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MplsGopher

MplsGopher

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If we had someone else to try at LT, would we have already done that??

Last year, Anthony Brown abused him and we got Faalele as a result. He's never looked back. (granted that was RT, but same idea)

This year, Epenesa abused him. But he stayed in.


Does that mean we just don't have anyone?? Whatever happened to Dickson? Is he just a bust? Any of the younger guys? Sassack? Slide over Andries once Dunlap is back?
 

What a lousy take. Schluter has been arguably our best lineman all year and the guy has a rough outing by a first round NFL pick and you wanna ditch him for the back up? Thank God you're not coaching!
 

He's been our best all year??? Do you know anything about the OL??

Are you saying that just to say that?
 

MnplsGopher said:
He's been our best all year??? Do you know anything about the OL??

Are you saying that just to say that?
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You're kidding right? PJ just kept giving him lineman of the week award week after week, and Pro Football Focus kept rating him as our best lineman but hey what do those two sources know. Should have just told them to talk to you since you are the o-lineman guru and all.
 

MnplsGopher said:
He's been our best all year??? Do you know anything about the OL??

Are you saying that just to say that?
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He’s arguably the best OL we have going against a top 5 pick. Probably should have gave him help on crucial plays. I doubt we’d call him a scrub then.
 


Deckergopher said:
He’s arguably the best OL we have going against a top 5 pick. Probably should have gave him help on crucial plays. I doubt we’d call him a scrub then.
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He won't get drafted in the first round. Iowa fans have been disappointed him almost all year. Basically invisible at times.

Our problem was giving up 20 so fast that they could tee off on us. I thought we held up quite well.
 

He's better than Faalele?? Again, I really think you guys are just making huge assumptions based on frivolous "awards".

He got abused. And it cost us at least a TD, and at least one play the throw was rushed. The same thing happened last year against Iowa. Maybe it's a mental thing against them, for some reason.

Regardless, it's on film.

Every team we play the rest of the year will be putting their best bull rusher/quick move guy on him and telling him to pin his ears back and go get dinner.


If we have nobody better, then fine. That's what it is. That was mainly my question and point of asking.
 
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Deckergopher said:
He’s arguably the best OL we have going against a top 5 pick. Probably should have gave him help on crucial plays. I doubt we’d call him a scrub then.
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This. More than once the left tackle did get help but the TE screwed up. Iowa was very good at disguising pressure.
 

MnplsGopher said:
He's better than Faalele?? Again, I really think you guys are just making huge assumptions based on frivolous "awards".

He got abused. And it cost us at least a TD, and at least one play the throw was rushed. The same thing happened last year against Iowa. Maybe it's a mental thing against them, for some reason.

Regardless, it's on film.

Every team we play the rest of the year will be putting their best bull rusher/quick move guy on him and telling him to pin his ears back and go get dinner.


If we have nobody better, then fine. That's what it is. That was mainly my question and point of asking.
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Schlueter has been very solid. This was the first time in several games he has given up a sack. He blocked very well against potential first rounder Yetur Gross-Matos in the PSU game.

And Faalele had his fair share of whiffs in the non against Fresno and Georgia Southern and gave up a sack or two against Purdue. And not saying he is better or wise but Schlueter blocks with more tenacity than Faalele.

Also just because Dickson hasn’t played over Schlueter, Blaise and Faalele at OT doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bust, it just means he isn’t as good as those 3. He’s still likely ahead of Sassack, Umlor, Davis or Guedet at OT.


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Have thoughts but will wait till Daniel does his review.
 

MnplsGopher said:
He's better than Faalele?? Again, I really think you guys are just making huge assumptions based on frivolous "awards".

He got abused. And it cost us at least a TD, and at least one play the throw was rushed. The same thing happened last year against Iowa. Maybe it's a mental thing against them, for some reason.

Regardless, it's on film.

Every team we play the rest of the year will be putting their best bull rusher/quick move guy on him and telling him to pin his ears back and go get dinner.


If we have nobody better, then fine. That's what it is. That was mainly my question and point of asking.
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Wow, were you the kid in class who knows nothing but raises his hand for every question? With Dunlop not making the trip we were not able to use some of the six man sets we have been using a lot in order to run better and pass protect better from time to time.
 

die hard gopher said:
Schlueter has been very solid. This was the first time in several games he has given up a sack. He blocked very well against potential first rounder Yetur Gross-Matos in the PSU game.

And Faalele had his fair share of whiffs in the non against Fresno and Georgia Southern and gave up a sack or two against Purdue. And not saying he is better or wise but Schlueter blocks with more tenacity than Faalele.

Also just because Dickson hasn’t played over Schlueter, Blaise and Faalele at OT doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bust, it just means he isn’t as good as those 3. He’s still likely ahead of Sassack, Umlor, Davis or Guedet at OT.


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Giving up a sack or not, is not at all the end all. The play where he barely slowed Epenesa on his way to Morgan, that cost us the TD, won't go down in the record books as anything more than an incomplete for Morgan.


If this had came out of nowhere ... that'd be one thing. But it happened last year too. It was the creation of Faalele.

It was weird to me, and a concern, from the beginning of the season, that he was going to be our LT, after what happened last year. I was happy that he stuck it out, worked on his techniques, and improved.

Very disappointing that he looked like his old self out there.
 

Sam's had a good year and is one our most improved players but really struggled yesterday and unfotunately his biggest struggles came in the biggest moments. I think the adjustment the Gophers would have made at some point was going with the 6 lineman formation that they used against Penn State, but unfortantely the Dunlap injury likely prevented that. We're not deep on the offensive line and there's a huge drop off after the top 6 according to those who are close to the program. So not only was replacing Sam not an option, replacing any of the 5 who started yesterday was not either.

The Gophers bring back their entire top 6 next year and you hope that some of the younger guys are ready behind them after one more offseason. Offensive line play is the area of the game I am the least knowledgeable about and I really enjoy listening to Derek Burns (former Gopher OL) break down the position when he guests on the Gopher Gridirion Radio podcasts.
 



EG#9 said:
Sam's had a good year and is one our most improved players but really struggled yesterday and unfotunately his biggest struggles came in the biggest moments. I think the adjustment the Gophers would have made at some point was going with the 6 lineman formation that they used against Penn State, but unfortantely the Dunlap injury likely prevented that. We're not deep on the offensive line and there's a huge drop off after the top 6 according to those who are close to the program. So not only was replacing Sam not an option, replacing any of the 5 who started yesterday was not either.

The Gophers bring back their entire top 6 next year and you hope that some of the younger guys are ready behind them after one more offseason. Offensive line play is the area of the game I am the least knowledgeable about and I really enjoy listening to Derek Burns (former Gopher OL) break down the position when he guests on the Gopher Gridirion Radio podcasts.
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Thanks for the comments, appreciate the perspective.

Epenesa also destroyed Andries, in the last possession. Moved him down to 3 tech, and Andries just wasn’t ready for that level of speed and talent on quick moves laterally.

Do at least that makes me feel a little better.


But it’s still on tape. NW, Wisconsin, and especially Ohio St are all going to have guys who can do that.
 

How dare our LT allow one of the top players in his class to look like a top NFL draft pick.
 

MnplsGopher said:
He's better than Faalele?? Again, I really think you guys are just making huge assumptions based on frivolous "awards".
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According to PFF he has been, yes.
You can scream all you want about assumptions based on “awards”, but what I see here is an assumption based on hype.


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MnplsGopher said:
Thanks for the comments, appreciate the perspective.

Epenesa also destroyed Andries, in the last possession. Moved him down to 3 tech, and Andries just wasn’t ready for that level of speed and talent on quick moves laterally.

Do at least that makes me feel a little better.


But it’s still on tape. NW, Wisconsin, and especially Ohio St are all going to have guys who can do that.
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Pretty much every team puts their best pass rusher at Rt DE so it’s not gonna change what they’re planning. Are you always such an ignorant d!nk?


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Goldteam said:
He won't get drafted in the first round. Iowa fans have been disappointed him almost all year. Basically invisible at times.

Our problem was giving up 20 so fast that they could tee off on us. I thought we held up quite well.
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Keyword there is fans. He will be a first or high second round pick.
 

6 sacks, three swatted arms leading to a fumble and two errant passes, and one concussed QB. This was not the blocking corp’s greatest hour and was a huge reason for the loss. Credit to Iowa of course. Correct me if I’m wrong but many of the sacks and pressures came on 4 man rushes. It wasn’t all Sam, Epenesa either.

A sack rate of 13.33 percent is not good, no matter how you cut it, passing downs or not. Epenesa is really good, and he did make Schleuter look silly at times. Players can be good most games, and still have sub-par games. It doesn’t have to be all one or the other. A left tackle in the Big Ten is going to face a lot of NFL talent in the better defenses. Have to forget about it and move on and prepare for two more good defenses.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
6 sacks, three swatted arms leading to a fumble and two errant passes, and one concussed QB. This was not the blocking corp’s greatest hour and was a huge reason for the loss. Credit to Iowa of course. Correct me if I’m wrong but many of the sacks and pressures came on 4 man rushes. It wasn’t all Sam, Epenesa either.

A sack rate of 13.33 percent is not good, no matter how you cut it, passing downs or not. Epenesa is really good, and he did make Schleuter look silly at times. Players can be good most games, and still have sub-par games. It doesn’t have to be all one or the other. A left tackle in the Big Ten is going to face a lot of NFL talent in the better defenses. Have to forget about it and move on and prepare for two more good defenses.
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I thought he needed some help. Yes, we were down one lineman but we must have a backup for our 6 man look? A tight end to help? Make some kind of adjustment to help him would seem the reasonable solution to me.
 

Oregon Gopher said:
Pretty much every team puts their best pass rusher at Rt DE so it’s not gonna change what they’re planning. Are you always such an ignorant d!nk?


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I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, that you don’t know as little about football as your post makes it seem.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
6 sacks, three swatted arms leading to a fumble and two errant passes, and one concussed QB. This was not the blocking corp’s greatest hour and was a huge reason for the loss. Credit to Iowa of course. Correct me if I’m wrong but many of the sacks and pressures came on 4 man rushes. It wasn’t all Sam, Epenesa either.

A sack rate of 13.33 percent is not good, no matter how you cut it, passing downs or not. Epenesa is really good, and he did make Schleuter look silly at times. Players can be good most games, and still have sub-par games. It doesn’t have to be all one or the other. A left tackle in the Big Ten is going to face a lot of NFL talent in the better defenses. Have to forget about it and move on and prepare for two more good defenses.
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It wasn’t all Sam, correct.

They moved Epenesa down to 3tech on our final drive, and he went around Andries twice in a row, like he wasn’t even there. That led to 4th & 21 and we had to put in Kramer to heave a desperation throw.

Here is the video of that, go to 9:00.


Epenesa didn’t have the swats. That was another guy. But he did have that big pressure, going right around Schlueter like he wasnt even there that cost us a TD on the deflected throw. That’s 2:55 in the above video.


In the last possession, after the first sack, why didn’t we have a TE or RB waiting to help block Epenesa?? That lack of a decision possibly cost us a chance to do something on that last drive. And if Morgan has a concussion and can’t come back for the Axe game, likely costs us that game too.
 

MnplsGopher said:
It wasn’t all Sam, correct.

They moved Epenesa down to 3tech on our final drive, and he went around Andries twice in a row, like he wasn’t even there. That led to 4th & 21 and we had to put in Kramer to heave a desperation throw.

Here is the video of that, go to 9:00.


Epenesa didn’t have the swats. That was another guy. But he did have that big pressure, going right around Schlueter like he wasnt even there that cost us a TD on the deflected throw. That’s 2:55 in the above video.


In the last possession, after the first sack, why didn’t we have a TE or RB waiting to help block Epenesa?? That lack of a decision possibly cost us a chance to do something on that last drive. And if Morgan has a concussion and can’t come back for the Axe game, likely costs us that game too.
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The Gophs had six blockers including an RB on four rushing for Iowa on all the final drive plays. That's about all you can do. Gophers just didn't execute against a very good pass rush that had no need to play the run.
 

Veritas said:
Wow, were you the kid in class who knows nothing but raises his hand for every question? With Dunlop not making the trip we were not able to use some of the six man sets we have been using a lot in order to run better and pass protect better from time to time.
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You absolutely nailed it. Very good characterization. Laughing out loud here.
 

MnplsGopher said:
It wasn’t all Sam, correct.

They moved Epenesa down to 3tech on our final drive, and he went around Andries twice in a row, like he wasn’t even there. That led to 4th & 21 and we had to put in Kramer to heave a desperation throw.

Here is the video of that, go to 9:00.


Epenesa didn’t have the swats. That was another guy. But he did have that big pressure, going right around Schlueter like he wasnt even there that cost us a TD on the deflected throw. That’s 2:55 in the above video.


In the last possession, after the first sack, why didn’t we have a TE or RB waiting to help block Epenesa?? That lack of a decision possibly cost us a chance to do something on that last drive. And if Morgan has a concussion and can’t come back for the Axe game, likely costs us that game too.
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So when you started this thread it was all about getting rid of Sam, now you admit that it might not have been just him?

O-Line has been playing really well this year for the most part but they had a rough day against a very good Iowa defense. You did pose the question about options beyond the top 6, especially Dickson, and it would seem that the staff just doesn't have much faith in those guys at this point.

The exciting part is that all 6 of the top guys come back next year. That kind of continuity along the offensive line is huge and all will have a ton of experience plus another year in the weight room to get stronger.
 

Did noise/hostile atmosphere factor in significantly here too? Didn't appear to hinder Tanner.
 

MnplsGopher said:
I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, that you don’t know as little about football as your post makes it seem.
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Ooooh how witty- you spend all day thinking that one up? Thanks for the benefit but I think you need it more given the exhibition of your ignorance. The LT almost always plays against the most elite pass rusher on the other team. Why do you think LT is the highest paid OL position in the pros? Because opposing teams speed rushers come from the QBs blind side. Will you occasionally see the generational rushers like Aaron Donald come from the DT position or move to anywhere on the line- sure but they’re extremely uncommon in the pros, even less so at the NCAA level. Now go back to coaching your 3rd grade Pop Warner team.


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We gotta have someone on the bench who can block a top 10 pick DE on obvious passing downs. PJ's a fool for not playing that guy.
 

MNVCGUY said:
So when you started this thread it was all about getting rid of Sam, now you admit that it might not have been just him?

O-Line has been playing really well this year for the most part but they had a rough day against a very good Iowa defense. You did pose the question about options beyond the top 6, especially Dickson, and it would seem that the staff just doesn't have much faith in those guys at this point.

The exciting part is that all 6 of the top guys come back next year. That kind of continuity along the offensive line is huge and all will have a ton of experience plus another year in the weight room to get stronger.
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It wasn't about getting rid of Schlueter ... it was about asking if there is no one else.

Clearly, it seems that you have answered that in your second sentence, and I agree with you. The staff doesn't trust the other guys we have, like they were willing to trust Faalele last year to take over for Schlueter against Iowa (in particular, Anthony Nelson, who was similarly destroying us, like Epenesa did this year).

I was trying to see if there was anyone we had back there, to make a Faalele move of last year, again this year. Seems the answer is no.



Yes, continuity and experience are great.

However, getting beat quickly around the edge, for a tackle, or getting beat quickly to the inside for a guard, are mortal sins. That's on film now. Guess what Schlueter and Andries are going to see for the rest of the year??? Quick lateral moves. They better put in a couple hundred extra reps practicing against those, per week, for the rest of the season.
 

On the last possession, I don't think the Goph O-line or RB recognized that Epenesa was playing over the guard the first couple of plays. Otherwise, I gotta imagine they would have been looking to chip with the center or the RB would have paid more attention to the middle. Good move by Iowa. It worked.

I'll add, I hope the left guard works on getting hands on the DL right away on pass protection. Tough to block a talented DL without that. The "hands" issue is one reason wrestlers make good lineman.
 
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