Gophers' Identity

[Ole]

I hope this doesn't turn into another thread about either benching Weber for Gray or Brew's future, but it might. I was just wondering what identity people see Brew and the coaches trying to establish here going FORWARD(I don't care about past identities/negative potshots/etc.)

I see developing NFL players as a point Brew is trying to establish.
On offense, a true pro style, similar to USC in the way the plays are called and executed. Sharp routes, QB calling protections and pre snap reads, etc. Obviously this has been a problem this year, but going forward it could be a nice identity to have, similar to Iowa's defense, which has produced quality pro prospects over the years.

On defense, I'm seeing a trend towards speed, linebacker/safety combos like Lawrence/Cooper/Singleton, Linebacker/DE combos like Wilhite/Garin/KGM/Tatum, DE/DT combos like Jacobs/Kirksey/Hageman/Tuaaefa. Position flexibility based on increasing speed at all positions. The scheme can be debated, but the personnel are taking shape. We will be able to recruit the undersized speedy guys, and show them past players that have have good results developing strength and size.

 

[magpie]

The creation of identity lies solely with the perceived results... and that takes time. I would agree with your assessment though.

 

[Monty519]

I think Brewster wants a diverse offense, I think he called it "left-handed", where if you take away the pass, they'll just grind you to death with the run. If you take away the run, they can air it out. Not any reliance on either form of offense. A pro-style is probably the best way to achieve that.

On defense, he clearly wants speed, that's blatantly obvious, and it's also obvious why. Speed in college is a great equalizer.

 

[caliGopher]

I hope this doesn't turn into another thread about either benching Weber for Gray or Brew's future, but it might. I was just wondering what identity people see Brew and the coaches trying to establish here going FORWARD(I don't care about past identities/negative potshots/etc.)

I see developing NFL players as a point Brew is trying to establish.
On offense, a true pro style, similar to USC in the way the plays are called and executed. Sharp routes, QB calling protections and pre snap reads, etc. Obviously this has been a problem this year, but going forward it could be a nice identity to have, similar to Iowa's defense, which has produced quality pro prospects over the years.

On defense, I'm seeing a trend towards speed, linebacker/safety combos like Lawrence/Cooper/Singleton, Linebacker/DE combos like Wilhite/Garin/KGM/Tatum, DE/DT combos like Jacobs/Kirksey/Hageman/Tuaaefa. Position flexibility based on increasing speed at all positions. The scheme can be debated, but the personnel are taking shape. We will be able to recruit the undersized speedy guys, and show them past players that have have good results developing strength and size.

I agree that the philosophy on D appears to be borrowed from the Florida State heyday. Take Safeties and make them linebackers, take linebackers and make them DE and run over around and through your opponents with speed. While I don't think this is a bad approach, we need consistency in staff along with significantly better coaching (technique in particular -- see the current tackling approach of our CBs as exhibit A on this front) to make this work.

Since you don't want anything but positive, I won't comment what our offensive philosophy is.

 

[Ole]

I agree that the philosophy on D appears to be borrowed from the Florida State heyday. Take Safeties and make them linebackers, take linebackers and make them DE and run over around and through your opponents with speed. While I don't think this is a bad approach, we need consistency in staff along with significantly better coaching (technique in particular -- see the current tackling approach of our CBs as exhibit A on this front) to make this work.

Since you don't want anything but positive, I won't comment what our offensive philosophy is.

Well, do you have any idea what offensive philosophy is trying to be established? I understand it's not working right now. Any opinion on what you think the coaches want down the road.
I was just trying to see if we could do some speculating rather than venting on what it isn't getting done. It's too easy to just rip. What'd you think it's trying to be?

From my viewpoint it does seem to be NFL pointed, preparing gopher players and future gophers for success at the next level, alot of NFL hires(Davis, Hightower, Fisch), I think the idea under these coaches is to develop an offensive plan that can be a proving ground for the NFL, while everyone is playing the spread we play a pro system, their players have trouble adjusting to the next level, our players have seen it already. That's why they're not satisfied with a simple zone read option, or spread offense that could be more easily implemented and executed right away.

 

[golfinggopher]

I agree that the philosophy on D appears to be borrowed from the Florida State heyday. Take Safeties and make them linebackers, take linebackers and make them DE and run over around and through your opponents with speed. While I don't think this is a bad approach, we need consistency in staff along with significantly better coaching (technique in particular -- see the current tackling approach of our CBs as exhibit A on this front) to make this work.

Since you don't want anything but positive, I won't comment what our offensive philosophy is.

Even though your response was still somewhat negative with a few unneeded digs at the coaching staff, all in all I would have to say that was your most positive post ever! Happy Friday to you sir!

 

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

You make a good point about following the FSU model on defense. Which I agree with in the long run. Where we come up short is that we're still a couple of years away on the size part of it. These guys, though fast, need to hang and bang in the weight room another year or two. Until then we're going to get blown off the ball like our defense was against Wisconsin (and probably will against Iowa, too).

The problem with patience is all that waiting you have to do. I also am somewhat at a loss for words on our offensive philosophy. All I can surmise is that Brewster is pinning the future on MG, but doesn't want to wreck him mentally a la T. Pryor by starting him too soon. He would never admit this publically, but my guess is Brewster is playing for a dogshiite bowl bid, just to get the extra practice sessions.

 

[Schnoodler]

I can see where we're trying to go with the Defense. I don't think we're going to be as frustrated by the softness of it once we start getting some pass rushing out of the DE's. I think it'll become much more dynamic than what we're seeing.

On offense. I'm quite frankly a little worried. I think we're more talented than what we're showing. I think there is a bit of a struggle with what we're good at verses what Fisch wants to do. That probably happens when you change schemes. But at the same time, we're past the point where we should have identified how we're going to move the ball and score this year. Fisch is supposedly a whiz kid, so I'm guessing he'll figure it out.

 

[caliGopher]

Even though your response was still somewhat negative with a few unneeded digs at the coaching staff, all in all I would have to say that was your most positive post ever! Happy Friday to you sir!

The negative is a reflection that while we're trying to go this route, unless the kids are learning the fundamentals, this won't work, and almost every commentator this season has noted that our CBs are poor tacklers. This wasn't necessarily the case last year, so I can only assume it is coaching.

The other reality is that if we change coordinators every season, the job will be incrementally harder to accomplish to bring this "vision" to life. Another point of fact. Any negativity in that observation is on Brewster, not my observation of the facts that we're on DC #3 in year 3.

As for the tone of my posts, I have not been positive of late, but then again I've expected Brewster to live up to some of what comes out of his mouth and quite frankly he really hasn't, above an improvement in recruiting that honestly hasn't been enough to offset his significant deficiency as a coach. There was positive aspects of all of our previous coaches since Holtz by year 3 (doesn't mean there were obvious flaws as well, mind you, but something was going right). There has been little positive about Brewster beyond a few recruits with promise that really haven't made a significant impact on the team at this point. His philosophy seems to be we'll win any game we have better players than the other team in, and he's delivering on that (The Illinois game should be very interesting. They have significantly out recruited us in the past 4 years, so by the logic of some on the board and our Head Recruiter, we should lose that game -- like last year, if we win, what does that mean? Our two "signature" wins under the Brewster philosophy are against a team underachieving for the same problem we have, all recruiting, no coaching).

As for offensive philosophy, Ole, I don't think Brewster has one, and that is translating to the field. He wants to be able to pass and run. He doesn't value the run, just knows we need to be able to do it "when we want to". While I think the original "spread" idea was stupid, it better fits what Brewster believes is right. The shift to the pro-set is an overreaction and a bit of panic on the offensive struggles. Don't disagree with ditching Dunbar, his time has clearly passed. He tried to hire his kill shot, and we ended up with Fisch. At the end of the day, I think Brewster wishes we could be a running team when we need to be and a passing team when we need to be. My suggestion is he commits to being the passing team he wants to be and figure out how to develop the running game. This approach may cost us wins at times, but at least the team would know what the direction is, the recruits would know what the direction is, and the fans could know what the direction is. Being a passing team doesn't mean we don't run, but let's stop worrying about it, heave the ball to Decker every other play and hope that opens up the running game instead of pretending we're something we're not and failing at everything. It's better to die by your beliefs than to second guess yourself to the point of paralysis, and quite frankly, I think the fans, the team and everyone else would be a lot easier on him if the idea was clear even if we weren't delivering.

I hate to bring this up, but when Mason came here, we were going to be a running team. Year 1 and 2, we weren't very good at it, but everyone knew what we were working on and could see evidence of what was coming. Just an example of a coach who had a philosophy and good bad or indifferent, stuck to it until it worked. Of course, Mason did the same thing defensively, and it never worked, thus he was fired -- albeit two or years later than he should have been.

My $.02.

 

[50PoundHead]

I agree with Ole's original post.

As an additional comment on the offense, I never liked the Dunbar hire and the move to Fisch was an odd one. I am hoping that Davis can establish solid O-line play--and that takes more than a year to do--and things will get better after that. Fisch seems to have a grasp on what he's doing, but the play-calling gets a bit off-the-wall (from the predictable to the bizarre with nothing in between) and the execution has been lacking throughout the unit.

 

[thailleagle]

That's why they're not satisfied with a simple zone read option, or spread offense that could be more easily implemented and executed right away.

I think they're not satisfied because it didn't work as advertised. We moved the ball against average teams and did NOTHING against good teams in the Spread.

I have stated since Day 1 that I like going Pro-Style because it's an Offense designed around the Team's PLAYMAKERS. Imagine if Gray were ready, this Offense would be dangerous. We'd have plays designed for Decker, Stoudamire, Whaley & Gray that would keep the Defense guessing. It's why USC has been so successful because Pete Carrol recruits very good players so Defenses have to stay on there heels knowing any one of the 4 or 5 Playmakers on Offense could hit u at any point in time.......

Us right now? We have...Decker...and Stoudamire...and Stoudamire should be getting more looks...Whaley will be nice next year but no Defense fears Adam Weber right now let's be for real.......