Senior offensive lineman Chris Bunders spends his day with football and his fiancee.
PUBLISHED: 2011-10-19
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
At the break of dawn, senior offensive lineman Chris Bunders wakes up at 6 a.m., not to get ready for practice, or class, but to drive for an hour and a half.
“I get the honor of taking my fiancee to work every morning.” Bunders said without any hint of sarcasm, but total adoration.
Bunders’ fiancee, Jennifer Polansky, works for a local hospital in the mental health clinic. She supports Bunders’ passion for football, attends all of his games and even makes trips to road games to watch her future husband take on opposing lineman, while she cheers from the stands.
“If she had to miss a game, I don’t know what she would do,” Bunders said.
“She is a wonderful support for me. I don’t know what I would do without her,” he added.
They met on the first day of 10th grade and began dating shortly after. Bunders was born and raised in Maple Grove, Minn., and attended Osseo High School, where he dominated competition.
He was the ranked in the top-50 in the nation at offensive guard and was a top-10 player overall in Minnesota.
His high school head coach, Derrin Lamker, is still running the show at Osseo and has led the Orioles to an early 5-1 record this year.
“Chris started as a freshman, and that’s not easy to do here. He was the consummate professional,” Lamker said, noting his respect for Bunders’ footwork, work ethic and maturity.
“The Gophers have had a couple tough years, but Chris always says what a great job his coaches and teammates are doing. He’s always got a positive, mature outlook.”
Bunders said his dream was always to play Big Ten football for the Gophers.
“When I got the chance, I jumped on it. I got some offers from other schools, but this is where I really wanted to play. When that offer letter came through, I was really happy. I couldn’t be happier,” Bunders said.
After he drops his fiancee off in the morning, he heads back to campus for treatment on his various injuries sustained from the week’s abuse on the field, before walking to classes the rest of the morning and into the afternoon.
Football isn’t the only thing Bunders is looking to accomplish at the University.
Bunders is a civil engineering major with a minor in construction management. He said he takes his education seriously, and he proved that by winning a scholar-athlete award in 2007. He also said he knows the value of his scholarship.
“My schooling is getting paid for and I’m lucky to have that. I’m going to go out and get my education,” Bunders said.
Civil engineering is a little-known legacy among Gophers offensive guards: Ben Hamilton and Mark Setterstrom previously majored in civil engineering and both went on to play in the NFL.
Bunders is hoping he can follow in their footsteps.
“I’d love to be able to play more football,” Bunders said. “Otherwise, I’m going to try to line up as many jobs as I can this spring, so I can start working and put some money toward our wedding and house.”
Once Bunders finishes class he heads over to start his work with the team at about 2 p.m. He tapes up his hands and arms to begin his weight training to build up his body to handle the tough job of being a Big Ten offensive lineman.
“What you think you can do isn’t even close to what your body is able to do,” Bunders said. “I’ve learned to be able to push my body and it has bounced back and stayed healthy for me.”
After weight lifting, he studies in team meetings and then moves down to the field to put those studies into play at practice.
Practice begins at 3:30 p.m. with stretch work and light jogs across the practice field. Players who don’t hustle to the practice field, skip class or are insubordinate have to wear “Minnesota Lopher” pink jerseys at practice.
Bunders is not found practicing in pink.
Head coach Jerry Kill yells and shouts, getting players motivated on special teams while Bunders and the rest of the offensive line jog over to a side field with offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover to work through their drills.
Bunders squats down under a 5-foot netted ceiling and moves forward. Emerging from the other side, he thrusts forward, elevating his defender with powerful arms as he uncoils the springs of his squatted legs.
Bunders, traditionally a left guard, prepares for all offensive line positions.
Jimmy Gjere had a concussion last week, according to Kill, so the team moved Bunders from guard to tackle against Purdue.
“We’d be lost without Chris right now,” Limegrover said “He’s been our MVP of the offensive line. He’s a tough guy, a blue-collar guy.”
After the first set of drills, Bunders moves to the opposite side of the field and has to take on two tacklers, maintaining proper leverage to drive through the first block while squaring up the second.
Bunders said practice is where good players are able to become actual college players. He was redshirted as a freshman in order to get the proper practice to play college-level football.
“I wanted to start right out of high school,” Bunders said. “My nightmares were soon realized. I realized that I had a lot of work to do. I got to mold my body into what an actual college player looks like. That year was beneficial. If I would’ve been thrown in, I would’ve been sinking more than swimming,” Bunders said.
Practice ends at 6 p.m. with a talk from Kill while the players attentively heed his words while taking a knee.
Bunders listens to the coach and then heads to the locker room to clean up and eat with the team. The team quickly occupies all the chairs throughout the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex, grabbing dinner to refuel their bodies after practice.
Bunders finishes his meal quickly so that he may return home. After 13 hours of class and football activities, he heads home to do his homework for the evening.
Once all his work is finished, he gets to spend the evening catching up with his fiancee before heading off to bed to start the enterprise all over again the next morning.
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/19/day-life-senior-o-lineman-chris-bunders
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A day in the life of freshman Marcus Jones
Freshman Marcus Jones is finding his way in Minnesota.
PUBLISHED: 2011-10-18
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Marcus Jones is a true freshman on the Gophers football team adjusting to a busy schedule, life on a college campus and getting ready for a cold winter.
Jones has had a good start to his college career. He is averaging more than 16 yards per reception and more than 27 yards per kickoff return, including a touchdown return of 92 yards, all while getting used to starting on a Division-I football team.
Off the field, Jones is another freshman, far away from his high school home, trying to pin down a major and adjust to college life.
Jones, a North Carolina native, was offered a scholarship by Northern Illinois while Jerry Kill was still head coach there. After Kill departed from Northern Illinois, Jones was unsure of his future.
He was offered scholarships from Vanderbilt and Ball State after his state championship game in North Carolina. Kill called him in December after accepting the Minnesota head coaching job and Jones toured the campus.
“It was so cold. The snow was taller than me. I talked to Coach Kill and some people in academics and some players. I felt like this was the best place for me,” Jones said.
Jones wakes up at 7:15 a.m. and checks in with the team. The Kill administration has emphasized discipline and requires that all athletes attend their classes regularly.
“We always have to check-in in the morning to make sure we’re up and ready for class,” Jones said.
Jones is a true freshman, experiencing college classes for the first time. He is experimenting with different classes, taking introductory courses and feeling out his interests.
Student-athletes don’t get the luxury of being able to change their majors, as they only have four years of athletic eligibility. Those are the only years in which scholarships pay for credits. They need to declare soon after they begin college and stay on that strict path.
“I was thinking about going into engineering. It’s a lot of work. I’d have to miss some practices. I can handle the math,” Jones said. “I don’t want to risk getting behind in football and then risk getting behind in school. I’m going to take my time and make the right decision on [my major].”
After his morning classes, Jones walks back home to have lunch by noon and gets back to class again by 12:20 p.m. Then he heads over to the football facility by 1:30 p.m. to get ready for the day’s football activities.
Team meetings begin at 2 p.m., where Jones studies game tape and diagnoses the plan for the upcoming game.
He is new to the system, but has always been quick to pick up football schemes, according to his high school coach, Reginald Lucas, for whom he played cornerback, running back and returner.
“Marcus is a very smart kid. He picked up both [offensive and defensive] schemes very quickly,” Lucas said.
“His work ethic is what impressed me the most. He was pound-for-pound the hardest working kid in our program.”
Practice begins at 3:30 p.m. and after Jones finishes warming up he runs routes with the wide receivers. This is a new development for Jones. He predominately played cornerback in high school and was recruited as such, but when Minnesota had a need for a slot receiver, he seized the opportunity to be able to play as a freshman.
“I wasn’t sold on the idea, but anybody tells you that you get a chance to play your freshman year, you try it,” Jones said. “I think I found a niche as a receiver and returner, but I’m not going to say I haven’t been thinking about getting on defense and hitting somebody.”
Jones runs his routes at practice with precision and speed. He is one of the smallest players on the team, but what he lacks in size he makes up in effort.
He displays enthusiasm running on and off the practice field, anxious to get in the next play or watch the second team take snaps. He explodes off the line of scrimmage, making strong cuts as though it was a game situation.
Kill addresses the team at the end of each practice at 6 p.m. before the team can leave to clean up and eat dinner.
Kill has not been shy about his admiration for both Jones’ current play and his future.
“It’ll be scary, with how good Marcus is playing right now, how good he’ll be three years from now,” Kill said.
After dinner, Jones has to head to a night class, and on the evenings when he doesn’t have class, he said he looks forward to being able to go home and rest.
Jones has to mix in a full load of classes, homework and five hours of football activities each day.
“You have time to do it all. The hardest part is sometimes you don’t have time to eat or rest and you have to come to practice hungry and tired,” Jones said. “That adds to my mental toughness.”
He said he wants to maintain a high GPA and continue to work hard on the football field.
“I met Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Spaeth [and] Eric Decker. You see those guys working hard in the summer,” Jones said. “I admire their work ethics. I admire anybody with a work ethic like that.”
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/18/day-life-freshman-marcus-jones
PUBLISHED: 2011-10-18
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Marcus Jones is a true freshman on the Gophers football team adjusting to a busy schedule, life on a college campus and getting ready for a cold winter.
Jones has had a good start to his college career. He is averaging more than 16 yards per reception and more than 27 yards per kickoff return, including a touchdown return of 92 yards, all while getting used to starting on a Division-I football team.
Off the field, Jones is another freshman, far away from his high school home, trying to pin down a major and adjust to college life.
Jones, a North Carolina native, was offered a scholarship by Northern Illinois while Jerry Kill was still head coach there. After Kill departed from Northern Illinois, Jones was unsure of his future.
He was offered scholarships from Vanderbilt and Ball State after his state championship game in North Carolina. Kill called him in December after accepting the Minnesota head coaching job and Jones toured the campus.
“It was so cold. The snow was taller than me. I talked to Coach Kill and some people in academics and some players. I felt like this was the best place for me,” Jones said.
Jones wakes up at 7:15 a.m. and checks in with the team. The Kill administration has emphasized discipline and requires that all athletes attend their classes regularly.
“We always have to check-in in the morning to make sure we’re up and ready for class,” Jones said.
Jones is a true freshman, experiencing college classes for the first time. He is experimenting with different classes, taking introductory courses and feeling out his interests.
Student-athletes don’t get the luxury of being able to change their majors, as they only have four years of athletic eligibility. Those are the only years in which scholarships pay for credits. They need to declare soon after they begin college and stay on that strict path.
“I was thinking about going into engineering. It’s a lot of work. I’d have to miss some practices. I can handle the math,” Jones said. “I don’t want to risk getting behind in football and then risk getting behind in school. I’m going to take my time and make the right decision on [my major].”
After his morning classes, Jones walks back home to have lunch by noon and gets back to class again by 12:20 p.m. Then he heads over to the football facility by 1:30 p.m. to get ready for the day’s football activities.
Team meetings begin at 2 p.m., where Jones studies game tape and diagnoses the plan for the upcoming game.
He is new to the system, but has always been quick to pick up football schemes, according to his high school coach, Reginald Lucas, for whom he played cornerback, running back and returner.
“Marcus is a very smart kid. He picked up both [offensive and defensive] schemes very quickly,” Lucas said.
“His work ethic is what impressed me the most. He was pound-for-pound the hardest working kid in our program.”
Practice begins at 3:30 p.m. and after Jones finishes warming up he runs routes with the wide receivers. This is a new development for Jones. He predominately played cornerback in high school and was recruited as such, but when Minnesota had a need for a slot receiver, he seized the opportunity to be able to play as a freshman.
“I wasn’t sold on the idea, but anybody tells you that you get a chance to play your freshman year, you try it,” Jones said. “I think I found a niche as a receiver and returner, but I’m not going to say I haven’t been thinking about getting on defense and hitting somebody.”
Jones runs his routes at practice with precision and speed. He is one of the smallest players on the team, but what he lacks in size he makes up in effort.
He displays enthusiasm running on and off the practice field, anxious to get in the next play or watch the second team take snaps. He explodes off the line of scrimmage, making strong cuts as though it was a game situation.
Kill addresses the team at the end of each practice at 6 p.m. before the team can leave to clean up and eat dinner.
Kill has not been shy about his admiration for both Jones’ current play and his future.
“It’ll be scary, with how good Marcus is playing right now, how good he’ll be three years from now,” Kill said.
After dinner, Jones has to head to a night class, and on the evenings when he doesn’t have class, he said he looks forward to being able to go home and rest.
Jones has to mix in a full load of classes, homework and five hours of football activities each day.
“You have time to do it all. The hardest part is sometimes you don’t have time to eat or rest and you have to come to practice hungry and tired,” Jones said. “That adds to my mental toughness.”
He said he wants to maintain a high GPA and continue to work hard on the football field.
“I met Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Spaeth [and] Eric Decker. You see those guys working hard in the summer,” Jones said. “I admire their work ethics. I admire anybody with a work ethic like that.”
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/18/day-life-freshman-marcus-jones
Monday, October 10, 2011
Quick Hitters - This week in Football
Published: 2011-10-10
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-Marqueis Gray was 8-for-20 Saturday, with 100 passing yards, 20 rushing yards and a touchdown.
-Purdue quarterbacks Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve were a combined 18-for-27 with 155 yards and two touchdowns.
-The Gophers’ defense has allowed an average completion rate of 67.5 percent for 1,486 yards this year, the worst rate and total in the Big Ten.
-Minnesota’s defense has allowed 133 receptions to its opponents for a total of 1,495 yards and 13 touchdowns. All three are worst in the conference.
-Donnell Kirkwood returned this week after taking himself out of the Michigan game with a hamstring injury. Kirkwood fumbled twice in the first half against Purdue. He finished the day with 12 rushes for 27 yards.
-Minnesota’s rush defense continued to struggle, as it allowed 217 yards and three touchdowns. Opponents are averaging 166 rushing yards per game against the Gophers.
-Minnesota’s pass rush had success early against Purdue. The Gophers doubled their sack total on the year from two to four and had numerous tackles for losses.
-Purdue place kicker Carson Wiggs nailed a 53-yard field goal with ease. Wiggs has made five field goals of more than 50 yards in his career, including a 59-yarder in 2009.
-Freshman Marcus Jones’ 92-yard kickoff return touchdown was unofficially the second in as many weeks he ran back for a score, although last week’s was negated because of a penalty.
-The Gophers committed 74 yards in penalties for the second straight week. They have averaged seven penalties for more than 60 yards per game in their five losses.
-Former running back LaMonte Edwards received his first start at linebacker this week, while Tommy Olson got his first start at left guard next to his older brother, left tackle Ed Olson.
-The Gophers have been outscored 103-17 in their two Big Ten games.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/10/quick-hitters
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-Marqueis Gray was 8-for-20 Saturday, with 100 passing yards, 20 rushing yards and a touchdown.
-Purdue quarterbacks Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve were a combined 18-for-27 with 155 yards and two touchdowns.
-The Gophers’ defense has allowed an average completion rate of 67.5 percent for 1,486 yards this year, the worst rate and total in the Big Ten.
-Minnesota’s defense has allowed 133 receptions to its opponents for a total of 1,495 yards and 13 touchdowns. All three are worst in the conference.
-Donnell Kirkwood returned this week after taking himself out of the Michigan game with a hamstring injury. Kirkwood fumbled twice in the first half against Purdue. He finished the day with 12 rushes for 27 yards.
-Minnesota’s rush defense continued to struggle, as it allowed 217 yards and three touchdowns. Opponents are averaging 166 rushing yards per game against the Gophers.
-Minnesota’s pass rush had success early against Purdue. The Gophers doubled their sack total on the year from two to four and had numerous tackles for losses.
-Purdue place kicker Carson Wiggs nailed a 53-yard field goal with ease. Wiggs has made five field goals of more than 50 yards in his career, including a 59-yarder in 2009.
-Freshman Marcus Jones’ 92-yard kickoff return touchdown was unofficially the second in as many weeks he ran back for a score, although last week’s was negated because of a penalty.
-The Gophers committed 74 yards in penalties for the second straight week. They have averaged seven penalties for more than 60 yards per game in their five losses.
-Former running back LaMonte Edwards received his first start at linebacker this week, while Tommy Olson got his first start at left guard next to his older brother, left tackle Ed Olson.
-The Gophers have been outscored 103-17 in their two Big Ten games.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/10/quick-hitters
Gophers look to rebound in Purdue
MarQueis Gray is questionable with a toe injury while Max Shortell waits in the wings.
Published: 2011-10-06
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers head to West Lafayette, Ind., this weekend to battle the Purdue Boilermakers and try to redeem themselves after getting steamrolled by Michigan last week 58-0.
Minnesota is 1-4 this year and looked completely overmatched in its first Big Ten game under head coach Jerry Kill.
The Gophers played at Purdue last season and were defeated 28-17 in Tim Brewster’s final game before his dismissal.
Kill spoke about the team’s lack of toughness and discipline this week.
“You recruit them tough. You can’t make them tough,” Kill said. He also said he has had to do more babysitting than coaching.
Purdue has yet to play a Big Ten game this year, and is 2-2 on the season. The Boilermakers were beat handily by Notre Dame last week 38-10.
Purdue has consistently produced NFL caliber quarterbacks including two NFL Hall of Famers Bob Griese and Len Dawson. They also produced three quarterbacks currently starting in the NFL: Drew Brees, Curtis Painter and Kyle Orton.
The current Purdue team has a quarterback controversy after would-be starter Rob Henry tore the ACL in his right knee a week before the season began.
Junior Caleb TerBush has stepped into the starting role and has been pushed by senior Robert Marve. Against Notre Dame, TerBush was benched late in the first half in place of Marve, who started the second half.
Head coach Danny Hope said TerBush is still his starter after practice Sunday, but that may change by Saturday’s game against Minnesota.
“We intend on playing both quarterbacks. I hope both these guys play so well I can’t decide which is best,” Hope told reporters at his weekly press conference. “We are committed to having two quarterbacks ready to play.”
The Gophers’ defense has allowed long strings of completions and gobs of yards to all opposing quarterbacks. They have allowed almost a 70 percent completion rate, more than 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
Even in Minnesota’s lone win, Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert threw for 325 yards.
“Defending the run, defending the pass, all three levels of the defense have a lot of improving to do,” Gophers linebacker Mike Rallis said.
Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray’s toe injury prevented him from starting last week.
Gray didn’t participate in full practices last week, but was able to practice this week. He will be a game-time decision again this week.
“I’m improved a lot. I couldn’t put pressure on it Saturday. It feels better each day. I feel fine, but it’s up to the coaches [whether I play],” Gray said.
The Gophers have a bye next week, so he may sit one more game in order to take two weeks to rest his toe.
In Gray’s absence, true freshman Max Shortell started against Michigan. Shortell has performed admirably in relief appearances this season, but playing a full game against Big Ten competition exposed his inexperience.
Shortell may have to start for the second straight week on the road if Gray isn’t able to start due to injury.
“MarQueis is going to have to practice at full speed. There’s no question he’s progressed, but is it enough to go out and play a game? I just don’t know,” Kill said.
Minnesota will look to establish an offensive rhythm on the ground against a Boilermakers team that lost All-American defensive lineman Ryan Kerrigan to the NFL this offseason. Last week Purdue allowed 287 rushing yards to Notre Dame at an average of 7.18 yards per carry.
The Gophers were missing two starting offensive linemen last week in Ed Olson and Jimmy Gjere. Olson was able to practice this week and looks to play Saturday, while Gjere suffered a mild concussion and has to pass the proper baseline tests in order to get back on the field.
Running back Donnell Kirkwood had to take himself out of the game Saturday because of a hamstring issue for the second time this season. He practiced this week and looks to play Saturday.
Troy Stoudermire will not return this week after missing last week’s game with a fractured left wrist. He had his arm in a sling at practice this week.
Minnesota will try to get its second win of the season and Kill’s first Big Ten win.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/06/gophers-look-rebound-purdue
Mon Oct 10 2011
Published: 2011-10-06
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers head to West Lafayette, Ind., this weekend to battle the Purdue Boilermakers and try to redeem themselves after getting steamrolled by Michigan last week 58-0.
Minnesota is 1-4 this year and looked completely overmatched in its first Big Ten game under head coach Jerry Kill.
The Gophers played at Purdue last season and were defeated 28-17 in Tim Brewster’s final game before his dismissal.
Kill spoke about the team’s lack of toughness and discipline this week.
“You recruit them tough. You can’t make them tough,” Kill said. He also said he has had to do more babysitting than coaching.
Purdue has yet to play a Big Ten game this year, and is 2-2 on the season. The Boilermakers were beat handily by Notre Dame last week 38-10.
Purdue has consistently produced NFL caliber quarterbacks including two NFL Hall of Famers Bob Griese and Len Dawson. They also produced three quarterbacks currently starting in the NFL: Drew Brees, Curtis Painter and Kyle Orton.
The current Purdue team has a quarterback controversy after would-be starter Rob Henry tore the ACL in his right knee a week before the season began.
Junior Caleb TerBush has stepped into the starting role and has been pushed by senior Robert Marve. Against Notre Dame, TerBush was benched late in the first half in place of Marve, who started the second half.
Head coach Danny Hope said TerBush is still his starter after practice Sunday, but that may change by Saturday’s game against Minnesota.
“We intend on playing both quarterbacks. I hope both these guys play so well I can’t decide which is best,” Hope told reporters at his weekly press conference. “We are committed to having two quarterbacks ready to play.”
The Gophers’ defense has allowed long strings of completions and gobs of yards to all opposing quarterbacks. They have allowed almost a 70 percent completion rate, more than 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
Even in Minnesota’s lone win, Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert threw for 325 yards.
“Defending the run, defending the pass, all three levels of the defense have a lot of improving to do,” Gophers linebacker Mike Rallis said.
Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray’s toe injury prevented him from starting last week.
Gray didn’t participate in full practices last week, but was able to practice this week. He will be a game-time decision again this week.
“I’m improved a lot. I couldn’t put pressure on it Saturday. It feels better each day. I feel fine, but it’s up to the coaches [whether I play],” Gray said.
The Gophers have a bye next week, so he may sit one more game in order to take two weeks to rest his toe.
In Gray’s absence, true freshman Max Shortell started against Michigan. Shortell has performed admirably in relief appearances this season, but playing a full game against Big Ten competition exposed his inexperience.
Shortell may have to start for the second straight week on the road if Gray isn’t able to start due to injury.
“MarQueis is going to have to practice at full speed. There’s no question he’s progressed, but is it enough to go out and play a game? I just don’t know,” Kill said.
Minnesota will look to establish an offensive rhythm on the ground against a Boilermakers team that lost All-American defensive lineman Ryan Kerrigan to the NFL this offseason. Last week Purdue allowed 287 rushing yards to Notre Dame at an average of 7.18 yards per carry.
The Gophers were missing two starting offensive linemen last week in Ed Olson and Jimmy Gjere. Olson was able to practice this week and looks to play Saturday, while Gjere suffered a mild concussion and has to pass the proper baseline tests in order to get back on the field.
Running back Donnell Kirkwood had to take himself out of the game Saturday because of a hamstring issue for the second time this season. He practiced this week and looks to play Saturday.
Troy Stoudermire will not return this week after missing last week’s game with a fractured left wrist. He had his arm in a sling at practice this week.
Minnesota will try to get its second win of the season and Kill’s first Big Ten win.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/06/gophers-look-rebound-purdue
Mon Oct 10 2011
Pass rush struggles continue in 2011
Freshmen Michael Amaefula and Ben Perry have been thrust into starting roles.
Published: 2011-10-04
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers’ defense has been terrible this season.
Minnesota has given up an average of almost five yards per carry on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns, while also allowing a completion rate of nearly 70 percent and 11 passing touchdowns.
Such poor defensive play has been a problem all season, and was on full display in the Gophers’ 58-0 loss at Michigan on Saturday.
A portion of the team’s defensive ineptitude has been its lack of pass rush. Last year, Minnesota was the worst pass rushing team in the nation with eight sacks. This year, the Gophers have two sacks through five games.
The two bookends on the Gophers’ defensive line are Texas natives Michael Amaefula and Ben Perry.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound Amaefula and the 6-foot-5-inch, 241-pound Perry are the only freshman defensive end combination in the Big Ten.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys chose to start these two together before the team’s 29-23 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 17.
“They don’t have any choice,” Claeys said. “They don’t know any better, with freshmen being how young they are. They give us the best opportunity to win.”
Amaefula sacked Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert in the Gophers’ only win of the season.
“It felt good,” Amaefula said. “It wasn’t only me — there was pressure on the other side [of the line].”
Amaefula and Perry aren’t alone on the defensive line. They have two senior defensive tackles in Anthony Jacobs and Brandon Kirksey.
Jacobs and Kirksey have taken the task of grooming the freshmen to help them succeed in the future.
“We sweat together. I don’t think of them as freshmen. They’ve got to learn,” Kirksey said. “They look up to me. I try to be an older brother figure.”
The Gophers’ defensive line has failed to create pressure against its opponents this year. It has allowed 782 yards on the ground, including 363 against Michigan last week, and zero quarterback hurries on the year.
Part of the problem is size — the line is often overmatched against older, bigger and stronger offensive linemen. Against Michigan, they matched up against two tackles that averaged 6-foot-7-inches and 300 pounds.
The rest of the Gophers’ Big Ten schedule promises no let up in that regard.
With Amaefula, Perry, Jacobs and Kirksey starting, Minnesota’s defense will have a tall task ahead of them in 2011. As the freshmen continue to develop their pass rush technique and add size and strength, improvement should follow.
Amaefula and Perry have a long way to go, but their development will be key for Minnesota and its defense to salvage the season.
Their experience now may also help to stimulate their growth and incite improvement for future years.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/04/pass-rush-struggles-continue-2011
Mon Oct 10 2011
Published: 2011-10-04
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers’ defense has been terrible this season.
Minnesota has given up an average of almost five yards per carry on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns, while also allowing a completion rate of nearly 70 percent and 11 passing touchdowns.
Such poor defensive play has been a problem all season, and was on full display in the Gophers’ 58-0 loss at Michigan on Saturday.
A portion of the team’s defensive ineptitude has been its lack of pass rush. Last year, Minnesota was the worst pass rushing team in the nation with eight sacks. This year, the Gophers have two sacks through five games.
The two bookends on the Gophers’ defensive line are Texas natives Michael Amaefula and Ben Perry.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound Amaefula and the 6-foot-5-inch, 241-pound Perry are the only freshman defensive end combination in the Big Ten.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys chose to start these two together before the team’s 29-23 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 17.
“They don’t have any choice,” Claeys said. “They don’t know any better, with freshmen being how young they are. They give us the best opportunity to win.”
Amaefula sacked Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert in the Gophers’ only win of the season.
“It felt good,” Amaefula said. “It wasn’t only me — there was pressure on the other side [of the line].”
Amaefula and Perry aren’t alone on the defensive line. They have two senior defensive tackles in Anthony Jacobs and Brandon Kirksey.
Jacobs and Kirksey have taken the task of grooming the freshmen to help them succeed in the future.
“We sweat together. I don’t think of them as freshmen. They’ve got to learn,” Kirksey said. “They look up to me. I try to be an older brother figure.”
The Gophers’ defensive line has failed to create pressure against its opponents this year. It has allowed 782 yards on the ground, including 363 against Michigan last week, and zero quarterback hurries on the year.
Part of the problem is size — the line is often overmatched against older, bigger and stronger offensive linemen. Against Michigan, they matched up against two tackles that averaged 6-foot-7-inches and 300 pounds.
The rest of the Gophers’ Big Ten schedule promises no let up in that regard.
With Amaefula, Perry, Jacobs and Kirksey starting, Minnesota’s defense will have a tall task ahead of them in 2011. As the freshmen continue to develop their pass rush technique and add size and strength, improvement should follow.
Amaefula and Perry have a long way to go, but their development will be key for Minnesota and its defense to salvage the season.
Their experience now may also help to stimulate their growth and incite improvement for future years.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/04/pass-rush-struggles-continue-2011
Mon Oct 10 2011
Kill doesn’t mince words: Brewster left football team in rough shape
Kill acknowledged a bleak state of affairs at his Tuesday press conference.
Published: 2011-10-04
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
Jerry Kill addressed the media this week and began by reciting a line from Murray Warmath, the last Gophers coach to lead the team to the Rose Bowl in 1962:
“If lessons are learned in defeat, our guys are getting a great education.”
Kill was animated at Tuesday’s press conference, moving around the podium, clapping his hands together and drawing up schemes on the white board. He spoke much more on the state of the program than the upcoming battle against Purdue.
His description of the program was simply that they have to dismantle everything in order to rebuild properly. These comments reflect directly to the previous coaching regime, led by Tim Brewster.
“We’re not athletically gifted enough. We’re getting slower. You have to recruit tough, you don’t make them tough. You have to recruit tacklers,” Kill said.
In an interview Tuesday with the Minnesota Daily, Brewster defended the players he recruited.
“This is the same group of kids that beat Illinois and Iowa. Same group of kids that played well to start the season at USC.”
The Gophers are undersized and inexperienced compared to other teams in the Big Ten.
Those problems are manifested on the offensive and defensive lines specifically. Last week against Michigan, Minnesota had eight freshmen on offense.
“That’s a very talented football team that’s at the University of Minnesota right now. Coach Kill is very fortunate and he knows that,” Brewster told the Daily at Big Ten football media days in Chicago in July. Brewster is now a sideline football analyst for FOX.
In order to gain the toughness needed to compete in the Big Ten, they have to start from the ground up, Kill said.
He added they are unable to practice harder to gain toughness due to personnel limitations.
“We can’t practice the way I’m used to practicing. We don’t have the bodies in our program. We’re not gifted enough. We can’t do what we’ve done defensively. We got to quit trying to, because we can’t. We got to simplify some things,” Kill said.
Discipline is an area that Minnesota has lacked according to Kill, but that is where his change in culture must begin.
“We’re not disciplined off the field. I spend more time babysitting than coaching.”
Kill said when he and his staff took over the program there were “21 guys academically ineligible, or whatever it is. I’ve got to get the ground basis of that because right now it carries on the field.”
Adding: “That’s not Coach Brewster’s fault, now. I mean, there was transition and a lot of things going on. I’m not blaming anybody. I’m just saying, the facts are facts.”
Brewster said he had “no idea” what Kill was referring to.
“All I know is we had an extremely high graduation rate when I was there. I received bonuses from my [Academic Progress Rates]; that’s all public record.”
The number of players ineligible from a season ago could not be verified for this report.
Kill added that the current football program’s success is linked to its grade point average. The players were not disciplined and focused in the classroom and that translates to the football field, he said.
The state of the program looks bleak, but Kill said he believes that he is laying the proper foundation for future success. He spoke about how Wisconsin had blind faith in Barry Alvarez when he had a 1-10 season, because they believed in what he was doing for the program.
Kill is looking for that same blind faith to build Minnesota into a perennial Big Ten competitor.
Brewster told the Daily in July that his greatest disappointment was that the Gophers would be going to the Rose Bowl and he would not be there to lead them.
Brewster denied making those comments when reached by phone Tuesday.
Rose Bowl proclamations were Brewster’s calling card from the beginning of his tenure, and morphed into a punch line for critics by the end.
Kill has been much more realistic in his 10 months since taking over the job from which Brewster was ousted last October.
Never was that more evident than Tuesday.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/04/kill-doesn’t-mince-words-brewster-left-football-team-rough-shape
Published: 2011-10-04
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
Jerry Kill addressed the media this week and began by reciting a line from Murray Warmath, the last Gophers coach to lead the team to the Rose Bowl in 1962:
“If lessons are learned in defeat, our guys are getting a great education.”
Kill was animated at Tuesday’s press conference, moving around the podium, clapping his hands together and drawing up schemes on the white board. He spoke much more on the state of the program than the upcoming battle against Purdue.
His description of the program was simply that they have to dismantle everything in order to rebuild properly. These comments reflect directly to the previous coaching regime, led by Tim Brewster.
“We’re not athletically gifted enough. We’re getting slower. You have to recruit tough, you don’t make them tough. You have to recruit tacklers,” Kill said.
In an interview Tuesday with the Minnesota Daily, Brewster defended the players he recruited.
“This is the same group of kids that beat Illinois and Iowa. Same group of kids that played well to start the season at USC.”
The Gophers are undersized and inexperienced compared to other teams in the Big Ten.
Those problems are manifested on the offensive and defensive lines specifically. Last week against Michigan, Minnesota had eight freshmen on offense.
“That’s a very talented football team that’s at the University of Minnesota right now. Coach Kill is very fortunate and he knows that,” Brewster told the Daily at Big Ten football media days in Chicago in July. Brewster is now a sideline football analyst for FOX.
In order to gain the toughness needed to compete in the Big Ten, they have to start from the ground up, Kill said.
He added they are unable to practice harder to gain toughness due to personnel limitations.
“We can’t practice the way I’m used to practicing. We don’t have the bodies in our program. We’re not gifted enough. We can’t do what we’ve done defensively. We got to quit trying to, because we can’t. We got to simplify some things,” Kill said.
Discipline is an area that Minnesota has lacked according to Kill, but that is where his change in culture must begin.
“We’re not disciplined off the field. I spend more time babysitting than coaching.”
Kill said when he and his staff took over the program there were “21 guys academically ineligible, or whatever it is. I’ve got to get the ground basis of that because right now it carries on the field.”
Adding: “That’s not Coach Brewster’s fault, now. I mean, there was transition and a lot of things going on. I’m not blaming anybody. I’m just saying, the facts are facts.”
Brewster said he had “no idea” what Kill was referring to.
“All I know is we had an extremely high graduation rate when I was there. I received bonuses from my [Academic Progress Rates]; that’s all public record.”
The number of players ineligible from a season ago could not be verified for this report.
Kill added that the current football program’s success is linked to its grade point average. The players were not disciplined and focused in the classroom and that translates to the football field, he said.
The state of the program looks bleak, but Kill said he believes that he is laying the proper foundation for future success. He spoke about how Wisconsin had blind faith in Barry Alvarez when he had a 1-10 season, because they believed in what he was doing for the program.
Kill is looking for that same blind faith to build Minnesota into a perennial Big Ten competitor.
Brewster told the Daily in July that his greatest disappointment was that the Gophers would be going to the Rose Bowl and he would not be there to lead them.
Brewster denied making those comments when reached by phone Tuesday.
Rose Bowl proclamations were Brewster’s calling card from the beginning of his tenure, and morphed into a punch line for critics by the end.
Kill has been much more realistic in his 10 months since taking over the job from which Brewster was ousted last October.
Never was that more evident than Tuesday.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/04/kill-doesn’t-mince-words-brewster-left-football-team-rough-shape
Monday, October 3, 2011
Gophers humiliated in 58-0 loss at Michigan
MarQueis Gray did not start due to his toe injury, just one of a myriad of events that did not go Minnesota's way.
PUBLISHED: 2011-10-01
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
MarQueis Gray was unable to start Saturday, just one of a flood of disappointments for Minnesota in a 58-0 blanking in Michigan.
True freshman quarterback Max Shortell started in his place and failed to lead the offense to a single point.
Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill returned to the sidelines after another lapse in the hospital, but his Big Ten debut was spoiled by the Wolverines.
Michigan drove down the field at will and never let up on the gas pedal. The Wolverines opened the game with a drive of 80 yards to take an early 7-0 lead.
Denard Robinson ran for 51 yards and a touchdown, passed for 169 yards and two touchdowns, in limited action. He was benched in the third quarter with the game already well out of reach.
When he wasn’t using his arms or legs, he was an amazing decoy, drawing the Gophers’ defense toward him so that his teammates were able to rush down the field for big gains.
Robinson began the day with 11 straight completions that forced Minnesota to keep its pass coverage back, which allowed Robinson and the entire Michigan rushing offense to take advantage of his scrambling ability.
Shortell completed his first pass, while Gray looked on from the sidelines in sweats.
Gray dealt with a toe injury and missed Wednesday’s practice. He warmed up with the team, but ultimately could not play.
Minnesota was ineffective in the running game and didn’t pick up a first down in the first two possessions of the game.
Michigan put up four touchdowns with its first four drives and climbed to a 28-0 lead.
Michigan ran option plays, draw plays, halfback pass plays and stunts that all were effective in keeping the Gophers’ defense off balance. Michigan running back Vincent Smith was the beneficiary of these variant plays, as he passed, rushed and received a touchdown in the first half alone.
Shortell was 5-for-7 passing with 43 yards, but was sacked three times and hit hard on numerous other plays.
The Gophers’ running game was shut down throughout the first half, only gaining 25 yards on 14 attempts.
Minnesota was moving down the field with less than five minutes remaining in the half, but a Brandon Green fumble and Michigan recovery put an end to Minnesota’s hope to avoid a first half shutout. The Gophers finished the first half with 69 total yards and no third down conversions.
The score ran up to 38-0 at halftime, with Michigan at picking up 21 first downs and 384 yards of total offense.
Minnesota used the game as a learning opportunity for young Shortell and the rest of the Gophers.
Freshman running back David Cobb got some action for the second straight week, playing much of the second half and getting some valuable experience in Big Ten play.
Cobb finished the day with 54 yards on 6.8 yards per carry. Freshman LaMonte Edwards got his first tackle as a linebacker, and freshman Devin Crawford-Tufts got his first catch of the year.
Minnesota had an opportunity to score with 1:30 left in the third quarter when freshman wide receiver Marcus Jones ran a kickoff 96 yards for a would-be touchdown, however it was negated by a holding penalty on Eric Lair.
Late in the fourth quarter, Cobb fumbled in the red zone, eliminating Minnesota’s best chance to score and Michigan returned the fumble for 83 yards and a touchdown, which set the final score.
When Robinson was benched with 6:21 left in the third quarter, sophomore quarterback Devin Gardner played the rest of the game.
With Gardner in, along with other Michigan freshman, the Gophers’ defense was still unable to stop Michigan and it continued to pile on yardage and points.
Minnesota was completely inept on defense. Six different Michigan rushers averaged more than five yards per carry. The Gophers’ defense allowed a total of 315 rushing yards, 217 passing yards and three field goals and seven touchdowns.
Minnesota’s offense was not much better. It only accumulated 177 total yards, and punted ten times while turning the ball over twice.
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/01/gophers-humiliated-58-0-loss-michigan
Mon Oct 3 2011
ALL CONTENT © 1900 - 2011
PUBLISHED: 2011-10-01
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
MarQueis Gray was unable to start Saturday, just one of a flood of disappointments for Minnesota in a 58-0 blanking in Michigan.
True freshman quarterback Max Shortell started in his place and failed to lead the offense to a single point.
Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill returned to the sidelines after another lapse in the hospital, but his Big Ten debut was spoiled by the Wolverines.
Michigan drove down the field at will and never let up on the gas pedal. The Wolverines opened the game with a drive of 80 yards to take an early 7-0 lead.
Denard Robinson ran for 51 yards and a touchdown, passed for 169 yards and two touchdowns, in limited action. He was benched in the third quarter with the game already well out of reach.
When he wasn’t using his arms or legs, he was an amazing decoy, drawing the Gophers’ defense toward him so that his teammates were able to rush down the field for big gains.
Robinson began the day with 11 straight completions that forced Minnesota to keep its pass coverage back, which allowed Robinson and the entire Michigan rushing offense to take advantage of his scrambling ability.
Shortell completed his first pass, while Gray looked on from the sidelines in sweats.
Gray dealt with a toe injury and missed Wednesday’s practice. He warmed up with the team, but ultimately could not play.
Minnesota was ineffective in the running game and didn’t pick up a first down in the first two possessions of the game.
Michigan put up four touchdowns with its first four drives and climbed to a 28-0 lead.
Michigan ran option plays, draw plays, halfback pass plays and stunts that all were effective in keeping the Gophers’ defense off balance. Michigan running back Vincent Smith was the beneficiary of these variant plays, as he passed, rushed and received a touchdown in the first half alone.
Shortell was 5-for-7 passing with 43 yards, but was sacked three times and hit hard on numerous other plays.
The Gophers’ running game was shut down throughout the first half, only gaining 25 yards on 14 attempts.
Minnesota was moving down the field with less than five minutes remaining in the half, but a Brandon Green fumble and Michigan recovery put an end to Minnesota’s hope to avoid a first half shutout. The Gophers finished the first half with 69 total yards and no third down conversions.
The score ran up to 38-0 at halftime, with Michigan at picking up 21 first downs and 384 yards of total offense.
Minnesota used the game as a learning opportunity for young Shortell and the rest of the Gophers.
Freshman running back David Cobb got some action for the second straight week, playing much of the second half and getting some valuable experience in Big Ten play.
Cobb finished the day with 54 yards on 6.8 yards per carry. Freshman LaMonte Edwards got his first tackle as a linebacker, and freshman Devin Crawford-Tufts got his first catch of the year.
Minnesota had an opportunity to score with 1:30 left in the third quarter when freshman wide receiver Marcus Jones ran a kickoff 96 yards for a would-be touchdown, however it was negated by a holding penalty on Eric Lair.
Late in the fourth quarter, Cobb fumbled in the red zone, eliminating Minnesota’s best chance to score and Michigan returned the fumble for 83 yards and a touchdown, which set the final score.
When Robinson was benched with 6:21 left in the third quarter, sophomore quarterback Devin Gardner played the rest of the game.
With Gardner in, along with other Michigan freshman, the Gophers’ defense was still unable to stop Michigan and it continued to pile on yardage and points.
Minnesota was completely inept on defense. Six different Michigan rushers averaged more than five yards per carry. The Gophers’ defense allowed a total of 315 rushing yards, 217 passing yards and three field goals and seven touchdowns.
Minnesota’s offense was not much better. It only accumulated 177 total yards, and punted ten times while turning the ball over twice.
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/01/gophers-humiliated-58-0-loss-michigan
Mon Oct 3 2011
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