BleedGopher
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per Greder:
When the Gophers football team splits into groups for individual drills in spring practices, most positions have platoons of players to run through tailored movements.
But for the new rush ends, there’s a small but intriguing threesome: Carter Coughlin, Tai’yon Devers and Trenton Guthrie. One player gets a rep at the defensive end spot, another will play tackle or tight end to simulate a play and the other will play running back. No one rotates in.
With new Gophers defensive coordinator Robb Smith’s base 4-3 system and a lack of depth on the defensive line, the spot has brought together new pieces.
For Coughlin, it’s a position switch from linebacker but one with some familiar characteristics. Under departed Gophers defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel last season, Coughlin was an outside linebacker/edge rusher in a 3-4 sub package.
As a highly recruited true freshman from Eden Prairie, Coughlin had four tackles for lost yards, two sacks and 25 total tackles in 11 games last year.
“We have to be incredibly creative to find the best athletes, the best players, the smarter players, get them on the field and put them in a position to be really successful,” Fleck said.
Ideally, Fleck wants rush ends that are 255 pounds with an ability to run and bend around the offensive tackle, but that player is not on the roster. Instead, the Gophers will go with these three rush ends. Coughlin is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds; Devers is 6-4, 215, and Guthrie is 6-3, 215.
“I didn’t know much about (rush end), but I’m adjusting to it and love it,” Coughlin said.
Smith told Coughlin the move was coming before spring ball started in early March. The switch allows the Gophers to play more players from their deepest position — linebacker — opening up snaps for Kamal Martin, Jon Celestin, Thomas Barber, Jaylen Waters and others.
“I love the progress of Devers; I love the progress of Carter,” Fleck said after a recent practice. “You talk about selfless people: Carter is a linebacker, and he knows for him to get on the field and Kamal to get on the field and Celestin to get on the field and Jaylen to get on the field, we all have to sacrifice a little bit.”
http://www.twincities.com/2017/04/0...hlin-to-rush-end-to-get-best-11-on-the-field/
Go Gophers!!
When the Gophers football team splits into groups for individual drills in spring practices, most positions have platoons of players to run through tailored movements.
But for the new rush ends, there’s a small but intriguing threesome: Carter Coughlin, Tai’yon Devers and Trenton Guthrie. One player gets a rep at the defensive end spot, another will play tackle or tight end to simulate a play and the other will play running back. No one rotates in.
With new Gophers defensive coordinator Robb Smith’s base 4-3 system and a lack of depth on the defensive line, the spot has brought together new pieces.
For Coughlin, it’s a position switch from linebacker but one with some familiar characteristics. Under departed Gophers defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel last season, Coughlin was an outside linebacker/edge rusher in a 3-4 sub package.
As a highly recruited true freshman from Eden Prairie, Coughlin had four tackles for lost yards, two sacks and 25 total tackles in 11 games last year.
“We have to be incredibly creative to find the best athletes, the best players, the smarter players, get them on the field and put them in a position to be really successful,” Fleck said.
Ideally, Fleck wants rush ends that are 255 pounds with an ability to run and bend around the offensive tackle, but that player is not on the roster. Instead, the Gophers will go with these three rush ends. Coughlin is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds; Devers is 6-4, 215, and Guthrie is 6-3, 215.
“I didn’t know much about (rush end), but I’m adjusting to it and love it,” Coughlin said.
Smith told Coughlin the move was coming before spring ball started in early March. The switch allows the Gophers to play more players from their deepest position — linebacker — opening up snaps for Kamal Martin, Jon Celestin, Thomas Barber, Jaylen Waters and others.
“I love the progress of Devers; I love the progress of Carter,” Fleck said after a recent practice. “You talk about selfless people: Carter is a linebacker, and he knows for him to get on the field and Kamal to get on the field and Celestin to get on the field and Jaylen to get on the field, we all have to sacrifice a little bit.”
http://www.twincities.com/2017/04/0...hlin-to-rush-end-to-get-best-11-on-the-field/
Go Gophers!!