By: Daniel House- Follow on Twitter: @DanielHouseNFL
The tempo was very high as the Gophers practiced at the Gibson-Nagurski complex in front of a sizeable crowd. Practice was structured like a game with a “first half” featuring team drills, positional work, and 7-on-7 action. The team took a break for popsicles at the mid-point and met their position coaches. The coaches approached the players like they were preparing for a live second half. Throughout practice, there were numerous situational drills that tested the focus and resiliency of the team. As always, practice ended with a pressure situation, in which kicker Emmit Carpenter drilled a field goal. The team was rewarded with a new pair of shorts for executing the drill. Had he missed, the shorts would have been donated to charity. Although, Fleck noted a few pairs would still be donated, despite Carpenter making the kick.
The emphasis on instruction, tempo, communication, and accountability are all on display when P.J. Fleck’s squad sets foot on the practice field.
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All eyes on the quarterbacks
With less than three weeks until opening day, all eyes were on the quarterback position as the battle intensifies. The quarterbacks were tested in a variety of situational drills throughout practice. One included a two-minute drill with 43 seconds left and no timeouts. The offense needed a field goal to win the game. During the first drive, quarterback Demry Croft was intercepted by cornerback Duke McGhee on a corner route intended for wide receiver Tyler Johnson. The team started the drill over and a long Croft run set up a successful 45-yard field goal. Conor Rhoda’s drives all stalled as the second-team unit was plagued by sacks, including one by linebacker Blake Cashman. However, Rhoda did manage to lead the team to a successful field goal try during a tempo section early in practice.
In the situational drills, Croft had more success moving in the pocket and finding options down the field. During individual work, he also displayed his overall arm talent and touch down the field. Rhoda was accurate on short-to-intermediate throws and even flashed nice touch on passes going 20-30 yards down the field. However, neither quarterback really stood out in terms of taking command of the team from a leadership standpoint. This is something that will be tested during the closed scrimmage tomorrow. Coach Fleck said the team will be presented with a game plan Friday evening and he wants to see how the entire team responds to the preparation materials thrown their way. Saturday’s scrimmage will really solidify the direction this team heads at quarterback.
The newcomers at running back
At running back, it was my first look at freshman running backs Dominik London and Mohamed Ibrahim. London has impressive vision and a low center of gravity to fight through tackles. He also displayed strong cutbacks in the second level. Ibrahim is more of a power runner that barrels through defenders and grinds out yardage with his strong lower body. Each of them have upside as running backs in this system.
Douglas is making a strong impression
At wide receiver, freshman Demetrius Douglas was a major standout. His route running and ability to be smooth in and out of his breaks was impressive for a player his age. Douglas can be a spark plug for this offense because of his athleticism and ability to get separation with his routes. Coach Fleck has been impressed with Douglas, noting that he may be one of the best wide receivers they have on the field right now. It was clear to see when you analyzed the intricacies of his game. There was one instance where a play was well covered, but Douglas had enough awareness to circle back and catch the pass in the soft spot of coverage.
As a whole, the main area of improvement for the wide receivers is body control and ball tracking. The detailed nature of instruction at this position has been huge for these pass catchers. There were so many drills emphasizing catching the ball outside the frame and absorbing contact through the catch point. Wide receiver Melvin Holland Jr. had a sweet one-handed grab during a positional drill emphasizing body control and ball tracking. His route running and hands have improved, but like many wide receivers, he must be more consistent moving in and out of his breaks at the top of routes.
I would like to see wide receiver Rashad Still win more contested catch grabs. He still struggles when he needs to win at the catch point or snap his route off with more physicality. Still has instances where he’s smooth in and out of his breaks and plays tenaciously. There’s other moments where he doesn’t. Consistency and developing a tenacious attitude are going to be big for him moving forward. The most impressive aspect of the wide receiver room might be the leadership role Eric Carter is taking. He is being very vocal and instructing the younger players through drills. This is the case at many position groups as veterans have embraced the role of helping their teammates.
Beebe is versatile, Wozniak has the catch radius
At tight end, a guy that continually catches my eye is Colton Beebe. He is a reliable blocker, but has underrated value as a pass catcher. He was accelerating into the break of his route and catching passes in positional work with the quarterbacks. He reminds me of a slightly shorter version of NFL tight end Rhett Ellison. There is upside in his game and he’ll be used as the versatile hard-nosed tight end in this system. I’m also intrigued to see how tight end Nate Wozinak’s wide catch radius is used in the red zone. In addition, Brandon Lingen is underrated as a route runner and can be a player that stretches the field up the seam for this offense.
The second-team offensive line struggles, pass rush looks solid
The second-team offense line struggled a little during situational drills. They allowed multiple sacks and linebacker Blake Cashman beat right tackle Blaise Andries with an inside speed move. However, the first-team offensive line performed better. There are still consistency issues, but for the most part, the pocket was clean enough for the offense to function. Nonetheless, it is clear to see the Gophers’ defensive line will be a force this year. The idea of having Kamal Martin, Carter Coughlin, and Blake Cashman’s athleticism coming off the edge is going to be a tough matchup for defenses. It’s especially the case when you can have Steven Richardson and Merrick Jackson inside to cause disruptions. Winston DeLattiboudere’s power, speed, and length can also be unleashed. In addition, Gary Moore also was making plays against the second-team offensive line. What’s more, Tai’yon Devers was mostly working with the second-team defense throughout practice. It’s clear the Gophers have a stable of talented pass rushers and they can garner their skill-sets in different ways to get after the quarterback.
As a newcomer, freshman defensive tackle Malcolm Robinson caught my eye. He plays with a strong motor and is very compact. Robinson’s power, burst, and light feet allow him to get inside pressure and make plays. He had an impressive run stop and a touch sack during a team drill.
Celestin is a playmaker
Linebacker Jonathan Celestin is going to the be one of the main centerpieces of the Gophers’ defense. He flies all over the field to make plays. Celestin had an impressive run stop and forced an incompletion on a pass he covered up the sideline. He is playing very physical and using his above average instincts to make plays. In addition, linebacker Thomas Barber showed off his fundamentals as a run defender and even added an interception in 7-on-7 drills. The Gophers have so many talented linebackers and defensive coordinator Robb Smith has continually said they will try to get all of them on the field to utilize their skill-sets.
Justus Harris has potential
Cornerback Antoine Winfield was held out of practice with a hamstring injury, which meant many of the young defensive backs were getting more reps. Veteran cornerback Kunle Ayinde was working as the nickel cornerback spot and notched a pass breakup on a Demetrius Douglas crosser. In addition, newcomer Justus Harris stood out. In a team drill, he played the wide receiver to the boundary and used his ball skills to pick up an interception. His footwork and fundamentals are evolving with more experience. Not to mention, he has plenty of “quick twitch,” which is something you like to see from a defensive back. I want to see more reps from the young defensive backs like Kiondre Thomas, but my initial impression has been strong. He has the ability to sink his hips in and out of breaks, while using his physicality to notch a pass breakup. Thomas will need to step up big in a secondary that will be relying on youth and inexperience in a few key spots.
P.J. Fleck Quote of the Day
“Train your behavior to become instinct.”