John Michael Schmitz coming back!

Donate To GopherHole






Redbird said:
O - line next season will be young but talented. JMS will provide leadership and be an anchor for those guys. Great news!
Click to expand...
Next year's O-Line will be lighter on experience but it won't be a young group.

Quick glance at the roster for next year
JMS - 6th Year
Axel Ruschmeyer - 6th year
Beier - Redshirt Senior
Shaw - Redshirt Senior
Boe - Redshirt Senior
JJ Guedet - Redshirt Junior

And if Blaise comes back for his 6th year that would be another experienced older guy to add to the mix. So we will absolutely have some new faces along the O-Line next year, but the players aren't necessarily going to be that young. Lots of guys that have been in the system for multiple years learning and developing.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Next year's O-Line will be lighter on experience but it won't be a young group.

Quick glance at the roster for next year
JMS - 6th Year
Axel Ruschmeyer - 6th year
Beier - Redshirt Senior
Shaw - Redshirt Senior
Boe - Redshirt Senior
JJ Guedet - Redshirt Junior

And if Blaise comes back for his 6th year that would be another experienced older guy to add to the mix. So we will absolutely have some new faces along the O-Line next year, but the players aren't necessarily going to be that young. Lots of guys that have been in the system for multiple years learning and developing.
Click to expand...

Nearly certain Beier is graduating and moving on. He posted a farewell message on the Gopher Football Twitter for Senior Day.

I think our more likely contributors are Ersery and/or Martes Lewis.
 

Beier never contributed here, and I'm pretty certain walked with the seniors for Wisc.
 

WriterGoph said:
Nearly certain Beier is graduating and moving on. He posted a farewell message on the Gopher Football Twitter for Senior Day.

I think our more likely contributors are Ersery and/or Martes Lewis.
Click to expand...
Ersery, based on his start (and did a nice job!) in 2020 against Nebraska when a bunch were out with covid, I agree.

Why Lewis (or Lawrence, for that matter) over Guedet, for the other tackle?
 



giphy.gif
 



MplsGopher said:
Ersery, based on his start (and did a nice job!) in 2020 against Nebraska when a bunch were out with covid, I agree.

Why Lewis (or Lawrence, for that matter) over Guedet, for the other tackle?
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying Lewis over Guedet. I think Guedet will very likely be a starter. I was saying Ersery and/or Lewis instead of Beier. Lewis came to mind because his name came up as someone that was looking good (but not having a chance to play) in a couple of the coaches' pressers this year.
 



Let’s go!!! Huge news as this guy had the fire to be the lynchpin of the line. Now let’s get Blaise back and I would say we should be solid on the line again.
 

NotAFanOfBecky said:
Now let’s get Blaise back and I would say we should be solid on the line again.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure how I feel ultimately about Axel Rusch as the full time starter. Sorry, but it will be a downgrade from Olson. Just a matter of how much and how much it matters.

He did in 2020 because we lost so many guys. I know he also started the year out injuried (was a literal peg-leg for the Michigan game), and that must have lingered to some extent into the season.
 


Good to see Schmitz returning. I'm a little foggy on where I read it, but I believe it was PFF that graded him very favorably back in 2019. Versatile inside player who I think has a shot at the next level.
 


50PoundHead said:
Good to see Schmitz returning. I'm a little foggy on where I read it, but I believe it was PFF that graded him very favorably back in 2019. Versatile inside player who I think has a shot at the next level.
Click to expand...

He was graded very favorably in 2020 and 2021, as well. He was PFF third-team all-America center in 2021. This is monster news for the Gophers.
 

MplsGopher said:
I'm not sure how I feel ultimately about Axel Rusch as the full time starter. Sorry, but it will be a downgrade from Olson. Just a matter of how much and how much it matters.
Click to expand...

I would think if Axel returns (I think he will), he will likely have a similar role as he did this past season, where he played as an extra OT/TE in the jumbo packages and then even some FB in the I. He was really good in both roles. That said, he certainly could find his way into a starting role. He was pretty stout when he played this past season.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Next year's O-Line will be lighter on experience but it won't be a young group.

Quick glance at the roster for next year
JMS - 6th Year
Axel Ruschmeyer - 6th year
Beier - Redshirt Senior
Shaw - Redshirt Senior
Boe - Redshirt Senior
JJ Guedet - Redshirt Junior

And if Blaise comes back for his 6th year that would be another experienced older guy to add to the mix. So we will absolutely have some new faces along the O-Line next year, but the players aren't necessarily going to be that young. Lots of guys that have been in the system for multiple years learning and developing.
Click to expand...

This, more than anything else, is why Minnesota lost the Axe game for 14 years in a row, and is the biggest reason why it sits on campus today. This rhythm is what wisconsin had for many years.

The next guys up after these dudes should be juniors and seniors also. It takes time to develop the physically mature maulers to win Big Ten titles.
 

In a perfect world, we would have a solid O line every year (think WI) It seems like we had a very senior laden line this year. Ideally, you would like a mix of upper and middle classmen starting on the line.....I would think, so you're not graduating your whole starting O line. We just need a better blend going forward, so we aren't in panic mode over what the next year's line looks like.
 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We've got an offense that is going to hum.
 


Fantastic news. These guys all have a goal in mind....GET THE PIG!
 

tjgopher said:
I would think if Axel returns (I think he will), he will likely have a similar role as he did this past season, where he played as an extra OT/TE in the jumbo packages and then even some FB in the I. He was really good in both roles. That said, he certainly could find his way into a starting role. He was pretty stout when he played this past season.
Click to expand...
Unless they get a portal guy, I don't see any chance that ARusch won't be a starting interior guy. That is given he will be a 6th year senior and started in 2020, when we were down guys.

But, a lot can happen between now and next fall.
 

TruthSeeker said:
He's a potential Day 2 draft pick. I'm surprised he stayed.
Click to expand...
Me too! Maybe he wants to get or finish his masters and isn’t interested in football after college?
Maybe his size isn’t currently where it needs to be to grade and perform well in the NFL? I heard that somewhere
 

MplsGopher said:
Unless they get a portal guy, I don't see any chance that ARusch won't be a starting interior guy. That is given he will be a 6th year senior and started in 2020, when we were down guys.

But, a lot can happen between now and next fall.
Click to expand...
One of the hardest positions to fill with a one-year or two- year transfer is O line. These guys work together for years in practice and development. Pretty difficult for even a talented outsider to walk in and seamlessly mesh with the system.

Whether or not Andries comes back I think we have plenty of guys here who can take over and maintain the new Minnesota standard for offensive line play.
 



You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom