Nate Sandell: Gophers have reduced once-dramatic talent gap with Ohio State

[BleedGopher]

per Sandell:

For a program still trying to prove itself amongst the upper tier of the Big Ten, any talk of "moral victories" can be especially bittersweet. There were positives to be had on Saturday, but the bottom line is that Minnesota hasn't fully reached the point of knocking off one of the conference's best.

They have come a ways in closing the once dramatic gap.

Ohio State, fresh off its impressive victory at Michigan State, looked poised to put the Gophers away early after quarterback J.T. Barrett broke off an 86-yard run on the Buckeyes' second possession, followed one series later with an 87-yard scoring drive that put Minnesota in a 14-0 hole

In the past, a deficit of that nature would have been enough to knock out the Gophers, especially against a team like Ohio State. But they managed to scrap their way back into the game thanks in large part to highlight worthy defensive plays, including an interception by cornerback Briean Boddy Calhoun and a fumble that Minnesota recovered in the endzone on a 96-yard drive. With scores off both turnovers, the Gophers trailed only 17-14 at the half.

Minnesota's margin of error for major mistakes (turnovers, penalties, etc.) remains slim, and when costly errors arose in the second half, Kill's team wasn't able to do enough to make up for them.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...oncedramatic_talent_gap_with_Ohio_State111514

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

I continue to be impressed with the team's resolve to fight back when they get behind in games. This grit is really impressive when you consider we are a grind it out running kind of team. If our passing game ever catches on fire, watch out! Hopefully, we see less slow starts moving forward but nice to know we can claw our way back into games after bad things happen.

Go Gophers!

 

[Deleted_User]

The game was two assignments away from being more of a fight. One linebacker bit twice on misdirection and both ended up as very long TDs. Stay in containment and it is very likely they would not have become easy TDs.

Discipline wins games. Yesterday, Ohio State had better discipline than Minnesota. Yes, there still exists a talent gap (most curiously along our offensive line). They need to perform better in the next two weeks. There is no more tomorrows. All in.

 

[station19]

The game was two assignments away from being more of a fight. One linebacker bit twice on misdirection and both ended up as very long TDs. Stay in containment and it is very likely they would not have become easy TDs.

Discipline wins games. Yesterday, Ohio State had better discipline than Minnesota. Yes, there still exists a talent gap (most curiously along our offensive line). They need to perform better in the next two weeks. There is no more tomorrows. All in.

QB DEAN

 

[Governor Sibley]

Would anybody swap punter & kicker with any other team in the country?

 

[Some guy]

Would anybody swap punter & kicker with any other team in the country?

Not punter.
Kicker is 3 for his last 6, probably not the best in the country

 

[GophersInIowa]

QB DEAN

WR as well, especially with our two most talented guys out with injuries/sickness.

 

[station19]

WR as well, especially with our two most talented guys out with injuries/sickness.

AND WR DEAN.

 

[Sparlimb]

Not punter.
Kicker is 3 for his last 6, probably not the best in the country

Never blame a kicker for missing a 50 yarder. Never blame a kicker for missing field goals in cold and snow. 50 yarders in cold and snow are a 25% scenario. And he damn well nearly hit it. He's doing just fine.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

Never blame a kicker for missing a 50 yarder. Never blame a kicker for missing field goals in cold and snow. 50 yarders in cold and snow are a 25% scenario. And he damn well nearly hit it. He's doing just fine.

Amen!

 

[DoubleAlum]

For sh*ts and giggles, anyone care to speculate how the game may have completely changed had we not been called for an illegal formation on 3rd and one? I believe we picked up the first down on that play. Instead, it became 3rd and 6, and we turned it over with an interception. I continue to be amazed how a play here or there has made such a difference in so many Gopher games. Really uncanny. On the bright side, we have a coach who is very keyed into that and is constantly working to eliminate mistakes. When our talent level increases a notch, we could be an annual powerhouse under Kill. By the way, can somebody explain to me why you can only have so many players in the backfield? I've never understood that. And, if a player is one step shy of the line of scrimmage, why would a referee call that penalty. Clearly, the player is well within the "spirit" of the rule. Seems like a call that refs make when they want to impact the flow of the game for some reason.

 

[Lil Richard 69]

How about if Urban Meyer didn't put a guy back to muff a punt up 3 scores in the 4th which was the only way that game stayed alive...or the same guy didn't fumble scoring a near game-ending score?

We're improved, but we can take the maroon glasses off to say that we were that close. Sure, we had a few silly mistakes and the ball didn't bounce our way a few times but all things being equal I'd say we lost by 17 or so at home if the breaks were "normal." I don't think OSU is going to fumble falling into the endzone or muff a punt they shouldn't even be trying to return next time we see them.

 

[matt]

We're improved, but we can take the maroon glasses off to say that we were that close. Sure, we had a few silly mistakes and the ball didn't bounce our way a few times but all things being equal I'd say we lost by 17 or so at home if the breaks were "normal." I don't think OSU is going to fumble falling into the endzone or muff a punt they shouldn't even be trying to return next time we see them.

Or how about if Cedric has arms 2" longer or if he doesn't get juked by JT Barrett on the long run or if Santoso kicks the ball 4" further right? There were mistakes by both teams yesterday, not just Ohio St. And the Gophers WERE that close. The score is the only thing that matters and it was a one score game with the Gophers kicking an onside kick with a minute left in the game.

At the end of the game yesterday I also felt like the Gophers caught a bunch of breaks, but the more I think about it, the more even I think the game was.

 

[maxwellsmart]

How about if Urban Meyer didn't put a guy back to muff a punt up 3 scores in the 4th which was the only way that game stayed alive...or the same guy didn't fumble scoring a near game-ending score?

We're improved, but we can take the maroon glasses off to say that we were that close. Sure, we had a few silly mistakes and the ball didn't bounce our way a few times but all things being equal I'd say we lost by 17 or so at home if the breaks were "normal." I don't think OSU is going to fumble falling into the endzone or muff a punt they shouldn't even be trying to return next time we see them.[/QUOTE

Forced errors certainly are not "breaks." Putting a hard hit on a ball carrier that forces a fumble and then making the recovery is not a "break." Muffing a punt is an honest to goodness mistake and having players in position to make a recovery is not a "break."

 

[killme]

The game was two assignments away from being more of a fight. One linebacker bit twice on misdirection and both ended up as very long TDs. Stay in containment and it is very likely they would not have become easy TDs.

Discipline wins games. Yesterday, Ohio State had better discipline than Minnesota. Yes, there still exists a talent gap (most curiously along our offensive line). They need to perform better in the next two weeks. There is no more tomorrows. All in.

I actually think two players bit on two of the TDs, plus the wide-open TD pass was totally blown. Those errors can't happen when you're trying to beat an elite team and JK, his staff and players know it.

As for discipline, I would argue the Gophers have more discipline than OSU, but they made critical errors with some uncharacteristic penalties. Pre-snap penalties are the worst and we had a few. I don't think it's lack of discipline, but wonder if it was the result of realizing OSU was so formidable that we had to out-scheme them and lost focus on a few fundamentals.

 

[tikited]

Never blame a kicker for missing a 50 yarder. Never blame a kicker for missing field goals in cold and snow. 50 yarders in cold and snow are a 25% scenario. And he damn well nearly hit it. He's doing just fine.

Plus he was rushed by the indecision to go for it or kick.

 

[station19]

IT'S A GAME OF INCHES.



I just made that up. Do you think it will catch on?

 

[Lil Richard 69]

OK, so I hope next time that coach Kill punts it several times and lets them move the ball at will hoping those same forced errors would happen.

He's a great coach and so I will agree that we are in position more often than not to get these turnovers.

But come on, apparently @Illinois we outgained them big time but that pesky little fumble cost us (I agree in a sense, we were a much better team). But now against OSU, they ran up and down the field and coughed up some uncharacteristic turnovers due to weather and Mitch made characteristic turnovers but we were just that close.

Like I said, that muffed punt was the most baffling. If he was told to let it bounce or not on the field trying to catch it, the game probably ends as a 17 point loss. OSU probably punts with 4 minutes left and we wave the white flag and run the clock out.

 

[John Galt]

Never blame a kicker for missing a 50 yarder. Never blame a kicker for missing field goals in cold and snow. 50 yarders in cold and snow are a 25% scenario. And he damn well nearly hit it. He's doing just fine.

Santoso is good, but the question was would you trade him for "anyone in the country."

 

[John Galt]

I thought the pass interference call on Murray with under 1 minute left in the 1st half was poor. He turned his head and was between the receiver and the ball. Take away that call, and it's questionable as to whether OSU gets a field goal right before halftime.

 

[Hates Monikers]

OK, so I hope next time that coach Kill punts it several times and lets them move the ball at will hoping those same forced errors would happen.

He's a great coach and so I will agree that we are in position more often than not to get these turnovers.

But come on, apparently @Illinois we outgained them big time but that pesky little fumble cost us (I agree in a sense, we were a much better team). But now against OSU, they ran up and down the field and coughed up some uncharacteristic turnovers due to weather and Mitch made characteristic turnovers but we were just that close.

Like I said, that muffed punt was the most baffling. If he was told to let it bounce or not on the field trying to catch it, the game probably ends as a 17 point loss. OSU probably punts with 4 minutes left and we wave the white flag and run the clock out.

I heard a lot of this "logic" from the local media guys this weekend, and I just don't get it. When OSU turns it over we were lucky and they were helping us stay close. When we throw an interception at our own 25 that lads to an OSU TD it's "characteristic" and just shows we're not good enough. You can't have it both ways.

OSU was better. They made a few mistakes and so did we. They made a few plays and so did we, but they made a few more. But the game was, indeed, as close as the score would indicate.

 

[Some guy]

Santoso is good, but the question was would you trade him for "anyone in the country."

This

 

[Some guy]

For sh*ts and giggles, anyone care to speculate how the game may have completely changed had we not been called for an illegal formation on 3rd and one? I believe we picked up the first down on that play. Instead, it became 3rd and 6, and we turned it over with an interception. I continue to be amazed how a play here or there has made such a difference in so many Gopher games. Really uncanny. On the bright side, we have a coach who is very keyed into that and is constantly working to eliminate mistakes. When our talent level increases a notch, we could be an annual powerhouse under Kill. By the way, can somebody explain to me why you can only have so many players in the backfield? I've never understood that. And, if a player is one step shy of the line of scrimmage, why would a referee call that penalty. Clearly, the player is well within the "spirit" of the rule. Seems like a call that refs make when they want to impact the flow of the game for some reason.

I normally hate illegal formations when they call a tackle for being too far off the line, but when all the WRs are lined up in the backfield, the refs have to call that. The WRs can turn to the ref and see if they are being marked on or off, that is 100% the right call and must be called.