We're Soft

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As Big Cass would say, "S-A-W-F-T!!!!!! SAWWWWWFT!!!!!"
 
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I'm not down on the line players on both sides of the ball as there are a number of younger players who are still maturing. If these players are still struggling next year, then we should have cause for concern.
 


Might be more upsetting:

This team has actually overachieved for how they have played this year.

They haven't done well when outmatched, but I wouldn't call them soft. Soft doesn't dominate Nebraska, come back vs Rutgers and Purdue. The old Gopher teams would have dropped those games ...
 


A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Might be more upsetting:

This team has actually overachieved for how they have played this year.

They haven't done well when outmatched, but I wouldn't call them soft. Soft doesn't dominate Nebraska, come back vs Rutgers and Purdue. The old Gopher teams would have dropped those games ...
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I dont see the fight, for the most part. Not enough nasty. I watch Iowa and some other teams and the defense comes hard and lays some serious licks. Can count on both hands how many times it seems our guys do it. Love Perich but doesn't come as strong as I'd like to see.
Anyway, just 1 observers pov.
 






I thought a lot about Perich in the midst of each of our three beatdown losses. He is supposedly the kind of player that should be able to make plays whenever/however. Just one big play could have stopped the bleeding and it never happened. Not just in one game, but in three.

And preseason all we heard was how he was going to be a two way hair-on-fire monster out there. All it took was one mishandled punt at Cal and that was the end of that.
 

Schnauzer said:
I thought a lot about Perich in the midst of each of our three beatdown losses. He is supposedly the kind of player that should be able to make plays whenever/however. Just one big play could have stopped the bleeding and it never happened. Not just in one game, but in three.

And preseason all we heard was how he was going to be a two way hair-on-fire monster out there. All it took was one mishandled punt at Cal and that was the end of that.
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Is 19 or 20 years old and was all Big Ten first team last year and a freshman all American. A bit of a sophomore slump is not to be unexpected and he’s single-handedly won the Purdue game. I suggest we give the kid a break.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Might be more upsetting:

This team has actually overachieved for how they have played this year.

They haven't done well when outmatched, but I wouldn't call them soft. Soft doesn't dominate Nebraska, come back vs Rutgers and Purdue. The old Gopher teams would have dropped those games ...
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Yup. This is a below average team playing above their talent.
This is not a good team playing below their talent


Now it is concerning they’re a below average team.
 





I think Perich is in a tuff spot. I am not sure why but our run defense is terrible. I think the DL has talent unlike the right side of the offensive line. I don't know why we can't stop the run. I think linebackers are ok. Perich is not a great tackler that is not his strength. Both safeties need to guard against the run which leave huge holes in passing lanes. Not sure why we can't stop the run with our front 7. Only thing that helps our run defensive stats is when teams stop running the ball because it is so easy to pass with open recievers.
 


FredCoxRocks said:
Oh, he'll hit. He just can't tackle. And it's not just him, its a lot of players these days. The d-backs we had during the Kill-Claeys era knew how to wrap their arms and bring a guy down.
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Kill had the fellas practicing tackling during the week, PJ does not. I think it’s a simple as that there’s a lot of want to out there. They just are not NFL guys they need to practice tackling.
 

Schnauzer said:
I thought a lot about Perich in the midst of each of our three beatdown losses. He is supposedly the kind of player that should be able to make plays whenever/however. Just one big play could have stopped the bleeding and it never happened. Not just in one game, but in three.

And preseason all we heard was how he was going to be a two way hair-on-fire monster out there. All it took was one mishandled punt at Cal and that was the end of that.
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I wonder if there isn't as much time being spent with him this season? Last season it seemed like he knew (for the most part) when he could make a big play. Usually when he could play like a baseball centerfielder. Don't see as many scenarios this year.

Perhaps like many defenses covering for one weakness makes the defense weaker in many areas.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Oh, he'll hit. He just can't tackle. And it's not just him, its a lot of players these days. The d-backs we had during the Kill-Claeys era knew how to wrap their arms and bring a guy down.
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The players in the Claeys era would lead with the head and be ejected all the time.
They may have hit you based on your hazy memory
 

Gopherchase said:
Kill had the fellas practicing tackling during the week, PJ does not. I think it’s a simple as that there’s a lot of want to out there. They just are not NFL guys they need to practice tackling.
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LOL
 

Gopher Mac said:
I think Perich is in a tuff spot. I am not sure why but our run defense is terrible. I think the DL has talent unlike the right side of the offensive line. I don't know why we can't stop the run. I think linebackers are ok. Perich is not a great tackler that is not his strength. Both safeties need to guard against the run which leave huge holes in passing lanes. Not sure why we can't stop the run with our front 7. Only thing that helps our run defensive stats is when teams stop running the ball because it is so easy to pass with open recievers.
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The run defense is actually solidly mid-pack in conference play this year giving up 142 ypg. Not great but not horrible. That hopefully improves a bit the next couple game. Rossi's 2023 defense actually finished last place in the conference at giving up 166 ypg. I think the perception seems like the run D is soft because of several key big plays given up which is probably based on running a scheme that's higher risk higher reward than Rossi had run for so many years.
 



Some guy said:
The players in the Claeys era would lead with the head and be ejected all the time.
They may have hit you based on your hazy memory
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They had a few players ejected as did opponents, that was the first year(s) of that rule and obviously there was an adjustment period. Tackling has been fine under Fleck, but this year has been weak.
 

Goldmember said:
no kidding.
Especially since he’s going to make 3 or 4 big plays that beat the Badgers.
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If he helps the Gophers win the axe all will be forgiven until next season. Then the questions will begin. It's like the scene in Friday, "when deebo comes around, I be quiet. But when he leave, I be talking again"
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Oh, he'll hit. He just can't tackle. And it's not just him, its a lot of players these days. The d-backs we had during the Kill-Claeys era knew how to wrap their arms and bring a guy down.
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I don't think tackling is taught the same way as it has been in the past. For smaller DBs, I think they may be coached to dive at legs and try to bring the arms to trip up the ball carrier or grab onto legs as opposed to a more traditional wrap up. I only have a guy that played college football as a source on this however. He said too many DBs would get injured or just run over trying to square guys up for a form tackle.
 

Ski-U-Ham said:
I don't think tackling is taught the same way as it has been in the past. For smaller DBs, I think they may be coached to dive at legs and try to bring the arms to trip up the ball carrier or grab onto legs as opposed to a more traditional wrap up. I only have a guy that played college football as a source on this however. He said too many DBs would get injured or just run over trying to square guys up for a form tackle.
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Perhaps it's also an emphasis on "rugby style" tackling to reduce the chance of getting concussed, or picking up a targeting penalty.

Our Gophers seem more sensitive to that. Especially since we don't get as many targeting calls in our favor, and if anything is close the call against us is made. And yes I am biased! 🤣
 


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