How would you handle the Gophers 2022-2023 offseason?

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SallysEnthusiast

SallysEnthusiast

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If you were Fleck or Coyle and had the “keys to the kingdom” this offseason, what moves would you make? ( i.e. offensive/defensive scheme adjustments, transfer portal acquisitions, hirings (especially if we lose Burns), gameday improvements, etc.)
 

Recruit like you've never recruited before for the next 3 weeks. (Roster, Portal, Flips, HS)
Consider a change at special teams coach/ing.
Make sure Rossi has his $$$ to stay and continue to grow the defense.
Commit to more diversity in offensive game plan. (8 more pass/less runs gets you the middle of the conference for balance. 2 more passes per quarter.)
 
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MaxyJR1 said:
Recruit like you've never recruited before for the next 3 weeks. (Roster, Portal, Flips, HS)
Consider a change at special teams coach/ing.
Make sure Rossi has his $$$ to stay and continue to grow the defense.
Commit to more diversity in offensive game plan.
Click to expand...

Great stuff. Thread could end with that post
 

I think we'll almost be forced to throw more often with Mo's departure. Also, aren't we losing most of our starters on the offensive line?

Ciarrocca will have to adjust accordingly.
 

My thoughts:
- Start building our 2023 offense around Athan NOW. We’ve already seen his impact in the transfer portal in the signing of Markus Allen - I would go after one more receiver in the TP, preferably a speedster. The playbook needs to move away from run-first, especially given the high-powered offenses on our schedule next year.
- Speaking of the transfer portal, S and OL need to be our priorities this year. Nubin will most likely split for the draft, and losing JMS obviously hurts (alongside Ruschmeyer and Filiaga). Luckily, there are plenty of options that are sure to present themselves with the coaching carousel already in full swing.
- Improve student engagement within the stadium during games. It’s never too late to build a tradition (mainstay event, song, etc.) - stuff like that is excellent for selling tickets and has more of an impact on recruitment than one may think.
 
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MaxyJR1 said:
Recruit like you've never recruited before for the next 3 weeks. (Roster, Portal, Flips, HS)
Consider a change at special teams coach/ing.
Make sure Rossi has his $$$ to stay and continue to grow the defense.
Commit to more diversity in offensive game plan. (8 more pass/less runs gets you the middle of the conference for balance. 2 more passes per quarter.)
Click to expand...
To expand upon the passing game. It's not a huge task.

60% completion was middle of the conference.
It was 2nd in yards per catch.
Only Iowa had fewer touchdown passes
6th in QB Rating.

Need to develop and better short game in space/screens and redzone passing game. WI game was a glimpse of what the passing game could look like. I think Fleck needs a better passing game that has plays that are as good as runs. It takes us 3 to 4 downs to run for a 1st down, but if you drop a pass on 1st down, you raise the pressure to run or pass for a 1st down. Gotta trust your defense and be willing to take those risks in games. With our defense playing well, you should really never have to go away from offensive balance and you should be able to be less predictable.
 


MaxyJR1 said:
Recruit like you've never recruited before for the next 3 weeks. (Roster, Portal, Flips, HS)
Consider a change at special teams coach/ing.
Make sure Rossi has his $$$ to stay and continue to grow the defense.
Commit to more diversity in offensive game plan. (8 more pass/less runs gets you the middle of the conference for balance. 2 more passes per quarter.)
Click to expand...
Gophers can get 8 more passes per game and keep the same number of running plays if they simply call plays with some moderate pace (instead of running the play clock down to near zero every play). Now, to have a net gain in number of plays, the Gophers would have to “backpedal” some on PJ’s shorten-the-game, strangle-the-clock philosophy. Games would become infinitely more exciting, though.
 





MaxyJR1 said:
Recruit like you've never recruited before for the next 3 weeks. (Roster, Portal, Flips, HS)
Consider a change at special teams coach/ing.
Make sure Rossi has his $$$ to stay and continue to grow the defense.
Commit to more diversity in offensive game plan. (8 more pass/less runs gets you the middle of the conference for balance. 2 more passes per quarter.)
Click to expand...
I think this is basically the correct response. I'll just expand on a few things

Recruiting/Portal: We need more team speed. In the portal it would be ideal to get a big time back to replace Mo and a true no.1 WR (failing that a speed guy). I think a big time RB is realistic given our commitment to the run and Mo's NIL deal with Gushers doesn't hurt either. The WR issue will be a tougher sell. We also likely need help on the interior OL but I don't know if Quinn moves to OG or who we plan on playing at C, but I would guess we probably add at least one guy through the portal. On defense, I think we badly need to find another Jack Gibbens to pair with Lindberg. I have heard zero steam on any of the young guys at LB, so I would assume we need to hit there. The secondary is another place we probably would like to add somebody. T Time was our number one corner this year and we likely lose both Safeties. The next St. Juste or Williamson would be really helpful. With the exception of interior OL and possibly S, I don't think we need guys just to fill positions but actual difference makers. For example more average WR's are not really a need but a truly dynamic guy is.

I am not holding my breath about the special teams changing, but I would make that change. A lot of schools don't even have a dedicated special teams guy that doesn't coach another position and usually if a guy is special teams only he is a big time recruiter. Wenger is neither. The results on special teams just aren't good enough to justify sticking with the status quo.

With Rossi growing the defense, I'd love to see us be able hold on to our other postion coaches on that side of the ball assuming we want them to stay. It feels like we've had a new DL coach almost every year and some continuity there would be refreshing.

I don't know how to get him to do it, but I'd have PJ study game day decision making with someone. He's got to make better in game decisions. When you call a run on 3rd and 4 from the 45 yard line, you should expect that often times you will have a 4th and short. Anticipate that possibility and know whether you are going to punt or go for it instead of burning a timeout. When your offense is struggling against a team you think you should handle (Bowling Green/Purdue) avoid introducing variance by going for a 4th and short in the first half from your own 29 or whatever. Trying to kick FG's from 50 yards out with backup kickers on the road at Iowa is also a bad idea. On the flip side, the difference between a fg and a touchdown is massive especially in a game that is expected to be close. Your play calling in the red zone should maximize your chances for a touchdown as opposed to trying to ensure your chance at a field goal.
 

Really like the thinking in this thread.

Figure out how to bring back the Seth Green style wildcat for 4th and short. Of course won't work every time, but will not only keep drives alive but it will also save some timeouts over the course of the season.

We just did not have the oomph and push on the O line this season for the QB sneaks to make this a relatively reliable first down as in the past. Not sure who the player should be but a Spann Ford clone would probably work (assuming he's needed to block on these downs).

As an aside, I do like seeing the QB actually under center for some plays. We went years with Tanner with going under center happening maybe 1-2 times an entire season. The OC seems to have discovered this while at PSU.
 



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