Post Game Thread - Gophers Crush Aggies

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Gophers fans, sound off!

What did you like? What didn't you like?
 


I liked we smacked them on the first drive and we knew it was essentially over at 7-0. We didn't have to wait until late in the 3rd quarter to cross 20 points. We spanked them all game long. It was a thorough enough beating that I felt comfortable turning the Penn St vs Purdue game back on because it has drama.
 

two goals going into game:
win game
don't get hurt

the Gophs won the Game.
but have to see about Ruschmeyer injury.

the offense showed a few wrinkles/adjustments with Kirk C back in charge.

saw some tweets that next week's opponent may be worse than NMSU. follow the same blueprint - get a lead and then let the backups get a lot of game reps.
 

I liked we smacked them on the first drive and we knew it was essentially over at 7-0. We didn't have to wait until late in the 3rd quarter to cross 20 points. We spanked them all game long. It was a thorough enough beating that I felt comfortable turning the Penn St vs Purdue game back on because it has drama.
Agree. Game was not in doubt. Next was to just look at obscure stats like 2 first downs into the 3rd quarter and stuff like that. Could not ask for more.
 




Defense played well in the first half, but kinda stumbled a bit in the second. Also would've love to see a more balanced attack.
 






NMSU had two deep safeties the whole game. I think ol’ Jer was content to have us run for 8 YPC to keep the score down. Dylan looked disinterested at times which is my only concern beyond Axel’s injury. Easiest win we’ve had in a decade or more.
 

Defense played well in the first half, but kinda stumbled a bit in the second. Also would've love to see a more balanced attack.
Passing game complemented what we were doing perfectly. Balance doesn't need to be 50/50....the run game was dominant, the balance is that the pass game complimented what was happening in game.
 



Did Dylan Wright catch any balls?

Purdue notched their first loss.
 


Any update on Walley or Ruschmeyer? Were they walking around after their injuries?

My quick points:
(1) I know it's a bad team but the OL looked very good.
(2) I know it's a bad team but the DL looked good and very deep. We played a lot of guys. Stiggow was more athletic than I was expecting.
(3) All the RBs looked good. It's interesting to see Nubin and Grande. They both looked capable (especially Grande).
(4) I formation with LeCaptain seems to have replaced the wildcat, I liked it.
(5) Defense played great. They had one big pass and it was actually decent coverage and a great catch.
(6) I didn't think I'd care, but I'm glad Kill and Fleck shook hands.
(7) We'll see how it turns out when we play against better passing teams, but I really like the look with Dixon as a nickel. It kind of reminded me of the defense with Williamson in the slot (a little larger and longer than a traditional slot).
 

Was at game and didn't notice and looked at stats but saw Stapp didn't play today. Anyone know why?
 

Was at game and didn't notice and looked at stats but saw Stapp didn't play today. Anyone know why?
I believe he played. I thought I saw him out there and he's on the participation report (not that it's always right).

If I had to guess why he didn't play as much, I'd guess it had a lot to do with the fact that he Smith seems to have one the CB spot opposite of Walley and the slot was often Dixon and/or Bishop.

Dixon started and played most of the snaps at nickel. I think that might end up being more matchup specific.
 

Any update on Walley or Ruschmeyer? Were they walking around after their injuries?

My quick points:
(1) I know it's a bad team but the OL looked very good.
(2) I know it's a bad team but the DL looked good and very deep. We played a lot of guys. Stiggow was more athletic than I was expecting.
(3) All the RBs looked good. It's interesting to see Nubin and Grande. They both looked capable (especially Grande).
(4) I formation with LeCaptain seems to have replaced the wildcat, I liked it.
(5) Defense played great. They had one big pass and it was actually decent coverage and a great catch.
(6) I didn't think I'd care, but I'm glad Kill and Fleck shook hands.
(7) We'll see how it turns out when we play against better passing teams, but I really like the look with Dixon as a nickel. It kind of reminded me of the defense with Williamson in the slot (a little larger and longer than a traditional slot).
Walley was in later in the game and looked ok.
 

Great Night. Got to campus early, enjoyed The Market, enjoyed the win. 9/10. This is not a complaint - but something that I noticed. Why do we set up for a fair catch on every punt? We line up 10 near the line - block/ don’t rush / and leave no choice at all but to fair catch. Do other teams do this on every punt? Is this the cyber-metrics of CFB?
 

Gophers looked great! That was a hell of a performance. Just need to keep getting better. Will we have receivers step up and make big plays, and be consistent? How will the D line perform? I like this team. Might be an even bigger route next week.
 

Two things I noticed; first, the Gophers seemed faster everywhere (even Tanner Morgan); the offensive line seemed faster, defense as fast as last year. Second, two the three B10 Network cable outlets (Cox Cable here) had incessant glitches and odd jumps, whether taped or live. I wonder if that was true in other markets, like the Twin Cities (Comcast?).
 

Great Night. Got to campus early, enjoyed The Market, enjoyed the win. 9/10. This is not a complaint - but something that I noticed. Why do we set up for a fair catch on every punt? We line up 10 near the line - block/ don’t rush / and leave no choice at all but to fair catch. Do other teams do this on every punt? Is this the cyber-metrics of CFB?
It's a strategy.

The idea is that over the course of a year you are more likely to have things go bad than go well on a punt return (fumbles, injuries, muffed punt, running into kicker, clipping penalty, fake punt), so that you go into safe mode on the opponents punt - - lightly rush (to keep them honest) and fair catch. If you need too much to catch the punt, just let it bounce (like don't make running fair catches).

There is also the idea that in the college game, the guy who might be your most sure-handed might not be your most dynamic with the ball in their hands.

I'm not saying I agree with it but that's the theory. I'm pretty agnostic to it. For example, we returned 15 punts all of last season. Ohio State returned 20 and Alabama (in two more games) only returned 19.
 

It's a strategy.

The idea is that over the course of a year you are more likely to have things go bad than go well on a punt return (fumbles, injuries, muffed punt, running into kicker, clipping penalty, fake punt), so that you go into safe mode on the opponents punt - - lightly rush (to keep them honest) and fair catch. If you need too much to catch the punt, just let it bounce (like don't make running fair catches).

There is also the idea that in the college game, the guy who might be your most sure-handed might not be your most dynamic with the ball in their hands.

I'm not saying I agree with it but that's the theory. I'm pretty agnostic to it. For example, we returned 15 punts all of last season. Ohio State returned 20 and Alabama (in two more games) only returned 19.
And as painful as it is to watch it, it is not a failure strategy. It takes a muff/bad penalty to destroy the play for the team receiving. I get it. It's not dynamic by any means, and very boring, but I understand it. Not defending one way or the other, but accepting possession outside the 10 yard line is better than a fumble at the 20. I see both sides, but not upset about this way of doing it.
 


Mo looked fantastic. Exceeded expectations.
The team overall (this includes both lines) looks more athletic than I can personally recall.* Striggow, Kallerup, Ersery, Dixon, Carroll, Sori-Marin and too many to list popped on screen. Defense looks good. Given the competition sure, harder to judge talent but this team looks like a conference contender.
Kirk! We missed you.
Didn't like starters in up 31-0 versus an overmatched opponent. Sorry
JMHO
Jerry looks like he rolled out of bed after a 48 hour bender but he seemed a lot calmer this week. Resignation/calm.


*if I have to nitpick the receiver corps might be lacking an elite talent. Wright, team needs you to enable beast mode.
 


Two things I noticed; first, the Gophers seemed faster everywhere (even Tanner Morgan); the offensive line seemed faster, defense as fast as last year. Second, two the three B10 Network cable outlets (Cox Cable here) had incessant glitches and odd jumps, whether taped or live. I wonder if that was true in other markets, like the Twin Cities (Comcast?).
Twin Cities xfinity was mostly good but no where near perfect during the game , but post game stopped often and made me turn it off.
 

Participation
I think we played about 64 guys...might be a PJ record? It's a good thing! We did look fast.
Anxious to see how we improve each week.
 

I liked that Mo and Trey looked healthy out there.
I liked that a ton of guys got reps.
Small sample size and OL evaluation isn't my strength, but I thought Ersery looked good out there.
I liked that the defense allowed hardly anything all game and Rossi still lost his mind when that NMSU WR got behind everybody when it was like 31-0.


I didn't like that 18 out of the first 22 plays were runs.
I didn't like that Mo had something like 20(!) carries in a half in his first game of an Achilles injury against an overmatched team.
I didn't like that none of Wright, Spann-Ford, Brown-Stephens, etc made a play that would suggest they are going to be a big time playmaker this year (this probably goes back to point 1 in this section and lack of opportunities).
 




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