Gophers Crush Maryland: Post-Game Reaction Thread

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Replacement Gopher said:
Why did we lose against Bowling Green?

The same turtle job by the coaches we saw at the end of the first half in today’s game.
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That is great...quick question what has happened since then? I will hang up and listen...

Fleck isn't Saban he is going to screw things up from time to time. The Gophers aren't tOSU we are going to lose to teams we shouldn't from time to time. This is college football stupid stuff happens. You think Penn State was expecting to lose to Illinois in 37 OTs?
 

From the Parkinglot said:

Come again
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I'm with PJ, the game is four quarters. You don't get trophies for being up by a certain amount at the half. Play your game. I remember a game... I think it was one of our losses to NDSU, Marqueis Gray went for the bomb as time expired before halftime and it got picked and--I believe--returned for a TD. After that, I've never begged for a team to try to get quick points before the half.

Anyway, everyone thought Mr. Burns was crazy when he pinch hit Homer Simpson for Darryl Strawberry, but as he said, "It's called playing the percentages. It's what smart managers do to win ballgames." And he was right.

 

RememberMurray said:
Thanks for being a fan!

Bottom line: unless you thought the Gophers were contenders for the CFP, the Bowling Green loss means exactly nothing. The B1G West, the B1G Championship and a top tier bowl destination are completely unaffected by the Bowling Green loss.
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I agree!!

Not a fan...my late father actually knew Murray while at the U in the early 60s!!

I suffered through Gutey etc late 80s early 90s.

If my son, as is the plan, goes to the U...it would be the 3rd generation!

So perhaps more a fanatic :)
 





Wally said:
I think our o-line is probably more special than the running backs, not that they are bad, they aren't.
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When 5 different running backs go for over 100 yards in a game in the same season, you have a special offensive line.

And the first guys to tell you that would be the 5 RB who have gotten to have big games behind them.

And it really feels like that O-Line is improving as the weeks go on....if they keep playing at a high level and giving our backs room to work, look out because Irving and Thomas have the looks of guys that could be special.
 

gopher7 said:
I like PJ but he lacks a killer instinct. He is almost more scared with the lead than without it. If you are afraid to throw with a 5th year QB and a great offensive line, then when will he ever not be scared? It's a standard two minute drill, at home, against a below average team. He needs to change this mentality or our ceiling under him is limited. Some day when we need a two-minute drive we will fail because we passed on opportunities to run it in previous games.
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I like this post a lot and kind of sums up my feelings after watching two consecutive games with horrible jobs closing out the first halves.

I get it: we won and I’m happy. I really am. We looked really good today, but I hope Fleck can change his best and clean those end of halves up. Would’ve been better seeing them execute (or even attempt to execute) a two minute before we need it vs another team
 

Gophs need to figure out how to limit the big plays. Defense has played well but those big plays will kill them with Iowa and Wisconsin. Would also say Indiana but they are not the team of the past couple years.
 






Wally said:
I think our o-line is probably more special than the running backs, not that they are bad, they aren't.
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What's not to like? The average age is 23. One of the heaviest OL outweighing the Vikings and the Ravens OLs.
 




GopherGangsta said:
I really loved what Dylan Wright did the first couple games this year...Now he cant get even see a target...I wonder if he sticks around next year.
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He was literally the first scripted target of the game on a deep ball.
 

If the OL keeps showing up each week and changing their best, MN could win the West.

The one game where OL didn't show up? Bowling Green, and it's 100% why we lost that game. Just glad it wasn't a conference game.
 

What bugs me about defending the closing out of the 1st half so meekly is this oft-used phrase "The Gophers get the ball first to start the 2nd half." So what. NOT relevant. Each possession is a jealous mistress and should be treated with fear, reverance, and affection. Use it for all its worth.
 

DCinOK said:
What bugs me about defending the closing out of the 1st half so meekly is this oft-used phrase "The Gophers get the ball first to start the 2nd half." So what. NOT relevant. Each possession is a jealous mistress and should be treated with fear, reverance, and affection. Use it for all its worth.
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Absolutely, except PJ thought they would get points from the FG, so it wouldn't have been a wasted possession. They also bled the clock to rob MD of another possession before the half.

I don't like that they did it, but Fleck is transparent as to why they did it. Special teams gives up a blocked FG and ruins the plan. But at least they were up by a score and getting the ball in the second half... could have been worse!
 

The blocked kick is exactly why PJ is wrong in defending his decision. You can't just expect points no matter how close you are.

Maryland was close to returning that for a TD. If that happens, then instead of a 7 or 10 point Gopher lead, it's a tie game at halftime and the game has completely changed.

You play to win the game. Trying not to lose is how you lose to bad teams.
 

DCinOK said:
What bugs me about defending the closing out of the 1st half so meekly is this oft-used phrase "The Gophers get the ball first to start the 2nd half." So what. NOT relevant. Each possession is a jealous mistress and should be treated with fear, reverance, and affection. Use it for all its worth.
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I would have been OK with it if the Gophers made the field goal but the blocked field goal was almost karma for timidity.

Do you remember when Jerry Kill used that line when questioned during the halftime interview at the Citrus Bowl game against Missouri about his decision not to go for a score in the closing minutes of the half? Leidner visibly was pissed because of the wasted opportunity when walking off the field at halftime. Missouri made him pay for that decision by onside kicking and recovering the ball to start the second half.
 

  • The playcalling going into half-time WAS irresponsible and some of the stupidest I have seen. This does not mean that the rest of the game was not good and that Fleck is a horrible coach. But there simply is no defending what was done there. Fortunately the game ended the way it did and that did not come back to haunt. Calling this out does not mean I hate PJ, it simply is pointing out that specific time period of the game. Coaching a BIG10 football team involves so much more than just game day play calling. IMO Fleck still needs to improve upon this. But there are other aspects of his job performance that I am a big fan of.
  • This O-Line is the best I have ever seen by a wide margin that the Gophers are fielding. It seems they got better by removing Curtis Dunlap from the rotation. They are really meshing now. 5 different backs, including a true freshman, over 100 yards says everything.
  • We need to stop trying FG's over 50 yards unless the game is on the line. I like Trickett and he does what a college kicker should. With the extra wide hashes, those long kicks are tougher than what an NFL kicker sees.
  • Jack Gibbens is turning out to be a huge transfer portal gain (as are the others)!
 

RememberMurray said:
For some people, the Gophers losing to Bowling Green was the highlight of their life.
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I’ll guarantee you that PJ isn’t letting his team forget about the Bowling Green game. Those of us who bring up that game, do so to remind others not to count your chickens before they hatch. We need to focus on Northwestern, not what it would be like to play Iowa if we are 7-2. Let’s take it one week at a time. Total focus on Northwestern should get us where we need to be.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
One last thing on the end of the half. It would be one thing if Minnesota had a kicker making 90% of his kicks and was rock solid. They don’t they have a transfer that is making 50% of his kicks so holding it for a field goal is a 50/50 shot you get 3 points or no points. It’s hardly a guaranty you are gonna get points. Plus add in the possibility of a block and it just seems odd.
You have a 5th year quarterback, an o-line that’s like 24, and a 4th year wide receiver. Who do you trust more them or a transfer kicker.

It’s not different then when the Vikings lost to Arizona. You have all that talent and money into an offense and you’re gonna let a kicker from the practice squad try to win the game. Sometimes I think fleck puts his faith in the wrong people. He always plays up Morgan but he seems to have a really short leash as well.
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This. It was 50/50 at best that he’d make it.
 

Our skill positions are deep.
If we are going to continue abandoning the pass after a few drops, put another QB in there to give them experience. Not for the rest of the game but just a few plays, maybe let them attempt a throw.
 

DCinOK said:
What bugs me about defending the closing out of the 1st half so meekly is this oft-used phrase "The Gophers get the ball first to start the 2nd half." So what. NOT relevant. Each possession is a jealous mistress and should be treated with fear, reverance, and affection. Use it for all
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cjbfbp said:
I would have been OK with it if the Gophers made the field goal but the blocked field goal was almost karma for timidity.

Do you remember when Jerry Kill used that line when questioned during the halftime interview at the Citrus Bowl game against Missouri about his decision not to go for a score in the closing minutes of the half? Leidner visibly was pissed because of the wasted opportunity when walking off the field at halftime. Missouri made him pay for that decision by onside kicking and recovering the ball to start the second half.
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I was thinking about that same thing. It was infuriating and Kill was so cocky during the halftime interview about getting the ball to start the second half.
 

balds said:
One observation: prior to that final first half drive: During the media timeout Tanner went to play catch with someone, as is standard procedure. His first throw he sailed way over his targets head. The equipment guy had to chase the ball 40 yards down the sideline. his subsequent throws all had heat but looked like knuckleballs. Not sure if there was some issue with him, but it struck me as odd. I don't ever recall a QB warming up on the sideline and missing that badly to a target 15 yards away. Then they refused to pass on that drive.
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Thinking Balds might be on to something. He could have messed up his hand or shoulder a little earlier in the game. (Also I’m much too lazy to check out the possibility.)
 

U2Gopher said:
I’ll guarantee you that PJ isn’t letting his team forget about the Bowling Green game. Those of us who bring up that game, do so to remind others not to count your chickens before they hatch. We need to focus on Northwestern, not what it would be like to play Iowa if we are 7-2. Let’s take it one week at a time. Total focus on Northwestern should get us where we need to be.
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Agreed. In fact, if we win 9 or more games this regular season we should make a collective toast to Bowling Green.
 

GopherPharmaBiz said:
I like this post a lot and kind of sums up my feelings after watching two consecutive games with horrible jobs closing out the first halves.

I get it: we won and I’m happy. I really am. We looked really good today, but I hope Fleck can change his best and clean those end of halves up. Would’ve been better seeing them execute (or even attempt to execute) a two minute before we need it vs another team
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Last night with one minute to play in the first half, Ohio State got the ball deep in their end zone against Indiana. They were already leading by 30 points in a driving rain.

Good time to sit on it, right? Minute to half, up 30, and hard rain. Why take a risk with that huge lead?

With a mix of pass and run the Buckeyes streaked down the field and scored again to go up 37. No prevent offense for TOSU.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
The blocked kick is exactly why PJ is wrong in defending his decision. You can't just expect points no matter how close you are.

Maryland was close to returning that for a TD. If that happens, then instead of a 7 or 10 point Gopher lead, it's a tie game at halftime and the game has completely changed.

You play to win the game. Trying not to lose is how you lose to bad teams.
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Last sentence is really true.
 


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