BleedGopher
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per House:
With young players throughout the roster, the Gophers football team will need to be creative in many ways during the 2018 season. Specifically with the current roster, it’s the defense’s overall speed that jumps off the page.
The unique skillsets available defensively allow head coach P.J. Fleck and the coaching staff to place players in favorable positions. This was noticeable on defense during the Gophers’ 48-10 win over New Mexico State. Minnesota sent a variety of different blitz packages to put pressure on the quarterback.
Last year, the Gophers’ ability to send pressure was drastically impacted by inexperience and depth issues they faced in the secondary.
“When you’re either handcuffed by depth issues or roster issues or scholarship issues, or youth issues, it’s [hard to be creative],” head coach P.J. Fleck said this spring. “And you don’t want to fit the square peg into the round hole, you want to let that maturation process happen naturally.”
Last season when Minnesota sent more than four rushers, defensive backs were tasked with playing man-to-man coverage on the outside. It meant defensive coordinator Robb Smith couldn’t fully maximize the potential of players like linebacker Kamal Martin, pass rusher Carter Coughlin and defensive end Tai’yon Devers. This year, new options in the secondary like true freshman Terell Smith, along with the return of Antoine Winfield Jr., leave room for creativity.
http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/09/young-roster-creativity-key-gophers/
Go Gophers!!
With young players throughout the roster, the Gophers football team will need to be creative in many ways during the 2018 season. Specifically with the current roster, it’s the defense’s overall speed that jumps off the page.
The unique skillsets available defensively allow head coach P.J. Fleck and the coaching staff to place players in favorable positions. This was noticeable on defense during the Gophers’ 48-10 win over New Mexico State. Minnesota sent a variety of different blitz packages to put pressure on the quarterback.
Last year, the Gophers’ ability to send pressure was drastically impacted by inexperience and depth issues they faced in the secondary.
“When you’re either handcuffed by depth issues or roster issues or scholarship issues, or youth issues, it’s [hard to be creative],” head coach P.J. Fleck said this spring. “And you don’t want to fit the square peg into the round hole, you want to let that maturation process happen naturally.”
Last season when Minnesota sent more than four rushers, defensive backs were tasked with playing man-to-man coverage on the outside. It meant defensive coordinator Robb Smith couldn’t fully maximize the potential of players like linebacker Kamal Martin, pass rusher Carter Coughlin and defensive end Tai’yon Devers. This year, new options in the secondary like true freshman Terell Smith, along with the return of Antoine Winfield Jr., leave room for creativity.
http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/09/young-roster-creativity-key-gophers/
Go Gophers!!