Good news/bad news from Spring

Big picture)
Good news:
The buy-in seems to be very good with many of the key players/leaders remaining, and stepping up as leaders under new staff. I would not be surprised by a final round of attrition of 3-6 players buried on depth chart or just not comfortable with new direction, or dealing with regular 18-23 year old stuff, but for a transition to a radically unique, demanding staff, retention has been very good. Moore was out the door with or without Claeys. Mayes might have been surpassed on the depth chart. McLaurin wasn't a fit. EOAA fall-out wasn't as bad as feared.

Bad news:
EOAA deal/transition/regular stuff that triggers attrition cost us two o-linemen that could help, a d-lineman that could help, two corners that would be very much in mix, a safety that could help.

QB)
Good news:
Croft's emergence as a guy who can be a difference maker with his arm. Getting Rhoda to stay on as solid veteran who is either one or two option as of now. Estes still to come.
Good reports on Ciarrocca as QB coach, better route trees and use of guys in space.

Bad news:
No miracle savior emerged from high school senior Morgan or true frosh Seth G. Things to like about both, though. Not enough time, quality reps to get everything installed.

RB:
Good news: Smith and Brooks even better. McCrary survived EOAA; brings big back presence. FemiCole looked solid. Two more RBs coming. Nice reports on Burns.
Bad news: Lost Johanneson.

O-line)
Good news:
Olson as a possible starter/viable depth. Connelly, Dovich, Oseland, Schlueter as viable depth/possible starters. Returning starter Greene's continued progression as possible Big Ten difference maker. Greene with returning starters Weyler, Calhoun, and Wright back healthy is a good four-man core of o-line. Olson, Dovich, Connelly, Oseland, Schlueter is good five man "compete to start/provide depth" group. Frosh Andries, Sassack, Schmitz, juco Davis (plus walk-ons) and whoever else they bring in could boost that top nine, at least provides some depth/numbers; at best outplay some of older guys.
Very good things on Warinner.

Bad news: Numbers aren't there for a veteran three-deep. Besides a confident short comment or two from Warinner on guys that are out, no real idea how far away, how banged up Weyler, Calhoun, and Wright are.

TEs)
Good news: Kieft looks like he has the size and athletic ability to help at TE. Wozniak looks like he can be a good blocker in this system, could still sneak open like he has in past (new staff improves his hands?). More talent on the way with highly coveted Paulson, Big Ten/SEC talent Umlor, and local guy Bursch.

Bad news: Have heard nothing from Fleck, Ciarrocca, or Callahan on any of these tight ends. Lingen, Beebe, Wozniak are returning starters who I hope have big years. Lingen, Beebe, Witham were all injured.

WRs)
Good news: Tyler Johnson emergence as a guy who can be a difference maker. Lot of good comments on Still from Fleck and apparent dedication by Fleck and Simon to get most from Still. Lot of options for third or fourth wide receiver and to fill the three deep between older guys Carter (very good comments from Fleck), Holland, Register, Gentry; red-shirted Hmielewski, Howard, and Williams; and walk-ons Morse, Geary and Annexstad. Morse has a very nice highlight reel from Spring ball. More talent on the way with VanDyne, Douglas, Autman-Bell.
Good things on Fleck and Simon.

Bad news: No one stepped up and grabbed that third or fourth spot. Still hasn't put it all together yet. Was hoping new staff would get more out of Gentry. Hmielewski, Howard, Williams all showed talent, but all showed some rawness. Mayer did not return.

D-line
Good news:
At DT, Richardson looked very good, double team-worthy good. Stelter looked very solid. Merrick is a guy Fleck has identified as a personal project to get more from. Has great tools. Gary Moore looked fit, agile.
At DE, Bigger, stronger DeLattiboudere encouraging. Creative use of Coughlin/Devers encouraging. Gibson seemed very engaged.
How about a three man, big man front of Richardson, Merrick, Stelter vs run heavy Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, MSU with two mobile bigs in the middle from Poock-Barber-Waters and tough tackling, mobile, good sized Celestin and Kamal on the edges? Let McGhee creep in and bang some heads. In passing situations go Richardson and Stelter with DeLattiboudere and Coughlin/Devers?
More DTs coming with juco Silver, frosh Robinson, Hickcox, Schirck. More DEs coming in Mafe and Otomewo.
Good things on Paup.

Bad news: Loss of Elmore. Lack of current depth at DE.

Linebacker
Good news: Great reports on Celestin as player and leader, same with Martin, Barber. A few good things on Waters. Cashman given scholarship. Smith/Rossi good linebacker resume. Guthrie got a lot of reps.
Bad news: No word I am aware of on Poock and Cashman health, fit to system. Same with Julian Huff. Williams?


Defensive backs:
Good news: Fleck loves Jacob Huff as a safety/leader/big heart guy, kind of guy WI and IA seem to always have beat us. Winfield back and loved as player/leader. Can play safety or corner. Shenault back and solid at corner. Craighton good in press coverage at corner. Excellent cover-corner Durr may recover quicker than expected. Fleck seemed to really like McGhee fit as a safety as well. Ayinde there for veteran play, has some corner/safety flex. Redshirt Kiondre has very legit size and speed and agility for corner. Fastest guy on team, I believe. Three good recruits coming in corner Harris, safety/corner Beck, and safety HandyHolly. Estes and Douglas have some position flexibility if necessary.Nice group of 13 bodies to cover 4-5 spots. Good reports on Linguist.

Bad news: No really good reports on walk-ons I heard. Was hoping Cooper, Dipre, Swenson, Weiland might surprise. Durr not definite. Might not be back until we get to Big Ten portion.

Special teams:
Carpenter looked very good. Santoso still has big leg. Herbers also can boom punts. Snapper in place. System engages special teams as key part of team. Dedicated coach. Big role in practice with team. Depth at all spots. Recruited guy coming in.

Nice summary swingman!

Croft has emerged as a difference maker??? He looked solid and has improved, but let's not get carried away. He hasn't even been named the starter yet.

It is real nice work with this report. We do have to remember Fleck and crew have the summer to keep things going smoothly for us. I think it was good that he took a cautious approach to the spring game and he will slowly build steam with the program as players get healthy.

That's a lot of time and effort on display, Swingman. Thank you very much.

Very good analysis.

Hopefully the staff can teach all the receivers how to catch a ball. All the returning ones that saw action last year had too many drops.

I'll really be anxious to see who ends up where on the depth chart come Fall. I think there will be some surprises, especially in the WR area.

Thanks again for the nice write-up!

swingman said:

Big picture)
Bad news: No one stepped up and grabbed that third or fourth spot. Still hasn't put it all together yet. Was hoping new staff would get more out of Gentry. Hmielewski, Howard, Williams all showed talent, but all showed some rawness.

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Was Howard injured this spring? Don't recall seeing too much about him.
These were Hmielewski's first practices after sitting out fall after shoulder surgery. Rawness very much expected.
Williams just transitioned to WR. Also expect a learning curve there.

John Galt said:

Croft has emerged as a difference maker??? He looked solid and has improved, but let's not get carried away. He hasn't even been named the starter yet.

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I wish I could remember who - but once on here someone said they can tell all there is to know about a QB from 1-play. I'm choosing to follow that theory and use the first offensive play in the Spring Game as my reference.


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It was a scrimmage against backups at times so difficult to say Croft or anybody else is going to dominate come August. That said, going 9 of 13 for 130 or whatever is certainly better than 2 for 12 with two picks.

If we are allowed to get excited about Fleck, someone that hasn't played one Big Ten season or proven they can win at a high level on a big stage then some people are allowed to get excited about unproven players. Croft (or Rhoda) may flop spectacularly this fall but I'm definitely excited about the potential we've seen in some of these guys.

Great OP! Good read.

Lakeville Goldy said:

Very good analysis.

Hopefully the staff can teach all the receivers how to catch a ball. All the returning ones that saw action last year had too many drops.

I'll really be anxious to see who ends up where on the depth chart come Fall. I think there will be some surprises, especially in the WR area.

Thanks again for the nice write-up!

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If only it was that easy. You either have the ability to catch or you don't. Route running and technique are teachable. Hands are not. Imagine if the Vikings could have just taught Troy Williamson how to catch?