Adjustments - Rossi vs. Smith

mnhoopboy

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Schematically speaking, what is Rossi doing (against one the most high powered offenses in the country, nonetheless) that Robb Smith couldn't get the defense to do? This is a miraculous change of events. Almost similar to the Jeff Fisher vs McVay Rams.

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Schematically speaking, what is Rossi doing (against one the most high powered offenses in the country, nonetheless) that Robb Smith couldn't get the defense to do? This is a miraculous change of events. Almost similar to the Jeff Fisher vs McVay Rams.

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Attacked vs sat back.


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My guess is that the biggest change was mental. The Gophers defense under Smith played tentatively, as if they were trying to think and play at the same time. Against Purdue, they seemed to just go out, react and attack.

So, I can't say what changes might have been made in assignments, but it just looked as if everyone was playing fast and loose and having fun. It does make for an interesting comment on the impact Smith was having on the defense - like a burden was lifted from the team.

Somehow, Rossi found a way to connect with the players, and put them in a frame of mind that was more conducive to playing effective defense.
 

Minneapolis showed up. 19 degrees before Vets day will beat you every time.

Tis why SEC teams won't play here. They can't.
 



It was obviously the talent of all the new recruits they brought in this week. (Sarcasm)


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I suspect it was more the determination of the players after being embarrassed, but can only praise Rossi and Fleck for any and all impact they had on this dramatic turn around. Build off it the next 2 weeks and bring the F’ing axe home.


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Solid gap allignment this week, linebackers shed blocks like Barber and Cashman. Martin got a lot of pressure off the edge, and Huff cleaned up and maintained contain on QB. Defensive line had more rotation, and kept people in front funneled correct technique. # 6 Williamson played inspired as did Shenault on making open field tackles at CB even had # 6 line up as Will a few times. This one was like Fresno State on defense. It was great to see the Gophers playing attack defense with enthusiasm. Night and day compared to last two weeks. This time elements helped. This was fun and the D played like they were having fun.

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Tis also a scheduling conflict...

Maybe with B1G. However, if you look at SEC games November 17th:
Citadel @ AL
Liberty @ AUB
Idaho @ FL
Middle TN @ Kentucky
RICE @ LSU
UT-Chattanooga @ SC
UAB @ aTm

Would love to see SEC v B1G challenge in FB in November like we see the MBB with ACC / B1G challenge. That would be great for CFB. But, won’t happen and Alabama will continue its dominance and we will continue to always hear how great the SEC is. In reality, I think the B1G can hold its own against them when factoring other teams in. Just my 2 cents.
 

Minneapolis showed up. 19 degrees before Vets day will beat you every time.

Tis why SEC teams won't play here. They can't.
This is why SEC teams are wusses.

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I suspect it was more the determination of the players after being embarrassed, but can only praise Rossi and Fleck for any and all impact they had on this dramatic turn around. Build off it the next 2 weeks and bring the F’ing axe home.


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If they bring the Axe home I will be in heaven.
 




Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are at least three bowl games that match a B1G team against an SEC team. So, that would be one way to measure the respective strength of each conference.

OK, I checked. last year there were two bowl games with a B1G/SEC matchup. Northwestern beat Kentucky and South Carolina beat Michigan. I think there is another bowl game that gets a B1G or an SEC team on a rotational basis, so not every year. And, there is always a possibility of a B1G/SEC matchup in the national playoffs.
 

If they bring the Axe home I will be in heaven.

Amen. I was so jazzed today that at halftime I bought 2-tix on the 50-YD line for the Wisky game. Someone who must have been pissed about today’s loss unloaded them for $50/ticket.
 

I think weather played a part. When you are leading, playing in cold is a little more fun. When you start falling behind in the game, and you get a couple bad hops, suddenly the world starts to feel like everything is against you.

I'm not a believer of "the team quit", but in cold weather games, it sure seems like the game can get long for the losing team.
 

Linebackers played very well and that makes me think the defensive line had a strong game tying up offensive lineman so they couldn't get to the second level. Barber was very good today.
 

I think weather played a part. When you are leading, playing in cold is a little more fun. When you start falling behind in the game, and you get a couple bad hops, suddenly the world starts to feel like everything is against you.

I'm not a believer of "the team quit", but in cold weather games, it sure seems like the game can get long for the losing team.
I don’t think Purdue quit, but I certainly don’t think Purdue really has much interest in playing physical l once they got down 20-3


I thought brohm called an awful game. He called 6 run plays in the first half and one of them was a 4th and one failure with Blough carrying it.
 

Amen. I was so jazzed today that at halftime I bought 2-tix on the 50-YD line for the Wisky game. Someone who must have been pissed about today’s loss unloaded them for $50/ticket.
Good investment.

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I think weather played a part. When you are leading, playing in cold is a little more fun. When you start falling behind in the game, and you get a couple bad hops, suddenly the world starts to feel like everything is against you.

I'm not a believer of "the team quit", but in cold weather games, it sure seems like the game can get long for the losing team.
I agree about the weather. The cold is a big advantage for us at home. I remember a cold game vs Illinois a few years ago and they looked like they had no desire to be here and dealing with the elements. Might have been some of that going on with Purdue today.

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Linebackers had their best game of the year by far I thought.

Anyone else notice that T-Smith wasn't on the field as much.
Not sure by injury or by choice, but that seemed to be a change.

Seemed like Williamson, Durr, Huff, Howden were all out there and Kiondre Thomas.

I think Thomas was in for T-Smith.
 

I missed the game as I was elsewhere but heard the score. I look forward to watching the replay
to see what I think I might see. Its never just one thing that makes a difference this big- usually
2-4 factors, but many of you have identified some good ones so far.
 

I thought brohm called an awful game. He called 6 run plays in the first half and one of them was a 4th and one failure with Blough carrying it.

+1. If I'm playing against the Gophers, I'm doing a decent amount of running with most of it between the tackles.
 

+1. If I'm playing against the Gophers, I'm doing a decent amount of running with most of it between the tackles.

Brohm said himself he's not a big X's and O's guy.




I didn't actually read this anywhere, I'm just saying it hoping it sticks.
 

I agree with this but at the same time, we were more conservative than last week too.

I’m not sure what you were seeing but I thought we brought an extra man quite a bit more often today.

It was a wierd game. Our weakness all year has been gap discipline, dealing with motion, and making tackles at the second and third level vs the run. Yet Purdue came in slinging the ball all over the place on a frigid day. Purdue must have had at least 10+ bad drops by their WRs, many on perfectly placed balls (MN was not immune to this either). Blough had a really bad game but part of that was the pressure brought by Rossi. Part of it may have been the cold. Doesn’t matter, everyone’s playing in the same conditions. Great defensive showing overall.

I can guarantee NW and especially Wisconsin will test us more on the ground. Something seemed to click this week on the defense in terms of what they’re keying on, etc.
 

I get no pleasure from kicking a guy when he's down, but all I can think is, "How freaking bad at his job was Robb Smith?"

Seriously, no resemblance between today's performance and what we've seen for the last two years.

Please, gimme three similar efforts this year!

JTG
 

Amen. I was so jazzed today that at halftime I bought 2-tix on the 50-YD line for the Wisky game. Someone who must have been pissed about today’s loss unloaded them for $50/ticket.

Sorry but isn’t the Wisky game in Madison this year?
 

There wasn’t a mobile qb and they didn’t run misdirection. We werent that bad against straight offenses.
 





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