at 12 when we only return one starter but D-line?!?! We return 3 starters and 3 out of the 4 rotational guys last year including an All conference player that was 4th in sacks last year and 1st in forced fumbles! This pisses me off.
 


Meanwhile Bucky loses every single starter in their front 7 yet they get the benefit of the doubt that the new guys will somehow produce despite being unknowns. Like i said for Iowa its not like Wiscy (although Allen and Watt were good/great players) churns out first round draft picks like they do O-line and RB and they don't have any 5 stars coming in like OSU.
 

Lets see, 12th in linebackers, 12 in defensive line, anyone want to guess what the secondary will be rated?
 

matt said:
That's right. It's the sports way of saying "he means well, but [insert insult here]."
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It's like telling a girl she has a nice personality.
 

I already posted this in another thread, but thought I'd share here too. Apologies for the redundancy.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thank you to <a href="https://twitter.com/BTNTomDienhart">@BTNTomDienhart</a> for thinking we will suck on defense this year - we have a surprise for you - should start with a tour of TCF</p>— Jay Sawvel (@JaySawvel) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaySawvel/statuses/486538969497468928">July 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Costa Rican Gopher said:
"Workmanlike" is code for "Not very good" correct?
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It's like in the AWA wrestling days, when Mean Gene Okerlund would always introduce Kenny Jay as "the very capable Kenny Jay."

What this amounts to is more lazy reporting. Most writers who cover the B1G have only heard of 1 DL player for MN - RaShede. He graduated, therefore the DL must stink.

Having said that, the remaining DT on the roster need to show improvement this year. No one player is going to replace Shede, but collectively, they might be able to do enough to keep the D from taking a step back.
 

I am so OK with this. Bulletin Board material. Under the radar. Getting no respect. Insert your cliche here.
 

Cameron is reading this thread and I hope our guys continue to have a chip on their shoulder!!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/GopherHole">@GopherHole</a> Looks like some of your fine members are struggling with defining words this week... <a href="http://t.co/xuL01BjvVJ">pic.twitter.com/xuL01BjvVJ</a></p>— Cameron Botticelli (@TheRealMookie46) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealMookie46/statuses/486609488464465920">July 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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El Amin Fan said:
Cameron is reading this thread and I hope our guys continue to have a chip on their shoulder!!
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He also seems to have missed the point of the thread. And the fact that the guy he thinks complimented him ranked his unit 12th out of 14.
 



Cameron, us gopherholers are not trying to insult you, just trying to decode what Dienhart meant by "workmanlike" and trying to figure out if he was insulting you. He probably just meant not the most talented or athletic but very fundamentally sound and blue collar.
 

die hard gopher said:
Cameron, us gopherholers are not trying to insult you, just trying to decode what Dienhart meant by "workmanlike" and trying to figure out if he was insulting you. He probably just meant not the most talented or athletic but very fundamentally sound and blue collar.
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Your synonyms are no different that workmanlike. Just phrased differently. It's arguably the opposite of athletic, gifted, talented in any sense of the word from an athletic standpoint. Nothing more than lipstick on a pig.

I believe you were trying to put a better spin on it but unfortunately just reinforced the original point.

I believe Cameron is much more than 'workmanlike', 'blue collar' or 'fundamentally sound'.
 

maroonedinCA said:
Your synonyms are no different that workmanlike. Just phrased differently. It's arguably the opposite of athletic, gifted, talented in any sense of the word from an athletic standpoint. Nothing more than lipstick on a pig.

I believe you were trying to put a better spin on it but unfortunately just reinforced the original point.

I believe Cameron is much more than 'workmanlike', 'blue collar' or 'fundamentally sound'.
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Agree. IMHO Workman like means consistancy. Brings it every play without getting too high or low emotionally. Usually that consistancy sets up the big play. I'm not worried about him, I am hopeful that someone can be that second, third, etc DT that brings it as well so that BOTH DTs that are in on a particular play can shine.
 

I used to get myself worked up about these snubbings. After a few years of it, I realized...

half the time they are correct and I had been overreacting
The other half of the time I either don't remember the snubbings or who wrote them once they are proven wrong.

In the end I am looking forward to this season and I truly feel the team continues to improve. But, with both crossover games being traditional extra-tough games for the Gophers, I am concerned the improvement won't be reflected in more wins. I just plan to enjoy the season and attending the games as much as I can. A lot of "rankings" and prognostications will look really dumb by the end of the year. So be it.
 

We did just lose the best d-tackle we've had in a generation... and Kill has said 2-3 of the true freshman will play. Scott Ekpe and Botticelli have experience, but we sub DTs like hockey coaches and no one behind them has ever played significant minutes. Cockran is the real deal, but do we have other DEs who stand out? Again, we sub them like crazy so 4 guys will get minutes each game. Is there another guy who can be a pass rushing threat and play the run? I think many of them are undersized, which is being corrected with Kafo and Stelter here but they are still a few years away.
 

Rankings such as these are often soft-peddled by the writer. You see in with recruiting rankings all the time. They will rank a recruiting class near or at the bottom and then highlight the "solid" contributors they reeled in.

You can paraphrase it this way: "It's not that they suck, it's just that everybody else is better." That's essentially the approach Dienhart has taken with these rankings.
 

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