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Ryan Burns, 247SPorts) gives his thoughts on the Gophers disappointing 17-10 loss to Iowa for the Floyd of Rosedale
Minnesota's defense plays well enough to win, but the offense can't find a spark and the Gophers lose to the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road 17-10.
Here are a few parting thoughts from Iowa City.
1) Perplexing game plan
Opposing Big Ten quarterbacks against Iowa this season, in four games, had averaged a stat line of 233.5 passing yards, on a 57.8% completion percentage with .75 touchdowns to one interception a game. While opposing offenses had been running the ball at a 4.48 yards per carry clip on almost 42 attempts a game.
And yet Minnesota comes out firing it through the air in the first half, when the stats tell you that running the ball against Iowa is the way to go.
First half stats for Minnesota:
QB Demry Croft - 5-for-18 for 46 yards and an interception.
Running backs: 17 carries for 92 yards (5.41 ypc)
More passes than runs, especially when the running game was humming, and the passing game was sputtering. I can't explain it.
Things never really got off the ground for the passing game with Tyler Johnson dropping a couple of balls, Nate Wozniak dropping one and then forgetting to complete his route on fourth down in the red zone, which leads to a turnover on downs. You can't start your back pedal immediately past the linebacker, as Croft has no way on knowing you'll do that. Croft throws it like Wozniak is running his route, and it's overthrown to a 6'10" player and no points result.
Minnesota did run the ball more in the second half, but they'd already wasted two opportunities in the red zone from the first half by that time.
The Gopher running backs ended the night with 144 rushing yards on a 4.64 yards per carry, which is better than what Iowa was giving up coming into the game. The issue is the passing game never got on the rails as Croft ends the night 9-for-29 for 139 passing yards and an interception.
Not a great day at all by Kirk Ciarrocca's offense.
2) Kudos to Robb Smith
I feel bad for Robb Smith. After that opening touchdown drive from Iowa, his depleted defense absolutely shutdown Iowa for the next few quarters.
For the remainder of the first half, Smith's defense forced five punts and two turnovers. Giving up a total of 78 yards on 23 plays (3.39 yards per play). And remind you that Minnesota was playing without their three best corners in Antonio Shenault, Kiondre Thomas and Zo Craighton, plus their best secondary player in Antoine Winfield. Justus Harris got his first career start as a true freshman at corner, with third-string safety Kunle Ayinde making another start at corner on the other side.
Iowa finally figured out to go at the true freshman in his first collegiate action in the second half, but the way Smith had this unit performing tonight, was admirable. His side of the ball deserved to win the game.
They held Iowa to 3.8 ypc on the ground and outside of a couple drives, didn't allow the Hawkeyes to do anything.
Thomas Barber continues to play extremely well from his Mike linebacker position racking up 12 total tackles and a half of a tackle for loss, plus I thought that Carter Coughlin was also able to create pressure consistently all night.
With two more turnovers on the evening, Minnesota has forced 12 turnovers in their last four games. That's good enough to win most Big Ten games if the offense can capitalize, but the Gophers got zero points off those tonight.
3) Not finishing in the first half
Getting zero points on two trips into the red zone can't happen if you're going to win Big Ten road games. Just simply can't.
Minnesota's second drive of the game was a beauty going 14 plays using a combination of Brooks and Smith on the ground, and Tyler Johnson through the air. Minnesota eventually gets it to the Iowa seven-yard line, and have it fourth and one.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but I'd much rather seen Minnesota just give it to Shannon Brooks to get a fresh set of downs, as his success rate is short-yardage situations for the Gophers is the best on the team. Minnesota decides to go play-action, and Croft over-shoots Nate Wozniak, the Gophers 6'10" tight end, and get zero points on the trip. Wozniak decides to not run the route, but to turn back toward the ball and start back-pedaling and Croft misses high because of it. That can't happen.
Minnesota then immediately gets the ball back one play later thanks to a Jacob Huff interception, and drive it down Iowa 14, before a missed connection leads to another Gopher turnover.
Rashad Still doesn't get a clean inside release off the snap, then doesn't fight over the top for position, and the ball is deflected up into the air, and Iowa takes possession.
Croft should haven't thrown it, as Still wasn't open, but you want to see more fight from a receiver like Rashad Still on that play.
Gophers end up losing by seven points, and points on both of those drives, make this game much more interesting for Minnesota, but the Gophers can't convert.
4) Croft continues to struggle
Demry Croft didn't get any help for the second straight week from his pass catchers between numerous drops and lack of separation created, but there's no denying an alarming stat line through two starts. Croft finishes the night 9-for-29 (31%) for 139 yards and an interception, which isn't great.
In two career starts now vs. Illinois and on the road at Iowa, Croft has completed 14-of-44 passes (31.8%) for 186 yards (93 yards per game) with one touchdown and three interceptions.
I'm not calling for there to be a quarterback change by any means, as you've the running backs benefit tremendously from a running quarterback calling the shots, so don't get me mistaken. Croft's also got two years of eligibility after this season, while Conor Rhoda doesn't.
Some of the poor completion percentage can be chalked up to lack of separation from Minnesota's receivers, or the lack of bodies out running routes, plus drops, so I'd love to see Fleck continue to stick with Croft for the remainder of the season.
There's no doubt that Croft has to keep working off his first read in the passing game, and not try and force things that aren't there, but he's got the next four games to change his best in that regard.
5) Lack of big plays evident again
Minnesota's offense came into the game ranked as the 124th most explosive offense out of 129 FBS teams. They're running game most specifically was 123rd of 129 teams in explosive plays, and those stats aren't going to be trending in the right direction after tonight.
The Gophers offense ran 72 plays on the night, and only ONE went over 20 yards. One play. Went over 20 yards. On 72 tries.
The longest play besides the 63 yard catch-and-run from Tyler Johnson was 17 yards from Rodney Smith.
It's tough for Minnesota to sustain drives to begin with with a sputtering passing game during the Big Ten, but the lack of chunk plays to help put points on the board needs to start trending in the right direction soon if the Gophers are going to get back on track in the coming weeks with games vs. Michigan, Nebraska and Northwestern looming.
Up next? Michigan
I know last time the Gophers were in Ann Arbor, Minnesota fans left in a great mood with a 30-14 win, but I'm not sure I can fathom this Gopher offense putting up that many points on a very athletic Wolverine defense.
There's a reason they play the games as you never know what may happen, so we'll see where the Gophers chips fall next week.
https://247sports.com/college/minnesota/Article/Ryan-Burns-gives-his-thoughts-on-the-Gophers-disappointing-17-10-109620403
Minnesota's defense plays well enough to win, but the offense can't find a spark and the Gophers lose to the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road 17-10.
Here are a few parting thoughts from Iowa City.
1) Perplexing game plan
Opposing Big Ten quarterbacks against Iowa this season, in four games, had averaged a stat line of 233.5 passing yards, on a 57.8% completion percentage with .75 touchdowns to one interception a game. While opposing offenses had been running the ball at a 4.48 yards per carry clip on almost 42 attempts a game.
And yet Minnesota comes out firing it through the air in the first half, when the stats tell you that running the ball against Iowa is the way to go.
First half stats for Minnesota:
QB Demry Croft - 5-for-18 for 46 yards and an interception.
Running backs: 17 carries for 92 yards (5.41 ypc)
More passes than runs, especially when the running game was humming, and the passing game was sputtering. I can't explain it.
Things never really got off the ground for the passing game with Tyler Johnson dropping a couple of balls, Nate Wozniak dropping one and then forgetting to complete his route on fourth down in the red zone, which leads to a turnover on downs. You can't start your back pedal immediately past the linebacker, as Croft has no way on knowing you'll do that. Croft throws it like Wozniak is running his route, and it's overthrown to a 6'10" player and no points result.
Minnesota did run the ball more in the second half, but they'd already wasted two opportunities in the red zone from the first half by that time.
The Gopher running backs ended the night with 144 rushing yards on a 4.64 yards per carry, which is better than what Iowa was giving up coming into the game. The issue is the passing game never got on the rails as Croft ends the night 9-for-29 for 139 passing yards and an interception.
Not a great day at all by Kirk Ciarrocca's offense.
2) Kudos to Robb Smith
I feel bad for Robb Smith. After that opening touchdown drive from Iowa, his depleted defense absolutely shutdown Iowa for the next few quarters.
For the remainder of the first half, Smith's defense forced five punts and two turnovers. Giving up a total of 78 yards on 23 plays (3.39 yards per play). And remind you that Minnesota was playing without their three best corners in Antonio Shenault, Kiondre Thomas and Zo Craighton, plus their best secondary player in Antoine Winfield. Justus Harris got his first career start as a true freshman at corner, with third-string safety Kunle Ayinde making another start at corner on the other side.
Iowa finally figured out to go at the true freshman in his first collegiate action in the second half, but the way Smith had this unit performing tonight, was admirable. His side of the ball deserved to win the game.
They held Iowa to 3.8 ypc on the ground and outside of a couple drives, didn't allow the Hawkeyes to do anything.
Thomas Barber continues to play extremely well from his Mike linebacker position racking up 12 total tackles and a half of a tackle for loss, plus I thought that Carter Coughlin was also able to create pressure consistently all night.
With two more turnovers on the evening, Minnesota has forced 12 turnovers in their last four games. That's good enough to win most Big Ten games if the offense can capitalize, but the Gophers got zero points off those tonight.
3) Not finishing in the first half
Getting zero points on two trips into the red zone can't happen if you're going to win Big Ten road games. Just simply can't.
Minnesota's second drive of the game was a beauty going 14 plays using a combination of Brooks and Smith on the ground, and Tyler Johnson through the air. Minnesota eventually gets it to the Iowa seven-yard line, and have it fourth and one.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but I'd much rather seen Minnesota just give it to Shannon Brooks to get a fresh set of downs, as his success rate is short-yardage situations for the Gophers is the best on the team. Minnesota decides to go play-action, and Croft over-shoots Nate Wozniak, the Gophers 6'10" tight end, and get zero points on the trip. Wozniak decides to not run the route, but to turn back toward the ball and start back-pedaling and Croft misses high because of it. That can't happen.
Minnesota then immediately gets the ball back one play later thanks to a Jacob Huff interception, and drive it down Iowa 14, before a missed connection leads to another Gopher turnover.
Rashad Still doesn't get a clean inside release off the snap, then doesn't fight over the top for position, and the ball is deflected up into the air, and Iowa takes possession.
Croft should haven't thrown it, as Still wasn't open, but you want to see more fight from a receiver like Rashad Still on that play.
Gophers end up losing by seven points, and points on both of those drives, make this game much more interesting for Minnesota, but the Gophers can't convert.
4) Croft continues to struggle
Demry Croft didn't get any help for the second straight week from his pass catchers between numerous drops and lack of separation created, but there's no denying an alarming stat line through two starts. Croft finishes the night 9-for-29 (31%) for 139 yards and an interception, which isn't great.
In two career starts now vs. Illinois and on the road at Iowa, Croft has completed 14-of-44 passes (31.8%) for 186 yards (93 yards per game) with one touchdown and three interceptions.
I'm not calling for there to be a quarterback change by any means, as you've the running backs benefit tremendously from a running quarterback calling the shots, so don't get me mistaken. Croft's also got two years of eligibility after this season, while Conor Rhoda doesn't.
Some of the poor completion percentage can be chalked up to lack of separation from Minnesota's receivers, or the lack of bodies out running routes, plus drops, so I'd love to see Fleck continue to stick with Croft for the remainder of the season.
There's no doubt that Croft has to keep working off his first read in the passing game, and not try and force things that aren't there, but he's got the next four games to change his best in that regard.
5) Lack of big plays evident again
Minnesota's offense came into the game ranked as the 124th most explosive offense out of 129 FBS teams. They're running game most specifically was 123rd of 129 teams in explosive plays, and those stats aren't going to be trending in the right direction after tonight.
The Gophers offense ran 72 plays on the night, and only ONE went over 20 yards. One play. Went over 20 yards. On 72 tries.
The longest play besides the 63 yard catch-and-run from Tyler Johnson was 17 yards from Rodney Smith.
It's tough for Minnesota to sustain drives to begin with with a sputtering passing game during the Big Ten, but the lack of chunk plays to help put points on the board needs to start trending in the right direction soon if the Gophers are going to get back on track in the coming weeks with games vs. Michigan, Nebraska and Northwestern looming.
Up next? Michigan
I know last time the Gophers were in Ann Arbor, Minnesota fans left in a great mood with a 30-14 win, but I'm not sure I can fathom this Gopher offense putting up that many points on a very athletic Wolverine defense.
There's a reason they play the games as you never know what may happen, so we'll see where the Gophers chips fall next week.
https://247sports.com/college/minnesota/Article/Ryan-Burns-gives-his-thoughts-on-the-Gophers-disappointing-17-10-109620403
