Should Faalele be starting?

fmlizard

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I know we all spun the guy up into a combination of Chuck Norris and Zeus prior to the season, but it doesn't seem to be going very well. Discuss.
 

He's adequate most of the time, great once in a while, and he screws up more than we would like. Who would be an improvement?
 


He won't be leaving after 2020 at this pace, so that's kinda good.
 

I know we all spun the guy up into a combination of Chuck Norris and Zeus prior to the season, but it doesn't seem to be going very well. Discuss.

I was verbally assaulted last year for saying, keep his redshirt!
 


I guess talk of him leaving early for the NFL will slow down.
 

Two weeks in a row the end has run around him and caused fumbles. TM could perhaps move up in that situation instead of instinctually rolling backwards but there are usually other players collapsing the pocket. Big Dan hasn’t (and both tackles and guards) been nearly as dominant as we’d like in run or pass.
 

OL is tough, it takes time. The best thing I can say about them at this point is that they will all be back next year.
 

Let's hope they all progress rapidly just in time for the Big season .
 



I guess talk of him leaving early for the NFL will slow down.

LOL, yeah I thought this after he got straight abused by a Sunbelt DE on that last drive. I shudder to think what Iowa's DL will do against us. That said, like much of the OL there's tons of raw talent there -- just no cohesiveness or consistency.
 

OL is tough, it takes time. The best thing I can say about them at this point is that they will all be back next year.

They had better make a big jump because without Tyler Johnson, those clowns had better block someone.
 

Fleck has been quoted as saying that are number 51 has the best feet of any offensive lineman I don't understand why they don't move the big tackle down to guard and move the other guy out to tackle you would be much more effective as a guard where he's not out in space and he could use his strength to get off the ball in his size and the guy with Good Feet is needed more on the outside.
 

His feet look real slow right now. Might be better off playing down even a few more more pounds.
 




Fleck has been quoted as saying that are number 51 has the best feet of any offensive lineman I don't understand why they don't move the big tackle down to guard and move the other guy out to tackle you would be much more effective as a guard where he's not out in space and he could use his strength to get off the ball in his size and the guy with Good Feet is needed more on the outside.

A 6'9'' guard and a '6 foot' QB?
 

Perhaps moving Andries to the other side wasn't such a good idea. Him and big Dan looked really good last year, now with Dunlop in that spot that side of the line isn't as strong right now.
 

Perhaps moving Andries to the other side wasn't such a good idea. Him and big Dan looked really good last year, now with Dunlop in that spot that side of the line isn't as strong right now.

Agree with this quote for sure. They looked fantastic on the right side. No slight of Dunlap but maybe he would be better on the left and would also be of help to Schlueter? You would think they tested this throughout camp...maybe they did? I never attended any fall practices.
 

"Should he be starting?" is a different question than "is he playing well?" Tough to argue he is playing well right now, but if he shouldn't be starting, that means we have someone on the bench who could do better. I'm not confident that that is the case.
 

Somebody better teach Faalele to be mean. He is a gentle giant. It is too bad they couldn't red shirt him.

Offensive Linemen take time to develop. How does Wisconsin do it? Are most of their OLs red-shirted and don't start until their second and third year in development?

Whatever happened to Jason Dickson? Is he not playing at all?
 

"Should he be starting?" is a different question than "is he playing well?" Tough to argue he is playing well right now, but if he shouldn't be starting, that means we have someone on the bench who could do better. I'm not confident that that is the case.

Exactly. He is and will continue to be the best option we have at RT, but as of now he is not playing like a Big-10 level offensive lineman.

That said, neither is Dunlap or Schleuter, though schleuter has been improved in pass protection.

Andries and Olson have looked fine to my untrained eye, but not great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Faalele wasn't an outstanding OT last year. He was a player with tremendous physical attributes who obviously has the potential to be outstanding. But he really wasn't much more or less effective than any other starter on the OL the second half of last year.

Like the entire team, he's not playing up to expectations right now.

That being said, I don't for one second believe they have someone on the team who would be better at RT.

Same thing for coaching. Last year's OL performed remarkably well, after Faalele was inserted. I mean, it was damn impressive. A lot of the credit for that has to go to OL coach Brian Callahan. So I ain't about to throw him off a cliff for a shaky start this year with two new starters. Patience.

There ain't much to be happy about so far this year. Other than the 3-0 record.

The next five games will likely explain what we've witnessed the last three weeks. Either we're a team that -- yes -- refuses to lose, or we're a team that can barely hold its own against the second tier.

I expect we'll see some of both.

JTG
 


Faalele wasn't an outstanding OT last year. He was a player with tremendous physical attributes who obviously has the potential to be outstanding. But he really wasn't much more or less effective than any other starter on the OL the second half of last year.

Like the entire team, he's not playing up to expectations right now.

That being said, I don't for one second believe they have someone on the team who would be better at RT.

Same thing for coaching. Last year's OL performed remarkably well, after Faalele was inserted. I mean, it was damn impressive. A lot of the credit for that has to go to OL coach Brian Callahan. So I ain't about to throw him off a cliff for a shaky start this year with two new starters. Patience.

There ain't much to be happy about so far this year. Other than the 3-0 record.

The next five games will likely explain what we've witnessed the last three weeks. Either we're a team that -- yes -- refuses to lose, or we're a team that can barely hold its own against the second tier.

I expect we'll see some of both.

JTG

Good take Rockfish as always. The Gophers have made a lot of mistakes but somehow have won all 3 games. The games have been thrilling games that have been fun victories, but given the quality of competition everyone is very concerned. They could very easily be 0-3 right now with one play in each game going the wrong way. Going for it on 4th down and just giving them a TD was a real boneheaded coaching decision that looks great if it goes your way but that is a decision that gets coaches fired if you lose the game because of it.

I am still trying to figure out whether we have to be more concerned of PJ Fleck being poached by a major school or if he is another Tim Brewster. (I still would much rather have Fleck than Brewster!!) And if we lose one or more of those last 3 games we would be really wondering if Fleck is our guy. BUT -- the wins kind of extend the rope a little farther and still puts us in a position of a very nice season. We will see how the rest of the season goes but as much as I admire the team for pulling out games out of the fire and showing poise and making good plays when it needed to I still don't think the offensive and defensive lines are where they need to be. They aren't even close to where they were when they smoked Wisconsin and Georgia Tech at the end of the last season.

I still think we can correct our mistakes and get better. We will need to because if there is one thing I know is a fraud is always exploited and exposed and if we don't get a LOT better we are in for a turn for the worse very soon!! This is a great time for a bye for this team - we really need it right now. The 3-0 record puts a lot on the line with Purdue coming up in a big game! Like all Gopher fans, really hoping this team starts playing at the high level they were at the end of last season!!
 

Agreed with those pointing out that the question is ... who would be better?
 

Agreed with those pointing out that the question is ... who would be better?

I don't think there's a clear answer to that and I expect DF to remain a starter. I also expect Big Ten teams to pick on him a lot with speed rushers and line stunts until he and his linemates get it sorted.
 

I don't think there's a clear answer to that and I expect DF to remain a starter. I also expect Big Ten teams to pick on him a lot with speed rushers and line stunts until he and his linemates get it sorted.

Most of the line could be picked on.... and by picked on I mean just rushing normally.
 

I know we all spun the guy up into a combination of Chuck Norris and Zeus prior to the season, but it doesn't seem to be going very well. Discuss.

Hate to say it, and it is just my pulling this out of my rear end ...... but some time, when people tell you that you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, you start believing it, and well ....

Just hope that's not the case.
 

I don't think there's a clear answer to that and I expect DF to remain a starter. I also expect Big Ten teams to pick on him a lot with speed rushers and line stunts until he and his linemates get it sorted.

Yep. I think the film is out there now, and the blood is in the water: the way you beat these big MN boys is you run right around them with speed and stunts. They're too big and slow to stop it.
 

Yep. I think the film is out there now, and the blood is in the water: the way you beat these big MN boys is you run right around them with speed and stunts. They're too big and slow to stop it.

My guess is Faalele doesn't make it in the NFL he will be a force in the WWE.
 

LOL, yeah I thought this after he got straight abused by a Sunbelt DE on that last drive. I shudder to think what Iowa's DL will do against us. That said, like much of the OL there's tons of raw talent there -- just no cohesiveness or consistency.

I agree lots of talent. No coaching equals mediocre performance. Changes are needed.
 




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