Comparing Apples, and Oranges

[auric@heart]

I was wondering about Gjere, and I read that he wasn't strong enough. I couldn't remember where, but I found it. Where else than MV's blog.


QUOTE]Continuing on the topic of young linemen, coach said that it’s a hard jump for true freshmen lineman to play right away at the college level and that ideally you’d like to give them a year to get bigger and stronger. While he noted that it’s not unheard of to see a true freshman starting in some cases, Brewster said that in a perfect world he would prefer to redshirt those guys. Asked specifically about Jimmy Gjere, Brewster said that while he’s a big guy he’s not where he needs to be yet in the strength department in order to play. He added the caveat, however, that this is assuming there aren’t any major injuries to linemen. While the Gophers feel good about their offensive line depth now, you never know what can happen as the season progresses and injuries begin to pile up.[/QUOTE]

The question I have is, I also read that Wills could only bench 185. What's up?

 

[nsmike]

It's called increasing depth on the O-line and a HC that really cares about bringing kids along the right way. Wills was brought in as a stop gap so that a freshman wouldn't need to burn a red shirt. When he graduates last years freshmen will be ready.

 

[Thunderlips]

I was wondering about Gjere, and I read that he wasn't strong enough. I couldn't remember where, but I found it. Where else than MV's blog.


QUOTE]Continuing on the topic of young linemen, coach said that it’s a hard jump for true freshmen lineman to play right away at the college level and that ideally you’d like to give them a year to get bigger and stronger. While he noted that it’s not unheard of to see a true freshman starting in some cases, Brewster said that in a perfect world he would prefer to redshirt those guys. Asked specifically about Jimmy Gjere, Brewster said that while he’s a big guy he’s not where he needs to be yet in the strength department in order to play. He added the caveat, however, that this is assuming there aren’t any major injuries to linemen. While the Gophers feel good about their offensive line depth now, you never know what can happen as the season progresses and injuries begin to pile up.

The question I have is, I also read that Wills could only bench 185. What's up?[/QUOTE]



there's a video on play4brew that shows Wills power-cleaning a $@#% ton of weight. He's a strong dude.

 

[wels0081]

There is no way Willis only benches 185. That's plain silly, in high school I benched 250 and wasn't even close to being a D-1 prospect. Most, if not all of our CB's are benching more than that and if they aren't, we have bigger problems than I thought.

That said, I'd be more concerned with what he can clean and squat than what he can bench.

 

[WaterBoy]

I recall reading that Wills could only bench 185 as well, but I thought that was in reference to when he first joined the program. I'd be shocked if he couldn't do well more than that now after being in the strength and conditioning program for 1.5 years. However, I haven't seen any strength numbers lately to back up my expectations.

 

[streetfighter]

That said, I'd be more concerned with what he can clean and squat than what he can bench.

You are sorely mistaken if you think chest strength isn't very important to tackles. They need a strong punch as well as lower body strenght to ride defenders around the quarterback and to fend off bull rushes.

 

[Schnauzer]

If Wills only benches 185, I am having someone else type this because I'm not strong enough to press the keys down to get the letters to appear.

 

[oleboy41]

Sounds like an exageration, especially since Wills played for a JUCO that had to have some type fo S&C program. Still when he came here he wasn't in good shape at all and needed to get stronger and it looks like he has. He looks like a legit lineman now instead of just a big dude.

 

[auric@heart]

I will accept the idea that Wills was a stop gap, and Gjere will benefit from a redshirt. But one player entered the program benching 185 and played, and the other enters the program certainly able to bench more than that. And is not ready because he's not strong enough.

 

[oleboy41]

I will accept the idea that Wills was a stop gap, and Gjere will benefit from a redshirt. But one player entered the program benching 185 and played, and the other enters the program certainly able to bench more than that. And is not ready because he's not strong enough.

2 things to that.

As said, it's highly unlikely Wills wasn't able to lift half his body weight when he came here.

2nd, unless a true frosh is truly better than a senior, you'd rather him take a RS. Gjere has a ton of talent but he'll likely be a guard in college meaning he'll need to be strong enough to block B10 DTs which is tougher (strength wise) than blocking DE's (unless another team employs our 2009, 'essentially play 4 DTs to stop the run since nobody can get to the QB except our raw 230lb RS frosh that was an RB in high school' strategy)

 

[GophersInIowa]

You are sorely mistaken if you think chest strength isn't very important to tackles. They need a strong punch as well as lower body strenght to ride defenders around the quarterback and to fend off bull rushes.

It is important but the squat and clean are more important.

 

[Gopherhurrin]

The old idea that you red shirt all freshmen is probably gone now. Too many good players leave early. However, offensive linemen seldom leave early. Nonetheless, it is hard to view an O line guy as a red shirt and give him the reps in practice he needs with the first string.

 

[oleboy41]

It is important but the squat and clean are more important.

I tend to disagree. For most positions, yes, but for OL leg explosion isn't quite as important. You need good footwork and a strong chest to punch and hold off defenders. OL don't do a ton of exploding through the legs as the DL or RBs. All are very important but I wouldn't minimize the importance of the bench

 

[auric@heart]

I found it,

And it was none other than doogie on his ESPN 1500 blog. While he says he has made strides in the weight room............

"Starting right tackle Jeff Wills struggled to bench press 185 lbs when he arrived last year. That is no longer a problem. Based on what we saw during the spring game, he is a lot stronger and agile this year. Whether that translates onto the field in September, etc. remains to be seen."


So again he arrive struggling to bench 185. So lets put that to rest. I hope he can squat 590, clean 390, and bench 280 but we do not know where he is at. Its top secret. Until the season starts.

 

[hyaluronic]

I doubt Jeff Wills could only bench 185. I would guess that Doogie must've walked through at the end of a really tough workout, or saw the end of an exhaustion set, or perhaps saw Wills doing double negatives. My natural bench without lifting is right around 175, and I am far from a D-I athlete, a tackle no less.

 

[oleboy41]

And it was none other than doogie on his ESPN 1500 blog. While he says he has made strides in the weight room............

"Starting right tackle Jeff Wills struggled to bench press 185 lbs when he arrived last year. That is no longer a problem. Based on what we saw during the spring game, he is a lot stronger and agile this year. Whether that translates onto the field in September, etc. remains to be seen."


So again he arrive struggling to bench 185. So lets put that to rest. I hope he can squat 590, clean 390, and bench 280 but we do not know where he is at. Its top secret. Until the season starts.

I'd take it with a grain of salt. Doogie is prone to hyperbole at times, and if he was that weak its amazing nobody else has ever mentioned it.

 

[streetfighter]

I doubt Jeff Wills could only bench 185. I would guess that Doogie must've walked through at the end of a really tough workout, or saw the end of an exhaustion set, or perhaps saw Wills doing double negatives. My natural bench without lifting is right around 175, and I am far from a D-I athlete, a tackle no less.

I don't doubt it. A tackle who weighs 400 lbs is clearly out of shape and needed some conditioning. He had great size but probably lacked strength and conditioning needed to perform well early in his Gopher's career. No doubt a few years of D-1 weight lifting would change that.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I tend to disagree. For most positions, yes, but for OL leg explosion isn't quite as important. You need good footwork and a strong chest to punch and hold off defenders. OL don't do a ton of exploding through the legs as the DL or RBs. All are very important but I wouldn't minimize the importance of the bench

The legs are what are doing most of the work when pushing off on a DL. Yes the initial contact is with their arms but it's mainly their legs that push the guy out of the hole. Yes having a strong upper body is important, but every strength coach I've been around has emphasized the lower body as being the most important.

 

[go4fan]

Sounds like an exageration, especially since Wills played for a JUCO that had to have some type fo S&C program. Still when he came here he wasn't in good shape at all and needed to get stronger and it looks like he has. He looks like a legit lineman now instead of just a big dude.

maybe they had a S&C program but he was also 400 pounds when he left there too...........was it plausible that he couldnt put up 185? yes. probable? no.

 

[hyaluronic]

I don't doubt it. A tackle who weighs 400 lbs is clearly out of shape and needed some conditioning. He had great size but probably lacked strength and conditioning needed to perform well early in his Gopher's career. No doubt a few years of D-1 weight lifting would change that.

Do you seriously think that Wills did not lift at all prior to coming to the U? I'm not saying he didn't lack strength, but 185... most of my high school football team lifted that as sophomores.

 

[gopherphan]

That 185 is probably his 1 handed bench press mark

/thread