VarmintKong
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- Jan 9, 2009
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I thought the key injury of the Mason years was to Brandon Owens. One of those "what ifs". We won four BT games that year, three after that horrendous injury.
Brandon Owens is the single most overrated player of the Glen Mason era. People act like he was going to be the guy to take us over the top as a defense. That defense was terrible in 2005,both pre and post injury. Maybe he makes the defense slightly better. But he was not the difference between 7-5 and a Big Ten title. Maybe with him the team wins 1 more game. But maybe they lose the same amount of games. There was never a time in the past 10 years where the gophers were 1 defensive player away from having a great defense.
I don't really care about all of the preseason defensive talks. How many years in a row under Mason did we hear "The defense is improved" or "they are playing fast?"
Under Brewster, I have actually seen defensive improvement from year-to-year. I have started to see athletes on defense. That is what is really important. They may not be better this year (with all of the starters gone from a year ago) but over the long haul I like the defensive emphasis.
Mason was very good at recruiting two positions: OL an RB...other than that, he either didn't have the eye for talent or the desire to put in the work to entice the defensive athletes to come here. It's frustrating because he showed the skill of finding 'under the radar' talent on the OL...if he could have figured it out on defense, he would have had some very good teams. I'm one of the rare Brewster backers that also really liked Mason. All in all, though, it's nice to finally have a coach that can get real defensive players to come here. One aspect of Brewster's recruiting that I really am excited about is that he is taking athlete's regardless of position, identifying their skill set/frame, and switching them to specific spots on the defense. You always here about guys in the NFL who are studs on the defensive side of the ball that excelled at different positions in high school
I know what you are saying, he wasn't a talent equivalent to say a lawrence maroney, but his loss was devestating. Glen Mason's defenses were so thin, and he was very good. Once he was gone the hope slowly dissolved.
I wouldnt take much stock into the "Play Fast" saying because it's coachspeak. Every Coach wants their team to "work hard and play fast"... I do think that if the DL plays well that helps an entire defense tremendously. Just look at the pro teams and how their D lines play year to year.
I agree Schnoodler. I found it interesting that he said he was just going to go let them play at first and then slowly start to add more to the plate. In other words, just read and react.
Most of the Defense hasn't seen a snap of live action.
Proof you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
Correct, Gold Vision. Gary Tinsley has no experience playing live snaps in a big game, like a rivalry game on the road. Keanon Cooper has no experience. Jewhan Edwards hasn't taken many live snaps, and neither has Brandon Kirksey.
This troll is pathetic.
Theret (a <STRIKE>two</STRIKE> three-year starter)