Minnesota flips Juco CB Elija Battle from West Va! UPDATED 1/8: Can't enroll at MN

[GopherHomer]

Don't forget about Craig James.

I think we will see some attrition in the defensive backfield (with James at the top of the list) which will make our large class of DBs make more sense. I have no concrete proof, but it wouldn't surprise me from 'reading the tea leaves.'

 

[go_gophers]

And you can go **** yourself.

That escalated quickly!

 

[salzie]

But we need beef to go with the speed. I think the back-end of the defense has been pretty solid during the Kill era, but we've been a bit too small in the middle of the defensive front.

we really missed Damien Wilson last year and still havven't really replaced Hagement.

Richardson is nice player though, hopefully new JUCO kid pairs up will with him and helps our run defense.

Frustrated with our DE's lack of size though, we get steamrolled too often IMO

 

[nsmike]

we really missed Damien Wilson last year and still havven't really replaced Hagement.

Richardson is nice player though, hopefully new JUCO kid pairs up will with him and helps our run defense.

Frustrated with our DE's lack of size though, we get steamrolled too often IMO

In a 4-3, almost any DE can be blocked, unless one of the defensive tackles is double teamed. The injuries to Ekpe and Richardson allowed teams to concentrate on negating our defensive ends.

 

[Sparlimb]

we really missed Damien Wilson last year and still havven't really replaced Hagement.

Richardson is nice player though, hopefully new JUCO kid pairs up will with him and helps our run defense.

Frustrated with our DE's lack of size though, we get steamrolled too often IMO

That's what I said all year. Other then our talented defensive backfield that was hurt so the preferred walk-ons were playing, our linebackers were below average and our defensive line was well below average (Big 10 average).

 

[leadpipegopher]

That's what I said all year. Other then our talented defensive backfield that was hurt so the preferred walk-ons were playing, our linebackers were below average and our defensive line was well below average (Big 10 average).

Just my opinion, I thought they went with Poock too long when he was injured, but I didn't think are linebackers were below average.

 

[zman]

That escalated quickly!

 

[leadpipegopher]

Just my opinion, I thought they went with Poock too long when he was injured, but I didn't think our linebackers were below average.

Oops

 

[Governor Sibley]

We recruit a very specific kind of linebacker.

Sometimes I wonder if we've been well served by that.

 

[Lordshawesome]

What type of LB do we recruit?

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[SJUgopher]

What type of LB do we recruit?

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Those that play LB.

 

[Spoofin]

I didn't think are linebackers were below average.

They weren't.

 

[die hard gopher]

What type of LB do we recruit?

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Guys that have speed and length that aren't necessarily filled out yet. Campbell, Lynn, Kamal Martin, Carter Coughlin and even guys that we didn't land like Andre Polk and Mckinley Whitfield were all 6-3+ and about 200 pounds when we started recruiting them. Whitfield and Polk were about 190 actually.

 

[supadupafly]

Per Hudl runs a 4.28 40...

And shoots fireballs out of his arse.

No need to flame gents, that first sentence should attract Dpo like nerds to a free midnight showing of the Force Awakens.

Lol!

 

[minibeaver]

On the subject of LB's, and the amount of DB's we have coming in: Could it be possible we change our base defense to like a 4-2-5, switching out a linebacker with a run-stopping safety, but can also cover better than a regular LB'er?

Is this something Claeys would look at?

 

[Hates Monikers]

I think we will see some attrition in the defensive backfield (with James at the top of the list) which will make our large class of DBs make more sense. I have no concrete proof, but it wouldn't surprise me from 'reading the tea leaves.'

Why would James be a candidate to leave? He played a lot before he was hurt.

 

[Blackhammer]

Why would James be a candidate to leave? He played a lot before he was hurt.

A lot this year and some as a frosh. Tea leaves? He is a good player and not the type of player we can afford to lose.

 

[John Galt]

Craig James is a CB. He's played a lot and his injury led to Hardin playing.


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We'll wait to see what happens with James...

He got some reps at CB, but I don't remember him playing much. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that Hardin has played significantly more snaps at CB in his Gopher career than James has.

 

[BleedGopher]

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Go Gophers!!

 

[Gophers09]

Well that's not good

 

[matt]

Well ****.

 

[Gopher04]

He won't be attending Minnesota University.

 

[bottlebass]

Dang, I was hoping he would be able to help immediately fill the void left by Murray and BBC...

 

[MNVCGUY]

Dang, I was hoping he would be able to help immediately fill the void left by Murray and BBC...

Yeah, JC guys are always a bit of a crap shoot but I also liked the idea of a Juco DB coming in considering who we are losing back there to graduation.

 

[stocker08]

He won't be attending Minnesota University.

Not necessarily. He could possibly be admitted to Minnesota University. Or Hogwarts. Or some other school that exists.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

He won't be attending Minnesota University.

Where's that campus?

 

[mkAz]

Where's that campus?

I believe that is where Battle said he had committed to after his verbal.

 

[VACTERL]

Yeah, check his tweet on page one.