How good will Minnesota Golden Gophers be? - College Football Preview

there's never a dull moment when it comes to Minnesota sports whether it's positive caught Yanks sideline touchdown or negative the Yankees have swept the Twins Minnesota sports chat has you covered talking nothing but Minnesota sports all year long it's time now for the soon to be awardwinning if only in his own mind Minnesota sports chat with your host Ross Brendle well that would be me with Edition number I believe unofficially 225 of the soon to be award-winning Minnesota sports chat yes award-winning if only in my own mind presented by my friends at Beans Coffee Company the Minnesota Golden Gophers they're just hours away from taking on the University of North Carolina on Thursday night at the artist formerly known as TCF Bank Stadium kick off at 7 p.m. Daniel house from gopher's Guru to preview the game and gopher's football season in just mere moments first though got to let you know Minnesota sports chat proudly supported by my friends at Beans Coffee Company people often ask me how can I support the Pod rate and review kindly of course comment on YouTube like And subscribe but also support my friends at Beans Coffee Company and if you use the promo code Sports Chat at Coffee by beans.com you're going to save a little bit of cash at checkout again promo code Sports Chat at Coffee by beans.com simply put the best coffee you will ever put in your mouth with flavors and varieties for anybody's palette it's your One-Stop shop and made by Minnesota sports fans they're cheering for the same teams we are coffee by beans.com promo code Sports Chat it is none other than Mr Daniel House season which Daniel of course means I totally forgot about this I think this is the right one in three two 1 yeah there we go snare drum season I believe that's what the kids call a snare drum that means it's golden go goer football season Daniel house from Gophers guru.com I think I saw him on the uh you on go for grid iron paing to spare what were you just doing recently yeah I was on go for grid iron doing the all big 10 draft that the annual tradition and picked our players so that was a fun one do you like your draft oh I loved it I was very happy with how it shook out now we'll see who can stay healthy that's what it always comes down to in those all big 10 drafts shout out to the crew at uh goph for grid iron they do a really good job another podcast that I listen to to get pumped for game day this time of year I guess this year as it has been for oh I don't know Daniel maybe about a decade now gopher's opening up on a Thursday night they'll take on the Tar Heels at Huntington Banks Stadium North Carolina Daniel comes in as a one and a half to three-point favorite depending on your odds maker of choice you know I love this one the ESPN matchup predictor for whatever that's worth Daniel yeah says 54.5% of the time North Carolina will win this game both universities led by new quarterbacks Minnesota's Max brosmer by way of New Hampshire UNC will be led by son of former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson Max Johnson by way of LSU and Texas A&M we'll get to North Carolina in just just a moment but your general overall thoughts on the season to come for the University of Minnesota Golden goph for football squad well right from the jump get a chance to see Max brosmer in a big test uh North Carolina's defensive scheme is very multiple lots of pressure coming from different spots uh very good front seven strong defensive line particularly lots of Versatility up there so I think it's going to be a really good test for brosmer right away Minnesota's receivers I want to see who can merge behind Daniel Jackson can you get production from lcky Brockington Elijah Spencer Christian driver to get some suddenness out of the slot uh and then defensively looking at the safety spot and figuring out how that will shake out I think you're gonna see a mix of Coleman Bryson and Aiden goby Darius green Carrie Brown based on situations and then figuring out as the season goes on what mix is best and maybe going a little more sub packaging with the secondary based on the type of personnel they have that's something that I'll be watching Pretty closely yeah Minnesota Housey has been really blessed at safety or even free safety just on the back end when you're talking about Antoine Winfield and nuben and you mentioned uh Coleman Bryson uh I think did he officially win MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl or maybe defensive MVP he played well that game you didn't notice him maybe as much last year but is that a player that gopher's fans should be excited about yeah and he'll be elevating into a larger role this season and figuring out you know what packages are best for him you know versus uh Aiden guby in coverage type of uh skill set uh you know you look at how they're going to mix that up I think Coleman and Carrie krie Brown are going to handle more of the free safety side of it and then the strong safety side you'll have Aiden goby in passing downs and then Darius green as well competing in Darius you know missed some time during Camp ended up coming back later so I'm just fascinated to kind of see how that all plays out in the back and I like I say it'll be more situational based on like if it's a passing Downs package you have this specific group out there if it's an early down run package this is the type of group that you'll have there I mean you can even kick jonte McMillan the TCU transfer back to safety occasionally move him down into the passing Downs Nick that's another spot I guess I'm just fascinated to kind of see how that plays out who's the passing Downs Nichols a giante McMillan uh probably uh but is there anybody else who can emerge in that spot are they maybe looking at kicking a corner inside to play that nickel passing down situ uh role we'll see first games Daniel are always kind of fun because you truly don't know what you're going to see and the team you see week one whether you win or lose generally not the team you're going to see in week 10 11 or 12 teams evolve some get better some get worse heck we won't even know if the Gophers win or lose it'll be tough to classify that game as a tough loss or or a really good win I think for a handful of weeks one of the things that I'm really looking forward to not just in the North Carolina game Daniel but just how it evolves throughout the early part of the season the Gophers don't just have a new quarterback like lots of teams around the country thanks to the transfer portal and nil and a lot of new bodies but they also have a new defensive coordinator I'm interested to see and you might have a little bit more Intel having seen some of the practices what a Cory heatherman defense is going to look like as compared to a Joe Rossy defense and we'll get our first look at that in roughly I mean a matter of hours 48- hours from when this pod drops yeah I actually wrote quite a bit about this in the defensive preview for the game I don't think you'll see wholesale major changes from schematic standpoint you're still going to see the split field safety you know split field coverage type of Defense with single high elements dashed in might be a little more sub Packy uh so you might have some dime stuff out there potentially uh getting more defensive backs on the field uh also you know like overload fronts in the passing game I wrote about uh those on the website as well potentially maximizing the versatility so implementing more uh front type stuff uh when you get teams into passing Downs it's something to watch for I know there's like a lot of people talking about heatherman being very aggressive as a defensive coordinator in the past and I mean that's been the case but it it isn't going to be something where they're going to be just bringing the heat all the time I think it's going to be more timely pressure logo range on the field low Red Zone High leverage spots timing it up in the correct fashion is is important so you know limiting the explosive play stopping the Run tackling well those are the three things that are going to be the Hallmark of this defense and they have been for a long time so I would not expect major wholesale schematic changes maybe just more from a package standpoint there might be more multiplicity to the defense on the offensive side with a new quarterback I think one of the things that fans are hoping for is that Max brosmer will allow the team to open up the offense a little bit I do believe that that was the reason why he was brought in obviously the coaching staff wasn't perhaps in love with what they saw last year hence I believe they basically told uh the The Greek Freak that we're going to bring in some competition that may have been a part of why he transferred I don't know if that's ever been confirmed or not but I think most fans Daniel are just kind of hoping to see more in the passing game and that's going to have to start with the FCS transfer formerly onea he'll get the first crack at it will the system allow him to do that though because at the end of the day they say a tiger doesn't change their stripes Daniel house and a PJ Flack offense wants to be run oriented first so is this going to be a case of truly maybe trying to pass the ball more or just being more efficient when you do pass or well is it a mixture of both well looking at it from a few different angles it's what like I always say it's about being multi-dimensional offensively so you know you got to get to the point where if teams are stacking the Box and putting an extra defender in there you got to be able to win on the outside and get those matchups in the passing game and I believe this season you might see a little more passing to the running backs ability to go through the progression and find the back which is something that brosmer is good at uh dating back to New Hampshire film able to go through the entire progression get the ball out to the back you know pick up five yards get yourself at second and five a little bit better play calling scenario limit your predictability but I believe it's going to come down to the wide receiver room like I say can you get a progression from somebody not named Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer lcky Brockton Christian driver like they're going to need multiple productive players you look at when they were successful in 2019 and multi-dimensional offensively they had a lot of different weapons they could go to and with the wide receiver room they're going to have to get some development there and Darius Taylor you're going to need him to stay healthy you know an elite tackle breaker that's the key trait in those backs and he has that when he's on the field he can catch the ball Marcus major has a two who I think really emerged and camp and show what he can do when he's on the field you know House's the big factor there as well so Minnesota put a lot of resources into that running back room but I think it's going to be you know Max definitely has the talent to do a lot of different things and fits the type of offense that they really would like to run some of the things they wanted to maybe do last year they couldn't quite do will they stick with it this year based on the fact they have an experienced quarterback I think that's going to be the storyline uh going into the season uh just the grow of that wide receiver do they have enough talent in that in that area this one is uh pretty simple for me but Darius Taylor Daniel Jackson are those the two guys when you come to a go for football game that you just those are the guys that are going to wow you who else might be on that list that you're kind of really looking forward to seeing if it's not those two guys jaw Joiner you know I I believe something really clicked with jaw this off season uh just his ability to open up the pass rush Arsenal that he has available adding more moves we already saw all the athletic traits and what he can do in that area you look at how much attention he draws on a play- to-play basis how much he gets held play to play uh Jah has an immense amount of talent and I just see a shift in his conf idence level rising um I'm expecting a big big campaign from jaw this year especially if they're able to kind of get him some matchups uh in in passing down situations but you got to be able to stop the run and if they're able to stop the run and get in some of those situations that will be beneficial so I'd say Jah is is the big name there and then arante obviously I mean arante is on the radar the scouts you know potentially can really work himself into being a high draft pick uh if he shows up out while this season and you know you look at what he does in the Run game I don't think he's appreciated enough for what he does in that area now you know pass set stuff if he could take a huge step forward there show consistency uh he can be picked very high in next year's draft so jaah and arante those would be the two I would pinpoint can I tell you what worries me about this season Daniel yes and I'll preface it this way I don't think the ceiling for this team is super high and I don't even mean being negative I think this could be a transition year when you look at what you're hoping to get out of a transfer quarterback when you look at the schedule and I'm not trying to make excuses excuses PJ's been here roughly a decade now but I just don't think the schedule and what they're facing sets up for this team if all goes well to even win more than seven games or even six games this could be a team I think that struggles to make it to a bowl game this year but maybe not I'm I'm hopeful this is a 67 win team hopefully they win a game along the way you don't expect them to because that's always fun when that happens but what does scare me about this season Daniel is if Max brosmer isn't very good and they have to make a change at some point in the season I'm worried about either playing somebody too early or playing somebody who isn't better than brosmer and I think that will put you in a really tough spot but that'll also take Daniel I think a handful of games to figure out and even see where we're at if it's not brosmer do they rip the red shirt off and go to Lindsay right away or is that something they want to wait and see on I guess I don't want to be in that conundrum but I feel like that conundrum is also very possible yeah I'm not as worried about bremmer's ability to translate I'd be more worried about the injury side of it if something were to happen and then you know you're put in that spot where you got to make a decision and obviously I think you start Drake and get him the experience St away because he's showing ability to adjust pretty quickly in some areas like obviously he still got to play games and get used to the speed and you know there was there was a practice session we were at he was he was taking the lumps a little bit but then you saw the flashes like the spring he didn't look too big for him like they're very excited about what he can do so in the event something happens which is like you know you can't control that you know they'll probably turn to him but you know I feel very confident about his ability to translate I mean obviously there's always that risk of like speed elevation going from the FCS to the Big 10 and playing Power for football the the shape the the windows that you got to thrown you got to shape the ball differently you got to get the ball out just a little bit quicker the athletes are just that touch faster um it might take some time at the beginning to kind of get that down so I wouldn't press the panic button if right away you know doesn't go 100% smooth but like this guy's intelligence his field Vision his experience like all those things the work that he's put in this offseason I feel pretty confident in his ability to translate before we do a little North Carolina Minnesota preview in itself I'm going to set a number I'm not going to make you pick a number because you'll be in the locker room an awful lot throughout the year and covering the team I wouldn't I wouldn't make you do that but I'm going to say the number is six wins this year for the goer football team and a legit bull bid to wherever they would go at six and six would you go higher than six wins or less than six wins or would you say six is about perfect that's where you want to set your expectation level entering the season based on the the schedule you know based on you know the type of opponents you're going to play how it all breaks down like I always say I break it up into thirds so you play Four games you play another four games look at the next four games you got to reassess after four because you know what your team looks like you know what the opponents their Tendencies are like what their personnel availability is who's the most injured so I'd say that first four games that's going to be the key stretch of the Season can Minnesota put themselves in a position where they're entering that second third in a really good spot or are they going to have you know a couple of slip UPS in there and then you know obviously that's going to change the pattern going into the season you got that stretch in the middle there where you got Iowa between the first third and the second third you got Iowa Michigan USC on the road at UCLA then you regroup in the bye and finish out that second third with Maryland but I I think you gotta really start strong in that first third those UNCC and Iowa games are going to be critical and kind of set the tone for the rest of the season based on the es and flows that of the schedule yeah you got to win one of those two and then you can't have any form of let down or setback at home against Rhode Island or Nevada that's just my take on it Daniel if you want my hunch my hunch is the Gophers will be three- one after four games but finish six and six so take that for whatever you want with the schedule that they play I just think it's going to be a tough season but obviously I hope to be wrong and it would be fun to see the boys pick up maybe a few wins you're not quite expecting uh let's spend a few minutes on North Carolina it's always tough this time of year because you just really don't know what you're going to see both teams bring back their head coaches a good chunk of personnel and coordinators but you really don't know what type of wrinkles teams might show you in week one but what are you expecting from North Carolina on Thursday night and what is North Carolina going to try and do to put the Gophers in a tough spot either offensively or defensively intriguing matchup based on the fact I believe there could be two quarterbacks playing in this game you get Max Johnson a little bit maybe they throw in some wrinkles for Conor herrell as a runner so Minnesota has to prepare for both of those elements you know you got chip Lindsay who's got some Aid pass concept some mson inspired Run game stuff so you get a mix a gap in zone schemes a Mari and Hampton running back one of the best running backs in the whole country uh Caleb Hood coming back uh you got darwi Baro a transfer from USC so they did a good job in that running back room they got some Talent there versatility in the past game they've been navigating some injuries in that room but the name I want you to keep an eye on a lot of people talk about the bigger names but true freshman Jordan ship forar could be maybe the surprise player that kind of breaks out for them so keep that name in the back of your mind I'm watching the offensive line though only one starter back Willie Lampton the Right Guard brought in transfers less experience players I had a little unique situation uh the offensive line coach Randy Clemens had a infection and he was in the hospital at the start of training camp the first day training camp kicked off and missed like a whole week of training camp as they're kind of undergoing some of these changes and they shifted people's UH responsibilities around but that offensive line room uh had a lot of moving pieces you get that going on so watch that on that side of the ball then defensively the heartbeat of this team is the defensive line I love what they did with their defensive line Josh Harris a transfer from ol Miss is someone that they're very excited about uh you look at Kevin Hester Javari ritzy Travis Shaw mix of different skill sets in that defensive tackle room those four guys they can do a lot of different things in terms of packages but that defensive line headlined by Kayan Rucker I mean this guy last year one of the top pass rushers in the country you look at the type of matchups that he can get based on the Personnel they have in their defensive line I think uh he's going to be the big player to watch in this game on the defensive side of the ball and then watch B Atkinson a younger player who I think could Ascend as a pass rusher and maybe make a big impact in this game a safety room for them I think is the one that I'm watching the most you can read a little bit about that I think that there could be some opportunity to exploit some things there cornerback room they got Marcus Allen and Elijah hussy Elijah hussy was playing nickel last year he's moving back outside which I think is a good spot for him uh so two really good corners on the outside that I think will kind of be the Hallmark of it and as I mentioned earlier the unknowing nature of this scheme is going to be something that Minnesota has to be ready for you got Blitz pressure coming from every different spot he loves to mix it around the defense you're going to get some man coverage you're going to have to be able to get open against and uh Collins you got to remember Jeff Collins the defensive Corin was the head coach at Georgia Tech took a year off last off season to kind of you know get a look at other teams uh study stuff you know you really don't even know what type of wrinkles that North Carolina is going to implement so that's a big challenge for you know Max brosmer the offensive staff making all the adjustments and then the helmet communication side of it you got that for the first time now being able to maybe use that to your advantage I think the teams that do that well they're going to put themselves in a really good spot this season so overarching those are some of the things to watch and you can kind of read more in the preview on the on the website that website Gophers guru.com goofers guru.com house me oh that was the wrong one dang it this is the one I wanted to give you don't worry Daniel I'm keeping the under final thought for you and I hate to be this simplistic but it really does feel like the team that just turns the ball over less or doesn't turn the ball over especially in week one Daniel will have the best chance to win this game and probably will win it and because of new quarterbacks playing for both squads it's really tough to definitively say who has the advantage there I think maybe you would lean North Carolina because Max Johnson has played highlevel football at LSU and Texas A&M but he hasn't always played high level football at a really high high level himself so who really knows but I feel like it will be a close game I'm not sure either team will blow each other out I hope the Gophers being at home that that will help them don't know what the crowd will look like the weather right now certainly doesn't look very conducive to maybe a big walkup crowd and maybe a crowd that's super into the game so we'll have to see about that but it just kind of feels like the team and this is so dumb and cliche to say but Daniel just feels like the team that shoots himself in the foot less is going to walk away with win number one of the Season yeah I'd say playing the run is the big factor Minnesota has to play The Run well uh they're gonna need to you know shut down Amari and Hampton and then get themselves in situations where they can maximize their versatility up front and exploit maybe some communication lapses with a new look offensive line being able to do a lot of different things up front move people around get some mismatches that's kind of the key there and then I'd say offensively you know it's going to come down to like you say taking care the ball uh being able to get something going in the pass game be tight in pass protection communicate well because with all the different pre-nap dis pre and post Snap disguises all the different things that are on the plate of the quarterback in this game uh you know you can kind of prepare for it but until you're in there you see exactly what type of schemes they're going to implement there's going to be a lot of adjustments made here you know Cory heatherman Greg Harbaugh going to be tested right from the jump ability to just kind of put together the the best schemes based on what you're getting in the game and and make adjustments so uh yeah I think that it's always going to come down explosive plays tackling taking care of the ball who's better up front on both sides of the ball all right Daniel 3 seconds or less weigh in who wins and why I think North Carolina wins in a close game that's my prediction right now I I just I don't know I need to see I need to see Minnesota handles the the North Carolina's Run game I think you and I are very much in lock step I would not be surprised if the Gophers win I hope they win looking forward to getting back to the bank it just feels like a very tall test in week one but I'm hopeful that the boys then after that would bounce back and win the next two but we'll see one game at a time right Daniel that's what they say one game at a time big test in the first game you know but it's going to be fun to watch what out else is at Gophers guru.com that people need to be aware of lots of features you can read about all the players out on the field get a perspective of how they're going to contribute this season and then part one part two of the preview offense and defense inside everybody that you need to know basically uh in every level of the team uh entering the matchup versus North Carolina so I'll encourage you to go over check it out $5 a month get you access to all the content goers guru.com he is at danielhouse MN on the X machine I am at the Ross brindle on that same X machine if you're watching on YouTube please comment below like subscribe tell your friends and no matter how you're watching or listening do me a favor hit pause share this link with a family member or friend so they too can know the glory of Minnesota sports chat I'm Ross Brendle saying thank you so much for listening I'll be back again real soon with more Minnesota sports content and Minnesota sports chat presented by my friends at Beans Coffee Company thanks for listening to Minnesota sports chat presented by Beans Coffee Company use the 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