Last call for a Big Ten win? Going once, going twice... - Penn State @ Minnesota

Another long week for Gopher Bandanna Guy, and I didn't get to write as much as I would have liked.  I watched the Purdue game through bloodshot eyes last Saturday, badly hungover from celebrating my first ever PTP (Pursue the Pennant) Title.  The details of the game barely registered with me outside of the fact that we lost and let Dan Dierking run all over us.  Unacceptable.  A team on its 3rd-string QB, and second tier RBs and WRs, shouldn't be able to score that many points on even our youthfully bad defense.  And yet it happened.  And even when things seemed to look like they might swing in our direction, they turn on us.  'Hacksaw' Gary Tinsley (love that nickname from FBT), epitomized our season by stepping into the passing lane early in the 3rd quarter and picking off an errant Rob Henry pass, returning it down inside the five.  But not before fumbling it out of the back of the endzone.  This play felt like our entire season in a nutshell.  One step forward, two steps back.  The mid-season firing of Brew?  I certainly didn't expect it so soon (I figured right before Iowa was the time), but let's hope this jumpstart's the search for the next coach and will be considered a strong step forward down the line.

And Weber, our all-time leading passer - continues to pile up garbage time numbers, and ascend up the Big Ten All-Time passing charts in what is becoming the most meaningless compilation of career numbers in recent memory.  All those yards and TD, for so few wins.  To be fair, this season's horrific slide is really Web's fault.  He's played fairly well, and minimized his turnovers.  His accuracy is still awful on the short throws, and that's what hurts us from time to time.  But the defense can't stop anybody, and so the offense is under all the pressure to win games. 

And wait, what's this?  A Patrick Reusse column I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH?  Wow.  For a long while I didn't think this would happen, and in this one, Fat Pat actually shows a sliver of positivity that the right guy IS out there to turn the Gophers into a winning program.

But enough about the Purdue loss, and our search for the next head coach.  We've got Penn State and that most milquetoast of trophies coming in - The Governor's Bell.

The Nittany Lions are probably our last, best chance to get a win in the Big Ten this season (and for the remainder of the season for that matter).  They are not good.  Unfortunately, neither are we.  Both squads are winless in the Big Ten, and both have senior that are no doubt disappointed in how things have gone (Adam Weber and Evan Royster). 

Penn State has had an extra week to prepare for this game, coming of a bye week, and have already faced two of the tougher Big Ten defenses (Iowa and Illinois), with little offense to show.  But now they face the polar opposite in defensive prowess.  Their QB, freshman Robert Bolden has struggled with accuracy tossing only 4 TDs to 7 picks, and Royster has not enjoyed the season many expected.  Conventional wisdon would say that the prescription for these woes are to play the Gophers. 

But now the Gophs are truly at rock bottom.  And have nothing to play for but pride and a little personal glory.  The boo-birds at TCF mean nothing now, and Brewster is gone. They know that Ohio State is looming next week, ready to beat them into submission, and they know Penn State is vulnerable.  Question is, can they muster a complete effort one more time this year, and get at least 1 Big Ten win?

I think they can and will.  Horton and Weber will manage to motivate these kids to play with the talent they have (pretty decent on offense), keep the game plan simple, and just play football.  This game also marks my last chance of the season to make a fun 'homer' pick and take the Gophs, because I see them being double-digit 'dogs the rest of the way (maybe not at Illinois, we'll see).  The PSU defense is still a bit dinged up, and that combined with a shakey starting QB on the road seems like a reasonable recipe for a decent Gopher performance.  The one nagging thought in the back of my head though is Royster.  He's yet to really go off this season, and this could be the game.  Royster is a quality and experienced Big Ten back, and could easily gash the Gopher defense for 200 yards and multiple scores if we don't commit to stopping him. 

That said, I think the defense will do just enough to keep him from taking the game completely over, and the offense will put up 30 points, mostly through the air.

Prediction:  Minnesota 31, Penn State 27

Gopher Player of the Game:  Adam Weber - 18-27 for 265 yards and 3 TDs

Nittany Lion Player of the Game: Evan Royster  22 carries for 135 yards and 2 TDs

Good Bye to Brew.

In case you didn't hear by now, the Tim Brewster era of Minnesota Golden Gopher Football is officially over.  Athletic Director Joel Maturi broke the news following the loss to Purdue, and even sent an official email to season ticket holders.  Here's what it said:

Dear Gopher Football Season Ticket Holder:

I want you to be among the first to know that this morning I informed Coach Brewster of my decision to terminate his contract immediately as head football coach. While I appreciate the passion and commitment that Coach Brewster has shown, it is time for a change. In the interim, I have appointed Jeff Horton as the head coach for the remainder of the season.
This decision greatly impacts the future of Gopher Football and the goals we have for this program. Our vision is clear - to produce a team that we can be proud of and return Gopher Football to its rich history of consistently competing for championships.
I believe we are in a great position to attract the right coach to lead our program. We have a new, state-of-the-art football stadium and a world-class academic institution located in a major metropolitan market. Additionally, the Big Ten conference continues to thrive with the addition of Nebraska, divisional play, and a conference championship game.
I understand your frustration with the current state of Gopher Football. But we are convinced that we are going to find the right person to lead our program. I encourage you to continue your support of Gopher Football, and especially our student-athletes, throughout the remainder of this season and in the future.
Go Gophers,

Joel Maturi
Director of Athletics

Fair enough.  I can live with Horton finishing out the season, and I agree that it had to be done.  I'm am surprised it happened in mid-season, and also surprised that Maturi made this move when he could of waited Brew's contract out and let the next University Prez and AD make the big hire.  But in the end, the heat had to be too much for Maturi not to fire Brewster, applied no doubt by the boosters who were rightfully demanding at least signs of improvement.  Signs that were no where to be seen over the past 6 games.  Maturi received a lot of heat for hiring Brewster back in 2007, but his phenomenal hire of Tubby Smith nullifies this (now clear) ineffective hire in my mind.  This next hire will be the one that makes or breaks Maturi's legacy as AD (well that, and getting Tubby's extension signed).

Let the speculation on our future head coach begin.

Boiler up Big Ten bottom-feeders - Gophers @ Boilermakers Preview

When we last left Ross-Ade Stadium, we shut the Boilers down
-photo by JT

Little to no time for a full detail game preview this week.  Out in the field for work, and then evenings of Halo: Reach are dominating my kid-free late nights.  I won't go with out a few brief words though about our upcoming game against Purdue.

Based on press clippings and cliched interview answers from the Gopher players, this team isn't packing it it quite yet.  And I actually believe them.  But can they win this game?

The short answer is 'yes'.  Purdue has been decimated by injuries, losing QB Robert Marve, RB Ralph Bolden, and WRs Keith Smith and Justin Siller (remember when he was a briefly a QB?) for the year.  They are officially wiped out at the skill positions, and that means that the hapless Gopher defense might just have a chance to slow somebody down.  Limiting running QB Rob Henry and halfback Dan Dierking's yards on the ground is the no-brainer key. That happens and a Gopher win is eminent. 

Purdue's defense has some strong performers, but as a unit aren't overwhelmingly good.  They did play a very solid game against Northwestern, limiting them to just 17 points.  Senior DE Ryan Kerrigan is a beast and will be the biggest challenge for the line to stop.  If he can pressure Weber early and often, and generate turnovers, then the Gophers will be in trouble.  OC Jeff Horton knows this though, and will probably dial up lots of inside runs all game, really testing the heart of the Purdue defense, rather than exposing Weber to 5 step drops and the shotgun early.  The O-line has done a nice job limiting sacks this year, so let's hope their improved play continues.  Lots of running mixed in with play action and screens.  Look for the Boilers to have our effective TE screen snuffed out this week, as I'm sure that will be a play they watch on film closely from the Wisconsin game.

Prediction:  Gopher pull the minor upset, grabbing the late lead in the 4th quarter.

Minnesota 27, Purdue 21

Gopher Player of the Game:  MarQueis Gray, 125 yards receiving and 1 TD
Boilermaker Player of the Game:  Dan Dierking, 95 yards rushing and 2 TDs

Brewster's last bid for the Axe? - Gophers at Badgers #120

The game culminating Axe Week is nearly here, and its been a pretty quiet week from Coach Brew and the Gophers. One can only assume he's working dilegently with his staff to find a way to finally beat Wisconsin.  He's come close each time he's coached against the Badgers, but come up short all 4 times.  Its been pointed out several times this week by various sources that Brew has managed to lead at halftime in every one of his games against the Badgers.  That's nice and all, and its clearly and improvement over some of the blowouts we had to endure under Mason against the Red Menance (particularly at Camp Randall).  But winning is what is important, and at this point in the Brewster era, moral victories or leading for 3 quarters count for nothing.  And much like last week, the cliched term 'must-win situation' comes to mind.  If Brewster really is coaching for his life, then this rivalry game is one of the few remaining tests Brewster has an opportunity to really impress the boosters and fanbase that things really are going to get better in 2011.  In nearly 4 years of play, we've had zero trophy game wins, and that might be the most damning piece of evidence against Brewster when compiling a case to remove him.  Throw all the other stuff out the window, his lack of wins against Wisconsin and Iowa has been unacceptable.  When your current signature win is a road win at Illinois or Northwestern, that's a problem.  This current, or next Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Head Coach MUST find a way to beat these two hated rivals on a more regular basis.  And what better time than right now to do it this Saturday.  It may not save Brewster's job, but it might help his resume a bit when he's looking for work come December...

The Badgers are holding their homecoming this week, and are coming off a disappointing loss to Michigan State, from a game several Badger fans I talked to felt they should have won.  They'll be hungry for a win and to get their B-10 season back on track. But with the marquee Ohio State night home game coming up next week, and a road trip to Iowa after that, this has some of the hallmarks of a 'trap game'.  Clearly the Badgers have bigger fish to fry, and this stretch will make or break their season.  Badger head coach Brett Bielema has stated that they are in the mindset of taking one game at a time, but this is just typical coach-speak.  The reality is that the Badgers will likely be looking to tune up their game against a lesser opponent this week, and save their best for the big dogs. 

Minnesota will need to play their best defensive game of the year to have a chance this Saturday.  It starts with stopping running backs John Clay (6.2 ypc), Montee Ball (4.4 ypc), and emerging frosh, James White (8.3 ypc).  No small task, given the O-line they run behind, which is mammoth and experienced. Cosgrove and Lee will likely load the box up with 8 and even 9 most of the game, and the Badgers know this.  This is going to leave our inexperienced secondary even more vulnerable, especially to play action.  And although the Badger receiving corps has underachieved based on expectations (as has QB Scott Tolzien), they will be wide open all game even if we can slow the run game down.  Tolzien will likely feast on playaction passes, unless Cosgrove dials up some perfectly timed blitz calls.  So I feel pretty negative about our defensive chances in slowing the Badger offense.  Like the game versus Northwestern, generating turnovers is the primary (and best) way the Gopher defense can equalize things. 

On offense, only giving the Badgers a dose of their own ball-control medicine will allow the Gophs to keep pace.  One of the 3 RBs needs to have a solid game.  Last week it was Eskeridge.  How about Bennett stepping up this week?  It's going to take solid O-line play for that. But Wisconsin's defense is not fearsome, and we should be able to put 20-25 points on them. And if 'Good Web' shows up for 4 quarters, and MarQueis is really over his plantar facitis, getting in the 30-35 points range is possible.  Lair seems to be improving weekly, and McKnight seems primed to have a breakout game.  So the pieces on offense are there to score enough points. As usual, execution is the key.  Will Brew and Horton dial up some trickeration this week in order to get some drives extended?  It seems likely, but those kind of plays only work so often.

On special teams - I have one great fear. Oreske's long hold and release on on punts.  NIU blocked on on us.  NU nearly did.  And Wisconsin would be foolish not to pin their ears back and come after the punter early and often.  Oreske's GOT to get a little quicker on his catch and release.  He holds that ball back there for what feels like an eternity, and I don't want to see this game go down like it did in 2005.



See, its not all coloring books at UW
-photo courtesy UW Library system

But can the Gophers go into Camp Randall and the polyester red haze and somehow beat the Badgers?  There's a chance, and more than just of the 'any given Sunday/Saturday' variety. This team has nothing to lose right now.  Losing to South Dakota probably sucked most of the confidence right out of the team. The loss to NIU took whatever was left of that confidence, put it in a headlock, and suffocated the life out of it.  And then when the Big Ten opener looked like a chance to build confidence anew, the final 2 minutes of that game put us right back to where we started.  Now there's absolutely nothing left to lose.  Pride is likely all this team has left, and while a majority of  Gophers fans are running on empty, I think the players still have plenty.  And even with Wisconsin heavily favored and laying 22 points for this game, pride might be enough. But probably not. All that said, I, while I believe the offense will have a respectable showing and keep the game from becoming a blowout, I simply don't have confidence that the defense has much hope in stopping the Wisconsin run game.

Prediction:  Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 23 

Badger Player of the Game: John Clay - 18 carries, 120 yards, 2 TDs
Gopher Player of the Game: Da'Jon McKnight  7 catches 90 yards, 2 TD

Final note:  Coach Brew - you may be a dead man walking, but don't let that stop you from improving your resume here.  Get that AXE!  Goooooooooo GOPHERS!

Gophers vs. Badgers- Border Battle Game Preview (the Badger angle)

Badger fans called him 'Nutpunch Decker', but look at Blake Sorensen
molesting Minneosota's favorite receiver - photo by Gophersports.com

Like last week, we've got another opposing fan's perspective on the week's upcoming game. This week its good friend and Wisconsin alum, Roger Murdock.  You may recall last season I lost a bet with Roger, and had to don the cardinal and white for an evening of post-work drinking.  That same bet is on for this year, and I am dreading the possibility of having to wear another article of Badger apparel.  Roger would look much better in my Maroney #22 or Darkins #44 jersey.  Here's what Roger had to say:

As a UW grad and lifelong Badger fan, I was asked by Mr. Bandanna Guy to provide an analysis of the upcoming Badgers-Gophers tussle from a Badgers’ perspective. Now, before I go on, I must admit that my nickname is Goldy. Sucks for a Badger fan. Even worse when Goldy is getting rammed crotch first into the goal post by Bucky and you have the entire student section at Camp Randall chanting, “Crush Goldy’s nuts!” A bit unsettling.

Anyhow, on to the game. This year’s Wisconsin team is disappointing fans for the 11^th straight season. No Big Ten title equals disappointment. Big things were expected out of this year’s team. Most of the offense returned and several defensive starters returned. They were sluggish out of the gate but the hope was they would get it together come Big Ten season. Well, they started on the road with a solid MSU team. Now, Spartan Stadium has not been kind to the Badgers in the past, and 2010 was no different. The Badgers lost by 10 but had a good shot to win this game. Down 3 with about 8 minutes to go they twice had MSU in a 3^rd and long situation and couldn’t stop them. MSU drives the length of the field to seal the game. One 3^rd down stop and the Badgers could have won. Oh Well.

The Badgers offense is not what it was expected to be this year. Some of it has to do with injuries and some has to do with expectations that were a little overboard. In regards to injuries, it has hurt the passing game that Toon and Gilreath have missed 3 games. The only real option with them out is TE Lance Kendricks (who has developed into a great blocker as well). Toon was back against MSU but looked rusty. Hopefully he gets his shit together for this week. With those guys out, the receiving corps is a bunch of JAGs (just a guy) and a white walk-on from Wautoma. John Clay has been a bust this year. He had off-season surgery on both ankles and came into camp looking like the Michelin Man. I believe he spent too much time at Chick-Fil-A back in Racine in the off season. He never had a burst, but he looks slower this season and is not finishing off runs like he did in the past. The O-line was supposed to be the best in the country and looks very pedestrian. Don’t know why, but they look like liquid dog poo.

The D is about what was expected out of them. Not the greatest, but respectable. Chris Borland going out with a season ending injury was a huge blow. As Gopher legend Glenn Mason said about him 68 times in a broadcast last season, “Chris Borland is a FOOTBALL player.” That guy did everything. JJ Watt is very good along the line. He bats down a ton of passes and gets in the backfield a lot. However, he isn’t the best at changing directions and QBs and RBs can put a move on him and get by him. He gets in the backfield like O’Brien Scofield did last year, but he just can't finish the deal. The secondary is crappy but that has been the case since Jamar Fletcher left. Look for a lot of 10 yard cushions, even on 3^rd and 5.

Now, as any good Badger fan would do, I have watched parts of the Minnesota losses. It is just kinda fun. It is obvious that the Gophers can’t stop the run. The killer also seems to be the lack of success on 3^rd and short. You keep giving it to the big white guy and he keeps failing. Now, the 3^rd and short issue shouldn’t be a problem against Wisconsin since they couldn’t stop Case High School (losers of 58 straight games) and 3^rd and short. Now the running thing may be more of an issue. As I mention earlier, Clay has been a disappointment. However, he may have a big day against Minny’s run D. There has been talk this week about Freshman James White taking over the starting role, but I think that was just the coaches going to the media to light a fire under Clay’s ass. White is a quick back that loves to run to the outside but can also pick his gaps in the line, but I see Clay just rumbling up the gut all game long.

So, I see a 31-24 Wisconsin victory. I don’t see Wisconsin punting much, which would be great since the coverage team blows. I see a bunch of 7 minute Wisconsin drives and the game ends with Wisconsin running out the clock with a 6 minute drive to seal the game. Minnesota will move the ball with the passing game but in the end, Tim Brewster coaches the Gophers and Wisconsin will win and retain the Axe for the 43^rd straight year. Honestly, I love watching the Badgers run around with the Axe. It’s my favorite part of the football season. There is nothing more galling than seeing scenes like an English Gophers place kicker running for the Axe. Blah.

I will be at the game with several crappy beers in the system. Should be a good time. On Wisconsin!

There you have it. A bounce-back Wisconsin win, predicted by a Badger fan, but the Gophs easily cover the massive -21.5 points the Badgers are laying.  My prediction coming tomorrow.

Chance For A Fresh Start?: Northwestern @ Minnesota Game Preview

Is this logo looking tired and dated or what?

The Big Ten season starts this Saturday for the Gophs, and as Coach Brew has been keen to remind his players, we're 0-0 right now.  A chance for a fresh start of sorts.  And 'nowhere to go but up' is really the only attitude the team cab take at this point in the still young season.  Conference play is also conceivably the 'last chance' battery of tests for Brewster if he wants to maintain his position as Head Football Coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  And while I think many would agree that Coach Brew has been as hard-working, sincere, and dedicated as we could have asked of anyone, those traits won't be enough to help him keep his job if he can't grab at least 5 wins in the Big Ten this year.  And getting to 5 wins has to start with handing Northwestern a loss when they come into The Bank this weekend.

Northwestern has racked up a 4 and 0 record, and already won twice on the road (at Vanderbilt and Rice), but the schedule has been squishy soft overall.  You know that's the case when Wildcat head coach Pat Fitzgerald claims that Minnesota will be the best team they've faced so far this season.  I'd like to assume that Fitzgerald was just being polite and respectful, or that the statement was simply head coach hyperbole used to keep his squad from sleeping on the Gophers (the latter seeming much more likely to me).  Of course, Fitz also went on to say that Minnesota is "one of the best coached teams in the country", so who knows what the hell this guy has been drinking of late.  See, Brewster is not the only one who exaggerates for effect.

So exaggerations aside, can the Gophers hope to get back into the win column for a week?  Let's look at the total team stats over 4 game, FBT-style. Through 4 games, Northwestern has generated nearly identical statistics to the Gophers on offense.  Both squads average about 420 yards per game, 23 first downs, and a 3rd down conversion rate coming in at 47%.  Total distribution of rushing and passing yardages are nearly identical as well.  The only significant difference is that NU averages 30 points per game to our 26.5. On defense both NU and Minnesota have yielded approximately 1,500 yards of total offense, but Minnesota has not allowed twice as many points as Northwestern (31.0 to 15.5 ppg).  What's all that mean?  Not a whole lot if you ask me, as I'm loathe to draw many conclusions from a 4 game sample size (6 games is about where I think the team stats become more meaningful), especially without any common opponents.  But I suppose these comparisons are at least interesting in that they show that despite nearly identical yardages gained and yielded by both teams, Northwestern has managed to capitalize on the scoreboard far more than the Gophers.

Everything on offense for the Wildcats goes through QB Dan Persa.  A dark horse (in my opinion) for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Persa runs the spread extremely efficiently, completing over 80% of his passes (not a typo- yes, 80%).  And like most NU quarterbacks of late, he can run when necessary too (leads the team rushing). Persa's primary target has been junior WE Jeremy Ebert (the only Big 10 receiver who's put up more yards than MarQueis Gray).  And add Sidney Stewart, Demetrius Fields, and Drake Dunsmore to the list of Persa targets with at least double-digit catches.  So the passing game is obviously a concern.  How about running the ball?  Well, if there was a Big 10 team that we should be able to stop the run against, its Northwestern.  Of the Wildcats 3 primary running backs, Arby Fields, Mike Trumpy, and Jacob Schmidt, none of them averages over 4 yards per carry.  The sophomore Fields, the starter up until this week, had gained a miserable 160 yards on 56 carries (2.9 ypc).  Last week Schmidt and Trumpy showed Coach Fitz enough for him to demote Fields, and name them as co-starters.  Sidenote: Has there ever been a group of running backs with collectively worse names than this? At any rate, Northwestern has averaged over 36 carries a game, so their poor rushing numbers aren't from a lack of attempts. Will Schmidt anc Trumpy become this week's Chad Spann or Allen Bradford?  Or will Minnesota get things tightened up, get back to fundamentals, and stuff these bottom tier running backs in the back to the stat sheet where they belong?

Willie Wildcat displays horrible ball security

The Wildcat defense has generated plenty of turnovers, and yielded few (+7 in turnover margin).  Seniors Corbin Bryant (DT) and Quentin Davie (LB) have been the leaders on defense for the 'Cats, and are active along the line of scrimmage, acting as the tip of the spearhead to generate turnovers and plays for loss.  It's specifically these turnovers generated that have made the Wildcat scoring defense so good to date.  The Gophers have done a decent job protecting the ball, and will have to continue to do so if they want to have a chance to win.

Minnesota's own offensive gameplan will likely remain unchanged - run, run, and run until we're down by multiple scores and then que Weber to start slinging the ball to Gray and McKnight.  The Gopher offensive line played a dismal run blocking game last week, and if this continues, Weber will again bear the brunt of generating positive yardage and scoring opportunities.  And that means converting third downs more efficiently and throwing the ball more accurately (nothing new here on Weber's 'need to improve' checklist).  Bryant Allen looked pretty decent out of the slot last week filling in for Stoudemire, and perhaps he can be the reliable 3rd WR the Gophers have needed for some time.  And speaking of Stoudemire, looks like he'll be lining up on the opposite side of the ball from here on out.  He's been reinstated, as a DB, and from the sounds of things from Brewster he could even see some gametime, should the appropriate man coverage situation arise (I'm guessing a 5-WR set).

Predictions?  Well, the Gophers should have plenty of motivation get out of the Big Ten opener on a high note. It's also Homecoming, and a win here could actually generate some momentum before heading into Camp Randall.  That said, I've very skeptical that the Gophers run game can get going.  If they can rip off a few big runs, and move the chains with a decent average per carry, then this game is very winnable.  If they run the ball like they did against NIU, then they can't win.  I believe both teams will struggle to run the ball, and a Weber-Persa shootout favors Northwestern.  That formula means the Gophers will end up 0-1 in conference to start Big Ten play.

Prediction: Northwestern 34, Minnesota 27


Gopher Player of the Game: Adam Weber - 20-29, 290 yards and 3 TDs
Wildcat Player of the Game: Dan Persa - 27-36, 260 yards and 2 TDs, 10 carries for 45 yards and 1 TD

Northern Illinois @ Minnesota: What we learned

This young Gopher fan found better things to watch than the 4th Qtr
Photo by JT

Another gut wrenching loss.  What can you say that hasn't already been uttered in an overheard expletive laced tirade on the post-game walk to your car. Another glorious evening for football at The Bank, made ruinous by poor run blocking, and even poorer tackling. Sigh.  Losing at home is not a habit I'd like to see develop.  But it's happening.  At least last year, we respectably defended our home turf with a winning record (4-3), with respectable losses to Cal and Wisconsin, and Illinois in a headscratcher.  We seemed to own the night with the Air Force and Michigan State wins with some timely (if not lucky) bounces that went our way.  That all seems so distant now.  Truly, my confidence in the Brewster regime is all but dead.  Only an improbable run in the conference schedule will restore it to at least measurable levels.

Now NIU is no pushover MAC team, but they certainly aren't USC either.  Yet they came in and pretty much did the same damn thing to us that SoCal did.  Ran the ball down our throats.  Life seemed so much simpler 2 weeks ago, when we could just blame our pass defense on the inexperience of Christyn Lews and James Manuel (or conversley the suspension of Theret and the injury to Royston).  Now that we've been gashed in both the pass and run, the defensive troubles seem so much more, well, troubling.  The Huskies managed 34 points on the Gophers, in only 23 minutes of possession.  Disgraceful.


Clearly NIU head coach Jerry Kill saw something on our tape vs. USC that he liked.  I'm guessing it was the way our linebackers seem to always be 1 or 2 steps out of position, leaving major running holes wide open. Going into this game I thought we were going to get 'Dante Warren-ed' to death by a better and more experienced Chandler Harnish. Turns out, they didn't even need him to do much more than be a caretaker for the offense, letting Chad Spann carry the load.  In that limited time NIU had the ball, Spann managed to rack up 223 yards on just 15 carries.  Yeah, that's nearly 11 ypc.  You'd think Barry Sanders or Gale Sayers was lining up across from us with those kind of numbers. And Harnish's legs? Well, he seemed to be the one player we actually did scheme for, and his runs were held in check. But that isn't  worth much when the halfback lining up behind him can just get you 10 yards a crack.

This looks like a stout  bunch in the Maroon.  Key word - 'looks'.
Photo by JT

At the beginning of this season, I really did believe that the front 7 of this team would continually improve and ultimately become the strength of this defense.  They certainly appear to be an athletic enough group.  Chalk their performance up to inexperience and poor coaching?  I suppose so, but my confidence in Cosgrove is virtually gone, to say nothing of Brewster.  Last year I feld like Cosgrove had really maximized the talent on our defense, making them a cohesive unit that kept us in games all season.  This year, I am really at loss for what has happened so far, and how things will progress/regress into th future.  Perhaps all the Nebraska and Wisconsin Cosgrove-haters  who warned us had it right?  
 
On offense, OC Horton again tried valiantly to establish the run, but simply could not. Our longest run from scrimmage was a measly 12 yards, and the one explosive run we did muster (Bennett's 3rd quarter sprint to the east endzone) was called back on a hold. NIU's defensive rotations (6-man line shifts) seemed to keep them from getting worn down later in the game, and kept running room difficult all game.  And once again, Weber was serviceable and didn't do anything to cost us the game (although that desparation shovel pass was an absolutely dreadful decision).  He padded his stats again late in the game on some nice drives that ultimately just closed the margin of victory for NIU.  MarQueis again looked the part of a potential All-Big Ten WR (maybe Dave Mona wasn't insane for claiming that?). 

Thumbs down Gophers, you let my boys down
Photo by JT

 
But I need to stay positive here. There were some aspects about last Saturday's gameday that I did like:
1) The weather. Just about a perfect evening for football. Fireworks at the half were nice too.
2) My entire family taking in a Gopher football game (as we like to do as a full group annually), including my two boys getting to go to their first game at The Bank!
3) The Ski-U-Brat. Tasty, but the brat itself needs to be a bit larger, to match the scale of the bun.
4) Fresh mini donuts. Sweet and delicious. 
5) "Goldy's Groove" in the 3rd Quarter. Attention TCF Bank Stadium Operations Manger(s) - keep this feature. I'm all about anyway we can incorporate Earth, Wind, and Fire in to gameday.  And 'Let's Groove Tonight' did inspire some excellent fan dancing.  How about next week we rock Funkadelic's 'One Nation Under a Groove'?
6) MarQueis Gray. He's real good at WR. He's not fumbling the ball. And Weber is finding him  I like it. 

So there were plenty of reasons to enjoy myself. Just not football. Well, except for MarQueis Gray.  He can actually play football.


Fireworks. I enjoy them even when losing.  Photo by JT

So how is this team going fare against Northwestern?  The 4-0 Wildcats haven't won a single game convincingly against less than impressive opponents. Like most of our games versus the Mildcats, I expect a shootout.  And tomorrow we should have our first of several weekly opposing views from a fan of our current Big Ten opponent.  This week, my friend and Northwestern alum, TKL will be putting together a preview of his own of the game. He's also using my tickets, as I can't get up to the Twin Cities for a 4th straight weekend. Before you scoff at my selling season ticket seats to the enemy, remember this is a Northwestern guy, not some Badger jackhole or Hawkeye d-bag.  And Northwestern alumni will always beat the rest of the Big Ten alums in 'gentlemanly-like behavior' at all sporting events.  Except for that one NU fan who got ejected from Welsh-Ryan Arena last year for yelling at Ed Hightower.  But then, who hasn't yelled at Ed Hightower?  So no worries, he'll behave himself and be respectful.  And he's graciously agreed to share with us what he thinks of our new digs and the upgraded 'college football on campus' atmosphere.

And what did we learn?  I learned that we can't even stop a MAC team's running game.  I learned that our offensive line cannot create running lanes against a MAC team.  But I also learned that the most beautiful of autumn nights cannot quite be ruined by gross incompetence.   And finally, I learned that I learned that having your wife and kids smiling at the game only goes so far, and that eventually you just need to abandon your family and grab a beer.  Thanks for being there Mr. Omar Douglas Redux.  That Surly Furious on tap at Stub and Herbs we had went a long way to soothe my nerves.  And as my favorite beer, Surly Furious shall become the first of our Crew's Brews we highlight, as we suffer through this season and find different beers to ease the pain (stay tuned for more of our GEHG's Crew's Brews). Ethanol is needed to survive our Big Ten season and brutal remaining home schedule.  Beer is the vehicle.

Desperation Setting In? Here Come the Huskies: NIU @ Minnesota Preview

If this week's game preview post title seems a bit cocksure, don't misinterpret.  Desperation is indeed looming, and could set in fully if Northern Illinois beats us at home.  And the NIU Huskies are a pretty decent MAC team with a pretty decent quarterback (more on him later) that could easily send this season into a nightmarish death spiral. A decent that might not even be slowed by the winning of a few 'trinket games' later in the year.

And as if this game wasn't enough for the team to focus on, now there seems to be an undercurrent of dissent among at least one player.  WR/KR Troy Stoudemire made it public by his recent Facebook declaration that he is no longer a Gopher.  One assumes this was caused by Brewster's indefinite suspension of Troy for 'conduct detrimental to the team'.  The team has said nothing officially about Stoudemire's departure, and apparently he's not yet spoken to the staff formally about leaving 'the U'.  Maybe he's just blowing off steam over the internets?  If so, its too bad he missed the halftime public service announcement at last week's USC game about 'going to far' with social networking.

Whatever the case, the loss of our #3 receiver and top kick return man shouldn't be our primary concern going into this game.  That honor goes to Husky QB, Chandler Harnish.  Harnish, who wasn't the Week 1 game starter under center, lost the QB battle to DeMarcus Grady in training camp.  But after a rough 3 INT opener at Iowa State and a wacky low-angle throwing motion, Harnish was given the start in Week 2 vs. UND.  No stranger to starting, Harnish has led the Huskies at QB in 18 games over the last 2 years. And in just two games this seasonb(UND and Illinois), the junior QB rolled up some impressive numbers -- 350 yards in the air and nearly 300 on the ground.  Uh oh - dual threat QB. Dante Warren, but with more experience, comes to mind.  And that smells like trouble.  I presume this time around we'll actually gameplan for a QB with legs.  Perhaps worst of all, he sort of has that bad-ass, focused, football-is-my-life, Eric Decker-esque look to him.  Great.

Chandler Harnish means business

Harnish is not alone in the backfield either, as he can turn around and hand the ball to Chad Spann, a 5'9" 198 lb senior halfback.  Spann has averaged nearly 80 yards per game, and already broke a 79 TD this season.  Statistically, none of the Husky receivers stand out - none have even 100 yards receiving thru 3 games, so Harnish is doing a nice job spreading the ball around, but his wheels are the bigger concern.  Its clear then, that stopping Harnish and Spann will be paramount if a Gopher win is to occur.  To many 6-7 yard runs on 1st or 2nd down will put the Gopher defense in a bad spot, and allow the Huskies to keep the D off-balance, keeping them guessing if Harnish will be throwing or running in short down and distances.  Watching some of Harnish's highlights from the Illini game, they have some designed QB runs that look very effective, and some short delayed passing routes over the middle that will keep our linebackers busy.

The NIU defense has allowed fewer yards than their offense has gained, but that hasn't translated into wins for them.  They have been gashed for 175 yards per game on the ground, and look like they could be a team susceptible to the Gopher's run game.  Illinois racked up over 300 yards on the ground last week, so that bodes well for us and controlling the clock.

I have little faith that our defense will be disciplined enough to stop Harnish all game, and so I think the key this week lies in keeping him off the field by dominating the time of possession.  If the offensive line can play well and Bennett is back and healthy, this is the most likely route to victory for the Gophers.

This Saturday's game is an opportunity for the Gophers to get up off the ground, dust off our pants, wipe the blood of our nose, and play like a real Big Ten team.  That means putting down the Huskies with the same type of ball-control offense we saw versus the Blue Raiders in the opener.  Make no mistake though, NIU was a preseason pick to win the MAC West division and are eager to beat a big conference opponent before moving on to their conference schedule.  They also have a recently infirmed coach to play for and rally around.  Coach Jerry Kill was recently hospitalized for dehydration, and also had an undisclosed surgery earlier in the season, though he will be on the sidelines of TCF Bank Stadium this Saturday night.

Originally, I had called for this game to be the let-down loss on the schedule, after stealing a win from USC.  Obviously, that scenario didn't play out.  But based on the Chandler Harnish film I watched this week, I am still VERY skeptical that we can win this game.  Harnish looks to be a dangerous player, the kind that our defense may not be experienced enough to stop.  If the RB Spann was the focal point of the NIU offense, I'd be much more confident.  Unfortunately he is not, and Harnish will likely shred us as he can pass on the run, or just tuck it and take off with deceptive speed and good vision.  Ball control with Bennett, Eskeridge, and Kirkwood is needed to limit Harnish's touches. Can the Gophs control the clock for 45 minutes out of 60 again to gain the victory? I fear not.

Prediction: Minnesota 24, Northern Illinois 31

Gopher Player of the Game: Duane Bennett - 24 carries for 145 yards and 2 TDs

Huskie Player of the Game: Chandler Harnish - 15 carries for 110 yards rushing and 2 TDs, 14-20 for 120 yards and 2 TDs

USC @ Minnesota: What we learned

The GEGH crew sets up in the Ski-U-Mah Lot - photo by JT

This Saturday gave us yet another beautiful day at The Bank, and with a quality if not villainous opponent in USC coming to town, most Gopher fans that attended seemed able to put aside last weeks horrid loss and rally behind the Gophs for another game.  A win over the rule breakers from SoCal would go some significant distance in helping rerail the season.  The pre-game tailgating scene in the Ski-U-Mah Lot was terrific, and there were plenty of smiling faces, back slapping, and booze to go around.  Gopher Tailgate Nation was out in force again, and happy to be there, despite our recent woes.  Our GEGH group assembled a 3-State alumni contingent, and had a terrific time eating, drinking, and carousing.  I was, in particular, happy to spread the joy that is Cuervo 1800 Reposado with my colleagues (listen up Cuervo, you can advertise on here for free as far as I'm concerned).

With the exception of one irritable dude wearing a nice Chris Darkins, Jim Wacker-era jersey who rebuffed us for our "Darkins! Darkins! Darkins!" chant, most everybody rolling thru the lot appeared to be in good spirits (whatever, the guy obviously didn't know who #44 actually was). Most were expecting the worst and hoping for the best.  It seemed like almost a given that the Gophers would be down multiple touchdowns early, and it would get worse from there.  I was scoffed at by many for my bold (but ultimately foolish) 31-30 Gophers victory prediction.  And during the game, there seemed to be some in attendance that were actually rooting for a blowout loss, so they could feel more validated in their "Fire Brewster Now!" position.  But more importantly, the vast bulk of fans that attended the game were clearly here to support the Maroon and Gold for better or worse.

The ladies love themselves some Gopher Tailgating - photo by Mar

The game itself was pretty entertaining, at least for 3 quarters.  The Gophers hung tough for much of the game, over came some ill-timed mistakes (and flukey bad luck).  But it could only last so long. USC had the superior talent, and eventually found a way to overcome their own assemblage of mistakes (penalties and interceptions).  I read somewhere out there in the blogosphere that this game felt like the Cal game last season.  I'm inclined to agree.  Everyone's favorite 'close personal friend' of a columnist, Sid Hartman suggested that the loss hinged on 3 plays.  I'd suggest that it was really just two plays though; 1) The Jewhan Edwards facemask on the 3rd and long sack, and; 2) rather than the 97-yard kick return TD, the Gophers complete inability to answer that counter-punch with a score of their own following it (another 3-and-out).  That 3-and-out was particularly damning, as it came AFTER Kirkwood gained a tough 8 yards off right tackle on 1st down.

But for once this season, I was not completely mortified by the pass defense.  Yes they gave up 2 big TD passes, but for them to hold Matt Barkley, a shoe-in top 5 NFL draft pick, to under 200 yards in the air and pick him off twice was an accomplishment.  No doubt Kyle Theret's return to the starting lineup was a big reason why.  Unfortunately, once Kiffin figured out that running repeatedly with big back Allen Bradford was the way to go, we were already down and had to play catchup.  My worry earlier in the week had been proven out.  Recent history indicates that these bigger running backs seem to give us trouble, and Bradford and his line had their way with the Gophs through the latter stages of the game.  This was culminated by the 56-yard touchdown run Bradford had for USC's final score, where he dashed down the north sideline completely untouched from start to finish.  Obviously, the run defense really struggled, especially up front later in the game, hardly getting a hand on Tyler or Bradford on several runs.

Barkley wings his first TD of the game - photo by JT

The offense had its moments, but the running game disappointed me.  Bennett tweaked his ankle early and had no impact on this game.  DeLeon was who he always seems to be, a ball-secure first guy without great burst or vision.  Donnell Kirkwood had a few nice runs, but they came too infrequently to allow for the ball-control that Brewster and Horton were clearly seeking with their gameplan.  What really bothered me though wasn't the perceived 'over-commitment' to the run, but rather the lack of creativity and variability in the run calls.  After re-watching the game, I noticed that about 80% of the runs seemed to be between the tackles, and most often just simple dives.  No counters, very little trap blocking, and we didn't see much of the shovel and screen passes either.  Was there something in the scouting report that told the staff that running up the gut was the way to make hay against this squad?  Not sure, but we sure did like the dive play.  The other thing that struck me was that none of our 3 running backs seemed to really even look to make a cut or

Weber again completed a little over half his throws, and did his usual of making just enough good plays in between the bad ons to keep me from being completely frustrated with him.  His interception right before the half was ridiculously bad, as was best served to just throw the ball out of bounds (has Weber EVER done that?) even if it was 3rd down. MarQueis and McKnight looked pretty good when Weber managed to find them.  If McKnight can make that over the outside shoulder catch on the sideline routinely, then he needs to run that route more often in games.

Favorite play on offense:  The great catch in my corner of the endzone by McKnight was the BEST play of the day for the Gophs, but it wasn't my favorite.  That honor goes to the Kirkwood 15-yard run at midfield that might have resulted in a TD had he been able to put a move on his closest defender.  The left side of the O-line opened up a HUGE hole (see photo), and Donnell had lots of green in front of him.  Instead he initiated contact and bowled over the safety.  At the time (early 2nd quarter), I liked the message it sent. In hindsight, he's gotta come up with a Playstation move to freeze that guy.

Look at that hole - how did Kirkwood NOT score - photo by JT

Favorite play on defense:  Manuel's interception of Barkley to end USC's opening drive of the 3rd quarter.  Anthony Jacobs applies the pressure up in Barkley's grill, and Manuel comes over to the TE down the seam and snatches the wobbler out of the air to send the momentum back to the Gophers.

So what did we learn in this, the 3rd week of a still young (yet already exhausting) season?  Many things as usual, perhaps the most important being that tailgating for an afternoon game is preferably to the 11AM starts.  No need to get up at 7AM.  You can leisurely get up at a sane hour and make your way down to Stadium Village with plenty of tailgating hours in front of you. I learned that MarQueis Gray appears to be the go-to receiver for Weber already.  What that means for MG's QB career is unknown, but right now Gray looks like he might become too valuable at WR to become our starting QB if (and only if) Moses Alipate is game-ready in 2011.   I learned that Kyle Theret was definitely missed, perhaps more than I wanted to believe.  I learned that Horton still really does want to keep running the ball, but not in any real creative fashion.  And finally, I learned that handing out a free magazine in the student section is a bad idea.  How we didn't get penalized for all the mags that landed on the field (even during play) was beyond me.  Chalk that one up to having a Big Ten ref crew, I guess.

NIU preview will be up late tomorrow/early Friday, and although I called for the let down loss after USC, I feel a win coming on before plunging into the Big Ten season.

Fight On! (Gophers) The Season Depends On It: USC @ Minnesota Preview

Of all the teams that could be coming into The Bank this Saturday, and after the absolute failure we witnessed last week, the chance to play the University of Southern California might be just the medicine this program needs to get well.

Why?  Well, they're an D-I Single A team for starters (hey-oooo).  They have strong national name recognition, and have recently been one of the preeminent teams in all of college football. They are not particularly well liked by the rest of the nation, nor is Lane Kiffin, their supposed wunderkind new head coach.  The casual Golden Gopher fan (you know, the folks who showed up late, and left at the half last week) expects nothing but a blowout and the total annihilation of the Gophs.  The good news is, #18 USC is nowhere near as tough as they have been over the last decade, and has struggled in both of their two wins this season.  Nowhere to go but up, eh?

Winning this game gets the season back on the rails in a quick way, but still keeps the burner under Brewster to show us it wasn't an anomaly, all while the 'fire Brewster' talk can legitimately (and fairly) continue.  Losing meets the expectations of the masses and the 'fire Brewster' talk can still legitimately continue.  So in a sick sort of way, win or lose - the outcome this Saturday will probably be satisfying in one way or another to all shades of Gopher fans.

USC's most recent national accomplishment is garnering an array of NCAA sanctions for 'lack of institutional control', including a 2-year ban from post-season play, the loss of 30 scholarships over 3 years, and their National Championship victory in the 2005 Orange Bowl versus Texas (one of my all-time favorite college football games apparently never happened now) is now vacated. Oh yeah, and they even lost MN's own Seantrel Henderson (arguably the top HS football recruit in the nation), who dissed the Gophs before committing to USC, and then subsequently dissed the Trojans for the Miami Hurricanes, post-SC sanctions dole out.  Good times.

Will Snoop be in the hizz-ouse Saturday?
AP Photo/K.Djansezian

OK - but we all know USC's off the field woes.  But the real question is, can the Gophers somehow, someway beat this team coming in?  The Trojans are loaded with talent with nothing much to play for but pride. USC has played Hawaii (on the road) and Virginia (at home), and have been less than impressive in both games.  The Hawaii's run n' shoot offense kept in place beyond the departure of June Jones, gave SC all kinds of trouble, and they piled up nearly 600 yards of offense in a shootout with 85 total points.  The home opener for SC vs. Virginia was almost the inversion of their previous game,  a 17-14 defensive slugfest that required the Trojans to recover an onside kick to preserve the win.  In both games USC was outgained by their opponent, and racked up over 100 yards in penalties.  So iffy defense and a lack of discipline seems to be their modus operandi thus far this season.  These problems make it appear to me that USC can be quite vulnerable if they cannot correct these issues.

The Trojan offense, led by sophomore stud, Matt Barkley has been pretty damn impressive this year though, already completing 38 passes at nearly a 66% clip, to go with 7 touchdowns to no interceptions.  Combine that with a strong and athletic line, and Barkley could put up passing numbers that would make Dante Warren's look like chump change.  USC has two primary halfbacks Marc Tyler and Allen Bradford, and both are large (230 lbs+).  This worries me as well, given that we struggled with a similar sized back last year in John Clay, but with a much more experienced defense.  Combine that size of the runners with an athletic and speedy line that can get out in space and block, and it could be big trouble, especially running outside.  The Trojan receivers are good, but not as terrifying as they have been in years past.  Ronald Johnson and Robert Woods will be the primary beneficiaries of Barkley's throws.  The Barkley's offense would appear to be the strength of the team, and must be slowed to give the Gophers any chance of winning.

To counter this offensive unit, its hoped that the return of senior's Kim Royston and Kyle Theret at the safety positions will be a major upgrade for the Gopher's defense.  My concern is that there will be some rust from the lack of live game work for these two, but that said, I'd rather have them on the field than Lewis and Manuel right now.  The front seven should be solid against interior runs, lead by the Smash Brothers (Edwards and Kirksey), but I fear running on the edge will rip off big chunks of yardage, given the issues we had with contain against USD.  To win this game, I think the Gopher D will have to create at least two turnovers and allow none within their own territory.

SoCal's defense has had its difficulties. MV of FBT does his usual superb job of breaking down the USC defense personnel, so I won't elaborate too much.  Lane's daddy (Monte) runs the defense for him, and he's dealing with a lot of inexperience on the DL and backfield.  Frankly, we're seriously out coached here with a coordinator of Monte Kiffin's calibur on the sideline, so we'll need to rely on USC's inexperience leading to mistakes Minnesota can capitalize on.

And the Gopher offense - well, its going to take another appearance of 'Good Web' to give us a chance, as we need him to extend drives on 3rd downs and keep Barkley safely on the sidelines.  I was a little disappointed in Horton last week, as his claim that the Gophers would not abandon running the ball early rang hollow. I felt he went away from really pounding the ball at the Coyotes when the Gophers got down a couple scores.  Part of that was justified though, as our defense couldn't stop them, and we needed to get points somehow.  This week, I'd expect us to run 2 out of 3 times the first couple possessions , but if our defense can't afford us the luxury of a couple USC 3 and outs (or at least short drives) to let the O-line and the RBs get lathered up, we'll be presumably passing early and often.  And hey, the formerly suspended Dom Alford is now back to active status, but guess what?  My favorite Gopher freshman, Ed-O (Ed Olson), will be getting the start at left tackle.  His clamping onto his opportunity to start and not letting go has really impressed me, and I'll be watching him closely to see how he fares against these Pac-10 DEs.

Ultimately, predicting the outcome of this game comes down to is what you believe will happen on this Saturday.  USC might beat Minnesota 99 out of a 100 matchups, but if that one win comes up, then all the analysts and experts are wrong.  I was excited when we got SC on the schedule, and I remain so.  Its a great opportunity for this young Gopher team to prove something (or conversely, get their asses handed to them, and learn something).  Early this season in the 'Calling our Shot' post, I predicted a win for this game, and I've chose to stick with that, despite what we saw last week.  Up until this afternoon, I was all but convinced the Gophs would have a valiant start to the game, but ultimately be crushed in the 2nd half.  Then I watched this yesterday afternoon:

 This clip of a Thursday post-practice interview of Kid Kiffin swayed me back to my pre-season position.  Does this sound like a coach who has his team where he wants it for this game.  By his own admission, he states that "we've got a long ways to go" and that they need to understand this is not a game they can take lightly.  He sounds concerned and its already Thursday.  My usual ridiculous positivity, although diminished, can last at least through pre-game tailgating this Saturday.  After that, all bets are off.  Gophers jump on USC early, and then hang on by a thread.  Pics and post-game to come next week.  GOOOOO GOPHERS!

Prediction: Minnesota 31, USC 30

Gopher Player of the Game: Adam Weber - 24 for 32 for 245 yards and 3 TDs

Trojan Player of the Game: Marc Tyler - 18 carries for 120 yards and 2 TDs

South Dakota @ Minnesota - What we learned (and where it went wrong).

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Gary Tinsely fills the 'A-Gap', all other defenders? Occupado. - photo by JT 

Why do the football gods hate me so much?  Why?  After torturing me on another beautiful Saturday at The Bank, 24 hours later, they decide to take away an improbable opening road win from my Honolulu Blue and Silver by robbing Calvin Johnson of a game-winning TD catch.  Oh, and the cherry on top was the loss of Matthew Stafford for 4-6 weeks.  I don't know what I did to deserve this, but it must have been pretty bad.

As much as I wanted to write up my postgame 'What we learned' post on Sunday evening, I just couldn't bring myself to sit at the computer and think about this game. I needed some time to forget and feel sorry for myself (and watch the game a second time on the DVR).  Well, that and I was  pretty tired from the trip back home.

First off, let's give credit where credit is due.  South Dakota came to play, and executed their offense very efficiently, despite of a lack of experience at several positions, including QB.  This did not appear to be the team that got bullied for 60 minutes versus Central Florida.  Second, let me step out and state that I was pretty much wrong about everything in my prediction of this game (although I did come very close to the Gopher's point total).  No establishing the the run.  No imposing of our will.  No carries for Kirkwood (WTH?). No wearing the opponent down and dominating the 4th quarter.  And most obviously, no win.  Instead there was panic on offense.  Panic to score, thanks to the ineptitude of the defense.

As I walked into TCF Bank Stadium at around 10:50 AM that morning, I felt pretty good (aside from the 2 and a half pounds of eggs, cheese, sausage, bacon, and potatoes courtesy of  Sally's Game Day Skillet Scramblers).  The sun was shining, the student section was actually filling up, and people seemed pretty excited about the 1 and 0 Golden Gophers.  But by about the 8 minute mark, the mood was already starting to sour.  The Gophers started out nicely, and looked the part of the more dominant team.  Stoudemire got us rolling with a nice opening kick return across the fifty, and although the first drive was a little more pass-heavy than expected, it stalled but the result was still 3 points.  On defense, things started solid as well. Keanon Cooper got a TFL to open the game, and the Gophers held on a 3rd and short to force a quick 3 and out.  Chris Ganious was being contained and it looked like South Dakota would have to rely on their QB to generate some offense.  That ended up being the worst thing that could have happened for the Gophers.  Coyote QB, Dante Warren was up to the challenge, and Cosgrove, Lee, and Brewster couldn't scheme up anything to stop his legs or his arm.  Two flag routes and 11 minutes later, the Coyotes were up 14-3, and everybody was scratching their heads as to how this could be happening.

Tiree drops Six -  photo by JT

But the Gophs responded, coming right back with a beautiful 49-yard TD pass on the post to Troy Stoudemire.  And on the ensuing USD possession, Michael Carter picked off Warren.  The momentum swing was on.  Or so it seemed.  From there out, for every terrific play Minnesota made on offense was pretty much matched by the Coyotes.  Post Carter INT, Tiree Eure dropped a go-ahead TD pass (see photo on right), and Weber missed a wide open MarQueis Gray on a comeback by sailing the ball 12 feet over his head.  Ellestad completed the trifecta of poor execution with another wide left FG miss.

From this point the defense really started to struggle.  Missed tackles and blown coverage being the main issue. Having already seen the RB screen once and getting fooled, the Gophs again got suckered by the clear path to the QB, this time yielding a 26-yard TD scamper.  Now fairly shocked late in the 2nd quarter, I couldn't think things could go much worse until I saw Weber cough up the ball on a nice scramble, well past the 1st down marker when he could have slid.   Down 21-10, it was a nightmare half to be sure.  I can only imagine what Brewster's halftime speech must have been like.
Still, the game was in reach, and even though a blowout win was a distant memory, there was a feeling that with some key halftime adjustments on defense,  we could dominate the second half and salvage an ugly victory.  Once again my faith was misplaced.



Much to my surprise, the students showed up in force - photo by JT

 Things only got worse on defense, and the rest of the way the Gopher offense had to frantically try and put enough points on the board to close the gap.  The Minnesota defensive backs gave massive cushions to the USD receivers, and were regularly beat on quick slants and short comebacks that extended drives.  And while the defense seemed capable of stopping Ganious on the ground (16 carries for just 8 years), they couldn't track down Warren on bootlegs, nor could they cover any deep routes down the middle.  Essentially all USD had to do to score was run just enough to keep Minnesota honest, and then just strike downfield or roll out on a naked boot.  And that 4th and short that Warren scored on untouched?  Chalk that one up to Cosgrove for overcommitting the defense to the run up the middle.

And as admirable as it was to see Jeff Horton and Adam Weber do their damnedest to get the Gophers to close the gap, the defense couldn't produce enough stops to get the Gophers that last possession they needed to pull ahead.  Brewster's decision to try and convert a 4th and 2 with 12 minutes left on the USD 24 was perhaps questionable, but the kick was going into the wind, and Ellestad has been money to miss from outside of 40 yards all season (0 for 3).  This kind of talk is, of course, pretty damn ridiculous though, when you're talking about needing to play catchup against an FCS opponent (to say nothing of giving up nearly 500 yards of total offense to an FCS opponent).  And so there we were in the final quarter, doing things like lining up for a fake onside kick, making illegal forward laterals, and other such signs of desperation that I hadn't expected to see on this day.  That Sally's Skillet probably should have come back up right around then, but I somehow spared my lovely wife the indignity.  Thank goodness this game was in as beautiful and alcohol-free a setting as it was.  Had I been in the 'Dome, I surely would have been heaving into a urinal trough.  The day and the stadium sent this defeat from 'truly unbearable' to just straight-up 'unbearable'

So what did we learn from this loss?  First and foremost, I found that my seemingly boundless faith in Brewster hath been shaken.  And while he shouldn't be fired midseason (simply not fair to the kids playing for him), you have to wonder now what it will take for him to save his job for the final year of his contract.  Just 2 games into the season, and I'm already more confused by this team than in any other year of the Brewster era.  What are we?  Talented, but horribly inconsistent is what comes to mind. That, or just bad, with a few respectable playmakers.  Neither is a formula for consistent winning.  And now to restore my faith in Coach Brew, it will take a near miraculous remainder of the year (for me, I'd define that as winning 2 of 3 trophy games, and beating Northwestern, Purdue, and Illinois).  The likelihood of that happening would appear slim, but I'll live on hope for now.  Barring a season finish like that, Brewster and the 'U' need to part ways.  There.  I've said it, and quantified it (although I'm not hard and fast on things here, I'll trade a USC or Ohio State win for that rinky-dink Governor's Bell any day of the week.  I also learned that MarQueis Gray is ready for prime time as a receiver, (at least against a I-AA teams).  And last I learned just how much we really do miss Theret and Royston.

GBG, Nate, and 2Mutch sadly reflect on the game - photo by JT

So let me be positive here to close out.  There were a number of good (albeit small) things that can be taken out of this game (believe it or not).
1) The O-line couldn't have pass protected much better.  Web had all day to set up and throw from the pocket
2) For the second game in a row, the Gophers largely avoided the drive-killing penalties that wracked them in previous seasons
3) Favorite play on offense - the trips left formation where Weber found MarQueis down the seam for a nice score in the 3rd
4) Favorite play on defense - Gary Tinsley finally diagnosing the halfback screen and snuffing it out for a loss (3rd time's the charm, right?)
5) The express lanes to get in the stadium at Gates A and E were just that - express.  I walked thru in under 15 seconds with 10 minutes to gametime.  Amazing how quick a line can move when you're not patting down every man, woman, and child.

And now USC comes rolling into town next Saturday, no doubt licking their chops at the prospect of 1,000 yards of total offense.  At this point, I'm just hoping the Gophs can score 30 to match SoCal's 70.  Blowout or no, we'll be getting our tailgate on next week in the Ski-U-Mah lot and enjoying ourselves.  And maybe, just maybe - the gods of football owe me one for last weekend?

Stay tuned for the USC @ Gophers preview to be posted on Friday morning.