Depth Chart

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John Galt

John Galt

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The depth chart is now up at GI: https://minnesota.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp

A few things stood out to me:

1. Stelter and Richardson are listed as 2nd string DTs
2. Alex Bisch is the starting FB, with Brandon Lingen 2nd string???
3. Melvin Holland Jr. and Jerry Gibson are listed as the 3rd and 4th WRs behind Wolitarsky
4. Bjorklund is listed as the 2nd string OT and 3rd string OG
5. Damarius Travis is the starting safety opposite Cedric Thompson
 

John Galt said:
The depth chart is now up at GI: https://minnesota.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp

A few things stood out to me:

1. Stelter and Richardson are listed as 2nd string DTs
2. Alex Bisch is the starting FB, with Brandon Lingen 2nd string???
3. Melvin Holland Jr. and Jerry Gibson are listed as the 3rd and 4th WRs behind Wolitarsky
4. Bjorklund is listed as the 2nd string OT and 3rd string OG
5. Damarius Travis is the starting safety opposite Cedric Thompson
Click to expand...

Are you sure that is official?
 

GophersInIowa said:
Are you sure that is official?
Click to expand...

Also Per DL65.. Punt return duties will be handled by KJ Maye and Craig James...no mention of Jones. And Ben Lauer it sounded was playing and isn't listed at all?
Another interesting note...Is Rhoda the third QB?
 

Also, if this is official - interesting is that Berkley E. is the #2 RB behind Cobb and ahead of Williams and Kirkwood.
 

60's Guy said:
Also Per DL65.. Punt return duties will be handled by KJ Maye and Craig James...no mention of Jones. And Ben Lauer it sounded was playing and isn't listed at all?
Another interesting note...Is Rhoda the third QB?
Click to expand...

According to the GI page, Jones is listed as the starting Punt Returner and Kick Returner. No mention of James on special teams.

From what I've heard, Lauer is hurt and will miss at least the first game.
 


60's Guy said:
Also Per DL65.. Punt return duties will be handled by KJ Maye and Craig James...no mention of Jones. And Ben Lauer it sounded was playing and isn't listed at all?
Another interesting note...Is Rhoda the third QB?
Click to expand...
This is what I heard on the Sports Huddle. When talking about special teams, Kill said Jones and Anthony Johnson (his words, not mine) would return kicks. He then said Jones would return punts. After that, he said if they need two guys back on PR, it would be Maye and James, he said James would play in all facets of special teams.
 


Not official...not any more official than other non-team related internet postings.

I would wait until Kill and the Gophers release the depth chart before I would believe any depth chart. Just sayin'.
 





ruppertflywheel said:
Jones was horrible on punt returns. He never would " come up " too catch the ball.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree with this. Not a huge fan of Jones back there on PR, BUT I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise that he may have learned something since last fall.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Absolutely agree with this. Not a huge fan of Jones back there on PR, BUT I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise that he may have learned something since last fall.
Click to expand...
Yup. He was good when the ball was in his hands, but whenever I saw him back there I would consider it a successful return as long as he caught the ball.
 

I may be wrong, but that 2 deep doesn't look much better than one I would make. Just a little different.

The 2 deep released by the coaching staff will be different and they may change it internally before game time anyway. It is fun to banter about, however. Stelter the backup DT at 260 pounds just doesn't feel like a Killer decision. Certainly that is DE size, but...
 



I believe Kill only releases depth charts after the first game.
 




jaymil said:
The Week 1 depth chart was released two days before the game last year, so we could see one tomorrow at some point.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082713aaa.html
Click to expand...

I remember two years ago at UNLV, the Gophers didn't release the depth chart until about an hour or two before kickoff. I recall laughing at the local Vegas sports radio guys implying it was some type of gamesmanship by Kill, not wanting to release who the QB was going to be, something like that.

"Big Ten arrogance" they said. Nice inferiority complex....
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Here's a look at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gophers?src=hash">#Gophers</a> full depth chart/injury report for opener vs Eastern Illinois <a href="http://t.co/51hcsR21qb">pic.twitter.com/51hcsR21qb</a></p>— Nate Sandell (@NSandell) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSandell/statuses/504414259603054592">August 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Goldy Gopher said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Here's a look at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gophers?src=hash">#Gophers</a> full depth chart/injury report for opener vs Eastern Illinois <a href="http://t.co/51hcsR21qb">pic.twitter.com/51hcsR21qb</a></p>— Nate Sandell (@NSandell) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSandell/statuses/504414259603054592">August 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...
Wow.....so many true freshmen.
 

I count 8 true freshman...that's a lot - especially considering none are Jeff Jones or WRs! Obviously, I trust the coaches but I just hope this is a case of freshman being absolute studs and not the older guys being disappointments. For not losing a whole bunch from last year's squad this seems excessive...but I'm not a professional coach so I'll defer.
 

same as what was just tweeted.. but this also offers a pdf version:

http://www.thedailygopher.com/2014/...-report-for-eastern-illinois-tcf-bank-stadium

The Gophers published the depth chart and injury report for their Thursday night opener against Eastern Illinois. Points of note:

Two players listed as questionable: Micheal Amaefula and Drew Wolitarsky

Ben Lauer is listed as the 2nd Team Left Tackle, though he is not listed on the injury report. Josh Campion is listed at the starter at left tackle with Johan Pirsig getting the start at right tackle

Nine true freshmen are listed in the two-deep chart. Not all will play, but expect a good handful to including Stephen Richardson, Jonathan Celestin, Everett Williams, and possibly Craig James.

David Cobb is the first team running back, but Donnell Kirkwood, Roderick Williams Jr, and Berkley Edwards are all listed as OR on the second team.

Tyler Hartmann appears to have won the starting fullback position over Miles Thomas

Both Ryan Santoso and Andrew Harte are listed as potential starting kickers

Finally, in an interesting listing, both Peter Mortell and Christian Eldred are listed as potential starting punters.
 


GopherHomer said:
I count 8 true freshman...that's a lot - especially considering none are Jeff Jones or WRs! Obviously, I trust the coaches but I just hope this is a case of freshman being absolute studs and not the older guys being disappointments. For not losing a whole bunch from last year's squad this seems excessive...but I'm not a professional coach so I'll defer.
Click to expand...

There are two reasons for this. First, the staff has a tendency to play true freshmen that they will need the following year. Even if they get limited or primarily special teams action, the staff seems to want players to get some game experience if they feel they will be needed in their second year. Eric Murray and Derrick Wells are prime examples. People questioned why they played limited roles as freshman and had their redshirts "burned," yet the experience they gained definitely made them better as sophomores than they would have been as redshirt freshman. The second reason is a numbers game. We're still trying to balance out our classes, and we currently have 11 redshirt freshmen. Since this would make for a ridiculously small recruiting class, not to mention a few of the players will likely end up with injuries, leave the program, etc., it becomes important to play 7-8 true freshman so that this turns into a normal sized recruiting class.
 

Another primary reason is that we simply don't have that many defensive players under scholarship. When you give 18 scholarships to offensive lineman and only 6 to your cornerbacks, you don't really have the luxury of redshirting many of your defensive guys.

In fact, if you look at the guys playing, it's usually out of an extreme need due to lack of literally any other options (cornerback), or a true freshman beating out a redshirt freshman (Richardson over Demaris Peppers), (Williams and Celestein over Wipson and Dixon--who I believe is hurt). Really, the only upperclassman who could be participating more and aren't are Ben Perry and Steve Montgomery.
 

Apples to Apples

Gopherprof said:
Another primary reason is that we simply don't have that many defensive players under scholarship. When you give 18 scholarships to offensive lineman and only 6 to your cornerbacks, you don't really have the luxury of redshirting many of your defensive guys.

In fact, if you look at the guys playing, it's usually out of an extreme need due to lack of literally any other options (cornerback), or a true freshman beating out a redshirt freshman (Richardson over Demaris Peppers), (Williams and Celestein over Wipson and Dixon--who I believe is hurt). Really, the only upperclassman who could be participating more and aren't are Ben Perry and Steve Montgomery.
Click to expand...

Wondering why you would compare cornerbacks to offensive linemen? Two cornerbacks play at a time most often versus 5 offensive linemen
play at a time. Do you think they should be equal? Is that the comparison point? I think you should have 18 to 21 offensive linemen on the roster.
If you compare defensive backs of which four most often play at a time...that would make more sense but if that was your intent your math is off.
We have 21 offensive linemen on the roster. We have 17 defensive backs on the roster. I'm guessing they would have preferred to have one more DB but one prospect choose another school late after committing to the Gophers.
So, I think the numbers are about right?
 

60's Guy said:
Wondering why you would compare cornerbacks to offensive linemen? Two cornerbacks play at a time most often versus 5 offensive linemen
play at a time. Do you think they should be equal? Is that the comparison point? I think you should have 18 to 21 offensive linemen on the roster.
If you compare defensive backs of which four most often play at a time...that would make more sense but if that was your intent your math is off.
We have 21 offensive linemen on the roster. We have 17 defensive backs on the roster. I'm guessing they would have preferred to have one more DB but one prospect choose another school late after committing to the Gophers.
So, I think the numbers are about right?
Click to expand...

I think the staff wishes they had more DBs on the roster but part of it has been bad luck. Two recruting classes ago, we had 3 DBs flip (Andrews, Brookins, and the kid who went to South Florida, name escapes me). Last year Blasingame flipped late and we missed on a few others. I think we take at least 5, possibly 6 this year and get back to where we should be.
 

John Galt said:
I think the staff wishes they had more DBs on the roster but part of it has been bad luck. Two recruting classes ago, we had 3 DBs flip (Andrews, Brookins, and the kid who went to South Florida, name escapes me). Last year Blasingame flipped late and we missed on a few others. I think we take at least 5, possibly 6 this year and get back to where we should be.
Click to expand...

They had a Juco DB in last weekend for a visit, so you're on mark with your comment.
 

Gopherprof said:
Another primary reason is that we simply don't have that many defensive players under scholarship. When you give 18 scholarships to offensive lineman and only 6 to your cornerbacks, you don't really have the luxury of redshirting many of your defensive guys.
Click to expand...

You do realize there are more OL on the field than CBs, right?
 

60's Guy said:
Wondering why you would compare cornerbacks to offensive linemen? Two cornerbacks play at a time most often versus 5 offensive linemen
play at a time. Do you think they should be equal? Is that the comparison point? I think you should have 18 to 21 offensive linemen on the roster.
If you compare defensive backs of which four most often play at a time...that would make more sense but if that was your intent your math is off.
We have 21 offensive linemen on the roster. We have 17 defensive backs on the roster. I'm guessing they would have preferred to have one more DB but one prospect choose another school late after committing to the Gophers.
So, I think the numbers are about right?
Click to expand...
You're talking about roster totals, but really we're talking about scholarship players here (look at the depth chart and count how many current walk-ons are on there. It'll take you less than a hand).

We have 12 defensive backs on scholarship. We have 18 offensive lineman on scholarship. I think that's skewed, especially when you consider the vital role that defensive backs play on special teams. At this point, even in college football, you really have five starters in the defensive backfield. I'd look for numbers that are a bit closer to even.

For example, we currently have three offensive lineman that are seniors or juniors under scholarship who don't crack the two-deep (not counting Legania, who just switched). No offense to those players personally, but those three scholarships would come in really damn handy right now to fill out defensive depth and not rely so heavily on true freshman.
 

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