Post Game Thread: Gophers lose to Illinois

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MNVCGUY said:
Offense didn't play great but this one falls in large part on the D. Can't give up that many long sustained drives. D looked a step slow all day, always seemed to be chasing the play, especially when Illinois threw the ball. Walley had a really rough game.

D did a solid job keeping them out of the Endzone but they needed more stops to give the offense a chance with some decent field position.
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You're joking, right?
 

Dakota2 said:
Purdue loss hurt because our mistakes let an inferior team beat us. Today was different. We were dominated by a much better team.

The run for TOP strategy doesn't work when you don't get first downs. It hurts too when you develop Olinemen for run blocking and sacrifice pass blocking.

This leads to an immobile QB throwing while he is falling backwards. On the first interception the DB came from more than half way across the field to make a play on a ball that had no zip because Tanner was falling away.
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#22 tried to catch it in the breadbasket in traffic instead of going up to get it too. He did Tanner no favors on that one.
 

scools12 said:
Illinois is better. It was clearly evident on what we saw on the field today.

Though recruiting has improved under Fleck from the previous regime the lack of DLinemen who can pressure the QB and play making WRs is a problem.
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They were better coached too.
 

This was after a bye week. #5 should not be playing. We got mopped on both lines of scrimmage. Passing game got no protection or receivers couldn’t get open.
 



Nobody talked about Illinois' passing attack before this game. Either they are really good or the Gophs D really sucked today. The Illini QB and receivers were on fire.
 





kg21 said:
Of course he was going for the ball.
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Doesn’t matter, that’s an automatic ejection. Can’t punch a guy in the head. It’s targeting too. They call it all the time when the guy was not trying to target.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
In what universe is a punch to the head not called a personal foul. Don't care about intent, or that he is a runner, it is not a play allowed under current rules. That was as blatantly bad as the hit to the chin Iowa player delivered to Leidner in 2014 that went uncalled.
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It’s an automatic ejection.
 

The fact of the matter is that PJ is Coyle’s hire so PJ isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But it does seem clear that we lack the overall talent to compete above our weight class and that might be getting smaller if Illinois continues on its trajectory. Only if fans lose interest in the team and the they’re playing in front of a half empty stadium, will there be any pressure on Coyle to make a change. Until then, hope for the best, expect the worst, and savor those conference wins bc they are going to be hard to come by.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Doesn’t matter, that’s an automatic ejection. Can’t punch a guy in the head. It’s targeting too. They call it all the time when the guy was not trying to target.
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Well ya. I just meant he was going for the ball. Many are acting like he did it on purpose.
 



GO4INLALALAND said:
The fact of the matter is that PJ is Coyle’s hire so PJ isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But it does seem clear that we lack the overall talent to compete above our weight class and that might be getting smaller if Illinois continues on its trajectory. Only if fans lose interest in the team and the they’re playing in front of a half empty stadium, will there be any pressure on Coyle to make a change. Until then, hope for the best, expect the worst, and savor those conference wins bc they are going to be hard to come by.
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Since divisions are going to be a thing of the past, I'm not that concerned about Illinois.

Isn't Illinois very senior dominated, though. I thought that was the case.
 


DelawareGopher said:
Today showed we just aren’t very good. We can beat bad teams but just don’t have the depth or talent to beat good teams. This is a 7-5 type season, give or take a win.
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Our wide receivers today had 1 catch for 4 yards.

And to think, I was laughing at the Iowa offense and passing game.
 



kg21 said:
Our wide receivers today had 1 catch for 4 yards.

And to think, I was laughing at the Iowa offense and passing game.
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Of all the horrendous stats from today’s game, this is the one that strikes me as the most bizarre … or, worse, an indication of things to come. Our entire corp of WRs caught a total of one pass today, for 4 yards. It can’t just be a talent gap, can’t just be laid at Tanner or even the OL. There has to be some scheme element if a defense can blitz yet never leave a receiver open. The ease with which Illinois completed passes to often wide open receivers was such a contrast. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
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Terrible receivers. Terrible lines. Going to be a long season.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Of all the horrendous stats from today’s game, this is the one that strikes me as the most bizarre … or, worse, an indication of things to come. Our entire corp of WRs caught a total of one pass today, for 4 yards. It can’t just be a talent gap, can’t just be laid at Tanner or even the OL. There has to be some scheme element if a defense can blitz yet never leave a receiver open. The ease with which Illinois completed passes to often wide open receivers was such a contrast. 🤷🏼‍♂️
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All teams are playing Mo. How the hell can you not pass to receiver at least by accident when they are keying all game on Mo. And to top it off, Mo was in some cases running wild today.

I'm trying not to think too hard on it as it is depressing.
 


Some Day...Maybe said:
Amazing what the receiving corp looks like with Fleck and Simon.
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They are so soft. Anyone paying attention even last year would have noticed 5’s bad body language last year and it’s been the same this year. He’s gotta go. 7’s injury is hurting more than I would have imagined.
 


Gophergrandpa said:
Illinois TOP 40:04; Gophers 19:56. Minnesota ran 42 plays, Illinois ran 86. DeVito was 25-32, 253 yards, 1 TD and 0 Int. And Chase Brown ran for 180 yards and caught 3 passes for another 50+. Our defense couldn’t handle all of Illinois’s offensive weapons. Our defense was gassed.

Minnesota had 38 yards passing. No TDs and 3 INTs. What can you say?
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When MN has to pass to stay in the game, it can't do it (and this goes back further than PJ). Tanner completed only 4 of 12, just awful. Do hope he is okay, though, in regard to the injury, whatever it is. Athan may have to start next week in the white-out. He has a nice arm, but almost no game experience.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Apparently you can do this in the Big Ten and concuss a guy and it’s perfectly fine.
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Listening to the Wiscy-Sparty game and a player was ejected because the player he hit with his forearm...not helmet...was defenseless. Not the case for Tanner unfortunately once he went for the yards and first down...
 

again, I don't think it's an "offense vs defense" issue.

The Gophers are constructed to play a certain style, and when they're able to play that style, they're successful. Run sets up the pass, leading to long, time-consuming drives and keeping the Gopher defense fresh.

the issue is when another team does something that forces the Gophers to deviate from the game plan.

Against Purdue, the running game wasn't working. against Illinois, the passing game wasn't working. and the result - Gophers far too often resemble a chicken with its head cut off.

it just doesn't look like there's a Plan B.

There should be a plan B. the players should know what that plan is, and be prepared to execute it.
 

Where’s Fleck’s post game presser? It’s usually always posted by now.
 

BilldGopher said:
Listening to the Wiscy-Sparty game and a player was ejected because the player he hit with his forearm...not helmet...was defenseless. Not the case for Tanner unfortunately once he went for the yards and first down...
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If that same player would of hit Morgan with his helmet (in the same spot) instead of his fist, he would of been ejected for targeting.
 

Wow… today was a bad day for our team. Hard to envision that things get a lot better against Penn State. But who knows? A lot of season left and PJ will keep the team working hard and playing together. Good things will happen even if it is just a changing of the guard and Athan takes his lumps now in order to be prepared for better things in 2023.
 

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