[POST GAME THREAD] Minnesota defeats Oregon State 30-23

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Post game thoughts after having awhile to think on it:

Good:
1. Rodney Smith on the ground. Dude ran hard and got some yards that weren't there. He's not going to pull away from you, but on a night when Or St loaded the box, he still found a way to make yards.
2. ML7 on the ground. He was pretty good with his ball fakes and scrambled for some big first downs.
3. Run defense/DL: down that many LBs, I expected us to start getting gashed. Didn't happen incredibly often. The pass rush looked much improved (Devers looks like a stud, Richardson continued to do his thing), which will be huge going forward.
4. WRs: thought they were getting good separation (Tyler Johnson specifically). It's not on them if ML7 doesn't get them the ball. If you scanned the field on passing plays, there was almost always someone with some great separation.
5. The 'To: Santoso was great punting the ball. Tons of touch, strong leg. He may have a future in the league if he continues punting the ball this way.

Bad
1. Pass defense: Left Ayunle alone far too often, and he just didn't have it tonight in coverage. Myrick got roasted on a simple cross for a bug gain. Needed a couple of drops to avoid further big plays. Not their best effort, but some young guys got some snaps. I'm hopeful for them to gel.
2. OL run blocking/blitz pickup/ML7 audibles: when Or St decided to run blitz, the play was dead. I don't know if it was missed commuication on who had who on the OL or if ML7 just didn't audible as he said he was able to, but it led to some atrocious plays which killed drives from 2nd and short to 3rd and long.
3. Coach Johnson: it appeared to be very vanilla playcalling. There was no easing ML7 in with some easier throws to get some jitters out off of play action. Unimaginative. Appeared to get better in the 2nd half when we really needed it, but I didn't see much to impress.
4. Coach Claeys: I'm a fan of the aggressive approach and glad he didn't shy away from trying to score at the end of the 1st half (kind of) and tried to put the game away late, but he didn't use his timeouts well, didn't ride the refs about the hits on ML7 or about any calls really, and just seemed to be more passive on the sideline. May be his style, but he didn't impress in his first true outing as HC.

Ugly:
1. Targeting: Jesus. These were crippling. Losing Poock early had a noticeable impact on the D's psyche. Then it led to a TD. The other 2 (which I felt were weaker calls) just need to get cleaned up by guys if they're going to call it that tight (unless you hit ML7, then no targeting or even penalties will ever be called).
2. Snaps: you can't do that once in a game, let alone twice. It's the simplest but perhaps most important part of a play. Gotta clean that up if we're running out of the pistol or we need a new center.
3. ML7 through the air: jitters, first game overhype, just a bad night. Whatever it was, he looked very bad throwing the ball. The part that was perhaps most concerning to me was that he seemed to lock onto his primary read and try gun sling it in there, rather than progress in his options. There were guys open last night. ML7 just wasn't feeding them the ball well.
4. Screen coverage: We got caught, plain and simple. Whether it was being outcoached or just a piece of bad timing, or someone missing an assignment, but it seemed like we were constantly blitzing into their screens and it led to huge yardage.


this one I'll put in a category on its lonesome, but the crowd was funky last night. And not like Prince funky. Student section disengaged randomly (probably secondary to the product on the field and the poor engagement via the scoreboard) and overall the crowd seemed pretty tame for the vast majority of the game. Then the mass exodus in the early 4th quarter was confusing for a game that was close. just a weird night.


Ugly game for a variety of reasons. We won. I expect a much crisper team next week.
 

Lots of good info. in this thread. One thing that has not been mentioned yet was the play call on our very first drive of the first quarter. 3rd and 1 and the center was not covered, in my mind that is an automatic audible to a QB sneak and get the first down. Instead we ran a rather slow developing play off tackle and loose 3 yards. I was really excited to see some changes to our offense this year and three plays in the tone had been set.
 

GopherSOB said:
Lots of good info. in this thread. One thing that has not been mentioned yet was the play call on our very first drive of the first quarter. 3rd and 1 and the center was not covered, in my mind that is an automatic audible to a QB sneak and get the first down. Instead we ran a rather slow developing play off tackle and loose 3 yards. I was really excited to see some changes to our offense this year and three plays in the tone had been set.
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Yeah, the third and short calls were perplexing to say the least. If we can't move the pile with a 230 pound QB against a second rate line we are in big trouble this year. Happened several times if I recall.
 

Gopher028 said:
This is why when everyone I knew was going "we need to blow out this team"
I had a major eye roll....until I gave myself a headache. When is the last time
that we rolled over a team we were supposed to roll over? One thing I didn't
expect, was the hugely dumb mental mistakes, costly mistakes that got THREE
players ejected, I have never seen that before at any level.....has anyone?!

Tomorrow..these guys better be running wind sprints until they're throwing up food
they haven't even eaten yet. Unacceptable.
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The Mason years
 



Glass half full: It's easy to be skeptical when someone comes back after an off-season surgery and says he's healthier than he's been in two years. But there's no question that Leidner was significantly more mobile than last season. That guy must have been in serious pain.

Glass half empty: Still got up clutching his clavicle. The way he landed is really common for broken collar bones.
 

1. We scored 30 points. Something we did twice last year
2. Played without our top LB, TE, RB and a top WR
3. Played a bunch of true freshmen who's first game was a night game against a P5 team
4. Two new starters on OL who were in junior college a year ago.
5. We're down with 17:30 to go and scored the final 13 points and shut them out in the 4th.

Brewster was 1-11 in year one and went to bowl in year two.
Kill was 3-9 and went to bowl in year two.
Let's see what OSU does in year two under Andersen before being so disappointed.


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GopherWeatherGuy said:
Do you take the higher percentage odds to kick the XP and assure you can't lose, or the lower % odds to convert the 2 pt to put the game away, but give yourself a higher percentage chance of losing?

We've been here before. The 'Mathematician' has answered incorrectly both times. The state of Kansas should invest in better Math teachers.
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^^^^^^No kidding.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
1. We scored 30 points. Something we did twice last year
2. Played without our top LB, TE, RB and a top WR
3. Played a bunch of true freshmen who's first game was a night game against a P5 team
4. Two new starters on OL who were in junior college a year ago.
5. We're down with 17:30 to go and scored the final 13 points and shut them out in the 4th.

Brewster was 1-11 in year one and went to bowl in year two.
Kill was 3-9 and went to bowl in year two.
Let's see what OSU does in year two under Andersen before being so disappointed.


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There should be a rule on GH about posting the night of the game. Everyone is much more logical the next day. Very good points ^^^^^
 




MaxyJR1 said:
1. We scored 30 points. Something we did twice last year
2. Played without our top LB, TE, RB and a top WR
3. Played a bunch of true freshmen who's first game was a night game against a P5 team
4. Two new starters on OL who were in junior college a year ago.
5. We're down with 17:30 to go and scored the final 13 points and shut them out in the 4th.

Brewster was 1-11 in year one and went to bowl in year two.
Kill was 3-9 and went to bowl in year two.
Let's see what OSU does in year two under Andersen before being so disappointed.


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Good Points other than CP12 is NOT our top LB.


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Always good to win the first one! No doubt about that!!

Some perspective regarding Oregon State

With this loss, they are now 0-13 against Power Five schools over, obviously, the last 13 games.

In their last 24 games against Power Five teams, they are 2-22.

They are essentially the Purdue of the Big Ten.

Indiana State should provide even less of a challenge as they almost no experience at QB and not much of a running game. They are, however, very big on their two deep O Line. They will start a 270 pound guard. After that, it is a lot of big boys including a 380 LBS lineman. Their starting QB from last year is academically ineligible. They are expected to finish toward the bottom of the Missouri Valley.
 

I couldn't stay up to see the game live (2AM start in the UK with an important day at work to follow) but just finished watching the replay on BTN international (without knowing the score). It was fantastically Gopherish - head scratchingly bad/bizarre at times, brilliant in flashes, kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish - even to the point of Mitch almost fumbling the victory kneel. I've spent three hours screaming at the TV and the wife screaming at me for disturbing her viewing the soap operas in the other room. Loved every minute of it.
 



They didn't play bad. They ran the ball. Mitch threw the ball well despite the 50% completion rate.

They made a lot of mistakes.


Mistakes are easier to correct than being bad. They beat a Pac 12 team that will likely win 2-5 games this year. Not a world beater...but a confidence booster. That's the best the offense has looked in a non conference game in a while.


Correct mistakes. Keep getting cleaner. I take that game as 100% positive.
 

3399 said:
Always good to win the first one! No doubt about that!!

Some perspective regarding Oregon State

With this loss, they are now 0-13 against Power Five schools over, obviously, the last 13 games.

In their last 24 games against Power Five teams, they are 2-22.

They are essentially the Purdue of the Big Ten.

Indiana State should provide even less of a challenge as they almost no experience at QB and not much of a running game. They are, however, very big on their two deep O Line. They will start a 270 pound guard. After that, it is a lot of big boys including a 380 LBS lineman. Their starting QB from last year is academically ineligible. They are expected to finish toward the bottom of the Missouri Valley.
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I personally think Oregon state will be better this year. They were transitioning from a more traditional offense to a spread coach last year. Gary Anderson is a good coach. I think they win 4 or 5 games this year. Granted their schedule is hellish
 

If Harambe had to watch that game, he would have shot himself.
 

GopherSOB said:
Lots of good info. in this thread. One thing that has not been mentioned yet was the play call on our very first drive of the first quarter. 3rd and 1 and the center was not covered, in my mind that is an automatic audible to a QB sneak and get the first down. Instead we ran a rather slow developing play off tackle and loose 3 yards. I was really excited to see some changes to our offense this year and three plays in the tone had been set.
Click to expand...
The quarterback sneak is the most overrated play in football and also the most underrated play in football. When there is nobody between the guards it is the most underrated. When there is anyone between the guards it is the most overrated play.


I didn't see exactly what you were talking about but if they didn't have anyone in either A Gap or over the center I would agree with you.
 

In listening to the post-game press conferences, I learned that essentially the first three offensive possessions were constituted of pre-scripted plays - plays that were designed not so much to move the ball, but to "diagnose" the defense. You can't take what the defense gives you without first understanding what it is giving you.

I think this is an intelligent approach - a thinking man's approach - but I am concerned about this approach when paired with Claey's approach to defense. Basically, if both the offense and the defense essentially sacrifice the first two or three possessions to diagnose the opposition, we could end up down 17 points rapidly. When coupled with a deliberate, dare I say plodding, offense, that could be problematic. I'm concerned that by the time we assess what our opportunities are (I hasten to add that I think we'll assess correctly), we'll be too far behind against quality opponents. Thoughts?
 


touchdownvikings said:
In listening to the post-game press conferences, I learned that essentially the first three offensive possessions were constituted of pre-scripted plays - plays that were designed not so much to move the ball, but to "diagnose" the defense. You can't take what the defense gives you without first understanding what it is giving you.

I think this is an intelligent approach - a thinking man's approach - but I am concerned about this approach when paired with Claey's approach to defense. Basically, if both the offense and the defense essentially sacrifice the first two or three possessions to diagnose the opposition, we could end up down 17 points rapidly. When coupled with a deliberate, dare I say plodding, offense, that could be problematic. I'm concerned that by the time we assess what our opportunities are (I hasten to add that I think we'll assess correctly), we'll be too far behind against quality opponents. Thoughts?
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It's not uncommon for a team to script out 10 plays to start a game. Makes sense especially when facing a defense you don't have any film on.
 

touchdownvikings said:
Oh. And, yes, I'm drinking.
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“Well, you see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”
 


The Good:

1. We put up 30 points without our best RB (Brooks), our starting TE/arguably best receiving threat (Lingen), and a starting WR (Carter).
2. We may have finally found a pass rusher. Devers looked better than anyone since...???
3. With the way Santoso was punting, no one will miss Mortell.
4. Rodney was clutch and had a really good game.

The Bad:
1. Way too many penalties
2. Snaps over the QBs head
3. Still no big play WR threat
4. Mitch is still Mitch. An average B1G QB, not an NFL draft pick.

The Ugly:
1. Kunle Ayinde. I'm sure he's a great kid and has worked his tail off to become a B1G football player, but he leaves a lot to be desired. OSU had 14 points due to his blown coverage and missed tackles, and the chance for more if they would have converted some other pass plays. Disappointing that we don't have another safety that is a better option.
2. This is the year we are supposed to make a run. The fact that we barely took care of what is probably still a bad OSU team at home leads me to believe we are a 6-8 win team.
3. The targeting penalties were ridiculous. It almost appeared we didn't know the rule.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Amazed how people are complaining about how the team managed the end of the game and the two pointer which I really didn't have any issues with but nobody seems bothered by the clock management at the end of the half.

Tied, knowing the other team would get the ball to start the second half, ball on their 45 with 45 seconds and 3 timeouts and the coaches were absolutely content to run the clock out and head to half time tied. It took a great run by Smith to force them to go for points instead. The clock management prior to half time was very reminiscent of the end of the Michigan game. If Smith doesn't break tackles and make something out of nothing we go to half time tied.

Pass protection seemed solid but the run blocking left a lot to be desired. Smith had a great game and Mitch looked good running but ran too many times in my opinion. Some promising true freshmen emerged and in the end a win is a win.
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Didn't clock minding cost us the Michigan game last year?
 

hungan1 said:
Didn't clock minding cost us the Michigan game last year?
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During the post-game press conference Claeys outright said they aren't going to go downfield in those situations (between the 40s I assume) with a minute or less to play.

Beyond being an irritating vestigial tail of the Kill regime two minute philosophy (we need those FGs) you've tipped off the opposing defense to look for and blitz the run creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. it also contradicts Claeys philosophy of taking the opening kickoff. If you're not going to use the last few minutes of the half to try and move the ball/score, what's the point?
 

GophersInIowa said:
“Well, you see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”
Click to expand...

Awesome and so true!
 


Pompous Elitist said:
I'm usually a little embarrassed by my comments the in-game thread. My Id shows through when the whiskey comes out.
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Don't be. The InGame thread is a sh**-show like nothing else on here. It rivals the Strib comment section. Everyone should be embarrassed on what they post there and that is what makes it so precious. Hell, I even keep an eye on it while at the games.


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