Chip: P.J. Fleck's choice of cautious play-calls over boldness backfires again

[BleedGopher]

per Chip:

A year ago, Fleck played for field goals at Iowa, and it backfired. This decision did, too. Matthew Trickett's 34-yard field goal missed wide right with 38 seconds left until halftime.

Fleck's decision might have been influenced by him having already used all his timeouts. He called his first timeout early in the game to mull a fourth-and-1 decision. He ended up punting.

Fleck had to burn his second timeout when his defense showed confusion. He called his final timeout with 11:08 left in the half when he noticed something askew with the offense.

Those sequences made the Gophers look disorganized. Then they turned overly cautious. Then they leaned on Ibrahim to carry them to the finish line.

That formula nearly worked but close doesn't count.

Eight losses in a row is a trend. An ugly trend. And the Gophers keep falling into the trap.

P.J. Fleck's choice of cautious play-calls over boldness backfires again

Riding Mohamed Ibrahim only took them so far, when it was clear field goals weren't going to cut it against the Hawkeyes.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Some guy]

And that sound you here is me canceling my strib subscription

 

[PMWinSTP]

My big criticism of this offense is they don't have any creative plays to throw in that would catch the defense completely off guard. Have not seen any is almost six years.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

Chip is my favorite. He keeps it real. He’s 1000% right. 3rd and 1 and you pass. That lost the game right there. Then you run Mo 14 times, and on 3rd and 6? Fleck should shut his mouth for the most part, for the rest of the season and see if he can figure out how to coach football at a close to elite level, because he is far from it currently.

 

[Johnnyboy18]

Chip is my favorite. He keeps it real. He’s 1000% right. 3rd and 1 and you pass. That lost the game right there. Then you run Mo 14 times, and on 3rd and 6? Fleck should shut his mouth for the most part, for the rest of the season and see if he can figure out how to coach football at a close to elite level, because he is far from it currently.

If he would have ran on 3rd and 1 you would be complaining that it's too predictable.

 

[BleedGopher]

And that sound you here is me canceling my strib subscription

Wait, this is the column that pushes you over the top? Not the making fun of Kill having a seizure or the 39 other outlandish columns from Souhan? It was a rational one from Chip?

Go Gophers!!

 

[hello-world]

I don't get how you call for _more_ passing when like every 5th pass from Athan today should have been picked. Especially after he pissed the game away forcing the ball into triple coverage when the Gophers were already in FG range.

 

[Panthadad2]

I hate the Strib. However, that article pretty much matches my thoughts about this game and coach.

"The Gophers got Hawkeye'd. Again.
They fell into the trap. Again.
Same old, same old.
Play cautious, make killer mistakes, lose late."

 

[Panthadad2]

I don't get how you call for _more_ passing when like every 5th pass from Athan today should have been picked. Especially after he pissed the game away forcing the ball into triple coverage for no reason.

That ball wasn't thrown into triple coverage. It was a catchable pass that bounced off the receiver...again.

 

[kg21]

I don't get how you call for _more_ passing when like every 5th pass from Athan today should have been picked. Especially after he pissed the game away forcing the ball into triple coverage when the Gophers were already in FG range.

It wasn't triple coverage, and it was 3rd and 8. Who the f-k are you going to throw it to on 3rd an 8?

 

[haef7]

"Tressel ball" has lost us more games than it has won us in Fleck's tenure here.

They call it playing to their strengths, when it's really refusing to develop a support system to a dominate running game and this year a very above average defense.

Today was flat out embarrassing. An offensive player, and defensive player, a special teamer, and a coach all made major gaffs to lost the game. That reflects on a poor strategy (culture).

Today was the definition of playing not to lose. And Fleck needs to look in the mirror.

 

[kg21]

That ball wasn't thrown into triple coverage. It was a catchable pass that bounced off the receiver...again.

Just another soft play from our soft receivers. No will or ability to get to the ball.

Here is the whole field at the 2:20 mark on the pick. Gawd, there is no one even remotely open. The pass is there but our wide receiver got worked.

 

[hello-world]

"Tressel ball" has lost us more games than it has won us in Fleck's tenure here.

I mean, no? Tressel ball is the reason that Fleck wins almost every game he manages to get a lead in. It's not always fun to watch but the results speak for themselves. He's winning more often than any Gopher coach since the '60s.

Even today, the Gophers lost because they didn't follow the philosophy. Mo tried to reach for the first rather than protecting the ball, gave up the first turnover of the day, and the wheels came off from there. If anything, Iowa out-Tresseled the Gophers today.

 

[haef7]

I mean, no? Tressel ball is the reason that Fleck wins almost every game he manages to get a lead in. It's not always fun to watch but the results speak for themselves. He's winning more often than any Gopher coach since the '60s.

Even today, the Gophers lost because they didn't follow the philosophy. Mo tried to reach for the first rather than protecting the ball, gave up the first turnover of the day, and the wheels came off from there. If anything, Iowa out-Tresseled the Gophers today.

The gophers dominated the LOS on both sides today. Zero development of a complimentary attack to a dominant running game all season. They play not to lose.

 

[upnorthkid]

I don't get how you call for _more_ passing when like every 5th pass from Athan today should have been picked. Especially after he pissed the game away forcing the ball into triple coverage when the Gophers were already in FG range.

Yes Trickett was definitely going to drill a 50 yd FG into the wind. We were absolutely not in range which is the only reason they tried to throw which they’d refused to do the last drive because we stayed in line with the chains and had finally gotten too far behind when we were running it with our 2nd/3rd string guys who just have a massive drop off from Mo

 

[Gopherchase]

I mean, no? Tressel ball is the reason that Fleck wins almost every game he manages to get a lead in. It's not always fun to watch but the results speak for themselves. He's winning more often than any Gopher coach since the '60s.

Even today, the Gophers lost because they didn't follow the philosophy. Mo tried to reach for the first rathe than protecting the ball, gave up the first turnover of the day, and the wheels came off from there. If anything, Iowa out-Tresseled the Gophers today.

Nope. Our style of play is self limiting to beating the bad teams, and half the time beating like teams but has little chance to jump up and beat what we strive to be; good to great teams. Post 2019, we don’t really have any wins of note Wisconsin is down that was fun but not impressive.

 

[hello-world]

The gophers dominated the LOS on both sides today. Zero development of a complimentary attack to a dominant running game all season. They play not to lose.

What's he supposed to do with a Freshman QB that's throwing sub-50 and receivers that can't catch.

Minnesota is down it's starting QB and WR1. The fact that they were still in the conference hunt is damn near a miracle. If OSU lost Stroud next week then nobody would be calling to fire Day for losing to UM.

 

[hello-world]

Nope. Our style of play is self limiting to beating the bad teams, and half the time beating like teams but has little chance to jump up and beat what we strive to be; good to great teams. Post 2019, we don’t really have any wins of note Wisconsin is down that was fun but not impressive.

You're right. The Gophers should switch to an air raid because everybody knows that Minnesota spits out skill position players with ease.

There is a reason that every good team in the upper midwest plays this style of football. Until you start dropping off bags of cash in Texas and SoCal for us, the Gophers need to play Tressel ball if they want to win.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

A FR QB tried to force a ball to a covered receiver. In that situation, better off to throw it away and punt, or scramble and see what you can get.

With experience, AK will make better decisions. Unfortunately, some times you learn from your mistakes.

I think the game was 'lost' in the 1st half when defensive mistakes and a mis-firing offense allowed Iowa to get a 10-pt lead.

obviously, the missed FG impacted the strategy the rest of the way.

 

[USAF]

You're right. The Gophers should switch to an air raid because everybody knows that Minnesota spits out skill position players with ease.

There is a reason that every good team in the upper midwest plays this style of football. Until you start dropping off bags of cash in Texas and SoCal for us, the Gophers need to play Tressel ball if they want to win.

Iowa won today because they had the balls to make some plays through the air.
We will never, ever be a good team without a passing game.
Nor without the will to play to win.

Nobody is calling for an air raid offense.

But pretending we can win without an effective passing attack is idiotic.

We said the same, by the way, when the Gophers beat shitty teams without throwing. We were told to shut up, we beat New Mexico State.

Be elite, PJ. Dare to live up to your own standards.

 

[GophersInIowa]

What's he supposed to do with a Freshman QB that's throwing sub-50 and receivers that can't catch.

Minnesota is down it's starting QB and WR1. The fact that they were still in the conference hunt is damn near a miracle. If OSU lost Stroud next week then nobody would be calling to fire Day for losing to UM.

Put them in better situations to be successful? Once again, no one is suggesting to air it out 40 times. Get Athan on the outside where he’s shown to be very comfortable. BSF had two early receptions, then nothing.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

If he would have ran on 3rd and 1 you would be complaining that it's too predictable.

Nope.

 

[Johnnyboy18]

Put them in better situations to be successful? Once again, no one is suggesting to air it out 40 times. Get Athan on the outside where he’s shown to be very comfortable. BSF had two early receptions, then nothing.

Like the time he missed a wide open BSF on a 3rd and 1?

 

[hello-world]

Put them in better situations to be successful?

Routine field goal, don't fumble, and don't force a stupid pass and the Gophers easily win this game. Players need to execute.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Like the time he missed a wide open BSF on a 3rd and 1?

Yes like that. So because he missed him on that one play, you abandon it?

 

[GophersInIowa]

Routine field goal, don't fumble, and don't force a stupid pass and the Gophers easily win this game. Players need to execute.

My point still stands. Mo fumbled on his 10th straight carry. You don’t think him being exhausted had something to do with the lack of execution?

 

[RememberMurray]

If he would have ran on 3rd and 1 you would be complaining that it's too predictable.

Bingo.

The complainers are here to complain. Chip is paid to criticize.

The play-calling didn't lose this game. A missed FG, an interception and a fumble were the reasons the Gophers lost this game. Those are miscues in execution, and not errors in coaching or game-planning.

 

[kg21]

Put them in better situations to be successful? Once again, no one is suggesting to air it out 40 times. Get Athan on the outside where he’s shown to be very comfortable. BSF had two early receptions, then nothing.

Our touchdown drive was the panic of being down 10-0........what do we do on that drive, we throw 4 or 5 passes, complete them all, and go right down the field. Many of those passes on early downs.

I just laugh.

 

[kg21]

Put them in better situations to be successful? Once again, no one is suggesting to air it out 40 times. Get Athan on the outside where he’s shown to be very comfortable. BSF had two early receptions, then nothing.

4 teams in all of college football threw it less than us this year. All 3 academies and NMSU.

Now that is beyond stunning. It's surreal.

 

[Some guy]

Wait, this is the column that pushes you over the top? Not the making fun of Kill having a seizure or the 39 other outlandish columns from Souhan? It was a rational one from Chip?

Go Gophers!!

Is chip a columnist now?
It’s not one article that pushes me over the top, it’s the lack of reporting.
It’s all editorial now.

I can keep buying if I disagree with the editorials. But when the guys who are usually objective become opinion writers too what am I paying for?

Im not convinced the strib has any reporters that know anything about football, so I don’t really need their opinion takes