Morgan should run once in a while

[MplsGopher]

We only put up 19 on Iowa last year. We didn’t play Michigan last year.



You are so bold to predict the gophers don’t match the best season post 1970 next year.
I would bet we don’t match the best seasons post 1970 next year too.



What do you want to do? Do you think Flexk should change OC?

19 isn't better than zero? (Sorry, we scored zero against Iowa, I don't care)

What I think about it (which again, I'll remind you is worth very little) is quite simple: Fleck should not have dicked Simon in order to hire his buddy Sanford. Lucky as hell that Simon didn't leave .... ironically I'm sure if he had left for an OC job, Fleck would've declared victory and said "I helped him achieve his goal".

 

[MplsGopher]

Yes, we are running about the same number of times per game 2020 vs 2019 (about 44.5 times) and yardage is 20 more per game in 2020. My concern is simply wearing Mo out with no rotation being used. Passing is different. Same number of passes per game (about 25); but 50 fewer passing yards per game. Average completions have dropped from 10.2 to 8.1 yards. Not stretching the field as much? What you have identified is that many fans (like me) are casting about at how to marginally improve the offense to increase likelihood of victory when, in fact, the offense is good enough already to win most games. If the remaining games are played, and our young defense gains experience and confidence, that will greatly (not marginally) increase the likelihood of our winning. But that is probably a 2021 season thing, not 2020.

Real talk: we're getting more yards because Mo is a more talented running back at rushing the football than Rod. #realtalk

Now overall, pass catching and pass blocking, maybe Rod was/is the better overall package.

 

[Some guy]

19 isn't better than zero? (Sorry, we scored zero against Iowa, I don't care)

What I think about it (which again, I'll remind you is worth very little) is quite simple: Fleck should not have dicked Simon in order to hire his buddy Sanford. Lucky as hell that Simon didn't leave .... ironically I'm sure if he had left for an OC job, Fleck would've declared victory and said "I helped him achieve his goal".

You have no idea if Simon feels “dicked”

Do you feel Fleck should have the ability to pick his own coordinators removed? Who should hire them? Coyle?

 

[Some guy]

[
Real talk: we're getting more yards because Mo is a more talented running back at rushing the football than Rod. #realtalk

Now overall, pass catching and pass blocking, maybe Rod was/is the better overall package.

Lol

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Last year:

Rod - 13 games 228 carries (17.5 per game)
Mo - 10 games 114 carries (11.4 per game)
Brooks - 9 games 73 carries (8.1 per game)


I suppose that qualifies as a rotation, and I agree that Mo is significantly different from Rod. I think Mo was our best back last year. Seemed that the most happened on the ground when he had the ball. But it's impossible to decouple that from not being the "feature back" and being "fresh". Can't discount that.

Mo is our best RB, no question, and probably was in 2019. I don’t know, and there is no way to know, how Mo would have held up over the season in 2019 if he had to handle 400 carries instead of 115. I am just speculating that more wear and tear is a long-term problem.

 

[MplsGopher]

You have no idea if Simon feels “dicked”

Do you feel Fleck should have the ability to pick his own coordinators removed? Who should hire them? Coyle?

His gameplan wins the Auburn bowl game, and would match the promotion Rossi received after he took over for Robb Smith.

The correct decision then, as is still now, is for Simon to be the OC. Sticking by that until proven wrong.

Fleck's first choices for OC and DC at Minnesota (KC was hired at W Michigan) have both been wrong.

 

[MplsGopher]

Mo is our best RB, no question, and probably was in 2019. I don’t know, and there is no way to know, how Mo would have held up over the season in 2019 if he had to handle 400 carries instead of 115. I am just speculating that more wear and tear is a long-term problem.

Seems like there's no way he would hold up, especially with how physical he is.

 

[Some guy]

His gameplan wins the Auburn bowl game, and would match the promotion Rossi received after he took over for Robb Smith.

The correct decision then, as is still now, is for Simon to be the OC. Sticking by that until proven wrong.

Fleck's first choices for OC and DC at Minnesota (KC was hired at W Michigan) have both been wrong.

You didn’t answer my question.
should fleck have decision making ability over his own coordinator positions. And if no, who should get them.

 

[MplsGopher]

Lol

And Mo is doing it with an inferior version of the OL, compared to last year. #realtalk

Particularly with a walk-on starting at LG and having a less than 100% ankle for some of the games this year.

 

[MplsGopher]

You didn’t answer my question.
should fleck have decision making ability over his own coordinator positions. And if no, who should get them.

That question is silly, and you know the answer. As I said, message boards are and should be for fans to throw stuff out.

For better or for worse, that's what I'm about. Throwing stuff out, and not caring how many times I'm wrong (it's many). If it bothers you, don't reply. I don't think it does, but just reminding that I'm not here to make enemies, just provoke discussion.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Yes, we are running about the same number of times per game 2020 vs 2019 (about 44.5 times) and yardage is 20 more per game in 2020. My concern is simply wearing Mo out with no rotation being used. Passing is different. Same number of passes per game (about 25); but 50 fewer passing yards per game. Average completions have dropped from 10.2 to 8.1 yards. Not stretching the field as much? What you have identified is that many fans (like me) are casting about at how to marginally improve the offense to increase likelihood of victory when, in fact, the offense is good enough already to win most games. If the remaining games are played, and our young defense gains experience and confidence, that will greatly (not marginally) increase the likelihood of our winning. But that is probably a 2021 season thing, not 2020.

Passing numbers are down precisely because TJ is gone. I agree, it's not an offensive problem, and having Morgan run the ball will not change that Gophs defensive struggles.

 

[Some guy]

Mo is our best RB, no question, and probably was in 2019. I don’t know, and there is no way to know, how Mo would have held up over the season in 2019 if he had to handle 400 carries instead of 115. I am just speculating that more wear and tear is a long-term problem.

I think Mo is the worst overall running back of the three. But Mo is the best at running zone rushing schemes. And since we run zone about 95% of the time...he might be the best for our system.

I kind of started to believe what I just wrote starting about halftime of the Georgia tech game.

 

[Some guy]

That question is silly, and you know the answer. As I said, message boards are and should be for fans to throw stuff out.

I don’t know the answer, you seem to be adamant that we have the wrong OC. Do you think the AD should force a change? Or should the coach be allowed to make his own choice?

 

[Gophergrandpa]

It is literally why morgan has seemed to be under more pressure this year. We are running longer routes this year that are play action and drop back rather than RPO.
A lot of 5 step rather than RPO

You can go ahead and not believe. I’ll be okay.

Interesting, given that our average yards per completion is down 20% this year. Less YAC? Have something to do with the types of routes being run? The finer points of WR deployment are far beyond my pay grade. Just curious.

 

[MplsGopher]

I don’t know the answer, you seem to be adamant that we have the wrong OC. Do you think the AD should force a change? Or should the coach be allowed to make his own choice?

Of course I think the AD should let the fans hire the coordinators, who doesn't think that.

 

[MplsGopher]

Passing numbers are down precisely because TJ is gone. I agree, it's not an offensive problem, and having Morgan run the ball will not change that Gophs defensive struggles.

Bolded is an awful excuse for Sanford. And not true at all, in my opinion.

 

[MplsGopher]

Interesting, given that our average yards per completion is down 20% this year. Less YAC? Have something to do with the types of routes being run? The finer points of WR deployment are far beyond my pay grade. Just curious.

As Burns correctly noted: deep pass attempts were way down. Purdue was the first game where they attempted to get back to it consistently.

A longer developing route doesn't necessarily mean it's a deep route.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Seems like there's no way he would hold up, especially with how physical he is.

I think we are very lucky that this is a short season. If Mo had to carry the ball in numbers that essentially matched all of the combined carries of Rodney, Shannon and Mo last year, over 13 games, the likelihood of injury and fatigue would go way up. For next year’s full 13 game season, I think we need at least one other effective, durable, reliable RB—ideally one with a change of pace running style, to add another wrinkle to opposing defensive game prep—to handle at least 1/3 of the running attempts (if we stay with 44 runs/25 passes play allocation of 2019 and 2020). This is a bruising game.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

I think Mo is the worst overall running back of the three. But Mo is the best at running zone rushing schemes. And since we run zone about 95% of the time...he might be the best for our system.

I kind of started to believe what I just wrote starting about halftime of the Georgia tech game.

Point taken. Mo certainly isn’t a breakaway back. But he does combine power with great vision. His ability to see and hit a tight crease that opens up for a moment (like Shannon could) is a very valuable trait. Our system maximizes his strengths. I also think that Mo has shown he can catch a pass (as Rodney and Shannon could). We just don’t throw to RBs much.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Bolded is an awful excuse for Sanford. And not true at all, in my opinion.

Again, not making excuses for him (weird but not unexpected response from you). You take what the defense gives you, and this year, it's more on the ground because teams are covering receivers differently without TJ.

 

[MplsGopher]

Iowa did shut us down last year? Not sure what games you are watching. We scored 19 points. Had less than 75 yards rushing.
Tyler Johnson had 173 receiving. If you take out his 173 we pretty much performed the same.

We were actually much better on the ground in 2020 compared to 2019 against Iowa.

2019 offense vs Iowa (@ Iowa):

TM passing : 25/36 368yd (10.2 per) 1TD/0int

TJ - 9 170yd (18.9 per) 1TD
Bateman - 6 98yd (16.3 per) 0TD
DD - 4 60yd (15.0 per) 0TD
CAB - 3 21yd (7.0 per) 0TD
(3 misc catches)

Rushing (without TM negative yards) - 23 86yd (3.7 per) 0 TD

drives:
1 - 12 plays 47 yards Missed FG (big plays: TJ rec 17, DD rec 20)
2 - 12 plays 87 yards FG (big plays: Bateman rec 46, Bateman rec 11)
3 - 9 plays 50 yards Punt (big plays: TJ rec 38)
4 - 5 plays 44 yards End of Half (big plays: DD rec 29, TJ rec 11)

5 - 6 plays 66 yards TD (big plays: Rod run 18, Bateman rec 12, TJ rec 28+TD)
6 - 12 plays 76 yards Turnover Downs (big plays: Brooks run 14, CAB rec 13, TJ rec 30, TJ rec 11)
7 - 3 plays -1 yards Punt
8 - 9 plays 75 yards TD (big plays: Bateman rec 17, TJ rec 16, Mo rec 15, TJ rec 14, Rod run 1+TD)
9 - 4 plays -11 yards Int

On drive 7 (I believe) TJ also had a huge drop. One of the drives he had a huge drop, I remember that.


2020 offense vs Iowa (home):

TM passing : 16/33 167yd (5.1 per) 1TD/2int (TD was fake, IMO)

Bateman - 8 111yd (13.9 per) 1TD (fake)
CAB - 3 24yd (8.0 per) 0TD
MBS - 1 10yd 0TD
(4 misc catches)

Rushing - all Mo - 33 144yd (4.4 per) 0 TD

drives:
1 - 6 plays 19 yards Punt
2 - 6 plays 37 yards Punt (Bateman rec 19)
3 - 6 plays 14 yards Punt (TM run 11)
4 - 3 plays 6 yards Punt
5 - 3 plays 17 yards Int (Mo run 11)
6 - 6 plays 17 yards End of half (also turnover on downs)

7 - 3 plays -3 yards Punt
8 - 17 plays 74 yards Missed FG (Bateman rec 24, Mo run 13, Bateman rec 12)
9 - 6 plays 55 yards Int (Bateman rec 25, Mo run 11)
10 - 3 plays -9 yards Punt
11 - 15 plays 75 yards **against Iowa backups, in the trashiest garbage time** TD (CAB rec 12, MBS rec 10, Bateman rec 4+TD)





It is so laughable that your diagnosis for the difference is "last year they had TJ, and that is the entirety of all things different with the two offenses".

This year, our offense against Iowa, until the last garbage time drive, was literally: hand to Mo and throw at Bateman or get sacked trying to do that.

Last year DD and/or CAB would've gotten the yards that TJ got if he wasn't in the game, which they did prove that anyway with the catches they had. DD probably his best game as a Gopher.

No chance that we don't have the same capabilities by non-Bateman players this year.


It's Sanford and/or Fleck trying to force everything to Bateman. That makes sense to me, as a "promise/commitment" to get him to come back. Wild speculation.

 

[MplsGopher]

Again, not making excuses for him (weird but not unexpected response from you). You take what the defense gives you, and this year, it's more on the ground because teams are covering receivers differently without TJ.

Bolded is so weak, dude.

You really think that Big Ten coordinators were just stumped last year? That it was the first time they'd ever played a team with more than one solid WR? And suddenly they figured something out this year?

CAB could've caught just as many passes this year as TJ did last year. I have no doubt.

We just didn't throw it to him.

 

[Some guy]

Point taken. Mo certainly isn’t a breakaway back. But he does combine power with great vision. His ability to see and hit a tight crease that opens up for a moment (like Shannon could) is a very valuable trait. Our system maximizes his strengths. I also think that Mo has shown he can catch a pass (as Rodney and Shannon could). We just don’t throw to RBs much.

I’d rather have Mo than Brooks as Brooks couldn’t stay healthy and seemingly fumbled at too high or a rate.

Smith and Mo I both like. In most systems I’d take Smith. In ours, I may take Mo