I was wrong

[husker70]

We won. We overcame a rushing attack that ate the clock and limited our scoring. My concern about our offense is still there, but this team has a chance in every game. The reason? They are showing great special teams play and we are playing pretty good defense. We are developing depth on the fly and getting contributions from Edwards and Kirksey. And call it what you will we have made half time adjustments. And we have Nate Triplett. The only thing he didn't do, was lead the band in Hail Minnesota. And on second thought, after the game he played they should have let him.

This goes back to my high school coach who preached defense, had his best players on defense. He said, "Shut them out and all we need is a safety." This defense may give up yards, but its points that count. If we can keep the opponents under 20, tell me we cannot win.

 

[gophergrad]

Couldn't have said it better myself husker.

How do you think the air force game prepares us (especially the D against a different but still dangerous running attack) for the Cal game?

 

[McGopherFan]

It helps

Couldn't have said it better myself husker.

How do you think the air force game prepares us (especially the D against a different but still dangerous running attack) for the Cal game?

If the LBs can stay free to make the tackles, and complete the first tackle- like 97% or better for the AFA game, this bodes well for the CAL game. Cal will open up the air a little more as they almost have to be more balanced in there attack than AFA.

 

[MNWolfman]

Cal is light years better on offense than either AFA or Syracuse. It will be the biggest test for our D this season.

 

[caliGopher]

I second that sentiment.

I did not expect the defense to play with anywhere near the discipline and focus they did on Saturday night. We have a lot of issues to fix on the field and in the coaching, but we are 2-0 and finding ways to win when we should not, which is something we haven't been able to do with any consistently since I was a freshman in 1987.

One thing I will say, however, is that we were lucky we only got one personal foul for a late hit out of bounds. We could have been flagged at least four times on that. I don't want to detract from what the team has done so far, but this is the same problem we had last year which bit us in the ass big time in the last 5 games last year. I can't believe this is still going on -- this has to be fixed.

Also, anybody have any dental floss? crow sticks in the teeth. Saturday was U-G-L-Y but we are 2-0.

 

[andy]

We won. We overcame a rushing attack that ate the clock and limited our scoring. My concern about our offense is still there, but this team has a chance in every game. The reason? They are showing great special teams play and we are playing pretty good defense. We are developing depth on the fly and getting contributions from Edwards and Kirksey. And call it what you will we have made half time adjustments. And we have Nate Triplett. The only thing he didn't do, was lead the band in Hail Minnesota. And on second thought, after the game he played they should have let him.

This goes back to my high school coach who preached defense, had his best players on defense. He said, "Shut them out and all we need is a safety." This defense may give up yards, but its points that count. If we can keep the opponents under 20, tell me we cannot win.

I agree completely, and this is why I don't understand all the predictions for Cal hanging 34 or 38 points on us. We have good LB's, solid DB's, and an okay DLine, especially up the middle. At this point in the season, we look like Iowa usually does... good defense to go with a suspect offense, letting mediocre teams hang around because we can't put them away, but also with the potential to hang around with teams better than us because our D will keep it close.

We have come full circle from a decade ago, with Mason having developed a good defense out of Wacker recruits, then failing to recruit athletes to keep that defense going, and now Brew is developing something pretty solid from the soft Mason defense.

 

[Goldmember]

It thought AF would provide a greater challenge to the Gophers as well. I knew they wouln't reproduce 72 points and a shutout. But I figured Saturday's game might turn out to be a lighter version of that. I was thinking AF's 31-17. But it seemed like Minnesota's defense actaully controlled the clock... as demonstarated on AF's final drive.

The offense needs to step-up. Without Triplet's TD everything could be different today.

 

[wait!what?]

Cal is light years better on offense than either AFA or Syracuse. It will be the biggest test for our D this season.

AFA caught us cheating and tossed for a TD, I think Cal will be go for 2 of those. Limit the run and keep them at scoring about 24 pts. Now, we have to figure out how to score more than 20.

 

[GopherRock]

I also noticed that AFA could have been flagged for false start multiple times. Their linemen were moving all over the place at the time of the snap.

Also at the end, Air Force just ran out of gas. That fumble return was a backbreaker. I also seem to remember something that happened a series or two before that really woke everyone up. I want to say it was a sack on 3rd and short.

 

[nsmike]

I also noticed that AFA could have been flagged for false start multiple times. Their linemen were moving all over the place at the time of the snap.

Also at the end, Air Force just ran out of gas. That fumble return was a backbreaker. I also seem to remember something that happened a series or two before that really woke everyone up. I want to say it was a sack on 3rd and short.

Are you thinking of the play, where Edwards blew everything up beating his man, and tackling the quarterback before he could do anything. That was one impessive play.

 

[McGopherFan]

The one that got called

Was not the one that I would have called. There has to be more discreation on the officials part when a player is dancing on the sideline.

A Gopher player was fairly well planted about 2 yard out of bounds and no call.

I have to say that I did not think the officials decided Sats game in anyway. I hope the Pac 10 officials that come here on the 19 are like minded.

I second that sentiment.

I did not expect the defense to play with anywhere near the discipline and focus they did on Saturday night. We have a lot of issues to fix on the field and in the coaching, but we are 2-0 and finding ways to win when we should not, which is something we haven't been able to do with any consistently since I was a freshman in 1987.

One thing I will say, however, is that we were lucky we only got one personal foul for a late hit out of bounds. We could have been flagged at least four times on that. I don't want to detract from what the team has done so far, but this is the same problem we had last year which bit us in the ass big time in the last 5 games last year. I can't believe this is still going on -- this has to be fixed.

Also, anybody have any dental floss? crow sticks in the teeth. Saturday was U-G-L-Y but we are 2-0.

 

[Schnoodler]

The great thing about this game is that we'll at least be able to see how good we are. I thought I'd know alot more about our team after these first two games. Everybody keeps saying how much improved syracuse is but I just don't believe it. We completely sucked in that game and yet it was obvious we were much better. AF killed nichols and we had to play like crap for a half on Offense to even make it a game, completely dominating the end. I don't know how good AF really is, nichols sucks.

So win or lose, we'll at least have a measuring stick.

 

[STPGopher]

AFA caught us cheating and tossed for a TD, I think Cal will be go for 2 of those. Limit the run and keep them at scoring about 24 pts. Now, we have to figure out how to score more than 20.

I'd say they caught us sleeping rather than cheating, but I get your point.

 

[highwayman]

It thought AF would provide a greater challenge to the Gophers as well. I knew they wouln't reproduce 72 points and a shutout. But I figured Saturday's game might turn out to be a lighter version of that. I was thinking AF's 31-17. But it seemed like Minnesota's defense actaully controlled the clock... as demonstarated on AF's final drive.

The offense needs to step-up. Without Triplet's TD everything could be different today.

Don't try to play that game in your mind. We have no idea how things would have gone otherwise. Once a play occurs, that continuum begins--everything changes. It's not a snapshot in time. (Star Trek Corollary)