How Bad was Passing Game against Illinois?

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Gophergrandpa

Gophergrandpa

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Our defense didn't have a good game against Illinois. It was 0-4 on fourth down plays. It couldn't get stops. It was on the field for 40:04 minutes. But we had a lead in the game in the second half, in part because the Defense did hold Illinois to FGs on several drives ... and Quentin Redding.

But our passing game was epically bad. 6-18 (33%) for 38 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs. Most notably, our WRs had one catch for 4 yards in total. The only game in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 that approaches that nadir is BGSU in 2021: 5-13 for 59 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs. In the BGSU game, WRs caught 34 yards.

At the tail end of the 2017 season--Year 0--in a tailspin with Demry Green at the helm, we had some similar passing games. We finished the season losing to Wisconsin 31-0 with passing stats of 3-9 for 40 yards, 0 TDs and 0 INTs--WR 26 yards. The week before that we lost to Northwestern 39-0 with passing stats of 2-11 for 43 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTS--WRs 36 yards. Amazingly, in 2017 we beat Illinois with passing stats of 5-15 for 47 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs--WRs 27 yards; difference being 292 rushing yards on 55 rushing attempts.

So, while we had a bad game against Illinois this year, we actually led the game for a while in the 3rd Q without a dominating run game. It took the worst passing performance in PJ's tenure at the U, worse than any of the Demry Croft--Year 0 games, when we got massacred by WI and NW, for us to capitulate to Illinois last week. This year’s Illinois heartbreaker is the only PJ game I can find where WRs caught less than 25 yards--they caught 4.

Bottom Line for me is that our running game is OK, and our Defense is OK so long as they don't have to be on the field for 35-40 minutes. But our WR passing game is in shambles. It is on the coaches as much as on the players. Maybe the RPO isn't the right scheme for this group. We've got to have a passing game answer for teams that consistently blitz LBs and DBs. If the coaches can get our WR passing game just back to mediocre, we still have a decent team and could finish with several wins. If we get the WR passing game all the way back to average competence for a B1G team, we should finish with a nice winning record and decent bowl--because the rest of the components are there.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
It took the worst passing performance in PJ's tenure at the U, worse than any of the Demry Croft--Year 0 games,
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Not so fast! Demry's worst performances are still in the running.

2017 - Against Illinois - 5 for 15 for 47 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

2017 - Against Northwestern - 2 for 11, 43 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT

2017 - Against Wisconsin - 3 of 9, 40 yards

2017 - Against Iowa - 9 for 29, 31 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

It must be said that Demry had 4 performances in a single year this putrid.
 

cjbfbp said:
Not so fast! Demry's worst performances are still in the running.

2017 - Against Illinois - 5 for 15 for 47 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

2017 - Against Northwestern - 2 for 11, 43 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT

2017 - Against Wisconsin - 3 of 9, 40 yards

2017 - Against Iowa - 9 for 29, 31 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

It must be said that Demry had 4 performances in a single year this putrid.
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Right, but Demry was a threat to take off and run … well. And we had Rodney and Shannon as RBs. This year’s Illinois game, with 38 yards and 3 INTs, would have been, by a tick, the worst passing gave in PJ’s Year Zero. That is bad.
 
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stating the obvious:

there is no way that I know of (legally) to make the WR's suddenly get faster, improve their hand-eye coordination, or their instincts.

this is on the OC and the WR coach to find some way to "scheme" them to get open.

OR - play different people at the WR positions.

as the saying goes, only a fool keeps repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different outcome. We know what is NOT working. now, the job is to find something different that WILL work.

as I have said before - Tom Kelly, who led the Twins to 2 World Series titles, always said his job as Manager was to put players in a position where they had the highest chance of success and the lowest risk of failure. I am not sure the Gophers are doing that with the current passing offense.
 


Gophergrandpa said:
At the tail end of the 2017 season--Year 0--in a tailspin with Demry Green at the helm, we had some similar passing games.
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Gophergrandpa said:
Our defense didn't have a good game against Illinois. It was 0-4 on fourth down plays. It couldn't get stops. It was on the field for 40:04 minutes. But we had a lead in the game in the second half, in part because the Defense did hold Illinois to FGs on several drives ... and Quentin Redding.

But our passing game was epically bad. 6-18 (33%) for 38 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs. Most notably, our WRs had one catch for 4 yards in total. The only game in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 that approaches that nadir is BGSU in 2021: 5-13 for 59 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs. In the BGSU game, WRs caught 34 yards.

At the tail end of the 2017 season--Year 0--in a tailspin with Demry Green at the helm, we had some similar passing games. We finished the season losing to Wisconsin 31-0 with passing stats of 3-9 for 40 yards, 0 TDs and 0 INTs--WR 26 yards. The week before that we lost to Northwestern 39-0 with passing stats of 2-11 for 43 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTS--WRs 36 yards. Amazingly, in 2017 we beat Illinois with passing stats of 5-15 for 47 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs--WRs 27 yards; difference being 292 rushing yards on 55 rushing attempts.

So, while we had a bad game against Illinois this year, we actually led the game for a while in the 3rd Q without a dominating run game. It took the worst passing performance in PJ's tenure at the U, worse than any of the Demry Croft--Year 0 games, when we got massacred by WI and NW, for us to lose to Illinois last week. 2022 Illinois is the only PJ game I can find where WRs caught less than 25 yards--they caught 4. Bottom Line for me is that our running game is OK, and our Defense is OK so long as they don't have to be on the field for 35-40 minutes. But our WR passing game is in shambles. It is on the coaches as much as on the players. Maybe the RPO isn't the right scheme for this group. We've got to have a passing game answer for teams that consistently blitz LBs and DBs. If the coaches can get our WR passing game just back to mediocre, we still have a decent team and could finish with several wins. If we get the WR passing game all the way back to average competence for a B1G team, we should finish with a nice winning record and decent bowl--because the rest of the components are there.
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Great post. I think you hit the nail on the head. The only thing I'd add is that the O line needs to pass block better. We had some plays but Tanner got hit as he threw or had to throw off his back foot. The pass to MBS could have been a TD or down inside the 5 and the one to Bryce Williams would have been a long gainer. I agree though. it's the WR's. I'd put #18 in there. #5 seems useless. MBS hasn't been good either.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Great post. I think you hit the nail on the head. The only thing I'd add is that the O line needs to pass block better. We had some plays but Tanner got hit as he threw or had to throw off his back foot. The pass to MBS could have been a TD or down inside the 5 and the one to Bryce Williams would have been a long gainer. I agree though. it's the WR's. I'd put #18 in there. #5 seems useless. MBS hasn't been good either.
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You are right. In the 2014 game vs San Jose State, Chris Streveler made his first start (for an injured Mitch Leidner). Streveler was 1 - 7 for 7 yards. But Streveler ran for 161 yards, and Cobb ran for 207. And our defense forced 5 turnovers. We won 24-7!
 

short ornery norwegian said:
stating the obvious:

there is no way that I know of (legally) to make the WR's suddenly get faster, improve their hand-eye coordination, or their instincts.

this is on the OC and the WR coach to find some way to "scheme" them to get open.

OR - play different people at the WR positions.

as the saying goes, only a fool keeps repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different outcome. We know what is NOT working. now, the job is to find something different that WILL work.

as I have said before - Tom Kelly, who led the Twins to 2 World Series titles, always said his job as Manager was to put players in a position where they had the highest chance of success and the lowest risk of failure. I am not sure the Gophers are doing that with the current passing offense.
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Is this the Mike Sanford Jr recruiting drought years?
 




hungan1 said:
Is this the Mike Sanford Jr recruiting drought years?
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That was a thought bouncing around my head. Other than Crab do we have any scholarship receivers that KC recruited still on the roster? It may just be that the skills that Sanford recruited for do not line up well with KCs offense.

It is up to KC to put the players in the best spots that he can though...
 

swelna said:
That was a thought bouncing around my head. Other than Crab do we have any scholarship receivers that KC recruited still on the roster? It may just be that the skills that Sanford recruited for do not line up well with KCs offense.

It is up to KC to put the players in the best spots that he can though...
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Also up to KC to scheme to use the takent we have. Scheme against Illinois and Purdue wasn’t good … given the talent we have. Maybe out passes, downfield game, etc., theoretically works better with Athan at he helm, but OL to a certain extent determines passing scheme. A porous OL is anathema to a slow developing, downfield passing game … especially if your receivers don’t get separation and don’t try to high point contested balls. If PSU starts to bring the house, we’ve got to respond with plays designed to bear QUICKLY such a strategy. Passes to the flat, wheel routes, TEs crossing vacated LB zones … or draw plays if Penn compromises gap integrity.
 




Gophergrandpa said:
Also up to KC to scheme to use the takent we have. Scheme against Illinois and Purdue wasn’t good … given the talent we have. Maybe out passes, downfield game, etc., theoretically works better with Athan at he helm, but OL to a certain extent determines passing scheme. A porous OL is anathema to a slow developing, downfield passing game … especially if your receivers don’t get separation and don’t try to high point contested balls. If PSU starts to bring the house, we’ve got to respond with plays designed to bear QUICKLY such a strategy. Passes to the flat, wheel routes, TEs crossing vacated LB zones … or draw plays if Penn compromises gap integrity.
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Agreed, KC needs to figure out how to use the skills we do have. That may be the flaw with him as an OC (or PJs philosophy) though, he doesn't adjust well when we have slightly different pieces.
 

swelna said:
Agreed, KC needs to figure out how to use the skills we do have. That may be the flaw with him as an OC (or PJs philosophy) though, he doesn't adjust well when we have slightly different pieces.
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Not sure I’ve seen him make great in game strategy changes either.
 

btowngopher said:
Not sure I’ve seen him make great in game strategy changes either.
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Don't have any statistical analysis to back this up, but it feels like when our starting game plan doesn't move the ball, we spend most of the game stuck in the mud. It doesn't seem like the other team is ready for our initial game plan,but then by the third or fourth drive we've made adjustments that have us rolling as often as with some other teams.
 

Bring in a guy with an air raid backround please!!!!
 

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