MINNNEAPOLIS – Excitement was high as Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck rowed into TCF Bank Stadium for the first time. A dual quarterback rotation highlighted a night where the Minnesota offense was forced to overcome consistency issues in the running game. Wide receiver Tyler Johnson carved up the Buffalo Bulls for 141 yards and a touchdown, lifting the Gophers to a 17-7 win.
The game served as a reminder that inexperience will impact key positon groups such as quarterback, cornerback, and the offensive line. Some of those can be fixed over time, others will need to be filled through future recruiting. The glaring takeaway is the fact a quarterback still hasn’t separated himself by performing better than the other. P.J. Fleck has preached how experience is important at the quarterback position. Thursday night’s game proved there may be growing pains as each of them evolve.
The dual-quarterback rotation
P.J. Fleck promised quarterbacks Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft would rotate as co-starters. He didn’t disappoint Thursday night, with Rhoda taking nine series (two kneels) and Croft handling five. Rhoda found wide receiver Tyler Johnson for a long 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter. His other three first half drives fizzled with two punts and a poorly thrown interception in the front corner of the end zone. In the second half, Rhoda’s offense had less rhythm, notching two punts and a missed field goal.
On the other hand, the offense showed slightly more flow when Demry Croft was on the field. Buffalo’s defense appeared to respect his legs, which opened up more rushing lanes. Croft led the team on a 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a great 23-yard touch throw to Eric Carter off a corner route. On his second series, Croft showed great pre-snap recognition to set the protection and slide out of the pocket to find Tyler Johnson near the sideline. The drive ended with a missed 50-yard field goal by Emmit Carpenter, but Croft pushed the team forward. In the second half, the sophomore quarterback led two drives that resulted in punts, one of which was plagued by three holding penalties. However, in the fourth quarter, Croft got the team into field goal range and the running game showed signs of life down the stretch.
Johnson makes a splash
Wide receiver Tyler Johnson used a variety of route combinations to get open Thursday night. He tallied six catches for 141 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown grab. He ran deep crossers, outs and corner routes to get extensive separation. In the fall, it was clear to see how much he focused on the details of his game. He stood out when he used a nice head fake to set up an out route. On one first half drive, Johnson had four catches for 70 yards, including an impressive 22-yard snatch. He will be an integral cog on offense as the team attempts to overcome inexperience at the wide receiver spot.
Winfield Jr. is a special player
It cannot be overstated how special cornerback Antoine Winfield Jr. can be in this defense. Thursday night was just a glimpse of what you’ll see from Winfield Jr. in 2017. Winfield had seven tackles, a notable pass breakup, and a blocked field goal try. He reacted quickly to sack quarterback Tyree Jackson for a 3-yard-loss and showed impressive awareness to make a run stop out of the nickel cornerback spot. In pass coverage, he used his speed to recover and knock away a deep pass up the field. Winfield Jr.’s physical presence in the running game is a huge asset in the slot. In coverage, he has shown his ability to make plays on the ball because of his sound footwork.
Head coach P.J. Fleck commented on Winfield Jr.’s value in his post-game press conference.
“He loves football,” Fleck said. “You can tell by the way he plays the game. Gosh, is he special.”
Moving forward, Winfield Jr.’s versatility may allow him to play a hybrid role in the defense. All offseason, he’s stood out as a player that could have a breakout sophomore year.
Read more of this story at 1500ESPN.com: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2017/08/winfield-jr-shows-versatility-gophers-17-7-win-buffalo/