All Things Fall Camp Thread 2018

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per Greder:

QB IMPRESSIONS

The quarterback battle between Morgan and Zack Annexstad doesn’t feel like it’s between a pair of freshmen, Fleck said. Morgan is an early-enrollee redshirt freshman, while Annexstad is an early-enrollee true freshmen.

“I don’t sense any freshmen nerves, anxiety,” Fleck said. “They don’t make freshmen mistakes. They make mistakes; they’re not making freshmen mistakes. They are making 400 level mistakes.”

This early assessment comes after only three practices, with the first full-padded practices set for next week.

“We aren’t even close to where we can play a game yet,” Fleck said. “But as a coach you sit there and go, ‘Oh, boy, this is going to be a long year’ (or) you sit there and go, ‘OK, we’ve got a chance.’ ”

https://www.twincities.com/2018/08/...y-smith-in-reach-of-all-purpose-yards-record/

Go Gophers!!
 

Art Sitkowski was rated higher than Zack Annexstad. I think Zack was a steal in last year's recruiting class. I am looking forward to his development and the competition between him and Tanner Morgan.
 


per Randy:

Four days into training camp, P.J. Fleck gave the public its first view of his second Gophers football team, with Saturday’s open training camp practice at the new indoor facility.

On display was a team with some roughness around the edges, but one that also appears to more advanced so far than the squad in Fleck’s first year in Dinkytown.

“We have force-fed the information. We have not gone at a slow pace,’’ Fleck said, pointing to the fact that he and his staff already have installed the third-down offense. “… Last year, we were just spoon-feeding them. And sometimes they’d spit it out. And we’d have to get it around their mouth and put it back in. That’s part of learning.’’

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...ling-squad-on-an-accelerated-curve/490077831/

Go Gophers!!
 

per Randy:

Sapp sits out practice

Fleck said true freshman defensive back Benny Sapp III was held out of practice as a precaution after he “tweaked’’ a knee. “He really had a good start to camp,’’ Fleck said. “It’s nothing serious, but I want to make sure we’re way overprotective with him than aggressive.’’

Sapp twice tore the ACL in his left knee and last year missed all but two games for Eden Prairie because of a torn meniscus in that same knee.

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...ling-squad-on-an-accelerated-curve/490077831/

Go Gophers!!
 


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Go Gophers!!
 


BleedGopher said:
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Go Gophers!!
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Watching the QB's on that clip, it appears ZA has a shorter windup / quicker release.

I'm not a QB expert.
 

It's going to be tough for kids to crack the lineup at WR and RB this year.

My assumption is the two freshman are both solid RB's, not to mention the SR who will get as many carries as he can handle.
WR sounds deep if they all stay healthy, so another good problem to have.
 



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Go Gophers!!
 

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!
 

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Go Gophers!!
 

John Galt said:
I went to camp today and here are a few observations:

1. I think Morgan has the slight edge on Annexstad, but it's pretty close. Neither QB is going to wow anyone and throw it 40 yards downfield, but I was impressed with their accuracy. Pretty much every ball I saw them throw was right where it needed to be and I didn't see either throw a pick.

2. Bryce Williams looked really good at RB. Edmonds as well. I could see both of them getting time as the #2 this year.

3. Demetrius Douglas looked really, really good. He gets open, catches everything, and can take it to the races after the catch. He will be a playmaker for us this year.

4. Bell and Bateman were also impressive and made some plays. I think our top 4 WRs will be TJ, DD, CAB and RB. It will be the best group we've had a in a while.

5. Brevyn Spann-Ford has NFL potential. By far the most physically impressive freshman at TE.

6. We finally have a DE with legit size in Otomewo. I think he starts and plays a lot this year.

7. Terrell Smith seemed to get a lot of action and looked good. I think he plays this year at CB.
Click to expand...

Really solid report full of good news. THNX
 



John Galt said:
It’s pretty obvious if you look at the roster, but I’m not going to call them out.
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Well, you already did. Given there were 4 MN guys in 2017 and one of them was Andries that leaves London, Bursch, and Mafe. Mafe doesn’t seem like a charity case since he didn’t commit until well after PJ was hired and he seems like a physical specimen everyone acknowledged needs to be developed. What did you see that makes you think he won’t see the field?
 

BleedGopher said:
per Randy:

Sapp sits out practice

Fleck said true freshman defensive back Benny Sapp III was held out of practice as a precaution after he “tweaked’’ a knee. “He really had a good start to camp,’’ Fleck said. “It’s nothing serious, but I want to make sure we’re way overprotective with him than aggressive.’’

Sapp twice tore the ACL in his left knee and last year missed all but two games for Eden Prairie because of a torn meniscus in that same knee.

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...ling-squad-on-an-accelerated-curve/490077831/

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Crap. Hopefully the bolded is accurate.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Well, you already did. Given there were 4 MN guys in 2017 and one of them was Andries that leaves London, Bursch, and Mafe. Mafe doesn’t seem like a charity case since he didn’t commit until well after PJ was hired and he seems like a physical specimen everyone acknowledged needs to be developed. What did you see that makes you think he won’t see the field?
Click to expand...

It’s not Mafe
 


Face The Facts said:
Watching the QB's on that clip, it appears ZA has a shorter windup / quicker release.

I'm not a QB expert.
Click to expand...

Correct. I was there and he definitely has a more compact motion. As JG said, they look even, especially in the timed, quick short passes. Zack was better with the down field throws...more on the money with that same quick release. Morgan does a slight double clutch on those longer throws. I also noticed Annexstad would go talk with the receivers from time to time during practice...did not really see Morgan do the same until the end of practice when they all got together to do some extra pass drills.

Brought this up before...and not a knock on him in any way...Morgan is not 6'2" as listed. Annexstad is a good 3 inches taller than Morgan and he's listed at 6'3". Saw Morgan and Douglas side by side and they are the same height.

TJ and DD looked ready to roll. Seth Green looks the part of an athletic TE...had one drop that I saw but has nice soft receiving hands IMO.

You can't appreciate the size of some of these guys until you are up close. Femi-Cole really has the bruising RB build, hope he gets more chances. Jake Paulson is big and moves well for a TE. Faalel is massive. Think bigger version of Jeff Wills...
 

Pompous Elitist said:
You have no trouble calling out other players, I’m not sure why you’re being so coy. Spill it.
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PJ has been criticized for omitting special teams players from the number of seniors on the team. I think you may have missed a 2017 in-state scholarship special teams player.
 

Sour1729 said:
PJ has been criticized for omitting special teams players from the number of seniors on the team. I think you may have missed a 2017 in-state scholarship special teams player.
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They count now, I guess.

Ryerse, everybody.
 

I like what I’m seeing from #5.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

John Galt said:
I went to camp today and here are a few observations:

1. I think Morgan has the slight edge on Annexstad, but it's pretty close. Neither QB is going to wow anyone and throw it 40 yards downfield, but I was impressed with their accuracy. Pretty much every ball I saw them throw was right where it needed to be and I didn't see either throw a pick.

2. Bryce Williams looked really good at RB. Edmonds as well. I could see both of them getting time as the #2 this year.

3. Demetrius Douglas looked really, really good. He gets open, catches everything, and can take it to the races after the catch. He will be a playmaker for us this year.

4. Bell and Bateman were also impressive and made some plays. I think our top 4 WRs will be TJ, DD, CAB and RB. It will be the best group we've had a in a while.

5. Brevyn Spann-Ford has NFL potential. By far the most physically impressive freshman at TE.

6. We finally have a DE with legit size in Otomewo. I think he starts and plays a lot this year.

7. Terrell Smith seemed to get a lot of action and looked good. I think he plays this year at CB.
Click to expand...


This excites me
Appreciate the recap, thanks!
 


Listening to Ryan Burns' podcast and he's saying we'll probably only have Faalele for 3 years. Some NFL people have apparently been around practice/camp and say that Faalele will probably be draftable solely based on his size and athleticism. He also already has the footwork figured out.
 

fraternity2017 said:
Listening to Ryan Burns' podcast and he's saying we'll probably only have Faalele for 3 years. Some NFL people have apparently been around practice/camp and say that Faalele will probably be draftable solely based on his size and athleticism. He also already has the footwork figured out.
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So that means (if it's true) there's no downside to burning a redshirt and letting him play +4 games this year. I tend to agree with the thought that he'll go after three. I'm certainly not faulting him if he does. If you've got a solid ticket to the NFL, take it.
 

Playing or not playing somebody based on what could or couldn't happen re: pro prospects is really, really stupid. I remember when a ton of people were saying that Shannon Brooks never redshirting didn't matter because he was going to the NFL after three years anyway.

If Faalele is one of the best 5 OL this fall, he should be starting. If he's not, he should play in 4 games and save a year of eligibility.
 

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.
 

OL have a lot to learn and remember on each play. Assignments of who to block, which depends on how the defense lines up, and may or may not be a double-team block (vs solo block), and then every type of blocking assignment has a technique to utilize footwork, hand/position, etc. And some playcalks can even be a package of multiple plays together, or a play can be changed on the line.

It can be a ton of crap to remember and take a while to master.
 

John Galt said:
It also appears that PJ was being nice to several of the Minnesota kids that he kept in the 2017 recruiting class. There are 3 that are unlikely to see action imo.
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I’ve heard this as well. I think there are always a few in every class who never pan out though.
 

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.
 

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