Minnesota @ MTSU - What we learned

This kid knows a win when he sees it - photo by JT

Well, that's one win in the books.  Halfway to our Sports Illustrated prediction!

And it felt good too.  There wasn't too much of a bad aftertaste with this victory.  The game wasn't as close as the score indicated, and there were a lot of positives. Before the game started, there was a little nagging worry in the back of my head about how the team would start the season on the road against a respectable opponent.

But the Gophers came out and punched the Blue Raiders right in the mouth on the opening drive.  In the opening play, Bennett took the ball to the right off tackle and Laird, Hoese, and Hughes all laid perfect blocks on their men to spring the play for 32 yards.  Third play from scrimmage?  Student body right, and Bennett goes for another 25 yards.  A fun start to be sure.  And an instant injection of credibility to all the coaching staff who kept stating how the run game would be committed to and improved.  But it wasn't the opening drive that convinced me that Horton and Brew were actually serious about this whole running the ball thing.  It was his play calling in the 2nd and 3rd quarters that had me buying that this team wasn't going to panic and drop Weber into the shotgun for the rest of the way.  He used the run to jab at MTSUs defense in the 3rd, and then had their hands on their hips for the final 15 minutes.  If there's one thing I don't mind learning from a coordinator who spent 6 years as a Badger, its how to close out football games.  And this was textbook domination of time-of-possession.

But not everything with the offense was sunshine and lollipops.  There's still plenty to work on, of course.  The passing game in the first half was rough, largely due to this year's first sighting of 'Bad Web'.  Whether it was season opener jitters or just getting into the swing of playing with live bullets, Adam Weber was off to a rough to start.  In his first throw of the game, he hung Stoudemire out to dry in the endzone on a quick slant between converging defenders.  Luckily he was bailed out by a legit defensive PI call.  From there he went 0 for 4, with accuracy being his primary issue.  Finally on his 6th pass attempt of the night he sailed a nice ball to the left over the defender and into Eric Lair's waiting hands for a 24 yard game.  Weber finally settled down in the second half and made some good throws, including a nice throw to MarQueis crossing the middle, and a beauty to McKnight on a 3rd and 12 that extended the drive (ultimately leading to the go-ahead score).  And to Weber's credit, he didn't make any major mistakes or turnovers despite MTSU's frequent blitzes.

But overall, there wasn't a whole lot to criticize the offense on.  All three RBs looked good.  Check that -Bennett was phenomenal.  He had terrific burst through the line, and great effort after contact. The frosh Kirkwood was solid, and picked his holes well.   Jon Hoese's play was inspired and it was awesome to see him score the first 3 TDs of the season, given the fact that earlier in the week his traveling with the team was in question due to his father's health.  Right tackle Ed Olson Jr's first career start should be considered a success (although he did get torched on one speed rush).  They even minimized their penalties and the few they did have weren't drive killers.

And the defense? Well if a grade had to be handed out it would probably have to be 'incomplete'.  They simply weren't even on the field long enough for us to conclude too much.  That's what happens when your offense holds the ball for 75% of the game.  From what we did see, it was clear that our young safeties are pretty inexperienced, as they struggled with coverage. The athleticism was there with Manuel and Lewis, but we could certainly stand to have Royston and Theret back soon.  The Blue Raiders ran only 40 plays, but their offense was effective at times in the no-huddle.  I was a little concerned with the lack of pressure our front 4 generated (zero sacks, and really not any hurries either).  The LBs seemed solid initially, but seemed to struggle a little bit with their play diagnosis as the game wore on.  However, in that limited sample size, the Gopher defense did manage a nice tip drill interception (Rallis) and a made a few key 3rd down stops - including a huge TFL by Jewhan Edwards to stifle the last possession by MTSU.  And those positive moments should not be discounted.

So what did we learn on Thursday night?  All kinds of things.  First and foremost I discovered that our coaching staff really does appear to be committed to the run (67 rushing attempts was convincing).  I found that all of MTSU's talk of selling out their home opener was just that, talk (sellout my ass).  I learned that Keanon Cooper has decent wheels - as he ran down RB Phillip Tanner from behind to save a TD.  I learned that Duane Bennett came to Murfreesboro TO PLAY ( and he would have had a nice receiving TD to tack on to his near 200 yds rushing, if on that shovel pass too he would have read his blocks a little quicker). I saw that Ellestad is still struggling from outside of 40 yards (but at least his problem isn't the distance).  And finally, I learned that MTSU's slightly built QB, Logan Kilgore just might have been adopted - judging by the body type of his father and maternal grandfather.

Winning on the road is winning.  Nothing negative about that at all. Still plenty of improvement out there to be made, but there was plenty to be pleased with as well.  Next week - the South Dakota Coyotes come in to The Bank.  So keep an eye on the Coyotes against Central Florida this weekend.  Next Saturday should be a perfect opportunity for the Gophs to tune up their game before USC rolls into town.

Starting out in the Swelter: Gophers @ Middle Tennesse State Preview

Gotta say it right off the bat.  I've been a big fan of the Middle Tennessee State logo and mascot for several years now.  How would I even know or care it existed you might ask?  A fair question.  And those who know me well, know that Gopher Bandanna Guy is a major sucker for all things blue and silver.  It's a superior color combo in any setting, and frankly had there been a Big Ten school that sported these colors I might be blogging for them right now, rather than about the beloved Gophers.  Then add the lightning breath onto the Pegasus, and you've made the a top ten collegiate logo in my humble opinion. I mean look at that horse - its ready to stomp your ass and then fly off into a thunderstorm.

But enough with the flattery of our first opponent of the 2010 Golden Gopher football season.  Our beloved Maroon and Gold are headed south to Murfreesboro, TN for a Thursday night tilt (televised on ESPN U, 7:30PM EST) to kick off the season.  Anecdotally speaking, this game perhaps more than any other on the 2010 schedule seems to be the one that Gopher fans (the casual and diehard) are the most split on.  The naysayers and Brewster Bashers say this game is the harbinger of the end for the Tim Brewster era - where we'll go into a hostile southern football stadium, in stifling heat that we can't handle, and allow a Sunbelt Conference Team give our Big Ten team a dose of comeuppance.  Then there are the overtly positive fans who are already claiming victory, in the name of the quality of Big Ten football.  Have the NDSU's and Appalachian State's of the world taught us nothing?

But of course, those teams (and several others of recent upset memory) have reminded most of us college football fans that small conference and even inferior division teams can occasionally rise up and knock off a BCS conference opponent, their own conference strength be damned.  The Blue Raiders dominated most of their opponents in the Sun Belt last year (7-1 in conference), were beat down by Clemson and Mississippi State, and beat a weak Memphis team at home and an equally hapless Maryland on the road. The Gophers and MTSU had no common opponents in 2009, but Maryland (who MTSU beat on a last second field goal) was removed by 1 degree of separation (Maryland was plowed under by Cal, 52-13 in their 2009 opener).  What's that all mean?  Most likely nothing.  The Gopher team that hung with Cal for 3 quarters is not this year's 2010 team, nor is the Blue Raider squad, who had dynamic QB Dwight Dasher racking up yardage on the 'Terps.

One year later, and Dwight Dasher is still the QB for MTSU.  Problem is he's been suspended by the NCAA, apparently for a $1,500 loan he got to play poker with.  There's more details to this story, but what matters is that MTSU is without their senior dual-threat QB.  That fact alone cause Vegas to move the line on this game substantially, pushing the Gophs from road dog to slight road favorites.  Obviously the oddsmakers think highly of Dasher.

At this point it appears highly likely that this suspension will stand, and the Gopher defense will not have to face the Sun Belt Conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.  Good for us.  Bad for the Murfreesboro Faithful.  But there are 20 other Blue Raiders too line up against and a JUCO backup QB in Logan Kilgore.  Apparently the sophomore Kilgore is getting the start over his upperclassman teammate Jeff Murphy, because he's gotten in more practice this preseason.

FBT (Fringe Bowl Team) did a nice initial eval of MTSU back in July, when Dasher was still expected to be the starting QB, and (I believe) accurately portrayed the Blue Raiders as a Northwestern-lite, as a team that runs the spread, and relies on their QB grabbing yards when the pocket breaks down.  With Kilgore at the helm its uncertain what we'll get, but we all know a quarterback doesn't need to be particularly fast to stack up yards on our defense historically, just somewhat elusive (Mike Kafka anybody?).  The buzz from some Blue Raiders fans is that he has been quite accurate in practices, but he's not the runner Dasher is.

So who steps up for MTSU on offense, if Kilgore is ineffective?  An experienced, smallish offensive line (both OTs on the depth chart listed at less than 275 lbs) and 3 talented running backs - Phillip Tanner, Ben Cunningham, and D.D. Kyles who are expected to share carries this season.  The matchup I'm most interested in watching this Thursday is going to be our less experienced front four matchup with this O-line.  Dominate up front and make Kilgore uncomfortable and we win this game.  I'm also curious to see if Cosgrove will keep it simple for this first game, or if he'll pick up where he left off last year, incorporating blitzes from all over the field.

When the Gophers have the ball, the MTSU defense is small, quick, and senior-laden.  For Weber and Co. to put the ball into the endzone, its going to take some consistent sustained drives, as I don't think we'll see a lot of big plays and broken coverage handed to us from this experienced defense.  We've heard all spring and summer camp that the Gophs are rededicated to running the ball.  And although, I believe they are under Horton, it may be frustrating to watch several drives grind to a halt early in the game because we're establishing the run, and predictably rushing the ball on 1st and 2nd downs. Patience is key - something Fisch did not have last year with the run, and I think Horton will display.

Ok - enough babbling and regurgitating what others have already written. Like last year, I'll provide my weekly prediction and players of the game for both teams.  This MTSU road game feels awfully like the Syracuse game last season to me (but without climate control and the Eric Decker and Mike Williams NFL-preview show).  Very winnable for Minnesota, but it will be nail-bitingly close, thanks to some stalled drives due to our commitment to run early, and some 2nd half brain cramps on defense.  Weber start out his senior season well, and look real sharp on some drives and make us feel good about having him under center for one more year.

Prediction: Minnesota 24, Middle Tennessee State 20

Gopher Player of the Game: Adam Weber - 14 for 20 for 195 yards and 2 TDs

Blue Raider Player of the Game: Phillip Tanner - 16 carries for 95 yards and 1 TD