BTN: Ranking Big Ten West Offensive Line Units (#1: Minnesota)

per BTN:

The Golden Gophers have a deep and talented collection of blockers that is better than even Wisconsin, which has been the measuring stick for offensive lines in the Big Ten for years.

1. Minnesota. Line coach Matt Limegrover continues to build a front that gets better. Center Tommy Olson and guard Zac Epping are gone. Still, this should be Limegrover’s best line yet for a unit that led a physical rushing attack that ranked No. 28 in America in 2014. Eight players return who have at least of eight games of experience and 88 combined starts. The right side will feature returning starters in guard Josh Campion (who also can play tackle) and towering tackle Jonah Pirsig. Left guard Joe Bjorklund is the other starter back. Ben Lauer is the man at left tackle, with Ohio State transfer Brian Bobek likely the new center. Jon Christenson and Connor Mayes also are options at center, the most interesting position to watch. Isaac Hayes offers depth at guard. Foster Bush is capable of starting at tackle.

http://btn.com/2015/06/09/unit-rankings-minnesota-boasts-top-offensive-line-in-big-ten-west/

Go Gophers!!

That's awesome Bobek may start and to have that kind of depth at center.

If memory serves me correctly, here's our rankings so far:

#1 OL
#1 DB
#2 LB
#2 DL
#2 ST (really #1)

Unless they drop us off the end of the earth at QB, WR, & RB, hard to believe we won't be ranked #1 or #2 in the West. Gotta love meaningless rankings.

Go Gophers!

MNGoldenGophers1 said:

That's awesome Bobek may start and to have that kind of depth at center.

If memory serves me correctly, here's our rankings so far:

#1 OL
#1 DB
#2 LB
#2 DL
#2 ST (really #1)

Unless they drop us off the end of the earth at QB, WR, & RB, hard to believe we won't be ranked #1 or #2 in the West. Gotta love meaningless rankings.

Go Gophers!

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#3 QB-RB
#3 TE-WR

The reason the badgers are number two is depth! I really believe that this will become a big issue during the season.

nsmike said:

The reason the badgers are number two is depth! I really believe that this will become a big issue during the season.

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Let us hope.

Limegrover is simply the best.

Studwell55 said:

Limegrover is simply the best.

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I just woke up and the first thing I read is this from Studwell55. I can only assume that I am either still be in bed dreaming or my sarcasm meter is broken. I have though been in Europe for the past three weeks though so is it possible that something happen to Studwell when I was gone?

Killjoy said:

I just woke up and the first thing I read is this from Studwell55. I can only assume that I am either still be in bed dreaming or my sarcasm meter is broken. I have though been in Europe for the past three weeks though so is it possible that something happen to Studwell when I was gone?

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Check the meter.

IF Christenson and Mayes are not automatic starters, we have one hell of a line. I was wondering how they keep the true freshen off the field.

I've yet to see our line regularly dominate games and think they're a bit overrated right now. I see the talent there but I watched a season of David Cobb squeezing every last inch out of every carry and only average 5.2 ypc. For context, 7 other B10 teams had leading rushers averaging a higher ypc with 4 teams having multiple guys averaging more. That doesn't scream 'elite OL' to me.

diehard said:

IF Christenson and Mayes are not automatic starters, we have one hell of a line. I was wondering how they keep the true freshen off the field.

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Very likely that Mayes is NOT a starter. Christensen most likely is an automatic starter as Kill has said something similar to that.

ole, just wait until they start handing the ball of to the new nugget. He is going to make his mark against TCU.

diehard said:

ole, just wait until they start handing the ball of to the new nugget. He is going to make his mark against TCU.

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Love Nugget. But a great line will give space to any back. Back in the Mason days any RB with a pulse could get yardage. WI has had 1 half way decent NFL back in 10 years yet has consistently put up yardage. Our OL has been decent, sometimes good, but never consistently dominant

nsmike said:

The reason the badgers are number two is depth! I really believe that this will become a big issue during the season.

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Probably true, but wouldn't it be even better if we finally have a season where injuries don't make depth an issue.

oleboy41 said:

Love Nugget. But a great line will give space to any back. Back in the Mason days any RB with a pulse could get yardage. WI has had 1 half way decent NFL back in 10 years yet has consistently put up yardage. Our OL has been decent, sometimes good, but never consistently dominant

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Have to agree. Cobb made them look good.

Iceland12 said:

Probably true, but wouldn't it be even better if we finally have a season where injuries don't make depth an issue.

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Yes it would, we finally are getting ome age on our line, that should help. Wisconsin is where we were, not having enogh upper classmen on the OL, I believe that leads to a higher rate of injuries.

It might be a cliché but offensive line play and tough defense make the difference at all levels of football. If your team is elite in both, you will almost always win. Having a shutdown D backfield that can also tackle and hit hard, that is about 7-9 deep is almost unheard of and we have had that for three years now. for Minnesota the O line is now starting to get closer to the D in overall greatness.

I have the Arkansas game on my DVR right now, and Terry Jackson ran a sweep to the left to the south LP field endzone where Thomas Tapeh set two incredible blocks on one play, where he saved the play on edge early, then wiped out the physical Ark S on the tail end of the play.

That play reminds me of a few runs in Alabama Music City Bowl game two years later, where on the same part of the field, we ran a running play as usual, featuring the O Line to the same side where our OL absolutely destroyed Alablama. The commentator said something about the line play and "throwing leather" after about 3 on the OL and Speath destroyed everyone in their path. I'd like o see that game played again on the BTN, but I also recall the anemic Alabama offense almost won the game late on a pass to the end zone that was about a foot high (to #4)

The Alabama fans I spoke to had some pride in their defense, even though the Shula offense was terrible, and they were surprised by our OL play and ability to get Barber and Maroney loose all game. That game in particular and the 2003,2004 and 2005 seasons had incredible OL play. If someone had found a way to keep Gary Russell in school, 2006 could have been good as well. Those days are over and the OL and RB depth is back, so this will be a great 6 months in front of us.

That said, Kill has something going with the O Line. The depth is incredible, the play has ben consistent, and if the level of play can move up just a bit, this team will be incredible on offense. Liedner and the young WR corps have a lot to say about the end result.

If David Cobb could run the way he did the last two years with few threats at WR, then the OL had a lot do do with it.

If the Mason era Gophers had been able to build on the Defense shown in 1999, and have a defense even close to as tough as the 2013 and 2014 Claeys Defenses, Minnesota would have won a couple of Big Ten Titles in 2003-2005.

oleboy41 said:

I've yet to see our line regularly dominate games and think they're a bit overrated right now. I see the talent there but I watched a season of David Cobb squeezing every last inch out of every carry and only average 5.2 ypc. For context, 7 other B10 teams had leading rushers averaging a higher ypc with 4 teams having multiple guys averaging more. That doesn't scream 'elite OL' to me.

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Agreed. The potential is there for the O-Line to be very good but I wouldn't rank them #1 in the division quite yet. I'd say the run blocking last year was good but not great, and our sack rate allowed was 2nd worst in the division.

The line was really banged up last season leading to some difficult moments and more than a few sacks. It will be really interesting to see who the top 6,7 guys end up as. Christiansen, Bobek, Bjorklund, Mayes are all wild cards although Burns has insinuated Bobek is back to full strength.

Pirsig has "seen the elephant" now in regards to elite speed rushers so hopefully he can adapt to that speed going forward. By all accounts he keeps getting better and better.

The line is full of potential to be good to great. To have the season we all want, the primary goal this season has to be to keep Leidner comfortable.