2018 SPRING PREVIEW: DEFENSIVE LINE
March 22, 2018
Season Tickets//Schedule//Roster
The brand of football that head coach P.J. Fleck and defensive coordinator Robb Smith want to play requires having an elite pass rush. The Gophers made steps this offseason to make that happen.
While the Gophers will have to replace 62 starts combined from Steven Richardson, Merrick Jackson and Andrew Stelter, they did add six newcomers to the line. They also were able to make some coaching changes due to the NCAA allowing programs to hire a 10th assistant coach. Joe Rossi moved from quality control assistant to defensive line coach and Marcus West was added as a defensive line pass rush specialist coach.
The Gophers have three seniors up front. Redshirt senior Gary Moore is the most experienced of the class with 20 games and five career starts under his belt. He recorded 19 tackles including 2.5 for a loss and one forced fumble last season. Fellow redshirt senior Jerry Gibson has seen action in eight games but missed the majority of last year with an injury.
O.J. Smith is also a redshirt senior but has yet to see action in the Maroon and Gold. He sat out last season after spending three years at Alabama. There he collected one tackle against ULM as a redshirt freshman and one tackle against Western Kentucky as a sophomore.
The Gophers have five juniors at defensive line counting rush ends Carter Coughlin and Tai’yon Devers. Coughlin was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last year after leading Minnesota with 11.5 tackles for loss. He also added 37 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He made 25 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks as a freshman. Devers has flashed signs of being able wreak havoc. He recorded one sack last year and had three sacks and three forced fumbles as a freshman.
Winston DeLattiboudere brings 11 career starts and 25 total games played on the line. He has made 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Sam Renner is also a redshirt junior. He saw action in all 12 games on special teams last season. Royal Silver rounds out the junior class. He redshirted a season ago after spending two seasons at Iowa Western Community College. There he earned First Team All-ICCAC and Second Team NJCAA All-American honors.
Minnesota has two sophomores in the trenches in Nate Umlor and Connor Novak-Goar. Umlor played in 11 games and started the final seven last season and recorded 11 tackles. Novak-Goar did not see game action last year after transferring from Iowa Western Community College where he redshirted.
Noah Hickcox, Boye Mafe, Esezi Otomewo and Malcolm Robinson all redshirted last year.
Mayan Ahanotu, Abi Okonji, Alex Reigelsperger, Micah Roane and Elijah Teague all signed while Jack Kernwalked on. Reigelsperger is already enrolled in classes and taking part in spring ball.
March 22, 2018
Season Tickets//Schedule//Roster
The brand of football that head coach P.J. Fleck and defensive coordinator Robb Smith want to play requires having an elite pass rush. The Gophers made steps this offseason to make that happen.
While the Gophers will have to replace 62 starts combined from Steven Richardson, Merrick Jackson and Andrew Stelter, they did add six newcomers to the line. They also were able to make some coaching changes due to the NCAA allowing programs to hire a 10th assistant coach. Joe Rossi moved from quality control assistant to defensive line coach and Marcus West was added as a defensive line pass rush specialist coach.
The Gophers have three seniors up front. Redshirt senior Gary Moore is the most experienced of the class with 20 games and five career starts under his belt. He recorded 19 tackles including 2.5 for a loss and one forced fumble last season. Fellow redshirt senior Jerry Gibson has seen action in eight games but missed the majority of last year with an injury.
O.J. Smith is also a redshirt senior but has yet to see action in the Maroon and Gold. He sat out last season after spending three years at Alabama. There he collected one tackle against ULM as a redshirt freshman and one tackle against Western Kentucky as a sophomore.
The Gophers have five juniors at defensive line counting rush ends Carter Coughlin and Tai’yon Devers. Coughlin was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last year after leading Minnesota with 11.5 tackles for loss. He also added 37 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He made 25 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks as a freshman. Devers has flashed signs of being able wreak havoc. He recorded one sack last year and had three sacks and three forced fumbles as a freshman.
Winston DeLattiboudere brings 11 career starts and 25 total games played on the line. He has made 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Sam Renner is also a redshirt junior. He saw action in all 12 games on special teams last season. Royal Silver rounds out the junior class. He redshirted a season ago after spending two seasons at Iowa Western Community College. There he earned First Team All-ICCAC and Second Team NJCAA All-American honors.
Minnesota has two sophomores in the trenches in Nate Umlor and Connor Novak-Goar. Umlor played in 11 games and started the final seven last season and recorded 11 tackles. Novak-Goar did not see game action last year after transferring from Iowa Western Community College where he redshirted.
Noah Hickcox, Boye Mafe, Esezi Otomewo and Malcolm Robinson all redshirted last year.
Mayan Ahanotu, Abi Okonji, Alex Reigelsperger, Micah Roane and Elijah Teague all signed while Jack Kernwalked on. Reigelsperger is already enrolled in classes and taking part in spring ball.
