Offensive Line Depth & Kicking

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hungan1

hungan1

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IMHO, one of the biggest coup in recruiting is PJ Fleck being able to get Zach Annexstad, Curtis, Dunlop, and Daniel Fa'alele out of IMG Academy. If they had another spot, I think Verdis Brown would have come.

It is evident that the Gophers hopefully will continue to build up O-Line depth and be lucky in recruiting. Unfortunately, there are not very many O-linemen of a certain caliber like Dunlop and Fa'alele to go around after the upper tier P5 teams are done with their recruiting. They'd have to develop them which takes a good two to three years before you see them make significant contribution. I am hoping that they focus more on the linemen - both offense and defense. PJ Fleck seem to favor recruiting too many WRs. If its one thing I'd like changed is to add an extra linemen or two either by scholie or PWO. They need to be at the level of a Wisconsin program where they can just plug in the next man up.

Camden Louis was committed, and all but signed and then Oregon came in and swooped him up. Camden Louis had won one game for Oregon that I remembered that was decided by a field goal kick. This is a tough one. We've been spoiled with prior success in the kicking game. How do they elevate this part of the game? Are there any grad transfers?

Any body care to comment? I could be wrong on all these concerns.
 

If Curtis D is still unavailable to go this Saturday, I wonder if they would try to work in a new person like they did earlier with Jon Michael Schmitz? It sure would be nice to have the depth again and the potential to go heavy like they did vs PSU.
As far as kicking and punting go, I do think they need to look at a grad transfer if they do not have faith that the young guys can develop more leg. Even kickoffs are a struggle to kick into the end zone.
 

hungan1 said:
IMHO, one of the biggest coup in recruiting is PJ Fleck being able to get Zach Annexstad, Curtis, Dunlop, and Daniel Fa'alele out of IMG Academy. If they had another spot, I think Verdis Brown would have come.

It is evident that the Gophers hopefully will continue to build up O-Line depth and be lucky in recruiting. Unfortunately, there are not very many O-linemen of a certain caliber like Dunlop and Fa'alele to go around after the upper tier P5 teams are done with their recruiting. They'd have to develop them which takes a good two to three years before you see them make significant contribution. I am hoping that they focus more on the linemen - both offense and defense. PJ Fleck seem to favor recruiting too many WRs. If its one thing I'd like changed is to add an extra linemen or two either by scholie or PWO. They need to be at the level of a Wisconsin program where they can just plug in the next man up.

Camden Louis was committed, and all but signed and then Oregon came in and swooped him up. Camden Louis had won one game for Oregon that I remembered that was decided by a field goal kick. This is a tough one. We've been spoiled with prior success in the kicking game. How do they elevate this part of the game? Are there any grad transfers?

Any body care to comment? I could be wrong on all these concerns.
Click to expand...
Camden Lewis has been less than average for the ducks- we didn’t miss out on anything at least not this year. He’s 5/9 in FG and only 2/5 from 20-29 yards. The grass is not greener here in Oregon.
 

I still can't believe Dickson isn't getting more playing time. If even just to build depth. A snap here and there.
 

Kicker Brandon Ruiz is transferring from Arizona State. He was on the pre-season Lou Groza Award watch list before being sidelined by an injury and losing his spot to one the flying Zendajas boys. The injury doesn't sound serious. He was at one time committed to Alabama before flipping to ASU. I've seen him kick, he's legit. He has 2 years of eligibility left too.

www.statepress.com

ASU football kicker Brandon Ruiz announces plans to transfer - The Arizona State Press

Junior kicker Brandon Ruiz announced over Twitter he will be transferring from ASU after early season injuries.
www.statepress.com www.statepress.com
 


Lantz hasn't been as bad as some think. He did hit a 37 yarder in double OT vs Fresno that won us the game along with Winfield's INT.
 

I do think Fleck has signed too many WRs the last couple classes and not enough O Linemen. I think Fleck has done a good job recruiting the D Linemen though, there is more depth on the D Line than we've had in a while.
 

I thought the O line was gonna be a lot better this year. The potential is there, they have just been inconsistent. Need to continue recruiting OL well and improve depth is we want to win the border battles.
 

BTChamp said:
I still can't believe Dickson isn't getting more playing time. If even just to build depth. A snap here and there.
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We won't see Dickson or Sassack unless SS or Faalele go down. Even then, if Dunlap is available, probably you'll see Andries slide out to a tackle.
 



Big Dan will need to up his game
he still plays soft.
if he ever gets a little meaness he could become great
right now there are too many times he stops blocking and it costs us extra yards
 

DoubleB said:
Big Dan will need to up his game
he still plays soft.
if he ever gets a little meaness he could become great
right now there are too many times he stops blocking and it costs us extra yards
Click to expand...
Last year it seemed like every other run play he was pancaking some guy 7 yards down the field. This year it seems like he just dances with them. I don't get it.
 

btowngopher said:
I do think Fleck has signed too many WRs the last couple classes and not enough O Linemen. I think Fleck has done a good job recruiting the D Linemen though, there is more depth on the D Line than we've had in a while.
Click to expand...

yeah always tricky filling out the roster. We do not have a single senior offensive lineman on the roster this year. of course you always want to be building depth. I would expect them to hit the olineman pretty hard in the 2021 cycle.
 

We do have the true freshman JJ Guedet.

I recall that he enrolled early this year and the coaches were giving him serious look, in the spring. I recall bringing him up earlier, and other posters thought it was simply a matter of preferring to redshirt him this season.

We're getting to the point, however, where we could play him without burning a redshirt. Two regular season games, a conf champ game, and a bowl game, would only be four, which is the limit.


I wonder if we might see him ... ? I have no idea if he has been practicing with the two deep this fall, or if he has been on the scout team. Or what his health/condition is like.
 



Roster has 16 OL on it.

3 Freshmen
3 RS Freshmen
1 Sophomore
5 RS Sophomores
0 Juniors
4 RS Juniors
0 Seniors

I assume that 2021/2022 will be heavy on OL recruits. Some of the RS Juniors may Graduate and move on after this season.
 

Question will be whether these 2nd/3rd year players will be contributors.

A. Beier
N. Boe
Ruschmeyer
Umlor
K. Sassack
 

Don't forget that Faalele could legitimately be a threat to leave for the NFL early. May not happen, but it's not impossible. Probably been a while since we've had that.

On the other hand, does that happen often for OL, in general? Haven't looked into that.
 

MnplsGopher said:
Don't forget that Faalele could legitimately be a threat to leave for the NFL early. May not happen, but it's not impossible. Probably been a while since we've had that.

On the other hand, does that happen often for OL, in general? Haven't looked into that.
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I think he could, but his year this year has shown some faults I think.
He'd be an NFL project right now. After his Jr year he could be ready but too early to worry about it.

Yes, it does happen and he's got the size piece already. He's not getting bigger by waiting a year.
 

????? - Five rodents worth.

The future has never looked brighter.

They will build legitimate Big Ten Offensive Lines.

PJ Fleck if he hasn't already realized it, will build a strong Defense. I am liking all the recruiting to shore up the Defense.

"Defense win championships".

Offense get you to the championships.

The Gophers will only get better in recruiting. Winning 9 games and possibly more is a tremendous boost to recruiting and to Gopher fans' psyche.

The Sleeping Giant is awakening!
 
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DoubleB said:
Big Dan will need to up his game
he still plays soft.
if he ever gets a little meaness he could become great
right now there are too many times he stops blocking and it costs us extra yards
Click to expand...
Are you asking him to play more “nasty”?
 


Fix him up with Brock Lesnar. They have things in common. Both are UofM guys. They both can't fit in Size 5XL Gloves.

His hands alone he has a lot of potential to slap a few DLs silly. Heaven forbid him "falling" on top on a DL pro wrestling style.
 

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