Depth and veteran experience in the secondary

swingman

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With Shenault back out there, Gophs went junior (Shenault), junior (Huff), 5th year senior (McGhee), 5th year senior (Ayinde) in the secondary. Four-star freshman talent Handy-Holly in on nickel. Nice upper classmen/young talent look.

Unit holding its own despite Winfield still out, Thomas still out, Craighton out, Durr still out, Estes (injured?) and Beck redshirts being preserved, Williamson sitting out transfer year.
 

All I know is that McGhee does not help the team win this year. And he obviously can't help the team moving into the future. These are two facts.

Don't know if we have someone better to replace him as an every down safety for the last two games ... or perhaps more importantly, if we make it to a bowl game. But the two above facts still remain.
 

All I know is that McGhee does not help the team win this year. And he obviously can't help the team moving into the future. These are two facts.

Don't know if we have someone better to replace him as an every down safety for the last two games ... or perhaps more importantly, if we make it to a bowl game. But the two above facts still remain.

McGhee doesn't help team win this year? We've had better safeties, but really bad take.
 

All I know is that McGhee does not help the team win this year. And he obviously can't help the team moving into the future. These are two facts.

Don't know if we have someone better to replace him as an every down safety for the last two games ... or perhaps more importantly, if we make it to a bowl game. But the two above facts still remain.

Yeah, he did nothing on that key 4th down stop early in the game. If Neb had gotten that first down and scored, who knows what the rest of the game would have looked like. Ridiculous to say Duke doesn't help team win this year.
He's not a cover type safety, but his run support most of the time is very good. He also brings a toughness to the D.
 

Glad that he had some nice plays against a lowly Nebraska team, one of their worst in recent history.

Where was his run support when he was failing to tackle the Michigan running backs for three long TD runs? Each of those should've been only a long first down run, not a huge TD run.

He's not a cover safety, no kidding? Even Nebraska receivers made him look silly at times.


As I said, if there is no one else, then it is what it is.


I know a lot of you think I'm a troll for hating on Duke. But the guy has simply irked me the last few weeks. Maybe a fire will get lit under his a__. That would be great. Then all of you can call me stupid and a troll. I'll take victories and being called names on an internet message board, any week.
 


Glad that he had some nice plays against a lowly Nebraska team, one of their worst in recent history.

Where was his run support when he was failing to tackle the Michigan running backs for three long TD runs? Each of those should've been only a long first down run, not a huge TD run.

He's not a cover safety, no kidding? Even Nebraska receivers made him look silly at times.


As I said, if there is no one else, then it is what it is.


I know a lot of you think I'm a troll for hating on Duke. But the guy has simply irked me the last few weeks. Maybe a fire will get lit under his a__. That would be great. Then all of you can call me stupid and a troll. I'll take victories and being called names on an internet message board, any week.
Did he take your cookie in the cafeteria?

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Glad that he had some nice plays against a lowly Nebraska team, one of their worst in recent history.

Where was his run support when he was failing to tackle the Michigan running backs for three long TD runs? Each of those should've been only a long first down run, not a huge TD run.

He's not a cover safety, no kidding? Even Nebraska receivers made him look silly at times.


As I said, if there is no one else, then it is what it is.


I know a lot of you think I'm a troll for hating on Duke. But the guy has simply irked me the last few weeks. Maybe a fire will get lit under his a__. That would be great. Then all of you can call me stupid and a troll. I'll take victories and being called names on an internet message board, any week.

I don't think most people are saying he is great or anything. But to say he doesn't help the team at all is ridiculous. In the end it doesn't matter, there is no one to replace him.
 

Glad that he had some nice plays against a lowly Nebraska team, one of their worst in recent history.

Where was his run support when he was failing to tackle the Michigan running backs for three long TD runs? Each of those should've been only a long first down run, not a huge TD run.

He's not a cover safety, no kidding? Even Nebraska receivers made him look silly at times.


As I said, if there is no one else, then it is what it is.


I know a lot of you think I'm a troll for hating on Duke. But the guy has simply irked me the last few weeks. Maybe a fire will get lit under his a__. That would be great. Then all of you can call me stupid and a troll. I'll take victories and being called names on an internet message board, any week.

He was brutal vs Michigan and whiffed bad on the Wadley TD in the Iowa game. Overall he is usually solid against the run and probably the most physical safety we have. But he isn’t going to be able to cover someone as quick as Spielman in the slot.
 

Hate to pick on a team player who gives you all he has, and IS definitely the most physical D back we have (Duke).

Reminds me of Kunle.... oft maligned for a bad game last year.... stuck it out and stayed on program for 5 years...
Now, both of these guys have made some damn big plays for this team. Franky, where would the secondary be without them right now?
 



Not sure why people are trashing on a player doing the best he can with his abilities.
 


He's so bad that Fleck made him a captain yesterday.
 

Glad that he had some nice plays against a lowly Nebraska team, one of their worst in recent history.

Where was his run support when he was failing to tackle the Michigan running backs for three long TD runs? Each of those should've been only a long first down run, not a huge TD run.

He's not a cover safety, no kidding? Even Nebraska receivers made him look silly at times.


<b>As I said, if there is no one else, then it is what it is.</b>


I know a lot of you think I'm a troll for hating on Duke. But the guy has simply irked me the last few weeks. Maybe a fire will get lit under his a__. That would be great. Then all of you can call me stupid and a troll. I'll take victories and being called names on an internet message board, any week.

You may want to research the other options before having this take. Say, for example, the only other options were an injured trFR and a walk-on, would your perception change?


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I don't think most people are saying he is great or anything. But to say he doesn't help the team at all is ridiculous. In the end it doesn't matter, there is no one to replace him.

Well, that was and continues to be my motivation behind my provocations on the subject of Duke, since I've joined the board in the last week.

The resounding answer from posters here is that they believe there truly is no other non-injured, non-true freshman DB on the roster that can replace him.

Can only beat a dead horse for so long ... probably time for me hang up the shovel.


He was brutal vs Michigan and whiffed bad on the Wadley TD in the Iowa game. Overall he is usually solid against the run and probably the most physical safety we have. But he isn’t going to be able to cover someone as quick as Spielman in the slot.

And yet there he stays week after week. Again, seemingly a resounding answer to the question "Is there no one else??"


You may want to research the other options before having this take. Say, for example, the only other options were an injured trFR and a walk-on, would your perception change?

As I've already made clear in multiple threads: I don't want to burn a redshirt.

Looking at the roster, there are 10 guys simply listed as "DB" who are not true freshmen. It doesn't specify who is a corner and who is a safety, and I have no idea how interchangeable those positions are. I also don't know who is not available due to injury, other than Winfield. But the OP provided a lot of nice info, so I include that too.

Duke - senior (starter)
Ayinde - senior (starter)

Williamson - junior (transfer sitting out according to OP)
Huff - junior (starter)
Shenault - junior (starter)

Leius - soph
Craighton - soph (out according to OP)
Winfield - soph (injured)
Durr - soph (out according to OP)

Thomas - R fresh (out according to OP)
Swenson - R fresh

And then there's Handy, whose redshirt is already burned.


I'm assuming Leius is the walk-on you referenced, that still leaves Handy and Swenson who could in theory replace Duke. Yes? Or no, and why not? If you don't know, then you don't know. I don't know. I just know that the coaching staff obviously thinks Duke gives the team a better chance to win than the other two, at this moment.
 

Well, that was and continues to be my motivation behind my provocations on the subject of Duke, since I've joined the board in the last week.

The resounding answer from posters here is that they believe there truly is no other non-injured, non-true freshman DB on the roster that can replace him.

Can only beat a dead horse for so long ... probably time for me hang up the shovel.




And yet there he stays week after week. Again, seemingly a resounding answer to the question "Is there no one else??"




As I've already made clear in multiple threads: I don't want to burn a redshirt.

Looking at the roster, there are XX guys simply listed as "DB" who are not true freshmen. It doesn't specify who is a corner and who is a safety, and I have no idea how interchangeable those positions are. I also don't know who is not available due to injury, other than Winfield. But the OP provided a lot of nice info, so I include that too.

Duke - senior (starter)
Ayinde - senior (starter)

Williamson - junior (transfer sitting out)
Huff - junior (starter)
Shenault - junior (starter)

Leius - soph
Craighton - soph (out according to OP)
Winfield - soph (injured)
Durr - soph (out according to OP)

Thomas - R fresh (out according to OP)
Swenson - R fresh

And then there's Handy, whose redshirt is already burned.


Assuming Leius is the walkon you references, that still leaves Handy and Swenson who could in theory replace Duke. Yes? Or no, and why not? If you don't know, then you don't know. I don't know. I just know that the coaching staff obviously thinks Duke gives the team a better chance to win than the other two, at this moment.

HH was injured and did not play vs MI. He played sparingly vs NE.


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All I know is that McGhee does not help the team win this year. And he obviously can't help the team moving into the future. These are two facts.

Don't know if we have someone better to replace him as an every down safety for the last two games ... or perhaps more importantly, if we make it to a bowl game. But the two above facts still remain.

Wth are you talking about? Is Duke good playing nickel corner? No. Obviously but we have no one else. But when he 2 high and he runs the alley on run support, he is a damn good college safety.
 

Wth are you talking about? Is Duke good playing nickel corner? No. Obviously but we have no one else. But when he 2 high and he runs the alley on run support, he is a damn good college safety.

Yep, he packs a lot of force in run support. Yes, he played poorly vs Michigan, but over the past three years he had numerous good plays.
He has also learned how to tackle better. Still physical, but no targeting this year.
 

I know he is not a db, but good that Celestin was able to take the week off to heal. Hopefully he can be healthy for NW and Wisconsin.
 

I know he is not a db, but good that Celestin was able to take the week off to heal. Hopefully he can be healthy for NW and Wisconsin.

JC13 played most of the game.


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Not sure why people are trashing on a player doing the best he can with his abilities.

+1! Kid is playing his heart out, no need to be a d bag about it. You could say you get frustrated with his coverage limitations or the fact he gets so over aggressive he misses tackles but you can't question his heart. I've got news for you not every player the Gophers have recruited is a 4 or 5 star with 4.4 speed. Your going to have some weak links.
 

Never questioned his heart. My posts aren't personal, in the slightest. I'm sure he's a great kid.

We're talking about business.

I have no doubt he'll play the rest of the season, barring an injury recovery from other players. But if his lack of coverage skills or his lack of ability to tackle a RB who has slipped past linebackers leads to the game-winning TD for NW over the Gophs, and it ends up costing the team a chance at a bowl game, you guys might be singing a different tune ...

Until then, I'm going to shut up about it.
 

I doubt it. And whenever someone says it's not personal....


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Never questioned his heart. My posts aren't personal, in the slightest. I'm sure he's a great kid.

We're talking about business.

I have no doubt he'll play the rest of the season, barring an injury recovery from other players. But if his lack of coverage skills or his lack of ability to tackle a RB who has slipped past linebackers leads to the game-winning TD for NW over the Gophs, and it ends up costing the team a chance at a bowl game, you guys might be singing a different tune ...

Until then, I'm going to shut up about it.
Wow, you must have some real hang up about Duke for some reason.
What about the losses to Maryland, Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State and Michigan? Wouldn't all of those games also have contributed to costing us a bowl game? Why aren't you singling out ind. players from those games and saying they shouldn't be playing anymore?
 




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