***OFFICIAL MINNESOTA AT MARYLAND IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

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Stan

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After a loss like last week, the best thing is getting back after it in as quick of time as possible, so the shorter week is a good thing in that regard. So much to shore up from last week, especially on the defensive side as well as kicking game. I anticipate practices were spirited this week and the film room review was humbling.

But this team has the pieces to make a run and it starts tonight.

GET 'ER DONE FLECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 


Can't overlook anyone or take anything for granted but these next two games should provide the team with a great opportunity to work out some things and hopefully get into a position to really be ready to hit their stride for teams like Iowa and Wisconsin.

Still have to show up and play well but we should have a talent advantage over Maryland and Illinois so if we play well we should win.
 


Are we going to go for it every time on 4th down? Might as well if we don’t have kickers. Just treat every drive as if you have 4 plays to get the 1st.
 


Jeshurun said:
Are we going to go for it every time on 4th down? Might as well if we don’t have kickers. Just treat every drive as if you have 4 plays to get the 1st.
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There is an offensive strategy basically to that effect. Don't think it has ever been deployed at D1 but at lower levels and some HS programs. The actual math is pretty interesting. Don't remember the specifics but at some "yards-to-goal line" for the offense to reach things get better...often for a FG (which is still an issue for us).

Not as amped as I would have thought I'd be a week ago. Still have a little FB hangover over last Saturday's less-than-ideal showing.
 

BilldGopher said:
There is an offensive strategy basically to that effect. Don't think it has ever been deployed at D1 but at lower levels and some HS programs. The actual math is pretty interesting. Don't remember the specifics but at some "yards-to-goal line" for the offense to reach things get better...often for a FG (which is still an issue for us).
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Yup. Local high school here had a TON of success with this for several years until their coach got scooped up by a bigger program. I don't know the formula either, but it would almost need to be like 4th and 20 from their own 20 for them NOT to go. They'd almost always run or throw a short pass on 3rd and long to set up manageable 4th downs too. Oh, and they onside kicked a lot. Fun to watch and they won the sectional title multiple times.
 


MGGopher said:
Yup. Local high school here had a TON of success with this for several years until their coach got scooped up by a bigger program. I don't know the formula either, but it would almost need to be like 4th and 20 from their own 20 for them NOT to go. They'd almost always run or throw a short pass on 3rd and long to set up manageable 4th downs too. Oh, and they onside kicked a lot. Fun to watch and they won the sectional title multiple times.
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Don't know if it's the same school, but didn't they also always go for 2 after TDs as well?
 




MGGopher said:
Yup. Local high school here had a TON of success with this for several years until their coach got scooped up by a bigger program. I don't know the formula either, but it would almost need to be like 4th and 20 from their own 20 for them NOT to go. They'd almost always run or throw a short pass on 3rd and long to set up manageable 4th downs too. Oh, and they onside kicked a lot. Fun to watch and they won the sectional title multiple times.
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Yes, I have read up on the "never punt" approach a bit. The stats make it more attractive at lower levels of football where punters are less likely to boot a ball 40 yards. Part of the theory is that your opponent is almost as likely to score when they get the ball at your 35 as they are from your 10, so you may as well go for it. The odds of you making the first down and keeping the ball outweigh the slight increase in the opponent's likely success if you fail.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I am not optimistic for this game.
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It depends on what your standards are I guess...I think we'll win but I don't think we'll blow them out. We have quite a bit to work out as they do too.
 

First outdoor viewing game of the year on TV and wireless receiver. Starts at 4:30 here.

4 PM
10/30
82°
Mostly sunny

5 PM
10/30
79°
Mostly sunny

6 PM
10/30
75°
Mostly clear

7 PM
10/30
71°
Mostly clear

8 PM
10/30
67°
Mostly clear

Might have to light up the gas fire pit table at the end.
 



tmvander said:
It depends on what your standards are I guess...I think we'll win but I don't think we'll blow them out. We have quite a bit to work out as they do too.
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I only care about wins. Don’t need to blow them out. Not optimistic the Gophers win
 


highwayman said:
First outdoor viewing game of the year on TV and wireless receiver. Starts at 4:30 here.

4 PM
10/30
82°
Mostly sunny

5 PM
10/30
79°
Mostly sunny

6 PM
10/30
75°
Mostly clear

7 PM
10/30
71°
Mostly clear

8 PM
10/30
67°
Mostly clear

Might have to light up the gas fire pit table at the end.
Click to expand...

STFU! Thanks for rubbing it in. That's not Football weather anyway.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I only care about wins. Don’t need to blow them out. Not optimistic the Gophers win
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Really.....we put up 24 on Michigan and they managed to score 3 against Northwestern. What exactly terrifies you about this Maryland team? Yes our loss was disappointing but this is a very different opponent we are going up against and Fleck's teams tend to get stronger as the season goes on.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Really.....we put up 24 on Michigan and they managed to score 3 against Northwestern. What exactly terrifies you about this Maryland team? Yes our loss was disappointing but this is a very different opponent we are going up against and Fleck's teams tend to get stronger as the season goes on.
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Agreed. I understand that YEARS of Gopher fandom has mostly been devastating losses and unmet expectations, but this team is too good on O to lose to Maryland barring 3+ turnovers or something crazy like that. They could literally hand it off almost every play with like 10 play action passes sprinkled in and get 350+ yards of offense. The defense wasn't great in game 1, but neither was Maryland's offense. The QB looked wildly inaccurate, they have no explosion at RB, and the OL gave up more pressure to NW than we did to Mich.

If turnovers are even, MN covers the 20 points. If Mary is +1 or 2 in turnovers, I could see it being a 10 - 20 point game. If they're +3, who knows. You don't win many games like that.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I only care about wins. Don’t need to blow them out. Not optimistic the Gophers win
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I just saw your score prediction. You aren't kidding. I see where you are coming from. The defense looks like the teams from a few years ago...giving up massive plays over and over again. I hope that is fixed tonight or you might be correct.
 

Above all else I hope the D comes out and eliminates the Big plays in the way Rossi has been so good at doing. Yes we had a few defensive breakdowns against Michigan that led to some long runs but holy crap some people have just totally given up on the D because of it. Give them a chance to get their feet wet at least.

If the offense plays anywhere close to how they are capable of playing this game will not be close. We had some defensive struggles but Maryland got torched on defense by Northwestern and unless Northwestern has gotten 1 million times better on offense from last year that is not a good sign for Maryland.
 


Watching "Queens Gambit" in Netflix. Excellent. Hope gophs are as good Let's say 34-26 Phars with fourth quarter escape.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I only care about wins. Don’t need to blow them out. Not optimistic the Gophers win
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After the Michigan game, a big win is important here. A blowout means that the Michigan game was likely a fluke and the Gophers have a decent shot in all of their remaining games. A close win means it probably wasn't and the Gophers are going to have to fight for a winning record.
 



Here's hoping for a nice bounce back game!!!!!!
 





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