Hageman

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tpbeight

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Assuming he's able to clear up his academic issues and remain with the team, it's clear he needs a new direction as a football player.

He's 6'6 & 300lbs. A specimen by all accounts and one of the strongest players on the team. However, despite being a solid athlete coming out of HS and having a year of red shirt time, he was not able to secure a starting position on a below average D-line.

He's clearly too large to play TE and he hasn't found his niche on the DL.......why not move him to tackle? Even if he lacks the explosiveness to play DL he's still got good enough feet, strength and size to play OL.

There are many great offensive tackles that started college as tight ends.
 

He was also a redshirt freshman, have a little patience. Maybe this year after the OL doesn't work out he could try wrestling in the heavyweight class. After he doesn't dominate that he could try throwing discuss the next year. Once that fails he could try the enforcer role on the hockey team.
 

Who knows, things can change a lot under the new regime. If he could gain the weight to get up to 3 $bills, he sure can lose the weight to get back down to a good TE weight. Obviously he was pretty damn talented at that position.

I think playing tackle, just like DE, needs a lot of fine tuning. It'll all be interesting to see.
 

Every time I hear his name he is playing a different position. He needs some continuity from the coaching staff about his role. Once he gets that, it's on him to show the desire to become a starter. He's a freaking beast though.
 



I disagree with the statement, "he's clearly too large to play TE."
 

KoolAid said:
I disagree with the statement, "he's clearly too large to play TE."
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At his current weight he probably is, but I don't think it is unrealistic for him to slim down to the proper playing weight for a TE.
 

Hey, i'd love to think a 300 lb TE is possible and could be effective as a receiver. Maybe that's Hageman? Probably not.

I'm willing to bet we won't see Hageman on the DL ever again. He doesn't want to play there and he's said so. If they move him, it's either TE or OT. if they don't move him i'm sure he's gone. I think it's 50/50 he's even on the team next season.
 

I'm tending to agree, he might just be destined for OT.
 





If he lost twenty or so pounds he could probably play TE. Kleinsasser for the Vikes is up around 270 and he's only 6'3. If Hageman is 6'6 280 and can run, I don't see why he couldn't play TE. He's probably better suited somewhere else though. It'd be nice to see him stick around.
 

Plinnius said:
Yeah, if he doesn't like playing on the DL, I can't imagine him wanting to play on the OL. I think he's probably gone.
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We can't know for sure unless we're in the room when Hageman talks to Kill.
 



Most RS-Freshman don't contribute a whole lot. Especially RS-FR who are behind two of our most experienced members of our defense (Edwards and Kirksey).

I do think his best position would be TE or OT, and I really don't think the fact that he hasn't contributed much in his first season means he needs direction as a football player or anything.

I realize that Hageman seems to have issues with playing DT and maybe he will move back to offense. However, the basis for that move shouldn't be because he didn't produce much as a RS-FR.
 

He might be too tall to move inside on defense. Heck, he might be too tall to play defense period.

Does he want to play tackle on the other side of the ball?

Thinking out loud.
 

Clearly the only position left for him to play is Powerforward. He was a beast on Washburn's state team from a couple years ago...
 

Tricks said:
If he lost twenty or so pounds he could probably play TE. Kleinsasser for the Vikes is up around 270 and he's only 6'3. If Hageman is 6'6 280 and can run, I don't see why he couldn't play TE. He's probably better suited somewhere else though. It'd be nice to see him stick around.
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Kleinsasser is also almost strictly a blocking TE. Dude is so top heavy it's ridiculous. He's a huge dude but when he gets so much as bumped he tumbles to the ground.
 

Khaliq said:
Kleinsasser is also almost strictly a blocking TE. Dude is so top heavy it's ridiculous. He's a huge dude but when he gets so much as bumped he tumbles to the ground.
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Yeah, I know. I was just stating that if he wanted to shed a few pounds then he probably could play TE, if the coaches felt it was best for him and the team.
 

He has nearly the same build as JJ Watt (6'6", 290 pounds) and he did just fine at DE. Give the kid a little time without moving him around to every position and let him naturally develop into the great player that he can be. Hell, if you guys don't want him we'll take him in Madison.
 



Unregistered User said:
Why? So you can kill him, dress him in a deer outfit, and have sex with him in the woods?
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LOL. Good laugh for the afternoon.

The TE in Kill's offense at NIU was pretty much a blocker and he had a couple of TEs in the 260 range on this year's team. My guess is--academics permitting--that Kill will find a way to use Hageman somewhere.

I haven't seen enough of Hageman to make a solid comparison to Watt, but Watt has a tremendous first step that creates problems for the offensive tackle that is lined up against him.
 

tpbeight said:
it's clear he needs a new direction as a football player.
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That's preposterous. It couldn't be less clear. He saw plenty of playing time as a RS Freshman, wtf did you expect? Minnesota fans, especially the younger fans have to understand this is not Madden & you can't just sub in a top recruit because he's a "92" & expect an upgrade over current players who are "84's". In real life, the M Gray's, K Cooper's, R Hageman's, J Gjere's of the world need a few years to become studs.
 

Rashede moved from TE to DE last year because (I'm told) - in the "pound the rock" plan - he would be primarily used for blocking. He didn't like that plan. To hear that he wants to go back to TE makes me wonder if he is just frustrated and hoping that a new offensive plan would include using him differently. The guy still had a 36 inch vertical at 275 pounds, which is freakish. I would love to see a DB try to tackle him, but I think he needs to stick it out on defense. He is having the "I'm-no-longer-the-sh*t" adjustment a lot of players go through. You can only take your ball and go home so many times. He needs to man-up, get humble and get on the grind.
 


Khaliq said:
Kleinsasser is also almost strictly a blocking TE. Dude is so top heavy it's ridiculous. He's a huge dude but when he gets so much as bumped he tumbles to the ground.
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But he does rumble for an occasional catch, mostly for first downs. Opponents forget to cover him at times and the Vikes benefit for it.

Also, his blocking alone is a good enough reason to hold on to him.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
That's preposterous. It couldn't be less clear. He saw plenty of playing time as a RS Freshman, wtf did you expect? Minnesota fans, especially the younger fans have to understand this is not Madden & you can't just sub in a top recruit because he's a "92" & expect an upgrade over current players who are "84's". In real life, the M Gray's, K Cooper's, R Hageman's, J Gjere's of the world need a few years to become studs.
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Not preposterous. He doesn't want to play DL. Because of that, IT IS clear that he needs a new direction as a football player. Something that's going to intrigue him enough to do his classwork and work hard to get on the field.
 

Hageman should walk on to the basketball team

As should Alipate. Both need to drop weight and regain there quickness. They both need there wheels to be successful and are to heavy at there current weights.
Hageman does not have the instincts to play DE, he has the size and athletic ability but not the experience, technique or natural instincts to react quickly to change and make plays there. I would try him on offense as I think that is the only chance your going to have to have success with him as a Gopher.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
That's preposterous. It couldn't be less clear. He saw plenty of playing time as a RS Freshman, wtf did you expect? Minnesota fans, especially the younger fans have to understand this is not Madden & you can't just sub in a top recruit because he's a "92" & expect an upgrade over current players who are "84's". In real life, the M Gray's, K Cooper's, R Hageman's, J Gjere's of the world need a few years to become studs.
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Thank you. I can't believe how many players have been considered busts before they have even used up half of their eligibility.
 

Remember what Brew did with his other blue chip recruits on offense, oh wait he wasted all of their talents. We can't judge any player on the field until we seem them with a real coach. Brew thought Weber was good, so we all know he couldn't see talent if it was 1 inch in front of him slapping him in the face.
 

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