Link: Three spring ball questions and way too early answers
Here are a few things that I will be looking at when spring practice opens up. I'm curious to hear all your thoughts, things you guys will be looking for, and more that you would like for me to look for and include in my practice reports.
------------------
Three spring ball questions and way too early answers
Connor Stevens • TheGopherReport.com
@CStevensTGR
Coach Fleck and the Gophers just announced the Spring Practice schedule for Minnesota and excitement among the maroon and gold faithful is the highest it’s been since the team played for a share of Big Ten West title in the final game of the 2016 season. An up-and-down 2018 season ended on multiple high notes, including dominating victories over Purdue, Wisconsin at Camp Randall for Paul Bunyan's Axe, and Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.
The first official practice begins on March 12th and practices open to the public and media are on March 15th, March 26th, and April 2nd at 4:45 PM, while the Spring Game is Saturday April 13th at 11 A.M. TGR will be at each of these open sessions providing a practice report and more. Before spring ball kicks off, here are questions that I have and will look to get answers to at the sessions.
How will quarterback reps be split up, and who stands out early?
Now scholarship sophomore Zack Annexstad sets to throw vs. Miami (Ohio)
AP
The question pertaining to who will be the starting quarterback likely won’t be answered in spring practice for the third straight year. Conor Rhoda won the job late in fall camp in Fleck’s first year (later to be replaced by Croft), and Zack Annexstad won during the fall in his second year as head coach (later to be replaced by Tanner Morgan due to injury). During Coach Fleck’s opening press conference, he stated the battle will mainly be between Morgan and Annexstad to start. This can be interpreted as them being the only two up for the job, or that freshmen Jacob Clark and Cole Kramer are going to have to earn the chance at competing in the position battle. I think it will be more towards the latter. If Jacob Clark or Cole Kramer do the most with the reps they’re given, they’ll get a chance to compete and win the job. Like Coach Fleck says, his duty is to recruit people to take spots, and the players duty is to keep their spot. Based on experience, It’s safe to infer that Morgan and Annexstad will get every chance to win the job from the start. If I had a guess on how reps would be split, I would say it will be around 40% each for the two returners, and 10% each for the newcomers until they earn more reps or someone distances themselves. Things I’ll be watching closely are: Who can throw the deep ball accurately and consistently? Who is going through their progressions? Who looks comfortable in the offense? And who has timing and chemistry with the wideouts? This is the best group of QB’s that Fleck has had battle it out at Minnesota, so this should be fun to watch.
Way too early prediction: Zack Annexstad wins the job again
Who starts at safety next to Antoine Winfield Jr.?
Jordan Howden is praised by Winston DeLattiboudere during the Gophers bowl win over Georgia Tech
University of Minnesota
Great news for Gopher fans came from the opening spring press conference, and that was that star redshirt sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is again 100% healthy and ready to go. So who plays next to him? Jordan Howden came in and had a season of development and learning with Winfield out and earned a scholarship, Benny Sapp played his first full-season since his freshman year of high school, walk-on Calvin Swenson, and the Gophers recruited first team JuCo All-American Gervarious Owens, high school four-star Tyler Nubin, and three-star Solomon Brown. There is more safety depth at Minnesota than there has been since Coach Fleck started. That’s the theme for many positions, but if you look at where they were just last year at the position, this seems like a big accomplishment by the staff. Owens and Nubin will be on campus in the fall so Sapp, Brown, and Howden will have the chance to get a head start. Benny Sapp impressed me last year during camp and is built like a Big Ten safety, and I think the staff did a terrific job last year in keeping him healthy while allowing him to play a full season and getting his feet wet. He was a guy with offers from everywhere at a very young age. If he’s able to stay healthy, I think he could be the guy to place next to Winfield.
Way too early prediction: Benny Sapp wins the job
Who plays where on the offensive line?
Minnesota offensive line group poses after their dominating performance vs. Georgia Tech
University of Minnesota
In most situations that the offensive line has questions, there is concern for how good the line really is. In Minnesota’s situation, it’s going to be about what makes the offensive line the best it can possibly be. The Gophers lose Donnell Green and Jared Weyler, and return all but Weyler from a group that ran for over 250 yards in the bowl game against Georgia Tech. Blaise Andries can play either guard or tackle, Conner Olson can play either guard or center, and Coach Fleck even mentioned redshirt freshman Curtis Dunlap as someone who could play guard or tackle. The biggest determinate here, will be the play of Juco transfer tackle Jason Dickson who was ineligible last year, but is now able to play for the Gophers. If he’s the one who wins the job, one could expect him at left tackle with Andries at left guard, Olson at center, Dunlap at right guard, and Daniel Faalele at right tackle. If Dickson is unable to grab the job, Andries could return to tackle, where he played during the bowl game, Olsen at guard, John Michael-Schmitz or Nathan Boe at center, and Dunlap and Faalele filling in the right side. My initial read is that the right side is set with the IMG boys, and the rest of the line will be determined by if Jason Dickson is able to win the job. A dark horse is true freshman JJ Guedet who Coach Fleck said has “taken the team by storm”. The offensive line has the potential to be a strength of the team, and one of the top groups in the Big Ten for the next few years. The line will likely be strong regardless of how this plays out, but the job for Callahan and Fleck is to make sure it’s the best it can possibly be.
Way too early prediction: LT: Jason Dickson, LG Blaise Andries, C Conner Olson, RG Curtis Dunlap, RT Daniel Faalele
Here are a few things that I will be looking at when spring practice opens up. I'm curious to hear all your thoughts, things you guys will be looking for, and more that you would like for me to look for and include in my practice reports.
------------------
Three spring ball questions and way too early answers
Connor Stevens • TheGopherReport.com
@CStevensTGR
Coach Fleck and the Gophers just announced the Spring Practice schedule for Minnesota and excitement among the maroon and gold faithful is the highest it’s been since the team played for a share of Big Ten West title in the final game of the 2016 season. An up-and-down 2018 season ended on multiple high notes, including dominating victories over Purdue, Wisconsin at Camp Randall for Paul Bunyan's Axe, and Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.
The first official practice begins on March 12th and practices open to the public and media are on March 15th, March 26th, and April 2nd at 4:45 PM, while the Spring Game is Saturday April 13th at 11 A.M. TGR will be at each of these open sessions providing a practice report and more. Before spring ball kicks off, here are questions that I have and will look to get answers to at the sessions.
How will quarterback reps be split up, and who stands out early?
Now scholarship sophomore Zack Annexstad sets to throw vs. Miami (Ohio)
AP
The question pertaining to who will be the starting quarterback likely won’t be answered in spring practice for the third straight year. Conor Rhoda won the job late in fall camp in Fleck’s first year (later to be replaced by Croft), and Zack Annexstad won during the fall in his second year as head coach (later to be replaced by Tanner Morgan due to injury). During Coach Fleck’s opening press conference, he stated the battle will mainly be between Morgan and Annexstad to start. This can be interpreted as them being the only two up for the job, or that freshmen Jacob Clark and Cole Kramer are going to have to earn the chance at competing in the position battle. I think it will be more towards the latter. If Jacob Clark or Cole Kramer do the most with the reps they’re given, they’ll get a chance to compete and win the job. Like Coach Fleck says, his duty is to recruit people to take spots, and the players duty is to keep their spot. Based on experience, It’s safe to infer that Morgan and Annexstad will get every chance to win the job from the start. If I had a guess on how reps would be split, I would say it will be around 40% each for the two returners, and 10% each for the newcomers until they earn more reps or someone distances themselves. Things I’ll be watching closely are: Who can throw the deep ball accurately and consistently? Who is going through their progressions? Who looks comfortable in the offense? And who has timing and chemistry with the wideouts? This is the best group of QB’s that Fleck has had battle it out at Minnesota, so this should be fun to watch.
Way too early prediction: Zack Annexstad wins the job again
Who starts at safety next to Antoine Winfield Jr.?
Jordan Howden is praised by Winston DeLattiboudere during the Gophers bowl win over Georgia Tech
University of Minnesota
Great news for Gopher fans came from the opening spring press conference, and that was that star redshirt sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is again 100% healthy and ready to go. So who plays next to him? Jordan Howden came in and had a season of development and learning with Winfield out and earned a scholarship, Benny Sapp played his first full-season since his freshman year of high school, walk-on Calvin Swenson, and the Gophers recruited first team JuCo All-American Gervarious Owens, high school four-star Tyler Nubin, and three-star Solomon Brown. There is more safety depth at Minnesota than there has been since Coach Fleck started. That’s the theme for many positions, but if you look at where they were just last year at the position, this seems like a big accomplishment by the staff. Owens and Nubin will be on campus in the fall so Sapp, Brown, and Howden will have the chance to get a head start. Benny Sapp impressed me last year during camp and is built like a Big Ten safety, and I think the staff did a terrific job last year in keeping him healthy while allowing him to play a full season and getting his feet wet. He was a guy with offers from everywhere at a very young age. If he’s able to stay healthy, I think he could be the guy to place next to Winfield.
Way too early prediction: Benny Sapp wins the job
Who plays where on the offensive line?
Minnesota offensive line group poses after their dominating performance vs. Georgia Tech
University of Minnesota
In most situations that the offensive line has questions, there is concern for how good the line really is. In Minnesota’s situation, it’s going to be about what makes the offensive line the best it can possibly be. The Gophers lose Donnell Green and Jared Weyler, and return all but Weyler from a group that ran for over 250 yards in the bowl game against Georgia Tech. Blaise Andries can play either guard or tackle, Conner Olson can play either guard or center, and Coach Fleck even mentioned redshirt freshman Curtis Dunlap as someone who could play guard or tackle. The biggest determinate here, will be the play of Juco transfer tackle Jason Dickson who was ineligible last year, but is now able to play for the Gophers. If he’s the one who wins the job, one could expect him at left tackle with Andries at left guard, Olson at center, Dunlap at right guard, and Daniel Faalele at right tackle. If Dickson is unable to grab the job, Andries could return to tackle, where he played during the bowl game, Olsen at guard, John Michael-Schmitz or Nathan Boe at center, and Dunlap and Faalele filling in the right side. My initial read is that the right side is set with the IMG boys, and the rest of the line will be determined by if Jason Dickson is able to win the job. A dark horse is true freshman JJ Guedet who Coach Fleck said has “taken the team by storm”. The offensive line has the potential to be a strength of the team, and one of the top groups in the Big Ten for the next few years. The line will likely be strong regardless of how this plays out, but the job for Callahan and Fleck is to make sure it’s the best it can possibly be.
Way too early prediction: LT: Jason Dickson, LG Blaise Andries, C Conner Olson, RG Curtis Dunlap, RT Daniel Faalele
