Chip: A message to the Gophers football team: Don't hold anything back

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Chip:

The last time the Gophers football team played in a New Year's Day bowl game in Florida, Jerry Kill coached so buttoned-up you'd have thought he was wearing a straitjacket.

It happened in the 2015 Citrus Bowl vs. Missouri. Kill took a painfully conservative approach at end of the first half of the program's first Jan. 1 bowl game in five decades.

Conversely, Missouri's Gary Pinkel coached as if he were playing with house money. He called a fake punt from his own 17-yard line and an onside kick to start the second half. It was super aggressive. And brilliant. Brilliant, perhaps, because those gambles worked, but that's the spirit of these postseason exhibitions. Cut it loose. Why not?

Bowl games are meant to be a reward for the regular season, but they also become an interesting exercise in approach. Basically, which team cares more and which team unveils new wrinkles that catch their opponent off guard? Watch enough of the bowl season and you get the point.

This should be P.J. Fleck's mind-set in facing Auburn in the Outback Bowl: Coach aggressively. Showcase new plays. Try new things.

www.startribune.com

A message to the Gophers football team: Don't hold anything back

www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Just read the article in today's paper. The conservative play-calling on offense of the Gophers over the years (and the Kill era in particular) have been an unceasing source of frustration for fans for as long as I can remember. That has changed a little under Fleck in the passing game, but the running game and special teams are still very conservative. In the running game, even some relatively common plays would be "surprises" from the Gophers - like draws or jet sweeps.

In other words, I don't think the Gophers need to play gimmick plays to be creative. They can just do a few things that are out of character while still not being too risky. Heck, they might even throw it to a tight end.

I would also love to see some personnel surprises. How about Antoine Winfield jr. playing a few downs at receiver. He could run the aforementioned jet sweep. Or how about seeing one of our big OL guys do a 2 yard "William "Refrigerator" Perry" run up the gut on the goalline (or at least fake it to him).

It won't take much to be more aggressive than Kill at the Citrus Bowl. If the Gophers are going to lose (as everyone outside of Minnesota is expecting), let the guys go down swingin'.

SUM
RTB
GG!
 

Wonder if Winfield will return punts today. It could bump him in the draft.
 


I wonder if Casey is healthy enough to get in once the Gophs get up by 4 TDs.
 



If we go down, go down swinging. Leave it all on the field.
 

So is the moral of this tale basically: run more trick plays than zero
?
 




Chip, as in a Banzai charge?
 

Hold nothing back. Gophers aren't going down. Victory tastes sweet!

To be more specific, it tastes smooth, a little sweet and a little spicy. Oh wait. That's bourbon. ...What's the difference, anyway?
 
Last edited:

touchdownvikings said:
Hold nothing back. Gophers aren't going down. Victory tastes sweet!

To be more specific, it tastes smooth, a little sweet and a little spicy. Oh wait. That's bourbon. ...What's the difference, anyway?
Click to expand...
Ahem.

Just pointing out that I called it!

And, yes, victory tastes just like bourbon!
 

touchdownvikings said:
Ahem.

Just pointing out that I called it!

And, yes, victory tastes just like bourbon!
Click to expand...

Yes it does: and a victory over a favored, highly-ranked SEC opponent on New Year's Day tastes like a really fine, ultra-expensive, top-shelf bourbon.

Smooth, subtle, magnificent.
 




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