Scoops5
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I write this while watching the end of the fourth quarter of the Little Brown Jug game and trying to calmly and collectively analyze a point of the season many have overlooked or haven't articulated enough.
The offensive line had allowed 8 sacks in 8 games prior to the Michigan game and I believe they added a few tonight. Regardless, it is a deceptive stat because the O-Line's youth and inadequacy has been a prime reason why this team is short, I would say, a couple wins (and I'm not saying Michigan should have been one, we can see the talent doesn't match up).
I'm not ripping the O-Line, but just pointing something out. Usually, a strong running game has been the reason for any type of success the Gophers have had in the last couple decades. And I think we can all agree from past seasons, Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks and Kobe McCrary are competent, above average halfbacks. But I'm positive all of their yardages, yards per carries, etc. are down in comparison to last season (I know someone will statcheck me on this, but I'm basing this on the eye test of watching every game this season). And it doesn't look like any of Smith, Brooks and McCrary's skill sets have weakened.
So what does it mean? It means a part of your game that should be its backbone during a coaching transition forces more out of a QB depth chart that didn't get any reps behind Leidner because we couldn't blow out cupcake teams during the Kill/Claeys years. And while said QBs may get some time trying to pass when the line is holding, we all know Minnesota has never been a Wide Receiver destination. The result is many broken plays, a lot of thrown away passes to avoid sacks (which looks good in the statsbook) and a huge weight on an injured/youth-forced-into-playing defense.
I know that was long-winded, but I get tired of all the other prognostications about why this team losing.
To me, this team wouldn't be different with Claeys as coach. It wouldn't be different if they had Joe Montana at QB. In the past seasons, recruiting couldn't keep replenishing the roster in spite of some winning seasons and winning some rivalry trophies and it shows. Especially in the offensive line of a run-first program.
The offensive line had allowed 8 sacks in 8 games prior to the Michigan game and I believe they added a few tonight. Regardless, it is a deceptive stat because the O-Line's youth and inadequacy has been a prime reason why this team is short, I would say, a couple wins (and I'm not saying Michigan should have been one, we can see the talent doesn't match up).
I'm not ripping the O-Line, but just pointing something out. Usually, a strong running game has been the reason for any type of success the Gophers have had in the last couple decades. And I think we can all agree from past seasons, Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks and Kobe McCrary are competent, above average halfbacks. But I'm positive all of their yardages, yards per carries, etc. are down in comparison to last season (I know someone will statcheck me on this, but I'm basing this on the eye test of watching every game this season). And it doesn't look like any of Smith, Brooks and McCrary's skill sets have weakened.
So what does it mean? It means a part of your game that should be its backbone during a coaching transition forces more out of a QB depth chart that didn't get any reps behind Leidner because we couldn't blow out cupcake teams during the Kill/Claeys years. And while said QBs may get some time trying to pass when the line is holding, we all know Minnesota has never been a Wide Receiver destination. The result is many broken plays, a lot of thrown away passes to avoid sacks (which looks good in the statsbook) and a huge weight on an injured/youth-forced-into-playing defense.
I know that was long-winded, but I get tired of all the other prognostications about why this team losing.
To me, this team wouldn't be different with Claeys as coach. It wouldn't be different if they had Joe Montana at QB. In the past seasons, recruiting couldn't keep replenishing the roster in spite of some winning seasons and winning some rivalry trophies and it shows. Especially in the offensive line of a run-first program.