Depth Chart

[Gopherprof]

You do realize there are more OL on the field than CBs, right?

Way to contribute with your thoughtful insights.

 

[Gopherprof]

I think the staff wishes they had more DBs on the roster but part of it has been bad luck. Two recruting classes ago, we had 3 DBs flip (Andrews, Brookins, and the kid who went to South Florida, name escapes me). Last year Blasingame flipped late and we missed on a few others. I think we take at least 5, possibly 6 this year and get back to where we should be.

Yes. And there's a definite pattern emerging this year with recruiting: far more midwestern players, far less focus on the panhandle. For all the talk about how fruitful that area has been, we've seen too many players jump ship as soon as they get an offer from a southern school, leaving us to hold our hat at the end, lacking in DB depth.

But even the most obvious and innocuous comments will get a snide and worthless response from someone around here.

 

[Killjoy]

You do realize there are more OL on the field than CBs, right?

It is a fair point even though Gopherprof didn't seemed to think so. But even more important is that it normally takes OLs longer to develop/mature physically than DBs. I remember awhile back when people were complaining about Kill saying that we were a young team. I decided to go back and checked out to see if Kill was right. And guess what, he was. I especially looked at the OL. As I recall, teams like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, had O-line starters were mostly seniors and the rest were juniors. And that is why you need more OLs than DBs.

 

[Spoofin]

Way to contribute with your thoughtful insights.

You're welcome. It was obvious you needed the help.

 

[pharmacygopher]

You do realize there are more OL on the field than CBs, right?

You seem to be talking just CB's but I'd look at all DB's especially with our propensity for S to play CB or CB to play S (Wells, Vereen). So, sometimes your argument is true, sometimes not. Someone should look up what percent of plays we're in our base defense versus nickel or dime look with 5 or 6 DB's of the field.

I agree with others that more OL are necessary just to let them mature up front, but that means you'll be playing other youngsters elsewhere (more than likely).

 

[Spoofin]

You seem to be talking just CB's but I'd look at all DB's

Yes I was talking about just CBs as the original post clearly compared OL scholarship numbers to CB scholarship numbers (both by position name & scholarship numbers). So, although I agree it makes more sense to look at all DBs, that is not what the original post was about.

 

[highwayman]

Back to the subject at hand...

This many true Freshmen on what is considered to be the Gophers' long suit is a tribute to the type of athlete that was recruited for 2014. This is not "desperation". This is also game one of thirteen. There is always gamesmanship with these sort of things. It would not be a shocker if many of the "2nd team" Freshmen don't play a down.

With Wolitarsky on the mend, the 2 deeps at WR are intriguing. Logan Hutton finally gets his dues, and I think he will end up as our annual "surprise WR". There's always one. Maye could have a break out year. D. Jones will make some great plays.

OL not too much of a shock. When Lauer is healthy, you'll see some shifting.

Don't put a lot of stock in the RB depth, except Cobb. Again, gamesmanship. I'd say the rest are all equals, and will all see playing time.

TE rotation will create some tough match ups for opposing LB/DB.

DL is remarkably solid. Cockran will be a superstar this season.

LB are LONG. We might have the tallest LB corps in college football. It will make it difficult for opposing QBs to get good reads, and the midget Rallis might be the toughest guy in the bunch.

DB, again, solid, solid, solid.

Marcus Jones is back. The rumors of his unseating appear unfounded...and he's the back-up holder!

It is really going to be fun to watch this team grow up.

 

[GophersInIowa]

1. When Kill was hired, our OL depth was horrible. So they went out and signed 6 OL their first year. Add in a transfer in Bobek and that is why there are seven junior OL this year. I imagine they want to get it to even out over time so we are signing 3-5 OL every year.

2. Our DB depth is probably not as deep as they want it because of commitments changing their minds last minute. It seems that in the past few years many of these have been DBs.

3. Compared to DBs, OL have way more injuries, concussions, etc. How many OL have retired because of concussions the past few years? I can think of three: Michel, Gjere, and Bak.