STrib: Antoine Winfield Jr., shutdown safety: all signs point to redshirt season

BleedGopher

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per Randy:

Since early in the Sept. 30 game against Maryland, the Gophers have been without their best defensive player, according to coach P.J. Fleck. Sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. aggravated a hamstring injury against the Terrapins and has not played since.

On Tuesday, Fleck said Winfield still is rehabbing the injury to his left hamstring and is not practicing but taking part in “small things at the end of practice.” That makes the likelihood stronger that he won’t play again this season, and that the Gophers will seek a medical redshirt for Winfield so he can preserve a year of eligibility.

“We’re never going to put Antoine on the field until he’s ready,” Fleck said.

During his WCCO Radio appearance on Sunday, Fleck said team doctors were “very confident” that Winfield would qualify for a medical redshirt.

http://www.startribune.com/antoine-...all-signs-point-to-redshirt-season/457607473/

Go Gophers!!
 

Really a shame that this happened.

I selfishly hope that this young man values education and finishing his degree up front so that we have him on the field for four years.
 

Glad he can get a medical redshirt.


Purely from curiosity, I would love to know if any researchers have done in-dept scientific studies into why hamstrings pull/tear so much, in the first place. And wonder if there will ever be a method/procedure/something to significantly reduce that from happening, one day.
 

If you assume there's no way he stays on campus three more years, it's frustrating to ponder if he could've played this year.
 

Is there any chance Kiondre plays again?

Is there any chance Durr plays again? If not, he gets a redshirt year back, right?
 


This is a 100% blessing in disguise. AWjr will be a leader on the defense for the next three years. I think things are coming together!
 

Glad he can get a medical redshirt.


Purely from curiosity, I would love to know if any researchers have done in-dept scientific studies into why hamstrings pull/tear so much, in the first place. And wonder if there will ever be a method/procedure/something to significantly reduce that from happening, one day.

Obviously need a better S&C coach
 

Obviously need a better S&C coach

things should be better now with a new S and C director. Any change from Klein had to be positive. However the hamstring can be a difficult muscle to manage. Individual strength and stretching exercises are always adjusted for each player. Apparently they missed on the diagnosis for Winfield. Sad
 

things should be better now with a new S and C director. Any change from Klein had to be positive. However the hamstring can be a difficult muscle to manage. Individual strength and stretching exercises are always adjusted for each player. Apparently they missed on the diagnosis for Winfield. Sad

Hey Pete - let us know what aspects of Klein's S&C program you disagreed with the most. Clearly you have some details and know what you are talking about. Too much bench press? Thanks.


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If Winfield gets the medical redshirt, does he play two years, graduate, and then play his last year as a graduate transfer somewhere else?
 


Not really. There are many examples of quality football players taking their grad transfer options elsewhere. The most famous being Russell Wilson. It's not a dumb question at all. It may be a question you don't want to think about, however. Funny enough, I bet you would have no problem with PJ bringing in a quality grad transfer.
 

Not really. There are many examples of quality football players taking their grad transfer options elsewhere. The most famous being Russell Wilson. It's not a dumb question at all. It may be a question you don't want to think about, however. Funny enough, I bet you would have no problem with PJ bringing in a quality grad transfer.

I think we know it can happen, but not sure why we would even feel the need to think much about it right now.
 



I think we know it can happen, but not sure why we would even feel the need to think much about it right now.
We have asked that question about others that redshirt. I agree that at present the answer is far off, but if MN isn't trending toward elite and Winfield is still playing an elite game, does anyone think he wouldn't entertain the NFL or an elite college team as a graduate?
 

Is there any chance Kiondre plays again?

Is there any chance Durr plays again? If not, he gets a redshirt year back, right?

Probably? Don't know mich about Kiondre's situation.

I would hope Durr qualifies for a medical redshirt. He meets all the criteria as long as the doc will sign off on it and that shouldn't be a problem. All he has to do is watch the game tape. He clearly was not able to function in a football sense, i.e. incapacitated, when he was put in late on Purdue's game-winning drive to save Harris's redshirt. Add in second, third opinions, more rehab, maybe a second procedure if needed and that eats up the rest of the season. Hopefully he can make it all the way back for 2018 and be a player for us.
 

We have asked that question about others that redshirt. I agree that at present the answer is far off, but if MN isn't trending toward elite and Winfield is still playing an elite game, does anyone think he wouldn't entertain the NFL or an elite college team as a graduate?

Oh, I think NFL is the first option if he's that elite.
Didn't know this was a "usual question".
 

Probably? Don't know mich about Kiondre's situation.

I would hope Durr qualifies for a medical redshirt. He meets all the criteria as long as the doc will sign off on it and that shouldn't be a problem. All he has to do is watch the game tape. He clearly was not able to function in a football sense, i.e. incapacitated, when he was put in late on Purdue's game-winning drive to save Harris's redshirt. Add in second, third opinions, more rehab, maybe a second procedure if needed and that eats up the rest of the season. Hopefully he can make it all the way back for 2018 and be a player for us.

“We’re never going to put Antoine on the field until he’s ready,” Fleck said.

I find it amusing that Fleck says this, when clearly the same thought process did not apply to Durr against Purdue.
 

“We’re never going to put Antoine on the field until he’s ready,” Fleck said.

I find it amusing that Fleck says this, when clearly the same thought process did not apply to Durr against Purdue.

+1
 

I would assume and hope that no Gopher player, including Durr, even dresses (wearing pads and uniform on the sideline) for the game unless "he's ready" and the team docs have signed off on that. Maybe he tweaked it on the first play he was back in? Or maybe he thought he was ready and turns out he wasn't ready for game speed?
 

“We’re never going to put Antoine on the field until he’s ready,” Fleck said.

I find it amusing that Fleck says this, when clearly the same thought process did not apply to Durr against Purdue.

I have a sneaking suspicion Sr. has had a say in all this.
 

I would assume and hope that no Gopher player, including Durr, even dresses (wearing pads and uniform on the sideline) for the game unless "he's ready" and the team docs have signed off on that. Maybe he tweaked it on the first play he was back in? Or maybe he thought he was ready and turns out he wasn't ready for game speed?

Reports out of camp said he was obviously not able to run without a limp. If he couldn't run in a straight line at full speed then cutting is likely to be compromised and both were obvious at Purdue. It was a wierd deal. I think it was wishful thinking from all involved. Maybe he tweaked it in warmups but I find that less convincing given the camp reports. He just wasn't ready.
 

If true, then that's disappointing. I suppose also possible that Fleck simply takes the team docs at their word and the docs maybe bent the outcome of the evaluation a bit, and/or perhaps were "convinced" by Durr himself?

If a kid really wants to play, says he can play, and passes the test ... tough to say "nope, sorry you're 'not ready'"
 

Let's stop pretending that PJ may not have know about Durr. Please. PJ doesn't pay attention at practice? Has Durr played since? That was to save a redshirt late in a game. Period. May have cost us the game too. Good HOW tho.


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As I said, a player should only be dressed in pads and uniform on the sideline if "he's ready" (to be put into the game). If he truly wasn't ready, then he should not have been dressed, such that Fleck could put him in.

Seems like a pretty standard thing that most coaches would implement, so unless sufficient evidence is available otherwise, I'm going with Durr was not forced against his will to dress for the game.
 

As I said, a player should only be dressed in pads and uniform on the sideline if "he's ready" (to be put into the game). If he truly wasn't ready, then he should not have been dressed, such that Fleck could put him in.

Seems like a pretty standard thing that most coaches would implement, so unless sufficient evidence is available otherwise, I'm going with Durr was not forced against his will to dress for the game.

PJ said after the game that CD was 80%. He knew the score. Forced against his will? No. But the fact that PJ put him in was not his finest moment. Not by a long shot.


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As I said, a player should only be dressed in pads and uniform on the sideline if "he's ready" (to be put into the game). If he truly wasn't ready, then he should not have been dressed, such that Fleck could put him in.

Seems like a pretty standard thing that most coaches would implement, so unless sufficient evidence is available otherwise, I'm going with Durr was not forced against his will to dress for the game.

Obviously not. The better question is whether he was the best player to put in there at a critical juncture of the game. They targeted him and were able to hit the long pass leading to the go ahead score and the rest is history. Would the game have turned differently if someone else had played? Unknowable. Maybe Harris didn't even travel. Maybe Durr was lighting it up in practice and something snapped on his first pivot. I don't know. The team probably knows.
 

Neither of you guys are wrong.

I would simply add that "he's ready" doesn't necessarily have to mean 100%, first morning of fall camp, fresh. Some guys can play well enough at 80% to get the job done.

Sure, not wanting to burn a redshirt is an important factor. But coach might've also just wanted to go with a guy who had game experience. Tough deal to throw a true fresh right into the heat of a critical battle, for his first ever reps in the Big Ten.
 

Hey Pete - let us know what aspects of Klein's S&C program you disagreed with the most. Clearly you have some details and know what you are talking about. Too much bench press? Thanks.


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Yes please do tell Pete Smith.


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Neither of you guys are wrong.

I would simply add that "he's ready" doesn't necessarily have to mean 100%, first morning of fall camp, fresh. Some guys can play well enough at 80% to get the job done.

Sure, not wanting to burn a redshirt is an important factor. But coach might've also just wanted to go with a guy who had game experience. Tough deal to throw a true fresh right into the heat of a critical battle, for his first ever reps in the Big Ten.

He'd played in one half of a bowl game dude. Hadn't practiced full go all summer.

Either you're totally new to college football or you're a subtle troll. I'll go with the former for now.
 

He'd played in one half of a bowl game dude. Hadn't practiced full go all summer.

Either you're totally new to college football or you're a subtle troll. I'll go with the former for now.

I'm having a tough time deciding that myself.
 




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