The State News: MSU pass rush facing big test against Minnesota's offensive line

BleedGopher

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per The State News:

Last year the Spartans finished the season with 11 sacks, the lowest in the Big Ten. Through five games this season, the Spartans already have 13.

If the Spartans want to continue that trend, they'll have a challenge against Minnesota on the road, a team that has allowed just one sack on the year and is averaging 0.2 sacks per game.

“Averaging 0.2 sacks a game is obviously incredible,” sophomore linebacker Kenny Willekes said. “So that kind of gives us a goal and makes us want to get out there and see if we can get a couple on them.”

Minnesota quarterback Conor Rhoda’s capability to get the ball quickly out of his hands is an instrumental part in the Golden Gophers’ ability to limit sacks on Rhoda.

“He gets rid of the ball ... so we’re going to do what we do,” co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett said. “When we get to him, we’ve got to get him down on the ground — wrap him, squeeze him and get him down. But more than that, you’ve got to have good coverage, make it hard for him, make the windows tough for him, and then maybe we’ll get a chance to get to him.”

http://statenews.com/article/2017/10/pressuring-qb

Go Gophers!!
 

But our line is so bad, how is this even possible? Inexperienced, inferior athletes, with no depth...gotta be a misprint. Do we even have 5 linemen? It’s a miracle.
Our QB has no time to pass, our QB has to run for his life and he’s not mobile.
Tired of all the bogus excuses.
 

Pass pro has been the biggest area of improvement I've seen on the team this year. Warriner has really done a fantastic job in that area - or Ciaroccia's schemes make for an easier job in pass pro. Line has really struggled transitioning to a zone running scheme, however. Greene, in particular is having a rough time of it...I see him in the backfield often.
 

I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team. Utilize your strengths. No wide receivers? Put Smith out wide, put McCrary and Brooks in the backfield and Rhoda under center. Play catch on wideout screens with Smith, jet sweeps with Smith, slant screens with Smith etc Pound them with McCrary and Brooks. Motion Brooks and Smith, trade positions during the play. Etc etc we have weapons!!!
 

I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team. Utilize your strengths. No wide receivers? Put Smith out wide, put McCrary and Brooks in the backfield and Rhoda under center. Play catch on wideout screens with Smith, jet sweeps with Smith, slant screens with Smith etc Pound them with McCrary and Brooks. Motion Brooks and Smith, trade positions during the play. Etc etc we have weapons!!!

Or is it concievable that other coaches play the expectation game too?
 



I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team. Utilize your strengths. No wide receivers? Put Smith out wide, put McCrary and Brooks in the backfield and Rhoda under center. Play catch on wideout screens with Smith, jet sweeps with Smith, slant screens with Smith etc Pound them with McCrary and Brooks. Motion Brooks and Smith, trade positions during the play. Etc etc we have weapons!!!

This is what I was thinking as well. Find a way to get McCrary a bit more involved in the backfield and get Smith out in space. Use Lingen and Johnson as much as possible. Does Williams have enough speed to be a jet speed guy?
 

I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team. Utilize your strengths. No wide receivers? Put Smith out wide, put McCrary and Brooks in the backfield and Rhoda under center. Play catch on wideout screens with Smith, jet sweeps with Smith, slant screens with Smith etc Pound them with McCrary and Brooks. Motion Brooks and Smith, trade positions during the play. Etc etc we have weapons!!!

Those sound like trick plays. There is another thread hoping we run a few of those plays u mentioned. But, as has been a repeated mantra of the Flecksters....our o line sucks so we can't do anything. It of course has nothing to do with Fleck getting out coached.


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I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team. Utilize your strengths. No wide receivers? Put Smith out wide, put McCrary and Brooks in the backfield and Rhoda under center. Play catch on wideout screens with Smith, jet sweeps with Smith, slant screens with Smith etc Pound them with McCrary and Brooks. Motion Brooks and Smith, trade positions during the play. Etc etc we have weapons!!!

You are right on with this. My concern is that PJF is not that flexible. He has stayed vanilla for 5 games. Hope I am wrong.
 



I guess my point is that it takes the other team to hear any positives about our team.

How often do you hear other players and coaches talk about how bad the Gophers are? And we've been bad plenty ....

I recall other B1G coaches talking up Brewster.
 

Those sound like trick plays. There is another thread hoping we run a few of those plays u mentioned. But, as has been a repeated mantra of the Flecksters....our o line sucks so we can't do anything. It of course has nothing to do with Fleck getting out coached.


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Do you think our OL is good? I wouldn't really call jet sweeps and screens trick plays.

Either way, the thing about trick plays is if they try a few and they go badly, many will be questioning why we aren't just sticking to the basics.
 

Do you think our OL is good? I wouldn't really call jet sweeps and screens trick plays.

Either way, the thing about trick plays is if they try a few and they go badly, many will be questioning why we aren't just sticking to the basics.

I think that one of the reasons our O line looks like it does, is the fact that the offense is so vanilla. As a result, the defense just plays the run. It is extremely difficult to block d linemen when they know the play before the ball is snapped. By keeping the defense guessing, it certainly makes blocking easier and can open up other plays. But when all you do is the read option with the rb keeping the ball, it is like pee-wee playing varsity.

Listen, I believe Fleck is playing not to lose, but this coaching method will not work in the big 10. Hell, when I was in high school we would run reverses. Are you telling me that college level athletes are too stupid or unathletic to run a reverse? I don't buy it. We are not going to win games trying to plow the ball up the middle 2 out of 3 plays. Fleck needs to open things up. I'm not talking about running fly routes on first and 10, but do some of the plays mentioned by 60's guy.
 




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