Scoggins: The Gophers will be sunk in the expanded Big Ten without a better passing game

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BleedGopher

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Per Chip:

The Gophers football team opens its season Thursday night, which inspires what now has become an annual plea to coach P.J. Fleck.

Let ‘er rip. Unleash the passing game. Modernize the offense.

Only three teams in major college football attempted fewer passes than the Gophers in the previous three seasons combined. Those were the three service academies (Army, Navy, Air Force) who don’t pretend to have much interest in the passing game.

The Gophers have not averaged 200 yards passing in a season since 2019, giving them one of the least productive passing attacks in the nation.

That must change. Fleck knows it. Everyone inside the program knows it. Now, it’s about showing it.
It remains perplexing that a coach so forward-thinking in every other facet as a program CEO also can be so old-fashioned when it comes to offense. Fleck at least sounds intent on being more balanced on offense.

www.startribune.com

Scoggins: For Gophers to be successful, Fleck's offense must adapt to modern times and let it fly

The Gophers relied too heavily on the run when they were in the Big Ten West division, but now they’re in an 18-team conference with more high-powered offenses.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

MODERN OFFENSE!!

- Chip's rallying cry last season on Pair and a Spare podcast
 

Is there any evidence that doing the same things as everyone else but with less talented players will work?

I love passing too when we have a good QB but I think the Gophers best chance at being elite (in comparison to the other teams) involves a bludgeoning running game and a run-first QB.
 

fmlizard said:
Is there any evidence that doing the same things as everyone else but with less talented players will work?

I love passing too when we have a good QB but I think the Gophers best chance at being elite (in comparison to the other teams) involves a bludgeoning running game and a run-first QB.
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I don't disagree, but.......

You have to pass.

A really effective running game should open up passing opportunities. Fleck runs a conservative version of what both Mason and Kill ran offensively. Both Mason and Kill were able to use the run to set up incredibly effective passing games (and Kill didn't exactly have Drew Brees in the backfield at any point).

In order to move forward, it's about time Fleck stop making excuses and stop coaching like he just took Incarnate Word into the SEC and he's hoping to win by attrition. He needs to start playing offense to win, not to "not lose".

We're not about to become an Air Raid offense, but we supposedly have a guy who can pass, so let the team make some mistakes. Give them a chance and don't turtle every time your sphincter tightens.

It's year eight for F's sake. Grow a set and coach the team to win.
 

fmlizard said:
Is there any evidence that doing the same things as everyone else but with less talented players will work?

I love passing too when we have a good QB but I think the Gophers best chance at being elite (in comparison to the other teams) involves a bludgeoning running game and a run-first QB.
Click to expand...
Hard to win with that if you get down early. We have seen that play out in recent years. Having said that, it would be hard to not improve over past year. Fleck has a highly accoplished proven passer with two years of solid experience under his belt. If Max can't elevate the passing game over last year, it will be very hard to not place the blame on the coaching staff.
 


Too many drops has to end. Not all on the receiver but elite players compensate.

Tyler had the dropsies at times but did compensate. Need that in spades this year.
 

It sounds like all we need is a $20M NIL war chest to attract the right players and then the problem is solved... Easy!
 

fmlizard said:
Is there any evidence that doing the same things as everyone else but with less talented players will work?

I love passing too when we have a good QB but I think the Gophers best chance at being elite (in comparison to the other teams) involves a bludgeoning running game and a run-first QB.
Click to expand...
That's my thought as well. I watch teams play good defense against teams that spread it out and can match athletes. Then they fold against teams that control the ball and pound them. It probably can work both ways.
 

fmlizard said:
Is there any evidence that doing the same things as everyone else but with less talented players will work?

I love passing too when we have a good QB but I think the Gophers best chance at being elite (in comparison to the other teams) involves a bludgeoning running game and a run-first QB.
Click to expand...

Well said.

If there is a shred of evidence, Chip never presents it in his now familiar/annual "Gophers HAVE TO PASS MORE!!!!!" column.

I can't imagine any rational person wanting to see the 2023 version of Athan Kaliakmanis throwing 40 times per game, especially after we got a chance to actually see just that in last year's Nebraska tilt.

But, hey... labelling a pass-first offensive scheme as "modern" is a nice touch. I have to give him credit for that one. It has a nice double edge to it.

Chip, like all columnists, is trapped in a perpetual, never-ending search for subjects to opine upon. This particular topic is tried and true. And he probably hopes, every season, for a QB controversy. That one is a money-maker as well.
 



RememberMurray said:
Well said.

If there is a shred of evidence, Chip never presents it in his now familiar/annual "Gophers HAVE TO PASS MORE!!!!!" column.

I can't imagine any rational person wanting to see the 2023 version of Athan Kaliakmanis throwing 40 times per game, especially after we got a chance to actually see just that in last year's Nebraska tilt.

But, hey... labelling a pass-first offensive scheme as "modern" is a nice touch. I have to give him credit for that one. It has a nice double edge to it.

Chip, like all columnists, is trapped in a perpetual, never-ending search for subjects to opine upon. This particular topic is tried and true. And he probably hopes, every season, for a QB controversy. That one is a money-maker as well.
Click to expand...
We don't have to be pass first in order to be successful. Washington State had the #4 passing attack and ended the year.....5-7.

Chip, is, well, Chip.

We do have to be able to pass the ball to complement the run first approach eight years in. We should be able to both run the ball more effectively than last year (we averaged 157.5 yds per game last year, good for 65th in the NCAA) and have in most years over the past 20 years. Injuries at RB definitely contributed, but the focus on commitment to the run, 65th in the nation is unacceptable to everyone except Mark Coyle.

It comes down to not that we need to be passing first - we just can't be afraid to pass. Which we are. Not just last year. 2019 is the only year were we seemed to have a real plan for a passing game. 50 rushes for 250+ yards and 15-20 passes for between 150-250 yards is ideal for our offense.

We can also win with a pathetic passing and running offense (exhibit A is Iowa the past years) if the defense is lights out. Just to further poke a hole in Chip's conclusion, but at this point it's jut piling on.
 

Fleck has shown the willingness to throw the ball if he has competent QB play.

If Brosmer provides competent QB play the Gophers will throw the ball more.
 
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scools12 said:
Fleck has shown the willingness to throw the ball if he has competent QB play.

If Brosmer provides competent QB play the Gophers will throw the ball more.
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If he can only out pass the military academies when he has two NFL WRs, he either needs to adjust his offense or recruit better.
 

We have our answer now.

Conservative call
It hasn't been unusual for Fleck and the Gophers to lean on the conservative side of play calling, but one particular play in the first half raised eyebrows. On third-and-goal from the North Carolina 9-yard line, the Gophers handed the ball to Major, who was stopped for a short gain well before the goal line.

That was the Gophers' most promising drive to that point in the game — a 13-play, 52-yard journey. The drive culminated with Kesich's missed 27-yard field-goal attempt. Fleck said after the game they felt they had a good opportunity to run the ball there based on North Carolina's scheme.

"Just because we're at the 9 doesn't mean the best play is not a run," Fleck said. "In certain positions, it does not mean we're just playing it safe. We're not. I mean, we threw the football a lot. We also threw the football and got sacked, we threw the football and got a lot of pressure on us."

www.si.com

Five takeaways from Gophers' season-opening loss to North Carolina

Minnesota was inches away from it being a season-opening victory.
www.si.com www.si.com
 

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