All Things Fall Camp Thread 2018

I caught an interview with Vikings Coach Zimmer from training camp today. he was talking about the offensive line, and made two main points:
1. it's a big jump from playing OL in college to the NFL, because the schemes and techniques are very different, and there is a learning curve.
2. the OL functions as a unit, and you have to be able to fit in with that unit - so individual talent is important, but Zimmer said it's more important to mesh with the other four guys on the line.

So, Faalele may be a great raw talent, but the NFL is no sure thing. Greg Eslinger was one of the best OL in the country his senior year. He lasted 1 year in the NFL. I hope Faalele turns out to be a great player - but the NFL should be the last thing that he is thinking about right now. If it happens, more power to him. But the #1 concern for the Gopher coaches should be winning games for the Gophers - not prepping guys for the NFL.

Good take. He has very little experience even playing football so the idea he will be NFL ready in three years is a stretch. Good for him if he does it but I'm thinking the man will be around for 5.
 

Agree SON!

He has massive size and raw strength. It should surprise nobody if it takes him 2-3 years to refine that into strength in the various blocking techniques he’ll need to employ to be an all Big Ten OT.

Developing fast, technically sound footwork and fast, powerful hand punching with proper hand position will be critical! Those things are far different than just leaning on guys and cow tipping them into the ground, like you can sometimes get away with in high school.
 

I caught an interview with Vikings Coach Zimmer from training camp today. he was talking about the offensive line, and made two main points:
1. it's a big jump from playing OL in college to the NFL, because the schemes and techniques are very different, and there is a learning curve.
2. the OL functions as a unit, and you have to be able to fit in with that unit - so individual talent is important, but Zimmer said it's more important to mesh with the other four guys on the line.

So, Faalele may be a great raw talent, but the NFL is no sure thing. Greg Eslinger was one of the best OL in the country his senior year. He lasted 1 year in the NFL. I hope Faalele turns out to be a great player - but the NFL should be the last thing that he is thinking about right now. If it happens, more power to him. But the #1 concern for the Gopher coaches should be winning games for the Gophers - not prepping guys for the NFL.

I agree that winning is the most important but prepping guys for the NFL is also very important. Many top high school recruits have aspirations to play in the NFL and want to play for the coaches that can develop them for the NFL. Look no farther than Minnesota's top two OL recruits this year. Or Ragnow a few years back. This is also why at least on paper, Fleck is having success recruiting WRs to Minnesota.
 

Here's a hot take for you: Spahn-Ford will have a long, financially rewarding NFL career..........as a 6'6" 315 lb. left tackle.

With the hands he has, there may be plenty of tackle eligible plays in his future then.
 

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per Randy:

To Kirk Ciarrocca, a football offense can be a thing of beauty, something to appreciate and savor.

“It’s kind of like an orchestra,” the Gophers offensive coordinator said Tuesday. “Everybody’s got to play together and stay in tune. An orchestra sounds terrible when one person is not in tune.”

And six practices into Gophers training camp, Ciarrocca isn’t ready to equate his offense to the New York Philharmonic, but he sees signs of his charges being capable of making some good music.

“The thing I’m encouraged about in these first few practices is their ability to retain,” Ciarrocca said. “When we started training camp, they were better than they were at the end of spring ball. There’s a summer program, but they run it. They organize the whole thing. We [coaches] can’t be with them at all.

“That was the first thing that jumped out at me, and that’s what I wanted to see.”

How well Ciarrocca’s offense will perform hinges on the two young quarterbacks — redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan and true freshman Zack Annexstad — who are competing for the starting job. Both have been resilient while absorbing the offense.

“There’s a lot on their plate mentally,” Ciarrocca said. “The thing I’ve been impressed most about is they’ve been able to handle it. Has it been perfect? No. But usually, if a quarterback melts down, it just looks awful out there. He can’t do anything right. I’ve not seen that yet, and that’s encouraging, that’s exciting.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...k-ciarrocca-encouraged-by-progress/490316691/

Go Gophers!!
 

I’ve heard this as well. I think there are always a few in every class who never pan out though.

There are also a few where the lights come on later and tear it up.
 

Again, for anyone heading out to practice I would love to hear your perspective on what you see from the team! (specifically the OL and DL :cool:)
 

August 10th, 2018

P.J. Fleck on the progress of the quarterbacks: <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

P.J. Fleck on why the team went to Beyonce/Jay-Z on Wednesday night: <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bailey Schoenfelder talking about how special getting his scholarship was + his background into how he arrived at Minnesota: <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Photos from practice: http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?83260-Photos-from-August-10th-practice
 



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Has Fleck given any subtle indicators as to who the starting quarterback will be? Perhaps in practice some observers may be able to tell if one of the candidates gets the lions share of reps.

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Don't think so...going to try to get over there for today's practice but won't be able to get there until around 4:30 if I go. Both look a lot better than the two choices last year at this same point.
 

Has Fleck given any subtle indicators as to who the starting quarterback will be? Perhaps in practice some observers may be able to tell if one of the candidates gets the lions share of reps.

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No idea what fleck does, but I would track their statistics, whichever one is doing better stats wise in camp gets the first snap on Aug 30th. from there, play them both in the first couple of games and start gathering in game snaps. By the end of game three, pick the one that's doing better stats wise in game and stick with them through conference play.

I'm assuming the stats will have a high correlation with how well the offense does under their helm. Doubt Fleck does it exactly like this though, he likes to look at intangibles as well.
 

My understanding is that Annexstad has a cleaner, quicker arm motion on the pass and can get the ball further down field AND with more accuracy. He also has shown a better "2-minute drill" performance. Between the Spring Game and open practices, Annexstad has had zero turnovers, while Morgan has had multiple picks and fumbles. Morgan appears to have a better grasp of the playbook, though that's to be expected. I was guessing Morgan as starter in two weeks with Annexstad sharing time and later taking over, but now I'm think Annexstad is the man until a red-shirt Clark is ready to challenge him. Either way, nice to know that they're both upgrades from the last couple of seasons and similar enough that an untimely injury won't likely be more than a hiccup.
 

If the ball is truly the program and they're going to get the same reps, I would think the guy who commits the least amount of turnovers will get the first nod

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Wasn’t there an open practice scheduled for today? Did anyone go?
 

Wasn’t there an open practice scheduled for today? Did anyone go?

Got there about 4:15. Again, both QBs look comfortable with the offense. Annexstad had a beautiful 40-yard throw to TJ for a TD. Coverage was tight and Zack put it in a nice spot for Johnson. Very next series Morgan hit Green to the left side for a TD. Highly contested but Seth muscled it in for the catch. Morgan's throw was a little wobbly and more lofted. Zack definitely has a quick delivery and continues to be the better down field passer. Both looked good in the 2-minute drills.

D got good pressure...even knocked down a Morgan pass in the backfield. I think they will be just fine this year.

Green again lined up wide left at WR. Did so even in a regular set with TE in. He did all position drills with the WRs. I would say that's where he'll play as the 4th WR behind Johnson, Bateman and Douglas. He was the 4th WR in the 2-minute drills when they went with 4 WRs. Douglas a full participant today.

Fleck runs a tight practice...he has his voice back. BTN and DT 39 were at the practice.
 
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Not sure if this is a new tidbit but Kirk Ciarrocca said on BTN tonight that Ibrahim was the solid #2 RB coming out of spring ball and so for through camp.
 





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