the offensive and defensive lines are as bad as they've been under Fleck

[kg21]

Well, maybe minus his first year.

We are going backwards on our lines. I'm kind of surprised by this

This is really the whole ball of wax right there.

Do we have any up and comers or recruits to possibly fix this

Nothing else really matters.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

5 new offensive line starters at a school like Minnesota should have been a bigger red flag than we acknowledged

 

[MNVCGUY]

Well, maybe minus his first year.

We are going backwards on our lines. I'm kind of surprised by this

This is really the whole ball of wax right there.

Do we have any up and comers or recruits to possibly fix this

Nothing else really matters.

I mean we did have 7 sacks against Rutgers so maybe not totally ready to throw in the towel in relation to the D-Line.

In another thread about the O-Line it looks like a bunch of guys got shuffled around to different spots. Maybe wait and see how the new look line preforms against a more human defense as opposed to the top defense in the country that is loaded with NFL talent.

 

[studentgopher94]

O-Line pass protection is actually pretty decent, can't run block for shit however, obviously. D-Line has actually been relatively good? They're not as good as the Ohio State O-line so looked bad against them but have been pretty decent elsewhere, particularly in pressuring the quarterback.

 

[SPEGOPHER]

A lot of young talent on o-line, supposedly. I would say the future of the D-line is extremely bleak. Next year we’ll probably lose Smith, JLR, and Eastern and almost no young d-line players have stood out.

 

[kg21]

I mean we did have 7 sacks against Rutgers so maybe not totally ready to throw in the towel in relation to the D-Line.

In another thread about the O-Line it looks like a bunch of guys got shuffled around to different spots. Maybe wait and see how the new look line preforms against a more human defense as opposed to the top defense in the country that is loaded with NFL talent.

We had to bring the house on most all of them. At least, that's my recollection.

 

[MNVCGUY]

We had to bring the house on most all of them. At least, that's my recollection.

6 of the 7 were attributed to defensive lineman. Only non DL to get a sack was Perich so if we were bringing the house the DL were the ones getting home.

You may or may not be right about the lines but they are both unlikely to look good against a team like Ohio State with all their high end talent.

 

[kg21]

6 of the 7 were attributed to defensive lineman. Only non DL to get a sack was Perich so if we were bringing the house the DL were the ones getting home.

You may or may not be right about the lines but they are both unlikely to look good against a team like Ohio State with all their high end talent.

they ran on us and moved the ball at will for a good share of the game.

They ran on us and we couldn't get any pressure without the blitz.

I guess I disagree.

 

[MaxyJR1]

tOSU has given up 2 sacks through 5 games on 136 passes. (.015)

MN 7 on 151 passes. (.046)

Both good pass blocking.

 

[kg21]

From another board:

We are tied with many teams at 123rd for 30+ yard plays from scrimmage with MSU, North Carolina, Troy, Tulane and few others with only 5 plays of 30 yards or more.
Only Iowa, UMass, Northern Illinois, and Coastal Carolina have less.

Teams in the middle range have twice as many (10) plays of 30+ yards averaging a couple per game.

For 20+ yard plays we are 118th.


We are one of only 9 teams without a rushing play of 30+ yards this year.

We are 132nd for running plays of 20+ yard with just one. Maryland is the only team with zero.
We are tied with Wisconsin, New Mexico State, and Kent State. This is truly bad.

This, while playing two patsies and a weak Rutgers defense.

 

[studentgopher94]

A lot of young talent on o-line, supposedly. I would say the future of the D-line is extremely bleak. Next year we’ll probably lose Smith, JLR, and Eastern and almost no young d-line players have stood out.

Menz has looked like he could be something, Hicks as well. But yeah likely going to have to hit the portal hard for interior lineman and probably a pass rusher as well.

 

[MNVCGUY]

they ran on us and moved the ball at will for a good share of the game.

They ran on us and we couldn't get any pressure without the blitz.

I guess I disagree.

The ripped us apart with the passing game in the first half....we adjusted....they only scored 7 points in the second half and we got a bunch of sacks.

Guess we will find out over the remainder of the season.

 

[kg21]

The ripped us apart with the passing game in the first half....we adjusted....they only scored 7 points in the second half and we got a bunch of sacks.

Guess we will find out over the remainder of the season.

they ripped us with the passing game early because we couldn't get near AK bringing the front four.

We did make adjustments........the adjustments made because our front four couldn't begin to get there.

 

[Panthadad2]

The O line peaked in 2021 with both Big Dan and Schmitz and other quality guys. It's been above average since then until this year where it's probably at the middling level, shuffling guys around. I don't know if there are any future NFLers on this line. A few are still young, so...

 

[btowngopher]

A lot of young talent on o-line, supposedly. I would say the future of the D-line is extremely bleak. Next year we’ll probably lose Smith, JLR, and Eastern and almost no young d-line players have stood out.

TBD on if we lose Smith. Still have Howard, and Menz has flashed potential. We don’t have a lot of bodies in the junior class so a lot of the young guys haven’t played much yet. I don’t think the dline has been that bad this year, but I was hoping they’d be better. Other than Smith, our DEs have not been as good as in the past at generating pressure.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

Menz has looked like he could be something, Hicks as well. But yeah likely going to have to hit the portal hard for interior lineman and probably a pass rusher as well.

I like both Mentz and Hicks and would like to see them both play more just to keep everyone fresh. I think the Dline has actually been decent. Oline it is hard to tell if it is line play or the RB not picking the right holes to run through. Neither Oline or Dline has been that bad really, and not the worst we have had, not even close.

 

[Panthadad2]

TBD on if we lose Smith. Still have Howard, and Menz has flashed potential. We don’t have a lot of bodies in the junior class so a lot of the young guys haven’t played much yet. I don’t think the dline has been that bad this year, but I was hoping they’d be better. Other than Smith, our DEs have not been as good as in the past at generating pressure.

It's been hard for me to judge the Gopher D line under Fleck. Starting with Rossi, it seems like they've emphasized gap control and keeping LBs clean over all else with the pass rush being secondary. I don't know if judging the Gopher D line by sacks and QB pressures tells the whole story.

 

[Gopherchase]

It's been hard for me to judge the Gopher D line under Fleck. Starting with Rossi, it seems like they've emphasized gap control and keeping LBs clean over all else with the pass rush being secondary. I don't know if judging the Gopher D line by sacks and QB pressures tells the whole story.

Even in that type of D you as an interior DL are expected to make plays and rush the passer. We haven’t had a good interior pass rusher under Fleck, I don’t think. Baugh was probably the closest to that. The Vikings got rid of their interior DL because they did neither. Look at the two young guys they play now along with the free agents they splash.

 

[Jack jones]

Let’s do what Indiana did bring in 16 transfers in 22 starters.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

A lot of young talent on o-line, supposedly. I would say the future of the D-line is extremely bleak. Next year we’ll probably lose Smith, JLR, and Eastern and almost no young d-line players have stood out.

Emmanuel Karmo would like to have a word with you.

 

[#2Gopher]

Let’s do what Indiana did bring in 16 transfers in 22 starters.

With a lot of NIL money perhaps.

 

[Gopher Ally]

Well, maybe minus his first year.

We are going backwards on our lines. I'm kind of surprised by this

This is really the whole ball of wax right there.

Do we have any up and comers or recruits to possibly fix this

Nothing else really matters.

I rewatched the game and felt our pass protection wasn’t bad. The lack of separation from or receiving crew was notable after first series. That NFL defense was pretty good

 

[Tech Machine]

Defensive line not living up to the hype so far, in my opinion.

 

[studentgopher94]

Emmanuel Karmo would like to have a word with you.

I'd argue Karmo is more of an LB, drops into coverage.

 

[Panthadad2]

I rewatched the game and felt our pass protection wasn’t bad. The lack of separation from or receiving crew was notable after first series. That NFL defense was pretty good

It will be interesting to see if OSU is allowed to clutch and grab on the road against a decent team with any clout. Looking at the schedule, that might not be until the Michigan game.

Jim Leonhard's DBs used to do the same and it was usually effective. Another NFLer.

 

[Harrymannback77]

It's been hard for me to judge the Gopher D line under Fleck. Starting with Rossi, it seems like they've emphasized gap control and keeping LBs clean over all else with the pass rush being secondary. I don't know if judging the Gopher D line by sacks and QB pressures tells the whole story.

Thank God someone else realizes this. That is EXACTLY what they are doing, 100%. Also, we just played by far the best defense in all of college, a team with probably a 40 million plus player pay roll. An NFL coaching staff. I mean, come on. If you expected a different outcome, you haven't been paying attention.

As for the performance over the entire season, it's been average, on offense, I agree. But you have some young blood like Roy learning, guys shifted to new spots. A different type of offense also as far as hurry up and throwing significantly more. Their will be some growing pains but it is necessary to get us into this century of offense. We're going to have back to back NFL quarterbacks put in the NFL, with a higher profile passing offense, which should, along with NIL, bring in a continuous flow of QBs. I'm personally going to just give it the season to play out and see where everyone is at after the bowl game and judge it at that point.

 

[caliGopher]

From another board:

We are tied with many teams at 123rd for 30+ yard plays from scrimmage with MSU, North Carolina, Troy, Tulane and few others with only 5 plays of 30 yards or more.
Only Iowa, UMass, Northern Illinois, and Coastal Carolina have less.

Teams in the middle range have twice as many (10) plays of 30+ yards averaging a couple per game.

For 20+ yard plays we are 118th.


We are one of only 9 teams without a rushing play of 30+ yards this year.

We are 132nd for running plays of 20+ yard with just one. Maryland is the only team with zero.
We are tied with Wisconsin, New Mexico State, and Kent State. This is truly bad.

This, while playing two patsies and a weak Rutgers defense.

Some of this is scheme and the offensive philosophy. You don't control the TOP with big plays. The play calling could be interpreted as focused on 5-yard gains vs. home runs.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Thank God someone else realizes this. That is EXACTLY what they are doing, 100%. Also, we just played by far the best defense in all of college, a team with probably a 40 million plus player pay roll. An NFL coaching staff. I mean, come on. If you expected a different outcome, you haven't been paying attention.

As for the performance over the entire season, it's been average, on offense, I agree. But you have some young blood like Roy learning, guys shifted to new spots. A different type of offense also as far as hurry up and throwing significantly more. Their will be some growing pains but it is necessary to get us into this century of offense. We're going to have back to back NFL quarterbacks put in the NFL, with a higher profile passing offense, which should, along with NIL, bring in a continuous flow of QBs. I'm personally going to just give it the season to play out and see where everyone is at after the bowl game and judge it at that point.

We’re not plug and play and viola, excellence.