Advertisement

Win over Rutgers doesn’t mean Gophers have fixed three key problem areas

andy greder, pioneer press
·4 min read

The Gophers’ 31-0 win over Rutgers on Saturday looked convincing and complete. It was a blowout over the point spread — Minnesota was a 14-point favorite — and produced the Gophers’ second shutout this season.

But were the warts that rose to the surface during the three-game losing streak frozen off? Or did the game’s makeup just temporarily conceal them?

When Minnesota (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) lost consecutive games to Purdue, Illinois and Penn State, three problem areas emerged: a lack of a consistent pass rush, receivers failing to get open/win contested catches, and an offensive line that did not exert its will.

Here’s a look at those three areas from Saturday:

Blocking

Minnesota started the game grinding out two incredibly long touchdown drives — a 19-play, 99-yard drive to start the game, followed by an 86-yard march over 13 plays.

It helps to have All-America candidate Mo Ibrahim running the ball. He broke a tackle for a would-be safety on the first offensive play, and finished his day with a 4.4-yard average on 36 carries, the second-most rushes of his career.

Head coach P.J. Fleck often has called Ibrahim an “eraser,” for how he is able to remove other issues. “I think everybody understands how important a healthy Mohamed Ibrahim is — not afraid to say that,” Fleck shared postgame. “I’m a way better coach when Mohamed is healthy.”

Rutgers is 1-4 in the Big Ten, but the Scarlet Knights’ rush defense entered the game ranked among the top 10 in the nation.

“I did feel like we were denting them,” Fleck said of his O-line and tight ends. “Those 3- to 4-yard runs come the end of the game, you saw what happened. They come spitting out.”

In a 17-point fourth quarter, Ibrhaim’s popped a 28-yard touchdown and Trey Potts had a 40-yard rush to set up Bryce Williams’ late 3-yard touchdown run.

Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan was not sacked, and Pro Football Focus College credited Rutgers with only four pressures. Yet left guard Axel Ruschmeyer was the only offensive lineman with a pass-blocking grade over 70.0.

On the opening drive, Morgan ran for a 15-yard gain to keep it alive.

“I think we had a little too much pressure in the drop-back game,” Fleck said.

Pass-catching

The Gophers ran the ball on 72 percent of plays Saturday — a number more reminiscent of former offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr. Playing with the lead didn’t require Minnesota to throw in order to get back into the game — a luxury the Gophers might not have in the final four games.

Minnesota will kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., followed by home games against Northwestern and Iowa before a regular-season finale at Wisconsin two days after Thanksgiving.

On Saturday, Daniel Jackson had a solid start after two quiet games against Illinois and Penn State. He finished with six receptions on eight target for 51 yards to lead the team.

But Minnesota took no shots down the field — zero pass attempts over 20 yards and only four throws over 10 yards.

Plus, U pass-catchers dropped multiple passes. On the third drive of the game, Morgan threw behind Jackson on a short pass for an incompletion to force a punt.

Rutgers went nowhere on its ensuing drive, but Quentin Redding didn’t catch the Scarlet Knights’ punt at the 35 and Minnesota started at its own 22.

The U ran the ball three times to end the half, and fans booed the conservative approach.

“Last thing I want to do is be able to give them the ball in that territory — something happens,” Fleck said. “That is the only way I felt like the game could go opposite of that, if we were too aggressive right before the half.

“… When your defense is playing that good, you’ve got to make calls based on what you see in front of you — whether that is popular or not — because you have to get to the end of the game with a W, period.”

Pass rush

With the Gophers last in the Big Ten in sacks, Fleck shared their defensive line was challenged to respond this week. Minnesota had just one sack Saturday, but PFF had the U with nine pressures.

“I felt the pass rush more (on Saturday) than I have,” Fleck said. “That offensive line averages 325 (pounds) across the board, but I felt them (Saturday). They condensed the pocket down. We have to get better at some things. We overran the quarterback too much, allowed some step-up holes.”

Edge rushers Danny Striggow and Jah Joyner combined for a sack, and Joyner could have had a second if not for Gavin Wimsatt scrambling for a short gain before being taken down.

Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi was looking for more push from the interior D-Line, and that remained wanting against Rutgers.

Joyner, who leads the team with 13 pressures, played only 13 pass-rush snaps Saturday. “He’s shown the ability to get free and get some wins,” Rossi said. “He’s got to be able to finish at the top of the rush though.”

Related Articles