Loss of Poock really hurt on Defense / Talent level of backups

[hungan1]

IMHO, a big loss in yesterday's game on D was Cody. He was the signal caller on defense.

There were times when the defense looked confused or played out of alignment.

Secondly, the injuries as of yesterday exposed the lack quality depth on defense. That is coming next year with more experience, a little better recruiting class, and red shirt Freshmen.

They weren't able to make the adjustments on defense after the first half. They did not have the right personnel to execute due to injuries, lack of experience, and/or ability.

My lord, how many injuries do we have on Defense as of yesterday's game? Alex Keith. De'Vondre Campbell was he hurt? Damarius Travis? Craig James. Yoshoub Timms? Duke Anwanyu. Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Ace Rogers. Any more?

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

Coming into the game, I thought the difference between Cody and Everett Williams was not much. Everett had played well when given the opportunity. But something was not right yesterday with the front 7. Maybe Nebraska's Oline was just that good.

 

[killme]

I think Alex Keith was out best DE through 6 games and losing him to a broken hand in warmups when you're already missing Poock sets a bad tone. I haven't heard why Campbell didn't play until the second half.

 

[Some Day...Is Coming!]

Coming into the game, I thought the difference between Cody and Everett Williams was not much. Everett had played well when given the opportunity. But something was not right yesterday with the front 7. Maybe Nebraska's Oline was just that good.

I think the N o line was just that much better. We got 0 pressure on their QB. He had all day. N executed extremely well.


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[Iceland12]

I think the N o line was just that much better. We got 0 pressure on their QB. He had all day. N executed extremely well.

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That's been a problem all year, big chunk of last year also. When Leidner gets time to stand back there and throw it's a surprise. When the other team's QB gets to stand back there and survey the field or wait for a receiver to clear his man it's a regular occurrence.

It's been going on at Minnesota, with a few exceptions, for years now and Kill and Company haven't changed it. Not a surprise though. Again and again you read/hear that recruiting high school d-linemen is the toughest part of recruiting. There aren't many great ones and those kids want to go to a "sure-thing" school, not a rebuilding one.

 

[cjbfbp]

That's been a problem all year, big chunk of last year also. When Leidner gets time to stand back there and throw it's a surprise. When the other team's QB gets to stand back there and survey the field or wait for a receiver to clear his man it's a regular occurrence.

Very true. The lack of an effective pass rush was almost as apparent last year. This is a chronic weakness. Much of it may be due to the caliber of individual players but some of it must be due choices made in defensive schemes. The coaches could make adjustments that could improve this weakness if they really wanted to, but they must be more afraid of the weaknesses that would appear if they made those adjustments. After getting destroyed by two 1-2 Big Ten teams, there should be a little more motivation to throw caution aside.

 

[cjbfbp]

I think the N o line was just that much better. We got 0 pressure on their QB. He had all day. N executed extremely well.


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The Nebraska offensive line may have been better than our other opponents' ones to date, but maybe the primary difference was the abilities of their quarterback and receivers to make something out of the extra time.

 

[Blackhammer]

Coming into the game, I thought the difference between Cody and Everett Williams was not much. Everett had played well when given the opportunity. But something was not right yesterday with the front 7. Maybe Nebraska's Oline was just that good.

Just an excuse.Poock or Williams about a wash. Our defense front four were manhandled and other than Richardson no one can play. They are the poorest group in the Big Ten. You got guys playing that hardly will get a sack a year and they don't defend the run ether.Cockran is the same player he was three years ago. Makes few plays and loses containment on a regular basis.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

I think Alex Keith was out best DE through 6 games and losing him to a broken hand in warmups when you're already missing Poock sets a bad tone. I haven't heard why Campbell didn't play until the second half.

I agree that when healthy, Keith has been the best playmaker at DE the past two years.

 

[Maroon92]

Has anyone explained how Keith broke his hand in warm ups?

 

[hungan1]

... Again and again you read/hear that recruiting high school d-linemen is the toughest part of recruiting. There aren't many great ones and those kids want to go to a "sure-thing" school, not a rebuilding one.

This year is a good example with DT. Although we received an early commitment from instate player JoJo Garcia, we've been unable to reign in Mike Panasiuk and JC player Wavenski Aimee. Once MSU and FSU came calling, they committed to them although the U was their early interest. Aimee did commit and then decommit from Miami previously.

We've only been able to receive a commitment from once defensive end in Tralund Weber.

Unless they are instate players or from neighboring states, the guys we get are late commits. It almost seems like we get the left overs. There are exceptions like Steve Richardson. His size did not get him interests from big names. All the real good ones are usually early commits to the sure thing schools.

We got lucky on local guy Ra'shede Hageman. He was 6'6" 251 when he committed to Brewster as a TE. He grew his body into a 310-315 pounder it wasn't too hard for Jerry Kill him to switch to DT.

We have no shortage of big "slow" midwest corn fed offensive linemen who want to head to the U, although I think they let a good one go in Patrick Kasl to the enemy to the East.

Unless you offer slightly illegal perks like ISU and at one time SMU, you have to hope that somehow the Gophers string two or three good respectable winning seasons or even a B1G West title before you get serious looks by recruits.

Maybe attracting a big name coach might have changed things. But, who would have come here to a place that is in shambles post Brewster? A place that needed a major overhaul, and a place that is not exactly easy to attract recruits to.

We are fortunate we even have Jerry Kill. Remember what he said in one of his earlier conferences, that the U was in worst shape that he previously thought? Would he had taken the job had he knew what he found? But, then this was his big break to a Power 5 school.