Run-heavy Gophers know passing game will be needed

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Randy:

One-fourth of the Gophers football season has played out, and a few trends on offense have emerged.

  • Behind a deep, physical offensive line and a stable of running backs, the Gophers will run the ball as their identity, even without reigning Big Ten Running Back of the Year Mohamed Ibrahim, who was lost for the season in the opener. Minnesota has run the ball 149 times and passed it 59 times.
  • The tight end position, though not featured in the passing game like, say, the Kansas City Chiefs feature Travis Kelce, is no longer just a third or fourth tackle. Footballs, at least occasionally, are finding their way to Gophers tight ends.
  • It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
"We've been able to run the football to finish games and win games,'' coach P.J. Fleck said, "but at some point, we're not going to be able to do that.''

That would shift more of the burden to Morgan, who has completed 33 of 59 passes for 481 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. His passing yards per game (160.3) and completion percentage (56%) are down slightly from his career numbers (203.4 ypg, 62%). In 2019, Morgan had the luxury of throwing to two All-Big Ten wide receivers, Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman, who now are in the NFL. The QB averaged 250.2 passing yards per game and completed 66% of his throws on the way to an 11-2 record.

www.startribune.com

Run-heavy Gophers know passing game will be needed

Coach P.J. Fleck expects opponents to adjust, and QB Tanner Morgan sees room for his game to improve.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

We have so many good OL, that they get in the game as fullbacks and/or TEs, to block. I've seen this plenty, and not on only short-yardage.
 


beatles said:
With CAB, Wright, and Jackson I think our offense can really open it up when they’re asked to do so.
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I think even against CO this opened things up a lot. We didn't pass much, but were pretty efficient when we did. Probably helped open up the run game as well.
 

Yeah, the CO game I think the passing numbers could have been higher but weren't because they didn't need to be. The decision was made to keep running and burning the clock to shorten the game since it was pretty apparent the defense could hold strong and keep CO out of the game if mostly running caused some short possessions.

And also, I do think some gamesmanship is being had as well. Keeping some of the more tricky or advance passing plays under wraps until B1G play so that they are less expected. PJ's OOC strategy as we all know is play as vanilla as you can while still winning the game, and open up the play book in conference. This is supported by the fact that we had a lot more TE looks in the OSU game than I think we've seen in the last two games (and I would hazard also in the upcoming game this weekend).
 



Keep doing what we have to do to win games. The OL does not pass block as well as they run block. Everyone knows this. Like others have said, we have the WR's and TE's to pass more if needed.
 

I keep saying PJ will take as many risks as needed to win -- and no more. He perceives passing as a risk. Strip sacks, INTs, game lengthened, etc. That said, we've seen time and again that the offense opens up when needed. 2019 we saw a brutally vanilla, inefficient offense in the non-con, then suddenly the B1G season hits and they're the greatest show on turf for that Purdue game. Already this year we've seen 200 rushing and 200 passing vs. OSU.
 




SixBySix said:
I might be tempted to argue that he has thrown two or three interceptions, just none of them have been caught.
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This is true. Happens a lot in football all across the board. Morgan I'm sure learned from it.
 

1) Many here seem to have forgotten already how formidable Colorado's defense was thought to be, headed into this game.

2) We were playing a road game, and playing in higher altitude — which we are unaccustomed to.

3) The game plan Fleck and Co. came up with to deal with these realities was to turn those tables on the Buffs, and allow our huge, powerful o-line and talented backs to wear them down, in their own thin air.

It worked to perfection. The Buffs were sucking wind. Complete domination, in what was supposed to be a pick 'em game.

Absolutely brilliant trip preparation, gamesmanship, strategy and game planning. No detail was missed.
 

RememberMurray said:
1) Many here seem to have forgotten already how formidable Colorado's defense was thought to be, headed into this game.

2) We were playing a road game, and playing in higher altitude — which we are unaccustomed to.

3) The game plan Fleck and Co. came up with to deal with these realities was to turn those tables on the Buffs, and allow our huge, powerful o-line and talented backs to wear them down, in their own thin air.

It worked to perfection. The Buffs were sucking wind. Complete domination, in what was supposed to be a pick 'em game.

Absolutely brilliant trip preparation, gamesmanship, strategy and game planning. No detail was missed.
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All absolutely true. It would be difficult to over-compliment entire staff and team for what they accomplished.
 

This is my biggest question about the offense and it seemingly is almost every year: what do we do on 3rd and 3/4/5 against a good B1G defense?

This goes back to the Mason days. We so often haven't had an answer over multiple staffs: Against inferior non-conference teams we're run heavy and then we get to a game against a middle of the pack or better B1G defense and we need the passing game in these spots, but we've given it so few game reps...and we find out we don't have it.

In 2019 the rpo slant was a pretty safe play with a high probability of completion that allowed us to move the sticks in these situations. This year (and last year) I haven't seen a short passing game that looks like it can get us an easy 3/4/5 yards in these situations. We've gone slant fade in this down and distance, we've gone pure fade in this down and distance...those are fine decisions to break tendency, but there should be some bread and butter stuff that we feel good about in these situations too.

also this part bothers me:

  • It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
Why should this be a stretch? He clearly doesn't have the same level of receivers as he did in 2019, but he's two years older and has virtually the same offensive line protecting him. Shouldn't there be an expectation for Tanner (and the Oline) to be better individually than they were in 2019? It seems more than fair to expect more than an "efficient game manager" from a guy who was second team all conference two seasons ago.
 



EG#9 said:
This is my biggest question about the offense and it seemingly is almost every year: what do we do on 3rd and 3/4/5 against a good B1G defense?

This goes back to the Mason days. We so often haven't had an answer over multiple staffs: Against inferior non-conference teams we're run heavy and then we get to a game against a middle of the pack or better B1G defense and we need the passing game in these spots, but we've given it so few game reps...and we find out we don't have it.

In 2019 the rpo slant was a pretty safe play with a high probability of completion that allowed us to move the sticks in these situations. This year (and last year) I haven't seen a short passing game that looks like it can get us an easy 3/4/5 yards in these situations. We've gone slant fade in this down and distance, we've gone pure fade in this down and distance...those are fine decisions to break tendency, but there should be some bread and butter stuff that we feel good about in these situations too.

also this part bothers me:

  • It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
Why should this be a stretch? He clearly doesn't have the same level of receivers as he did in 2019, but he's two years older and has virtually the same offensive line protecting him. Shouldn't there be an expectation for Tanner (and the Oline) to be better individually than they were in 2019? It seems more than fair to expect more than an "efficient game manager" from a guy who was second team all conference two seasons ago.
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Though it was only 2nd down iirc -- I liked to rollout to Kieft for ~4 yards, something I don't recall seeing in prior Fleck years
 

EG#9 said:
This is my biggest question about the offense and it seemingly is almost every year: what do we do on 3rd and 3/4/5 against a good B1G defense?

This goes back to the Mason days. We so often haven't had an answer over multiple staffs: Against inferior non-conference teams we're run heavy and then we get to a game against a middle of the pack or better B1G defense and we need the passing game in these spots, but we've given it so few game reps...and we find out we don't have it.

In 2019 the rpo slant was a pretty safe play with a high probability of completion that allowed us to move the sticks in these situations. This year (and last year) I haven't seen a short passing game that looks like it can get us an easy 3/4/5 yards in these situations. We've gone slant fade in this down and distance, we've gone pure fade in this down and distance...those are fine decisions to break tendency, but there should be some bread and butter stuff that we feel good about in these situations too.

also this part bothers me:

  • It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
Why should this be a stretch? He clearly doesn't have the same level of receivers as he did in 2019, but he's two years older and has virtually the same offensive line protecting him. Shouldn't there be an expectation for Tanner (and the Oline) to be better individually than they were in 2019? It seems more than fair to expect more than an "efficient game manager" from a guy who was second team all conference two seasons ago.
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His stats this season will not be as good as 2019 (see 8 straight drops vs Miami) but it looks to me like he's progressed at stuff like pocket presence/movement and passing touch. Let's hope the receiver corps continues to progress and stay healthy.
 

Six more completions per hundred (56% vs 62%) means if Morgan managed to complete one more per sixteen attempts, he’d be at the 2019 completion percentage. The yardage drop is a direct result of losing Bateman. Familiarity with Wright will compensate. He actually looks pretty good in the pocket.
 

EG#9 said:
This is my biggest question about the offense and it seemingly is almost every year: what do we do on 3rd and 3/4/5 against a good B1G defense?

This goes back to the Mason days. We so often haven't had an answer over multiple staffs: Against inferior non-conference teams we're run heavy and then we get to a game against a middle of the pack or better B1G defense and we need the passing game in these spots, but we've given it so few game reps...and we find out we don't have it.

In 2019 the rpo slant was a pretty safe play with a high probability of completion that allowed us to move the sticks in these situations. This year (and last year) I haven't seen a short passing game that looks like it can get us an easy 3/4/5 yards in these situations. We've gone slant fade in this down and distance, we've gone pure fade in this down and distance...those are fine decisions to break tendency, but there should be some bread and butter stuff that we feel good about in these situations too.

also this part bothers me:

  • It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
Why should this be a stretch? He clearly doesn't have the same level of receivers as he did in 2019, but he's two years older and has virtually the same offensive line protecting him. Shouldn't there be an expectation for Tanner (and the Oline) to be better individually than they were in 2019? It seems more than fair to expect more than an "efficient game manager" from a guy who was second team all conference two seasons ago.
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Yep, we run it occasionally, but I wish we went back to running the RPO an annoying amount. When you run the ball like we can, it's really hard to stop.

As to your last point, I think part of the issue is that we are choosing not to throw the ball very much. The Miami of Ohio game and the Colorado game, the passing lanes were wide open. We threw the ball quite a bit more in the early part of 2019.

As far as reaching the numbers of 2019, he had a uniquely good season where I am not sure if he'll put those kinds of numbers again - - even if his play doesn't regress. Our WRs are good this year, they were historically good in 2019. I also think the we might be a better running team in 2021, so we might have fewer games where Tanner will have to air it out.

That said, you do make some good points and I hope we just keep things nice and simple with our pass game.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Yep, we run it occasionally, but I wish we went back to running the RPO an annoying amount. When you run the ball like we can, it's really hard to stop.

As to your last point, I think part of the issue is that we are choosing not to throw the ball very much. The Miami of Ohio game and the Colorado game, the passing lanes were wide open. We threw the ball quite a bit more in the early part of 2019.

As far as reaching the numbers of 2019, he had a uniquely good season where I am not sure if he'll put those kinds of numbers again - - even if his play doesn't regress. Our WRs are good this year, they were historically good in 2019. I also think the we might be a better running team in 2021, so we might have fewer games where Tanner will have to air it out.

That said, you do make some good points and I hope we just keep things nice and simple with our pass game.
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They do run a lot of RPO.
 

A day may come when the courage of our running backs fail, when our O-Line forsakes their blocking assignments and the defense maintains containment, but it is not this day. This day we fight and destroy Bowling Green on the ground! Men of the (B1G) West!

Predicting 300+ rushing yards, seasoned with a salt bae portion of passing.
 

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