Clearly wanted to go balanced, even slightly air heavy, at North Carolina. Passed more than 40 times against a Nebraska defense he did not think he could run against.
State of the offense/OC for 2024?
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MaxyJR1
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I was talking about college football in general not particularly the Gophers
gopherbadgerman
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Great thread.
During the season “fire the OC it’s all coaching”
AK leaves
Post season “coaches are fine it was the QB and players”
The thread that keeps on giving.
During the season “fire the OC it’s all coaching”
AK leaves
Post season “coaches are fine it was the QB and players”
The thread that keeps on giving.
MNVCGUY
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That is a pretty broad generalization. There were plenty of us during the season who were willing to put some of the blame for the offensive struggles on the players and who pushed back at those trying to pin all of it on the coaches.
Pompous Elitist
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The team desperately needs a) better playmakers or b) better talent evaluation and game day management and development or c) both. There is no way what we saw was solely on the players.
I‘ll argue C. That doesn’t necessarily mean firing everyone (but it could, and maybe should - time will tell and a little bit of definition of insanity applies here). This was the worst offense in some time, arguably going back quite a few years. If Darius stays healthy, and Brosmer is the real deal (all signs say he should at least be decent) and the team finds some more talent at receiver, and the offensive line is decent to good the production stands to be pretty decent or even good.
The defense, though. What does Rossi have cooking for next season.
I‘ll argue C. That doesn’t necessarily mean firing everyone (but it could, and maybe should - time will tell and a little bit of definition of insanity applies here). This was the worst offense in some time, arguably going back quite a few years. If Darius stays healthy, and Brosmer is the real deal (all signs say he should at least be decent) and the team finds some more talent at receiver, and the offensive line is decent to good the production stands to be pretty decent or even good.
The defense, though. What does Rossi have cooking for next season.
MNVCGUY
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Not to switch things over to the D but....
Lindenberg and Mav should give us a really strong LB duo (assuming they can play at same time). That alone should really help the D along with some young guys continuing to develop and most likely some help from the portal. McDonald can also hopefully help in the secondary.
A_Slab_of_Bacon
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The post day and few days after a loss are certainly contrasts
.Just because the players don't make plays doesn't mean it isn't the coaches too. It's just hard to blame the coordinators for say play calling when you see the play ... right there waiting to be made, and it's not. There were multiple wins to be had out there just by making what were often not that difficult of plays. Rough year.
And in this day and age ... "OMG PLAYCALLING" is a constant refrain, you just can't escape it.
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A_Slab_of_Bacon
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The total collapse of LB play this year with those guys out was pretty shocking. Some of the other guys seemed to make the wrong read / be out of position like 80% of the time ... others getting completely burned on what were not amazing moves by runners...
RememberMurray
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The debate/discussion regarding 'blame the coaches' vs 'blame the players' is interesting.
Three very key pieces on offense — Taylor, Jackson, Ersery — are returning. Continuity!
The OC and staff will be the same. More continuity!
There will be new starter at quarterback, the most important position on the field. Dramatic change!
It seems we will know definitively, as 2024 plays out, if the shortcomings of the offense in 2023 were coaching-related or player-related. Even more specifically, was poor performance at QB the main problem? We won't have to wait long to answer that question.
Three very key pieces on offense — Taylor, Jackson, Ersery — are returning. Continuity!
The OC and staff will be the same. More continuity!
There will be new starter at quarterback, the most important position on the field. Dramatic change!
It seems we will know definitively, as 2024 plays out, if the shortcomings of the offense in 2023 were coaching-related or player-related. Even more specifically, was poor performance at QB the main problem? We won't have to wait long to answer that question.
MNVCGUY
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Yep....some young guys got put into tough spots and really struggled. Mav played extremely well for a redshirt freshman but Selig struggled and depth at LB was not good with the injuries and portal loses. Hopefully will look much better next season.
Panthadad2
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I checked stats for another thread this morning and was shocked to see that Minnesota had the worst run defense in conference play. Maybe I shouldn't have been shocked given the last few games, but whoa, that can't happen again.
btowngopher
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Injuries at rb are more than 15% of the problem. When you’re down to your only scholarship backs being a true freshman and a guy with severe ball security issues and you want to run the ball 60+% of the time, that’s a massive problem. It wasn’t just injuries though, mistakes were made at securing adequate depth at the position. I sure hope they add a transfer or better yet two this year. And Fleck needs to learn to spread the touches.
Panthadad2
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Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but in a year where the offense attempts a transition to throwing more often, but barely 50% of pass attempts are completed, there are going to be issues. The offense left a lot of meat on the bone.
PMWinSTP
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I do think having the greenhorns play will bode well for depth going forward, but yes, painful at times. Reminds me of MSM and how lost he looked early on at times.
MplsGopher
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Why didn’t he play this year? It was such a big deal for him to get declare eligible.
He didn’t beat out Green, Gousby, Bryson, or Henderson this year. Aren’t all those back next year?
Otherwise you’re telling me that he was Nubin’s backup and that’s it, he wasn’t talented enough to push at any other non-corner secondary spot? Hmmm
MplsGopher
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Back to offense…
One other point that I’m not sure anyone has brought up.
Harbaugh is probably fine as an offensive playcaller. Have heard Burns evangelize to anyone who will listen that he calls great plays at times and we just failed to execute over and over again:
….. But how is he as a QB coach??
Athan struggled this year. No two ways about it. When he seemed so promising at the end of last year under KC.
Why did he get so much worse?
Did he go to some private coaching during the summer and that messed him up? Did Harbaugh mess him up? Something else? Mix of all?
One of those is the reason. We just don’t know which ..
One other point that I’m not sure anyone has brought up.
Harbaugh is probably fine as an offensive playcaller. Have heard Burns evangelize to anyone who will listen that he calls great plays at times and we just failed to execute over and over again:
….. But how is he as a QB coach??
Athan struggled this year. No two ways about it. When he seemed so promising at the end of last year under KC.
Why did he get so much worse?
Did he go to some private coaching during the summer and that messed him up? Did Harbaugh mess him up? Something else? Mix of all?
One of those is the reason. We just don’t know which ..
Jack jones
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The problem is that if we throw more, some will be dropped, over thrown, etc..This just lengthens the game. Will our defense be up to the challenge?. That’s the problem with more throwing. Also certainly puts more pressure on our punter.
Can't totally discount the possibility that Fleck took over as the real QB coach. Hard to explain how AK went from looking fairly confident and loose as a freshman and then looking like a guy wrapped up tight with duct tape and baling wire his second year. He was holding the ball as if paralyzed.
My guess is he got his head full to bursting from an outside source in the off-season.
How does it put more pressure on the punter? Being sent out to punt is pressure?
short ornery norwegian
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one possibility. in '22, AK was forced into play early after Morgan was hurt. in those situations, it's not unusual to simplify things for the backup - cut down the playbook, give the QB fewer reads, etc.
concentrate on what he knows best.
this year AK was the man, and presumably was running the full playbook, making more reads and having more decisions to make. there were times when it looked like he was thinking out there and seemed a little bit overwhelmed. Derek Burns on the Gopher Gridiron podcast said AK struggled against zone coverage when he had to make more reads and work through progressions. now, you can argue that the OC (and/or the HC) could have done more to help him, but it's still on the player to execute.
concentrate on what he knows best.
this year AK was the man, and presumably was running the full playbook, making more reads and having more decisions to make. there were times when it looked like he was thinking out there and seemed a little bit overwhelmed. Derek Burns on the Gopher Gridiron podcast said AK struggled against zone coverage when he had to make more reads and work through progressions. now, you can argue that the OC (and/or the HC) could have done more to help him, but it's still on the player to execute.
Jack jones
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You obviously have never played college football. There is always pressure on the punter especially if the offense is using the cha-cha offense (a1,a2,a3 punt).
MNVCGUY
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Good lord man relax. He is an experienced piece who was put in a really weird situation this year....just saying he might be able to help next year when he won't be dealing with an eligibility issue for most of the year is all.
MplsGopher
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Most of the year??
He was declared eligible on Sept 25 …
He was declared eligible on Sept 25 …
MNVCGUY
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Kaliakmanis didn't regress. He had one really good game in 2022 against Wisconsin, the rest of his games were very similar to what we saw this year as well. HIs completion percentage in 2023 was basically the same as 2022 and he improved his TD/INT ratio in 2023.
Athan didn't take the step forward in 2023 that we were all hoping to see but he didn't get worse.
By definition there is "pressure" on athletes in competition. Thanks for uncovering that little known fact. If you think the punter is at the head of the list of those facing pressure, you must be drawing on unhappy experience. Guess you didn't play much cornerback in your college football career.
Jack jones
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Actually I played QB and Damm proud of it!
MplsGopher
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By definition he regressed from the Wisc game. Also played well in Syracuse bowl before injury.
No interest in discussing the definition of words. Regression is regression. It means what its definition is.
MplsGopher
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And you didn’t reply to that Craig McD was eligible from Sept 25 on, yet didn’t play. Assume you’re conceding that.
I hope he does contribute next year, but then I don’t understand how/why he didn’t contribute this year.
I hope he does contribute next year, but then I don’t understand how/why he didn’t contribute this year.
MNVCGUY
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Your take on regression and mine clearly differ. What happened to Morgan after 2019 was regression. Athan played well a few time in 2022 and he played well a few times in 2023. Most of the rest of the time he was average to below average in both 2022 and 2023. He was never consistently good at any point during his time here but he did have some good games.
As for McDonald, I have no idea. Maybe he was hurt, maybe he was having trouble acclimating to the defense, maybe he was best suited for a position where the current starter was better. Looks like he saw the field against Michigan and then in the final 3 games of the season (assume mostly on special teams). Maybe that is all he will ever be.....or maybe he settles into a more high profile next year.
Gophergrandpa
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I admit to being a confused about why Craig didn't spend a little more time on the field this year, given how hard the Gophers pushed for his eligibility. Might have had some nagging injuries that didn't make him "unavailable," but also held him out in favor of healthier players. Also, might have been learning multiple positions on the fly without mastering any.
We'll see next year whether Craig is a contributor. Don't think he is a natural CB. Based on this year, it looks like Bryson and Gousby would be starting at S (assuming no portal transfers in)--and if Koi Perich sticks with the Gophers, I expect he'll be in the mix for playing time at S as a true frosh, too. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Craig in the 2 deeps at S. Nobody is going to beat out Henderson next year at Nickel, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Craig behind Henderson, either.
Hope springs eternal.