GopherSports: 2015 Position Preview: Linebackers

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per GopherSports:

Replacing the production and leadership of Damien Wilson will be the top priority of linebackers coach Mike Sherels, who enters his second year at the position. Gone are Wilson’s team-highs of 119 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks, after he was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

The good news for Sherels and the Gophers is that three of the top four tackling linebackers return from a defense that held opponents to 368.2 yards per game – the program’s second-lowest mark since 2003.

Returning starters De’Vondre Campbell and Jack Lynn bring a wealth of experience as the tandem has played in 42 games combined. Campbell, a redshirt senior, has 116 career tackles, including 75 last season.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081815aab.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Those interested in the LB corps should listen to the latest Ryan Burns podcast. Really interesting take on what is holding Poock back at this point. Basically it comes down to risk/reward and how they may not be able to have a 2nd LB on the field that will blow assignments trying to make the big play.
 

Burns is saying Poock blows too many assignments? I thought last week he was predicting he'll be starting week 1
 

sonnygarcia said:
Burns is saying Poock blows too many assignments? I thought last week he was predicting he'll be starting week 1
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The 2 don't have to be mutually exclusive. Could be that he's dealing with that issue right now but is getting better
 

sonnygarcia said:
Burns is saying Poock blows too many assignments? I thought last week he was predicting he'll be starting week 1
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I think he still thinks that. He also has a ton of big plays like De'Vrondre. Everrett is more consistent.
 


sonnygarcia said:
Burns is saying Poock blows too many assignments? I thought last week he was predicting he'll be starting week 1
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He likely still feels he will be the starter week 1. Blowing assignments is what is currently holding him back from running with the 1s. At least that was my take on the discussion.
 


Dean S said:
Blown assignments lose games.
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Agreed. I especially found Burns' comment about how that is an even bigger concern considering DC26 has the same big play / blown assignment mentality. The point was that with as good as Poock has looked, Williams is still running with the 1s at this point as he is consistent and fundamentally sound.
 

Is that a different podcast than the Gopher Gridiron Radio podcasts? And if you haven't listened to them yet, I highly encourage you to give it a shot. Way better than anything that the papers, websites, et al. have put out. Listen here

Is there a link to the LB podcast?
 



Dean S said:
Blown assignments lose games.
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So does having players not athletic enough to make plays. There were many years we had fundamentally sound players that just weren't good enough even if they did the right thing. An LB that is in the right spot but can't beat a block or make a tackle doesn't do much good. The issue with Williams seems to be that he's just not that athletic which is fine against the road graters we'll play but not against TCU
 

Spoofin said:
Agreed. I especially found Burns' comment about how that is an even bigger concern considering DC26 has the same big play / blown assignment mentality. The point was that with as good as Poock has looked, Williams is still running with the 1s at this point as he is consistent and fundamentally sound.
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Learn to never refer to people like that, it is a really dumb trend and takes away from the rest of your post IMHO
 

citywok said:
Learn to never refer to people like that, it is a really dumb trend and takes away from the rest of your post IMHO
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Your post only makes me want to do it more CW#.
 

Hearts to you.

Also, those two will split time at LB similar to what Cooper and uhhh.. Manuel (I think it was Manuel...) did when Cooper was a senior. Some games Cooper didn't start for some reason, but he would play over 50% of the snaps depending on situations. Just my opinion.
 



citywok said:
Hearts to you.

Also, those two will split time at LB similar to what Cooper and uhhh.. Manuel (I think it was Manuel...) did when Cooper was a senior. Some games Cooper didn't start for some reason, but he would play over 50% of the snaps depending on situations. Just my opinion.
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That's a bad look at MLB and our coaches have never done that here. 2 years ago Wilson and Lynn appeared to be battling at MLB all year. Once the season started Wilson got like 90% of all MLB snaps. That guy has to be stable and even last year they never really rotated MLB in base D. Outside backers tend to rotate more as they play in space more and there are different packages
 

Unregistered User said:
Is that a different podcast than the Gopher Gridiron Radio podcasts? And if you haven't listened to them yet, I highly encourage you to give it a shot. Way better than anything that the papers, websites, et al. have put out. Listen here

Is there a link to the LB podcast?
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This was also a Gopher Gridiron Radio podcast. The one with the Poock discussion was this week's podcast. Not specifically about the LBs, but about the scrimmage.
 

oleboy41 said:
That's a bad look at MLB and our coaches have never done that here. 2 years ago Wilson and Lynn appeared to be battling at MLB all year. Once the season started Wilson got like 90% of all MLB snaps. That guy has to be stable and even last year they never really rotated MLB in base D. Outside backers tend to rotate more as they play in space more and there are different packages
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I was under the impression, and I could be totally wrong at this point in camp, that Jack Lynn was doing work at MLB, and Poock and Williams are in play for an OLB spot. I had read that somewhere awhile back, and just assumed that because of Lynn's experience that it would hash out in that manner.
 

citywok said:
I was under the impression, and I could be totally wrong at this point in camp, that Jack Lynn was doing work at MLB, and Poock and Williams are in play for an OLB spot. I had read that somewhere awhile back, and just assumed that because of Lynn's experience that it would hash out in that manner.
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At this point Lynn and Campbell are playing outside and Williams has been running MLB with the 1s and Poock with the 2s. I haven't heard anything different. I thought Lynn might move back to MLB this year and I know Poock was slated for the outside when he arrived on campus, but as far as I know that is no longer in the cards.
 

citywok said:
Learn to never refer to people like that, it is a really dumb trend and takes away from the rest of your post IMHO
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Could NOT disagree more. I think it's endearing (go ahead, rip me) and kinda cool. Don't listen to the naysayers, Spoofin. You do you!
 

oleboy41 said:
That's a bad look at MLB and our coaches have never done that here. 2 years ago Wilson and Lynn appeared to be battling at MLB all year. Once the season started Wilson got like 90% of all MLB snaps. That guy has to be stable and even last year they never really rotated MLB in base D. Outside backers tend to rotate more as they play in space more and there are different packages
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Agree. The Mike has to be the rock of the LB core. This year we might have a lil more flexibility bc of experience in the secondary, but that's often your defensive captain for assignments which is probably why the staff is leaning the way they are
 


VACTERL said:
Could NOT disagree more. I think it's endearing (go ahead, rip me) and kinda cool. Don't listen to the naysayers, Spoofin. You do you!
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On an unrelated note, you are my favorite poster on GH.
 

So basically once poock is caught up mentally, he'll have the inside track to start?
 

oleboy41 said:
So does having players not athletic enough to make plays. There were many years we had fundamentally sound players that just weren't good enough even if they did the right thing. An LB that is in the right spot but can't beat a block or make a tackle doesn't do much good. The issue with Williams seems to be that he's just not that athletic which is fine against the road graters we'll play but not against TCU
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LBs fill holes and shoot gaps. Athleticism allows them to do that quickly and occasionally can allow them to make it to a second spot if they pick the wrong one the first time or have to chase someone in space. Problem DC26 had last year and sounds like Poock has this year is gambling on leaving their assigned gaps trying to turn a 3 yard gain into a 3 yard loss. That can lead to big gains and relying on your secondary to make tackles on running plays. Offensive Coordinators are always trying to sucker linebackers out of position that's part of their job. You don't trade discipline for athleticism and win, you need both.

Go back and watch the big plays we gave up up the middle last year. Rarely was it a lead blocker accounting for the LB, it was usually a LB committing to early to the wrong hole.
 

LakerFan said:
LBs fill holes and shoot gaps. Athleticism allows them to do that quickly and occasionally can allow them to make it to a second spot if they pick the wrong one the first time or have to chase someone in space. Problem DC26 had last year and sounds like Poock has this year is gambling on leaving their assigned gaps trying to turn a 3 yard gain into a 3 yard loss. That can lead to big gains and relying on your secondary to make tackles on running plays. Offensive Coordinators are always trying to sucker linebackers out of position that's part of their job. You don't trade discipline for athleticism and win, you need both.

Go back and watch the big plays we gave up up the middle last year. Rarely was it a lead blocker accounting for the LB, it was usually a LB committing to early to the wrong hole.
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Yup. The long QB run in the Ohio State game is the perfect example.
 


bronco.jpg

Players are told to be play makers. Sometimes mistakes occur when trying to make plays. Sometimes they turnout pretty good for a pick six return in a jug game. Take the good with the bad... support their efforts.
 

BroncoRedux said:
View attachment 3731

Players are told to be play makers. Sometimes mistakes occur when trying to make plays. Sometimes they turnout pretty good for a pick six return in a jug game. Take the good with the bad... support their efforts.
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Great Linebackers need to have vision the same way running backs need to have vision. There is a time and a place to leave an assignment based on the play developing. Great Linebackers make mostly good decisions and learn from their mistakes. I'm not writing off any of our guys. I'm hopeful the upperclassmen LB's are progressing and learning just like Mitch is.
 

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