MN Daily: Sawvel sees room to grow on defense

per the Daily:

Sawvel is still expected to make changes in his first year as the Gophers defensive coordinator, as Minnesota adjusts to having a much younger secondary and its deepest linebacker group in years.

“There’s going to be some tweaks,” Sawvel said. “There’s going to be a few things that’ll be maybe a little bit different than what we’ve done before, but there’s going to be a lot of things that are going to be the same. It’s all personnel-driven.”

One thing the Gophers defense is working to improve on is its play on third down. The team was 89th in the FBS last year in third-down defense after allowing opponents to convert 41.6 percent of the time.

Sawvel said he hopes to get Minnesota’s ranking in the 30s, and it starts with the team’s pass rush. The Gophers finished tied for 84th in the FBS in sacks last year.

http://www.mndaily.com/sports/football/2016/03/29/sawvel-sees-room-grow-defense

Go Gophers!!

Good luck coach Sawvel. IMHO pass rushers are born and not made. If he does not players who are fast enough to get off of their blocks generating a pass rush will be most difficult. However, they wisely made use of Huff last year and maybe he can find another player to fill that situational role this year.