Roster attrition and 2011

[frozengopher]

I don't think this roster is in as much of a shambles as it was after Mason left, but we will have to see the recruit/player attrition after the season is over and the new coach is chosen. If we go into 2011 with this roster intact, does anyone else think we'll be okay overall? I feel like we have some underdeveloped playmakers on this squad in need of nothing but a good coach to polish them up. Thoughts?

 

[KoolAid]

Solid O-line, solid D-line. That's good enough for me.

 

[Ole]

Positives/negatives IMO personnelwise:
1 Athletic QB poor depth beyond
2 Experienced RB's, 3 talented/highly touted young ones
-1 fullback
1 elite Big Ten WR, 1 other solid WR, poor depth
1 good TE with pass catching skills, 1 solid TE, little depth
Oline returns 2 day 1 starters and 2 contributors, young talented/highly touted depth is deep but unproven

1 Solid DE, 4 Athletic but raw DE's
2 Solid DT's could become great, some depth beyond
3 Solid LBer's could become great, 1 unknown supposed all world MLB, ok depth beyond
1 WR turned CB flashes potential, 1 underachieving big time CB recruit, poor talent pool overall, young players could impact early
2 Athetic but very raw safties
-1 Kicker
1 average to poor Punter

Lean on the running game including the QB, pick jump ball scenarios for Mcknight, hit Rb's and TE's in short passing game, offense will be ok not great

On D, use players in roles that allow them to flash their speed and athletic talents, have got to find a way to solidify the secondary, wayyy to many question marks as far as pass rush and defense goes. I think Beal helps the run defense, but it might not matter if we give up 400 yards passing every game.

 

[tpbeight]

I think our D-line is awful. Kirksey and Edwards seem to have regressed. I can't figure out what any of them do well. They are invisible on game day. No pass rush, no bonafide run-stuffers or space eaters........just a lot of guys we thought were going to be good, but have not panned out. Wilhite, Garin, KGM, Jacobs.......complete non-factors this season.

 

[MNRideorDieChick]

tpbeight - you apparently have not paid much attention to how many changes have taken place on the DL. Jacobs has gotten more and more PT, and he has gotten better and better. He just needed a chance to play. Kirksey and Edwards would be much better if they weren't left on the field the entire game. The fact that we have underdeveloped subs has meant that they don't come off the field much. Bad plan for a lot of 300+pounders. Garin has had playing time and several starts, but doesn't seem to be progressing very quickly. It looks like his size is an issue and sometimes he looks lost. Maybe Wilhite did regress, but it isn't clear to me what his role is - every down guy or 3rd down pass rush specialist. Wilhite seemed to be a guy who really fell off when Brew was fired, and even prior to that, he seemed to fold as the losses were accumulating (personal fouls several games in a row). KGM has been jerked around all over the line, and not really given a chance to develop. They have played him at Rush, then moved him to Power, they put him in the small line up and the big one. Hell, Horton said KGM would probably start against Michigan State, and then they barely played him. I'm sure the kid is schizophrenic by now. Not that KGM isn't making mistakes - he is, but Garin is getting mauled on the regular and they start the guy. WTF (Cosgrove must like Garin). It is unrealistic to expect much progress when the coaches can't decide what they want the players to do/learn. Still not sure about Garin's size, but I believe that he and KGM will get better with better coaching. I agree the DL has not been good, but I do think we know that Edwards, Kirksey, Jacobs and probably KGM (???) could find a chemistry this spring and reappear as a beast next fall. The DL just needs to man-up, continue to improve their conditioning and strength, and get a coach who is determined to develop their potential. What feels like a lost cause could very quickly become an anchor of the team.
If the whack Gopher O-line of 2009 can turn into the solid O-line of 2010, the D-line can do the same.

 

[tpbeight]

tpbeight - you apparently have not paid much attention to how many changes have taken place on the DL. Jacobs has gotten more and more PT, and he has gotten better and better. He just needed a chance to play. Kirksey and Edwards would be much better if they weren't left on the field the entire game. The fact that we have underdeveloped subs has meant that they don't come off the field much. Bad plan for a lot of 300+pounders. Garin has had playing time and several starts, but doesn't seem to be progressing very quickly. It looks like his size is an issue and sometimes he looks lost. Maybe Wilhite did regress, but it isn't clear to me what his role is - every down guy or 3rd down pass rush specialist. Wilhite seemed to be a guy who really fell off when Brew was fired, and even prior to that, he seemed to fold as the losses were accumulating (personal fouls several games in a row). KGM has been jerked around all over the line, and not really given a chance to develop. They have played him at Rush, then moved him to Power, they put him in the small line up and the big one. Hell, Horton said KGM would probably start against Michigan State, and then they barely played him. I'm sure the kid is schizophrenic by now. Not that KGM isn't making mistakes - he is, but Garin is getting mauled on the regular and they start the guy. WTF (Cosgrove must like Garin). It is unrealistic to expect much progress when the coaches can't decide what they want the players to do/learn. Still not sure about Garin's size, but I believe that he and KGM will get better with better coaching. I agree the DL has not been good, but I do think we know that Edwards, Kirksey, Jacobs and probably KGM (???) could find a chemistry this spring and reappear as a beast next fall. The DL just needs to man-up, continue to improve their conditioning and strength, and get a coach who is determined to develop their potential. What feels like a lost cause could very quickly become an anchor of the team.
If the whack Gopher O-line of 2009 can turn into the solid O-line of 2010, the D-line can do the same.

Everything you're writing here seems to point to a defensive line that's been well below average this year. I understand that conditions haven't been ideal for this group, but they haven't made ANY plays.

From where Edwards and Kirksey started to where they are now.....is about the same. I've seen no growth or increase in skill or technique. Wilhite is blocked by one man every time he's in the game and he makes no plays. He's not getting to the QB. Garin has been beyond bad. I'm know he's undersized and young, but.........he's on a scholarship. Jacobs is the only one out of the group that has been even somewhat noticeable lately, and that's not saying much.

Kirksey and Edwards are in their 3rd season right now. isn't it possible that they're not quite as good as we thought they were? Are we still waiting for them to develop? I'm not writing anyone off, i'm just taking a realistic view of our talent

 

[Oneoldgopher]

tpbeight - you apparently have not paid much attention to how many changes have taken place on the DL. Jacobs has gotten more and more PT, and he has gotten better and better. He just needed a chance to play. Kirksey and Edwards would be much better if they weren't left on the field the entire game. The fact that we have underdeveloped subs has meant that they don't come off the field much. Bad plan for a lot of 300+pounders. Garin has had playing time and several starts, but doesn't seem to be progressing very quickly. It looks like his size is an issue and sometimes he looks lost. Maybe Wilhite did regress, but it isn't clear to me what his role is - every down guy or 3rd down pass rush specialist. Wilhite seemed to be a guy who really fell off when Brew was fired, and even prior to that, he seemed to fold as the losses were accumulating (personal fouls several games in a row). KGM has been jerked around all over the line, and not really given a chance to develop. They have played him at Rush, then moved him to Power, they put him in the small line up and the big one. Hell, Horton said KGM would probably start against Michigan State, and then they barely played him. I'm sure the kid is schizophrenic by now. Not that KGM isn't making mistakes - he is, but Garin is getting mauled on the regular and they start the guy. WTF (Cosgrove must like Garin). It is unrealistic to expect much progress when the coaches can't decide what they want the players to do/learn. Still not sure about Garin's size, but I believe that he and KGM will get better with better coaching. I agree the DL has not been good, but I do think we know that Edwards, Kirksey, Jacobs and probably KGM (???) could find a chemistry this spring and reappear as a beast next fall. The DL just needs to man-up, continue to improve their conditioning and strength, and get a coach who is determined to develop their potential. What feels like a lost cause could very quickly become an anchor of the team.
If the whack Gopher O-line of 2009 can turn into the solid O-line of 2010, the D-line can do the same.

Best reasoning to date on the d-line. Am glad you posted this. It should be posted in the locker room.

 

[Gold Rush]

The first thing the new coach needs to do is sit down with the team and do some damage control and try to keep a mass exodus. Make no mistake, there will be some people leaving at the end of the year -- there always is normally and with a new coaching change that is usually exacerbated a bit.

After the coach has met with the team he will need to go over the roster with a fine tooth comb and watch game films to see who fits in with what he is planning on doing and where he is going to need to recruit.

Hopefully we get a coach who will gain the respect of the players and he can hang on to most if not all the current players. If we get a good one, that should help and make the transition a little smoother. If we get a coach who doesn't gain the respect of the players right away then let the revolving door begin and we start all over again.