Limegrover is not good

[Mulligan]

Do you understand what a message board is for? Discussing aspects of the game. Not every thread can be sunshine and rainbows. As for bitching......most of us are very happy that we won. There is a huge difference between bitching, and questioning aspects of our game plan.

And I did discuss it. I also gave my opinion on why they're running the same play so don't get all pompous and lecture me about the purpose of a message board.. Mentioning the amount of bitching is also a valid observation so get over it.

 

[highwayman]

I think FCG is way out of bounds on this. We've used about 10% of our playbook...intentionally. You also have to get your OL to play together as a unit, so you call plays that you want them to get better at--over and over.

You want to win every game, but you are really prepping for the B1G season. This is a progression, playbooks are implemented in a progression. Let them progress. Limegrover is one of the better offensive minds. He knows what he's preparing for.

He doesn't want any B1G DCs knowing what that is.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I think FCG is way out of bounds on this. We've used about 10% of our playbook...intentionally. You also have to get your OL to play together as a unit, so you call plays that you want them to get better at--over and over.

You want to win every game, but you are really prepping for the B1G season. This is a progression, playbooks are implemented in a progression. Let them progress. Limegrover is one of the better offensive minds. He knows what he's preparing for.

He doesn't want any B1G DCs knowing what that is.

Love my Gophers, but I don't think a team coming off a 3-9 season and only having 1 senior on offense can really be prepping for the Big 10 season the way some of you think. The OL is a work in progress and looks bad at times. I think a team that throws for 4 TD's on a variety of plays is not holding back. When they get the lead though, I agree, they are trying the force feed the running game. That I don't think they will be able or have the opportunity to do in Big Ten play.

 

[Killjoy]

Why is it that some people can't just discuss the things that aren't working without getting their underwear in a bunch?

Sorry I'm not a homer that only sees what worked. Glad they won but that type of play won't win many B1G games.

Yea, I agree with you. I can't stand it when people here criticize GopherHole experts!

 

[stocker08]

And I did discuss it. I also gave my opinion on why they're running the same play so don't get all pompous and lecture me about the purpose of a message board.. Mentioning the amount of bitching is also a valid observation so get over it.

Get over it? I never saw it as a problem. It would seem as though you need to get over it.

 

[TLHGO4]

Limegrover's offense looked pretty good against the Gophers two years ago. He still needs another year to get the depth and experience needed to have a solid offense. Still need better running backs and a couple more stud OLinemen. There's a lot of promise with the wide receivers.

 

[To Be Named Later]

Take a look at the Power play that got stopped. The scheme was fine and had every defender accounted for. The problem is that the OL were not quick enough getting to their assignments. The initial penetration was made by a DT who got through a gap. I want to say it was the Gopher RT who whiffed on the down block (though it might have been the RG- I forget). The reason he whiffed is that he turned his body, did not take a long enough step, and tried to lean into the block rather than get across the gap with his feet. Not good.

Once he whiffed, the pulling guard could not pull through to the charging LB. Even if that puller only gets a piece of the LB, we get the 1st down and this conversation never takes place. Instead, the lazy down block prevents the pulling guard from getting to his spot.

The Power play will work quite well against an aggressive defense if the OL moves with the proper quickness and proper angles. The reason is that it is all about running a path. The easiest way to explain it is that the OL have blocking assignments that require them to get to certain places. If they get to those places at the right time, it doesn't matter what the defense is doing. There was plenty of time to make the down block and pull through to the LB. The young OL simply missed it because they did not move fast enough.

I want to emphasize the young OL because it is important. The mistakes up front do not appear to be mental mistakes; they are primarily physical mistakes that are made by young linemen. The down blocker was in the right place; he just didn't move fast enough. The OL has already been better than last year, and they will continue to improve over the course of the season. It takes a lot of time for linemen to figure out just how quickly they have to move and what their angles need to be on a play like that and a situation like that. You may not like the outcome of the play, but that was a valuable learning experience for the OL.

At some point this season, I'm betting Limegrover will come back to that play in a similar situation and it will work because the OL learned from their mistakes. Don't forget: there is a reason people were predicting a 4, 5, or 6 win season, and Limegrover isn't it.

 

[highwayman]

Love my Gophers, but I don't think a team coming off a 3-9 season and only having 1 senior on offense can really be prepping for the Big 10 season the way some of you think. The OL is a work in progress and looks bad at times. I think a team that throws for 4 TD's on a variety of plays is not holding back. When they get the lead though, I agree, they are trying the force feed the running game. That I don't think they will be able or have the opportunity to do in Big Ten play.

So you stand by "we're pulling out all the stops"? You're kidding, right? They've hardly shown anything.

OL has had issues. That's why you force feed it. It's called game experience.

 

[mplsbadger]

When my QB is averaging 5+ YPC I'll keep running the read option. They called the game that was right for the personnel which is why we have so much debate about who should start - they are very different.

I agree on the 3rd and 1. It was coming right at us and I didn't understand pulling a guard Ina situation like that - really slow to develop.

Also, my untrained eye suggests that we need our backs to be running pads low and always getting those 2 yards after contact so that our down and distance is better. 1st half it didn't seem like we were doing that. I don't think the OL run blocked great today & heard a coach comment on it after the game on KFAN. See the same thing with Ball right now at UW.

 

[husker70]

From the third period with 4 minutes left, the goal was to make the clock the enemy of Western Michigan. With each run approximately 40 seconds came off the clock. Coach Limegrover was playing the game. The first downs entitled us to take over 2 minutes off. We were moving the ball, and time was on the march. The incomplete pass, running out of bounds and penalties were the errors, because they stopped the clock. And when the punt went up and came down on the 20 yard line Western Michigan had 1 time out and a little over a minute left. The defense knew what was needed and we got an extremely timely sack. Because it was a loss of yardage, and the clock kept moving. The clock was Western Michigan biggest opponent. Great coverage by Carter, and a great tackle on fourth down on the Western Michigan 30. Sure they had the ball, but they didn't have a chance. The game was over when we went up by 11. The rest was just keeping the clock moving. That part of the game is difficult to understand, and harder to execute. If the Gophers had coverted that 3rd and 1 the game was over, Western Michigan sold out, to stop the run.

 

[CrocShots]

Hey dude,

Ya know that coaches scout, like tendencies and stuff of other teams.
Just a hunch they choose that data over a message board poster.

 

[Wheelwright]

I don't know if it has been said, but I actually liked that the OC was able to change a game plan and go with a different set and formations when shortell was QB.

To me that shows a guy that knows his players. He didn't have Shortell rush like Gray and made kirkwood (for better or worse) carry the load

 

[Killjoy]

You started out with your underwear in a bunch.

+1 Some people would be better served if they waited a day before they begin to rant. Football is a complex highly physical, emotiional and mental game. Both teams are going to make many mistakes. Hopefully, our team will make less mistakes at less critical times than the other team. One of the reason's I like MV's analysis of the games is that he understands both the complexity and the relationships of the parts with the whole in disecting the game. This is quite evident when he diagrams key plays as to what actually occured and why. We could use more analysis here and less rant and emotion. Will that happen?

 

[Dr.Don]

+1 Some people would be better served if they waited a day before they begin to rant. Football is a complex highly physical and mental game. Both teams are going to make many mistakes. Hopefully, out team will make less mistakes at less critical times than the other team. One of the reason's I like MV's analysis of the games is that he understands both the complexity and the relationships of the parts with the whole in disecting the game. This is quite evident when he diagrams key plays as to what actually occured and why. We could use more analysis here and less rant and emotion. Will that happen?

NAFC here by the GH experts.

 

[JOHN4254]

Terrible play calls, ultra conservative in every game, won't throw the ball, etc. How do you call a slow-developing run play on 3rd and 1 when the D is going to send everyone? I always hate it when coaches do that.

Dear FCG,

In case you missed the last three weeks, the Gophers are averaging 34 points per game with your self-described conservative play calling by the Offensive Co-ordinator. The last time I checked, Jerry Kill is still the head coach and the guy who sends in the plays to the QB. Matt Limegrover is not the final decision maker/play caller. 34 points per game is not too shabby in my humble estimation.

As my late mother would say, "You would complain if you were hung with a gold rope." Go Gophers!

 

[tikited]

I didn't have a problem with the play calling with Max in the game, but I did not like how they ran the offense with Gray. It was almost cowardly at times.

Very happy to see the team not panic in the least once again. When Max came in they seemed to come alive and I think the play calling had a lot to do with it.

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

We ran that jet sweep zone read so many times. It seemed like Limegrover wanted to be as vanilla as possible while still winning the game.

 

[Flatfoot]

Pass protection has been decent this year with this young line. It would seem that we still need to 'practice' some blitz pickups with other backs. We need to work on base blocking techniques and gain experience.
And the OC?
I sincerely doubt Limegrover has opened the play book much yet. Remember last year how we went back two steps (or more), because we weren't ready to go forward? Our team looks like two step forward one back group right now, both young and inexperienced and making a little progress. The mistakes and the little things are being worked on over and over again. This NC schedule,so far, has looked to me like the coaches got together and said "we need to 'practice' this and get this down pat in the next game before we can move forward". Always knowing it is important to win the game, but at the same time if this part of the game isn't established well, the rest of the season will look like last year. The really great thing is we are still winning along the way...I'm just enjoying the ride.

 

[FireCosgroveGuy]

Ugh, this guy still sucks.

Stop trying to force the square peg (Shortell) into the round hole. He is not Gray. He does not have short accuracy, so stop throwing the stupid WR screen that goes 10 yards over a guy's head or into the ground. Stop running him up the middle, he can't take it. He is a pocket passer, MAKE SOME ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR SCHEME.

WTF is a run play being called on 3rd and 13 for. Nice give up play. I don't get it.....way to give up.

Chance to score at the end of the half with 1 minute left? Nah, just run it and kill the clock.

Kill is doing the team no favors today, either. 4th down at roughly the 35? Pretty obvious down to go for it, even at 10-15 yards to go. So what do you do? Take too long to think about it, then send out the offense, then call a timeout, then fake a stupid FG that no one would EVER buy. WTF is this garbage?

The coaches are horrible today.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Ugh, this guy still sucks.

Stop trying to force the square peg (Shortell) into the round hole. He is not Gray. He does not have short accuracy, so stop throwing the stupid WR screen that goes 10 yards over a guy's head or into the ground. Stop running him up the middle, he can't take it. He is a pocket passer, MAKE SOME ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR SCHEME.

WTF is a run play being called on 3rd and 13 for. Nice give up play. I don't get it.....way to give up.

Chance to score at the end of the half with 1 minute left? Nah, just run it and kill the clock.

Kill is doing the team no favors today, either. 4th down at roughly the 35? Pretty obvious down to go for it, even at 10-15 yards to go. So what do you do? Take too long to think about it, then send out the offense, then call a timeout, then fake a stupid FG that no one would EVER buy. WTF is this garbage?

The coaches are horrible today.

I wish Limegrover would have made good throws to the open receivers down field. I wish Kill would have not fumbled a bunch of times, and would catch the ball. Today was all about unforced mistakes. The blame for today needs to be spread around.

 

[GO4INLALALAND]

I wish Limegrover would have made good throws to the open receivers down field. I wish Kill would have not fumbled a bunch of times, and would catch the ball. Today was all about unforced mistakes. The blame for today needs to be spread around.

I agree with your overall sentiment. However, I do feel that our play calling can be very predictable. There were times today were I knew it going to be a run before the snap and so did NW. I really feel the playing calling needs to become less predictable. As for the fumbles, not much a coach can do about that.

 

[kisarazu]

I wish Limegrover would have made good throws to the open receivers down field. I wish Kill would have not fumbled a bunch of times, and would catch the ball. Today was all about unforced mistakes. The blame for today needs to be spread around.

FireEveryCoachGuy is what he is. But I like your use of hyperbole.

 

[scools12]

Not Limegrover's fault at this point the O-Line is terrible and other than Gray there are no explosive playmakers on offense.

 

[skauma]

I am having a hard time figuring out if this loss is more Shortell for missing receivers wide open in the end zone, or Limegrover for his extremely questionable play calling. Sure he called some plays where receivers were open, and Max couldnt hit them...but here are two plays that stick out to me, that are on him...3rd and 11 in the second quarter, we run a QB draw, which leads to us having to punt. The other play, was a 3rd and 1, Kirkwood had been running people over all game, and we throw it on that play.

3rd and long = running play
3rd and short = passing play
Makes no sense.

 

[Gopherprof]

I would like to know what the hell Lamonte Edwards was doing returning kicks in such an important game considering he has, to my knowledge, no experience doing so at all.

That was the biggest play of the game, and it falls pretty heavily on Kill.

 

[skauma]

I would like to know what the hell Lamonte Edwards was doing returning kicks in such an important game considering he has, to my knowledge, no experience doing so at all.

That was the biggest play of the game, and it falls pretty heavily on Kill.

I dont think Lamonte was one of the deep return men on that play, I think it was Stoudemire and Maye, the kicker intentionally kicked it away from those 2.

 

[MrC]

I would like to know what the hell Lamonte Edwards was doing returning kicks in such an important game considering he has, to my knowledge, no experience doing so at all.

That was the biggest play of the game, and it falls pretty heavily on Kill.

If Kill was any good, the Gophers would never lose again. In fact, the fact they have lost even one game under Kill means it is time to replace him.

 

[Gopherprof]

If Kill was any good, the Gophers would never lose again. In fact, the fact they have lost even one game under Kill means it is time to replace him.

What an idiotic overreaction to what I said.

 

[Gopherprof]

I dont think Lamonte was one of the deep return men on that play, I think it was Stoudemire and Maye, the kicker intentionally kicked it away from those 2.

No, he was back there with Troy. I watched the replay on DVR.

He also jumped before he tried to catch it, for whatever bizarre reason.

 

[House 2]

Part of good coaching is putting your players in positions where they can succeed. I do not know if the coaches are not doing a good enough job or if the players they have are not good enough. We will see in the coming years. They did have two weeks to prepare.