** 2019 Opponent Previews : Minnesota (Game 7) **

[cheekygeek]

As I sip my morning coffee & check weather for game time in Minneapolis it looks like they will be spared snow accumulations (less than an inch, if any). The eye of the surface low moves directly over Minneapolis during the game, which should be interesting because winds will be out of the S or SSE at kickoff and gradually change to the W by game’s end. Winds should NOT be STRONG (5-10 kts).

Also the heaviest snow track looks to be farther north and west than earlier expected, so you should be fine to take the diagonal route from Sioux City to Minneapolis if you are so inclined.

 

[Jarhead In Red]

Ice is the word you are looking for here. 

That's asking a lot to have me use complex words like that. After all, I am just an old Jarhead...... :lol:

 

[BIG ERN]

Can we please have Jackson press on these plays? I noticed we do this a lot with the OLB playing the inside and passing it off. Safety and CB back pedal for an easy 1st down. 

 

[Husker in WI]

Can we please have Jackson press on these plays? I noticed we do this a lot with the OLB playing the inside and passing it off. Safety and CB back pedal for an easy 1st down. 

View attachment 15543

Seems weird the S and CB are that close together, even if they are both supposed to be deep. But yeah, the playing off and tackling the guy in front of you works on 3rd and 14. Not 2nd/3rd and 5.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Pardon me if this has been discussed.

But, how good is their defensive line or front 7?

 

[swmohusker]

Can we please have Jackson press on these plays? I noticed we do this a lot with the OLB playing the inside and passing it off. Safety and CB back pedal for an easy 1st down. 

View attachment 15543

If we are in quarters then Tannor has a quick reroute and then should be underneath that in the curl.   Safety is over 2 with hole help form the ILB.  We run this a lot against quarters coverage in a 2x2 to occupy the flat defender and play pitch and catch on the outside.  

 

[Husker in WI]

Pardon me if this has been discussed.

But, how good is their defensive line or front 7?

@everybody knows my name or @BowedButNotBeaten probably have a better sense since they're both Minnesota fans, but my sense is they're solid but not spectacular.

They've got a good pass rusher in Coughlin but all he can do is speed rush - a problem against Farniok, but he's not going to take over the game. A big DT transfer from Notre Dame, then a couple decent rotational pieces. LB, feels like the best guy is Kamal Martin who has been suspended off and on but I think will play this week. Overall nobody as good as Cashman was last year. They're a step down from the past two front 7s we've seen for sure, but they're not bad.

 

[BowedButNotBeaten]

@everybody knows my name or @BowedButNotBeaten probably have a better sense since they're both Minnesota fans, but my sense is they're solid but not spectacular.

They've got a good pass rusher in Coughlin but all he can do is speed rush - a problem against Farniok, but he's not going to take over the game. A big DT transfer from Notre Dame, then a couple decent rotational pieces. LB, feels like the best guy is Kamal Martin who has been suspended off and on but I think will play this week. Overall nobody as good as Cashman was last year. They're a step down from the past two front 7s we've seen for sure, but they're not bad.

You did a nice job of summarizing. You've clearly watched Minnesota play this year. Indeed, the D-line is serviceable but not spectacular. They'll rotate lots of bodies in to stay fresh. Coughlin at DE will play in the NFL next year, but he's been bothered by a hamstring issue since training camp that has limited his effectiveness somewhat. The tackles haven't caused anyone's skirts to fly up yet.

Kamal Martin at LB is tremendous. He sat out one game for suspension and another for injury, but he's all over the field. Thomas Barber is the other LB, and he's been a bit underwhelming this year.

If you can, watch #11 Antoine Winfield because you'll appreciate how talented he is at safety. Both of the last two years he's suffered a season-ending injury against Maryland. When healthy, he's the key cog of the defense.

The Minnesota D has been decent with some significant lapses here and there. A mobile QB will give them problems.

 

[NUinID]

Wow, that is about the nicest thing you would ever here Severe say about Nebraska.  He usually has some offbeat negative thing to say. 

 

[everybody knows my name]

@everybody knows my name or @BowedButNotBeaten probably have a better sense since they're both Minnesota fans, but my sense is they're solid but not spectacular.

They've got a good pass rusher in Coughlin but all he can do is speed rush - a problem against Farniok, but he's not going to take over the game. A big DT transfer from Notre Dame, then a couple decent rotational pieces. LB, feels like the best guy is Kamal Martin who has been suspended off and on but I think will play this week. Overall nobody as good as Cashman was last year. They're a step down from the past two front 7s we've seen for sure, but they're not bad.

Good guys on the DL - Coughlin is better than you give him credit for.  Speed rush is his forte, and he's a big hitter with a good motor.  Sam Renner is said to be a technician and his teammates respect the heck out of him.  Boye Mafe is a physical specimen who is learning the ropes and could be great.  Micah Dew Treadway is the Notre Dame transfer you mentioned, and he has contributed well.  Taiyon Devers is a speed rusher and not much else, but when he succeeds it's highlight film material.  Overall the defensive front is average, but the individual talent is very uneven.

LBs are a Gophers strength.  Kamal Martin, who as far as I recall has been suspended once in his career, is very, very good.  Thomas Barber is another standout.  He's the youngest brother in the famous Barber family, the most illustrious of whom is "Marion the Barbarian."  Thomas Rush is a youngster that the coaching staff is high on.  You will hear Braelen Oliver's name a few times in the broadcast.  Sophomore Mariano Sori-Marin has played extensively this year but sometimes looks a little lost.

 

[Husker in WI]

You did a nice job of summarizing. You've clearly watched Minnesota play this year.

I've got family in Minnesota, so I follow them and Wisconsin fairly closely - definitely with a Nebraska bias though, so I probably tend to sell them short. Didn't know Coughlin wasn't 100% though, that explains some of what I've seen. And Winfield is a stud for sure, he's fun to watch.

LBs are a Gophers strength.  Kamal Martin, who as far as I recall has been suspended once in his career, is very, very good. 

My bad, saw he'd missed 2 non consecutive games this year and assumed it was 2 suspensions cause I knew the first one was. Was Georgia Southern an injury? Either way sounds like he's healthy/cleared to play this week.

 

[everybody knows my name]

My bad, saw he'd missed 2 non consecutive games this year and assumed it was 2 suspensions cause I knew the first one was. Was Georgia Southern an injury? Either way sounds like he's healthy/cleared to play this week.

Offhand my recollection is that Martin had some infraction last year where he missed a game last season and the first game this season (South Dakota State).  But I could be mistaken.

Anything else that he missed would be an injury.

 

[BIG ERN]

Minnesota hasn't gotten to the QB as much as we have this year and we also have more TFL as a team per average. MN has a decent defense with an average offensive line IMO. Gophers also haven't played anyone yet. This will be their biggest test for their first 8 games. Tanner Morgan has been impressive. Good weapons obvi with Bateman and Johnson. Some good backs to go with them. 

 

[BowedButNotBeaten]

There's really no reason for this not to be a super tight game. Turnovers will be key, which is not exactly groundbreaking analysis.

 

[Mavric]

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