Northwestern really surprised me...

[Sparlimb]

They usually are such a solidly coached team, I was really surprised by all their mistakes today. They really tried to piss the game away with turnovers in the red zone, awful penalties and numerous other mistakes.

I did tell my brother that sometimes other teams make boneheaded plays as well. Not the NU I expected to see. Granted it is always satisfying to play so poorly and come out with the win.

 

[50PoundHead]

It's easy to say, because we saw them on a day when they played poorly, but Northwestern is starting to remind me of us under Mason to an extent. The basically run the single wing and, hence, have a one-man offense. They really do everything, and quite well, to highlight Persa's (and Kafka's and Kusok's and Basenez's) talents by using certain blocking schemes and giving Persa a ton of relatively easy reads, but as I said in a different thread, you can see they lack flat-out athleticism. But, football isn't a track meet, so you just don't line up and run.

Maybe they took us lightly and weren't sharp mentally.

Northwestern is probably going to be a mid-tier Big 10 team as long as Fitzgerald is there and, with an upset or two, will find its way into the Top 25 from time-to-time, but that says a lot about Fitzgerald's coaching ability and his knack for getting the absolute most out of his squad.

 

[thailleagle]

It's easy to say, because we saw them on a day when they played poorly, but Northwestern is starting to remind me of us under Mason to an extent. The basically run the single wing and, hence, have a one-man offense. They really do everything, and quite well, to highlight Persa's (and Kafka's and Kusok's and Basenez's) talents by using certain blocking schemes and giving Persa a ton of relatively easy reads, but as I said in a different thread, you can see they lack flat-out athleticism. But, football isn't a track meet, so you just don't line up and run.

Maybe they took us lightly and weren't sharp mentally.

Northwestern is probably going to be a mid-tier Big 10 team as long as Fitzgerald is there and, with an upset or two, will find its way into the Top 25 from time-to-time, but that says a lot about Fitzgerald's coaching ability and his knack for getting the absolute most out of his squad.

Fitz has 2 5-3 Big Ten Seasons in a row & winning 9 games in 2008 not to mention he beat Iowa & Wisconsin last year & went to a January Bowl where they took Auburn into OT...

He's passed Mason...

 

[50PoundHead]

Stanzi doesn't get hurt and they probably lose to Iowa last year and Northwestern is in Music City or some such thing.

I like Fitzgerald and I hope my post doesn't appear like I'm dumping on him. I haven't looked at their schedule, but I'll be surprised if they are within two touchdowns of Wisconsin this year. I just think they have a one-trick pony offense and a team with better athletes on defense is going to play the outside receivers tighter and put more licks on Persa. But Fitzgerald does a great job with some guys who aren't exactly track stars or weight room geeks.

 

[thailleagle]

Stanzi doesn't get hurt and they probably lose to Iowa last year and Northwestern is in Music City or some such thing.

I like Fitzgerald and I hope my post doesn't appear like I'm dumping on him. I haven't looked at their schedule, but I'll be surprised if they are within two touchdowns of Wisconsin this year. I just think they have a one-trick pony offense and a team with better athletes on defense is going to play the outside receivers tighter and put more licks on Persa. But Fitzgerald does a great job with some guys who aren't exactly track stars or weight room geeks.

True but they beat Iowa 2 years in a row...but what I like about Fitz is he does a lot with very little...

 

[BigBird1030]

Northwestern did not play the cleanest of games. They had a lot of costly penalties which kept Gopher drives moving and had two crucial turnovers in the red zone on drives which probably would have resulted in points. If that wasn't enough, they missed a XP which forced their hand in going for two later in the game. Northwestern made so many mistakes but when it came down to it, when they needed to have it, they put drives together, got points and made big stops on defense. They played a sloppy game but managed to win, which is what really counts, and the Gophers let it get away, again. I think Pat Fitzgerald is a very good football coach who has that program headed in the right direction. The Gophers would do well in getting a football coach who is as invested in the UofM as Fitzgerald is at Northwestern.

 

[Formo]

Fitz has 2 5-3 Big Ten Seasons in a row & winning 9 games in 2008 not to mention he beat Iowa & Wisconsin last year & went to a January Bowl where they took Auburn into OT...

He's passed Mason...

This. Man, how awesome would it be to have Fitz here?

 

[Maroon]

They usually are such a solidly coached team, I was really surprised by all their mistakes today. They really tried to piss the game away with turnovers in the red zone, awful penalties and numerous other mistakes.

I did tell my brother that sometimes other teams make boneheaded plays as well. Not the NU I expected to see. Granted it is always satisfying to play so poorly and come out with the win.

I was surprised too. Turnovers and all those penalties. They looked horrible, yet we still lost. The train kept a rollin'!

 

[alphagopher]

If NU plays this way the rest of the way out, they will not win another big ten game. Horrible. Yet, still enough to beat us. What a shock.