This is surreal. Gophers had 5 passes in the 2nd half last night. 5!!!!

[Gold Rush]

more than one thing can be true at the same time.

--the Michigan game was out of hand.
-- running the ball keeps the clock moving and gets the game over sooner
-- the pass rush was giving AK a lot of problems
-- if you want to 'work' on the passing game, you probably don't do that against one of the best defenses in the country
-- most coaches don't pull QB's when trailing unless there is an injury. Fleck is no different - backup only plays when Gophers are winning by a large margin

and then some conjecture:
-- if AK couldn't get anyone done against the Michigan defense, chances are that the backups wouldn't fare any better - and could have done worse
-- Gophs are thin at QB. only backups are Kramer - who generally only runs wildcat - and Viotto, a true FR who has never taken a varsity snap.

This year, a whopping 58 of the 131 starting QB's in the NCAA D-1 came from transfers. That is a whopping 44.3 per cent. The year before, the number was 37 per cent but you can see the trend. Not sure what is wrong with AK but it seems like he has regressed from last year.

I think Fleck is going to be forced to look at the transfer portal next season for QB. We are woefully thin there so a good one is a must going into what is going to be a real meat grinder from here on out.

 

[MNfootballfan]

Yeah.

Pretty clear in year 7 Minnesota isn’t at the reload stage of program building yet.
It’s definitely a rebuild.

My expectations were recalibrated after northwestern game.
Hoping for a 5-4 conference season. That would be a success. Because this team isn’t very good.

The Northwestern loss is going to haunt us. If the game would have ended at halftime or end of the 3rd quarter the wins and losses of the season would have gone about how I expected.

PJ has to be feeling some heat. His lack of playing to win (i.e. "More games are lost than are won.") is what is going to be his downfall.

I might be looking through total Maroon and Gold Glasses but I really don't think our issue is talent. I really like our offensive players. I don't feel that AK or the WR are put in any position to have any sustainable success. If we want to be a running team, that is fine, simply circle back to the early 2000s and look how Maroney and Barber were used. Can't tell me Evans and Taylor couldn't do a lot of what they are doing. Imagine zone read with Taylor and Evans running a jet across? That is a lot of talent to defend. Starting busting that and open up your play action.

 

[Some guy]

The Northwestern loss is going to haunt us. If the game would have ended at halftime or end of the 3rd quarter the wins and losses of the season would have gone about how I expected.

PJ has to be feeling some heat. His lack of playing to win (i.e. "More games are lost than are won.") is what is going to be his downfall.

I might be looking through total Maroon and Gold Glasses but I really don't think our issue is talent. I really like our offensive players. I don't feel that AK or the WR are put in any position to have any sustainable success. If we want to be a running team, that is fine, simply circle back to the early 2000s and look how Maroney and Barber were used. Can't tell me Evans and Taylor couldn't do a lot of what they are doing. Imagine zone read with Taylor and Evans running a jet across? That is a lot of talent to defend. Starting busting that and open up your play action.

I somewhat agree with what you’re saying. Fleck wanted a new identity this year. He shit canned that after the Nebraska game and now we are a team without an identity.

 

[MaxyJR1]

This year, a whopping 58 of the 131 starting QB's in the NCAA D-1 came from transfers. That is a whopping 44.3 per cent. The year before, the number was 37 per cent but you can see the trend. Not sure what is wrong with AK but it seems like he has regressed from last year.

I think Fleck is going to be forced to look at the transfer portal next season for QB. We are woefully thin there so a good one is a must going into what is going to be a real meat grinder from here on out.

New OC. He wasn't that good. He's a career 55% passer. That doesn't get it done in 2023.

 

[Panthadad2]

Score at first drive second half 10-24

First drive:
Score 10-24. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/scramble, punt

Second drive:
Score 10-31. Run, pass/holding, pass/incomplete, pass/sack, punt.

Third drive:
Score 10-38. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/interception pick 6.

Score 10-45.

Up to the 10-45 score, the Gophs ran 3 times and attempted to pass 7 times (the sacks, scrambles and penalties don't show up in the box score as pass attempts). The team was doing its best to come back up to the 10-45 point but it just wasn't working AT ALL. Both teams then went into clock draining mode.

It's not like the offense went into military academy running mode in the second half as the OP Tweet implies, they were just ineffective.

 

[Some guy]

New OC. He wasn't that good. He's a career 55% passer. That doesn't get it done in 2023.

His completion percentage is 1.8% lower
His TD/int ratio is better

His yards per attempt are down

 

[MaxyJR1]

Score at first drive second half 10-24

First drive:
Score 10-24. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/scramble, punt

Second drive:
Score 10-31. Run, pass/holding, pass/incomplete, pass/sack, punt.

Third drive:
Score 10-38. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/interception pick 6.

Score 10-45.

Up to the 10-45 score, the Gophs ran 3 times and attempted to pass 7 times (the sacks, scrambles and penalties don't show up in the box score as pass attempts). The team was doing its best to come back up to the 10-45 point but it just wasn't working AT ALL. Both teams then went into clock draining mode.

It's not like the offense went into military academy running mode in the second half as the OP Tweet implies, they were just ineffective.

Thanks for the research. People who think we didn't try are crazy, now you can argue they should have attempted a 1st down pass. Down 45-10, any coach is just looking to get out of there at that point.

 

[Panthadad2]

Thanks for the research. People who think we didn't try are crazy, now you can argue they should have attempted a 1st down pass. Down 45-10, any coach is just looking to get out of there at that point.

Yup, Michigan ran 14 plays in the 14th quarter and only passed 3. Both teams were looking to get out of there.

 

[Some guy]

Score at first drive second half 10-24

First drive:
Score 10-24. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/scramble, punt

Defense got a nice stop to start the half. This was when we needed to score. Down just 14.

Second drive:
Score 10-31. Run, pass/holding, pass/incomplete, pass/sack, punt.

Now punting the ball down 21. Not out of it, but defense needed to make a stop at this point.

Third drive:
Score 10-38. Run, pass/incomplete, pass/interception pick 6.

Game really over.

Score 10-45.

Up to the 10-45 score, the Gophs ran 3 times and attempted to pass 7 times (the sacks, scrambles and penalties don't show up in the box score as pass attempts). The team was doing its best to come back up to the 10-45 point but it just wasn't working AT ALL. Both teams then went into clock draining mode.

It's not like the offense went into military academy running mode in the second half as the OP Tweet implies, they were just ineffective.

 

[stocker08]

Seeing if someone can help me out......were people complaining about the OL before this game?

My recollection is that they had been fine up to this point. Definitely not last years line, but it hadn't been a weak point.

Pass protection was not good prior to this game. Playing against Michigan talent just made things worse.

 

[PMWinSTP]

This year, a whopping 58 of the 131 starting QB's in the NCAA D-1 came from transfers. That is a whopping 44.3 per cent. The year before, the number was 37 per cent but you can see the trend. Not sure what is wrong with AK but it seems like he has regressed from last year.

I think Fleck is going to be forced to look at the transfer portal next season for QB. We are woefully thin there so a good one is a must going into what is going to be a real meat grinder from here on out.

How about he looks for a successful OC and QB coach first?

 

[gopherbadgerman]

The Northwestern loss is going to haunt us. If the game would have ended at halftime or end of the 3rd quarter the wins and losses of the season would have gone about how I expected.

PJ has to be feeling some heat. His lack of playing to win (i.e. "More games are lost than are won.") is what is going to be his downfall.

I might be looking through total Maroon and Gold Glasses but I really don't think our issue is talent. I really like our offensive players. I don't feel that AK or the WR are put in any position to have any sustainable success. If we want to be a running team, that is fine, simply circle back to the early 2000s and look how Maroney and Barber were used. Can't tell me Evans and Taylor couldn't do a lot of what they are doing. Imagine zone read with Taylor and Evans running a jet across? That is a lot of talent to defend. Starting busting that and open up your play action.

In my opinion you are looking through rose colored glasses, but that's just me. Ever year fans blame the coaches, especially the OC. The gophers talent is middle to bottom of the B10. That is where their recruiting classes rank. They are more talented than NW, and that was a bad loss. Face it, they are just not that talented or deep, and when injuries happen it really hurts because even though there are some good front line players, there is a real difference when the backups come in. PJ also put all his eggs in the AK QB basket, and Ill admit I was very high on him, but in reality he has been bad.

I say all this being a somewhat defender of Fleck. My biggest complaint is that he has not brought in better players. He has beaten teams with more talent, and lost to some with less, but overall hes outperformed his recruiting rankings easily.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

That would likely negate some tv contracts

Take a knee and punt, then. It makes little to no sense, otherwise. We had 3 dinged up RBs already. Just fold up the tent if you’ve quit.

 

[STPGopher]

In my opinion you are looking through rose colored glasses, but that's just me. Ever year fans blame the coaches, especially the OC. The gophers talent is middle to bottom of the B10. That is where their recruiting classes rank. They are more talented than NW, and that was a bad loss. Face it, they are just not that talented or deep, and when injuries happen it really hurts because even though there are some good front line players, there is a real difference when the backups come in. PJ also put all his eggs in the AK QB basket, and Ill admit I was very high on him, but in reality he has been bad.

I say all this being a somewhat defender of Fleck. My biggest complaint is that he has not brought in better players. He has beaten teams with more talent, and lost to some with less, but overall hes outperformed his recruiting rankings easily.

I'd like to hear from a QB coach if it is little correctable things that add up and make him look terrible, or is he just playing that poorly. My guess is that it's mostly if not all the former. After taking a deep breath, I think Michigan accounted for most of why he looked so bad. From disguising zone coverage, to pressure to speed/ athleticism. They made it too fast for him/ the entire team. I won't be surprised if even Iowa may seem slower going forward.

 

[Dakota2]

If this is the conventional wisdom out there, just forfeit and save the chance of injury to the remaining players. Why bother? Call it. Mercy rule, whatever. More defensible than what I saw.

Michigan had backups in, the game was essentially over. AK8 was shell shocked and ineffective.

Some are falling sway to Fleckball. Shorten the game; run fewer plays; take the air out of the ball; run clock; view handling the ball in most situations as too dangerous.

We won TOP against Michigan, once again proving that is the most important gauge of a football team.

 

[Some guy]

Take a knee and punt, then. It makes little to no sense, otherwise. We had 3 dinged up RBs already. Just fold up the tent if you’ve quit.

This is what they essentially did once it went 45-10
They also started playing Tyler and Nubin

After the score went 45-10 the third and fourth string RBs (excluding injured players…really 4-5 RBs) got the ball on 12/14 snaps. The first of those 14 snaps, Evans got the ball. The third of those snaps, a pass was attempted. Other than that it was Nubin/Tyler

I would have to look but I would imagine some other backups played at other positions too.

 

[Goldmember]

This QB AK can't get it done -- yet. You lower your probabilities of winning if you pass.

----

Everyone makes complete sense to criticize the lack of a dynamic passing game -- under normal circumstances. You need a QB to run a better passing attack, though.

Here’s the funny part… they kept passing even when they they were losing by 35 points in the 4th quarter. It just wasn’t working.

So this totally idiotic tweet is basically just expressing amazement that the plan wasn’t to throw passes and try to catch up with < 9:30 left in the game down by 42 pts to the #2 team in the nation.

Genius, gopherhole.