***POST-GAME THOUGHTS THREAD***

[CoMn]

Claeys explained in his press conference that he didn't want to screw up the momentum at the end of the half like happened in Michigan...we were in the game and poof we weren't. He wanted to go into the locker room with the momentum on the gopher side...I am sure he would have preferred the field goal go in....but instead of playing for a big lead....he wanted to make sure we didn't blow it. And guess what? He must have been right because we kept the momentum and tore 'em up as soon as we got on the field in the 3rd quarter.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Guaranteed "running a couple more plays" would have gained more yards. Especially if we threw instead of running so much. Afterall, we are a sling-it type of offense and Northwestern wouldn't have been playing any defense to try to stop us.

The players and coaches will likely admit the 2-minute drill could have been smoother, but believe it or not, all 2-minute drills do not end up with an offensive score. The Gophers had a reasonable chance with a 44-yard field goal. NU probably felt like they dodged a bullet, but the Gophers were beginning to exert their will. The progress this team is making bodes well for chances to win more games.

You get that no one is going to think you are less a fan if you agree that maybe just maybe the team did not do a very good job executing the 2 minute drill before half time on Saturday right?

No one is saying they should have been stupid or started chucking the ball into the endzone in a desperate attempt to get a TD, but they could have made far better use of the time available to try and get much closer for their very average kicker as opposed to wasting a big chunk of the time and leaving him on the very outer edges of his range.

 

[dpodoll68]

Running the ball more than once in a two-minute drill (especially when you only have 1 timeout) is just plain stupid. I had a conversation with someone after the game and I have to believe that they execute their two-minute drills that poorly on purpose, because it's consistently bad and nonsensical.

 

[Maverick]

Running the ball more than once in a two-minute drill (especially when you only have 1 timeout) is just plain stupid. I had a conversation with someone after the game and I have to believe that they execute their two-minute drills that poorly on purpose, because it's consistently bad and nonsensical.

Just think how effective the play action pass will be against Nebraska when in the two minute drill and they are 100% positive that MN is going to run the ball.... "poorly on purpose" = "stupid like a fox"

 

[gopherdudepart2]

Point of order on the pass by Nelson that Wolitarsky touched in 3rd down and deep

"BAD: MGgopher:
1) Several poor throws to fairly wide open (by D1 standards) WR's. The one to Maxx on the "pop" pass was frustrating, but even more critical was the one to Wolitarsky (I think) on a 3rd down deep in NW territory. Beautiful play action, two open receivers, very poor pass."

In this instance I think the QB made the correct read and throw was correct to Harbison it was not a poor pass play to Wolitarsky, as I believe he was not the read, or option to throw to on that route, he seemed to be a designed decoy and reacted to a pass he likely should not have touched. The pop pass again was the depth of the route correct? Looks to me it was a combination of the route and the throw being off timing wise, this is correctable.

If you re-watched the game it looks to me that the pass and the quarterback read by Nelson was actually to Jamel Harbison on that play, that was why the pass was as high as it was and you see Harbison slapping his hands in the back ground after the play as that could actually have been a potential scoring play. Wolitarsky reaches back behind on a high throw that was in my opinion intended for someone else and not the quarterbacks fault. In this instance it looks to me that both Harbison and Nelson made the correct read on the defense in the throw, and that potentially Wolitarsky either ran the wrong route(in the sense he was not designed to touch the football)
and his position was to be a decoy in the design of the play, to take the defensive back with him, which he did and the other receiver read it correctly and was wide open when you look at the quarterbacks eyes on the play he is not looking at Wolitarsky he is actually looking up the field at Harbison. This instance looks like the Freshman made the wrong read in reaching out and getting his hands on the ball. Now he is inexperienced and a guy used to catching the ball so that likely lead to that play and some of the spacing of the route, it is possible also that Harbison was wrong, but I don't think so in this instance I think Wolitarsky made the wrong read on the option and the height of the throw kind of tips that it was intended for another player, it was not really an errant throw or pass. If the wrong read or route was run the coaces both QB and wide receivers will highlight and disect the play and go over it again, on what was the correct read, and who did what? The who ,what, why, of what went wrong.

 

[killme]

You get that no one is going to think you are less a fan if you agree that maybe just maybe the team did not do a very good job executing the 2 minute drill before half time on Saturday right?

No one is saying they should have been stupid or started chucking the ball into the endzone in a desperate attempt to get a TD, but they could have made far better use of the time available to try and get much closer for their very average kicker as opposed to wasting a big chunk of the time and leaving him on the very outer edges of his range.

...We need to pass more...

I'm not concerned about my perception as a fan, MNVCGUY. I have agreed several times the 2-min drill could have been better, and also suggested the coaches and players, would say so, as well. While running the 2-min drill looks easy, I believe it's the toughest part of the offense to do perfectly. With a fairly young offense, I'm saying not turning the ball over is probably the No. 1 priority, followed by 2: making sure NU didn't get the ball back; 3: gaining yards; 4: getting in FG range; 5: scoring a TD. The way this team is built and in it's current development, I can live with the execution against NU in that situation.

 

[killme]

Running the ball more than once in a two-minute drill (especially when you only have 1 timeout) is just plain stupid. I had a conversation with someone after the game and I have to believe that they execute their two-minute drills that poorly on purpose, because it's consistently bad and nonsensical.

You appear to be an expert on stupid. Was the person you had the conversation with AJ's mom's friend?

 

[dpodoll68]

You appear to be an expert on stupid. Was the person you had the conversation with AJ's mom's friend?

Make personal attacks all you want. The state of the 2-minute offense is unacceptable. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

We got back late last night and while the whole weekend in Chicago was fun, the highlight was the game. The setting reminded me of the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis. How do college students get crazy Evanston?

Everything about the game has already been said, but we really enjoyed interacting with all of the positive Gopher fans (2 or 3 sections of passionate fans!). My friend and I both thought the Gophers had to defeat the Cats and Refs. Does Delaney really want "Chicago's B1G Team" to become a powerhouse?

Nelson had a few really nice passes (the 17 yarder to Drew W. before the half expired and the pass to Fruechte).

The players coming up to thank the fans at the end was really great too. Wish I could make it to the Indiana game in a few weeks!

 

[cncmin]

You appear to be an expert on stupid. Was the person you had the conversation with AJ's mom's friend?

Teddy Cruz, is that you? Go back to your little ultra-conservative fantasy world where not attempting to score from midfield to end a half is a smart decision.

 

[Unregistered User]

 

[play hard]

We got back late last night and while the whole weekend in Chicago was fun, the highlight was the game. The setting reminded me of the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis. How do college students get crazy Evanston?

Everything about the game has already been said, but we really enjoyed interacting with all of the positive Gopher fans (2 or 3 sections of passionate fans!). My friend and I both thought the Gophers had to defeat the Cats and Refs. Does Delaney really want "Chicago's B1G Team" to become a powerhouse?

Nelson had a few really nice passes (the 17 yarder to Drew W. before the half expired and the pass to Fruechte).

The players coming up to thank the fans at the end was really great too. Wish I could make it to the Indiana game in a few weeks!

It was a. Great time there ! Good gopher support !!

 

[monk10]

I don't have time to finish the video, can you summarize what happens at the end?

 

[Killjoy]

I don't have time to finish the video, can you summarize what happens at the end?

I have been trying to find the answer to your question but after watching it for two hours I have given up. Maybe I will try again this afternoon.

 

[RodentRampage]

Are there any video clips of the bad officiating from the game? I listened to it on the radio, so I heard about the bad calls, but didn't see them for myself.

 

[maroonfive]

We got back late last night and while the whole weekend in Chicago was fun, the highlight was the game. The setting reminded me of the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis. How do college students get crazy Evanston?

Everything about the game has already been said, but we really enjoyed interacting with all of the positive Gopher fans (2 or 3 sections of passionate fans!). My friend and I both thought the Gophers had to defeat the Cats and Refs. Does Delaney really want "Chicago's B1G Team" to become a powerhouse?

Nelson had a few really nice passes (the 17 yarder to Drew W. before the half expired and the pass to Fruechte).

The players coming up to thank the fans at the end was really great too. Wish I could make it to the Indiana game in a few weeks!

Chicago is always a great road trip. I know the city well having gone to school there. Northwestern is in the best part of town and the campus reminds me of UST and the Summit Avenue area. That being said I can't believe how much Ryan Field has deteriorated. I overheard a conversation where someone asked if they had been there since the remodeling. Remodeling? The place is a dump. The parking also sucks as you can't park on the street anywhere near the stadium. Nice fans though and you should always be able to get a ticket. I took the Madison/Milwaukee route and came in from the north side. The Pleasant Prairie outlets in Kenosha are not to be missed.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Spoofin]

Are there any video clips of the bad officiating from the game? I listened to it on the radio, so I heard about the bad calls, but didn't see them for myself.

I have watched it on my DVR. I think the PI on Murray (4th down play) is an atrocious call, but I have never seen a call worse than the Wolitarski "pick" that cancelled Frechte's TD. I don't even know what to say - an absolute misunderstanding of the rules. No excuse.