No OL transfers troubles me.

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50PoundHead said:
Fleck and company do the analysis and I'm in no position to doubt their assessment, but I thought they would try to pick up another OL or two in the transfer portal as well. If you are going to run the ball as much as we do and be effective with that approach, you need a solid OL.
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Fleck Olines have always been good on the ground game. Pass protection has been weaker.
 

I haven't listened to PJs presser yet, maybe he mentioned it. Looks like Johnson is an early enrollee as well, so he gets a few extra months of strength training, nutrition, and practice before fall camp.
 



MNVCGUY said:
Being ready to play as a true freshman o-lineman is definitely rare but it can happen. We had two prime examples of Setterstrom and Eslinger who started for their entire careers. At 6'6" and 305 Johnson has the size to compete right now. All comes down to strength and technique.

Wouldn't want to bank on a true freshman lineman being ready to go right away but I also wouldn't think Fleck would float the idea of him potentally playing unless they saw something that told them he might be ready to go right away.
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Big Dan started the end of his freshman year too and made an immediate impact. He's definitely an exception, though.
 


Panthadad2 said:
Big Dan started the end of his freshman year too and made an immediate impact. He's definitely an exception, though.
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He only had to because the player ahead of him was getting whipped so badly by Iowa's stud DE. Don't need to name names, we all know.
 

Boe at center
Cooper/Shaw at guards
Lewis, Guedet, Ersery battle it out at tackles

That top 6 has a good blend of experience, age, and skill.

If some younger guys step up then it’s even better. Add in 1/2 late cycle OL and we could have a quality line that doesn’t have to block as hard with an explosive QB/WR/RB core.
 

CentralGopher said:
I’m more concerned with LB. Selig will help right away but experienced depth is a concern as is the ability for linebackers to be able to do pass coverage imo. Would like to see some higher rated LB’s coming here.
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45 is going to be a great player if he stays healthy, we need to man one other spot the other is a hybrid. There’s no issue at linebacker.
 





Gophers_4life said:
Fair enough.

Sometimes you wonder if it's just Fleck being a salesman at what is just a big PR event. But we'll see.


Is he coming early for spring? If yes, then there is a chance. If not, I can't see it.
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Johnson and Williams are both athletic freaks w bodies that are ready. I wouldn't be shocked if they played in 2024....2023, I doubt it.

Nelson is another freak too that gushes athleticism and if he's gained enough weight could play in 2023.
 

Gopher_Devil said:
Boe at center
Cooper/Shaw at guards
Lewis, Guedet, Ersery battle it out at tackles

That top 6 has a good blend of experience, age, and skill.

If some younger guys step up then it’s even better. Add in 1/2 late cycle OL and we could have a quality line that doesn’t have to block as hard with an explosive QB/WR/RB core.
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Carroll as well and he could play both inside or outside.
 





OP overreacting is surprising. Added two starters after bowl games last year but couldn’t possibly add another guy or two this year.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Both Filiaga and Carroll committed to us after the bowl games (early January). So I wouldn't rule out an OL yet.

That said, I think the staff will be picky. A lot of the games who are next up have been here awhile and have played quite a bit of football. I don't think they need "bodies" as much as they needed them last year.
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They'd want to go to a bowl game first if their teams are in one. Some probably wanted to wait a little longer to see where they stack up on the new depth chart.
 

highwayman said:
So Fleck flat out lied at his presser?
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Could be him hyping the recruit? Isn't that what his Signing Day pressers are generally for?

When was the last time we started a true freshman lineman at the start of the season?
 

WriterGoph said:
Could be him hyping the recruit? Isn't that what his Signing Day pressers are generally for?

When was the last time we started a true freshman lineman at the start of the season?
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Eslinger and Setterstom both did I believe. PJ didn’t say the kid would start he said he looks the part and has the mentality and could be a factor in ‘23.
 

highwayman said:
So Fleck flat out lied at his presser?
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In WGs defense, PJ didn't say anything close to starting

He said he COULD (PJ emphasized the could) help early on the OL and would have to see once he got here. Said it was difficult to do in the B1G. Gave him lots of praise but PJ said nothing about starting.
 





Gopher_Devil said:
Boe at center
Cooper/Shaw at guards
Lewis, Guedet, Ersery battle it out at tackles

That top 6 has a good blend of experience, age, and skill.

If some younger guys step up then it’s even better. Add in 1/2 late cycle OL and we could have a quality line that doesn’t have to block as hard with an explosive QB/WR/RB core.
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If Carroll isn't at a Guard in your scenario here, then he's still the starting RT.

I think LT is Ersery's job pretty much on lockdown. IF they decide to move Carroll inside, then I think Lewis will have the inside track at the RT spot. He was the first tackle who came in for Ersery when he went out briefly in the Iowa game.

(Don't remember Ersery or Carroll missing a non-garbage time snap this season, other than that, knock on wood!)


That of course assumes no other impact OL transfers coming in the later spring window.
 


pharmacygopher said:
In WGs defense, PJ didn't say anything close to starting

He said he COULD (PJ emphasized the could) help early on the OL and would have to see once he got here. Said it was difficult to do in the B1G. Gave him lots of praise but PJ said nothing about starting.
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It might be that Johnson and/or Williams are ready to play now, body-wise. I think of Totino-Grace's Joe Alt, who played in 13 games for Notre Dame as a true freshman, being named a Freshman All-American, and who dominated in his true second year, being named an All-American right along JMS. It can happen, and maybe TJ and Callahan see some of that same precocious talent in Johnson and/or Williams. In any event, PJ is clearly ready to go to war in 2023 with the OL he has on board. No "panic" offers in the portal, as one commentator sagely observed.
 

My guess is spring ball will shuffle some of this out.

LT-Ersery

C- Boe or Shaw

RT- Carroll or Lewis

Guards will have Shaw, Beers, Nelson, Johnson as the top prospects I assume.

Outside of garbage time against, NMexSt, Colorado, Western Illinois, and Northwestern at Home, Shaw and Lewis were really the guys to see the field.
 
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IMO the ideal scenario is to wait it out until the spring game and get an OL in spring period. There’s been a lot of attrition at the OL position over the last couple classes but there is age/experience there for a quality top 6. It might be risky but waiting allows for the young guys to develop and better evaluate needs. If some of the young guys step up then we’re good. If a depth piece is needed there will be some available in the spring.
 

Gopher_Devil said:
IMO the ideal scenario is to wait it out until the spring game and get an OL in spring period. There’s been a lot of attrition at the OL position over the last couple classes but there is age/experience there for a quality top 6. It might be risky but waiting allows for the young guys to develop and better evaluate needs. If some of the young guys step up then we’re good. If a depth piece is needed there will be some available in the spring.
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Agree. There will be guys in the portal after Spring ball with May portal period.
 

Also noticed that Michigan went and got 3 OL's in the portal. Two from Stanford and one from Arizona State, but not a single OL has entered the portal from Michigan.
 

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