Thursday's Spring Practice

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Killjoy

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It should be a decent day tomorrow for our first chance to see a spring practice. There will be a lot of things to watch given all that has happened since last spring. Here is a list that I have stolen from an unnamed site (Sorry Ryan, I won't do it again).

Six January Enrollees*
QB Seth Green
OL Vincent Calhoun
OL Garrison Wright
DE Taiyon Devers
DT Merrick Jackson
LB Thomas Barber
*three juco and three early enrollee

25 redshirt freshmen to watch: Buford, Craighton, Dior, Moore, Renner, DeLatti, Jaylen, Kuehn, Dovich, Connelly, Oseland, Stieber, Herbers, Johanne, Femi, Beebe, Witham, Mayer, Morse, Register, Mose Hall, Greif, Gorgen, Lapham, two longsnappers. Croft basically are frosh.

also new positions for Gibson, Cashman
and Travis, Duke, Rogers off injury

Add to that list new offensive and defensive coordinators plus a new offensive line coach. That is a great recipe for a really exciting spring practice. Plus Claeys first real opportunity starting as the guy, O'Brien new to full staff, and I think four new GA/QC guys including Keanon Cooper...
probably an expanded role for Adam Weber with Zebrowski gone...

LOTs of new things this Spring to watch. What are you hoping to watch/learn on Thursday?
 

I'm most excited hearing the following from posters here:
"Should be 9/10/11/12 wins minimum"
"Shaping up to be a Rose Bowl season"
"Wisconsin/Iowa on the decline, Gophers on the rise"
Depth chart analysis of walk-ons
"X passes the eye test"

And these coaching cliches:
"Want the players to react more/think less/junkyard dog mentality"
"Simplifying the playbook"
"Every position is up for grabs"
"Most important work of the year done in the spring"
"Defense ahead of the offense"
 

Ski U Master said:
I'm most excited hearing the following from posters here:
"Should be 9/10/11/12 wins minimum"
"Shaping up to be a Rose Bowl season"
"Wisconsin/Iowa on the decline, Gophers on the rise"
Depth chart analysis of walk-ons
"X passes the eye test"

And these coaching cliches:
"Want the players to react more/think less/junkyard dog mentality"
"Simplifying the playbook"
"Every position is up for grabs"
"Most important work of the year done in the spring"
"Defense ahead of the offense"
Click to expand...

good work!
 

Ski U Master said:
I'm most excited hearing the following from posters here:
"Should be 9/10/11/12 wins minimum"
"Shaping up to be a Rose Bowl season"
"Wisconsin/Iowa on the decline, Gophers on the rise"
Depth chart analysis of walk-ons
"X passes the eye test"

And these coaching cliches:
"Want the players to react more/think less/junkyard dog mentality"
"Simplifying the playbook"
"Every position is up for grabs"
"Most important work of the year done in the spring"
"Defense ahead of the offense"
Click to expand...

LOL, nice!
 

Here are the two things I'm looking for that I believe define our season:

1. Do we have anyone that can pass rush? Do Ekpe or Elmore emerge as legitimate threats, or do they remain invisible at all times? Are Kafo, Winston D, and Gibson ready to play? DE depth and talent is scary thin right now. If our pass rush is as bad as it was last year, we're looking at a 6-7 win season tops.

2. Are Wright and Calhoun the real deal? Claeys got me excited when he raved about them after spring practice. We need both of these guys to perform at a high level for the offense to play well. If one or both aren't ready to start, we don't have a lot of other options.
 


1. Is there an establish offensive line? Who are they?
2. More Gap blocking, a little less zone?
3. Will Gentry set himself apart, flash his talent, make the catches?
4. Will we use a fullback, TE, and H back?
5. More pistol less shot gun.?
 

Ski U Master said:
I'm most excited hearing the following from posters here:
"Should be 9/10/11/12 wins minimum"
"Shaping up to be a Rose Bowl season"
"Wisconsin/Iowa on the decline, Gophers on the rise"
Depth chart analysis of walk-ons
"X passes the eye test"

And these coaching cliches:
"Want the players to react more/think less/junkyard dog mentality"
"Simplifying the playbook"
"Every position is up for grabs"
"Most important work of the year done in the spring"
"Defense ahead of the offense"
Click to expand...

12-0, Rose Bowl. I don't need to see practice to know that.

Also, you forgot the "gotta play nasty" cliche
 

Spoofin said:
12-0, Rose Bowl. I don't need to see practice to know that.

Also, you forgot the "gotta play nasty" cliche
Click to expand...
There's so many cliches, but it's like Pokemon - Gotta catch 'em all
 

John Galt said:
Here are the two things I'm looking for that I believe define our season:

1. Do we have anyone that can pass rush? Do Ekpe or Elmore emerge as legitimate threats, or do they remain invisible at all times? Are Kafo, Winston D, and Gibson ready to play? DE depth and talent is scary thin right now. If our pass rush is as bad as it was last year, we're looking at a 6-7 win season tops.

2. Are Wright and Calhoun the real deal? Claeys got me excited when he raved about them after spring practice. We need both of these guys to perform at a high level for the offense to play well. If one or both aren't ready to start, we don't have a lot of other options.
Click to expand...

I was just about to ask if someone could update me on Gibson's position change but per your post he's been moved to DE? That would have been my first guess and considering our lack of pass rush it makes sense. I think Elmore is a strong candidate to show obvious improvement as he's going to be a true junior and should be more used to the position after 2 years.
 




i want to see how the o-line is progressing. i also like to get a look at the redshirts that have been a bit off our radar during the season.
 

Ski U Master said:
I'm most excited hearing the following from posters here:
"Should be 9/10/11/12 wins minimum"
"Shaping up to be a Rose Bowl season"
"Wisconsin/Iowa on the decline, Gophers on the rise"
Depth chart analysis of walk-ons
"X passes the eye test"

And these coaching cliches:
"Want the players to react more/think less/junkyard dog mentality"
"Simplifying the playbook"
"Every position is up for grabs"
"Most important work of the year done in the spring"
"Defense ahead of the offense"
Click to expand...

It seems strange that you would point out walk-ons. Can we analyze their position on the depth chart if they play quite a bit? Or what if they are former walk-ons?
 

Regarding the pass rush, I agree that our depth at DE is a little worrisome. But don't forget that we'll also play Huff, Coughlin, and (likely) Kamal Martin there, as well.

I like that Devers, the freshman DE, is here for the spring.
 



Bob_Loblaw said:
It seems strange that you would point out walk-ons. Can we analyze their position on the depth chart if they play quite a bit? Or what if they are former walk-ons?
Click to expand...
It's a joke. Lighten up.
 


I like a good QB2 battle, so I am curious to see how they look. I also want to see who emerges as leaders on the D side.
 


McPeePants said:
Regarding the pass rush, I agree that our depth at DE is a little worrisome. But don't forget that we'll also play Huff, Coughlin, and (likely) Kamal Martin there, as well.

I like that Devers, the freshman DE, is here for the spring.
Click to expand...
Merrick Jackson should help the DL apply pressure as well

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

McPeePants said:
Regarding the pass rush, I agree that our depth at DE is a little worrisome. But don't forget that we'll also play Huff, Coughlin, and (likely) Kamal Martin there, as well.

I like that Devers, the freshman DE, is here for the spring.
Click to expand...

The fact that 3 of your options aren't even on campus is a huge part of the problem. Devers is about 220 lbs. and years away. And anything we get from a true freshman, regardless of how highly they are ranked, is a bonus.
 

I'm eager to hear how the WRs are progressing. We have some young talent, a few guys last year that I was hoping to step up didn't really make the progress yet, but they still have time. We'll need someone to step up and take Maye's role. The talent is there.

Go Gophers!!
 

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