Where the problem really lies.

Rog

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Of all the fuss about our QB. I think our major problem is on the Offensive and defensive lines. Maybe not so much in the talent but the coaching. We had to go the JUCO route
this year on the Offensive line.. Not good!

I hear repeatily "Wish we still had Gordy Shaw as our offensive line coach. Agree!! Very seldom do I see them "pulling our guards" Talent or coaching? Because of this we keep
sending Smith and Brooks right up the middle. Not so much the way it was with Barber and Maloney. Those end sweeps with a guards and even the center leading the way were
a thing of beauty!
 

We really don't have a "stud" on the defensive line. Yea, I know what Matt(the mouth) Millen said about Richardson. Guess what, he isn't even listed on any potential draft choices. Of course the 6'4" 300 LB. defensive linemen in high school who can move isn't coming to Minn. Recruiting who we do, that's where a good lifting and conditioning program earns its keep. In my eyes, Klein isn't getting it done. Replacing him might be the savior for Claeys.
 

Well, you'd have to have the center and guards who could do that type of thing (two of whom went on to play in the NFL; seems unlikely any of this bunch will). Was Maloney the cousin of Balber?
 

We really don't have a "stud" on the defensive line. Yea, I know what Matt(the mouth) Millen said about Richardson. Guess what, he isn't even listed on any potential draft choices. Of course the 6'4" 300 LB. defensive linemen in high school who can move isn't coming to Minn. Recruiting who we do, that's where a good lifting and conditioning program earns its keep. In my eyes, Klein isn't getting it done. Replacing him might be the savior for Claeys.

They have a top 25 defense.
 

I think the Kill staff (and Brewster before him) focus too much on physical size of the OL players rather than the athletic ability. For Kill - it was probably because he could not bring in these huge bodies at his other schools so he thought that was always the magic of the bigger programs. In a way it is - the best OL lines are huge AND athletic - that is what Bama and tOSU can recruit. The middling/lower tier can only recruit huge OR athletic - they can't get both. The line during the Mason years was much more athletic than what we have now which enabled them to do the pulling, etc. and Mason implemented a blocking scheme which allowed you to run the ball despite not having the size (worked on about 80% of opponents).

In looking at recruiting - I think it is probably much easier to bring in smaller athletic lineman than huge physical specimens. I think most coaches assume they can coach up the big guys rather than investing 2-3 years in the smaller guys to try to put on the bulk that their frames may have never been meant to carry. So - I think it is a philosophy thing on which aspect you think your coaching staff can do better. Given we don't have a top tier program - I think it would be better to take smaller athletic guys and get a staff that can train them up.
 


We got lucky with Richardson -- he was already a stud when he got here. I don't think he's improved much at all. He was pretty impactful even as a true frosh.

In fact, I can't name an OL or DL who has improved significantly under Kill or Claeys. OK, maybe Hageman? The DE last year that went to Vikings camp...maybe? But he's not even good enough that I remember his name, and I'm a huge fan -- so that tells you something. As someone else pointed out, we got some huge OL recruits in Pirsig, Mayes, and Moore. And to my eye, they ain't getting better.

I don't know if it's S&C coaching or position coaching. But yeah...it's a problem.
 

We really don't have a "stud" on the defensive line. Yea, I know what Matt(the mouth) Millen said about Richardson. Guess what, he isn't even listed on any potential draft choices. Of course the 6'4" 300 LB. defensive linemen in high school who can move isn't coming to Minn. Recruiting who we do, that's where a good lifting and conditioning program earns its keep. In my eyes, Klein isn't getting it done. Replacing him might be the savior for Claeys.

Well he is only a junior. His problem for the NFL is his lack of height. Being good in college doesn't automatically mean they will be an NFL prospect.
 

Just look at how bad the Vikings look now that their offensive line is decimated by injuries. They have gone from one of the best teams in the NFL to one of the worst. All because they have no offensive line.

Whether it's bad recruiting, bad development, bad S&C coach, I don't know, but if you don't have an offensive line it's hard for your offense to be successful.
 

Up until this year Minnesota under Kill/Limegrover ran almost exclusively a power run scheme.

Having smaller, more athletic lineman in that blocking scheme is typically not the desired body frame.

Those smaller lineman under Mason are more advantageous because schematically you need them to pull, cut, and get around DL to the next level much more often.

You can argue about what scheme is better, and they may need to adjust going forward since we've seen much more zone running looks from them this year, but they have tried to recruit the best OL body types to fit the scheme they have been running.
 



OL is the problem since Mason left and it isn't close IMO.

I feel they have improved this year, however, which is encouraging. Everyone but Pirsig, is back next year.
 


Of all the fuss about our QB. I think our major problem is on the Offensive and defensive lines. Maybe not so much in the talent but the coaching. We had to go the JUCO route
this year on the Offensive line.. Not good!

I hear repeatily "Wish we still had Gordy Shaw as our offensive line coach. Agree!! Very seldom do I see them "pulling our guards" Talent or coaching? Because of this we keep
sending Smith and Brooks right up the middle. Not so much the way it was with Barber and Maloney. Those end sweeps with a guards and even the center leading the way were
a thing of beauty!
I basically made this same point before the season and was told to GTFO. Our o-line is not good. I have no idea how we are going to block the nerds or skunks.
 




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