Kill: "We feel like we have lightning in a bottle with Berkley Edwards"

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BleedGopher

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per Sid's column:

Kill on redshirts in 2014

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill was asked about the potential of some of the players he redshirted this season to come in and contribute next year, when they will still have four years of eligibility left.

“We have some players out of there,’’ Kill said. ‘‘We were smart. Redshirt-wise we feel like we have lightning in a bottle with [running back] Berkley Edwards. If he didn’t get hurt, he is a guy running the football who can get it over with. He’s a sprinter. That’s something I think we wish we had right now to help us out a bit because he’s a game-breaker.”

Edwards was ranked as the 63rd-best running back in the nation by ESPN before he signed with the Gophers last year. His brother is former Michigan and NFL star receiver Braylon Edwards.

But Kill said the team has more players in the wings, too.

“We have two or three defensive backs that will have an opportunity to step in and do great things. We have a big tight end [Nate Wozniak], 6-9, 6-8, 255, he’s done a heck of a job, proud of him. We have offensive linemen, we redshirted a lot of good kids and our future is bright. It really is. That’s the exciting thing about what’s going on right now.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/234914621.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue

Go Gophers!!
 

I can see him used as in the jet sweep some kinda like Wisconsin has done with Gordon.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I can see him used as in the jet sweep some kinda like Wisconsin has done with Gordon.
Click to expand...

I could see that to start with. But I have higher hopes for Berkley Edwards. I think he could be an elite feature back for Kill a la Chad Spann at NIU. However, with Cobb back he should have time to grow into that role.
 

Lets see him do it in games. We have heard this talk before from Kill and didn't see it on the field. Edwards has many great physical traits but let's see if he has the vision and strength to get it done against an opponent. I am hopeful that Edwards can provide a different look for our RB position but at this point it's only hope.
 




That's great to hear on Edwards. I cannot wait to see that kid play. :)
 

edwards is faster than dct and he is also not a pussy... btw cobb was great this year but edwards would have housed some of the 10 15 yarders cobb had... i cant wait for this kid.. watching his highlight reel is unreal to me he didnt have more offers, my only thought on that is that people thought he might be too short at 5'9 but that's just stupid.. can't wait for next year already after we win this bowl game
 

gopherdiehard said:
edwards is faster than dct and he is also not a pussy... btw cobb was great this year but edwards would have housed some of the 10 15 yarders cobb had... i cant wait for this kid.. watching his highlight reel is unreal to me he didnt have more offers, my only thought on that is that people thought he might be too short at 5'9 but that's just stupid.. can't wait for next year already after we win this bowl game
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Probably. But would Edwards have been able to get the tough 3-5 yds that Cobb did so often?? He's a tough "Sunsabitch"

Edwards should bring a much needed element to the RB spot assuming he stays healthy and picks-up all the duties of the position. I echo Wolf...Lets see what he can bring on Saturday's before we crown him the next Maroney.
 





gopherdiehard said:
edwards is faster than dct and he is also not a pussy... btw cobb was great this year but edwards would have housed some of the 10 15 yarders cobb had... i cant wait for this kid.. watching his highlight reel is unreal to me he didnt have more offers, my only thought on that is that people thought he might be too short at 5'9 but that's just stupid.. can't wait for next year already after we win this bowl game
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Edwards is very fast, but he is about the same speed as DCT, if not a bit slower. DCT ran 6.78 in the 60m, Berkley ran 6.82.
 

When Kill singles out a player it more often than not becomes true. Gillum is probably the only example for a player he was wrong about.
 



I don't think they were wrong about Gillum. He could never get healthy. I think the wear and tear on his body at the JC
level took a toll on him. Go back and look at the number of carries he had . I do know he was dealing with a bad ankle
his last season at Mississippi.
 

I'm sure Edwards is fast.

But I'm also sure he's not super elite-fast, or else he would've had better offers. No offense, kid!

Update: I just watched his film. How tiny is he? Has anybody seen him in pads?
 


Has anyone thought about the potential reasons for "hyping up a player"? I think there are good players in the program and "buying in" can take them to the next level, in terms of contributing. Get with Coach Klein and go to the weight room, study your playbook, watch some film...and go to class. Speed is a premium for Kill's programs. If he singles out a couple of players who "haven't done it on the field" he must have a reason. Just hyping doesn't really seem like his style, does it?
 

killme said:
Has anyone thought about the potential reasons for "hyping up a player"? I think there are good players in the program and "buying in" can take them to the next level, in terms of contributing. Get with Coach Klein and go to the weight room, study your playbook, watch some film...and go to class. Speed is a premium for Kill's programs. If he singles out a couple of players who "haven't done it on the field" he must have a reason. Just hyping doesn't really seem like his style, does it?
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I'm sure there are plenty of reasons, but that's not what's being discussed. The OP said we should wait to see it on the field (and between Berkeley and Jamel Harbison we could probably start our own message board for how much attention they get) because Kill has talked up players before and they've amounted to nothing.

That's not to say that Kill doesn't have his reasons or that he shouldn't be doing that. But as a fan maybe take history as precedent and not assume that just because a coach says a player will be good he automatically will be. I've seen people talk about Edwards being the starting back next year like Cobb didn't just run for 1,000 yards. That's crazy.
 


Studwell55 said:
I'm sure Edwards is fast.

But I'm also sure he's not super elite-fast, or else he would've had better offers. No offense, kid!

Update: I just watched his film. How tiny is he? Has anybody seen him in pads?
Click to expand...


He would have won the 100 and 200 in this state and many others. He's elite fast. When I saw him I guessed 5-8 180.
 


jaymil said:
When Kill singles out a player it more often than not becomes true. Gillum is probably the only example for a player he was wrong about.
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One of the things that I have always appreciated about Kill is that when he states something about the program you know it is worth listening to. Is it always correct? Of course not! But more often than not it is. That is a lot better than most commentators on the GopherHole. Only here would people debate the accuracy of the coach.:rolleyes:
 

panolo said:
He would have won the 100 and 200 in this state and many others. He's elite fast. When I saw him I guessed 5-8 180.
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100 and 200 m's are a poor measure for football.

What's his 40?
How's his vision?
How strong is he?
How quick is he?
 

Wow, with fans like ours, who needs enemies!

I have never seen a fan base so intrenched with pessimism and acceptance of failure. We currently have two major coaches that are trying to strive for greatness and not making excuses about how they can't win at the U. It is a breath of fresh air, in place of the old "oh poor us" attitude that has been in place with the coaches, the media and the fans.

It is time for the fans to be optimistic and stop settling for third rate programs and to stop being so defeated. Losers breed losing, and I think many fans here have a loser attitude. Your loser comments fall into the same trap as the media, trying to be some wise-ass to be funny or pretend you know something.

I am not saying that we can't have good discussions about our teams, just stop all this crap about "we will never do it" or "if he was any good he would have gotten better offers and not settled for us".
 

station19 said:
100 and 200 m's are a poor measure for football.

What's his 40?
How's his vision?
How strong is he?
How quick is he?
Click to expand...

I didn't say jack about his football skills. All I said is that he is elite fast and that isn't why he wasn't a 5 star. I'm not dumb.. I know speed alone doesn't make a player elite.
 

afurry91 said:
Kill said he would have a breakout year his sophomore year. He did nothing and then quit.
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You win some, you lose some. Kill also talked a lot about Cockran when he was redshirting, saying he needed to add some muscle and he'd be a real special player. I'd say he was right as rain on that one.
 

alchemy2u said:
Wow, with fans like ours, who needs enemies!

I have never seen a fan base so intrenched with pessimism and acceptance of failure. We currently have two major coaches that are trying to strive for greatness and not making excuses about how they can't win at the U. It is a breath of fresh air, in place of the old "oh poor us" attitude that has been in place with the coaches, the media and the fans.

It is time for the fans to be optimistic and stop settling for third rate programs and to stop being so defeated. Losers breed losing, and I think many fans here have a loser attitude. Your loser comments fall into the same trap as the media, trying to be some wise-ass to be funny or pretend you know something.

I am not saying that we can't have good discussions about our teams, just stop all this crap about "we will never do it" or "if he was any good he would have gotten better offers and not settled for us".
Click to expand...

What you are saying above is true about the GopherHole but not true of all our fans. Go over to The Daily Gopher where you will find the next generation of Gopher fans. So yes alchemy, there are Gopher fans! They are just over at The Daily Gopher.
 

U
alchemy2u said:
Wow, with fans like ours, who needs enemies!

I have never seen a fan base so intrenched with pessimism and acceptance of failure. We currently have two major coaches that are trying to strive for greatness and not making excuses about how they can't win at the U. It is a breath of fresh air, in place of the old "oh poor us" attitude that has been in place with the coaches, the media and the fans.

It is time for the fans to be optimistic and stop settling for third rate programs and to stop being so defeated. Losers breed losing, and I think many fans here have a loser attitude. Your loser comments fall into the same trap as the media, trying to be some wise-ass to be funny or pretend you know something.

I am not saying that we can't have good discussions about our teams, just stop all this crap about "we will never do it" or "if he was any good he would have gotten better offers and not settled for us".
Click to expand...

+20

The coach mentions he is excited about one of red shirts and all people do is bitch? What's his vision? Dude, go to the bar, play a song in the juke box and have a little fun man, jeez.
 

alchemy2u said:
Wow, with fans like ours, who needs enemies!

I have never seen a fan base so intrenched with pessimism and acceptance of failure. We currently have two major coaches that are trying to strive for greatness and not making excuses about how they can't win at the U. It is a breath of fresh air, in place of the old "oh poor us" attitude that has been in place with the coaches, the media and the fans.

It is time for the fans to be optimistic and stop settling for third rate programs and to stop being so defeated. Losers breed losing, and I think many fans here have a loser attitude. Your loser comments fall into the same trap as the media, trying to be some wise-ass to be funny or pretend you know something.

I am not saying that we can't have good discussions about our teams, just stop all this crap about "we will never do it" or "if he was any good he would have gotten better offers and not settled for us".
Click to expand...
Nobody is doing any of that. If anything, saying "let's wait and see them prove it on the field" is the exact opposite of acting like you know something.

Nobody bitched, either. Lighten up. I swear some of you act like anything other than nodding in unison is an act of disloyalty.
 

Killjoy said:
What you are saying above is true about the GopherHole but not true of all our fans. Go over to The Daily Gopher where you will find the next generation of Gopher fans. So yes alchemy, there are Gopher fans! They are just over at The Daily Gopher.
Click to expand...
Do you even post at TDG? I've been there since it began.
 

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