This will be a good team.

[touchdownvikings]

With or without Mo, the running game will succeed. It'll be better if Mo is available, but it'll be more than solid if we have to use other options.

And Wright. Well, we see what we've got there. CrAB + Wright (+ Spann-Ford) = a very effective passing game. But Wright is the key. He's a monster, and he'll only get better as the year goes along.

This defense will show itself to be solid. Especially when we are able to tip the game situation in our favor.

I think it's possible we run the table from here. Wright was really the key. With Wright, we have a balanced offense, meaning we will be able to take whatever the defense gives us.

Don't be raking leaves on Saturdays, gentlemen. This is going to be a good season. You'll see.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I am with you, except for the Mo part.

I think Mo's impact is huge.

Still, can be a good team none the less.

 

[skiumah1]

Agreed, and I think we'll find a back to step up. I'm going with dark horse Irving. I'm sure Williams and Wiley get the first crack. Potts will clearly have his role as well.

 

[tmvander]

I think the offense will be fine. The defense worries me. I think we can still win 8 or 9 games.

 

[Boomtime]

I think the offense will be fine. The defense worries me. I think we can still win 8 or 9 games.

Totally agree on your offense/defense evaluation.

We won't see any team as talented as tOSU for the balance of the season, but the better teams in the B1G West will still exploit this defense.

8-4 seems like a pretty reasonable expectation right now.

 

[touchdownvikings]

Totally agree on your offense/defense evaluation.

We won't see any team as talented as tOSU for the balance of the season, but the better teams in the B1G West will still exploit this defense.

8-4 seems like a pretty reasonable expectation right now.

Better than 8-4. Book it.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

If Mo was healthy I’d have us at 10-2, without him 9-3

 

[Boomtime]

Better than 8-4. Book it.

I might agree with that after I watch Iowa/Indiana tomorrow. Winning on the road for this defense will be an issue. And November games will make it imperative to have a strong run game.

Fingers crossed.

 

[#2Gopher]

I might agree with that after I watch Iowa/Indiana tomorrow. Winning on the road for this defense will be an issue. And November games will make it imperative to have a strong run game.

Fingers crossed.

I don't think you can judge a team fully by watching their first game. Mistakes do take place. Don't they always say teams improve greatly from game 1 to game 2 if the coaches coach?

 

[holereader]

Losing mo + poor defense = long season. Sorry but what I saw last night should not be sugarcoated by claiming we were playing Ohio State. This defense concerns me against all other big ten opponents

 

[MNVCGUY]

Losing mo + poor defense = long season. Sorry but what I saw last night should not be sugarcoated by claiming we were playing Ohio State. This defense concerns me against all other big ten opponents

Playing Ohio State absolutely should be factored into what we saw last night. Ohio State is one of the best teams in all of college football and we were hanging with them late into the 3rd quarter.

Thankfully most of our fans came out of that game encouraged, you are one of the outliers that is on the doom and gloom train.

There are concerns on defense, no doubt, but this is not the game to make any true judgements on in regards to the D. Give them a chance to adjust and show what they can do against a team that isn't going to be firmly in the NC picture before assuming the sky is falling.

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

Our offense was affective against a great team. Defense totally blew, how to measure that and project against other teams I have no idea. Their receivers were so open at times it was hard to tell if the coaches blew it, coverage was blown mentally or the players just can’t compete at that level.

 

[scools12]

The D looking bad goes way beyond who they ey played.

The lack of speed at LB will be a factor all season. If they don’t clean up the number of complete and total breakdowns every B1G team they play will take advantage of those type of mistakes.

 

[noamfromm]

The D looking bad goes way beyond who they ey played.

The lack of speed at LB will be a factor all season. If they don’t clean up the number of complete and total breakdowns every B1G they play will take advantage of those mistakes.

but not to the extent that tOSU can -- Ibrahim's 5X yard run is a great example. tOSU would have housed that -- teams without their skill generally can break big plays but not house them all.

 

[RememberMurray]

Playing Ohio State absolutely should be factored into what we saw last night. Ohio State is one of the best teams in all of college football and we were hanging with them late into the 3rd quarter.

Thankfully most of our fans came out of that game encouraged, you are one of the outliers that is on the doom and gloom train.

There are concerns on defense, no doubt, but this is not the game to make any true judgements on in regards to the D. Give them a chance to adjust and show what they can do against a team that isn't going to be firmly in the NC picture before assuming the sky is falling.

Regarding the bolded, EXACTLY!!!!

In fact, Bryce Williams scored with 5:31 remaining in the game, and that made the score 38-31. People, we were in this game to very near the end. We led at halftime! Without Autman-Bell for the whole game, and without Mo during crunch time at the close.

Minnesota had 24 first downs to OSU's 17. We had a big edge in TOP, 38:41 to 21:19.

If I had told you before that game that the Gophers would finish with 205 yards passing and 203 yards rushing, that they'd score 31 points, that they would be ahead at halftime and within a TD with 5:31 remaining in the game, would you have been all depressed about it?

Hold off on the gloom and doom, please. I know it's just the way we Scandanavian types roll, but... c'mon.

We played an elite team, the very best in the B1G, to a near standstill. We gave 'em all they could handle. So, here's a question: which team on the Gopher's remaining schedule is close to as good as Ohio State?

 

[holereader]

Playing Ohio State absolutely should be factored into what we saw last night. Ohio State is one of the best teams in all of college football and we were hanging with them late into the 3rd quarter.

Thankfully most of our fans came out of that game encouraged, you are one of the outliers that is on the doom and gloom train.

There are concerns on defense, no doubt, but this is not the game to make any true judgements on in regards to the D. Give them a chance to adjust and show what they can do against a team that isn't going to be firmly in the NC picture before assuming the sky is falling.

I’ll take a page from Scott Frost “I’ve seen this movie before”. Defense gave up scoring plays of 71-38-56-70-61 yards last night. Take this into the context of last year where we got rolled at home by Michigan and Iowa and should have lost the Purdue game. So what has changed? Trust me i will be there on game day but how will this defense (without improvements) fair against the likea of Colorado and the other BIG opponents including Iowa and wisconsin etal. Love to be proved wrong but 30 years as season ticket holder tells me otherwise. PJ has some big issues to fix here

 

[scools12]

but not to the extent that tOSU can -- Ibrahim's 5X yard run is a great example. tOSU would have housed that -- teams without their skill generally can break big plays but not house them all.

Every B1G team will take advantage of total mental breakdowns by this D unit.

Many of which if not all will be housed.

 

[noamfromm]

Every B1G team will take advantage of total mental breakdowns by this D unit.

Many of which if not all will be housed.

catch me with that take after the losses and we'll sorely miss you after the wins

 

[skiumah1]

I don't think we'll see another team even close to the speed, athelticism and overall talent level that our Defense had to see there last night. The better teams of the west (Iowa & Wisco) are just grinders with a couple athletes here and there.

It's also nice to have this next stretch of 6 to 7 games very our like our chances to win every Saturday. Gotta play the games though, and gotta get better every week. PJs teams have definitely done that during his time here.

If last night is our starting point, I like our chances going forward.

 

[BigTenGuy]

I’ll take a page from Scott Frost “I’ve seen this movie before”. Defense gave up scoring plays of 71-38-56-70-61 yards last night. . . .

For context, with Fields, last year's OSU team had 2 offensive scoring plays over 50 yards in 8 games.

 

[scools12]

catch me with that take after the losses and we'll sorely miss you after the wins

What does even mean?

If the D continues to leave their assigned gaps like the first TD run, allows WR to run freely through the secondary with no one within 15 yards and leaves one side of the field wide open like the screen pass for a TD then yes every B1G will take advantage of that. It won’t be just an Ohio St thing.

 

[noamfromm]

What does even mean?

If the D continues to leave their assigned gaps like the first TD run, allows WR to run freely through the secondary with no one within 15 yards and leaves one side of the field wide open like the screen pass for a TD then yes every B1G will take advantage of that. It won’t be just an Ohio St thing.

It means you will come here to post when they lose -- but you will be invisible when they win.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

It means you will come here to post when they lose -- but you will be invisible when they win.

So much of that on this forum, it creates a weird atmosphere post game where you'd think the gophers get more attetnion when they don't win or something ...

 

[scools12]

So much of that on this forum, it creates a weird atmosphere post game where you'd think the gophers bet more attetnion when they don't win or something ...

So it’s not allowed to point out the D needs to clean some things up or else other B1G teams will take advantage of those mistakes?

 

[PhiloVance]

Feel bad for Mo if this is a season ending injury. Remember he didn't have to come back for the extra year and could be getting paid to play on Sundays.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Regarding the bolded, EXACTLY!!!!

In fact, Bryce Williams scored with 5:31 remaining in the game, and that made the score 38-31. People, we were in this game to very near the end. We led at halftime! Without Autman-Bell for the whole game, and without Mo during crunch time at the close.

Minnesota had 24 first downs to OSU's 17. We had a big edge in TOP, 38:41 to 21:19.

If I had told you before that game that the Gophers would finish with 205 yards passing and 203 yards rushing, that they'd score 31 points, that they would be ahead at halftime and within a TD with 5:31 remaining in the game, would you have been all depressed about it?

Hold off on the gloom and doom, please. I know it's just the way we Scandanavian types roll, but... c'mon.

We played an elite team, the very best in the B1G, to a near standstill. We gave 'em all they could handle. So, here's a question: which team on the Gopher's remaining schedule is close to as good as Ohio State?

Every game is a complete different story and have nothing to do with each other. tOSU only plays MN every 3-5 years 1-2 times. The West teams prepare for us every year. So yes we will have tougher games ahead. I never felt MN had any control of the game last night even being up 21-17. OSU didn't need 1st downs. They scored at will in the 2nd half when they started being less conservative. Take away the FG drive and fumble for touchdown and tOSU scored a TD every 4 plays basically.

Howden going out was the biggest issue for the game last night. Our defense had better get exponentially better for us to keep being good on offense. Crazy, but the offense can get tired from being on the field the whole game if defense gives up 1-4 play drives.

 

[Boomtime]

I don't think you can judge a team fully by watching their first game. Mistakes do take place. Don't they always say teams improve greatly from game 1 to game 2 if the coaches coach?

That's mostly true, I think. But this is a veteran team the Fleck has. There should be lots of questions from the defensive staff on what went wrong last night. There wasn't really anyone on that side of the ball that seemed to play well last nite. The Interception was a gift and very few long drives from tOSU where you could force mistakes. In fact... maybe the quick scoring drives from them helped the Gopher offense because the Ohio State defense never got any long breaks on the sideline.

Maybe that was the Gopher strategy... let em score quick to win TOP?

 

[RememberMurray]

To the folks who are pointing out all of the deficiencies in Minnesota's defense:

What did you think of Ohio State's defense?

The Buckeyes gave up 31 points, while Minnesota's defense gave up 38. The Ohio State defense allowed 24 first downs, 400+ offensive yards, and they let Minnesota control the ball for over 38 minutes in the game.

Is Ohio State doomed as well?

And I'll repeat my previous question: which team on the Gophers' remaining schedule is as good as Ohio State?

 

[RememberMurray]

So it’s not allowed to point out the D needs to clean some things up or else other B1G teams will take advantage of those mistakes?

Of course it's 'permitted'. It's also permitted for someone to disagree with you, and present their own take.

 

[RememberMurray]

Every game is a complete different story and have nothing to do with each other. tOSU only plays MN every 3-5 years 1-2 times. The West teams prepare for us every year. So yes we will have tougher games ahead.

Really? Which of our upcoming opponents will be tougher than Ohio State? I'm really intrigued by this one!