Cignetti s coaching style is to go ape shit on the opponent right off the bat—which requires clever game planning, opportunism, aggression and confidence. That is how Kirk plays, too (though it doesn’t always work for him the way it does for Cignetti). In big games, it is like the Gophs have been coached up to not make mistakes, which means they start out with a timid game plan, shy away from opportunities (that carry risk), and play tentatively, without confidence or aggression. You can see it in their eyes and body language.
PJ is a wonderful coach in so many ways, but his style (James Franklin not Curt Cignetti) has a low ceiling in big games. And, Drake is a good kid and QB, but he needs to play behind a dominant OL. To be in games against team's like Iowa, the Gophs need a mobile QB, I believe.