BTN: Minnesota Spring Preview: Our early look at the Gophers in 2015

[BleedGopher]

per BTN:

MINNESOTA SPRING TO-DO LIST

1. Find a running back. Is it a committee or does somebody step-up like David Cobb did the last two seasons (2,993 rushing yards)? The good news: running back could be the deepest position on the team even given the youth and somewhat anonymity of the group.

2. Sort through the wideouts. The leading returning receiver is KJ Maye, who had 16 catches for 298 yards and 1 TD in 2014. After him? Drew Wolitarsky had 10 catches for 106 yards. The staff redshirted three wideouts (Isaiah Gentry, Melvin Holland, Jr., and Desmond Gant).

3. Build the defensive line. Minnesota may have the best secondary in the Big Ten next season. And junior college LB transfer Cody Poock (who tore an ACL last spring and missed the season) should replace Damien Wilson at middle linebacker for what has been one of the Big Ten’s most underrated defenses in recent years.

http://btn.com/2015/02/19/minnesota-spring-preview-our-early-look-at-the-gophers-in-2015/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Spoofin]

I still think we will move Lynn inside and play Poock on the outside. Just a gut feeling.


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[Halsey Hall]

I still think we will move Lynn inside and play Poock on the outside. Just a gut feeling.


Perhaps a crazy thought, but how about Campbell in the middle???

 

[GopherHomer]

I still think we will move Lynn inside and play Poock on the outside. Just a gut feeling.


Perhaps a crazy thought, but how about Campbell in the middle???

I think he would get eaten alive by linemen. He needs to be on the outside using his speed.

 

[husker70]

3. Build the defensive line. Richardson to my mind was a Freshman All Big 10 player. Epke showed promise and was injured. They mention T. C. but another player who stood out as a Freshman was Galen Elmore. Add to those Andrew Stelter. We have players the depth is there. There of course will be battles and designs for playing time. Do we have a true 2 deep? Maybe not, but who does?

 

[DoubleB]

Just hope that we stay healthy all season in every position

 

[Kuato Lives!]

While Minnesota could certainly have the best secondary, I would be shocked if any of the national pundits would actually go as far as to rank them there in the various preseason lists. I'm sure most would take the lazy way out and rank them somewhere in the middle of the conference with OSU or MSU taking the top spots.

 

[diehard]

Is Moore ready to breakout on the DL? Claeys says Elmore will stabilize at 270 and stay at DE. There is another Epke that will contribute at some point. In time our DL will be a strength. I'm optimistic about the whole D.

 

[Governor Sibley]

I don't care how good Richardson is or will be; he'll always be something of a liability on passing downs.

We need somebody who will take up some vertical space inside.

Did we knock down a pass last year? It's a quiet statistic that's hugely important. Totally changes the game.

 

[GopherHomer]

I don't care how good Richardson is or will be; he'll always be something of a liability on passing downs.

We need somebody who will take up some vertical space inside.

Did we knock down a pass last year? It's a quiet statistic that's hugely important. Totally changes the game.

I agree that knocking down passes is an important facet of the game, but I completely disagree with you assessing Richardson as a liability on passing downs. If he can penetrate into the backfield, he will be doing his job. Also his 2-3 inch deficit in height is easily replaceable with arm length, timing, leaping ability, and technique. I'm not sure how Richardson measures up in these categories, but there is more to knocking down passes than just height. The passes that get knocked down by DTs are short passes over the middle...often times you see a lineman jumping to knock down the pass and get hit in the elbow or head with the ball. Richardson had a fabulous year as a true freshman.

 

[t-docious]

Richardson is already a man and getting manlier. Lets exercise a lil patience on a pure frosh maybe. He is going to have a very nice career.

 

[MaxyJR1]

My sources told me today (ialto) that Kill wants to pick up the offensive pace in spring practice. This is something many have asked and clamored for. I think it's also a sign of the confidence they have in a QB in year four.

I want our offensive line to wear teams out and dominate late in the game.


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[Wade Gustafson]

Forgot about Poock...Makes me feel a lot better about replacing Damien. Of course he is unproven and somewhat still an unknown.. but I gotta trust the coaches who were raving about him last Spring.

 

[MGGopher]

My sources told me today (ialto) that Kill wants to pick up the offensive pace in spring practice. This is something many have asked and clamored for. I think it's also a sign of the confidence they have in a QB in year four.

I want our offensive line to wear teams out and dominate late in the game.


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Interesting tidbit...thanks for posting. I wonder if they're just looking to install more tempo so that the team is more prepared in short clock situations, or if they want to move quicker on the whole. If it's the latter, I'm a little disappointed. I love the molasses like pace at which we play. It's refreshing for a team to control the ball in this day and age. The coaches know what they're doing though...

 

[MaxyJR1]

Interesting tidbit...thanks for posting. I wonder if they're just looking to install more tempo so that the team is more prepared in short clock situations, or if they want to move quicker on the whole. If it's the latter, I'm a little disappointed. I love the molasses like pace at which we play. It's refreshing for a team to control the ball in this day and age. The coaches know what they're doing though...

I would think its a little of both to take advantage of some formations and the 2-minute drill. Gotta think with Jones and Smith at running back they will have more versatility to stall on the field and pick up the pace moving them around.

Gotta practice it to do it properly.


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[mcal24]

ESPN: B1G spring position outlook: Running back

Next up: Wisconsin and Minnesota

Minnesota also has to replace a school record-breaker in Cobb, but the Gophers feel great about the position. Rodrick Williams Jr., Berkley Edwards, Rodney Smith and redshirt freshmen Jeff Jones will compete for playing time this spring and beyond. This could become more of a committee approach, but options abound.

Plenty of respect from ESPN despite lack of a proven running back!

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post...on-outlook-running-back?ex_cid=espnapi_public