Comments on Offense and Defense

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ncgo4

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Back home in NC and have watched the replay of Saturday's game. A few comments on each side ofnthe ball.

Offense

NIU had given up a thousand yards or something to Illinois. A guaranteed set up for the Gophers to "Pound The Rock". We came out passing. Why? If we ran it successfully we could have kept the Defense off the field. Given, that decision, we seemed to pass the ball well. The receivers were open and if Weber had not overthrown to several wide open guys we would have bee ok. Does anyone really think that the ball that Gray could't reach after jumping through the ceiling that was caught by another Gopher in the end zone was intended for anyone but Gray?

In conclusion, I think the offense is in pretty good shape. I'd feel better if Weber wasn't the Qback and if I really knew we could run. I assume the run was reduced because it isn't as good as it seemed against MTSU.

Defense

This season we start from 9 to 11 new players. Included in this are a lot of real and red-shirt freshmen. It's way too much to expect. When OSU or PSU reload there are four or five new players and few are freshmen, unless they are five star athletes that cannot be kept off the field. The result? Missed tackles and people out of position from time to time. From time to time
means the huge gains we have given up without anyone touching the runner or receiver..

Conclusion

We started the season in a deep experience hole. The main reason is that three years ago our cupboard was bare. Now we have some talented speedy athletes on defense but without enough experience to handle their positions without thinking and certainly not enough to cover their teammates mistakes. By the end of the season, I expect we will see an improved group and next year it will be a decent unit. You cannot start nine new 18 and 19 year olds on defense and
expect to be good.

I really have calmed down since Saturday. I think it may even get uglier before it get's better, but the athletes we are bringing in can't be denied. Brewster deserves our full support through next year.
 

ncgo4 said:
Brewster deserves our full support through next year.
Click to expand...

BSter sure as *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# ain't going to get it from me.

All of this is well and good if we are playing against, say, Michigan.

Against NIU? Get the *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# outta here. We should be DOMINATING them, like EVERY other Big Ten team (except the 2nd worst) did against their MAC opponents.
 

I'm sure that's true for most on this board and I understand. Just think another year is deserved
 

ncgo4 said:
Back home in NC and have watched the replay of Saturday's game. A few comments on each side ofnthe ball.

Offense

NIU had given up a thousand yards or something to Illinois. A guaranteed set up for the Gophers to "Pound The Rock". We came out passing. Why? If we ran it successfully we could have kept the Defense off the field. Given, that decision, we seemed to pass the ball well. The receivers were open and if Weber had not overthrown to several wide open guys we would have bee ok. Does anyone really think that the ball that Gray could't reach after jumping through the ceiling that was caught by another Gopher in the end zone was intended for anyone but Gray?

In conclusion, I think the offense is in pretty good shape. I'd feel better if Weber wasn't the Qback and if I really knew we could run. I assume the run was reduced because it isn't as good as it seemed against MTSU.

Defense

This season we start from 9 to 11 new players. Included in this are a lot of real and red-shirt freshmen. It's way too much to expect. When OSU or PSU reload there are four or five new players and few are freshmen, unless they are five star athletes that cannot be kept off the field. The result? Missed tackles and people out of position from time to time. From time to time
means the huge gains we have given up without anyone touching the runner or receiver..

Conclusion

We started the season in a deep experience hole. The main reason is that three years ago our cupboard was bare. Now we have some talented speedy athletes on defense but without enough experience to handle their positions without thinking and certainly not enough to cover their teammates mistakes. By the end of the season, I expect we will see an improved group and next year it will be a decent unit. You cannot start nine new 18 and 19 year olds on defense and
expect to be good.

I really have calmed down since Saturday. I think it may even get uglier before it get's better, but the athletes we are bringing in can't be denied. Brewster deserves our full support through next year.
Click to expand...

Mu question to you would be what tangible proof do you have of either of these statements? As has been inferred in other posts the Gophers had far superior athletes on defense to either South Dakota or UNI. Yes mistakes are going to be made with inexperienced players but many of those mistakes not all could be covered up with supposed superior athletes on the field being able to react, shed blocks and sheer speed to cover up mistakes. Again not all but some of the mistakes if there is all this supposed talent and ability.

There simply isn't the overall talent level on the team that you and others believe.
 

scools12 said:
Mu question to you would be what tangible proof do you have of either of these statements? As has been inferred in other posts the Gophers had far superior athletes on defense to either South Dakota or UNI. Yes mistakes are going to be made with inexperienced players but many of those mistakes not all could be covered up with supposed superior athletes on the field being able to react, shed blocks and sheer speed to cover up mistakes. Again not all but some of the mistakes if there is all this supposed talent and ability.

There simply isn't the overall talent level on the team that you and others believe.
Click to expand...

You are crazy if you think that the gophers do not have more talent than NIU and SD. We clearly lost these games because of poor coaching and lack of preparation. This will be apparent during the big ten season. I do not think we will be destroyed by too many teams. Under Brewster we have just played down to our opponents level. I just believe that Brewster thinks the amount of talent on our team should trump these smaller programs amount of preparation. He continues to look towards the big ten season and he is going to end up paying for it.
 


ncgo4 said:
Back home in NC and have watched the replay of Saturday's game. A few comments on each side ofnthe ball.

Offense

NIU had given up a thousand yards or something to Illinois. A guaranteed set up for the Gophers to "Pound The Rock". We came out passing. Why? If we ran it successfully we could have kept the Defense off the field. Given, that decision, we seemed to pass the ball well. The receivers were open and if Weber had not overthrown to several wide open guys we would have bee ok. Does anyone really think that the ball that Gray could't reach after jumping through the ceiling that was caught by another Gopher in the end zone was intended for anyone but Gray?

In conclusion, I think the offense is in pretty good shape. I'd feel better if Weber wasn't the Qback and if I really knew we could run. I assume the run was reduced because it isn't as good as it seemed against MTSU.

Defense

This season we start from 9 to 11 new players. Included in this are a lot of real and red-shirt freshmen. It's way too much to expect. When OSU or PSU reload there are four or five new players and few are freshmen, unless they are five star athletes that cannot be kept off the field. The result? Missed tackles and people out of position from time to time. From time to time
means the huge gains we have given up without anyone touching the runner or receiver..

Conclusion

We started the season in a deep experience hole. The main reason is that three years ago our cupboard was bare. Now we have some talented speedy athletes on defense but without enough experience to handle their positions without thinking and certainly not enough to cover their teammates mistakes. By the end of the season, I expect we will see an improved group and next year it will be a decent unit. You cannot start nine new 18 and 19 year olds on defense and
expect to be good.

I really have calmed down since Saturday. I think it may even get uglier before it get's better, but the athletes we are bringing in can't be denied. Brewster deserves our full support through next year.
Click to expand...

How did we get to this point though on Defense. I don't get it. Carter played last year, this is his second year in the program. Collado is a senior. It hurts not having Royston, but again why isn't there a backup ready to play. Why do you have to depend first year freshman. The linebackers that were brought in couldn't get any playing time over Mason's walkons. Something is wrong here. I suspect the recruiting hasn't been as good as it has been talked up to be.
 

Offense in pretty good shape? Aside from the stat padding against USC and NIU's back-ups in the last few minutes of each game, the offense has been very medicore. If you're hanging your hat on performances against Middle Eastern Tennesee Tech and South Dakota Culinary Institute then that's just proof at how sad this program is right now. They couldn't even move the ball 3 feet TWICE against a MAC team?!??!?!?

The offense did next to nothing against USC and NIU........when it mattered....
 


stocker08 said:
You are crazy if you think that the gophers do not have more talent than NIU and SD. We clearly lost these games because of poor coaching and lack of preparation. This will be apparent during the big ten season. I do not think we will be destroyed by too many teams. Under Brewster we have just played down to our opponents level. I just believe that Brewster thinks the amount of talent on our team should trump these smaller programs amount of preparation. He continues to look towards the big ten season and he is going to end up paying for it.
Click to expand...

not what I said. I know the Gophers have more talent overall than either school but the difference in the level of talent between NIU a MAC team and the Gophers is not that great.
 



I don't have time re-watch tape anymore. Can anyone see any obvious reason we can't run to the outside? My guess is our inability to contain the edge. I thought a couple of times Saturday night, that when we brought 3 te's in their corner back or safety sold out and took up a blocker on the inside (which clogged the hole which allowed defenders to get off their block.). It appeared they had no fear of us breaking contain and scooting down the sideline for fifty.

We ran one outside zone I can remember and they easily got across our face and tackled bennet for a loss. We ran one toss sweep (was that the first of the year? for some moderate success). I believe our 4th and 1 was attacking the 7 hole, and we were unable to push out the end and contain the tackle on the inside.
 

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