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mjarz02

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When do coaches decide to redshirt freshman? Also, does anyone here think that any of the TRUE freshman have a chance at playing time?
 

Four names to keep in mind. Devon Wright, Jimmy Gjere, Donnell Kirkwood, and Lemonte Edwards. 3 of them are running backs. Gjere is an O-lineman.. As you all know lol. So I think out of the 3 RBs I really like Edwards and hope he can impress in camp. Gjere might be starting in the middle of the season.
 

I don't think they set an exact deadline for who redshirts. The goal is to redshirt everyone and only play those guys who either can really help the team or fill a specific need. At least one of freshmen backs will play and I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple defenders make it on special teams and as back ups. Brock Vereen and James Manual were mentioned by Kim Royston to Adam Rittenberg.
 

one thing to keep in mind, and I don't have a clue if this is how Brewster is thinking. But one of the considerations is that whoever you redshirt is holding a roster spot in four years that could be used for a new recruit. We are in a recruiting cycle where we can't get the better recruits because we haven't won and we don't really have playing time.

It might be prudent to not redshirt so many right now as Brewster is in make or break point in his Minnesota career. If this team is successful we will be able to recruit better in the future and it we may be better off by not redshirting. If this team is not successful then Brewster will be ousted and does it really matter.

Just saying maybe what's best for the individual athlete doesn't apply to this group of kids in this part of the recruiting cycle as it has in the past few years.
 

Due to depth issues on defense I see the possibility of three freshmen playing there. They are one CB likely Brock Vereen, one Safety likely James Manuel, and one DT likely Sean Ferguson. On offense I only see one and that's one of the RBs.
 


I think Manuel will get some playing time because of our lack of depth at safety.

I'm a big believer in Devon Wright making an impact this year. I think he has the speed and power,from what ive seen in HS tape, to be an effective runner in this pro style offense. Bennett was perfect for the spread but no so much for the pro style.
 

SPCPrice21 said:
Four names to keep in mind. Devon Wright, Jimmy Gjere, Donnell Kirkwood, and Lemonte Edwards. 3 of them are running backs. Gjere is an O-lineman.. As you all know lol. So I think out of the 3 RBs I really like Edwards and hope he can impress in camp. Gjere might be starting in the middle of the season.
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There is no way Gjere will be starting by mid-season. None.
 








mjarz02 said:
I think Manuel will get some playing time because of our lack of depth at safety.

I'm a big believer in Devon Wright making an impact this year. I think he has the speed and power,from what ive seen in HS tape, to be an effective runner in this pro style offense. Bennett was perfect for the spread but no so much for the pro style.
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Interesting comment considering Mason recruited Bennett to be a running back in pro-style offense.
 



Pro style ?

grunkiejr said:
Interesting comment considering Mason recruited Bennett to be a running back in pro-style offense.
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I don't think you can call the offense we ran under Mason a "pro style" offense.
 

pdxgopher said:
I don't think you can call the offense we ran under Mason a "pro style" offense.
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The blocking schemes (zone w/ a heavy dose of cut blocking) were pulled from Mike Shanahan's Denver Broncos. Alex Gibbs, former Broncos OL coach, had a good relationship with Mason and his staff and his son was even Defensive Coordinator in the early years of Mason's tenure at Minnesota.

"Pro-style" is a vague term but the Denver Broncos are in fact a pro team so I think emulating their schemes would be considered pro-style by most reasonable people.
 

grunkiejr said:
Interesting comment considering Mason recruited Bennett to be a running back in pro-style offense.
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Mason didnt recruit Bennett. He was orignally going to N.Illinois because of RB coach Hammock. When Hammock came to minnesota to join up with brewster, Bennett followed him here. Hammock had success with small RBs such as Garett Wolfe
 

mjarz02 said:
Mason didnt recruit Bennett. He was orignally going to N.Illinois because of RB coach Hammock. When Hammock came to minnesota to join up with brewster, Bennett followed him here. Hammock had success with small RBs such as Garett Wolfe
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Since Bennett committed October 5, 2006 that scenario would be difficult as Brewster was not hired until January 2007.
 

harrys ghost said:
Since Bennett committed October 5, 2006 that scenario would be difficult as Brewster was not hired until January 2007.
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I stand corrected on the whole Mason Brewster issue. So for clarification, Hammock was hired by Mason in the 2006 offseason?
 

mjarz02 said:
I stand corrected on the whole Mason Brewster issue. So for clarification, Hammock was hired by Mason in the 2006 offseason?
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I believe Hammock was hired by Brewster in January of 2007. Hammock was the NIU running back coach in 2006. In looking at Bennett's profile on GI, it appears he had an NIU offer so he knew Hammock prior to Hammock coming to Minnesota however, Bennett committed to Minnesota before Hammock was hired here.
 

harrys ghost said:
I believe Hammock was hired by Brewster in January of 2007. Hammock was the NIU running back coach in 2006. In looking at Bennett's profile on GI, it appears he had an NIU offer so he knew Hammock prior to Hammock coming to Minnesota however, Bennett committed to Minnesota before Hammock was hired here.
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Okay, wasnt Bennett very interested in going to NIU when he found out Hammock was coming here, so thats why he comitted to the U?
 

mjarz02 said:
Okay, wasnt Bennett very interested in going to NIU when he found out Hammock was coming here, so thats why he comitted to the U?
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No. Bennett committed to Minnesota during the 2006 season (October 5). At that time Hammock was coaching at NIU and Mason was the coach here. Bennett was originally recruited by (and committed to) Mason's staff.
 

mjarz02 said:
Okay, wasnt Bennett very interested in going to NIU when he found out Hammock was coming here, so thats why he comitted to the U?
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How would he have known in October 2006 that Hammock was coming here when all of those things (Mason getting fired, Brewster getting hired, Brewster subsequently hiring Hammock) wouldn't happen for another 3 months?
 


Alot goes on before the offical hiring of a coach...you guys dont think its possible that word got to bennett about hammock most likely leaving NIU....national signing day is in feb and he didnt sign till october. From what I remember he had a soft verbal committ to NIU, or at least high interest.
 

mjarz02 said:
Alot goes on before the offical hiring of a coach...you guys dont think its possible that word got to bennett about hammock most likely leaving NIU....national signing day is in feb and he didnt sign till october. From what I remember he had a soft verbal committ to NIU, or at least high interest.
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smack-forehead.jpg


> October 5, 2006 - Duane Bennett commits to University of Minnesota

> December 31, 2006 - Glen Mason fired as head football coach at University of Minnesota

> January 17, 2007 - Tim Brewster hired as head football coach at University of Minnesota

> January 25, 2007 - Thomas Hammock hired as running backs coach at University of Minnesota

> February 6, 2007 - Duane Bennett signs commitment letter to attend University of Minnesota

I know nothing about Duane Bennett's relationship with Northern Illinois. I have no idea whether he had interest or a soft verbal. One thing I can guarantee, however, is that his commitment to the University of Minnesota had absolutely zero relation whatsoever to Thomas Hammock. Even if he somehow knew that Hammock would be leaving NIU (quite a stretch to presume in October, in the middle of a football season), what would give him an inkling that Hammock would be going to Minnesota? Did Duane Bennett have some type of ESP(N) that gave him precognitive abilities to sense that Glen Mason, less than one year into a contract extension, would be fired less than 3 months later, and that the new coach hired to replace him would hire Hammock as his RBs coach?
 

Okay so my last post is pretty ridiculous, thanks for pointing that out. However, I just remeber reading about how Hammock had something to do with Bennett coming to MN. However, I remember it was in a Sid column so that might be why I seem like im crazy.

Now that I think about it more, Bennett verbally comitted to the gophers, when mason was fired, he thought about going to NIU, but then when Hammock(the guy who most likely recruited him to NIU) decided to go to the gophers that solidified the deal. Nobody remebers anything like this??!!
 

mjarz02 said:
Now that I think about it more, Bennett verbally comitted to the gophers, when mason was fired, he thought about going to NIU, but then when Hammock(the guy who most likely recruited him to NIU) decided to go to the gophers that solidified the deal. Nobody remebers anything like this??!!
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Now that I can believe. I don't remember whether it's accurate or not, but it is definitely plausible.
 


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