PiPress: Minnesota not taking opening-night opponent Eastern Illinois lightly

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

Kill has a better idea about Eastern Illinois' defense. He expects to see a 4-2-5 scheme, although Dameron also ran the 3-4 "Okie" defense in the past. That utilizes two defensive ends, a nose tackle and two linebackers at the line of scrimmage to stop the run.

"They're going to be well coached," Kill said. "They're going to have them ready to play, and when they come here, it's a bowl game, period. ... We gotta make sure we get our guys focused."

Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner has been telling his teammates that they can't overlook Eastern Illinois. Leidner, a Lakeville native, remembers being a senior in high school when the Gophers lost to NDSU in 2011. Minnesota is 4-3 against FCS teams since 2007, including a loss to South Dakota in 2010.

FCS teams had 16 wins against FBS opponents in 2013, the most by far in the past five seasons.

"You really got to be locked in and focused because they're going to be coming for you," Leidner said. "Any team that's in a smaller division is going to be coming for you. And you have to be ready to go."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...l-minnesota-not-taking-opening-night-opponent

Go Gophers!!

 

[#2Gopher]

Oh boy....you just never know about these situations...new coach, fresh start etc. Glad to hear the Gophers will be focus for this game.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

What a shocking headline - "Gophers promise not to take opponent lightly."

Has any team in the history of Western Civilization ever been honest enough - or stupid enough - to come and and admit publicly that they were taking an opponent lightly?

It's like a politician who's up by 30% in the polls saying they take their opponent seriously.

If the Gophers are taking this game seriously, then show us - go out and blow the other team off the field. And don't let up once you get the lead - show some killer instinct.

 

[MNVCGUY]

What a shocking headline - "Gophers promise not to take opponent lightly."

Has any team in the history of Western Civilization ever been honest enough - or stupid enough - to come and and admit publicly that they were taking an opponent lightly?

It's like a politician who's up by 30% in the polls saying they take their opponent seriously.

If the Gophers are taking this game seriously, then show us - go out and blow the other team off the field. And don't let up once you get the lead - show some killer instinct.

We don't always see eye to eye but I am right there with you on this one. The players and coaches are going to say the right things leading up to the game. The question is on Thursday night will they come out and dominate an FCS team the way a BIG team should or will they struggle to put them away or heaven forbid find a way to lose the game. Eastern Illinois will definitely take their best shot but these are not games a BIG team should lose and there really is no excuse for losing this game.

Step on their throat early, get the backups some game experience, get out of the tuneup healthy and get ready for Middle Tennessee next week. The Gophers should be confident and even a little arrogant heading into this game, doesn't mean they can go through the motions and expect to win but if we show up and play the way we should be capable of playing then there is no reason that we as fans should not be sitting back after half-time relaxing and watching the young guys get some reps.

I get that FCS teams have beaten FBS teams, heck a bunch of them did it last year, but that fact doesn't mean there is any excuse for losing this game on Thursday night.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

EIU lost a 5000 yard passer to the NFL that will be almost impossible to replace but have two wild card transfers that will determine how good this team can be. Jalen Whitlow was a highly rated dual threat QB that transferred from Kentucky due to coaches wanting to move him to WR. This will be his first season learning the system. That's never a great thing. The other guy was just ok at his previous stop at NMSU and transferred after being demoted.

Their defense loses 6 starters. That's never a good thing.

After the squeamish preseason I witnessed last year I'm not ready to say this will be a cakewalk until I see this year's squad in action, but I would expect to see the football equivalent of clubbing a baby seal in the second half. If we can come out of this with no major injuries it will be a good night.