No OL transfers troubles me.

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Rockraven said:
Don’t underestimate what early enrollment can do. We had a HS kid start at LT from day1 for an 11-2 Georgia Bulldog team.
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Sure, every recruiting class nationwide has some freaks who step on campus as 18 year olds and are already full-grow men. Those typically do not come to programs like Minnesota. Faalele notwithstanding!
 

NorCalGopher said:
I think it ends up looking something similar to this:

LT: Ersery / Guedet
LG: Shaw / Cooper
C: Boe / Shaw
RG: Carroll / Lawrence
RT: Lewis / Guedet

A few of these guys have been waiting several years for meaningful snaps. At a certain point, it's insulting for Fleck to bring in transfers to play ahead of them.
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And there is good depth with the size to play behind that two deep. You didn’t include Johnson and Williams from the 2023 recruits or Mconnel, Nelson, Beers and Alverez from 2022 recruits. Think we’re solid at oline and hope the quality lineman recruiting continues.
 

Don't forget about the younger Ruschmeyer, as well. The older really stepped up last year!

I feel like he should be be nicknamed "Differential" or "Transfer Case" or something. :cool:
 

Gophers_4life said:
Don't forget about the younger Ruschmeyer, as well. The older really stepped up last year!

I feel like he should be be nicknamed "Differential" or "Transfer Case" or something. :cool:
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OL nicknames shall not be allowed to have the word "Transfer" in them ...
 

Gophers_4life said:
Footwork is always important at all OL positions, of course. That said, it is "more" important for the Tackle. You really have to be on your technique game as a 300+ pounder to keep up with speedy edge rushers.

Lewis is a massive human being. Inside the phone booth, it can be a bit more of a brawl, with big boy interior DL. But there is still a lot of technique involved.
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Interior DL often gain an advantage by getting low, getting leverage. I think it is therefore tougher for very tall, rangy guys to play guard; their length can be a disadvantage. Because of where DEs often line up, an athletic tackle is, however, actually advantaged by length/wingspan. I think PJ and Callahan will play the best five on the OL, but probably make reasonable attempts to match positions with body types. Carroll was a good run blocker this year, but, I believe, a slightly below average pass blocker. I'll bet he would prosper inside, and that would open up RT for rangier Lewis and/or Guedet. I don't know why, but I could see Guedet moving inside before Lewis.
 



Gophergrandpa said:
Interior DL often gain an advantage by getting low, getting leverage. I think it is therefore tougher for very tall, rangy guys to play guard; their length can be a disadvantage. Because of where DEs often line up, an athletic tackle is, however, actually advantaged by length/wingspan. I think PJ and Callahan will play the best five on the OL, but probably make reasonable attempts to match positions with body types. Carroll was a good run blocker this year, but, I believe, a slightly below average pass blocker. I'll bet he would prosper inside, and that would open up RT for rangier Lewis and/or Guedet. I don't know why, but I could see Guedet moving inside before Lewis.
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I don't think anyone could ever call Lewis "rangy". No offense meant :cool:
 





highwayman said:
So what you are saying is it has nothing to do with the line. My point exactly.
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It has everything to do with the line regarding pass blocking. They were not good enough to give Morgan time to see the entire field. They didn't give AK enough time either but he was better at finding time or running for first downs.

Pass blocking was a weakness this season. I expect it will be improved next season as part of an overall emphasis on a balanced attack.
 

NorCalGopher said:
I think it ends up looking something similar to this:

LT: Ersery / Guedet
LG: Shaw / Cooper
C: Boe / Shaw
RG: Carroll / Lawrence
RT: Lewis / Guedet

A few of these guys have been waiting several years for meaningful snaps. At a certain point, it's insulting for Fleck to bring in transfers to play ahead of them.
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Fleck shouldn’t worry about being insulting. At a certain point it’s on the player to develop into a player that is difficult to upgrade via the portal. If Fleck can find an upgrade at any position he should be pursuing it.
 

btowngopher said:
Fleck shouldn’t worry about being insulting. At a certain point it’s on the player to develop into a player that is difficult to upgrade via the portal. If Fleck can find an upgrade at any position he should be pursuing it.
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Oline is a special category. It is expected you are going to work on strength and technique for 2-3 years before you play. If you recruit well, work the development process, and keep the guys in the program, you will always have good ones ready to reload the starting line.

This plan is superior to making short-term portal moves to bring in starters. May make sense on occasion but the internal feeder system is better and young guys have great incentive to move up the chart.
 

Dakota2 said:
Oline is a special category. It is expected you are going to work on strength and technique for 2-3 years before you play. If you recruit well, work the development process, and keep the guys in the program, you will always have good ones ready to reload the starting line.

This plan is superior to making short-term portal moves to bring in starters. May make sense on occasion but the internal feeder system is better and young guys have great incentive to move up the chart.
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Not sure one way is better than the other. I’m thinking some kind of combination yields the best results and is the most practical.
 



die hard gopher said:
We tried to get Marcellus Marshall from Kent State who took an OV here last week but he committed to UCF yesterday .
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We also went after Ajani Cornelius from Rhode Island before he blew up, and became unattainable.

Not directed at you, rather to the board, but the staff is definitely in the market for an OL. I'd be surprised if we don't bring in one, maybe two after the bowl games, or after Spring practice portal periods.
 



MNVCGUY said:
Don't forget about the younger Ruschmeyer, as well. The older really stepped up last year!

I feel like he should be be nicknamed "Differential" or "Transfer Case" or something. :cool:
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I believe the younger Ruschmeyer is still pretty light, and a ways away from playing still.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
According to the roster, he entered the 2022 season in the 260 range, which isn’t going to get him on the field as an 0L. The guy is an all around athlete. Maybe a switch to TE in the future?
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I've heard the staff really like Purcell, and think he's got a bright future at tackle.
 

CentralGopher said:
And there is good depth with the size to play behind that two deep. You didn’t include Johnson and Williams from the 2023 recruits or Mconnel, Nelson, Beers and Alverez from 2022 recruits. Think we’re solid at oline and hope the quality lineman recruiting continues.
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I wouldn't be completely shocked to see McConnell, or Beers get some reps this upcoming season over some of the older depth guys.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
I've heard the staff really like Purcell, and think he's got a bright future at tackle.
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I too have heard he is very athletic and liked, but you just can’t play OL in the Big Ten at 260 lbs, can you? Maybe the nutrition and S&C guys are working on the kid for 2023.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
I just don't see Lewis playing guard. He and Tyrell Lawrence are the biggest players on the OL and are both bigger than Ersery/Carroll. You don't typically move those guys inside.
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Lewis is "girthy" around the middle - which to me better suits him to play guard than Carroll, who is leaner in the middle.

But, if they do it the other way and put Carroll at guard, so be it.

Heck, if Gaudet progresses, you could potentially see both Lewis and Carroll at guards, with Gaudet at RT.

They will have some options.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
I too have heard he is very athletic and liked, but you just can’t play OL in the Big Ten at 260 lbs, can you? Maybe the nutrition and S&C guys are working on the kid for 2023.
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You've got to have ballast, as an OL. As well as a sufficiently low center of gravity.

Otherwise, you'll get bull-rushed right into the QB's lap every time.


If bull-rushing were against the rules for some reason, then OT's probably would indeed be well served to be 6-7 and 250-260lbs.
 

tjgopher said:
Lewis is "girthy" around the middle - which to me better suits him to play guard than Carroll, who is leaner in the middle.

But, if they do it the other way and put Carroll at guard, so be it.

Heck, if Gaudet progresses, you could potentially see both Lewis and Carroll at guards, with Gaudet at RT.

They will have some options.
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Guedet has never really been given much of a chance to contribute on the field in four years here (2019 redshirt) https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster/jj-guedet/20428

Obviously guys can have breakthroughs late in their career. But if he doesn't emerge after this spring, then I could see him either being asked to medically retire to clear out the scholarship (I believe he gets to keep it for academic purposes, but doesn't count against the team) or transferring.
 

Wehatebadgers said:
We should be able to recruit OL and never worry about portal players period!!! If we get a portal OL he wasn’t good enough to play where he was at so why is good enough to play here?
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This is probably the worst take of 2022 on Gopherhole and I nearly missed it.
 

CentralGopher said:
And there is good depth with the size to play behind that two deep. You didn’t include Johnson and Williams from the 2023 recruits or Mconnel, Nelson, Beers and Alverez from 2022 recruits. Think we’re solid at oline and hope the quality lineman recruiting continues.
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Agreed. The sign of a successful program having all of those guys in the pipeline. I think McConnel will be the best of the bunch.
 

btowngopher said:
Fleck shouldn’t worry about being insulting. At a certain point it’s on the player to develop into a player that is difficult to upgrade via the portal. If Fleck can find an upgrade at any position he should be pursuing it.
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I'm saying it's a fine line. Player development is also part of the program. Good luck recruiting top-tier lineman if your track record is having them work their ass of for three years and then you block them from playing time with a transfer. You're either good enough, or you're not, but with lineman you have to let then develop physically and technically.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Guedet has never really been given much of a chance to contribute on the field in four years here (2019 redshirt) https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster/jj-guedet/20428
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While this is true, there are reasons for it which could be other than football. For example, had COVID not hit, he would have likely been a starter in 2021. But, all of those guys came back. Then, he had injuries hinder him in spring and summer of 2022. By the time he was healthy, the spots were locked up.

Now, for the first time in his career, there are open OL spots at the same time he appears to be healthy to contend for them while they are open.
 

btowngopher said:
Fleck shouldn’t worry about being insulting. At a certain point it’s on the player to develop into a player that is difficult to upgrade via the portal. If Fleck can find an upgrade at any position he should be pursuing it.
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I agree with this take.

I preferred college football a few years ago without all of this stuff, but with the portal coaches need to treat talent acquisition like how it's done in the NFL.

If someone is absolutely dominating, they won't get replaced in the portal. We knew Ersery wasn't going to get jumped in the portal last year, we know Lindenberg isn't getting jumped this year.

I think coaches have no choice but to lean into the portal and not be concerned about whose feelings it hurts.
 

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