Top 25 things to watch, questions to answer in next 90 days

swingman

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2019 team starts school tomorrow with off season workouts and then moving to spring ball in March...Spring game probably in 90 days.

We won’t see or find out much about three potential game changing types in Winfield, Smith, Brooks, or the USC transfer until August...also ten of recruits are June enroll...but we do have dozen recruits starting in this period.

25 things to watch, ranked by expected needed immediate impact, lack of other options, level of unknowns about player:

#1. Sapp...lose Jacob Huff, Sapp projected starter by many...played a lot on special teams as a true frosh, but very limited action at safety...great pedigree, great raw talent, nice local ties with good reviews from local coaches...history of injuries, will have no proven stand out veteran guys on field with him this Spring with Huff, Shenault gone, Winfield injured...hope to come out of Spring game saying he looks like a Big Ten safety...related to watch:can Chris Williamson or Coney Durr move to this spot? ... can Swenson or CJ Smith fill this spot?...Does Nubin play here come August?...new secondary coaching mixes well?

#2. Dickson...lose Donnell Greene, Dickson projected as starter at left tackle by many...was around program since last Summer, but ineligible to play...he is 23 years old, has juco experience, was recruited by some good programs...if he can fill that spot, likely allows Andries to stay at guard...related to watch: does Schlueter pick up his game and earn back a starting spot?...after bowl game, do we like Andries here?...Sassack? York? Early enrollee Guedet?

#3 Coughlin...we lose a potential NFL talent in Cashman and a very solid backup in Julian Huff...do we move another potential NFL player in Coughlin to that spot? If so, is he comfortable there? Is he better suited as a hybrid de/lb in our front four?...Fleck mentions Oliver a lot...he redshirted, saw very limited action as true frosh...is he ready to play here? Two highly regarded frosh linebackers coming in Summer.

#4 Olson...we lose Weyler, who was vital cog in what was a very effective oline at end of the year...do we slide Olson over from guard...seems to have brute strength, smarts, little bit of nasty for the job...or do we need him at guard? Or is third year guy John Michael Schmitz or someone else ready to take this spot?

#5 Dunlap...kept his redshirt as he saw limited action all year, but gave a very nice performance as a starter in bowl game...his equally highly recruited IMG cohort Faalele seemed up to the task from OSU on...does Dunlap lock down a starting spot for 2019?

#6 Mafe...limited action, but got more run as season went on, played big role in bowl game vs the option...is he ready to take a starting role at defensive end?...would be nice to free up Coughlin to lb...others to watch: Devers ready for a big senior year? Are redshirted frosh Ahanotu, Okonji, and Reigelsperger, who all came in with some recruiting buzz, possible answers at de? Two highly regarded de prospects join in summer...new d-line coach mixes in well?

#7, 8, 9, and 10...DewTreadway, Schad, Teague, and early enrollee Cheney....lose OJ Smith and Gary Moore...return Silver and Renner, and Teague - who was good enough to play as true frosh in extensive rotation- but staff went hard for interior defensive lineman using the grad transfer route, the juco route, and signing two high schoolers (and pursuing a third) and having 2017 starter at de Umlor sitting out 2018 and switching to dt. Interesting to see how it shakes out...new d line coach has hands full. Dline was Rossi’s group, so should have good base.

#11 Clemmons is a juco recruit we flipped from a solid KY program...would think he was told he has good opportunity to play right away...we return T Smith, Kiondre, Durr, Williamson...can he grab a spot at cb? Maybe an option at safety?

#12 SpannFord...most talked about guy who barely played...does he push Paulson for snaps?

#13/14 Kieft, Witham...both were used in packages, as was Beebe... Beebe gone, do we see more of these two...do they play role Schlueter did as 6th blocker?

#15 Kicker...new recruit comes in summer, chance for kickers on roster to claim Carpenter spot

#16 Snapper...high school scholarshipped kid is on campus...chance to claim Jordahl’s job from others

#17 Annexstad...probably should have Zach higher in list, but very comfortable with where Tanner was at starting at coming in after halftime in Lincoln and providing spark, getting win vs IU, getting win vs PU, hitting some big passes vs Bucky, and making some key throws vs GaTech...healthy Zach gets chance with better oline, matured rcvrs, matured Ibrahim, does he reclaim starting job? Frosh QBs recruits both early enrolls...start a true frosh again?

Other things to watch in next 90 days:
#18.Williamson...came on so strong late in year, could make huge jump
#19 Line backer depth: OliverRushSoriMarinGuthrie Schoenfelder
#20 WR depth: Fleck loves both redshirted Manns and early enrollee BrownStephens
#21 RB option...Potts....injury may limit what we see from early enrollee
#22 new DB options...Solomon Brown early enroll, Phil Howard position switch
#23 Williams, Edmonds...add some strength, gain some experience?
#24 Williamson...Owatonna phenom find a niche.
#25...oline depth: Sassack, York, Beier, Boe, Davis, Guedet, Richter total unknowns
 


We probably won't know anything more about most of these in the next 90 days.
 


I think if we know the answer to these in the next 90 days...
 



Thanks Swingman for your post.

There are many unanswered questions regarding the 2019 1 & 2's. Depth has improved and the next guy up, for the most part, has worked well. There will a lots of healthy competition for PT and will be interesting to see the outcome.
 

Great summation. I will definitely be watching these, but it might take me longer than 90 days.

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Last Spring practices were impressive IMO. Another year of experience should make them even better and highly competitive at many positions as well as D vs O.
 



Excellent summation Swingman. I can picture just about everything coming together one way or another but one position. Kicker. Personally I'm concerned about that and hope that it doesn't keep points off the board.
 


We probably won't know anything more about most of these in the next 90 days.

I think after winter workouts, Spring practices, Spring game, final roster decisions (who stays, who goes), we should have answers to all but Potts.
 

So we have 90 days to read and decipher this post? I'll get to work.
 




#1. Sapp...lose Jacob Huff, Sapp projected starter by many...played a lot on special teams as a true frosh, but very limited action at safety...great pedigree, great raw talent, nice local ties with good reviews from local coaches...history of injuries, will have no proven stand out veteran guys on field with him this Spring with Huff, Shenault gone, Winfield injured...hope to come out of Spring game saying he looks like a Big Ten safety...related to watch:can Chris Williamson or Coney Durr move to this spot? ... can Swenson or CJ Smith fill this spot?...Does Nubin play here come August?...new secondary coaching mixes well?
Many predicting Sapp III as starter - but over Howden, not Winfield Jr's spot. I bet you'll see both Sapp III and Howden getting majority of first team snaps this spring. I think Josh Aune is also one to watch.
 


I think after winter workouts, Spring practices, Spring game, final roster decisions (who stays, who goes), we should have answers to all but Potts.

You mean nearly 5 months before we play our first game we'll know all of this? Take a deep breath,
 

Who are all these people predicting Sapp to start -- and what do they know that the rest of us don't? I know he was a true Frosh coming off a major injury, but the team was seriously hurting at safety most of last year and Sapp didn't even sniff reps. And he wasn't being held out to RS since he was playing on ST. That gave me major pause all season about his ability to play S at a B1G level. He'll obviously develop, but so will Howden and the other guys. Unless the coaches were worried about the health of his knee (a Coney Durr scenario) and he'll be a different guy at 100%, I just don't see it...
 

Who are all these people predicting Sapp to start -- and what do they know that the rest of us don't? I know he was a true Frosh coming off a major injury, but the team was seriously hurting at safety most of last year and Sapp didn't even sniff reps. And he wasn't being held out to RS since he was playing on ST. That gave me major pause all season about his ability to play S at a B1G level. He'll obviously develop, but so will Howden and the other guys. Unless the coaches were worried about the health of his knee (a Coney Durr scenario) and he'll be a different guy at 100%, I just don't see it...

Howden and Winfield play the same position which is why most people seem to think Sapp starts alongside Winfield.
 



Maybe I see the Sapp situation incorrectly but had he ever played a whole season? And had he ever played safety? Pretty sure he played CB in high school and maybe made it through his freshman or sophomore year so I’d guess he needed some time to learn the position...
 

What a troll


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I like your posts swingman. For me the top 5 things I'm curious to see:
1. What do the QB's look like? Who might have the edge to start based on buzz, open practices, spring game, eye test.
2. Curious if Coughlin is a LB
3. Is Spann Ford a phenom? If he is, are we really going to throw it to him?
4. Curious how the o-line shakes out.
5. Curious if Douglas goes to DB.

and curious about the WR's in general
 
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Spring game may be more of interest to watch this year to see how it shakes out.
 

The next 90 days are all about strength and conditioning. It doesn't matter the position, you need to show you can improve your best. In these 90 days improvement in bench press, squat, vertical, 10 yd dash, 40 yd. Not one player can stand on there and not improve. This effort is under the direction of Dan Nichol and staff. There will be drills, and some 7 on 7.
 






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