ESPN: Three questions for 2016: Minnesota Golden Gophers

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per ESPN:

1. Can the offense take a step forward? The lack of explosiveness on offense has held this team back from reaching its goals the past few seasons. The Gophers finished second to last in the Big Ten in scoring at 22.5 points per game despite modest progress in the passing game; they finished eighth in the league in passing this season after a 13th-place showing in 2014. Injuries on the line were to blame for some of the offensive struggles, as the running game battled to find consistency. Minnesota has two promising young backs in rising sophomores Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith and will have a senior quarterback in Mitch Leidner. New offensive coordinator Jay Johnson must find weapons at receiver, especially as top target K.J. Maye graduates. Will Johnson open things up more?

2. Will the secondary remain a strength? Minnesota has had some of the best defensive back play in the Big Ten the past couple of seasons but will lose invaluable players in cornerbacks Eric Murray and Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Safety Antonio Johnson also graduates. Jalen Myrick returns in the secondary and has a world of talent. Jay Sawvel, who oversaw the team's defensive backs, is expected to be promoted to defensive coordinator. Will the Gophers remain a force against other teams' passing games, as they were in the Quick Lane Bowl against Central Michigan?

3. Will an easier schedule lead to more wins? Last year, the Gophers opened with TCU and then played Colorado State on the road. This year, they open with Oregon State and play Colorado State and Indiana State at home. They played Michigan and Ohio State as East Division crossovers the past two seasons. This year, they'll play Rutgers, Maryland and Penn State from the East. There's no question that the degree of difficulty is much lower on the 2016 slate, although the nine-game Big Ten gauntlet will be rugged. Can Minnesota take advantage of a softer schedule and pile up more victories? And as all Gophers fans want to know, can they finally -- finally -- get past Wisconsin?

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/129472/three-questions-for-2016-minnesota-golden-gophers

Go Gophers!!
 

1. the answer lies right up front. if the OL can play to their potential and stay healthy this offense will be much better than years prior. But if the new coaches cant work with the old coaches meat then this team will sputter again and Mitch will be running for his life like last year. the easier schedule should help with building this younger teams mojo.

2. the answer is yes. considerable amount of depth in the past has led to this being another year of shut down DB's a healthy DL will also help as i believe there will be more pressure on the QB and the Line and Backers will hold down the run games.

3. you play who is on the schedule. i think Iowa will tell you having an easier schedule is beneficial to winning plenty of games. however it does help to be tested before going to the rose bowl.
 

DoubleB said:
1. the answer lies right up front. if the OL can play to their potential and stay healthy this offense will be much better than years prior. But if the new coaches cant work with the old coaches meat then this team will sputter again and Mitch will be running for his life like last year. the easier schedule should help with building this younger teams mojo.

2. the answer is yes. considerable amount of depth in the past has led to this being another year of shut down DB's a healthy DL will also help as i believe there will be more pressure on the QB and the Line and Backers will hold down the run games.

3. you play who is on the schedule. i think Iowa will tell you having an easier schedule is beneficial to winning plenty of games. however it does help to be tested before going to the rose bowl.
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I don't think #2 is a slam dunk. We have been spoiled having Murray and BBC at corner the past few seasons but shut down corners are not easy to find so it would not shock me to see us take a sizeable step back in that department. The other concern there is that the best way to help your DB's is with great pressure up front. We have not been good at getting to the QB the past few years and there don't seem to be obvious star players waiting in the wings at DE. The tackle position is solid but DE has been lacking for some time and with Cockran graduating someone is going to make a big step forward next season.
 

Shut down corners are almost as hard to find as franchise quarterbacks. We will have a very tough time getting corners to play at the level those guys play.
 

Otis said:
Shut down corners are almost as hard to find as franchise quarterbacks. We will have a very tough time getting corners to play at the level those guys play.
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That being said it has been the identity of this program under Kill/Claeys has been to find great corners consistently. People may complain about being underwhelmed with the WR's, QB's but they seem to have a knack for identifying and coaching up corners, more so that any other position, so I can understand people assuming that will continue the same way they might assume we will continue to struggle with WR play.
 


Otis said:
Shut down corners are almost as hard to find as franchise quarterbacks. We will have a very tough time getting corners to play at the level those guys play.
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This is very true, but i actually think it's harder to find stud defensive tackles and ends. These coaches can find athletic guys with speed and coach them up at DB, but massive, quick and strong d.linemen are rare, don't you think?
 

I think Myrick if he is healthy will be elite and having Travis back will be a big plus over 2015. Who will play the other corner spot? Will the other safety be Ace Rodgers?
 

killme said:
This is very true, but i actually think it's harder to find stud defensive tackles and ends. These coaches can find athletic guys with speed and coach them up at DB, but massive, quick and strong d.linemen are rare, don't you think?
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Most defensive line prospects come into college either a little light or a little soft if heavy. Even 5 star defensive ends come in at less than 250lbs. The secret is bulking up the fast speed guys like Hageman and toughening up the big heavies who are soft by getting them in the weight room. This is largely up to the line coach and the work ethic of the athlete.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
I think Myrick if he is healthy will be elite and having Travis back will be a big plus over 2015. Who will play the other corner spot? Will the other safety be Ace Rodgers?
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Myrick will be an interesting one to watch next year. There were times when he looked unbelievable and others where he looked completely lost. I do agree he has a chance to be very good in one of the spots, the real question is who lines up on the other side. As others have said, the staff has shown a good record of finding/developing DB's but I think it is a bit foolish to assume that they will easily replace NFL caliber talent at the corner position. It is a shame to have them both graduating this season, would have been nice to still have one around next year but it is what it is. Having Travis back will be huge from a stability/leadership standpoint. Would have been a little dicey heading into the year knowing you were going to have 4 new starters in the defensive backfield.
 



In regards to the db field, tons of guys with experience but the question is, does someone step up who can lock up opposing#1s. We've been spoiled with Murray defaulting to that for a few years and now guys are going to have to step up to fill that void. That being said, if the pass rush is even marginally better, that task becomes much easier
 



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