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More size needed at linebacker?
By Marcus Fuller
There's a chance the Gophers will have to open the Big Ten Conference season against Northwestern on Saturday without starting sophomore linebacker Mike Rallis.
Rallis, an Edina native, is day to day and hasn't practiced this week because of a hip pointer and pulled stomach muscle.
Losing one of their top tacklers is a blow for the Gophers, but the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Rallis is also the team's biggest linebacker who plays regularly. Fellow starters Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley are 225 pounds. Aaron Hill, who is replacing Rallis as a starter, is 220 pounds.
"I don't think size has anything to do with tackling itself," Brewster said. "Size has a lot to do with getting off blocks at the linebacker level."
That was a key factor in the Gophers allowing Northern Illinois running back Chad Spann to rush for 223 yards and two touchdowns last week. With the linebackers caught up in blocks, Spann was able to break away virtually untouched at times at the second level of the defense.
Minnesota's size at linebacker is a huge drop-off from last season, when Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence were on hand. Campbell and Triplett were both 245 to 250 pounds. Lawrence was 225 pounds but delivered hits like he was 250.
"They were seniors, veteran experienced guys," Brewster said. "The young guys that we're playing with at linebacker now are inexperienced guys and smaller guys that have got to get bigger and stronger, do a better job of using their hands and getting off blocks."
The only linebacker on the Gophers' roster with ideal size and the talent to play right now is Florida transfer Brendan Beal, but he won't be eligible to play until 2011. He could start at middle linebacker right now for Minnesota. He might be an All-Big Ten player next year.
In the past, Minnesota had enough depth to move over a smaller defensive end like Lee Campbell to add more of a phsyical presence at linebacker. The best candidates would be athletic guys such as Matt Garin (6-4, 245) or D.L. Wilhite (6-3, 250), but the depth at defensive end isn't that great. I always thought Garin would move over permanently, but it hasn't happened.
-- The Gophers could have used former Champlin Park High School standout Sam Maresh, but he left to get his academics in order at Iowa Western Community College.
Maresh, a 6-2, 240-pound former Minnesota redshirt freshman, leads 5-0 Iowa Western with 38 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for losses. He had 11 tackles in a game this year.
Former Gophers recruit Marquise Hill is one of Iowa Western's top receivers with 12 catches for 142 yards and five touchdowns.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/09/more-size-needed-at-linebacker.html
Go Gophers!!
By Marcus Fuller
There's a chance the Gophers will have to open the Big Ten Conference season against Northwestern on Saturday without starting sophomore linebacker Mike Rallis.
Rallis, an Edina native, is day to day and hasn't practiced this week because of a hip pointer and pulled stomach muscle.
Losing one of their top tacklers is a blow for the Gophers, but the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Rallis is also the team's biggest linebacker who plays regularly. Fellow starters Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley are 225 pounds. Aaron Hill, who is replacing Rallis as a starter, is 220 pounds.
"I don't think size has anything to do with tackling itself," Brewster said. "Size has a lot to do with getting off blocks at the linebacker level."
That was a key factor in the Gophers allowing Northern Illinois running back Chad Spann to rush for 223 yards and two touchdowns last week. With the linebackers caught up in blocks, Spann was able to break away virtually untouched at times at the second level of the defense.
Minnesota's size at linebacker is a huge drop-off from last season, when Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence were on hand. Campbell and Triplett were both 245 to 250 pounds. Lawrence was 225 pounds but delivered hits like he was 250.
"They were seniors, veteran experienced guys," Brewster said. "The young guys that we're playing with at linebacker now are inexperienced guys and smaller guys that have got to get bigger and stronger, do a better job of using their hands and getting off blocks."
The only linebacker on the Gophers' roster with ideal size and the talent to play right now is Florida transfer Brendan Beal, but he won't be eligible to play until 2011. He could start at middle linebacker right now for Minnesota. He might be an All-Big Ten player next year.
In the past, Minnesota had enough depth to move over a smaller defensive end like Lee Campbell to add more of a phsyical presence at linebacker. The best candidates would be athletic guys such as Matt Garin (6-4, 245) or D.L. Wilhite (6-3, 250), but the depth at defensive end isn't that great. I always thought Garin would move over permanently, but it hasn't happened.
-- The Gophers could have used former Champlin Park High School standout Sam Maresh, but he left to get his academics in order at Iowa Western Community College.
Maresh, a 6-2, 240-pound former Minnesota redshirt freshman, leads 5-0 Iowa Western with 38 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for losses. He had 11 tackles in a game this year.
Former Gophers recruit Marquise Hill is one of Iowa Western's top receivers with 12 catches for 142 yards and five touchdowns.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/09/more-size-needed-at-linebacker.html
Go Gophers!!
