[POST GAME THREAD] - Minnesota defeats Indiana 38-31

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For me, everything is overshadowed by Brooks coming back and tearing it up tonight only to see that knee injury. See you next year. My man crush is strong. Genuinely bummed.

Other minuses
Pass rush continues to struggle to get home. Day late and dollar short.
Seemingly knee jerk time outs. Perhaps some/many justified but...will we ever carry three into the final two minutes.
The defense overall seems to move in quick sand at times. Huge areas of green grass/guy’s getting lost.
Williams seems to be wearing down. Needs an off-season in the gym. The difference in burst between he and Brooks is enormous.
List of functional RBs dwindling.
PJ for playing ZA hurt/hobbled when Morgan is clearly capable of running the offense and running it well. Why? Why? Why?
Punter.

Pluses:
Morgan had a really good night overall. Personally I feel like he’s a car length ahead right now but ZA had been playing hurt behind suspect protection.
Good protection
Brooks was a beast. ********* **** it.
Bateman is going to be/already is a special player.
Douglas really stepping up his game.
Cashman and Coughlin doing their thing, again. We will really miss them when they’re gone.
Howden made several nice plays tonight. Maybe will develop into something.

I’m pretty tired. That’s about all tonight.
 
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ANY Big Ten win...EVERY Big Ten win is essential to the GOPHER proving the GOPHER is competitive in the Big Ten Conference and is a great game! This was huge for the players, the coaches and me!

Beat the stinking badger, GOPHER!

Congratulation to the players, the coach and his staff and me!
 
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Putrid collapse from 22 point lead to letting Indiana tie. To many turnovers, injury's and miserable weather. Bitter end folks get a hats off to thee. Team played with good effort. We see no pressure by the front 7 outside of Coughlin. Gotta recruit some pass rushers. Losing containment on the QB's and busted "peter" plays been hurting defense all year. Man team is cursed with injury's. Mason and Kill like collapse on score but they managed to win. That is a new twist, Gophers won a game after a go to collapse, that was the redeeming end to the game. They can win and be in all remaining games, but none will be easy.

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imthewalrus said:
ANY Big Ten win...EVERY Big Ten win is essential to the GOPHER! This was huge for the players, the coaches and me!

Beat the stinking badger, GOPHER!
Click to expand...

Thanks Wren!


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upnorthkid said:
My thoughts
Offense
QB: TM looked great in the first half. Clearly Indy adjusted and we did not in terms of playcalling. That home run was there all 2nd half and they waited damn long enough to go for it and thank god he hit it. Thought he did a great job and rallied the troops when they could've folded up (and almost did). A-/B+ game from him
RBs: Brooks was nice to see back with his running style (seems we won't get to see it again this year sadly based on how it looked). Absolutely embarrassing the number of balls they put on the grass. Unacceptable. Williams appeared very uncomfortable out there tonight. Given JFC or Edmonds some run. Gotta see what else is there if Ibrahim is out again.
WRs: we have 4 legit guys who can get open and beat the guy across from them. Need to start opening up the route chart (unsure if this is due to QB, or if this is just what they think they run best).
TEs: not much to say. Blocked pretty well for most part
OL: did a good job giving TM time to throw (sack was on Brooks). Really struggled to run block once the box was loaded, but to be expected as they were outmanned there. I was happy overall with their job

Defense
DL: some really really non-existant pass rush through most of the game. Capped by one highlight to end it which may shadow the utter disappointment that we saw for much of the game.
LBs: showing for flashes yet again. Some huge stops (Cash 3rd down stop) and some awful out of place plays both due to blitzes (Cashman looping blitz on Ind QB long 3rd down run late) and due to missed assignments/reads. Gotta get more consistent or we will get rocked in the mouth repeatedly by Wisconsin.
DBs: thought they overalll did ok. Seemed more flat footed on their turns when they were sitting which may have had something to do with the rain. But guys were sitting at an awkward depth (about 7 yards) where they didn't know when to turn and swivel hips to run vs when to sit on routes in the setting of dealing with wet footing. Made for some embarrassing times getting burned. Huff did a really nice job making some plays. Howden as well. But they all had their moments of poor play too. Need to be better
K: Carp did his thing. Was good to see him bounce back
P: that shank was at an utter disaster or a time. Got some good ones off as well.
ST: huge punt block. Decent returns and coverage. For god's sake can we stop muffing punts? seriously.

Coaching
PJ: has to stop wasting time outs. The pre going for it on 4th. If youre going to run it down and call TO, run up to the line and bark calls and try to get them to jump. Just makes no sense to do nothing and call time out. I don't know if he got conservative or if he goes hands off with the coordinators, but he almost let this one get away and it would've been a very very hard pill to swallow. Happy for him and the team they pulled this one off.
Ciarrocca: 1st half outstanding. Good mix. But you could feel towards end of half he was getting predictable on slants and IU was getting closer to jumping one. Oddly enough he continued and they did. Got hyper conservative in 2nd half. Missed some of the creative plays to keep IU off balance. B-/C+ game. Can't be too upset when 38 goes on the board
Smith: Just a weird game call from him. Defense bent but didn't break in first half. Then imploded in the 2nd half. Didn't adjust. Couldn't get pressure home. Had some weird looping blitzes with no one left to cover the QB run. I just feel like he's outmatched at this level. Solid D rating that's saved only by the turnovers.
Click to expand...

How about the 3 fumbles? What should Fleck and the OC have done about those? They were rolling until Brooks coughed it up that 2nd time.

How does the Coach let it almost slip away with 2 fumbles and a pick on 3 of 4 possessions? Brooks hangs on to the ball and it’s about a 45-9 game.


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upnorthkid said:
My thoughts
Offense
QB: TM looked great in the first half. Clearly Indy adjusted and we did not in terms of playcalling. That home run was there all 2nd half and they waited damn long enough to go for it and thank god he hit it. Thought he did a great job and rallied the troops when they could've folded up (and almost did). A-/B+ game from him
RBs: Brooks was nice to see back with his running style (seems we won't get to see it again this year sadly based on how it looked). Absolutely embarrassing the number of balls they put on the grass. Unacceptable. Williams appeared very uncomfortable out there tonight. Given JFC or Edmonds some run. Gotta see what else is there if Ibrahim is out again.
WRs: we have 4 legit guys who can get open and beat the guy across from them. Need to start opening up the route chart (unsure if this is due to QB, or if this is just what they think they run best).
TEs: not much to say. Blocked pretty well for most part
OL: did a good job giving TM time to throw (sack was on Brooks). Really struggled to run block once the box was loaded, but to be expected as they were outmanned there. I was happy overall with their job

Defense
DL: some really really non-existant pass rush through most of the game. Capped by one highlight to end it which may shadow the utter disappointment that we saw for much of the game.
LBs: showing for flashes yet again. Some huge stops (Cash 3rd down stop) and some awful out of place plays both due to blitzes (Cashman looping blitz on Ind QB long 3rd down run late) and due to missed assignments/reads. Gotta get more consistent or we will get rocked in the mouth repeatedly by Wisconsin.
DBs: thought they overalll did ok. Seemed more flat footed on their turns when they were sitting which may have had something to do with the rain. But guys were sitting at an awkward depth (about 7 yards) where they didn't know when to turn and swivel hips to run vs when to sit on routes in the setting of dealing with wet footing. Made for some embarrassing times getting burned. Huff did a really nice job making some plays. Howden as well. But they all had their moments of poor play too. Need to be better
K: Carp did his thing. Was good to see him bounce back
P: that shank was at an utter disaster or a time. Got some good ones off as well.
ST: huge punt block. Decent returns and coverage. For god's sake can we stop muffing punts? seriously.

Coaching
PJ: has to stop wasting time outs. The pre going for it on 4th. If youre going to run it down and call TO, run up to the line and bark calls and try to get them to jump. Just makes no sense to do nothing and call time out. I don't know if he got conservative or if he goes hands off with the coordinators, but he almost let this one get away and it would've been a very very hard pill to swallow. Happy for him and the team they pulled this one off.
Ciarrocca: 1st half outstanding. Good mix. But you could feel towards end of half he was getting predictable on slants and IU was getting closer to jumping one. Oddly enough he continued and they did. Got hyper conservative in 2nd half. Missed some of the creative plays to keep IU off balance. B-/C+ game. Can't be too upset when 38 goes on the board
Smith: Just a weird game call from him. Defense bent but didn't break in first half. Then imploded in the 2nd half. Didn't adjust. Couldn't get pressure home. Had some weird looping blitzes with no one left to cover the QB run. I just feel like he's outmatched at this level. Solid D rating that's saved only by the turnovers.
Click to expand...

I think it was both Smith and Mafe who screwed up that 4th and 9 long QB run. Terrible defense called and Mafe went inside and got buried. That was terrible. You could see that side was empty before the play. The D end cannot crash inside their. Has to keep contain.


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Some Day...Maybe said:
How about the 3 fumbles? What should Fleck and the OC have done about those? They were rolling until Brooks coughed it up that 2nd time.

How does the Coach let it almost slip away with 2 fumbles and a pick on 3 of 4 possessions? Brooks hangs on to the ball and it’s about a 45-9 game.


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Click to expand...

Odd game. As Brooks was nearing the end zone, I was wondering if it was going to be a game where Indiana feels like we're running up the score. Then the fumble happens.

Then later Brooks is nearly breaking another one, knee injury. We don't score on that drive I don't believe.

It's part of the game, but the Gophers shouldn't feel bad about winning this game. They outplayed Indiana for the first 3 quarters and for the last 90-120 seconds.
 



Some Day...Maybe said:
How about the 3 fumbles? What should Fleck and the OC have done about those? They were rolling until Brooks coughed it up that 2nd time.

How does the Coach let it almost slip away with 2 fumbles and a pick on 3 of 4 possessions? Brooks hangs on to the ball and it’s about a 45-9 game.


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Click to expand...


I guess the coach didn't know what to say or do other than to tell those kids to keep playing and go beat 'em. And the kids did just that. I'd have to say the coach probably did a GREAT job in not letting the kids lay down and tell themselves "maybe next time..." The coach sent them back out on the field...the kids "bucked up..." and got themselves a great Big Ten win. I'd have to say "well done..." to all involved in that team win! To the coaches, the players and the fans who hung in there: cheers!
 
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Some Day...Maybe said:
I think it was both Smith and Mafe who screwed up that 4th and 9 long QB run. Terrible defense called and Mafe went inside and got buried. That was terrible. You could see that side was empty before the play. The D end cannot crash inside their. Has to keep contain.


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Click to expand...

Correct it was Mafe- how do you not mandate DE must maintain containment unless stunt with the DT or having OLB help. When I used to coach and we saw DEs crash down like that on their own they were running after practice for a week. Just poor discipline.


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Anyone know how to find PJs post game conference?


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Oregon Gopher said:
What he say? Muscular? Joint? Concussion?


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Tyler is day to day, he was okay, just started to stiffen up on him." - Fleck, on Tyler Johnson's injury in presser


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Oregon Gopher said:
Anyone know how to find PJs post game conference?


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Click to expand...

Gophers stream them live on YouTube and you can watch them back once complete if you didn’t catch the whole thing


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Post from an Indiana fan on the post game thread at www.reddit.com/r/cfb

I’m so tired of going into every Indiana-Minnesota game thread in the first three minutes and seeing the same god damn thing.
“Indiana is better than their record.”
“Minnesota is starting a freshman. Indiana could take advantage.”
“Indiana might win this.”
“Minnesota trying to lose more.”
“Lol blowing a lead is so Minnesota.”
I’m tired of seeing IU having more votes to win in the pregame thread.
Guess your pretty little head the ****eting ****er **** what. No they ****ing don’t. This team is bad. They don’t got it. This is IU. There is no happiness here. We will not pull it out. We will leave it in there and the next thing you know you’re 59 years old with nine kids from 7 different mothers, living in a single wide in Jeffersonville, locked in the bathroom because your semi retired hooker ex-wife and your “working as a stripper to put herself through college to be a teacher” wife who isn’t actually the mother of any of your kids from Martinsville is putting on a performance for prospective clients in the kitchen/living room/middle child’s bedroom/Ford Pinto garage, and you have a beer belly the size of a KEG OF MICHELOB ULTRA BECAUSE YOUR DAD TAUGHT YOU HOW TO BE FANCY LIKE IN COLUMBUS BUT NEVER TAUGHT YOU THE OL COITUS INTERRUPTUS.
And dont bring your chaos bull**** up in here. CHAOS ISNT LOSING TO OHIO ****ING STATE 23 STRAIGHT TIMES AND MICHIGAN 22 STRAIGHT TIMES. CHAOS ISNT LOSING TO A ****ING FOOTBALL TEAM THAT CHANTS ABOUT ROWING A GOD DAMN BOAT, WAVES AROUND AN OAR, AND GETS BLOWN ABOUT BY NEBRASKA. Chaos isn’t losing to a guy whose name sounds like whatever comes between a handjob and a blowjob. Losing to a rowing team playing football is your new god.
Ya wanna know what it’s like being an IU football fan? It’s like that episode of South Park when Cartman feeds Scott Tenorman his parents in chili except Scott Tenorman’s parents is your dignity, you are Scott Tenorman, and Cartman is that side of you that keeps coming back for more of the same thing to sadistically lick the tears of your face. And the chili is from Wendy’s so it’s three day old unsold hamburger patties in a paper bowl.
don’t tell me it’ll get better. don’t tell me how to feel my feelings. IT TOOK OUR HEAD COACH DYING OF BRAIN CANCER TO GET A WINNING SEASON. I don’t want to hear “but overtime in two weeks scary boooooooo!” From Michigan. I don’t want to hear about how we are young but promising. I don’t want to hear about how I just have to wait. Or you’ll be good next year. Or we are sp00ky it’ll eventually happen. Or we are a team on the rise. Or we have a bright future. Or we’re better than our record. Or we nearly beat Ohio state. Or we nearly beat penn state. We just have to wait. Just one more year. I DID MY WAITING. 147 YEARS OF IT! ON I-69 STATE ROAD 37!
One day I’ll die and the misery of being an IU fan will be over. I’ll be walking to take my place in heaven hopeful for the sweet release of not watching this team every ****ing Saturday. I’ll be prepared to pass through the pearly gates, full of joy and happiness with all my suffering over, there will be sweet calming sound of Martha the Cleaning Lady singing Indiana, Our Indiana.... when the doors slam shut in my face and from seemingly out of nowhere I’ll hear Don Fischer sigh and say, “Touchdown some ****ing true freshman from Minnesota who is only starting because everyone else on the team died in a tragic tobogganing accident.” The music stops, dread fills my stomach, everything turns bright blindingly white. Just then, a shining crimson light appears. Romeo Langford steps out of the light and touches my shoulder. I feel the warmth again, everything will be alright. I’ll be brought back to the promised land. He leans forward as if to tell me something wonderful and whispers almost inaudibly, “Ski u mah.” Before I can even ask what the **** that even means he kicks me right in the shin and shoves me off the edge to fall into a maroon and gold canoe, duct taped to an oar with my eyes stapled open.
P.J. Fleck appears. He tells me to row the boat or he will burn bits of our banners away. So I start to row. And the banners are safe. But then a small tv flickers on, and I hear it, the sound of this game starting over. So I stop rowing. I don’t want to watch this garbage again. It was painful the first time. The game goes away. But P.J. starts to light the banner. I can’t have that. So I start to row again. The game starts up. Right where I left off. So forever and ever I have to row this boat while P.J. Fleck moans “row the boat” seductively in my ear while I am forced to watch this ****ing game again and again and again.
 

Unregistered User said:
Post from an Indiana fan on the post game thread at www.reddit.com/r/cfb

I’m so tired of going into every Indiana-Minnesota game thread in the first three minutes and seeing the same god damn thing.
“Indiana is better than their record.”
“Minnesota is starting a freshman. Indiana could take advantage.”
“Indiana might win this.”
“Minnesota trying to lose more.”
“Lol blowing a lead is so Minnesota.”
I’m tired of seeing IU having more votes to win in the pregame thread.
Guess your pretty little head the ****eting ****er **** what. No they ****ing don’t. This team is bad. They don’t got it. This is IU. There is no happiness here. We will not pull it out. We will leave it in there and the next thing you know you’re 59 years old with nine kids from 7 different mothers, living in a single wide in Jeffersonville, locked in the bathroom because your semi retired hooker ex-wife and your “working as a stripper to put herself through college to be a teacher” wife who isn’t actually the mother of any of your kids from Martinsville is putting on a performance for prospective clients in the kitchen/living room/middle child’s bedroom/Ford Pinto garage, and you have a beer belly the size of a KEG OF MICHELOB ULTRA BECAUSE YOUR DAD TAUGHT YOU HOW TO BE FANCY LIKE IN COLUMBUS BUT NEVER TAUGHT YOU THE OL COITUS INTERRUPTUS.
And dont bring your chaos bull**** up in here. CHAOS ISNT LOSING TO OHIO ****ING STATE 23 STRAIGHT TIMES AND MICHIGAN 22 STRAIGHT TIMES. CHAOS ISNT LOSING TO A ****ING FOOTBALL TEAM THAT CHANTS ABOUT ROWING A GOD DAMN BOAT, WAVES AROUND AN OAR, AND GETS BLOWN ABOUT BY NEBRASKA. Chaos isn’t losing to a guy whose name sounds like whatever comes between a handjob and a blowjob. Losing to a rowing team playing football is your new god.
Ya wanna know what it’s like being an IU football fan? It’s like that episode of South Park when Cartman feeds Scott Tenorman his parents in chili except Scott Tenorman’s parents is your dignity, you are Scott Tenorman, and Cartman is that side of you that keeps coming back for more of the same thing to sadistically lick the tears of your face. And the chili is from Wendy’s so it’s three day old unsold hamburger patties in a paper bowl.
don’t tell me it’ll get better. don’t tell me how to feel my feelings. IT TOOK OUR HEAD COACH DYING OF BRAIN CANCER TO GET A WINNING SEASON. I don’t want to hear “but overtime in two weeks scary boooooooo!” From Michigan. I don’t want to hear about how we are young but promising. I don’t want to hear about how I just have to wait. Or you’ll be good next year. Or we are sp00ky it’ll eventually happen. Or we are a team on the rise. Or we have a bright future. Or we’re better than our record. Or we nearly beat Ohio state. Or we nearly beat penn state. We just have to wait. Just one more year. I DID MY WAITING. 147 YEARS OF IT! ON I-69 STATE ROAD 37!
One day I’ll die and the misery of being an IU fan will be over. I’ll be walking to take my place in heaven hopeful for the sweet release of not watching this team every ****ing Saturday. I’ll be prepared to pass through the pearly gates, full of joy and happiness with all my suffering over, there will be sweet calming sound of Martha the Cleaning Lady singing Indiana, Our Indiana.... when the doors slam shut in my face and from seemingly out of nowhere I’ll hear Don Fischer sigh and say, “Touchdown some ****ing true freshman from Minnesota who is only starting because everyone else on the team died in a tragic tobogganing accident.” The music stops, dread fills my stomach, everything turns bright blindingly white. Just then, a shining crimson light appears. Romeo Langford steps out of the light and touches my shoulder. I feel the warmth again, everything will be alright. I’ll be brought back to the promised land. He leans forward as if to tell me something wonderful and whispers almost inaudibly, “Ski u mah.” Before I can even ask what the **** that even means he kicks me right in the shin and shoves me off the edge to fall into a maroon and gold canoe, duct taped to an oar with my eyes stapled open.
P.J. Fleck appears. He tells me to row the boat or he will burn bits of our banners away. So I start to row. And the banners are safe. But then a small tv flickers on, and I hear it, the sound of this game starting over. So I stop rowing. I don’t want to watch this garbage again. It was painful the first time. The game goes away. But P.J. starts to light the banner. I can’t have that. So I start to row again. The game starts up. Right where I left off. So forever and ever I have to row this boat while P.J. Fleck moans “row the boat” seductively in my ear while I am forced to watch this ****ing game again and again and again.
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Eloquently stated.
 

JUst got back.


That was a wet and WILD WILD WILD WILD GAME

SO many great plays
 

Walter323 said:
Why did Brooks have 22 carries in his first game back? Really thought he would be on a touch count
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Just a thought, but maybe because he’s our best back and we wanted to win?
 

The good: Tanner Morgan, wide receivers, special teams that aren’t our punt unit, Seth Green, Carter Coughlin, whichever Huff wears #2, Blake Cashman, anthracite jerseys

The bad: Shannon Brooks injury, our punter aside from the 51 yard bomb, our dline, fumblitis, attendance, our secondary, the announcers from that game

The ugly: The announcers from that game. That is my biggest takeaway
 

John Galt said:
Just a thought, but maybe because he’s our best back and we wanted to win?
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ACLs (assuming that’s the diagnosis) aren’t fatigue injuries. He didn’t get hurt due to he carries. You’re 100% correct, he got 22 carries because they wanted to win and he was cleared for it
 

Great to win!!!!

D/DC trend continues.:mad:

I'm confident that next week will be our first B1G game we hold an opponent under 30 points since 11-11-17. The streak won't make it 1 year!!!! whoot whoot!
 

imthewalrus said:
I guess the coach didn't know what to say or do other than to tell those kids to keep playing and go beat 'em. And the kids did just that. I'd have to say the coach probably did a GREAT job in not letting the kids lay down and tell themselves "maybe next time..." The coach sent them back out on the field...the kids "bucked up..." and got themselves a great Big Ten win. I'd have to say "well done..." to all involved in that team win! To the coaches, the players and the fans who hung in there: cheers!
Click to expand...

Great post Walrus! Cheers [emoji482] to that!


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Just home from Jimmy's in NE after post gaming it. Feeling a little bit better after a few Old Styles, but man... the defensive effort in the 2nd half was a turd. It felt like it was going to be an epic loss for the ages... I now hope it is something to build on, and that Shannon's injury is nothing more that a tweak..but it didn't look good..... that was colder, wetter and closer than I could ever have imagined.
 
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I was out of my mind angry at blowing the 31-9 lead in less than a quarter. Glen Mason and a few Vikings teams (as well as Dan Monson and Tubby Smith) have completely ruined the game day experience for me. It almost always seems like the miracle comeback (or disgusting choke job if you are a Gophers fan) is in play regardless of the score. It's so rare that I can enjoy the last quarter of a football game or the last 8 minutes of a basketball game and just relax that the game was in hand. This was one of those rare games. It didn't even occur to me that the Gophers could blow this game. Even when Indiana scored to make it 31-15, the ensuing missed 2 point try made me feel very comfortable that the Gophers would win comfortably. By the time Indiana's QB completed his light jog for 29 yards on 4th and 9, every good thing I saw from the Gophers in this game was wiped away completely. What a cruel world it is for Gopher fans.

When Indiana had the ball with 3 and change left did anyone think the Gophers had a chance to win? Not that they would win, like even a 10% of a Gopher victory? How about on the 3rd and 1 on that drive? Did anyone think this Gopher Defense (or the vast majority of Gopher Defenses ever) had any shot to get a stop? Then Blake Cashman happenend. What a huge play by the Senior to force a punt and give the Gophers new life, but still did anyone really like the Gophers chances to do anything more than hopefully get to OT given how things had turned? Then on the first play of the drive Redshirt Freshman Tanner Morgan to True Freshman Rashod Bateman for a 67 yard game winning TD! I'd love for plays like these to happen in games with real stakes, but it was great to see them made regardless.

Positives:
Tanner Morgan: First game as a starter and he comes in on a short week and leads a team to it's first conference win of the season. Indiana scored on each of it's first 3 drives, and Tanner hit the field behind twice. He responded with TD drives both times. 3 of his first 4 drives went for TD's and the one that didn't was a first play fumble from Shannon Brooks. Then he came up clutch with the bomb to Bateman in a way few Gopher QB's ever have in B1G games (again against a fellow bottom 4 B1G team so a grain of salt).

Kirk Ciarrocca: Going hand in hand with Mogan's play was what I thought was a pretty fantastic game called by Coach Ciarrocca especially in the first half. To illustrate that point, on the second drive of the game Ciarrocca called 3 separate plays that all could have been TD's and all involved a slant. The first was a catch and run by Demitrious Douglas that had the pass been just a little more on target, he could have taken it to the house. The second was an incompletion on a slant to Autman-Bell where he also had a house call with a pass out in front of him. Finally the TD to Tyler Johnson was a beautiful play design where Tyler ran a slant as the outside receiver while Bateman ran a route that amounted to a pick play from the slot. Then you had the fantastic play to win the game. If the running backs hold on to the ball, the Gophers put up at least 45 in this game and it's never close.

Wide Receivers: As a group they were fantastic. Getting separation, taking contact over the middle, not dropping the football.

Oline: Kept the young QB clean all night and rarely allowed negative run plays

Cashman/Coughlin: I didn't watch either close enough to know how their entire game was but each made a big play that prevented another Gopher disaster.

Negatives:

Shannon Brooks injury: I hope it's not what we all fear it is. If you never been hurt like that, you really have know idea what it's like. I can't imagine having to go through it a second time. I hope the MRI shows good news Shannon.

Ball security: The Gophers turned it over 4 times and I believe they've lost the take/give in every B1G game to date now.

Robb Smith's defense: That was a joke in the 4th quarter. It says a ton about Fleck's faith in this guy that he felt the need to go for it from his own 34 in a 9-7 game. For as much potential as I see in the offense, I don't see anything to get excited about defensively. The biggest plays of the game were arguably Huff's INT to briefly save the 8 point lead, Cashman's run stop to force the punt, and Coughlin's sack at the end of the game. There is one season of eligibility left between those 3 players. I was really excited about Terrell Smith earlier in the year, but this off coverage seems to really not play to his strengths. He got beat deep by a kid that didn't seem very fast tonight and it sure seemed like it was because playing 7 yards off was awkward for him.

Mixed Bag:

PJ Fleck: Taking a timeout before deciding to for a 4th and short from his own 34 early in a 2 point game was bizarre. I believe it has happened in 3 games now where he's taken a timeout before going for a 4th down. This should be managed better, they should have a play they like ready to go for 4th down and not let the defense react. If they don't get the look they want, then use your timeout. The other thing is if you were watching on TV, the confident/energetic PJ Fleck they showed for the first 3 quarters had the Glen Mason "I just @#$% my pants" expression during a lot of that 4th quarter meltdown. That said, he took an 0-5 team down it's QB, down it's RB(X2), down it's DT, and down it's S (X2) and then had his best receiver and newly returned running back both go down during the game and won a game. I know I am guilty of forgetting about the injuries in the heat of the moment and I assume most other posters are too.
 

I missed the game. I was having “relations”. Tanner looked good from the highlights. Also our dbs looked terrible again getting beat deep multiple times.
 

Oregon Gopher said:
Anyone know how to find PJs post game conference?


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The wife and I heard his interview on KFAN on the drive home. Not looking for another argument on how young the team actually is, or whether mentioning at all is "making excuses", but the amount of times he said it was absurd. It was like someone who thinks he says it too much was doing a bit to satirize him.
 




Game highlights.... The winning pass from Morgan to Bateman is a gem. Bodes well for this offenses future.
 


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