Off the ledge...

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Finally had time to watch the replay of the Iowa game last night (yes, sick, I know). Upon further review, I don't think things looked nearly as bad as they did live. I suspect they looked much worse live mostly because what unfolded was not what most were expecting.

Defensively:

Big plays. What else can you say? Iowa only had one drive longer than 6 plays and that one ended with no points to close the first half. After not giving up the big play all season, it was bound to happen. It was just difficult to watch it happen against Iowa, and against an RB that doesn't have game-breaking skills. Iowa blocked well, and their experience showed against a relatively inexperienced defense.

Tackling. After a pretty decent first 4 games of wrapping up, the Gophers finally had a poor tackling game. It was bound to happen. Hopefully not a sign of things to come.

Offensively:

Running game. On the replay, Kirkwood and Shortell (and others briefly) actually had some success running the ball, more than I recalled watching the game. What killed the running game, on multiple drives, was some timely run-blitzing by Iowa. A number of drives began with a nice 4-6 yard gain on 1st down, followed by getting stuffed for a 1-2 yard loss on 2nd down to create 3rd and long. There was some success running the ball, there were running lanes there on a number of plays, but it was accompanied by too many negative yardage or no-gain runs.

Passing game. Plagued by drops, missed throws, and INT's. 20-for-33 isn't disastrous by any stretch, but Shortell missed on some connections that could have made the difference. Missing DC-T on the home run ball was his worst pass of the day, maybe his worst as a Gopher. Can't miss a guy THAT wide open, THAT far past the defense.

The Drops. Not that many drops, but it just seemed like they came on 3rd down. Absolute drive killers. The two "completions" that were either (incorrectly) called out of bounds or when DC-T was pushed out didn't help either.

The INT's. Still have no idea how Barker didn't come down with the first one. Don't know how the defender managed to get it away from him. The Pick Six; Engel ran a short in-route, stopped his route short and completely gave up his position to the defender. Kill mentioned on the TV show, the receivers need to do a better job of fighting for the ball sometimes.

The middle INT is the somewhat troubling one. Shortell has thrown 4 INT's this year and this was the second of two that he didn't step into and follow through because he was about to get drilled in the chest. The WMU INT was the same; pass rusher about to drill him in the chest, he doesn't step into the throw and leaves it short. Even the last TD, the 1-YD pass to Goodger, he was about to get pounded and left that one so short Goodger had to go to the ground to scoop it up, with nobody within 10 yards of him.

I'm sure it's not easy to stand in when you're about to get pounded but that is something he's going to have to improve upon.

Overall, on second review, the game didn't go nearly as poorly as it looked live. It's pretty rare that you see any team, particularly a young team on the road, recover from a quick, 21-point outburst like that. That just turned the momentum of the game in the span of a few minutes.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

My concern with Shortell is his conditioning. He has stated several times last year and this that he was winded, tired and really effected in the fourth quarter by his conditioning.

He has to get into shape to play whole games...not sure how with our strength and conditioning program he isn't prepared to play 60 minutes.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Fair analysis. The biggest question going forward will is what we saw against Iowa going to turn into a trend or was it a mirage?

Defense will have to figure out how to stop the run and tackling needs to get better across the board. This team is not built to come from behind, for the Gophers to be successful they need to play from in front or at least even. If this team digs a hole for itself it does not have the explosivness to make up those deficits quickly.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

My concern with Shortell is his conditioning. He has stated several times last year and this that he was winded, tired and really effected in the fourth quarter by his conditioning.

He has to get into shape to play whole games...not sure how with our strength and conditioning program he isn't prepared to play 60 minutes.

Agreed, it was odd to hear that he was winded. Odd to hear a person say that after a game.

At the same time, he was 7-for-10 in the 4th quarter for 70 yards, a TD and an INT. He also had a stretch where he ran the ball 4 times in 5 plays, which is actually kind of unusual for even an RB without heading to the sidelines. I'd be shocked if he carried the ball 8 times in the 4th quarter in a game again. That translates to 32 carries in a game, and I cant' recall the last time we had a guy carry it over 30 times.

 

[Gopherprof]

Our run defense and tackling has been poor throughout the season. Unfortunately, I don't think that's an anomaly.

 

[tikited]

I couldn't bring myself to watch it again. I almost always do, but this one hurt with the "big" missed opportunities.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I actually deleted it as soon as the game ended. I regret that decision now that it is Thursday and we have a bye this week. I would actually like to break it down and take a fresh view of the game. Was there also a thow to Isaac sometime in the first half where he was wide open on the sideline and Max airmailed the throw into the Iowa bench?

 

[Schnauzer]

I deleted it without watching it. I'm okay with that decision.

I did get the feeling while watching it in person that the game was getting away from the team in the second quarter pretty much because of emotion and inexperience on the road. Credit Iowa coaching for going for the throat effectively while the Gophers were gasping. They made the right calls and their team did a good job taking advantage of the opportunities on the field. In hind sight the entire game turned on that early interception where the ball got taken away at the sideline. This team is capable of one punch back, but in this case that punch was taken away when a second bomb that was caught in bounds was called incomplete. After that, this young team just didn't have enough counter punches to overcome the adversity and it took a half-time sitdown session to quit taking on water.

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

My feeling is that the Gophers played 54 minutes of pretty good football and 6 minutes of disaster.

The nature of college football (with young men, loud/intimidating crowds, etc.) is rollercoaster momentum. The guys showed some heart in keeping the Iowa offense scoreless for the last 39 minutes and 25 seconds of the game.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I think the Iowa coaching staff also help keep their offense scoreless in the second half. Why they kept throwing was beyond me. It was almost like they wanted to try to make the game close and we did not take them up on their offer...

 

[doctor j]

Shortell's conditioning

My concern with Shortell is his conditioning. He has stated several times last year and this that he was winded, tired and really effected in the fourth quarter by his conditioning.

He has to get into shape to play whole games...not sure how with our strength and conditioning program he isn't prepared to play 60 minutes.

Completely agree!! I've heard him complain about his arm being weak and sore several times. This is very odd. Your arm simply should not get weaker as the game goes on. It should not be sore after throwing 30 passes. You have plenty of recovery time and at that age your arm should be continuously fresh. Perhaps the conditioning coach is pushing him to throw too hard and too much during the week. I'd make a point of not throwing much the Thursday and Friday before a game.

 

[Ron Johnson Super Fan]

Our run defense and tackling has been poor throughout the season. Unfortunately, I don't think that's an anomaly.

I agree that the run defense hasn't been there but I don't think that poor tackling (prior to the Iowa game) was to blame. The main issue is that the front seven just isn't terribly big. Could definitely use some mass at DT and more physicality at LB.

 

[Sportsfan24]

Fair analysis. The biggest question going forward will is what we saw against Iowa going to turn into a trend or was it a mirage?

Defense will have to figure out how to stop the run and tackling needs to get better across the board. This team is not built to come from behind, for the Gophers to be successful they need to play from in front or at least even. If this team digs a hole for itself it does not have the explosivness to make up those deficits quickly.

I can't say if it's a trend or mirage as to how the gophers will play in the future; but I can guarantee it's a trend as for how teams/offenses will game plan the gophers in the future. They will see a heavy dose of run until they prove they can stop it.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Completely agree!! I've heard him complain about his arm being weak and sore several times. This is very odd. Your arm simply should not get weaker as the game goes on. It should not be sore after throwing 30 passes. You have plenty of recovery time and at that age your arm should be continuously fresh. Perhaps the conditioning coach is pushing him to throw too hard and too much during the week. I'd make a point of not throwing much the Thursday and Friday before a game.

I remember some information coming out about a "dead arm" last year, that by early BT season, he didn't have much juice left. Never read anything about it until fall camp THIS year. I haven't heard anything this year at all about a weak and sore arm? Was that in the paper, in an interview, or did maybe MV have it? I can't remember seeing anything but I could have missed it?

 

[Ole]

This one just got away from us early and the momentum didn't shift back until after halftime, and by then it was just too late.
If Shortell hits that early touchdown to a wide open receiver and/or barker wins the battle for that ball it's a different game. Maybe not a W, but we keep it closer and the momentum is less to overcome.

The tackling and run defense is going to need to be solved or schemed. Better tackling, angles, and leverage can be worked on, but ultimately if guys aren't holding up at the point and stuffing the run then you need to find ways to get numbers or penetration around the ball carrier. If we have to do that, then our corners are goign to need to play better, or play action will kill us over the top rather than the runs gashing us up the gut.

I think we'll see a different scheme tried against sconnie, but NW is going to be a different animal than Iowa.

 

[gophmeister]

It really seemed to me in the second half that either Iowa wanted to drop a load of points on us or they felt comfortable enough with the score that they could try some new things out. Nebraska did that last year except they were way farther ahead. We just didn't seem to get any breaks and we got run ragged. Honestly we have to wait and see. Last year we got pi$$ pounded for like five games straight and then Iowa came to town and we were competitive relative to where we were just weeks earlier the rest of the way. I doubt this team just falls apart and loses all its remaining games. Going 4-0 probably got everyone's expectations out of whack. If we come back next week and beat NW then all will be forgotten.

 

[Ole]

It really seemed to me in the second half that either Iowa wanted to drop a load of points on us or they felt comfortable enough with the score that they could try some new things out. Nebraska did that last year except they were way farther ahead. We just didn't seem to get any breaks and we got run ragged. Honestly we have to wait and see. Last year we got pi$$ pounded for like five games straight and then Iowa came to town and we were competitive relative to where we were just weeks earlier the rest of the way. I doubt this team just falls apart and loses all its remaining games. Going 4-0 probably got everyone's expectations out of whack. If we come back next week and beat NW then all will be forgotten.

No doubt, I think everyone was dreaming a bit, which is ok, but Kill knew this was a flawed team regardless of the 4-0 start. He is still building this program for the long term.
I can see a 2013 similar to this, and a breakout in 2014 with a veteran RB, WR, OL, and DL core. Combined with either a senior Shortell or a 2nd year Nelson, a young a dynamic TE group, and probably a few key JUCO signees on D. The schedule softens for us IMO the next 2 years too.
This season may not be a dream season, but we'll clip someone we aren't expected to and find 6 wins. Preseason i thought 5-7 with a loss to western michigan or syracuse.

 

[MNVCGUY]

It really seemed to me in the second half that either Iowa wanted to drop a load of points on us or they felt comfortable enough with the score that they could try some new things out.

I think it was definitely a case of Iowa trying to work on their passing game. They have not done well on offense to date and Ferentz is not teh kind of coach to try and embarras his opponent. I am sure they felt like we were not much of a threat to come back so why not use the 2nd half to work on some things while still maintaining the lead....

 

[Winnipegopher]

They have no depth at running back so no desire to run with the big lead. If they had a few more backs they probably would have kept running.

 

[Ron Johnson Super Fan]

I think it was definitely a case of Iowa trying to work on their passing game. They have not done well on offense to date and Ferentz is not teh kind of coach to try and embarras his opponent. I am sure they felt like we were not much of a threat to come back so why not use the 2nd half to work on some things while still maintaining the lead....

That was my take on it. They owned the line of scrimmage so completely in the first half that I'm sure Ferentz figured they could go back to pounding the ball if our offense started to show signs of life.