DanielHouse
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With camp practices quickly approaching, the Gophers football season is right around the corner. It’s almost time to see several intriguing position groups and players on the field. There are several interesting storylines to watch, including how incoming freshmen acclimate to the next level. When the season begins, larger themes will be closely monitored by fans. After taking time to evaluate last season, here are some position groups and schematic areas I’m intrigued to see in 2019:
Who emerges at left tackle?
One of the biggest question marks for the 2019 Gophers is who will emerge at left tackle. For the past three seasons, tackle Donnell Greene played an integral role in Minnesota’s offense. Junior college transfer Jason Dickson sat out last season, but may emerge as an option at left tackle. He has work to do from a technique standpoint and will need to make strides this fall. Dickson will be competing with Sam Schlueter, who carved out a role as an extra blocker in 22 personnel sets. If neither one of those candidates step up, Minnesota may consider moving Blaise Andries to left tackle. By making this move, Conner Olson would remain at guard. In this scenario, Minnesota redshirt sophomore John Michael Schmitz could play center. Depending upon the growth of Dickson and Schlueter, the coaching staff may like this combination. However, considering Andries’ progression at guard, combined with Olson’s background at center, it may be best to try one of the above two options at left tackle. It’s always possible to make a switch early in the season, especially considering both Andries and Olson have experience at multiple positions. Offensive line play was a big reason why Minnesota physically dominated three of its final four games in 2018. With the weapons at both running back and wide receiver, the offensive line will set the tone for creating explosive plays this season. The key is going to be finding the right combination during fall camp practices.
In what ways will be the offense expand?
With more than 6,500 career rushing yards and 52 touchdowns returning among four running backs, the Gophers’ offense has some serious options. They can take another step if the passing game is strong. In the past, many teams traditionally put eight or nine defenders in the box to stop the run. This created an unfavorable situation for the offensive line, especially considering they didn’t have the numbers to adequately create rushing lanes. At times, it caused a big strain for blockers, and the running backs, who were tasked with grinding out extra yards against stacked fronts. Now, with Tyler Johnson, Rashod Bateman, Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell at the wide receiver position, teams have to respect the passing game. It means running backs Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks, Mohamed Ibrahim and Bryce Williams will be seeing lighter boxes. The offense should have more balance and flexibility than we’re accustomed to seeing. There are situations where Kirk Ciarrocca can run a bunch set with Rashod Bateman, Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell. On the opposite side, wide receiver Tyler Johnson can get man-to-man coverage or draw additional attention from the defensive scheme. Occasionally, Ciarrocca may blend in tight ends Brevyn Spann-Ford and Jake Paulson to get favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties. There is plenty of offensive flexibility and that’s one area worth watching during the early stages of the regular season. The quarterback battle will sort itself out in camp, but there’s no doubting both Zack Annexstad or Tanner Morgan have plenty of weapons to work with.
Will the defensive line develop quickly?
The defensive line is one area where the Gophers can continue growing. The most recent recruiting class emphasized adding depth and contributors in the trenches. Minnesota will be relying upon transfers Micah Dew-Treadway and Keonte Schad to step up and immediately make an impact. Sophomore Jamaal Teague also benefited from valuable experience and will be asked to play a larger role. The biggest area where growth must occur is at the depth spots, including players like DeAngelo Carter and Rashad Cheney Jr. Minnesota must stop the run in order to set up situations where they can be creative and deploy pressure. With Carter Coughlin on the edge, along with emerging young players like Esezi Otomewo and Boye Mafe, there is an opportunity for the defensive line to take a step forward. Veteran Winston DeLattiboudere also developed last year and can help in early downs at the five-technique position. Out of Minnesota’s 23 sacks last season, 9.5 came from pass rusher Carter Coughlin. The Gophers need to receive a more balanced pass rush and that starts by deploying creative packages and developing a stout interior defensive line. This year, they are likely going to show growth on the defensive line. After the next recruiting class, fans will notice an emphasis upon additional team speed in the secondary. It’s a long process to build a roster, but after a few recruiting cycles, they’ll start putting together all of the complementary pieces. In 2019, one of the biggest keys will be finding a way to control the line of scrimmage.
Who emerges at left tackle?
One of the biggest question marks for the 2019 Gophers is who will emerge at left tackle. For the past three seasons, tackle Donnell Greene played an integral role in Minnesota’s offense. Junior college transfer Jason Dickson sat out last season, but may emerge as an option at left tackle. He has work to do from a technique standpoint and will need to make strides this fall. Dickson will be competing with Sam Schlueter, who carved out a role as an extra blocker in 22 personnel sets. If neither one of those candidates step up, Minnesota may consider moving Blaise Andries to left tackle. By making this move, Conner Olson would remain at guard. In this scenario, Minnesota redshirt sophomore John Michael Schmitz could play center. Depending upon the growth of Dickson and Schlueter, the coaching staff may like this combination. However, considering Andries’ progression at guard, combined with Olson’s background at center, it may be best to try one of the above two options at left tackle. It’s always possible to make a switch early in the season, especially considering both Andries and Olson have experience at multiple positions. Offensive line play was a big reason why Minnesota physically dominated three of its final four games in 2018. With the weapons at both running back and wide receiver, the offensive line will set the tone for creating explosive plays this season. The key is going to be finding the right combination during fall camp practices.
In what ways will be the offense expand?
With more than 6,500 career rushing yards and 52 touchdowns returning among four running backs, the Gophers’ offense has some serious options. They can take another step if the passing game is strong. In the past, many teams traditionally put eight or nine defenders in the box to stop the run. This created an unfavorable situation for the offensive line, especially considering they didn’t have the numbers to adequately create rushing lanes. At times, it caused a big strain for blockers, and the running backs, who were tasked with grinding out extra yards against stacked fronts. Now, with Tyler Johnson, Rashod Bateman, Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell at the wide receiver position, teams have to respect the passing game. It means running backs Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks, Mohamed Ibrahim and Bryce Williams will be seeing lighter boxes. The offense should have more balance and flexibility than we’re accustomed to seeing. There are situations where Kirk Ciarrocca can run a bunch set with Rashod Bateman, Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell. On the opposite side, wide receiver Tyler Johnson can get man-to-man coverage or draw additional attention from the defensive scheme. Occasionally, Ciarrocca may blend in tight ends Brevyn Spann-Ford and Jake Paulson to get favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties. There is plenty of offensive flexibility and that’s one area worth watching during the early stages of the regular season. The quarterback battle will sort itself out in camp, but there’s no doubting both Zack Annexstad or Tanner Morgan have plenty of weapons to work with.
Will the defensive line develop quickly?
The defensive line is one area where the Gophers can continue growing. The most recent recruiting class emphasized adding depth and contributors in the trenches. Minnesota will be relying upon transfers Micah Dew-Treadway and Keonte Schad to step up and immediately make an impact. Sophomore Jamaal Teague also benefited from valuable experience and will be asked to play a larger role. The biggest area where growth must occur is at the depth spots, including players like DeAngelo Carter and Rashad Cheney Jr. Minnesota must stop the run in order to set up situations where they can be creative and deploy pressure. With Carter Coughlin on the edge, along with emerging young players like Esezi Otomewo and Boye Mafe, there is an opportunity for the defensive line to take a step forward. Veteran Winston DeLattiboudere also developed last year and can help in early downs at the five-technique position. Out of Minnesota’s 23 sacks last season, 9.5 came from pass rusher Carter Coughlin. The Gophers need to receive a more balanced pass rush and that starts by deploying creative packages and developing a stout interior defensive line. This year, they are likely going to show growth on the defensive line. After the next recruiting class, fans will notice an emphasis upon additional team speed in the secondary. It’s a long process to build a roster, but after a few recruiting cycles, they’ll start putting together all of the complementary pieces. In 2019, one of the biggest keys will be finding a way to control the line of scrimmage.
