AK's bullet on 3rd down to put the game away

[SHGopher]

AK played better and deserved credit for that. Good job AK. And yet cannot count on him enough for a better offense -- he missed the mark at the end.

I am sick of the Gophers Tom Brady defense -- make the opponent QB look like Tom Brady as the defense folds yet again.

It starts with Gophers choosing not to put enough pass rush pressure.

Gophers yet again this season lose a win they had when Tom Brady defense is called in.

 

[swede2]

Really makes a person appreciate Tanner Morgan. He was clutch and a great leader. AK will continue to get better, it’s too bad we have to go through this though.

Continue to get better? That implies improvement has occurred. Where has he improved? What evidence is there that this program can and will develop a quarterback?

 

[mnhoopboy]

Coaching malpractice if there isn't an open QB competition next spring. AK's performance this season won't cut it in next year's BIG.

 

[GopherRock]

Someone explain why the ball left the ground at all on that 3rd down. Make Bert use his last timeout, then the sack on the next series suddenly makes it 4th and a mile with the clock running, no timeouts, and everyone in the wrong place going the wrong direction.

 

[Mulligan]

Ya, that run and that pass were brutal. But was AK responsible for Illinois' 80% pass completion for the game? He didn't let Illinois keep completing passes in the seams of a soft zone all game long. He didn't take an angle on a long TD run that was as bad a decision as AK trying to break it to the outside. He didn't run out the clock at the end of the first half instead of trying to get into position for a FG attempt. He didn't let a guy get totally wide open on a 45+ yard pass to win the game with under a minute. Plenty of blame to go around without piling on a guy playing his first complete season as QB.

We're a flawed team like everyone else in the West. Beat the Badgers and I'll consider it a decent year.

 

[cncmin]

Someone explain why the ball left the ground at all on that 3rd down. Make Bert use his last timeout, then the sack on the next series suddenly makes it 4th and a mile with the clock running, no timeouts, and everyone in the wrong place going the wrong direction.

BC it was our best chance getting a first down, and the play call was perfect, and a first down all but seals the game. THAT one, singular play, Pj and company actually played to win, and I commend them for that beautiful singular play call amongst a sea of terrible late game play calls over the past several years.

one needs to be able to make a wide-open 5 yard throw, period.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

Yes we may have been lucky to beat Iowa but we were very unlucky to lose to NW and Illinois but were lucky to beat Nebraska. It's called close games. And just like that, we are 2-2 in close games. It's sports.

Totally accurate post

 

[Jack jones]

I love it. Tom Brady defense. Yes, you hit it out of the park with that comment. Amen!

 

[Yah-E]

Like to see AK cry like a little baby like a real QB (ie Caleb Williams of USC) for me to believe he cared about this loss.

 

[stocker08]

Yes we may have been lucky to beat Iowa but we were very unlucky to lose to NW and Illinois but were lucky to beat Nebraska. It's called close games. And just like that, we are 2-2 in close games. It's sports.

That's true. But we needed an unreal play from Jackson to beat Nebraska. Iowa? That was a coin flip where both teams played pretty poorly. I don't feel like the Northwestern and Illinois games fall under either of those categories. The Illinois game.....and even more so the Northwestern game....were given away. The defense folded like a cheap suit in both. Not even sure I'd call it bad "luck".