Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin channels lessons from early career miscues

[BleedGopher]

per Randy:

"When I look back at my early career, I didn't have as much success as I probably would have liked,'' Sori-Marin said at Big Ten media days in July, "but I understand now that it's part of the process and has made me into a better linebacker and the player I am now.''

Growing pains

That growth process hasn't always been easy, especially in 2020. Sori-Marin assumed a larger role after the loss of 2019 stalwart Thomas Barber and others to graduation. Though he led the Gophers with 54 tackles in seven games, the defense surrendered 415.9 yards per game (72nd nationally) and the team went 3-4.

COVID-19 robbed the team of practice time and chances to build camaraderie in 2020, which were factors in the slide, Sori-Marin believes, but he also knew he had to get better in a hurry.

"As a linebacker, I can just go back in the time machine to all the mistakes that I've made. It's OK to make that mistake if you're going to never let that happen again,'' he said. "We talk about that in the linebacker room all the time — just crossing off mistakes off lists. … It's part of the position, just part of your process as in development as a player, especially in college football.''

Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin channels lessons from early career miscues

The Illinois native was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection last year and will be a third-year starter.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[PMWinSTP]

He built up a longlist of items to cross off. Looked pretty lost that first year, whichwas painful to watch. Better last year and hope he improves this year.

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

 

[Word]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

Not that I can think of. There were some Brewster era DBs that gota lot of criticism but probably not to the level of MSM.

 

[btowngopher]

Not that I can think of. There were some Brewster era DBs that gota lot of criticism but probably not to the level of MSM.

I’m sure some Mason era ones as well.

 

[btowngopher]

He built up a longlist of items to cross off. Looked pretty lost that first year, whichwas painful to watch. Better last year and hope he improves this year.

His first year was 2019, he looked fine and made some impact plays as part of a more veteran defense.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

Not one that was a key piece of a top 5 defense in the country.

 

[PMWinSTP]

His first year was 2019, he looked fine and made some impact plays as part of a more veteran defense.

Yeah, I meant 2020. He looked lost.

 

[Gophers1992]

I've said this before but MSM is the ultimate example of a guy putting in work after not seeing immediate results, and now he's getting the payoff. He's the exact type of guy we should be promoting when selling this program. By all accounts he's a great kid and great student so it's awesome to see a reminder of what we all love about college football.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

MSM is a good college LBer. Even at the times he looked "lost", he had an extremely difficult job.

We usually run a 4-2-5 set. I love Rossi's defense but it does put extra stress on the LBers. It also makes our LBers exceptionally reliant on the DL. Our LBs often look like the ones who made mistakes when they are chasing after LBs, but it's often (not always) because our DL got demolished. In 2020, our DL was bad and our LBers looked bad. In 2021, our DL was great and our LBers looked pretty darn good. This isn't to completely cut MSM slack for all of his mistakes, I just think it's important to note that our LBers are occasionally on "islands" in the running game.

 

[Governor Sibley]

He’s pretty good playing downhill in the box.

 

[MNVCGUY]

There are the handful of posters that have decided that MSM and Morgan are only playing because they are Fleck's guys.

For me, I love seeing the obvious leader that MSM has become on the team. He isn't an all world player but he is a very solid college LB who plays hard and makes the most of his abilities. In the vlogs and other camp videos that have been posted you can see that he is a real spark for the defense and someone the players gravitate towards. You need those kind of leaders on teams.

 

[LesBolstad]

He’s pretty good playing downhill in the box.

Cliches like that are why I love football!

 

[Gopherchase]

There are the handful of posters that have decided that MSM and Morgan are only playing because they are Fleck's guys.

For me, I love seeing the obvious leader that MSM has become on the team. He isn't an all world player but he is a very solid college LB who plays hard and makes the most of his abilities. In the vlogs and other camp videos that have been posted you can see that he is a real spark for the defense and someone the players gravitate towards. You need those kind of leaders on teams.

I am the biggest offender. Just think having a quarterback that can’t run in this offense is tying one hand behind your back and then when their throwing and passing game mgmt goes haywire then it’s inexplicable that nobody else gets a shot. MSM LOL. I think it’s also obvious that Fleck anoints players he wants to be the leaders to parade out as the face of the team and don’t think either of those if you poll the team would be chosen as the main guys by their peers. Maybe both will play like a house a fire this year as they finish up and that would be great. I’ll stay off their back going forward till we see how it shakes out.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I am the biggest offender. Just think having a quarterback that can’t run in this offense is tying one hand behind your back and then when their throwing and passing game mgmt goes haywire then it’s inexplicable that nobody else gets a shot. MSM LOL. I think it’s also obvious that Fleck anoints players he wants to be the leaders to parade out as the face of the team and don’t think either of those if you poll the team would be chosen as the main guys by their peers. Maybe both will play like a house a fire this year as they finish up and that would be great. I’ll stay off their back going forward till we see how it shakes out.

Could no disagree more with you on the leadership part. You clearly don't like them but Morgan and MSM are both leaders, that isn't just something a head coach can annoint, some guys have it, most don't. MSM and Morgan both have it.

 

[USAF]

Linebacker in general, and MSM in particular, are the biggest question marks on the team. Bigger than offensive and defensive line.

 

[Word]

MSM might actually be better suited to the spot Gibbens vacated. Gibbens was great but I don't think MSM will be a huge dropoff.

 

[Dano564]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

Jordan Howden got a lot of hate when he had to start as a freshman.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Linebacker in general, and MSM in particular, are the biggest question marks on the team. Bigger than offensive and defensive line.

Why? What did I miss last year when he was the second leading tackler on the team just a few behind Gibbens? There is universal love for Gibbens yet there are still people the doubt MSM. I really don't get it at this point. He was a key player on one of the best defenses we have had here and yet there are still people that see him as a question mark or liability. I just don't get it.

Did he struggle at times early in his career....yep....lots of guys do. But what did you see in 2021 that makes you think MSM will be a liability in 2022?

 

[Unregistered User]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

I was far more frustrated by Matt Garin’s play at DE. Constantly over pursing and giving up the edge. Year after year.

He wasn’t criticized as much much as MSM but deserved much more.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

If there has been I can't think of him off the top of my head. MSM had some very public struggles early in his career.

But you would think the 2021 season would have erased most of that yet clearly it hasn't for some. I really don't get it and I really don't get why some aren't able to see MSM as a really solid college LB. I mentioned Gibbens in another post. Gibbens has received nearly universal love for his play last year while there are still those that would gladly see MSM benched. And they are very very similar players.

Morgan drawing complaints from fans on offense I get, he hasn't been the player he was early in his career. But the negative comments thrown in the direction of MSM make no sense at this point because he also isn't the player he was early in his career but in his case that is a very good thing.

 

[Some guy]

Has there been a more criticized Gopher defender over the past 15 years?

I think maybe not. But that’s only because he was clearly not ready to play when he started to play and he was playing on a team with high expectations. There probably hasn’t been a lot of sane critics since oct 2021

 

[Dakota2]

I am the biggest offender. Just think having a quarterback that can’t run in this offense is tying one hand behind your back and then when their throwing and passing game mgmt goes haywire then it’s inexplicable that nobody else gets a shot. MSM LOL. I think it’s also obvious that Fleck anoints players he wants to be the leaders to parade out as the face of the team and don’t think either of those if you poll the team would be chosen as the main guys by their peers. Maybe both will play like a house a fire this year as they finish up and that would be great. I’ll stay off their back going forward till we see how it shakes out.

What does your own polling show?

 

[btowngopher]

Linebacker in general, and MSM in particular, are the biggest question marks on the team. Bigger than offensive and defensive line.

How is MSM a question mark? He’s one of the best known quantities on defense.

 

[MNVCGUY]

How is MSM a question mark? He’s one of the best known quantities on defense.

To be fair it really seems to be a very small group of posters that have major issues with MSM and are desperate to see him replaced.

I just wonder if they were paying attention at all in 2021 when he was one of the top players on a really strong defense. Kind of feels like those people formed an opinion about him during 2020 and have decided that players can't grow and improve over time.

At a loss for why anyone would want to replace a 5th year guy with a ton of experience who was the second leading tackler on a really strong defense last year.

 

[Gopherchase]

Jordan Howden got a lot of hate when he had to start as a freshman.

He did, and I thought he was great last year thrilled he’s back. Nubin struggled in his first year starting and he was great last year, too. We have not a good, but a great safety pairing this year.

 

[Gopherchase]

To be fair it really seems to be a very small group of posters that have major issues with MSM and are desperate to see him replaced.

I just wonder if they were paying attention at all in 2021 when he was one of the top players on a really strong defense. Kind of feels like those people formed an opinion about him during 2020 and have decided that players can't grow and improve over time.

At a loss for why anyone would want to replace a 5th year guy with a ton of experience who was the second leading tackler on a really strong defense last year.

He wouldn’t have started for my D2 team back in the late 80’s; zero chance. Slow afoot and not a difference or play maker and lacks instinct. My opinion—you don’t see it that way. Life goes on and in ‘23 it won’t matter any more.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

He wouldn’t have started for my D2 team back in the late 80’s; zero chance. Slow afoot and not a difference or play maker and lacks instinct. My opinion—you don’t see it that way. Life goes on and in ‘23 it won’t matter any more.

Well those things just aren't true. The times he's looked slow was when he was out of position, and sometimes it was due to another player making a mistake. Jack Gibbens ran a 4.82, MSM is faster than that. Plus he's made a lot of plays over his career.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

I think MSM is going to have a great year this year. To coin a phrase from Joe Paterno, "that guy's played a lot of football". Longevity and continuity in the Rossi system, he's going to be one of the main leaders of that defense without question.

 

[WriterGoph]

He wouldn’t have started for my D2 team back in the late 80’s; zero chance. Slow afoot and not a difference or play maker and lacks instinct. My opinion—you don’t see it that way. Life goes on and in ‘23 it won’t matter any more.

Your obvious agenda makes you look sillier with each comment.