[POST GAME THREAD] Minnesota defeats Oregon State 48 - 14

Rhoda has been a good team leader so far. He makes good decisions and is workmanlike, controlled, and efficient in his approach to the position. I do agree with other posters that they should try to make him a bit more of a threat to run just so opposing defenses can't afford to ignore him.

I wondered if we would see some defensive decline after the Claeys departure but the defense has had a much better start this year than last year. The DBs struggled a bit with Oregon State's tall (and fairly talented) receivers but the effort was there. We expected an adjustment in the defensive backfield and that's happening but the defensive backfield isn't a disaster. The pass rushing last night was one of the better efforts I've seen in game over the last few years. The tackling was good as usual.

Seems that we've seeing fewer undisciplined mistakes from this team than the Kill/Claey's teams of the last two years. The team didn't have many penalty yards in the first game. Although they had 70 penalty yards last night, some of those, like the pass interference calls and defensive holding call were understandable under the circumstances. And the iffy chop block call was a good effort that resulted in a penalty.
 

My main concern with the offense is over-relying on RS and SB- why haven't we used McCrary more to spell them a bit? Both those young men gimped off the field a couple of times. Wasn't like they were running through open corridors the entire night getting tackled by a single man- they were getting pummeled a lot and miraculously breaking enough tackles to gain 4 yards a shot. IMO if they don't get at least a third guy in the rotation we'll regret it.


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I agree with this, and it's not like McCrary is a slouch either.
 

I agree it's hard to say much about Croft due to his little playing time. I think we are seeing that the coaches trust Rhoda more. I am kind of wondering if we will settle in with Rhoda as the main guy with Croft as a change-of-pace guy. Maybe 4 series for Rhoda and one for Croft ratio.

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Yes, that might be a good strategy, and that would better prepare Croft in case Rhoda was injured.
 

I don't know why people list the DB play in the bad. I'd say they were ok. They actually had decent coverage on many of the plays, but the wrs just made some plays. I didn't see any busted coverages or guys breaking wide open. WRs are going to have a chance to make contested plays all year against the shorter Shenault I think. I've been okay with the db play in the first two games.
 

Don't have a DVR and wanted to rewatch the game again.

Anyone know where the game can be played again?

It wasn't on BTN2go( thought it might be with the relationship between BtN and Fox), nor in Fox Sports app. ESPN and Btn do a nice job of having the games available after the game is over.

Thx in advance.

On the game nice to see the team respond to a bizarre 2nd Q .... and dominate the 2nd half. I wasn't sure if Smith and Co could continue the very good D from last year. Looks like the it'll be ok. :)

Ski U Mah! RTB!

It's being reshown on one of the FOX Sports channels tonight at 11pm, not FS1, but another foxsports. I wanted to rewatch as well and set up the DVR this morning.
 


I don't know why people list the DB play in the bad. I'd say they were ok. They actually had decent coverage on many of the plays, but the wrs just made some plays. I didn't see any busted coverages or guys breaking wide open. WRs are going to have a chance to make contested plays all year against the shorter Shenault I think. I've been okay with the db play in the first two games.

I think most are specifically referring to CB play. The safeties played well. Shenault had a very bad missed tackle on the first defensive series. Those types of plays almost never happen with Jay Sawvel DB's. It seems both games like they definitely try to pick on him a bit. I think he'll eventually need to step it up in Big Ten play. Thomas got beat too on the TD pass. Wasn't even close enough to look back. Both guys will need to get better.

Other than that though, we played very well.
 

I think most are specifically referring to CB play. The safeties played well. Shenault had a very bad missed tackle on the first defensive series. Those types of plays almost never happen with Jay Sawvel DB's. It seems both games like they definitely try to pick on him a bit. I think he'll eventually need to step it up in Big Ten play. Thomas got beat too on the TD pass. Wasn't even close enough to look back. Both guys will need to get better.

Other than that though, we played very well.

Even the CB play though. I feel like people expect too much from them. They made a couple errors, but I don't think they played bad. I mean they allowed 145 passing yards on 29 attempts.
 

I think most are specifically referring to CB play. The safeties played well. Shenault had a very bad missed tackle on the first defensive series. Those types of plays almost never happen with Jay Sawvel DB's. It seems both games like they definitely try to pick on him a bit. I think he'll eventually need to step it up in Big Ten play. Thomas got beat too on the TD pass. Wasn't even close enough to look back. Both guys will need to get better.

Other than that though, we played very well.

Shenault has been kind of a weak link. He will get better. Thomas made a bad play on the TD. Otherwise, the DBs get a solid B.
 






If I never hear a chainsaw again, I'll be OK with that.

I didn't know what that sound was the first few times I heard it. I thought it sounded like a sick animal braying, so I thought maybe it was a beaver, but I didn't know what a beaver sounded like. Maybe my sound system needs to be better.
 

I didn't know what that sound was the first few times I heard it. I thought it sounded like a sick animal braying, so I thought maybe it was a beaver, but I didn't know what a beaver sounded like. Maybe my sound system needs to be better.

It's an Oregon thing. They do it at the Ducks games and the Portland Timbers matches, too. I guess they love chainsaws, which is really weird for a state full of treehuggers.
 



It's an Oregon thing. They do it at the Ducks games and the Portland Timbers matches, too. I guess they love chainsaws, which is really weird for a state full of treehuggers.

Don't do it at Duck games- do it at Timber games but not nearly as frequently.


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After OSU converted that fourth down and narrowed the Gophers 17 point lead to 3 points, part of me thought here we go again. I was glad they got the three points to lead at half. And their second half was dominant on both sides of the ball.

I was impressed with the game plan and how the game was managed in the sense of the game plan, the play calling, and in how the qbs played. I was a right behind the bench, and I have not sat there before, and it was cool to see how organized the coaches and the players were. For example, they started staging the punt teams during offensive third downs and it all looked very business like. They had players staged on a plastic sheet with 11 dots on it. It may be the norm in college football, but I had not seen that before. Little things like that become the big things and I also like that the offense is disciplined and is not getting the illegal motion calls that have been problematic in the past.

I was surrounded by Gopher fans and it was a really fun game to attend. OSU fans were great, and clearly live the lives if hopeful but let down fans that some us us know all too well.

I was very skeptical about Coach Fleck but the more I see, the more I like him. His interaction with his players was fun to watch, from going to each of them individually as they warmed up, to the sprints between quarters, to the one on one quick interactions throughout the game.
 

After OSU converted that fourth down and narrowed the Gophers 17 point lead to 3 points, part of me thought here we go again. I was glad they got the three points to lead at half. And their second half was dominant on both sides of the ball.

I was impressed with the game plan and how the game was managed in the sense of the game plan, the play calling, and in how the qbs played. I was a right behind the bench, and I have not sat there before, and it was cool to see how organized the coaches and the players were. For example, they started staging the punt teams during offensive third downs and it all looked very business like. They had players staged on a plastic sheet with 11 dots on it. It may be the norm in college football, but I had not seen that before. Little things like that become the big things and I also like that the offense is disciplined and is not getting the illegal motion calls that have been problematic in the past.

I was surrounded by Gopher fans and it was a really fun game to attend. OSU fans were great, and clearly live the lives if hopeful but let down fans that some us us know all too well.

I was very skeptical about Coach Fleck but the more I see, the more I like him. His interaction with his players was fun to watch, from going to each of them individually as they warmed up, to the sprints between quarters, to the one on one quick interactions throughout the game.

I liked when Croft did a little rowing the boat gesture after his TD.
 

Last night was a good confidence builder. I like the fact that Fleck says the kids have a long way to go. He's right. We have big games against top teams in the nation on our schedule. We have to get better.
Enjoy the win today and forget it tomorrow.
 

One difference I think we will continue to see is more passes downfield. I know it's early but so far as a team we're averaging early 10 yards an attempt compared to under 7 last year.
 

It's an Oregon thing. They do it at the Ducks games and the Portland Timbers matches, too. I guess they love chainsaws, which is really weird for a state full of treehuggers.
Some of the local fans mentioned that people used to bring their own chainsaws to the games. They would rev them in the stands after big plays. Hence the reason for the specific listing in what is not allowed.

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I can't find it now, but some were wondering why OSU didn't use Nall much....

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One difference I think we will continue to see is more passes downfield. I know it's early but so far as a team we're averaging early 10 yards an attempt compared to under 7 last year.

Something Ryan Burns has always stressed in his podcast is the need for "explosive plays" on offense (I forget if he defined them as 15+ or 20+ yard plays) to take the next step as a program. I can start to see that potential early in this season thanks to Tyler Johnson. I don't recall really seeing this type of deep pass threat potential in previous seasons going back to Weber/Decker.
 

Redshirts are not "burned". Stop the BS, please. A player can be redshirted any time, re: Croft. Stop using an uninformed, ignorant term.

While you are correct that a kid can redshirt anytime it is pretty rare that it happens later in their college career for anything other than injury. Typically when a kid plays as a true freshman it is because he is too good to sit and earned his spot. So while saying he "burned" his redshirt isn't technically correct it is fairly safe to assume that most if not all the true freshmen that play this season will almost certainly only be here for 4 years at the most.
 

Really a great win.

Capitalized on the Beaver mistakes and did not let our own sink us.

Coach Fleck certainly has a variety of facial expressions to go with his personna.

Now rowing on to Middle Tennessee at TCF!

I chuckled when I read Beaver Mistakes. Childish, I know.
 

3 most satisfying things for me:

--Way they responded when OS got it to 17-14. As a longtime Gopher fan must admit I thought, "Here we go again."
--Rhoda's game. He managed the game very well. Still not sure what will happen when he needs to win a game late, but a nice step from the first game.
--The overall discipline and organization. Very matter of fact approach yet with great spirit. The halftime crew was bemused with PJ, but it seemed like they respect the guy as a coach with a plan.

Like practically everyone else, still most concerned about the offensive line. Smith and Brooks are old-fashioned hard-nosed backs but it would be nice to see them getting some holes.
 

Even the CB play though. I feel like people expect too much from them. They made a couple errors, but I don't think they played bad. I mean they allowed 145 passing yards on 29 attempts.

I'm with you on this. I think Shenault played a great second half in both games so far and the passes that were completed on him in both games were quality passes and catches.
We have been spoiled with Eric Murray, BBC, and Myrick the past 5 years. Thomas and Shenault will get there.
 

I'm with you on this. I think Shenault played a great second half in both games so far and the passes that were completed on him in both games were quality passes and catches.
<b>We have been spoiled with Eric Murray, BBC, and Myrick the past 5 years. </b>Thomas and Shenault will get there.

This. You can add Hardin to that list too as he outplayed Myrick in '16.


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I would agree the coaches trust Rhoda more. I prefer a 1 QB approach so if they prefer Rhoda, so do I. Two thoughts on that...
- Ditch the read option. Doesn't work with CR15.

Agree. On a few of the handoffs, I said to myself, dang, Leidner would have kept that for a big gain. If this ability is not in Rhoda's quiver, the read option needs to be taken out of the play sheet for him. No knock on him, not every QB can run effectively.
 

Agree. On a few of the handoffs, I said to myself, dang, Leidner would have kept that for a big gain. If this ability is not in Rhoda's quiver, the read option needs to be taken out of the play sheet for him. No knock on him, not every QB can run effectively.

Rhoda seemed pretty mobile when scrambling. Might just be a confidence thing.
 




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