Men against boys

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

We can blame the RB's for missing a few holes and fumbling; we cam blame Shortell for tossing a few picks; and we can blame the WR's for dropping some balls they should have caught.

But the offensive problems are all rooted in the O-Line, and it isn't even close. You can't compete on a weekly basis in the BT conference by trotting out two Freshmen and two Sophomores on the O-Line, and NO Seniors.

Indiana, Wisconsin, and OSU are the only teams (other than the Gophers) that start less than TWO Seniors on the O-line, and Wisconsin follows that up with two Juniors and two Sophomores while OSU starts one Senior and four Juniors.

I REALLY like the group they have right now, and I really like the ones that are coming on the horizon. Next year and beyond the Gophers should finally start fielding a "normal" or typical BCS offensive line. But until then these guys are going to probably get pushed around by grown men playing on the opposite side of the line. Iowa started 3 Seniors and a Junior on their D-Line, and it showed.

The upside, is this is the last year the Gophers will have to go through these kinds of growing pains in the forseeable future.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I know injuries happen for everyone, but it didn't help that we were without 2 starters and one of our best backups (Bjorklund).

That said, it's no excuse. We had chances to make plays. We dropped passes, we were inaccurate, we fumbled. . . there is enough blame to go around to our entire team. In fact, I think D. Wells had a terrible game. He is one of my favorite Gophers and has been fantastic, he just didn't have a great game.

With our youth upfront, I don't think there are going to be many teams we can really push around too much up front. We are going to have to find a way to make some of those plays that we missed on on Saturday.

 

[MNSpaniel]

I don't think our running backs have great vision for seeing holes that open up other than where they are drawn up. A lot of times linemen have to take the defenders in the direction they have leverage. Running backs need to see that. We have have a better vantage point (TV or stands) than the running backs but it seems to me that they don't always hit the open spot in the line or do so very quickly.

 

[Bayfieldgopher]

I don't think our running backs have great vision for seeing holes that open up other than where they are drawn up. A lot of times linemen have to take the defenders in the direction they have leverage. Running backs need to see that. We have have a better vantage point (TV or stands) than the running backs but it seems to me that they don't always hit the open spot in the line or do so very quickly.

This has been my #1 concern about Kirkwood plus his lack of speed. But he is the best all around back we have and often has to struggle to get past the LOS. I have yet to see the speed and quickness of Maye as he has been unable to get into the open. Having a better OL in front of them would certainly allow them to showcase their skills. Maybe next season, etc.

 

[GopherHomer]

I know injuries happen for everyone, but it didn't help that we were without 2 starters and one of our best backups (Bjorklund).

That said, it's no excuse. We had chances to make plays. We dropped passes, we were inaccurate, we fumbled. . . there is enough blame to go around to our entire team. In fact, I think D. Wells had a terrible game. He is one of my favorite Gophers and has been fantastic, he just didn't have a great game.

With our youth upfront, I don't think there are going to be many teams we can really push around too much up front. We are going to have to find a way to make some of those plays that we missed on on Saturday.

I completely agree with you on Wells. Our experiment this year of converting CBs to safeties has worked very well when we've played against pass-first teams. But, I think the Iowa game showed that we're going to have to wait as our young guys learn these new positions as far as stopping the run goes.

 

[e.bigelow]

Is it just me, or is there anyone else who thinks Eddie Olson Jr. has been somewhat underwhelming so far this season? I'm just not sure what to think.

 

[Dr.Don]

Is it just me, or is there anyone else who thinks Eddie Olson Jr. has been somewhat underwhelming so far this season? I'm just not sure what to think.

I don't think it is your intent to pick out one named person, when the entire offensive line is trying to work together as a well oiled machine. Due to the thread title of "Men against boys" sums up the whole concept of underwhelming, it is a growth process that must utilize experience and talent of younger linemen versus the experience and talent of older linemen. When in the trenches, experience within the group is a really big factor.

 

[e.bigelow]

I don't think it is your intent to pick out one named person, when the entire offensive line is trying to work together as a well oiled machine. Due to the thread title of "Men against boys" sums up the whole concept of underwhelming, it is a growth process that must utilize experience and talent of younger linemen versus the experience and talent of older linemen. When in the trenches, experience within the group is a really big factor.

There we go, that is more along the line of what I was thinking. Well said. You were just a little more eloquent that I was.

 

[Dr.Don]

There we go, that is more along the line of what I was thinking. Well said. You were just a little more eloquent that I was.

Well, bigelow, i just don't think it is right to pick out one name when there are 5 young men learning to work together to achieve positive things.

The fact that you stated that I said something in an eloquent manner is "underwhelming" to lots of Gh'ers, I'm sure.

 

[station19]

Well, bigelow, i just don't think it is right to pick out one name when there are 5 young men learning to work together to achieve positive things.

The fact that you stated that I said something in an eloquent manner is "underwhelming" to lots of Gh'ers, I'm sure.

I think 'earth shattering' would be more appropriate.

In regards to you gambling problem; I would think at this point in your life you would have found a hobby that you are better at.

 

[Killjoy]

Originally Posted by Dr.Don

Well, bigelow, i just don't think it is right to pick out one name when there are 5 young men learning to work together to achieve positive things.

The fact that you stated that I said something in an eloquent manner is "underwhelming" to lots of Gh'ers, I'm sure.

I think 'earth shattering' would be more appropriate.

In regards to you gambling problem; I would think at this point in your life you would have found a hobby that you are better at.

DL65 shared with us on Sunday his story of his life journey which I found both very with enjoyable and interesting. As a result of this I have become curious about a couple of other GopherHolers, i.e. Dr.Don and station19. These two seem to know each other and enjoy tweaking each other in hopefully a friendly way. What I know so far is that Dr.Don is from the Fargo-Moorhead area and station 19 is from the Alexandria area. What I don't know is if this is this truly a "friendly" relationship or if there is some grade school incident that happened when they were kids that they are still working through.

What I really trying to ask the two of you is how do you know each other? I have a feeling that the two of you have some great stories about each other.

 

[e.bigelow]

Well, bigelow, i just don't think it is right to pick out one name when there are 5 young men learning to work together to achieve positive things.

The fact that you stated that I said something in an eloquent manner is "underwhelming" to lots of Gh'ers, I'm sure.

Haha! Most definitely!

 

[Terminator]

collectively players & coaches had a terrible game. Don't get fooled in the second half - Iowa took their foot off the gas on their run game and looked like they were trying to polish up their passing game which they need.

 

[tikited]

collectively players & coaches had a terrible game. Don't get fooled in the second half - Iowa took their foot off the gas on their run game and looked like they were trying to polish up their passing game which they need.

By definition: continuing to pass in the 2nd half was anything but taking their foot off the gas, but I agree that we shouldn't get fooled too much by the 2nd half. I didn't think we played that good in either half. We did have a very good chance to get a "moral" victory, but Max's int/td ended that.

Big plays by Iowa killed us and we killed ourselves by not connecting on any big plays.

 

[GopherOhana]

don't think we saw much more than the dip in the learning curve and the first road game in the bigten
a little better this year than last at mich and purdue
if we get to a point where most starters are 4th and 5th year, things will improve

the first 5 minutes of the purdue game was he bottom last year
hoping the iowa first half is the bottom this year

 

[Rickman55]

don't think we saw much more than the dip in the learning curve and the first road game in the bigten
a little better this year than last at mich and purdue
if we get to a point where most starters are 4th and 5th year, things will improve

the first 5 minutes of the purdue game was he bottom last year
hoping the iowa first half is the bottom this year

So is that a promise that things will improve? How many years do we have to hear we are young and things will improve. Kill must have used the word young a hundred times on all his post game shows.

 

[dpodoll68]

So is that a promise that things will improve? How many years do we have to hear we are young and things will improve. Kill must have used the word young a hundred times on all his post game shows.

At the point we're no longer young, he'll probably stop using the word. Is this hard to understand? Do you dispute that this is a very young team?

 

[Dr.Don]

Originally Posted by Dr.Don




DL65 shared with us on Sunday his story of his life journey which I found both very with enjoyable and interesting. As a result of this I have become curious about a couple of other GopherHolers, i.e. Dr.Don and station19. These two seem to know each other and enjoy tweaking each other in hopefully a friendly way. What I know so far is that Dr.Don is from the Fargo-Moorhead area and station 19 is from the Alexandria area. What I don't know is if this is this truly a "friendly" relationship or if there is some grade school incident that happened when they were kids that they are still working through.

What I really trying to ask the two of you is how do you know each other? I have a feeling that the two of you have some great stories about each other.

What is between station19 and me, is left up to anyone's and everyone's imagination.

19 and I know, and that is all that matters.

Thank you for caring though.

 

[Parski1]

What is between station19 and me, is left up to anyone's and everyone's imagination.

19 and I know, and that is all that matters.

Thank you for caring though.

You and Station18 need to get a room! You show him way too much love.

 

[station19]

You and Station18 need to get a room! You show him way too much love.

Parski, you're just jealous.

 

[station19]

Originally Posted by Dr.Don




DL65 shared with us on Sunday his story of his life journey which I found both very with enjoyable and interesting. As a result of this I have become curious about a couple of other GopherHolers, i.e. Dr.Don and station19. These two seem to know each other and enjoy tweaking each other in hopefully a friendly way. What I know so far is that Dr.Don is from the Fargo-Moorhead area and station 19 is from the Alexandria area. What I don't know is if this is this truly a "friendly" relationship or if there is some grade school incident that happened when they were kids that they are still working through.

What I really trying to ask the two of you is how do you know each other? I have a feeling that the two of you have some great stories about each other.

We went to different schools together.

 

[Killjoy]

What is between station19 and me, is left up to anyone's and everyone's imagination.

19 and I know, and that is all that matters.

Thank you for caring though.

Thanks for the response. I guess what happens in Fargo-Moorhead and Alexander stays in Fargo-Moorhead and Alexander.

 

[station19]

Thanks for the response. I guess what happens in Fargo-Moorhead and Alexandria stays in Fargo-Moorhead and Alexandria.

FIFY^^

Dr Don tried to move here but was rejected. We have standards you know.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

FIFY^^

Dr Don tried to move here but was rejected. We have standards you know.

I've seen the women there. If that was true, no one would be conceived.



JK.

 

[GophersInIowa]

FIFY^^

Dr Don tried to move here but was rejected. We have standards you know.

I'm from the area myself station. As a kid, I thought Big Ole was as tall as a water tower. I remember being home from college and driving by Ole, thinking "did he shrink?"

 

[station19]

I'm from the area myself station. As a kid, I thought Big Ole was as tall as a water tower. I remember being home from college and driving by Ole, thinking "did he shrink?"

Yes, about 12 miles nw of here.

You're probably too young to remember when Big Ole was dressed as Santa Clause during the Christmas Holidays.....One year someone thought it would be a good idea to see if the Santa Clause suit would burn.......it did.......had to go to the statue hospital and have extensive surgery.

Then there was the year someone tied a long summer sausage and two grapefruit to his waist. That was well received. Lena was pissed.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Yes, about 12 miles nw of here.

Then there was the year someone tied a long summer sausage and two grapefruit to his waist. That was well received. Lena was pissed.

This thread began with a title of "Men against boys" and has progressed to the mentioning of a statue with a lengthy summer sausage. Somebody is going to he!l for this, without a doubt.

Who's driving the bus?

 

[station19]

This thread began with a title of "Men against boys" and has progressed to the mentioning of a statue with a lengthy summer sausage. Somebody is going to he!l for this, without a doubt.

Who's driving the bus?

Agreed, got a little OT there. I'll take a good portion of the blame for that.

 

[Dr.Don]

At least it was taken off the topic in a humorous tone and didn't turn into an off the topic pissing contest.

 

[station19]

At least it was taken off the topic in a humorous tone and didn't turn into an off the topic pissing contest.

Very true.