Full Recap: Matt Limegrover interview: talks Leidner, Jeff Jones, Recruiting and More

Matt Limegrover was on KFAN yesterday. Here is a recap. This isn't verbatim, but its close:

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/537112?referrer_id=

Matt Limegrover on recent hiking trip and how his health has improved…We were out on a family trip and we did a massive 13 day trip, headed out West, headed to Yellowstone, people were talking about Inspiration Point. It was a pretty significant hike to get there, had to go vertically, and in the back of mind I knew this would be a challenge and I thought there was no way I could do this three years ago when I weighed 415 lbs and now at 255 what a difference it makes to be able to do that and take some pictures with my Son, and the smile on his face and taking pictures with him was priceless. That was a victory that day.

Matt Limegrover on what Leidner has improved on from Citrus Bowl to now…Mitch will be the first one to tell you that our expectations have raised as they have for himself. Last year was his first year starting and he had ups and downs. There were times when he looked like a million bucks and there were times when he didn’t look comfortable. Coach Kill and Coach Z have been working with him on being more consistent. The highs and lows need to be more consistent. The game vs Iowa where we scored like we did and then games we struggled to get first downs. It starts with the QB and we need to be more consistent and get it at a high level. That’s been the huge catch phrase with Mitch, improving on the big things and little things.

Matt Limegrover on what Leidner learned at the Manning Passing Academy…Any time you have an opportunity to do something like that, be around your peers and be around a guy like Peyton Manning, you can’t help but bring great things back. He came in the staff room and went through his experiences and it goes along with his maturation. He wasn’t in aww of everything, he was respectful, but he was around great college and pro guys. That was a great experience with him and you can see it. He knows he belongs but still has a lot of work to do.

Matt Limegrover on replacing David Cobb…I think what you’ll end up seeing, you know we were so fortunate with what David brought the last two years. Prior to that it had never been a one man show at tailback. We want to make sure we have guys in there that are fresh. When you get a guy like David you ride that, but we’re in a different situation. Rodrick Williams has done a fantastic job. A light bulb went on with David Cobb, and we’ve seen the same transformation with Rodrick, with how he takes care of business off the field, how he has attention to detail. There will be a group of young guys, you see some things they do and get excited. I don’t know if it will be turning around and handing to Rodrick 30 times a game, but we’ll have some choices. We’re going to have a committee of guys to give the ball to.

Matt Limegrover on big time question marks heading into camp…As a coach you’d love to think you are completely locked in, we try to do as much of that as we can, we’re planners and organizers, but you also have to be prepared for (change). We’re talking about 18-21 year old young men and sometimes a guy you think you’ll count on, but you have to be prepared to adjust. If I were to tell you we didn’t have any question marks I’d be lying to you. We have a plan for the 29 practices leading up to TCU.

Matt Limegrover on Jeff Jones…We’re definitely going to find ways to get him on the field. In all honesty I hope the RB room is so crowded that we can really let Jeff focus on receiver and really get him settled in. I was blown away with how quickly he picked up jumping back from WR to RB, but I want to make sure we’re not getting too cute with him and his development. That’s a good question to have, with how we’ll get him incorporated and get him the football. We’d love to get him to specialize in one position, but if he can handle moving around we’ll do that too.

Matt Limegrover on playing TCU in the opener…One nice thing about it is kids are kids, and sometimes no matter what you say as a coach that you need to respect this opponent, sometimes kids have the tendency to say the non-conference schedule we can ease our way in. I don’t think there is anybody that walks in to the building thinking we can ease into our schedule. Having played them last year there is always a fear of the unknown, not that we’re super comfortable this year, but to feel like we have a little preparation helps.

Matt Limegrover on positive recruiting news this offseason…I think when we first got here there were so many things that were holding us back that we had to fight through. It is kind of like me doing that hike at 415 compared to 255. I can do it now because of what’s happened over the last 3-4 years and I think the same thing with recruiting. When we first got here we were selling a dream as all we had was a blueprint, but what’s happening now is we aren’t where we want to be with the end result, but we have the upward move, but now we’re selling the dream but also already have the foundation. That’s in the classroom, on the field, in the community. We’re at that point now with the upward trajectory but we know we need to keep building. We’ve got some momentum, playing on New Years Day, we know we need to start winning the bowl games.

http://www.iheart.com/show/139-The-Dan-Barreiro-Show/?episode_id=27294727

Go Gophers!!

Thanks for posting.

I wonder how much the Manning Passing Academy actually helped. I wonder if they would understate its importance (either Mitch or the coaches). If they said it was an amazing experience and he learned alot, people might wonder if his Minnesota coaches are failing. Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but I was hoping they would talk more about what he learned there, and was hoping he would really improve by attending.

minibeaver said:

Thanks for posting.

I wonder how much the Manning Passing Academy actually helped. I wonder if they would understate its importance (either Mitch or the coaches). If they said it was an amazing experience and he learned alot, people might wonder if his Minnesota coaches are failing. Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but I was hoping they would talk more about what he learned there, and was hoping he would really improve by attending.

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That's a really good point. They are probably just slow-playing it either way. No good will come from giving the experience too much praise at this point.

minibeaver said:

Thanks for posting.

I wonder how much the Manning Passing Academy actually helped. I wonder if they would understate its importance (either Mitch or the coaches). If they said it was an amazing experience and he learned alot, people might wonder if his Minnesota coaches are failing. Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but I was hoping they would talk more about what he learned there, and was hoping he would really improve by attending.

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The thing with a camp like that is you spend a couple weeks with some guys who have very little idea who you are and what you can do. How much can they possibly improve you? It's like going to a business seminar. Sure, you get a couple useful tips and take away some things that help, but it won't make you CEO material. How many of those have you attended that 1 year later you aren't using any of the material?

Because of that, I think they are playing it exactly what it was. A chance to pick up a few pointers from a current and future HOF'er(s?) and hopefully build Mitch's confidence.

It's not like the Manning brothers (or John Elway or Aaron Rodgers or ...) were nobodies before they went to someone else's 2 week camp. That kind of transformation just doesn't happen.

Re: ML7 at the Manning camp - it could very well be a case where the Manning camp is telling him the same thing as the coaches - but it sounds different coming from a NFL hall-of-fame QB. Sometimes it's not what's said - it's how it's said. I don't think it hurts to expose players to different viewpoints and ideas.

People can quicken their release time slightly.

They usually can't do the same with decision-making.

Mitch is just slow from start to finish. He will always be slow. That's why he's so much better when he can move his feet and throw deep.

Remember, the camp is for kids. Mitch was a counselor.

Thanks for a great recap!

The truth of the matter is that none of have any idea what goes on at those camps. Maybe he did or maybe he didn't learn some new things. We will find out in September I guess. Let the season began so we can talk real football.

Go Gophers

Pretty sure the coaches asked Mitch to skip it last year, and PN the year before, to spend more time working with his teammates during those summers. No one can think the camp is all that special.

swgopherdog said:

The truth of the matter is that none of have any idea what goes on at those camps. Maybe he did or maybe he didn't learn some new things. We will find out in September I guess. Let the season began so we can talk real football.

Go Gophers

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Obviously you're new here and don't realize how many experts we have here. If you don't believe me, ask Dr.Don.

Spoofin said:

No one can think the camp is all that special.

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Or the staff is confident in the depth and maturity of this team and they agreed this may be beneficial. There's 3 sides to every story.

Spoofin said:

Pretty sure the coaches asked Mitch to skip it last year, and PN the year before, to spend more time working with his teammates during those summers. No one can think the camp is all that special.

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Chemistry is vital in the Kill regime. In year five, it's apparent few, if any, remain from the previous era. And, from other posts on GH, the future looks tighter...and brighter. With a tight-knit and much more talented group, sometimes one little thing can be the tipping point. Mitch is vital and I think they've groomed him to blossom this fall.

minibeaver said:

Thanks for posting.

I wonder how much the Manning Passing Academy actually helped. I wonder if they would understate its importance (either Mitch or the coaches). If they said it was an amazing experience and he learned alot, people might wonder if his Minnesota coaches are failing. Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but I was hoping they would talk more about what he learned there, and was hoping he would really improve by attending.

Click to expand...

A light bulb could go on regarding something technical point Mitch was taught or picked up from someone else at the camp. But the major benefit of this camp or any camp is confidence. Knowing you are not that far away from being just as good as the best in your eyes. Having some positive memorable moments you can remind yourself of in down times when things get tough. Something Peyton said to him, that Mitch carries around inside that gives him inspiration every time he needs it. Life or sports it's all mental, your beliefs determine how far you are going to go. That's how Mitch benefited from the camp. Confidence! Knowing he belongs. Knowing he's really a Big Ten quarterback. The camp validated him in his own mind. If he starts slinging spirals it's confidence related not because Peyton showed him how to hold the football.