The Gopher Defense is Improving

[Gold Rush]

I think it is undeniable the Gopher defense has gotten better over last year and continues to be getting better as the year goes on. I think some of this is due to many new pieces being added but I am getting more comfortable and confident with our defense. They came in very suspect and 2020 saw a step back from a very good defense from the year before but the additions that Fleck made were good decisions and look like he struck gold so far.

- LB #47 Jack Gibbens turned out to be way better than expected and is one of my favorite players. So far he leads the team with 38 tackles in 6 games with 2 TFL and helped answer a major question mark at LB heading into the season.

- DE #34 Boye Mafe has stepped it up and is becoming an elite pass rusher. He leads the team with 7 TFL and 5 sacks. We all were expecting big things from him but he is taking it to the next level.

- DT #5 Nyles Pinckney - he started slow but you can tell he is getting a lot more comfortable. He is the Clemson transfer we had high hopes for and just looks like a force out there. 11 tackles with 2 TFL and 1.5 sacks. I am really looking forward to seeing how good he can get and is a dominant force up the middle.

-DB # 27 Tyler Nubin - he has been honorable mention in the Big Ten the last couple years so you know the talent is there. He is pretty solid leads the team with 2 ints and is 4th on the team in tackles with 21.

-DB - #17 Coney Durr - I am getting more and more comfortable with him - he is 3rd on the team in tackles with 23 and has made some key pass breakups.

- LB - #55 Mario Sori-Marin - he has gotten better and the positive numbers are piling up. He is 2nd in tackles with 34, 3 TFL's and 1 pick. He has performed as I expected him to .

- DE #8 Thomas Rush - he has been a pleasant surprise and he has really stepped it up. 16 tackles, 5 TFL's and 3.5 sacks so far but he just keeps getting better.

There are others on the defense that have been playing better but the recurring theme with most of these players is they are getting better with each game and as they are individually getting better, so is the defense as a whole. Fleck continues to say they are very unselfish but this unselfish play helps each one pile up the statistics. I haven't even spotlighted some of the others such as Harris, Howden and Otomeweo who have all looked pretty good, too. And as I have said before, watch out for this Justin Walley who I think is going to be a major star for us if he can keep improving. You can tell the talent is there.

We will never be a top ten team without a good defense - it has to be built up and sustained. I am afraid this defense, which is started to gell and come together will soon be gone lol as most of the players are seniors but that will something to worry about NEXT year. This year though - I am starting to really like the defense!!

 

[MplsGopher]

Great post!

Nubin was maddeningly awful, at times last year. Rush seemed like nothing special, people openly wondering why he was getting reps over Mafe. MSM was also terrible at times early last year, but people correctly pointed out he got much stronger towards the end.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I was at the game and this week was wondering if Durr played. Didn't notice him at all, so that likely means he had a good game and I didn't notice.

 

[RememberMurray]

You said it!

Here are some really interesting stats, according to B1G Network (2 of the 4 deal with defense):

• Minnesota is 1 of only 4 P5 teams with 3 running backs who have rushed for 100 yards in a game

• Minnesota has allowed 86.8 Yards/game rushing this season, (6th in FBS)

• Minnesota has allowed fewer than 24 points in 4 straight games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in the last 15 years

• Minnesota is 13-4 in one-possession games over the last 4 seasons

(chart at 9:56 of the video)...

 

[PhillyGopher]

Great analysis!

I think they are playing what Fleck called complementary football in that they all do their jobs os every one else can.

What I notice is the DL is improving as the season goes on. Interesting to me is that the Iowa OL seems to be regressing as the season goes on, making the Iowa matchup more interesting if these trends continue.

 

[LakerFan]

And as I have said before, watch out for this Justin Walley who I think is going to be a major star for us if he can keep improving. You can tell the talent is there.

This is huge. He got turned around on one Purdue touchdown but otherwise has been playing great.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I remember when Mason DL would get a bunch of sacks in the non-conference and then none in conference play. It's awesome to watch this defense get better every week.

 

[GoldenRodents]

They contained Martinez

 

[Gold Rush]

Back in the 1980's - 2010 era (a LOT of years we always seemed to have some good linebackers, some like Najarian and Dusbabek that went into the NFL but we rarely saw decent defensive backs (Tyrone Carter was awfully good, though!) It was so bad you hated to see a 3rd and 9 situation as they couldn't cover anyone and someone would be wide open time and time again. We have done a great job at getting more good defensive backs the last several years.

Really good defensive linemen have been tough to get for us - we always seemed to have 1 or 2 but we never had the depth to really put it together. It's been tough watching teams like Iowa and Wisconsin finish above us every year but they continue to put together strong defenses so it shows that it CAN be done. I loved Mason's offense that he ran but he never could put a great defense together. He showed that a Rose Bowl offense and Music City Bowl defense equals -- a berth in the Music City Bowl!!!

 

[swingman]

-DB # 27 Tyler Nubin - he has been honorable mention in the Big Ten the last couple years so you know the talent is there. He is pretty solid leads the team with 2 ints and is 4th on the team in tackles with 21.

-DB - #17 Coney Durr - I am getting more and more comfortable with him - he is 3rd on the team in tackles with 23 and has made some key pass breakups.

I love how Nubin has played this year, but he was not a BIG HM player last two years.

Coney Durr, #16, has been BIG HM last two years and is rock solid.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Great analysis!

I think they are playing what Fleck called complementary football in that they all do their jobs os every one else can.

What I notice is the DL is improving as the season goes on. Interesting to me is that the Iowa OL seems to be regressing as the season goes on, making the Iowa matchup more interesting if these trends continue.

has also been fun to watch guys like Trill Carter and MJ Anderson start to show signs of being star players.

We are going to lose a lot of defensive players in the off season but the hope is they are building the depth through the rotations so that next season the guys being asked to take on bigger roles will be ready to hit the ground running.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Nubin is playing confidently and aggressively this year. He is a very effective safety. And Howden is having a good year, also. Do people remember how shockingly bad our D was against the run last year? And we are shockingly good against the run this year. Amazing turnaround due both player development and insightful use of the transfer portal.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

I was at the game and this week was wondering if Durr played. Didn't notice him at all, so that likely means he had a good game and I didn't notice.

Right on! That's been the case for most of the season.

 

[Otis]

Aww come on!
Back in the 80’s we had a cornerback who was fantastic at grabbing his hammy as a receiver blew by him for a touchdown! Miraculously he would be back on the field after each time he would pull said hamstring. What a competitor!

 

[btowngopher]

Would not be surprised if Nubin makes it to the NFL, he improved a lot during the year last year, and that has continued this year. The play of Walley and T Smith has been solid at a position people were worried about preseason.

 

[noamfromm]

Aww come on!
Back in the 80’s we had a cornerback who was fantastic at grabbing his hammy as a receiver blew by him for a touchdown! Miraculously he would be back on the field after each time he would pull said hamstring. What a competitor!

As a fan who went to his first game in '09 -- pray tell, about whom are you talking

 

[WriterGoph]

Would not be surprised if Nubin makes it to the NFL, he improved a lot during the year last year, and that has continued this year. The play of Walley and T Smith has been solid at a position people were worried about preseason.

Walley is super exciting for sure! Making such big strides each week.

Also, have loved seeing MJ Anderson making some plays on the DL and surprised nobody has mentioned Trill Carter at DT.

Young LBs starting to get some reps as well.

Very exciting time to be watching the Gopher defense!

 

[Otis]

As a fan who went to his first game in '09 -- pray tell, about whom are you talking

I hate to admit it but i was usually to drunk to remember the players names. Especially the bad ones.

 

[Gold Rush]

Aww come on!
Back in the 80’s we had a cornerback who was fantastic at grabbing his hammy as a receiver blew by him for a touchdown! Miraculously he would be back on the field after each time he would pull said hamstring. What a competitor!

HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Were his initials J.H by any chance?? I STILL have nightmares over that guy. He was also the guy that intercepted the pass and raised the ball high over his head ala Leon Lett but before he went into the end zone someone knocked it loose causing a fumble!!

 

[gophernut1]

What impresses me about the recruiting and development we are seeing, is that we are seeing it at all three levels. This excites me as we move forward that we can demonstrate how our system put people in the NFL.

 

[STPGopher]

I think it is undeniable the Gopher defense has gotten better over last year and continues to be getting better as the year goes on. I think some of this is due to many new pieces being added but I am getting more comfortable and confident with our defense. They came in very suspect and 2020 saw a step back from a very good defense from the year before but the additions that Fleck made were good decisions and look like he struck gold so far.

- LB #47 Jack Gibbens turned out to be way better than expected and is one of my favorite players. So far he leads the team with 38 tackles in 6 games with 2 TFL and helped answer a major question mark at LB heading into the season.

- DE #34 Boye Mafe has stepped it up and is becoming an elite pass rusher. He leads the team with 7 TFL and 5 sacks. We all were expecting big things from him but he is taking it to the next level.

- DT #5 Nyles Pinckney - he started slow but you can tell he is getting a lot more comfortable. He is the Clemson transfer we had high hopes for and just looks like a force out there. 11 tackles with 2 TFL and 1.5 sacks. I am really looking forward to seeing how good he can get and is a dominant force up the middle.

-DB # 27 Tyler Nubin - he has been honorable mention in the Big Ten the last couple years so you know the talent is there. He is pretty solid leads the team with 2 ints and is 4th on the team in tackles with 21.

-DB - #17 Coney Durr - I am getting more and more comfortable with him - he is 3rd on the team in tackles with 23 and has made some key pass breakups.

- LB - #55 Mario Sori-Marin - he has gotten better and the positive numbers are piling up. He is 2nd in tackles with 34, 3 TFL's and 1 pick. He has performed as I expected him to .

- DE #8 Thomas Rush - he has been a pleasant surprise and he has really stepped it up. 16 tackles, 5 TFL's and 3.5 sacks so far but he just keeps getting better.

There are others on the defense that have been playing better but the recurring theme with most of these players is they are getting better with each game and as they are individually getting better, so is the defense as a whole. Fleck continues to say they are very unselfish but this unselfish play helps each one pile up the statistics. I haven't even spotlighted some of the others such as Harris, Howden and Otomeweo who have all looked pretty good, too. And as I have said before, watch out for this Justin Walley who I think is going to be a major star for us if he can keep improving. You can tell the talent is there.

We will never be a top ten team without a good defense - it has to be built up and sustained. I am afraid this defense, which is started to gell and come together will soon be gone lol as most of the players are seniors but that will something to worry about NEXT year. This year though - I am starting to really like the defense!!

I saw a p.o.'d Jack Gibbens post Bowling Green. Felt the fire within him. I suspected that between him and Mariano Sori-Marin they'd help pull the defense together. I felt they would respond, and they did.

 

[MNVCGUY]

What impresses me about the recruiting and development we are seeing, is that we are seeing it at all three levels. This excites me as we move forward that we can demonstrate how our system put people in the NFL.

Not only that but Fleck has shown an ability to identify really good players in the transfer portal and get them here. I am excited to see what transfers we add to the 2022 class because the 2021 group has been amazing and he has brought in some others in the past that really worked out well for us (Williamson, St. Juste, MDT). If he can keep adding impact guys it will really help the team continue playing at a high level year after year.

 

[Otis]

HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Were his initials J.H by any chance?? I STILL have nightmares over that guy. He was also the guy that intercepted the pass and raised the ball high over his head ala Leon Lett but before he went into the end zone someone knocked it loose causing a fumble!!

What was JH’s number? If you remember?

 

[Governor Sibley]

Is Gibbens the best player on the team? Or is he just the best player on defense? We need a thread on this perplexing question.

 

[Otis]

Is Gibbens the best player on the team? Or is he just the best player on defense? We need a thread on this perplexing question.

Is he the best linebacker?
Seems like this position is a strength.

 

[tikited]

HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Were his initials J.H by any chance?? I STILL have nightmares over that guy. He was also the guy that intercepted the pass and raised the ball high over his head ala Leon Lett but before he went into the end zone someone knocked it loose causing a fumble!!

I don't think he actually raised the ball per say. I remember it more like he just lost it. I know there used to be footage of it somewhere. Unbelievable no matter what though.

 

[Otis]

I don't think he actually raised the ball per say. I remember it more like he just lost it. I know there used to be footage of it somewhere. Unbelievable no matter what though.

Boxers had to buy the moniker “hands of stone” from him.
Bakery Konate was his catching and holding coach.
His 40 time was clocked with a calendar.

 

[Hates Monikers]

I don't think he actually raised the ball per say. I remember it more like he just lost it. I know there used to be footage of it somewhere. Unbelievable no matter what though.

 

[Otis]

That’s priceless, but way too recent to be the guy from 84-89.

 

[STPGopher]

Great analysis!

I think they are playing what Fleck called complementary football in that they all do their jobs os every one else can.

What I notice is the DL is improving as the season goes on. Interesting to me is that the Iowa OL seems to be regressing as the season goes on, making the Iowa matchup more interesting if these trends continue.

All appear to be playing at a high level now.

I remember when Mason DL would get a bunch of sacks in the non-conference and then none in conference play. It's awesome to watch this defense get better every week.

IIRC Lamanzer Williams just kept sacking QB's though. 22 in one season is something.