Purdue vs Minnesota analysis from Hammer and Nails

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everybody knows my name

everybody knows my name

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A deeply flawed analysis that starts with a deeply flawed central premise and never gets beyond it: Minnesota can't throw the ball at all.

http://www.hammerandrails.com/2014/10/15/6981985/purdue-at-minnesota-preview

"I knew the Minnesota passing game was limited, but I didn't know how limited until I was able to see the stats."

"There are some one-dimensional teams out there, but it is amazing to see how limited the Gophers are."

"The Purdue secondary has been gashed the last two weeks, but a third straight tough game would be deeply troubling. Minnesota just cannot pass the ball with any consistency."

"[Maxx Williams]...has 12 catches for 225 yards and three TDs. If Minnesota is throwing, they are throwing to him. Donovahn Jones (8-121-1) is the secondary target, but again, there is almost no passing game to speak of here."

"This is not a good offensive team we're facing. Minnesota has gotten it don with its defense and running game through six games, but the passing game is negligible."

"There is almost no versatility there and Leidner has not proven that he can be effective at throwing the ball."
 

Gee, Northwestern seemed to find out differently.
 

everybody knows my name said:
A deeply flawed analysis that starts with a deeply flawed central premise and never gets beyond it: Minnesota can't throw the ball at all.

http://www.hammerandrails.com/2014/10/15/6981985/purdue-at-minnesota-preview

"I knew the Minnesota passing game was limited, but I didn't know how limited until I was able to see the stats."

"There are some one-dimensional teams out there, but it is amazing to see how limited the Gophers are."

"The Purdue secondary has been gashed the last two weeks, but a third straight tough game would be deeply troubling. Minnesota just cannot pass the ball with any consistency."

"[Maxx Williams]...has 12 catches for 225 yards and three TDs. If Minnesota is throwing, they are throwing to him. Donovahn Jones (8-121-1) is the secondary target, but again, there is almost no passing game to speak of here."

"This is not a good offensive team we're facing. Minnesota has gotten it don with its defense and running game through six games, but the passing game is negligible."

"There is almost no versatility there and Leidner has not proven that he can be effective at throwing the ball."
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I'm curious what "stats" they're looking at. The actual ones, or the pretend ones they've fabricated to suit their narrative?

Mitch Leidner: 50-91 (54.9%), 682 yards, 7.5 YPA, 3 TD, 5 INT, 117.8 rating
Austin Appleby: 48-80 (60%), 502 yards, 6.3 YPA, 3 TD, 2 INT, 120.1 rating

Appleby is slightly more accurate and less prone to interceptions, while Leidner has thrown for more yards per attempt. Their passer ratings are almost identical. But yes, Appleby is just sooo much better.

"Not a good offensive team we're facing."

Minnesota - 27.0 ppg in Big Ten games
Purdue - 26.3 ppg in Big Ten games

I also like the part about how they left out that Minnesota has the #1 defense in Big Ten games, while Purdue is #13.

I thought Purdue students were supposed to be smart. It apparently doesn't extend to their bloggers.
 

Didn't we, for a long time, have a resident Purdue expert here? Usually pretty rational and knowledgeable about Purdue history, hopes, expectations, etc.

What was his handle, and where did he go? Perhaps he's been here the whole time and I just haven't spotted him. I hope that having a crap-ass team recently hasn't discouraged him from all message board activity - goodness knows it hadn't discouraged the rest of us in the not too distant past.
 

Oh, one more thing - that terribly deficient and limited Leidner is 24/37 (64.9%) in Big Ten games, while their Lord and Savior Austin Appleby is 41-63 (65.1%). Also, Leidner is #8 in conference games in passing YPG, while Appleby is #10. Additionally, Leidner is #3 in passer rating in Big Ten games, while Appleby is #7. But, once again, Appleby is just sooooo much better.
 


How many weeks in a row do we have to be successful throwing the ball (not Illinois successful mind you...that's why they beat MAC teams nearly half the time) before we get some credit? We won't do it, but I bet we could beat Purdue with the SJSU gameplan.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Oh, one more thing - that terribly deficient and limited Leidner is 24/37 (64.9%) in Big Ten games, while their Lord and Savior Austin Appleby is 41-63 (65.1%). Also, Leidner is #8 in conference games in passing YPG, while Appleby is #10. Additionally, Leidner is #3 in passer rating in Big Ten games, while Appleby is #7. But, once again, Appleby is just sooooo much better.
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Facts have no place within these walls! Didn't you hear that Purdue finally won a Big 10 game? They can't be stopped...
 

Its reasonable for an opposing team blog to view the worst case for us/best for them scenario. Their fans that are posting comments seem much more realistic about MN's offense and their defense. In the end, we may be one to one and half years in front of them developmentally. In no way is this a push over game...we will have to win this game by executing better than they do.
 

GopherHomer said:
How many weeks in a row do we have to be successful throwing the ball (not Illinois successful mind you...that's why they beat MAC teams nearly half the time) before we get some credit? We won't do it, but I bet we could beat Purdue with the SJSU gameplan.
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At this point it seems like we might have to be successful passing the ball the rest of the season to shed the "Minnesota can't pass" image.
 



GopherinPhilly said:
Its reasonable for an opposing team blog to view the worst case for us/best for them scenario. Their fans that are posting comments seem much more realistic about MN's offense and their defense. In the end, we may be one to one and half years in front of them developmentally. In no way is this a push over game...we will have to win this game by executing better than they do.
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+1

I sincerely hope our players & coaches are taking this game very seriously. With Purdue's improved performance the last 2 weeks, we can't just show up and expect to roll over them.
 

Much like us, no Purdue fan (or blogger) should ever discount the abilities of any opponent. With that said, all kinds of journalists have taken pot-shots at the Gophers ability to pass all season. Just par for the course in this case. Wouldn't read much into it other than he's looking for a reason the Boilers can win and picked the path of least resistance.
 


Someone could remind the scribes, and a bunch of us as well, that can't pass and prefer not to pass are different animals.
 




Mitch Leidner is 3rd in the big ten in passer rating, 3rd in completion percentage, and tied for 3rd in yards per attempt if you exclude non-conference games. I know that's a small sample size of 2 games, but those 2 games are also our most recent games against solid defenses.
 

jaymil said:
At this point it seems like we might have to be successful passing the ball the rest of the season to shed the "Minnesota can't pass" image.
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At this point i hope we don't shed that image. Instead run over teams while keeping the pass game to a minimum as long as it results in a victory.
 

Nate said:
At this point i hope we don't shed that image. Instead run over teams while keeping the pass game to a minimum as long as it results in a victory.
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Bingo.
 

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