Minnesota needs an OC

Donate To GopherHole
Run game far and away the biggest concern coming out of tonight, but hopeful it’s the 3-3-5. D looked good and will get much better w Lindenberg back.
 

I'd hate to be old Rover or the red headed step child in the homes of some fans' after a week 11 loss if this is reaction to a week 1 win over a tough opponent. Lighten up. It's finally football season and it was a win.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
At the very least, the team continues to prove they are very, very well-coached overall. Penalties, at least to me, is usually a big indicator of coaching and Fleck continues to lead a team that just doesn't hurt themselves.

Three penalties tonight for 25 yards, including the 15-yd roughing the kicker. That's really, really well done in Game 1; Nebraska had 7 for 55 yards.
Click to expand...

Pre-snap penalties are all coaching, and Nebraska showed that Rhule has some work to do on that front. A couple of those penalties were drive killers (the false start on the QB sneak that would have gone into the end zone).
 

The run game wasn’t what we’ve been accustomed to in recent years due to the OL - not sustaining blocks long enough , RB’s - missing holes, being impatient, not making guys miss and not moving the pile. OC - we got too in love with throwing it, especially on 1st down. When it was incomplete we would try a run on second and 10.

The reverse call was a good time for it, just didn’t fool Nebbie.

We did just enough to win, which is the best thing of the night. Give this offense and the OC’s some time to work through things. A tough game one should really help in figuring things out and improving in all areas in the coming weeks.
 



SPEGOPHER said:
Run game far and away the biggest concern coming out of tonight, but hopeful it’s the 3-3-5. D looked good and will get much better w Lindenberg back.
Click to expand...
One of my biggest concern is going to the season with that mo did so much for making something (gains) out of absolutely nothing (sure lost yards) that it was going to be hard for the next running back.
 



RememberMurray said:
You nailed it.

And that roughing the kicker penalty on Minnesota was, as the kids today would say, 'sketchy'.

Year after year, Fleck's teams show two traits that are often contradicatory: his teams are very physical, and yet they are seldom penalized.
Click to expand...
Roughing call should have been reviewed (as also the late pass interference non-call). On the punt the blocker pulled our guy into the punter.
 





GFBfan said:
The run game wasn’t what we’ve been accustomed to in recent years due to the OL - not sustaining blocks long enough , RB’s - missing holes, being impatient, not making guys miss and not moving the pile. OC - we got too in love with throwing it, especially on 1st down. When it was incomplete we would try a run on second and 10.

The reverse call was a good time for it, just didn’t fool Nebbie.

We did just enough to win, which is the best thing of the night. Give this offense and the OC’s some time to work through things. A tough game one should really help in figuring things out and improving in all areas in the coming weeks.
Click to expand...

I think this could take a little while, I guess is what I'm saying.

I didn't get a vibe that Simon/Harbaugh know exactly what their identity is going to be this year, which is totally understandable; not only knew to being Fleck's OC, but a QB with different talents than they may be used to. Their identity is most definitely not going to be throwing it 44 times every week.

I'll chalk a fair amount up to not being sure what Nebraska was going to do defensively, and hopefully the rest of the NC schedule will help them ease into whatever it is they decide they want to do
 

The running game was not impressive—there is work to do. But … Nebraska stacked the box on many plays. That’s why we threw 44 passes. Nebraska dared us to beat them with our passing game. We did. If our passing game keeps maturing (fewer drops!), penalizing teams that stack the box, the running game will suddenly “be there.” One game, against a team that often sold out to stop the run, causing us to pass on 65% of our plays, doesn’t present enough data points for judging the 2023 running game. A brick is not a wall.
 





PJ confirmed in presser after game that Harbaugh is the OC and play-caller.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Until Fleck finds a legit OC they got no chance. Plus Fleck has gotten too conservative. That reverse call on 2nd and 3 was low level stupid. Bad junior football coaching. The O looks like Mike Sanford all over again. Find an OC PJ!
Click to expand...
Relax. Enjoy the victory against a Big Ten foe. Game One is in the books.

The Gophers will make adjustments from lessons learned. What will their offensive identity be? RPO needs the run game to complement the passing game.
 



Dave H said:
The reality is you are making assertions after (or during) the first game of the year and most people think that is ridiculous.
Click to expand...
13 total points with 4 turnovers from your D is ridiculous? Against an average to below average team with a first year coach? At home with a sellout crowd? Ok
 



Live in the now said:
If my aunt had a dick she would be my uncle. We can use this circular logic of what if all night. It was an ugly win but even the best teams in college have a couple a year. They made the plays when they needed to and won. Let’s move on.
Click to expand...
But what if she still identified as your aunt??? 🤣
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Until Fleck finds a legit OC they got no chance. Plus Fleck has gotten too conservative. That reverse call on 2nd and 3 was low level stupid. Bad junior football coaching. The O looks like Mike Sanford all over again. Find an OC PJ!
Click to expand...
Crazy thought.....give them more than one game before pulling the plug.....good lord man....
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Man it was one game...
Click to expand...
Gotta love the jump the gun conclusions after one game against a team we literally knew nothing about with too many first year starters to count on both ends.

We obviously have some issues like our rushing attack up the middle but are people seriously going to say that this team has no chance this year in the west? If Sims can learn to be more protective of the ball then I think Nebraska can seriously be good this year, which is GREAT for us.

When it comes to the OC play calling it obviously need some changes, but again, this was the first game with a first year OC without knowing what our team was capable of against a real team.

Our team came back from what felt like an impossible situation when playing under flecks game plan, which is huge news. It seems fleck is learning to manage time better and actually play from behind. Our QB showed up clutch under pressure and our passing game will only improve as more guys get involved. There's more good then bad you can take away from this game.

Everyone relax...
 

Live in the now said:
If my aunt had a dick she would be my uncle. We can use this circular logic of what if all night. It was an ugly win but even the best teams in college have a couple a year. They made the plays when they needed to and won. Let’s move on.
Click to expand...
She could still be your aunt in today’s world🤷‍♂️
 

gopherbadgerman said:
OL was not good. That’s a fact. Play calling was fine it’s the execution that was the issue.
Click to expand...
Agree, when you can't run the ball play calling gets pretty tough. If they can figure out a way to establish even a decent running game this offense could be very good.
 

Minnesota's rushing attack looks different without Mo Ibrahim and 3 of 5 offensive line starters from last season.

Hopefully, we're not shocked by this.

---

Certain fans have been complaining for years that Minnesota runs more than any other college team except the service academies.

To those fans, I say: be careful what you wish for, because you may get your wish.

---

Going forward, will the Gophers be able to continue to play FleckBall? Maybe not. The strategy of grinding the clock with a potent rushing attack that wears down the opposition's defense while simultaneously giving our defense extended time to rest and make adjustments may no longer be possible.

It will be interesting to see how it all transpires... and really interesting to see how certain posters react if they are rewarded with an offense that looks exactly like the offense they've been asking for.
 

While I think co-OCs is dumb and wish PJ would just go with Simon, the play calling wasn’t the problem. No push from the OL and no productive run game was. I’d be more worried about the play calling if they’d called 50 running plays and we never moved the ball. I’m actually surprised and impressed that they had AK slinging it around so much. He had some misfires, but that was what was working.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom