Moving On To The Bobcats

[GoHawks]

With the ILB problems and the DL being stacked would it be possible to move a guy like Mason Bennet to ILB? 6'4" 235 lbs. Especially when they're in this much trouble. I know its hard to learn a new position especially when you've never played it (high school or college) and you'd have a week to do it but maybe wouldn't hurt to try it in practice? I'm prob stretching things here but 200-210 lbs ILB.....come on?!?

[Midwestern Hawk]

19 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Was Larson questionable last week? I'm disappointed that Hunt is out and not even questionable.

I don't think Larson was listed at all last week.  I think Hunt was listed as out last week.

[geaux_sioux]

12 minutes ago, GoHawks said:

With the ILB problems and the DL being stacked would it be possible to move a guy like Mason Bennet to ILB? 6'4" 235 lbs. Especially when they're in this much trouble. I know its hard to learn a new position especially when you've never played it (high school or college) and you'd have a week to do it but maybe wouldn't hurt to try it in practice? I'm prob stretching things here but 200-210 lbs ILB.....come on?!?

Norberg actually played the position. What about him?

[geaux_sioux]

Here is a list of LBs who could have been on our roster but are no longer on the team for various reasons. Most of these are ILBs. OBrien (cheap shot), Walton (booze), Hartley (not sure), Harmston (can't remember), Baker (can't remember), Poole (blow), Marler (cut?). You can see why we're in the situation we're currently in. We should have brought in a couple JUCO LBs. 

[gundy1124]

39 minutes ago, GoHawks said:

With the ILB problems and the DL being stacked would it be possible to move a guy like Mason Bennet to ILB? 6'4" 235 lbs. Especially when they're in this much trouble. I know its hard to learn a new position especially when you've never played it (high school or college) and you'd have a week to do it but maybe wouldn't hurt to try it in practice? I'm prob stretching things here but 200-210 lbs ILB.....come on?!?

This is a very legit question.  In the older days, we often had a big and heavy outside backer along with an outside backer like we have today.  Against a 1 TE set, the bigger outside backer would flip to take that blocker on.  I honestly made this point a few days ago to someone inside the program.  When an opposing TE puts our 210 guys on ice skates that's a concern.  I think we have a number of DL that could fit this mold.  I'd take the most athletic DL we have in space and give it a try.  The downside is predictability, the other team should realize that this backer will be the 'rush' backer most of the time should it be a pass play.  But it's a trade off we might have to take.  (I hope this makes some sense)

And really, an outside backer that is 'on' is much like a DE anyway.

[geaux_sioux]

2 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

This is a very legit question.  In the older days, we often had a big and heavy outside backer along with an outside backer like we have today.  Against a 1 TE set, the bigger outside backer would flip to take that blocker on.  I honestly made this point a few days ago to someone inside the program.  When an opposing TE puts our 210 guys on ice skates that's a concern.  I think we have a number of DL that could fit this mold.  I'd take the most athletic DL we have in space and give it a try.  The downside is predictability, the other team should realize that this backer will be the 'rush' backer most of the time should it be a pass play.  But it's a trade off we might have to take.  (I hope this makes some sense)

And really, an outside backer that is 'on' is much like a DE anyway.

I've wanted Bennett at OLB from day 1. He should be at least 250. No way he should be only 235 at this stage. 

Once Haas fills out he will be the perfect size. 

Our ILBs need to be st least 230. Taj Rich should be the average body type for those guys.

[77iceman]

Is there even one linebacker on the field now that was originally brought onto the team as a linebacker?

I honestly feel sorry for those guys. 

[Midwestern Hawk]

35 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I've wanted Bennett at OLB from day 1. He should be at least 250. No way he should be only 235 at this stage. 

Once Haas fills out he will be the perfect size. 

Our ILBs need to be st least 230. Taj Rich should be the average body type for those guys.

Injuries to O'Brien, Rodgers, Hunt and Larson, arrest of Poole, and the non-development of Neverman and Murray at ILB have put Schmidt in a box.  Pretty crazy if you think about it.

[sprig]

I'll be impressed if they can patch together a defense that will compete for wins in the BSC for the next few weeks, at least until a few guys come back

[geaux_sioux]

Running a 4-3, for the time being, could help. We have plenty of DL.

DT: Greer, Tank, Schmitz, and Cieslak 

DE: Dranka, Greely, Bennett, Wilson, Engwal

ILB: Disterhaupt, Rastas, Richman, .................Murray, Nevermann

OLB: Lawrence, Palmborg, Turner, Haas

Then once we get enough guys back to run our 3-4 properly we can go back but also have the 4-3 in our back pocket

 

[77iceman]

Right now it feels more like they are running a 3-8 defense . . . three lineman and then 8 safety-corner-backers.

[Big Green]

46 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Running a 4-3, for the time being, could help. We have plenty of DL.

DT: Greer, Tank, Schmitz, and Cieslak 

DE: Dranka, Greely, Bennett, Wilson, Engwal

ILB: Disterhaupt, Rastas, Richman, .................Murray, Nevermann

OLB: Lawrence, Palmborg, Turner, Haas

Then once we get enough guys back to run our 3-4 properly we can go back but also have the 4-3 in our back pocket

 

I've though of this.  Would it be too tough to get this in place in only 1 week, after practicing 3-4 in spring and fall camp?

 

[dmksioux]

59 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Running a 4-3, for the time being, could help. We have plenty of DL.

DT: Greer, Tank, Schmitz, and Cieslak 

DE: Dranka, Greely, Bennett, Wilson, Engwal

ILB: Disterhaupt, Rastas, Richman, .................Murray, Nevermann

OLB: Lawrence, Palmborg, Turner, Haas

Then once we get enough guys back to run our 3-4 properly we can go back but also have the 4-3 in our back pocket

 

This seems like a sensible thing to do or at least consider.  For those who have a better football mind than I do, how easy is it to transition to a new defense in one week? I have to imagine it isn't very easy to do.

[NoDaks]

43 minutes ago, dmksioux said:

This seems like a sensible thing to do or at least consider.  For those who have a better football mind than I do, how easy is it to transition to a new defense in one week? I have to imagine it isn't very easy to do.

4-3 defense isn't terribly difficult to learn at its basic level. OLBs are very important, especially when defending the pass. DL not letting olineman to the next level is make or break. If lineman get to the linebacker level on a regular basis, it's going to be a long day defensively. LBs need to be able to flow. Not difficult, but OLBs need to be assignment sharp.

[Midwestern Hawk]

A 4-3 would not be easy at all to install, a wrinkle or two that incorporate 4 DL would be doable.  An entire 4-3 defense not so much.

[NoDaks]

Could install a 4-3, but to ask for much more then a very basic defense would be difficult and would be very predictable to play against

[geaux_sioux]

 

 

[MoSiouxFan]

3 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

 

 

Cox listed as a starter as well.  But all 3 are also listed as questionable on the injury report.

[geaux_sioux]

Anyone else think it's been hurting us to not have Seible?

[Longtime fan]

5 hours ago, GoHawks said:

With the ILB problems and the DL being stacked would it be possible to move a guy like Mason Bennet to ILB? 6'4" 235 lbs. Especially when they're in this much trouble. I know its hard to learn a new position especially when you've never played it (high school or college) and you'd have a week to do it but maybe wouldn't hurt to try it in practice? I'm prob stretching things here but 200-210 lbs ILB.....come on?!?

Since Rudolph forgot JJ is on the team , Schmitty should see if he wants to play some ILB.  Big fast dude 

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, Longtime fan said:

Since Rudolph forgot JJ is on the team

UND used a third running back a fair amount last year, there is clearly a reason he hasn't been seeing much for carries yet. He hasn't seen much game action the two years and is in a new system behind two all-conference guys.

[77iceman]

The bigger problem with just plugging in a new ILB is the mental part.  It'd be like just grabbing a TE and making him the QB.  The ILB is usually geared to be the QB of the defense.  I'm a fan of adding in some 4-3.  I'm pretty sure that last saturday they were filling that ILB role with some bigger bodies on the goal line situations.

[TBR]

57 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

Since Rudolph forgot JJ is on the team , Schmitty should see if he wants to play some ILB.  Big fast dude 

Not likely especially without Gordon available to be the 3rd RB

[Longtime fan]

4 hours ago, jdub27 said:

UND used a third running back a fair amount last year, there is clearly a reason he hasn't been seeing much for carries yet. He hasn't seen much game action the two years and is in a new system behind two all-conference guys.

Yeah I'm talking tongue in cheek ...kinda.  It's just that UND is decimated at ILB and he has the size, speed, smarts, first step twitch to play ILB. Probably lacks the aggressive nature to play D and obviously he hasn't practiced at ILB but if UND sustains anymore injuries...I wonder if he would be a candidate out of necessity. He is a great talent that rarely sees the field. 

[Longtime fan]

2 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

Anyone else think it's been hurting us to not have Seible?

50-50 call.  He did unds "dirty" work...no one has replaced him with that. Studs dump down and over the middle route runner.   But he also scared the hell out of me as a PR.  Said a little prayer everytine the opposing team had to punt.