PiPress: Improved defense a key to Minnesota's success

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

"Just the fact that we've been able to have this record and play aggressive against ranked teams, I feel like we definitely took a step forward," senior defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman said. "The sky's the limit for the way we're playing. The seniors had a chip on our shoulder from past years. I feel like we definitely carried the team on and kind of set the tempo for, obviously, the future."

"I think that we showed that we're a physical football team and we can (defend) any style of offense," said Wells, who had an interception against the Spartans. "If they want to come out and throw, we have the DBs to go out there and guard the receivers. If they want to run the ball downhill, we know how to come back downhill and hit them in the mouth."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...tball-improved-defense-key-minnesotas-success

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

At the end of the article, Kill says that he thinks we are being considered for the Gator, Texas and heart of Dallas bowls. I thought Dallas was out for the B1G?

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

I love this. Minnesota football was synonymous with defense under many great coaches, including Williams, Bierman and Warmath. I give a lot of credit to Kill and Claeys for gaining respect again for Minnesota defense - and to the players who made it happen.

 

[imthewalrus]

I love this. Minnesota football was synonymous with defense under many great coaches, including Williams, Bierman and Warmath. I give a lot of credit to Kill and Claeys for gaining respect again for Minnesota defense - and to the players who made it happen.

As we all know: "RUN the ball and STOP the run..." are part of the formula for starting to become a competitive football team. The defense plays MUCH better when the offense is on the field. Passing tends to lead to too many three and outs and that puts the defense back on the field and in harms way. Run the ball. Run the clock. Keep the defense where statistically they always do the best job: on the side lines. That's right, part of the reason that the defense is being successful this year would be traced directly to Mr. Cobb's thousand yard rushing season...the offensive line's run blocking...the fact that either qb can beat the defense with their feet. Having the offense control the clock keeps the defense OFF the field.

So, THAT is what has happened during this 2013 Conference schedule.

The passing game will come with time. It does need to be added to the "run first...Run early...Run often and run until they make you throw..." mentality that has been keeping our rapidly improving defensive unit OFF the field. NO wide out is going to play who can not or does not block. Tight Ends NEED to block really well.

This board is somewhat "pass-happy..." And all too many on this board fancy themselves to be quarterback critics.

The Coaches are doing EXACTLY what the coaches WANT to do. So far, in this 2013 season my Golden Gophers have improved to 8-4 overall and 4-4 in Conference play with a bowl game remaining. And all too many posters think THEY know everything the players (THAT means the coaches...because the players pretty much do what the coaches want them to do...) should have done. Well, this team went from 6-6 overall (2-6 in conference) to 8-4 overall (4-4 in conference) during this past season. The coaches are coaching the players and calling the plays. RUN...RUN...RUN when our offense is on the field and then the defense can do a hell of a lot better stopping the runs that the other offense is trying to shove down their throats IF our defense is NOT on the filed too long or for too many plays. When the other team's offense is on the sideline waiting to go back in the game...they can NOT pass, run or score against our defense...

Too many passing plays by our team is probably going to force our defense to play too many plays in a game to be really effective during this 2013 season. Just let the Coach and his staff take care of the offense...and then the offense can help the defense to keep on improving by killing the clock and limiting the number of offensive plays the OTHER team runs against the Golden Gopher Defense.

IF and WHEN the Coach and his Staff want to turn my Golden Gopher Football team into a passing machine...they will. But, until that day happens, I have a feeling that it will be: "RUN...Gophers...RUN" on offense and that will help: "...STOP the run Gophers...STOP the run..." And, in the process my Golden Gopher Football Team will be COMPETATIVE in this Conference that the Golden Gophers live in!

 

[EE_Gopher]

I remember when Kill and his staff were hired, Tracy Claeys, in an interview said his goal was to have his defense give up 17 points or less a game. The interviewer looked at Tracy like he was selling snake oil! Remember, the 2010 team gave up 396 points for an average of 33 points a game. This year's team has given up 268 points for an average of just over 22 points per game. The defense really only had two bad games. Michigan where the defense gave up 35 points and Indiana (39).

Of course, this team is still giving up 5 more points per game than Tracy wants!

 

[Herd]

I remember when Kill and his staff were hired, Tracy Claeys, in an interview said his goal was to have his defense give up 17 points or less a game. The interviewer looked at Tracy like he was selling snake oil! Remember, the 2010 team gave up 396 points for an average of 33 points a game. This year's team has given up 268 points for an average of just over 22 points per game. The defense really only had two bad games. Michigan where the defense gave up 35 points and Indiana (39).

Of course, this team is still giving up 5 more points per game than Tracy wants!

"Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships." That has been the motto in Fargo since the '80s, and holds true for the great improvement by the Gophers in 2013. Great defense is based on winning the LOS, maintaining gap discipline, understanding scheme, and having overall team speed to execute. Along with a great defense, it takes a coaching commitment to the running game to win the Time of Possession and give your defense its best opportunity to be successful.

Pass happy and great defense are not friends. Commitment to the running game and an effective balanced, high %
passing attack go hand in hand with great defense. Also, I have learned from watching the Bison under bohl that a couple of first downs and a punt inside the 20 on a given drive is a great formula for winning. Passing it 40 times and giving your defense a short field is a losing formula. Great defensive turn around by the gophers in 2013, it has been beautiful to watch!

 

[Governor Sibley]

Offense is for girls.

Defense is for football players.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

I think there's no question the defense was good this year but I still maintain that the defense was improved by the same factor that will improve the defense yet AGAIN next year: the continued development of the offense.

Time of Possession: increased from 31 minutes/game in 2012 to 33 min/game in 2013, good for 10th in the nation. That's a major factor in helping out the defense

Turnovers: Gophers were (-2) overall in 2012, turning it over 22 times; (+3) in 2013, turning it over just 15 times. A huge factor in keeping your defense off the field

Yards/Play (offense): Gophers gained an average of 4.7 yards/play in 2012; Improved that to 5.1 yards/play in 2013

Statistically, the defense was worse this year in both Yards Allowed per Play and TO's forced; In 2012, they allowed 5.3 yards/play and in 2013, they allowed 5.7 yards/play; They forced 2 fewer turnovers this year than last year as well.

Not to take anything away from the defense because they played well enough to WIN the last two games and were completely let down by the offense, but for the most part this season, the offense really supported the defense by just plain keeping them off the field. With virtually everyone returning next year, I expect almost every offensive statistic to improve, which will again take more pressure off the defense.