BleedGopher
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per Megan:
The easy scapegoat for the Gophers’ 45-44 overtime loss at Maryland on Friday is Brock Walker, the redshirt sophomore kicker whose flubbed extra point ended the game.
But blaming a young walk-on who has tried his best to take on kickoffs and field goals despite still recovering from sports hernia surgery misses the mark. And Gophers coach P.J. Fleck knows his team’s problems go well beyond his players.
“Everything starts with me,” he said after the game.
Several coaching decisions garnered a critical eye. Like the way the Gophers abandoned their passing game on three fourth-quarter drives as their 17-point lead slipped away. They had hoped to drain the clock by keeping the ball on the ground, but Maryland started stuffing the run and took advantage.
The Gophers players, certainly, have some accountability to take, especially on defense, where 675 yards allowed plus multiple explosive plays unbalanced the team. Fleck said that made it harder on his offense to manage the game and run the clock.
Fleck plans to re-evaluate via film the team’s scheme, technique and personnel to diagnose the problem. Some of the miscues, such as missing a tackle despite being in position for it, could be remedied with more practice. Changing the lineup will be tricky, considering injuries, COVID-19 absences and a depth chart of mostly inexperienced players on defense.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
The easy scapegoat for the Gophers’ 45-44 overtime loss at Maryland on Friday is Brock Walker, the redshirt sophomore kicker whose flubbed extra point ended the game.
But blaming a young walk-on who has tried his best to take on kickoffs and field goals despite still recovering from sports hernia surgery misses the mark. And Gophers coach P.J. Fleck knows his team’s problems go well beyond his players.
“Everything starts with me,” he said after the game.
Several coaching decisions garnered a critical eye. Like the way the Gophers abandoned their passing game on three fourth-quarter drives as their 17-point lead slipped away. They had hoped to drain the clock by keeping the ball on the ground, but Maryland started stuffing the run and took advantage.
The Gophers players, certainly, have some accountability to take, especially on defense, where 675 yards allowed plus multiple explosive plays unbalanced the team. Fleck said that made it harder on his offense to manage the game and run the clock.
Fleck plans to re-evaluate via film the team’s scheme, technique and personnel to diagnose the problem. Some of the miscues, such as missing a tackle despite being in position for it, could be remedied with more practice. Changing the lineup will be tricky, considering injuries, COVID-19 absences and a depth chart of mostly inexperienced players on defense.
Gophers Insider: There's plenty of blame to share for loss to Maryland
Coaching decisions, defensive shortcomings and a blown PAT were factors in Gophers' loss.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
