STrib: Gophers intend to run through Northwestern's wall

BleedGopher

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per Randy:

A football game, to Kirk Ciarrocca, plays out like an interactive story.

"There are paragraphs that come up in the story, and these plays are like those paragraphs, or pages of the story, and they can change when you make a play," the Gophers offensive coordinator said. "We made a lot of the story-changing plays."

Indeed the Gophers did in last Saturday's 54-21 rout of Nebraska, particularly in the rushing game. Minnesota rolled over the Cornhuskers by rushing for 409 yards, averaging 9.1 yards on their 45 carries. And it wasn't only one player doing the damage. Quarterback Demry Croft ran for 183 yards, and running backs Rodney Smith and Kobe McCrary had 134 and 93, respectively.

With such a productive story last week, what will the Gophers do for an encore? That will play out Saturday at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., when Minnesota (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) takes on No. 23 Northwestern (7-3, 5-2), which has won five consecutive games. The Gophers will try to keep running downhill, hoping to add another victory that will earn them bowl eligibility.

To do so, however, they'll match that running attack against Northwestern's stingy run defense. The Wildcats are allowing 109.6 rushing yards per game, the second least in the Big Ten. Conversely, Northwestern is last in the conference in pass defense, allowing 278.9 yards per game. But don't expect the Gophers to suddenly become pass-happy.

"We are going to make sure that we exhaust every option in the run game possible," coach P.J. Fleck said. "That's how we're built this year."

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-intend-to-run-through-northwestern-s-wall/458311743/

Go Gophers!!
 


Our run game has been much improved with Croft in there. Funny how the QB keeping it on the option every once in a while helps.
 




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