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swingman

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Hope to hear some news this week with increased media attention (radio show from Sensers, BTN in town, Spring game). Fleck has done a great job of greatly reducing public access and restricting media access. In limited post practice sessions, he has Greder, JoeC, Daniel House, Burns and random TV guys who wander in staring lovingly into his eyes and allowing him to spin the conversation exactly as he wants it spun, focusing on what he doesn't have in April and about instilling culture. Hope someone actually asks some questions that gets to figuring out what we will have in September.

Topic A: I have heard enough of the we only have 4 (or 5 or 6) offensive linemen and how it is such a disaster. Don't really care about our Oline in April. We should have 15 offensive lineman on campus in eight weeks.

Can someone please ask a question about any of the four returning starting offensive lineman?

At least a question on 4th year guy, Greene, who has been practicing?

Maybe get some idea how far away Weyler (4th year guy), Wright (5th year guy), and Calhoun (4th year guy) are to being healthy and if they think they fit scheme?

Any progress shown by Connelly, Oseland and Dovich, all who got game experience last year, all who have been out here this Spring, all who are now upperclassmen?

Any word on how Minnesota local redshirts Olson and Schlueter looked in Spring work?

Topic B: I have heard way, way too much about how many underclassmen defensive tackles are playing in April. We have four veteran defensive tackles on campus practicing, one is an AllBig player, prbly an NFL prospect.We have four more defensive tackles coming in 8 weeks, including a juco.

Please can I hear more about how the four who are practicing look?

How is Richardson? Are Merrick Jackson, Moore and Stelter showing anything?

Topic C: We have to replace two starting corners.

Do we think Shenault, Craighton, and Kiondre are up to the task?
Are any of the other players able to play corner (Winfield, Ayinde, Durr)?
Do recruits HandyHolly, Beck, Harris, Estes, Douglas project as able to cover at corner?
Any help in secondary from walk-ons (Dipre, Cooper, others)?

Topic D: Tired of hearing about lack of returning receptions. Tell me about what we do have, not what we don't have. Have heard good things on Johnson. A little bit on Carter and Still.

Anything on veterans Holland, Register, or Gentry?
Anything on redshirts Hmielewski, Williams or Howard?
Anything on walk-ons Morse, Reger, Annexstad?
Anything on whether AutmanBell, VanDyne, Douglas, Paulson project as able to compete right away?

Wozniak and Kieft showing anything at TE this Spring?

Any of the running backs look like they can help receiving game?

What is injury status on Lingen and Beebe and Witham? Any projected role for them on team? Especially Lingen and Beebe, who have had major roles in past.

Tired of hearing about what we don't have at defensive end.

Can I hear something about DeLattiboudere or Gibson?

Anything on Santoso, Carpenter, Herbers?
 

Just on the topic of media access.... I don't care.

I never felt like more media access ever got me much anyway.

If they win it is great.
 


Excellent questions Swingman- would love it if you were the best writer instead of the Shmoes we have now that don't ask anything deep or insightful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

swingman said:
Topic A: I have heard enough of the we only have 4 (or 5 or 6) offensive linemen and how it is such a disaster. Don't really care about our Oline in April. We should have 15 offensive lineman on campus in eight weeks.
Click to expand...

As you said later on......"Tell me about what we do have, not what we don't have."

Right now there hasn't been 15 linemen practicing with the team. It's been four to six. That's what we do have.
 








Great post swingman. You presented some great observations. Thanks
 

Good questions. This is the least amount of information on spring practice that I can remember, ever - as if it was all happening in another country. QB is vital and if there is no real spring game, we might not know much after Saturday, either! Meanwhile, Nebraska expects 75,000 in Lincoln, Ohio State and Michigan games on afternoon BTN, etc.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
Good questions. This is the least amount of information on spring practice that I can remember, ever

Totally agree. The coach has been around the team for 2 1/2 months and had 15 days of spring practice. He and the other coaches should put all planning of practices aside for a day, discuss the upside and limits of ever player, position those players where there are gaps, watch video of all injured players and incorporate their skills into the player rotation, and then tell us fans where we stand for September. Why the hold-up?
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The most in depth information I get is from "Gopher Gridiron Radio". They discuss some of the players/topics you mentioned.
 



watertown 1987 guy n said:
Great Plains Gopher said:
Good questions. This is the least amount of information on spring practice that I can remember, ever

Totally agree. The coach has been around the team for 2 1/2 months and had 15 days of spring practice. He and the other coaches should put all planning of practices aside for a day, discuss the upside and limits of ever player, position those players where there are gaps, watch video of all injured players and incorporate their skills into the player rotation, and then tell us fans where we stand for September. Why the hold-up?
Click to expand...

If the coaches didn't wear out video of game tapes and practice tapes from last year prior to spring practice of ALL players healthy or not to implement the best scheme for the personnel available in the fall, then we are probably in trouble. Nobody is asking them to set aside a day...just someone to ask a meaningful pointed question or two.
We may not have 10 healthy linemen but we have 10 guys going through walk throughs and the preferred style of the coach is limited contact in practice. So to suggest that it's a catastrophe to progress is disingenuous and deceitful.

Well, I linked watertown's quote but great plains is displayed so...factor that in..edit
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And based on everything I have read...we don't have any running backs other than Smith and Brooks practicing. And I am very much curious how much they intend to throw to Brooks and Smith because they both looked good as receivers last year. And Smith, I think can be absolutely devastating to an opponent in that role...given more opportunities than one every couple games.
 

60's Guy said:
watertown 1987 guy n said:
If the coaches didn't wear out video of game tapes and practice tapes from last year prior to spring practice of ALL players healthy or not to implement the best scheme for the personnel available in the fall, then we are probably in trouble. Nobody is asking them to set aside a day...just someone to ask a meaningful pointed question or two.
We may not have 10 healthy linemen but we have 10 guys going through walk throughs and the preferred style of the coach is limited contact in practice. So to suggest that it's a catastrophe to progress is disingenuous and deceitful.

Well, I linked watertown's quote but great plains is displayed so...factor that in..edit
Click to expand...

Are you implying that it's not a catastrophe when they can't do team because they don't have 5 lineman some days? That's kind of the point of spring ball to see who's the best in 11 vs 11 team sessions.
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watertown 1987 guy n said:
Great Plains Gopher said:
Good questions. This is the least amount of information on spring practice that I can remember, ever

Totally agree. The coach has been around the team for 2 1/2 months and had 15 days of spring practice. He and the other coaches should put all planning of practices aside for a day, discuss the upside and limits of ever player, position those players where there are gaps, watch video of all injured players and incorporate their skills into the player rotation, and then tell us fans where we stand for September. Why the hold-up?
Click to expand...

They have had plenty of time in those 2 1/2 months to really develop Brooks and Smith.

And, they operate at a Prefontaine pace with a nekton philosophy, so time and the surrounding situation doesn't really matter to them.

Don't tell us how open we want to be, how this is the people of Minnesota's team, how we want you to get to know us and our players and to see our incredible way of practicing and then hold two open practices on weekday nights. People might think you are disingenuous.

Don't be the guy who says he's never had a bad day and the guy who embraces chances to run into a fire and that I'm the most positive guy you'll ever meet and then spend the majority of your time in every interview you give emphasizing the negative of oline situation in April and the negative of the lack of underclassmen DTs in April and the negatives of we have to learn how to practice and how young and inexperienced you are, despite what the reality of the situation may be and that that is the reality of college football where you lose at about a fourth of your roster every year. People might think you speak out of both sides of your mouth. Maybe mention once we have four returning senior/fourth year junior starters on the oline, three returning upperclassmen with experience to help, some redshirts we like, and more oline help on the way. Maybe mention once we really have a nice set of four experienced fourth and fifth year defensive tackles practicing and we have four more coming soon. Don't stress youth and inexperience so much. Maybe mention we are lucky to have a lot of third, fourth and fifth year guys with experience like McGhee, Ayinde, Shenault, Huff, Craighton, Poock, Celestin, Huff, Cashman, Waters, Weyler, Wright, Calhoun, Greene, Connelly, Dovich, Oseland, Brooks, Smith, McCrary, Wozniak, Lingen, Beebe, Rhoda, Croft, Richardson, Stelter, Moore, Jackson, DeLattiboudere, Santoso, Carpenter, Carter, Still.

Don't be the guy who says we are here to change the culture and by culture I mean connecting to people in a positive way and then close all but two practices, answer questions in platitudes and speak in disingenuous ways about the situation of "our" team, all the time running an underlying theme highlighting all the negatives you face that doesn't connect you with many of the existing fans (and players) but drives a wedge between them and you.
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Sounds like you have a personal problem with Fleck. The truth lies somewhere in between what you portray and what Fleck portrays. Sounds like you believe Kill's goldmine comment :)
 

swingman said:
watertown 1987 guy n said:
They have had plenty of time in those 2 1/2 months to really develop Brooks and Smith.

And, they operate at a Prefontaine pace with a nekton philosophy, so time and the surrounding situation doesn't really matter to them.

Don't tell us how open we want to be, how this is the people of Minnesota's team, how we want you to get to know us and our players and to see our incredible way of practicing and then hold two open practices on weekday nights. People might think you are disingenuous.

Don't be the guy who says he's never had a bad day and the guy who embraces chances to run into a fire and that I'm the most positive guy you'll ever meet and then spend the majority of your time in every interview you give emphasizing the negative of oline situation in April and the negative of the lack of underclassmen DTs in April and the negatives of we have to learn how to practice and how young and inexperienced you are, despite what the reality of the situation may be and that that is the reality of college football where you lose at about a fourth of your roster every year. People might think you speak out of both sides of your mouth. Maybe mention once we have four returning senior/fourth year junior starters on the oline, three returning upperclassmen with experience to help, some redshirts we like, and more oline help on the way. Maybe mention once we really have a nice set of four experienced fourth and fifth year defensive tackles practicing and we have four more coming soon. Don't stress youth and inexperience so much. Maybe mention we are lucky to have a lot of third, fourth and fifth year guys with experience like McGhee, Ayinde, Shenault, Huff, Craighton, Poock, Celestin, Huff, Cashman, Waters, Weyler, Wright, Calhoun, Greene, Connelly, Dovich, Oseland, Brooks, Smith, McCrary, Wozniak, Lingen, Beebe, Rhoda, Croft, Richardson, Stelter, Moore, Jackson, DeLattiboudere, Santoso, Carpenter, Carter, Still.

Don't be the guy who says we are here to change the culture and by culture I mean connecting to people in a positive way and then close all but two practices, answer questions in platitudes and speak in disingenuous ways about the situation of "our" team, all the time running an underlying theme highlighting all the negatives you face that doesn't connect you with many of the existing fans (and players) but drives a wedge between them and you.
Click to expand...

+1
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Johnnyboy18 said:
60's Guy said:
Are you implying that it's not a catastrophe when they can't do team because they don't have 5 lineman some days? That's kind of the point of spring ball to see who's the best in 11 vs 11 team sessions.
Click to expand...

Not really. The point of spring ball is develop your talent. Fall practice is when you figure out who the best 11 are.
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GFBfan said:
Johnnyboy18 said:
Because?
So you are going to pick your best 11 when you don't even have your full team? Elite coaching strategy!
Click to expand...

No, the ideal situation is to not have 30% of your team injured during spring ball so you can evaluate them during spring ball and not 4 weeks before the season starts. That's why you see many freshman enroll early so they aren't trying to learn something new in 4 weeks. I'm willing to bet at least 60% of the true freshman that start in college football enroll early.
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watertown 1987 guy n said:
Great Plains Gopher said:
Good questions. This is the least amount of information on spring practice that I can remember, ever

Totally agree. The coach has been around the team for 2 1/2 months and had 15 days of spring practice. He and the other coaches should put all planning of practices aside for a day, discuss the upside and limits of ever player, position those players where there are gaps, watch video of all injured players and incorporate their skills into the player rotation, and then tell us fans where we stand for September. Why the hold-up?
Click to expand...
[emoji57]
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Johnnyboy18 said:
GFBfan said:
No, the ideal situation is to not have 30% of your team injured during spring ball so you can evaluate them during spring ball and not 4 weeks before the season starts. That's why you see many freshman enroll early so they aren't trying to learn something new in 4 weeks. I'm willing 6o bet at least 60% of the true freshman that start in college football enroll early.
Click to expand...

It would be ideal to have nobody missing spring practice because of injury. But, unless players are going to be in bubble wrap during the season, we are going to have guys not able to participate in spring practice. Some years there will be more than others. Like this year. The previous few years there weren't that many who missed spring ball.

I'll take that bet, if you are talking starting in their freshman year. If you are talking just starting at some point, then all bets are off.

Here's proof: Non JC-Gopher early enrollees since 2010
2017: Tanner Morgan, Trenton Guthrie doubt either one of them sees the field, except maybe Trent in special teams
2016: Seth Green, Thomas Barber, Taiyon Devers none started, but Thomas and Taiyon did play, just like a few other freshman. Winfield started and didn't enroll early.
2015: Tyler Moore, Jacob and Julian Huff Moore worked his way into a starting role his freshman year so 1.
2014: Dimonic Rhoden McKinzy
2013: Hendrick Ekpe, Chris Streveler
2012: Phil Nelson, Mitch Leidner, Scott Ekpe, Nelson became the starter during the season
2011: Marcus Jones, Josh Campion, then listed also are Max Shortell, Quintin Gardner, Quinn Bauducco, Michael Amaefula

Discounting the two this year and even the 4 listed in 2011, we have had two early enrollees who became starters in Tyler Moore and Phil Nelson out of 14. I believe it is just as likely to start and or play as a freshman if you don't enroll early. Freshman who start are talented players who can stand out in 4 weeks.
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GFBfan said:
Johnnyboy18 said:
It would be ideal to have nobody missing spring practice because of injury. But, unless players are going to be in bubble wrap during the season, we are going to have guys not able to participate in spring practice. Some years there will be more than others. Like this year. The previous few years there weren't that many who missed spring ball.

I'll take that bet, if you are talking starting in their freshman year. If you are talking just starting at some point, then all bets are off.

Here's proof: Non JC-Gopher early enrollees since 2010
2017: Tanner Morgan, Trenton Guthrie doubt either one of them sees the field, except maybe Trent in special teams
2016: Seth Green, Thomas Barber neither started, but Thomas did play, just like a few other freshman
2015: Tyler Moore, Jacob and Julian Huff Moore worked his way into a starting role his freshman year so 1
2014: Dimonic Rhoden McKinzy
2013: Hendrick Ekpe, Chris Streveler
2012: Phil Nelson, Mitch Leidner, Scott Ekpe
2011: Marcus Jones, Josh Campion, then listed also are Max Shortell, Quintin Gardner, Quinn Bauducco, Michael Amaefula

Discounting the two this year and even the 4 listed in 2011, we have had two early enrollees who became starters in Tyler Moore and Phil Nelson out of 13. Not even close to 60%
Click to expand...

Exactly it's a different system on offense and defense so having this many people that started last year that are out for spring ball is not a good thing. They'd be way further ahead for fall camp in evaluating who will start next year if they were healthy. Walkthroughs can only do so much.

I said those who start as true freshman will be more than likely to be early enrollees not 60% of those that early enroll will start.
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Johnnyboy18 said:
GFBfan said:
Exactly it's a different system on offense and defense so having this many people that started last year that are out for spring ball is not a good thing. They'd be way further ahead for fall camp in evaluating who will start next year if they were healthy. Walkthroughs can only do so much.

I said those who start as true freshman will be more than likely to be early enrollees not 60% of those that early enroll will start.
Click to expand...

Got that and updated my post.

With the "voluntary" summer conditioning period and team lead workouts, most freshman are picking up the system and ready to show what they can do come fall camp.
Spring practice is for developing the talent. Fall practice is for finding out who your starters are going to be when you have your entire roster there to evaluate.
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