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When a new coaching staff arrived in January of 2016, a different defensive system was installed at Minnesota. With low numbers on the defensive line and a rare athletic player already at linebacker, the Gophers decided to install a hybrid defense with a rush end. They labeled this new position, “R.” The coaches tabbed former Eden Prairie, Minn. star Carter Coughlin as the perfect player to fill this role.
Suddenly, a linebacker with bundles of athleticism was moving to a position where being a physical technician is extra important. Coughlin needed to quickly learn new technique and recognition skills from a different depth on the field.
At first, it was a challenge.
“When you get to the line of scrimmage everything changes,” head coach P.J. Fleck said this spring. “Now all the sudden you’re on that defensive line, it happens so much faster. The reaction of our system based on what he sees – the reactions weren’t there. It was almost a bit methodical at times.”
Coughlin was thrown into the fire immediately to learn the position. Despite that, he still managed to tally 37 total tackles (11.5 loss) and 6.5 sacks as the “R” last season.
However, the pass rusher wasn’t satisfied. Coughlin knew he had room to improve both physically and mentally in the offseason. The improvements the pass rusher has made are showing up on the field this season.
Coughlin has posted one sack in each of the first five games, while accumulating 15 tackles (6.5 for loss). He currently leads the Big Ten in sacks and ranks tenth among all NCAA pass rushers. The refinements to Coughlin’s skill-set have allowed him to provide a much-needed spark to the Gophers’ pass rush.
For the junior pass rusher, the biggest change in his approach has started with his football knowledge and technique.
“I’d say honestly [the biggest change is] being able to read when offenses are likely going to be pass setting – offensive tackles, judging by the weight, hands and all that kind of stuff,” Coughlin said.
After spending last season evaluating the team, head coach P.J. Fleck decided to hire young pass rushing specialist Marcus West to coach defensive line technique. West works alongside primary position coach Joe Rossi to develop pass rushing techniques and strategies for players like Coughlin.
“When I kind of looked at our — I evaluated our team last year, I felt like we needed to make some changes in pass rush,” Fleck said. “I wanted them to be able to have some type of specialist rather than just hiring a Taekwondo specialist or that type of deal in the summer, which we do like everybody else, but I wanted to have somebody constantly where we could divide the interior guys and then obviously the outside guys.”
Fleck said this type of instruction has been one of the driving forces behind Coughlin’s development in his second year at a new position. With so much natural ability at his disposal, the biggest key was becoming a technician.
“I think that having a true pass rush specialist has helped Carter take the next right step. He was always a great football player, but one thing about separating yourself just as a football player, now you’ve got to be a technician at your position,” Fleck said. “It’s one thing to be a great rush end, but how are you a great rush end? Are you making enough plays? Are you that much closer to the quarterback than you were last year? How do you close that gap? Fundamentals, technique, discipline, and I think that’s where you’ve seen that.”
This starts by studying and improving the fundamentals in practice every day. Outside of work on the field, Marcus West has the chance to spend individual time with pass rushers like Coughlin. West studies tendencies on film and relays this information to the entire defensive line group. They then develop pass rushing strategies for the upcoming game.
“[West] is like a pass rush guru. He’s like the master pass rush specialist,” Coughlin said. “I work with him all day every day in film, practice, all that kind of stuff. He lives and breaths the pass rush, so it’s changed my idea of the pass rush completely and I’m way more fluid out there than I was last year.”
MORE: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/10/gophers-pass-rusher-carter-coughlin-becoming-position-technician/
Suddenly, a linebacker with bundles of athleticism was moving to a position where being a physical technician is extra important. Coughlin needed to quickly learn new technique and recognition skills from a different depth on the field.
At first, it was a challenge.
“When you get to the line of scrimmage everything changes,” head coach P.J. Fleck said this spring. “Now all the sudden you’re on that defensive line, it happens so much faster. The reaction of our system based on what he sees – the reactions weren’t there. It was almost a bit methodical at times.”
Coughlin was thrown into the fire immediately to learn the position. Despite that, he still managed to tally 37 total tackles (11.5 loss) and 6.5 sacks as the “R” last season.
However, the pass rusher wasn’t satisfied. Coughlin knew he had room to improve both physically and mentally in the offseason. The improvements the pass rusher has made are showing up on the field this season.
Coughlin has posted one sack in each of the first five games, while accumulating 15 tackles (6.5 for loss). He currently leads the Big Ten in sacks and ranks tenth among all NCAA pass rushers. The refinements to Coughlin’s skill-set have allowed him to provide a much-needed spark to the Gophers’ pass rush.
For the junior pass rusher, the biggest change in his approach has started with his football knowledge and technique.
“I’d say honestly [the biggest change is] being able to read when offenses are likely going to be pass setting – offensive tackles, judging by the weight, hands and all that kind of stuff,” Coughlin said.
After spending last season evaluating the team, head coach P.J. Fleck decided to hire young pass rushing specialist Marcus West to coach defensive line technique. West works alongside primary position coach Joe Rossi to develop pass rushing techniques and strategies for players like Coughlin.
“When I kind of looked at our — I evaluated our team last year, I felt like we needed to make some changes in pass rush,” Fleck said. “I wanted them to be able to have some type of specialist rather than just hiring a Taekwondo specialist or that type of deal in the summer, which we do like everybody else, but I wanted to have somebody constantly where we could divide the interior guys and then obviously the outside guys.”
Fleck said this type of instruction has been one of the driving forces behind Coughlin’s development in his second year at a new position. With so much natural ability at his disposal, the biggest key was becoming a technician.
“I think that having a true pass rush specialist has helped Carter take the next right step. He was always a great football player, but one thing about separating yourself just as a football player, now you’ve got to be a technician at your position,” Fleck said. “It’s one thing to be a great rush end, but how are you a great rush end? Are you making enough plays? Are you that much closer to the quarterback than you were last year? How do you close that gap? Fundamentals, technique, discipline, and I think that’s where you’ve seen that.”
This starts by studying and improving the fundamentals in practice every day. Outside of work on the field, Marcus West has the chance to spend individual time with pass rushers like Coughlin. West studies tendencies on film and relays this information to the entire defensive line group. They then develop pass rushing strategies for the upcoming game.
“[West] is like a pass rush guru. He’s like the master pass rush specialist,” Coughlin said. “I work with him all day every day in film, practice, all that kind of stuff. He lives and breaths the pass rush, so it’s changed my idea of the pass rush completely and I’m way more fluid out there than I was last year.”
MORE: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/10/gophers-pass-rusher-carter-coughlin-becoming-position-technician/
