BleedGopher
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The Gazette has a lengthy preview on us:
Glass half-full: The guts of a young Minnesota team that broke through for eight wins last season return. On offense, that means four of five offensive linemen return. That means RB David Cobb (who rushed for 1,202 yards) returns. Coach Jerry Kill has raised Minnesota’s physical level of play in each of his three previous seasons. The Gophers have the personnel to take that up another notch.
Quarterback isn’t the issue you’d think it’d be. Philip Nelson left the program in January, not long after a lackluster performance in the Texas Bowl. Nelson started far ahead of sophomore Mitch Leidner in 2013, but that started to diminish. Leidner became a regular. Nelson saw the writing on the wall and transferred to Rutgers (he subsequently has been charged in an assault case and dismissed from Rutgers).
In Leidner, Minnesota has a 6-5, 233 horse of a QB. Leidner didn’t have showy passing numbers — 43 of 78 for 619 yards and three TDs to one interception — but he showed enough in the run game (102 rushes for 407 yards and seven TDs) to be considered somewhat of a dual threat.
The Gophers linebacking corps needs work, but returnees in the D-line (ends Michael Amaefula and Theiren Cockran and DT Cameron Botticelli) should help break in that group.
Glass half-empty: Can the Gophers maintain the physical pace it set last season? The answer on offense is that they’re certainly going to try. With Leidner in charge (he’ll face competition from freshmen Chris Streveler and Dimonic Roden-McKinzy), there will be no mistaking Minnesota’s identity. It will be run-first and throw when the defense cheats. Running backs David Cobb and Rodrick Williams, Jr. are proven and highly touted freshman Jeff Jones and redshirt freshman Berkley Edwards will be a boost.
That’s a lot of chips in the running game. Leidner will have to show defenses he can beat them through the air. The Minnesota receiving corps hasn’t struck fear in defenses the last couple of seasons. TE Maxx Williams (25 catches, 417 yards and five TDs) is starting to take off.
On defense, it’s hard to ignore the loss of Hageman, a second-round NFL draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons. The blueprint for a physical offense is there. The defense, particularly the front seven, will have to show it.
http://thegazette.com/subject/sports/minnesota-golden-gophers-20140613
Go Gophers!!
Glass half-full: The guts of a young Minnesota team that broke through for eight wins last season return. On offense, that means four of five offensive linemen return. That means RB David Cobb (who rushed for 1,202 yards) returns. Coach Jerry Kill has raised Minnesota’s physical level of play in each of his three previous seasons. The Gophers have the personnel to take that up another notch.
Quarterback isn’t the issue you’d think it’d be. Philip Nelson left the program in January, not long after a lackluster performance in the Texas Bowl. Nelson started far ahead of sophomore Mitch Leidner in 2013, but that started to diminish. Leidner became a regular. Nelson saw the writing on the wall and transferred to Rutgers (he subsequently has been charged in an assault case and dismissed from Rutgers).
In Leidner, Minnesota has a 6-5, 233 horse of a QB. Leidner didn’t have showy passing numbers — 43 of 78 for 619 yards and three TDs to one interception — but he showed enough in the run game (102 rushes for 407 yards and seven TDs) to be considered somewhat of a dual threat.
The Gophers linebacking corps needs work, but returnees in the D-line (ends Michael Amaefula and Theiren Cockran and DT Cameron Botticelli) should help break in that group.
Glass half-empty: Can the Gophers maintain the physical pace it set last season? The answer on offense is that they’re certainly going to try. With Leidner in charge (he’ll face competition from freshmen Chris Streveler and Dimonic Roden-McKinzy), there will be no mistaking Minnesota’s identity. It will be run-first and throw when the defense cheats. Running backs David Cobb and Rodrick Williams, Jr. are proven and highly touted freshman Jeff Jones and redshirt freshman Berkley Edwards will be a boost.
That’s a lot of chips in the running game. Leidner will have to show defenses he can beat them through the air. The Minnesota receiving corps hasn’t struck fear in defenses the last couple of seasons. TE Maxx Williams (25 catches, 417 yards and five TDs) is starting to take off.
On defense, it’s hard to ignore the loss of Hageman, a second-round NFL draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons. The blueprint for a physical offense is there. The defense, particularly the front seven, will have to show it.
http://thegazette.com/subject/sports/minnesota-golden-gophers-20140613
Go Gophers!!