Fleck says Minnesota 'needs to do better job sustaining blocks' to help Rodney Smith

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per the Daily:

Rodney Smith is supposed to be one of the two featured backs for Minnesota.

Last Saturday, he got the carries, but the yards didn’t follow.

Smith only had 35 yards on 18 carries against Maryland, which comes to less than two yards per carry. Smith, along with running back Shannon Brooks, has been a large contributor to the offense for the Gophers since they arrived, but that pace of generating offense and yards looks to be slowing down.

“We didn’t execute well,” Smith said. “Running back-wise, we missed some holes, we could have ran a little bit more physical. We took accountability for our performance last week as a running back unit, and we know that we have to run the ball better.”

Smith has had moderate success so far for the Gophers, though. In the first three games he had 275 rushing yards and one touchdown.

One of those games includes the final nonconference game against Middle Tennessee State, where he only played the first half and got 107 yards. That was also a game where Brooks did not play.

“I said going into the game that [Maryland was] the best defense we’ve seen yet,” said offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. “Having not been in the Big Ten before, but having played Big Ten teams, [Maryland was] better. They were a little bigger, they were a little stronger than the teams we had seen.”

http://www.mndaily.com/article/2017/10/fleck-says-minnesota-needs-to-do-better-sustaining-blocks

Go Gophers!!
 

It isn't a surprise that the OL is a weak spot on this team, but much of Smith's lack of production falls on Rhoda's incompetence executing the run option in the game.

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe wisconsin's D was smaller and not as strong as Maryland's.
 

Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
It isn't a surprise that the OL is a weak spot on this team, but much of Smith's lack of production falls on Rhoda's incompetence executing the run option in the game.

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe wisconsin's D was smaller and not as strong as Maryland's.
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What do you mean? That was never claimed.
 

Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
It isn't a surprise that the OL is a weak spot on this team, but much of Smith's lack of production falls on Rhoda's incompetence executing the run option in the game.

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe wisconsin's D was smaller and not as strong as Maryland's.
Click to expand...

So you don't believe Fleck's explanations? The OL pass blocking has been good. Repeatedly RUTM with 7-8 in the box might have had something to do with the lack of production.
 

Taji34 said:
What do you mean? That was never claimed.
Click to expand...

This statement by Coach Roc seems to indicate that.

“I said going into the game that [Maryland was] the best defense we’ve seen yet,” said offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. “Having not been in the Big Ten before, but having played Big Ten teams, [Maryland was] better. They were a little bigger, they were a little stronger than the teams we had seen.”
Click to expand...
 


PMWinSTP said:
So you don't believe Fleck's explanations? The OL pass blocking has been good. Repeatedly RUTM with 7-8 in the box might have had something to do with the lack of production.
Click to expand...

I find it hard to believe the coaching staff didn't prefer Rhoda keep the ball on many of those plays.
 

PMWinSTP said:
So you don't believe Fleck's explanations? The OL pass blocking has been good. Repeatedly RUTM with 7-8 in the box might have had something to do with the lack of production.
Click to expand...

This is the part I don't understand either. Need to sustain blocks better? Okay, but how are you supposed to do that when running up the middle or off-guard are the only running plays that are called. The other team just stacks the box and even if you get a fair hole off the snap, it doesn't matter because you are completely out-numbered in the running game and the space will close down in no-time flat.

If they were running to the boundaries, I could understand the idea of sustaining better. But trying to bulldoze through the line all the time doesn't allow the blockers much of a chance to create much of a hole, much less sustain blocks. Especially against eight and nine-man fronts.
 


We got out coached. Pretty simple.
 



Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
I find it hard to believe the coaching staff didn't prefer Rhoda keep the ball on many of those plays.
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Fleck's been pretty clear, multiple times, stating that they don't want Rhoda to run, and finding way for him not to run. He also said that the actual number of opportunities last week were a handful, Rhoda pulled and ran on two of them, and your conclusion is that's incompetence on his part? We can agree or disagree with his assessment and decisions, but you think Fleck's saying one thing but the opposite is the case?
 

PMWinSTP said:
So you don't believe Fleck's explanations? The OL pass blocking has been good. Repeatedly RUTM with 7-8 in the box might have had something to do with the lack of production.
Click to expand...

It's a combination of both. Rhoda does not deserve a pass on his negative impact he had on our run production vs MD. I know you tend to defend Rhoda and so saw your recent post that PJ said there were only a few more read options called beyond the 1 Rhoda kept. That wasn't what I read he said. I read that he said there were only a few more that CR should have kept - implying they had run more than that. I respectfully disagree with PJ's statement that CR should have only pulled back a few of those. Not that I think I know better than PJ (I most certainly don't), but rather I think he is trying to take some of the spotlight off Connor by saying that. But yes, running the same play over and over and over and expecting different results time and time again was the root of the problem Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MRJ said:
This is the part I don't understand either. Need to sustain blocks better? Okay, but how are you supposed to do that when running up the middle or off-guard are the only running plays that are called. The other team just stacks the box and even if you get a fair hole off the snap, it doesn't matter because you are completely out-numbered in the running game and the space will close down in no-time flat.

If they were running to the boundaries, I could understand the idea of sustaining better. But trying to bulldoze through the line all the time doesn't allow the blockers much of a chance to create much of a hole, much less sustain blocks. Especially against eight and nine-man fronts.
Click to expand...

Yep. The 5-10 yards behind the LBs was open all game. I think the staff learned a lot in that one game. I expect much better game-planning and in game adjustments going forward. There's multiple ways in RPO to get them off the line and keep them honest even if you don't want the QB to run.
 




Spoofin said:
It's a combination of both. Rhoda does not deserve a pass on his negative impact he had on our run production vs MD. I know you tend to defend Rhoda and so saw your recent post that PJ said there were only a few more read options called beyond the 1 Rhoda kept. That wasn't what I read he said. I read that he said there were only a few more that CR should have kept - implying they had run more than that. I respectfully disagree with PJ's statement that CR should have only pulled back a few of those. Not that I think I know better than PJ (I most certainly don't), but rather I think he is trying to take some of the spotlight off Connor by saying that. But yes, running the same play over and over and over and expecting different results time and time again was the root of the problem Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I read PJ's comment about Rhoda only keeping a couple as ... that's what PJ expects or would hold him accountable for.
 

This is an area where Fleck's extensive experience as an offensive coordinator should be a resource for Ciaroccaa in order to find more effective ways to run the ball.
 


Spoofin said:
It's a combination of both. Rhoda does not deserve a pass on his negative impact he had on our run production vs MD. I know you tend to defend Rhoda and so saw your recent post that PJ said there were only a few more read options called beyond the 1 Rhoda kept. That wasn't what I read he said. I read that he said there were only a few more that CR should have kept - implying they had run more than that. I respectfully disagree with PJ's statement that CR should have only pulled back a few of those. Not that I think I know better than PJ (I most certainly don't), but rather I think he is trying to take some of the spotlight off Connor by saying that. But yes, running the same play over and over and over and expecting different results time and time again was the root of the problem Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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He kept it twice. I know you don't watch them, but Fleck explained it at around the 2:45 mark of the post game presser. Fleck said there were two or three other opportunities where he possibly could have pulled it and ran. Don't think we're in disagreement on that point by Fleck...that's the definition of a handful to me.

It's not about defending Rhoda. If the coach is saying there weren't many opportunities and then follows that up by saying he doesn't want Rhoda to run and he's looking for ways for Rhoda not to run, I assume they're telling Rhoda that same thing a lot more in practice. I think with Croft back, that changes (I hope).
 

PMWinSTP said:
He kept it twice. I know you don't watch them, but Fleck explained it at around the 2:45 mark of the post game presser. Fleck said there were two or three other opportunities where he possibly could have pulled it and ran. Don't think we're in disagreement on that point by Fleck...that's the definition of a handful to me.

It's not about defending Rhoda. If the coach is saying there weren't many opportunities and then follows that up by saying he doesn't want Rhoda to run and he's looking for ways for Rhoda not to run, I assume they're telling Rhoda that same thing a lot more in practice. I think with Croft back, that changes (I hope).
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You are right. He kept it twice. I was forgetting about the one that didn't go too well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

a) Fleck is right.
b) He's still over-simplifying the issue. You can't ask our players to hold their players in place every play without creating some kind of confusion. He needs to come up with a better blocking scheme because right now he's asking our guys to basically hold the defense in place which is not going to work.
 

Fleck also said the backs need to run better, the coaches need to make better calls, etc. etc.
 

Most underrated problem of this season so far has been poor run blocking. The line wasn't even making holes against Buffalo or MTSU, really. 4 YPC in non-con is going to turn into 2.5 YPC in conference play if nothing improves.

Pass blocking has been much better than run blocking.
 

fmlizard said:
Most underrated problem of this season so far has been poor run blocking. The line wasn't even making holes against Buffalo or MTSU, really. 4 YPC in non-con is going to turn into 2.5 YPC in conference play if nothing improves.

Pass blocking has been much better than run blocking.
Click to expand...

Pass blocking is taking two steps back and finding a man, it's all about individual skill and good communication.
Run blocking requires a little more planning and a lot of teamwork.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Fleck also said the backs need to run better, the coaches need to make better calls, etc. etc.
Click to expand...

I wondered when I heard that last part if he really felt they needed to make different play calls. It felt like they had a solution to our play, offense or defense dialed up many times.

Not that the calls could fix a lot of the derps out there because many of the issues were just player level mistakes.... but it would be nice to see them change it up.
 


hello-world said:
Pass blocking is taking two steps back and finding a man, it's all about individual skill and good communication.
Run blocking requires a little more planning and a lot of teamwork.
Click to expand...

I have only a TE's level of blocking knowledge, but run blocking also strikes me as more of a brute strength game. You can finesse your way through pass blocking with good feet and skill and teamwork to some extent, but it's hard to push a big man backwards without size, power, and leverage.
 

A couple of things:
1. Not using a FB has hurt.
2. Our linemen apparently arn't quick enough to pull and block the perimeter. Thus we don't run sideline to sideline ( Cue up Eslinger, Sederstrom, etc under Gordie Shaw)
3. I think not having Wyler has hurt somewhat.
4. Watching the Replay a couple of times I counted 6 times where I'm confident Rhoda could have run the ball . On all those occasions the LB'ers were in the box and pinched in the middle
5. I hope they take the cuffs of Croft and let him play.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
A couple of things:
1. Not using a FB has hurt.
2. Our linemen apparently arn't quick enough to pull and block the perimeter. Thus we don't run sideline to sideline ( Cue up Eslinger, Sederstrom, etc under Gordie Shaw)
3. I think not having Wyler has hurt somewhat.
4. Watching the Replay a couple of times I counted 6 times where I'm confident Rhoda could have run the ball . On all those occasions the LB'ers were in the box and pinched in the middle
5. I hope they take the cuffs of Croft and let him play.
Click to expand...

How would you know?
We haven't tried to pull a lineman all ****ing year.
 

fmlizard said:
Most underrated problem of this season so far has been poor run blocking. The line wasn't even making holes against Buffalo or MTSU, really. 4 YPC in non-con is going to turn into 2.5 YPC in conference play if nothing improves.

Pass blocking has been much better than run blocking.
Click to expand...

It's more or less a numbers game. The reason Rhoda has had wide open passing lanes is because opposing defenses bringing up safeties and crowding up around the LOS. It boils down to a simple numbers game. 5 or 6 blockers going against 7 or 8 means there are no gaps inside. The offensive line may not be "elite" but they're getting way too much blame. Why don't we blame the running backs while we're at it?
 

ruppertflywheel said:
A couple of things:
1. Not using a FB has hurt.
2. Our linemen apparently arn't quick enough to pull and block the perimeter. Thus we don't run sideline to sideline ( Cue up Eslinger, Sederstrom, etc under Gordie Shaw)
3. I think not having Wyler has hurt somewhat.
4. Watching the Replay a couple of times I counted 6 times where I'm confident Rhoda could have run the ball . On all those occasions the LB'ers were in the box and pinched in the middle
5. I hope they take the cuffs of Croft and let him play.
Click to expand...

Ditto all of the above.
 

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