AP: Local ties give Gophers young core to build around

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
60,579
Reaction score
15,656
Points
113
per the AP:

For the Gophers, that starts with a group of sophomores on defense that has grown up quickly. Thomas Barber, Carter Coughlin, Kamal Martin and Antoine Winfield Jr. are all Minnesota natives. They’re close friends and roommates. They represent the strength of the program as it tries to progress under Fleck into 2018.

“We tried to set a tone and keep the Minnesota kids in Minnesota, make them want to play for Minnesota,” said Barber, whose older brothers, Marion III (2001-04) and Dominique (2004-07), played for the Gophers in years when in-state recruiting was less successful.

Barber, who has manned of the inside linebacker spots, is second in the Big Ten with 108 tackles. Coughlin, who was moved to defensive end this season to maximize as much of the team’s young talent as possible, is sixth in the league with 6 sacks and tied for seventh with 11 tackles for loss.

Martin, who was a quarterback and a safety at Burnsville High School and now playing outside linebacker, is third on the team with 6 tackles for loss to go with two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. Winfield, the son of former Minnesota Vikings standout Antoine Winfield, started the first four games at one of the safety positions before a hamstring injury put him in line for a medical redshirt.

“All amazing guys. All amazing people,” Martin said.

There’s also junior linebacker Blake Cashman, the team’s pass-rushing specialist who was an Eden Prairie High School teammate of Coughlin and Winfield, whose family later moved to Texas. Cashman has five tackles for loss and two sacks.

“We want to keep all the Minnesota guys home. I think that’s really important, and it’s a special thing too because you get a lot of support from the community and the fans as well,” Cashman said.

https://www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-gophers-defense-sophomores-local-players-112117

Go Gophers!!
 

Keeping the core group of top level talent will be key to the success of Gopher Football program.

Of course, we won't be able to nudge certain players who made up their minds to leave the state like Jacob Smith now or James Onwalu (ND), J.C. Hassenauer (Ala), Frank Ragnow (Ark - should have never lost him), Jashon Cornell (tOSU) in previous class.
 




Top Bottom