In front of a standing-room only crowd at TCF Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Gophers hung around with second-ranked Texas Christian University in week one. The game, although a small sample size, provided plenty of intrigue and thick plotlines heading into week two of the season. Here are five storylines to look for when the Gophers travel to face Colorado State in Fort Collins on Saturday:
Offensive Line Issues
TCU’s defensive line simply exploited Minnesota’s offensive line issues in week one. The left side, which is essential because it covers Leidner’s blindside, looked especially weak with senior Josh Campion absent due to concussion symptoms. Hopefully Campion and fellow offensive lineman Ben Lauer can return to full health shortly, because they are keys to the entire offensive operation.
The Primary Ball-Carrier is…
Redshirt freshman Rodney Smith seems to be the logical answer heading into week two. He ran for 88 yards on 16 carries against TCU, averaging an impressive 5.5 yards per carry. Senior Rodrick Williams Jr. saw just nine carries throughout the game. His longest rush of the night was eight yards, and his goal line fumble proved to be costly. His downhill running style seems to fit best, ironically, in the red zone. I am curious as to where the coaching staff will use Williams on Saturday.
Quarterback Play
Keep the imaginary pitchforks at home for now. Mitch Leidner had an average game, completing 19 of 35 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. He ran for an additional 23 yards and actually had a chance to lead his offense on a game-winning drive in the final seconds. It doesn’t take an elite college football mind to assume that Leidner’s play will improve with a more consistent offensive line and less dropped passes from wideouts.
Gritty Defense
Is it just me, or was that defensive performance extremely encouraging? Similar to the 2014 season, the Gopher defense played downright solid. Minnesota forced two TCU turnovers and limited the effect of receiving weapons Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell could have had an interception that may have changed the narrative of the game. This defense has the potential to be elite, and it should be exciting to see how well it will contain Colorado State receiver Rashard Higgins in week two.
Offensive Playmakers Needed
Senior KJ Maye led the way in week one, totaling 73 yards and one touchdown on four receptions. Redshirt sophomore Eric Carter led the younger receivers with four receptions for 25 yards. If Melvin Holland Jr., Isaiah Gentry and Jeff Jones can soon enter the picture, it seems like Minnesota will have some plausible offensive options. After one week, however, nobody has really emerged. Patience please, people. Look for the receiving core to gain more separation in week two against a manageable defense.
I’m sure there are many more topics we could spend time analyzing. But with only one chapter of the 2015 novel complete, these subjects struck me as the most urgent. No college football team in the nation is without some sort of issue(s) at this point, but improving in some of the areas mentioned above will help the Gophers immensely in week two.