Shama: For years now the Gophers have lacked “take it to the house” playmakers; looks now like Gophers could end up with final record around .500

[BleedGopher]

Per Shama:

For years now the Gophers have lacked “take it to the house” playmakers and it cost them again over the weekend as did an awful punt returning night by Koi Perich. In the first half he chose to fair catch a punt inside his own five-yard line. In the fourth quarter he fumbled a rolling punt and Cal recovered at Minnesota’s eight-yard line before scoring a touchdown that put the Bears ahead 24-14.

It looks now like the 2-1 Gophers could end up with a final regular season record of around .500 after losing to Cal in a game they were favored to win. Nearly certain losses await in road games against national title contenders Ohio State and Oregon. The Gophers could win or lose any of the remainder games, including September 27.

David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Go Gophers!!

 

[upnorthkid]

don't really see how these are remotely related but man i wish this was the quality of thing I was "expected" to put out and keep my job.

Part of this is how PJ coaches in that we are not an aggressive downfield team with regularity. Even in the 2019 season, we still didn't hit many home runs
Johnson had I think 3 catches over 50 yards, Bateman 3, and CRAB 1 and that's with NFL talent at WR in one of our best seasons. We shorten games and rank near the bottom in plays per game every year. this is part of why our margins for error are so low when every drive is predicated on execution for an entire length of field

you won't hit home runs when you don't take shots at hitting home runs.

 

[kg21]

Yep,

Slow and plodding as always. We don't break long runs and we don't make big plays in the passing game.

14 plays for 70 yards.........get a penalty, get stuffed on first down, etc...........and that's all she wrote

 

[60's Guy]

Shama is correct...Gophers have not had many playmakers. Mo Ibrahim, Antoine Winfield are two that I can come up with top of mind. We all think Koi can be "that guy" but my gosh he was dreadful on Saturday night. Drinking too much of his own Kool-Aid? What? He played like he was on medication. Totally out of character.

Most aggressive team wins. That is a mantra in coaching. The same guy who doesn't believe in momentum evidently ignores this credo as well. Rushing 3 will get you beat when the other team has a very good passer. Then outta no where PJ will go for it on fourth down when he shouldn't and with the wrong play just to double down.

Finding playmakers is hard...100%. Developing them takes a gift or you get lucky. He inherited Winfield and Tyler Johnson he got lucky on Mo.

The new coordinators every couple years makes it tougher. AND, Losing Winston probably hurt us too on Saturday...turn the dogs loose would have been in his ear..