Does anyone here want to win Homecoming?

Donate To GopherHole
S

STPGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
10,632
Reaction score
3,818
Points
113
Granted the end result last Saturday stunk, but we have a big game this Saturday against Purdue.

What will it take to win this one? Purdue has played ND, Oregon and others tough. They still have a dynamic offense and a respectable defense.

Any thoughts?

Is Purdue still exclusively a spread team? Will this be Simone's big game? Will we see more of Cooper to help out.

Can we run on Purdue? Can other receivers be more involved in the Gopher passing attack against Purdue's secondary.

Purdue usually has good kickers and return men. How do we match up on special(forces) teams?

I have yet to watch a Purdue game this season. I have many questions about them. Has anyone watched them this seaso?

Do the (resident) Minnesota Boilers care to share thoughts?

I hope that my fellow Gopher fans want this game as badly as I do.
 

Quite frankly I believe its time that the Gophers win a Big Ten game in a blow out.
1. Don't remember the last time we won in a blow out
2. My heart can't take this anymore..playing Cal and Wisky tough then turning the ball over late.

We are better than Purdue. We just are. We can't play down to them.
 


all great questions

Very little talk about Cooper being a couple of inches from blocking a punt that would have likely resulted in a victory. Talk all you want about the things that happened all game long, the inches separated us from victory. Anyway, despite giving up enough yards for two games defensively, we were in the game until the end. Somehow our defense give us an opportunity to win. If we can figure out how to protect Weber, we can win any game on our schedule from here on out.
We need this game this week. A loss will be hard for this team to swallow and certainly would produce some confidence and desire issues. I am not saying press, playing with less mental errors and blocking better would make us a pretty good team.
 

There's no guarantee that even if he blocked the punt it would've meant anything........

Weber would've probably thrown an Interception 2 plays later.......(like what happened on the turnover at the start of the half)
 


gopherjay said:
Very little talk about Cooper being a couple of inches from blocking a punt that would have likely resulted in a victory. Talk all you want about the things that happened all game long, the inches separated us from victory. Anyway, despite giving up enough yards for two games defensively, we were in the game until the end. Somehow our defense give us an opportunity to win. If we can figure out how to protect Weber, we can win any game on our schedule from here on out.
We need this game this week. A loss will be hard for this team to swallow and certainly would produce some confidence and desire issues. I am not saying press, playing with less mental errors and blocking better would make us a pretty good team.
Click to expand...

Speaking of the block by Cooper, I think the punt return team has been very close on others. For whatever reason BPT and others haven't laidout for the block.

Can we stop the bubble/ slip screens? I think the D has improved there, but is it enough?
 

I'm peronsally scared that our corners will get blown out by a WR block and they will bubble screen us to death.
 

The question of "Do I want the Gophers to win the game?" is a resounding YES.

The bigger question is if anyone outside Greektown cares about the homecoming aspect of it. I bet that if so, the number of people isn't that high.
 




What does PU have in terms of pass rushing DEs?

It is time for Brew to win his first homecoming game at Minnesota. His first two have been nightmares.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
Quite frankly I believe its time that the Gophers win a Big Ten game in a blow out.
1. Don't remember the last time we won in a blow out
2. My heart can't take this anymore..playing Cal and Wisky tough then turning the ball over late.

We are better than Purdue. We just are. We can't play down to them.
Click to expand...

Purdue is a lot better than it's 1-4 record and I don't think the Gophers are better than Purdue. This game will be close. The Gophers are not good enough to blow anyone out with the exception of maybe SDSU.
 

Rotundo said:
What does PU have in terms of pass rushing DEs?

It is time for Brew to win his first homecoming game at Minnesota. His first two have been nightmares.
Click to expand...

Two words. Ryan Kerrigan. He is the latest DE stud to come out of West Lafayette.
 

monk10 said:
I'm peronsally scared that our corners will get blown out by a WR block and they will bubble screen us to death.
Click to expand...

Aaron Valentin scored a 67 yard TD on a bubble screen vs. NW but Purdue does not run that play very much anymore. It's designed to be like a running play but now that they have Ralph Bolden in the backfield, they don't run it as much.
 



Is Purdue still exclusively a spread team?

No, they will line up 5 wide on occassion but they have gone away from the "Basketball on Grass" offense that Tiller introduced his first year. Joey Elliott is not good enough to run it and they have 2 pretty good RB's, although Jaycen Taylor hasn't seen as many carries as anticipated.

Can we run on Purdue? Can other receivers be more involved in the Gopher passing attack against Purdue's secondary.

Probably. Purdue was supposed to have an excellent run defense this year but that idea got put to bed when NIU ran all over them. It was very John Clay-esque. Also, Notre Dame had a lot of success running the Wildcat. Purdue's secondary is experienced but vulnerable. Decker will get his standard 150 and 2 TD's.

Purdue usually has good kickers and return men. How do we match up on special(forces) teams?

Purdue has a good kicker in Carson Wiggs. He hit a 59 yarder earlier this year but then had a PAT blocked at Oregon that ultimately cost them the game (although I don't think the block was his fault). The return game is good, but very turnover prone. Aaron Valentin is as good as anyone in the Big Ten when he hangs on to the ball. He took a punt to the house vs. NIU but then fumbled the next 2 costing Purdue the game. He also fumbled a KO against NW. Stoudermire should have a big day. KO coverage has been lacking.

I have yet to watch a Purdue game this season. I have many questions about them. Has anyone watched them this seaso?

I've seen all 5 games for both the Gophers and Boilers. Call me a homer, but neither team has impressed me and they're pretty even, hence the Vegas line being what it is.
 

no disrespect to the boilers, as I think they are better than their record indicates...but if we lose to them, this season is a near washout. Hell, even if we win, it will mean nothing to anyone beyond the GN and allow us to be 4-4 after the following two for-sure-loss-games--pretty average. Purdue has an explosive offense at times, but like most years simply doesn't play defense at all, or know how to finish, so we will certainly have a chance to come back and win if needed.
 

If we lose on Saturday Brew is in deep trouble. If PU does have a good pass rushing DE we really can't play Wills very much because in pass protection he isn't close to a big ten player. His attempts to block vs Wis in passing downs were just downright embarassing. Have you rewatched those plays on TV? He can't possibly be our best option. If he is what the hell has brew been looking at the last couple years on the OL?
 

Rotundo said:
If we lose on Saturday Brew is in deep trouble. If PU does have a good pass rushing DE we really can't play Wills very much because in pass protection he isn't close to a big ten player. His attempts to block vs Wis in passing downs were just downright embarassing. Have you rewatched those plays on TV? He can't possibly be our best option. If he is what the hell has brew been looking at the last couple years on the OL?
Click to expand...


Relax.. Did you watch the whole game? He only messed up on the last drive... His pass protection was great - didn't get beat once the whole game until then. Did you notice Stommes get replaced in the fourth quarter for getting beat too many times?
 

alphagopher said:
no disrespect to the boilers, as I think they are better than their record indicates...but if we lose to them, this season is a near washout. Hell, even if we win, it will mean nothing to anyone beyond the GN and allow us to be 4-4 after the following two for-sure-loss-games--pretty average. Purdue has an explosive offense at times, but like most years simply doesn't play defense at all, or know how to finish, so we will certainly have a chance to come back and win if needed.
Click to expand...

Actually Purdue's defense isn't as bad as you think. I'm not saying they're the '85 Bears reincarnate but their points allowed is quite misleading. They've had to work with a short field on numerous occassions and because of turnover issues on offense and quick scoring drives, the time of possession bug has cost them dearly. In their loss to NIU, Purdue only had the ball for 18 minutes and change. Purdue's D was out there for almost 42 minutes. That's absurd. Oregon scored 38 points but they had a pick 6, a fumble return for a TD, and a FG (after a 3 and out)because of a Purdue turnover in their own territory. That's 17 points you can't blame on the D. They played their best game vs. NW this past weekend. Purdue turned the ball over 3 times in the final 2 minutes of the 1st half. No joke. Watch the replay on the BTN if you can this week. It's the craziest 2 minute sequence I've ever seen in a football game.

All of this being said, I'm more worried about the offense and Joey Elliot coughing up the ball. The defense is not a huge concern, unless they need to stop somebody late in the game. If it comes to that, the Gophers will enjoy a Homecoming victory.
 

MinnesotaBoiler99 said:
Actually Purdue's defense isn't as bad as you think. I'm not saying they're the '85 Bears reincarnate but their points allowed is quite misleading. They've had to work with a short field on numerous occassions and because of turnover issues on offense and quick scoring drives, the time of possession bug has cost them dearly. In their loss to NIU, Purdue only had the ball for 18 minutes and change. Purdue's D was out there for almost 42 minutes. That's absurd. Oregon scored 38 points but they had a pick 6, a fumble return for a TD, and a FG (after a 3 and out)because of a Purdue turnover in their own territory. That's 17 points you can't blame on the D. They played their best game vs. NW this past weekend. Purdue turned the ball over 3 times in the final 2 minutes of the 1st half. No joke. Watch the replay on the BTN if you can this week. It's the craziest 2 minute sequence I've ever seen in a football game.

All of this being said, I'm more worried about the offense and Joey Elliot coughing up the ball. The defense is not a huge concern, unless they need to stop somebody late in the game. If it comes to that, the Gophers will enjoy a Homecoming victory.
Click to expand...

This is really starting to sound like whichever team finally learns how to play a full 60 minutes will take this game.
 

STPGopher said:
This is really starting to sound like whichever team finally learns how to play a full 60 minutes will take this game.
Click to expand...

Precisely what I concluded at the local watering hole a Sunday.

We need to play a good game to beat this team, because Purdue is losing too many heart breakers. They should have beaten an Oregon team that went out and embarrassed a California team that we could barely avoid getting blown out by, and though that is not always a great litmus test I could very easily see us getting behind big in a hurry if we come out all wishy washy like we have in past post-major-disappointment hang overs. Like many of our own close '07 heartbreaks, they could have easily come in here 3-1 had a little bounced their way. However they also have to prove they are not the 2007 Gophers, and have yet proven that they know how to win.
 

Purdue definitely isn't 1-4 bad, but they are 1-4, so we need to beat them. But I wouldn't expect some kind of blowout, considering all of their losses have been within a touchdown. Losing by 2 to Oregon IN Oregon? By 4 to ND? If the players take this team lightly, we could have an embarrassment on our hands. If they come out like they did against Northwestern, crisp and efficient, then we will be just fine.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom