OL Appreciation Thread

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MGGopher

MGGopher

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Brian Callahan, we salute you. Down two starters -- both of whom are returning All-Conference players and NFL prospects -- this OL continues mauling. Mo is on a historic rushing pace, and despite the fact he's clearly VERY good, you have to pat the OL on the back. They're consistently running into +1 boxes and still managing yards. Can only think it's going to open up the RPO passing game in coming weeks as the competition stiffens, just as happened last year once we hit conference play.

Watch these highlights from yesterday and just focus on the OL. Spectacular play. JMS especially is an absolute beast. I have zero doubt he's a future NFL draft pick. Watch this play at 2:28: .
 

Hat's off to Axel Ruschmeyer, what he's been able to do coming in this season.

Dude's left ankle has to be half powder by now. They must have an inch thick of tape on that baby.
 

Yes they did real well yesterday. Don't mean to be stick in the mud or whatever. I have to reserve further judgement until next weekend. Do hope they are coming together well as a team though.
 

Quietly doing the job at hand. Very nice to see. Depth is there. It has got to be fun to block for a bruising runner like Mo and watch him run over the next level tackler time and time again.
 

Even when they've struggled with pass protection, they've done well with the runs / given Mo good holes to squeak through.

I'm perpetually worreid about the OL in the face of a lot of challenges they've done remarkably well.
 


Line has played well all season, impressive considering the big 2 who are missing. Who do you suppose next man up would be in the rotation? Guedget?
 

For those of you that follow the O Line - do we have a good mix of upper classman with some younger guys on the line? How about incoming cruits? I know how important it is to keep moving and mixing classes through the lineup. Are we looking good not only for now, but in to the future? (i.e., balanced recruiting classes)
 


GopherJack said:
For those of you that follow the O Line - do we have a good mix of upper classman with some younger guys on the line? How about incoming cruits? I know how important it is to keep moving and mixing classes through the lineup. Are we looking good not only for now, but in to the future? (i.e., balanced recruiting classes)
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We would lose Schlueter (LT) and Olson (RG, but can play every interior position).

Fleck has hinted that he's basically begging those guys to take their free 6th year and come back for 21.

JMS at center will be back, and Andries (RT, but might be better at G) and Ruschmeyer would be back. The hope is Dunlap will be back and at full strength. I have no idea the extent of his injury. The rumor on here is achilles, and again we have no idea if it was a rupture (complete tear off the bone) or less than that, and what the timeline and prognosis for full recovery is. Faalele we also have no idea.

Haven't seen Guedet in meaningful game action, but the coaches were very excited about him in 2019 spring ball, from what I recall. Probably pushed Schlueter, but he won out for 19.

Coaches have also spoken highly of true freshman Ersery.


Lot is up in the air depending on who comes back.


If none of Schlueter, Olson, Faalele, and Dunlap come back or are able to go in 21, then maybe it looks like this?

LT - Andries
LG - Ruschmeyer
C - JMS
RG - Guedet/Boe?
RT - Ersery/Gudet?

Or they could keep Andries at RT and start building a franchise LT for years to come.
 



MplsGopher said:
We would lose Schlueter (LT) and Olson (RG, but can play every interior position).

Fleck has hinted that he's basically begging those guys to take their free 6th year and come back for 21.

JMS at center will be back, and Andries (RT, but might be better at G) and Ruschmeyer would be back. The hope is Dunlap will be back and at full strength. I have no idea the extent of his injury. The rumor on here is achilles, and again we have no idea if it was a rupture (complete tear off the bone) or less than that, and what the timeline and prognosis for full recovery is. Faalele we also have no idea.

Haven't seen Guedet in meaningful game action, but the coaches were very excited about him in 2019 spring ball, from what I recall. Probably pushed Schlueter, but he won out for 19.

Coaches have also spoken highly of true freshman Ersery.


Lot is up in the air depending on who comes back.


If none of Schlueter, Olson, Faalele, and Dunlap come back or are able to go in 21, then maybe it looks like this?

LT - Andries
LG - Ruschmeyer
C - JMS
RG - Guedet/Boe?
RT - Ersery/Gudet?

Or they could keep Andries at RT and start building a franchise LT for years to come.
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THANKS for the detailed info. That's why I love GopherHole. I know I can count of fellow GHer's to provide answers!
 

I'm beginning to think that the offensive line is the most important unit on any football team, college or pro.

Our's has looked pretty good, even with personnel challenges.
 


They have been doing a dang fine job. That said they are in for a real test this Friday against Iowa. For once it would be nice if our front the OL actually outplayed the Iowa defensive line. It has been since 2014 that you could say that.
 



No clue if this answer is out there anywhere: but what is the liklihood that one of Olsen/Schlueter decide to come back? Does anyone have any insight on where those guys might be at in that regard?

Because if even one of them comes back, you've got the makings of a really nice line again next year.

I feel the same way about an O-line as I do about the defense in that you always want to have a mix of young guys and seniors and never be relying on four or five seniors where you'll have to make wholesale changes (unless you are Bama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State etc.).
 

From what I saw watching the game and the highlights, #77 (Andries) was a mauler on run plays.
 

MplsGopher said:
We would lose Schlueter (LT) and Olson (RG, but can play every interior position).

Fleck has hinted that he's basically begging those guys to take their free 6th year and come back for 21.

JMS at center will be back, and Andries (RT, but might be better at G) and Ruschmeyer would be back. The hope is Dunlap will be back and at full strength. I have no idea the extent of his injury. The rumor on here is achilles, and again we have no idea if it was a rupture (complete tear off the bone) or less than that, and what the timeline and prognosis for full recovery is. Faalele we also have no idea.

Haven't seen Guedet in meaningful game action, but the coaches were very excited about him in 2019 spring ball, from what I recall. Probably pushed Schlueter, but he won out for 19.

Coaches have also spoken highly of true freshman Ersery.


Lot is up in the air depending on who comes back.


If none of Schlueter, Olson, Faalele, and Dunlap come back or are able to go in 21, then maybe it looks like this?

LT - Andries
LG - Ruschmeyer
C - JMS
RG - Guedet/Boe?
RT - Ersery/Gudet?

Or they could keep Andries at RT and start building a franchise LT for years to come.
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The only thing I'll add is Austin Beier might be in the mix as well. I think originally he was recruited as a center. He hasn't been active this year, but the fact he's a redshirt sophomore and hasn't left or retired probably is a good sign he is still thought of as having potential to play yet.

Also, against Michigan, redshirt freshman walk-on, Tyler Cooper got time, so he's in the rotation as well.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
They have been doing a dang fine job. That said they are in for a real test this Friday against Iowa. For once it would be nice if our front the OL actually outplayed the Iowa defensive line. It has been since 2014 that you could say that.
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AJ Epenesa ate them alive last year and changed that game. Thank the lord he's gone. I'm not as familiar with the returning Ioweegian players but should read up on that.
 

Face The Facts said:
The only thing I'll add is Austin Beier might be in the mix as well. I think originally he was recruited as a center. He hasn't been active this year, but the fact he's a redshirt sophomore and hasn't left or retired probably is a good sign he is still thought of as having potential to play yet.

Also, against Michigan, redshirt freshman walk-on, Tyler Cooper got time, so he's in the rotation as well.
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Beier is the same class and timeline as Boe. No idea why Boe got the nod over Beier, or Cooper for that matter (year younger), but must be slightly ahead.

Against Michigan, Ruschmeyer played the whole game (on his bum left ankle) except the last two drives where Boe went in, after Michigan's DL sacked us three times in a row the drive before.

I don't think Cooper (or Beier) played that game on the OL, but might've got in the game to block on PAT/FG or perhaps on kickoff return. Could easily be wrong
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
They have been doing a dang fine job. That said they are in for a real test this Friday against Iowa. For once it would be nice if our front the OL actually outplayed the Iowa defensive line. It has been since 2014 that you could say that.
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Iowa always seems to have great DLmen. Vikings have Jaleel Johnson, 4th rounder in 2017, who has started at 3tech this year.
 

MplsGopher said:
Beier is the same class and timeline as Boe. No idea why Boe got the nod over Beier, or Cooper for that matter (year younger), but must be slightly ahead.

Against Michigan, Ruschmeyer played the whole game (on his bum left ankle) except the last two drives where Boe went in, after Michigan's DL sacked us three times in a row the drive before.

I don't think Cooper (or Beier) played that game on the OL, but might've got in the game to block on PAT/FG or perhaps on kickoff return. Could easily be wrong
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I think Boe is above Beier at the guard spots.
I think Beier was brought in as a center. Might be backup for JMS. Although I feel like if JMS went down, Olson would be center, and Boe would play prior to going to Beier.
 

Face The Facts said:
I think Boe is above Beier at the guard spots.
I think Beier was brought in as a center. Might be backup for JMS. Although I feel like if JMS went down, Olson would be center, and Boe would play prior to going to Beier.
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Olson would be center, definitely. Assume Boe would come in at G.

For whatever this is worth: https://247sports.com/college/minnesota/Season/2018-Football/Commits/
shows Boe was a center (bottom of the list) and Beier was a guard. No idea how accurate.
 


Face The Facts said:
That's 99% true then. I got the two mixed up.
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Would be curious to know what the deal is with Beier. Boe has beaten him out. And Ruschmeyer, a walk-on, has beaten both of those two out. Granted he is older.

You'd think a fairly highly rated lineman from Ohio would be a pretty sure thing.
 

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