All Things Spring Practice 2018 Thread



Man things get quiet around here with no access to practice.

Here's a look at the QB races around the West Division.

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No news is good news or no news is no news?

No news is no news. The U was on spring break this week, so no practices. Should pick back up again during the next week. Stretch and individual sessions open to media next Tuesday, so we'll get a bit of tangible information then. Not a lot, but better than nothing.
 


per Randy:

Spring practice to resume

After taking last week off for spring break, the Gophers return to spring practice with three sessions this week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. On March 27 at 4:45 p.m., the team will hold the first of three practices that are open to the public. The other two are April 3 (4:45 p.m.) and the April 14 spring game (noon).

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...2017-team-scheduled-to-participate/477280983/

Go Gophers!!
 

Rush looks like a very smart player who diagnoses the play, gets to the ball quickly & is a sure tackler. Pretty good looking running back who could play there as a fullback but is too talented on defense to play him there.
 


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Go Gophers!!
 




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I've said it in the past but I really think Morgan will be the starting QB this year. Several on here have knocked his size, but that picture with Sam Darnold in the offseason was telling. He looks a legit 6'1"-6'2", and has a strong arm. He also threw for over 10,000 yards and 100 TDs in high school, he has talent.
 

Here are a few more videos from today:

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I've said it in the past but I really think Morgan will be the starting QB this year. Several on here have knocked his size, but that picture with Sam Darnold in the offseason was telling. He looks a legit 6'1"-6'2", and has a strong arm. He also threw for over 10,000 yards and 100 TDs in high school, he has talent.

I wouldn’t be surprised either. Darnold measured in at 6’ 3” 3/8 at the combine (and he’ll still be listed at 6’4” on the roster next year) and Morgan looked about 2, maybe 2 1/2 inches shorter or so. I don’t care if he’s papa smurf if he can play. I’ve linked a spreadsheet of NFL combine measurables - heights are listed as the last number being in eights of an inch, ie 3 is 3/8ths and so on.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...rK_ZznbRU19sQ1RwKimJ8UhhOY/htmlview?sle=true#

It’s an interesting contrast in styles vs VV. Morgan is pass first/run second and VV looks to be the opposite. Morgan looks to be deadly in the short to intermediate ranges and looks to be more of the pure passer with some scrambling competence.

VV’s athleticism is ridiculous and jumps off the screen. He can pull away from most defensive players. I can imagine an offense based around play action and the zone read, QB draw being pretty incredible. Mitch Leidner on steroids. Can he survive a season?

It will be really interesting to see these guys in the spring game and ultimately what direction Fleck wants to go because they seem like pretty different talents. Maybe he’ll compromise and use VV in packages.

All we have to go on, the Hudls. Compare/contrast - opinions? FYI bonus footage of VV playing some linebacker and special teams if you search his high school edit; he is a legit athlete.

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Uh, Juice week, highlighting one of the most prolific anabolic steroid users ever? Seems like a good idea.

If only there was another crazy famous wrestler with actual ties to the university that we could have used for motivation...

Sorry dude, Vern Gagne passed in 2015.
 

per RandBall:

The candidates are redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan, junior college transfer Vic Viramontes, sophomore Seth Green and true freshman Zack Annexstad. They are all tied in a very important category: Division I passes thrown (zero), meaning this is a true competition in every sense. Fleck has already said he’d prefer to settle on one starter instead of using two QBs this season.

But figuring things out is going to be … fun? That’s at least part of how Fleck is approaching it.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do there. We have a bunch of guys that have never thrown a pass in college football. That’s not an excuse, that’s just reality,” Fleck said Tuesday evening at the conclusion of practice. “That’s the fun of it. We get to develop from the ground up. But I think we’re making strides. … We have to take major, major steps forward as we continue in the spring.”

http://www.startribune.com/u-coach-...-building-starting-qb-from-scratch/477525923/

Go Gophers!!
 

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This might be wishful thinking but it seems Morgan and Viramontes are both better quarterbacks than what we had last year. Tanner being a better thrower than Rhoda and can run a little bit in the option and Vic being a good or better runner than Demry and can throw the ball.
 

This might be wishful thinking but it seems Morgan and Viramontes are both better quarterbacks than what we had last year. Tanner being a better thrower than Rhoda and can run a little bit in the option and Vic being a good or better runner than Demry and can throw the ball.

We hit rock bottom at QB last year. It can only be better this year.
 




This might be wishful thinking but it seems Morgan and Viramontes are both better quarterbacks than what we had last year. Tanner being a better thrower than Rhoda and can run a little bit in the option and Vic being a good or better runner than Demry and can throw the ball.

Where are you seeing this?
 

Couple questions. Practice is open to the public this coming Tuesday as I understand it. What is the earliest time that we are allowed in? Now that we are in the new facility, do we enter through the main doors of the new facility as opposed to the side door to the old indoor complex like in the past?
 

Has PJ ever given a reason for closed practices?

He's talked about being paranoid about spies viewing practices, and recently said how it's great that in the new facilities he can control who sees them practicing. Back in my days at the U of Florida, spying on opponents was done all the time. I'm sure it happens in the Big Ten as well (and at least when it comes to the Patriots, in the NFL too).
 

He's talked about being paranoid about spies viewing practices, and recently said how it's great that in the new facilities he can control who sees them practicing. Back in my days at the U of Florida, spying on opponents was done all the time. I'm sure it happens in the Big Ten as well (and at least when it comes to the Patriots, in the NFL too).

I've been a Gopher fan all my life. I'm not sure St. Thomas would need to spy on Gopher practice to have a good game plan against us.
 

He's talked about being paranoid about spies viewing practices, and recently said how it's great that in the new facilities he can control who sees them practicing. Back in my days at the U of Florida, spying on opponents was done all the time. I'm sure it happens in the Big Ten as well (and at least when it comes to the Patriots, in the NFL too).

Please tell me that this is a joke (about being paranoid about people watching our practices).
 




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