ESPN: Most indispensable players: Minnesota

[die hard gopher]

this article is from a few weeks ago but i didn't see anybody post a thread on it



Now that spring practice is over, we're examining the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team.

By indispensable, we don't necessarily mean best. We mean the players who would be hardest to replace between now and the start of the season if they got hurt/suspended/run over by a rickshaw, etc. That could be because of their value to the team or because of a lack of depth at their position.

We'll pick two players from each team, usually offense and defense but not always. Let's turn now to the Minnesota Golden Gophers:

Ra'Shede Hageman, DT

The Gophers had pretty good competition for playing time all along their defensive front this spring. With the exception, that is, of Hageman's spot. He's the most accomplished veteran on that line and maybe the best overall athlete on the entire team at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds. Minnesota expect Hageman to build on the progress he made his junior year and become a truly dominant figure as a senior. The defensive tackle spot is not bare outside of Hageman; Cameron Botticelli returns at the other spot after starting all 13 games last season, and the coaches really like the potential of Scott Ekpe. But they don't make too many guys like Hageman, and his skills would be awfully tough to replace.

Ed Olson, LT

Loads of injuries on the offensive line last year had one positive effect for Minnesota: Young players were forced to gain experience, and now there's some actual depth in that group. Still, the offensive line is different when Olson is anchoring it at left tackle. This will be his fourth year as a starter, and when he got hurt after six games last year, there was a noticeable drop-off in performance for the line as a whole. Olson also missed this spring because of an injury, and Marek Lenkiewicz took his first-team reps. Lenkiewicz is capable, but the Gophers would feel the loss if Olson wasn't there to protect Philip Nelson's blind side.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/76433/most-indispensable-players-minnesota-2

 

[John Galt]

Disagree with both choices. Nelson is the most important on offense, Wells on defense. The drop off after both of those guys is significant.

 

[GopherHoleDigger]

I can see Hageman, he is obvious, but Bennett's logic is screwed up on the offensive side of the ball. He even claims because of injuries that depth was built, well doesn't logic dictate that if there is depth then a replacement is more likely to be found than where there is no depth and experience? (I dislike Bennett for his terrible Gopher coverage and the insincere apologetic attitude they take at ESPN in regards to us) One would be better off to choose a position on offense that has no/lack of experience and depth. In my opinion that would be Quarterback. If Mankato Jesus goes down we might be outa luck...

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

I can see Hageman, he is obvious, but Bennett's logic is screwed up on the offensive side of the ball. He even claims because of injuries that depth was built, well doesn't logic dictate that if there is depth then a replacement is more likely to be found than where there is no depth and experience? (I dislike Bennett for his terrible Gopher coverage and the insincere apologetic attitude they take at ESPN in regards to us) One would be better off to choose a position on offense that has no/lack of experience and depth. In my opinion that would be Quarterback. If Mankato Jesus goes down we might be outa luck...

From what I heard about spring practice I would disagree with the Nelson pick - they still have Leidner who was apparently very solid from every report I saw. I question whether Nelson's performance drops more without Olson (due to less time and less ability to run) than Leidner's performance would drop from Nelson's. It's one thing to have experience and another to be a beast like Olson.

The other fact that has to be brought up is you are talking about a quarterback that completed less than half his passes for less than 12 yards per completion (an awful 5.74 YPA). Yes I expect more this year since he's not a true freshman being thrown in midyear, but it's not like he's shown he'll be the next Johnny Manziel, or even the next Bryan Cupito yet.

 

[Section2]

From what I heard about spring practice I would disagree with the Nelson pick - they still have Leidner who was apparently very solid from every report I saw. I question whether Nelson's performance drops more without Olson (due to less time and less ability to run) than Leidner's performance would drop from Nelson's. It's one thing to have experience and another to be a beast like Olson.

The other fact that has to be brought up is you are talking about a quarterback that completed less than half his passes for less than 12 yards per completion (an awful 5.74 YPA). Yes I expect more this year since he's not a true freshman being thrown in midyear, but it's not like he's shown he'll be the next Johnny Manziel, or even the next Bryan Cupito yet.

The drop off from Nelson to Leider is much greater than from Ed Olson to Marek, who has started probably 8 games. Epping is much more indispensable than a guy who has had injury problems every year and really hasn't dominated.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

On Defense, I know he's coming off of an injury, but I think Roland Johnson is going to be very key for the DL. If he's healthy, I like the rotation at DT a lot more.

On Offense - for hardest to replace, that would seem to suggest a position that lacks depth, like WR. Problem is, nobody from the current group has really separated themselves from the pack. To take it in a slightly different direction, I think someone who has the potential to have the biggest impact on the offense could be Harbison - if he emerges as a downfield threat.

 

[60's Guy]

I'm not sure we have anyone who has proven to be indispensable? But I think I lean with ESPN. We had nobody get drafted from last years team. Hageman, with a "good" senior year will get drafted. That makes him the best candidate to be indispensable, imo. When we get off the bus for any game next year...we are a much better team if he's participating and visible to his teammates and opponents. I am not an offensive line expert. But, history says we are much more effective if Ed Olson is at left tackle. It becomes a position of strength when he is healthy and performing at his best. And it is a critical position on the football team. In addition, these two guys provide leadership that I'm not sure we can replace.

I'm hoping Nelson emerges. I believe he has potential but in spring practices Leidner looked pretty close behind. Yes, we absolutely need Nelson but he did not show himself to be "indispensable" to me in spring practices.

I'm hoping our "indispensable" guy hasn't shown up yet. Either someone currently on the roster or coming this summer. Freshman running back B. Edwards would be a cool candidate to turn us around. One of our linebackers to stun everybody and dominate. Wolitarsky to do a Cris Carter impersonation and just catch touchdowns and 3rd down passes to convert into first downs. We need playmakers. Playmakers are indispensable. We don't have any consistent performers at present so naming anybody is a challenge or conversely it almost makes every guy on the roster indispensable.

 

[60's Guy]

On Defense, I know he's coming off of an injury, but I think Roland Johnson is going to be very key for the DL. If he's healthy, I like the rotation at DT a lot more.

On Offense - for hardest to replace, that would seem to suggest a position that lacks depth, like WR. Problem is, nobody from the current group has really separated themselves from the pack. To take it in a slightly different direction, I think someone who has the potential to have the biggest impact on the offense could be Harbison - if he emerges as a downfield threat.

I agree with your thinking...and on Harbison, a run after the catch threat.

 

[die hard gopher]

On Defense, I know he's coming off of an injury, but I think Roland Johnson is going to be very key for the DL. If he's healthy, I like the rotation at DT a lot more.

On Offense - for hardest to replace, that would seem to suggest a position that lacks depth, like WR. Problem is, nobody from the current group has really separated themselves from the pack. To take it in a slightly different direction, I think someone who has the potential to have the biggest impact on the offense could be Harbison - if he emerges as a downfield threat.

dont forget Mcdonald too after what Sid is saying

 

[GophersInIowa]

Disagree with both choices. Nelson is the most important on offense, Wells on defense. The drop off after both of those guys is significant.

I think it's too hard to tell with Wells at this point. He's going to be playing a new position so who knows how well he will do.

 

[gophmeister]

I think it's too hard to tell with Wells at this point. He's going to be playing a new position so who knows how well he will do.

He was recruited to play corner and played corner his freshman year in the same scheme. That's hardly playing a new position. The kid could be even better at boundary corner. I think our secondary will be better this year than last.

 

[aarons41]

To me that would mean a player that if they got hurt you would not be able to replace. To me that would be Hagaman and Nelson hands down.

 

[EE_Gopher]

Indispensable by Position

I put together my list of most indispensable by position. I then ranked those injuries effect on the team. For the most part, the Gophers have developed pretty good depth and can survive a loss at most positions.

1. QB - Philip Nelson
2. DT - Ra’shede Hageman
3. LB - Aaron Hill
4. WR - Jamel Harbison
5. DE - Theiren Cockran
6. CB - Derrick Wells
7. RB - Donnell Kirkwood
8. C - Jon Christenson
9. S - Brock Vereen
10. OG - Zac Epping
11. OT - Josh Campion
12. TE - Maxx Williams

I do think losing Philip would be a big problem for the Gophers, he being the only QB to have seen the field. I picked Ra’shede Hageman over Aaron Hill even though there is more experienced depth at tackle than linebacker. I picked Josh Campion is a bigger injury issue than Ed Olson. On the line though, I am most eager for the centers to stay healthy. I put Maxx Williams as the most indispensable tight end because of his receiving skills. But I put tight end last because we appear to be pretty set up in that position. I thought about Berkley Edwards at RB, but decided to go with the veteran.

I just add this disclaimer... Of course, my choices are wrong!

 

[John Galt]

I think it's too hard to tell with Wells at this point. He's going to be playing a new position so who knows how well he will do.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying Wells is the best player on defense. It's clearly Hageman. I'm defining "indispensable" as what happens to that position in terms of depth if the player gets injured. We didn't lose a single DT to graduation, so if Hageman can't play, Botticelli, Ekpe, and Roland Johnson still all have significant game experience and have proven to be, at the very least serviceable players. At corner, Wells is the only guy with significant game experience. Maybe the other corners step up and surprise, but we have no idea what will happen when Murray, Boddy, Shabazz, and Baltazar are left on an island all game long. In fact, we don't even really know how Wells will fare, but there is more confidence with him because he played all of last year. A CB rotation w/o Wells would seem to pose the biggest challenge on defense.