Random post game thoughts

Donate To GopherHole
Dano564

Dano564

Fleck Superfan
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
10,135
Reaction score
2,906
Points
113
1. I'm a coach Kirk Ciarrocca fan. Does a great job of play calling. Mixes in good amount of deep balls with solid passing game and good running attack. I know at certain times you can question calling, but overall all season I've been a very big fan. I think he's doing a great job.

2. Linebackers appeared to play excellent today. I don't know what playing "simple" is or how they were able to play faster, but the whole defense looked better and it seemed we seldom needed CB's to make tackles today.

3. The cold helped us. The turf causes some slipping and I think that affected Purdue's passing game some. Also, I think Purdue mentally was wishing they were warm rather than playing football trying to get back into a game once they were down by 17.

4. Running game was good. O-line controlled the line of scrimmage for rushing and passing. Ibrahim had some nice powerful runs, and Williams I felt had his best running game (even though he didn't by yardage). He got to show some speed on some outside runs.

5. Watching the defense just gave a new sense of hope that this is a good team. The offense has been scoring 28-29 points a game now through 10 games. That's pretty good. Wish we could have seen more of this defense earlier in the year.

6. Does changing a Def Coordinator change a defense that much? I doubt it, but if it is related to the DC, how bad do you have to beat at coaching to take something that can play well when simplified and confuse the hell out of your key players that they play as bad as they did against Illinois? I noticed that the defense seemed to be the most veteran it's been all year. Seems T-Smith didn't play much today compared to Williamson, Durr, and Kiondre Thomas.


7. I like our WR's. I think the next step next year will be to start utilizing a TE more, and with Rodney Smith back next year, I'd anticipate a lot more tosses to the RB coming out. I think the offense should only be better next year.
 

Thanks for getting this started.
I feel bad for the fools who didn’t attend today (who could have)
A few other points:
1. D Line got pressure at key plays. I’m not sure if new people were playing or if it was just a better effort and scheme.
2. Emmit had two big kicks in the first half
3. The Gophers finally had that big turnover and at a crucial part of the game.
4. Number 6 Williamson had some great plays especially in the first half. It seems he still is nursing a bad knee but he had some great tackles.
 

You asked for random...

From the sideline fashion reporter...

"Coach sported a classic full maroon look for today's game. And yes, it was the modern, darker maroon than the older-style reddish-maroon.

Although never seen with a hat on in public, he did allow for the possibility of head cover by wearing a hoodie-type windbreaker.

There is speculation that he'd wear a visor if faced with full sun...as opposed to a football cap...but that was not an issue today.

Now back to our regular football programming"...
 

Its crazy being up at half 13-3 turned into up 27-3 after 4 minutes of the 3rd Quarter.
 

Face The Facts said:
1. I'm a coach Kirk Ciarrocca fan. Does a great job of play calling. Mixes in good amount of deep balls with solid passing game and good running attack. I know at certain times you can question calling, but overall all season I've been a very big fan. I think he's doing a great job.

2. Linebackers appeared to play excellent today. I don't know what playing "simple" is or how they were able to play faster, but the whole defense looked better and it seemed we seldom needed CB's to make tackles today.

3. The cold helped us. The turf causes some slipping and I think that affected Purdue's passing game some. Also, I think Purdue mentally was wishing they were warm rather than playing football trying to get back into a game once they were down by 17.

4. Running game was good. O-line controlled the line of scrimmage for rushing and passing. Ibrahim had some nice powerful runs, and Williams I felt had his best running game (even though he didn't by yardage). He got to show some speed on some outside runs.

5. Watching the defense just gave a new sense of hope that this is a good team. The offense has been scoring 28-29 points a game now through 10 games. That's pretty good. Wish we could have seen more of this defense earlier in the year.

6. Does changing a Def Coordinator change a defense that much? I doubt it, but if it is related to the DC, how bad do you have to beat at coaching to take something that can play well when simplified and confuse the hell out of your key players that they play as bad as they did against Illinois? I noticed that the defense seemed to be the most veteran it's been all year. Seems T-Smith didn't play much today compared to Williamson, Durr, and Kiondre Thomas.


7. I like our WR's. I think the next step next year will be to start utilizing a TE more, and with Rodney Smith back next year, I'd anticipate a lot more tosses to the RB coming out. I think the offense should only be better next year.
Click to expand...

Agree with most of your points, but obviously the change in DC made a major impact. The coaches call the defense, they set the game plan, they have a major impact.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 


alchemy2u said:
Agree with most of your points, but obviously the change in DC made a major impact. The coaches call the defense, they set the game plan, they have a major impact.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

Ya, you would think they have a major impact, but I'm sitting--okay, sometimes standing--there and wondering if these were actually the same players from last week out there. The defensive line seemed to be quicker and more aggressive and the linebackers were attacking instead of being caught flat-footed. Is it the change in scheme? Is it because Purdue having watched film just decided it could stroll in and do what Illinois did? Or is it that the players were actually fired up and ready to play? Got a feeling weather was a big factor. Minnesota was embarrassed and decided that enough was enough. Purdue was worried more with how cold it was. We hung in there. Avoided the "Here we go again" big play. Got the big break and were having fun. In football I guess emotion really is a lot more important than schemes.

Now can they do it again next week? This defense has been all over the place so you don't know which one will show up. Sure hope it's the one out there today.
Click to expand...
 

Solid takes, FTF.

I especially like the comments about TEs in #7. We've got some TEs that can block, and if they start getting even 2-3 receptions a game it's gonna raise hell with opposing defenses.

JTG
 

Mulligan said:
alchemy2u said:
Agree with most of your points, but obviously the change in DC made a major impact. The coaches call the defense, they set the game plan, they have a major impact.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

Ya, you would think they have a major impact, but I'm sitting--okay, sometimes standing--there and wondering if these were actually the same players from last week out there. The defensive line seemed to be quicker and more aggressive and the linebackers were attacking instead of being caught flat-footed. Is it the change in scheme? Is it because Purdue having watched film just decided it could stroll in and do what Illinois did? Or is it that the players were actually fired up and ready to play? Got a feeling weather was a big factor. Minnesota was embarrassed and decided that enough was enough. Purdue was worried more with how cold it was. We hung in there. Avoided the "Here we go again" big play. Got the big break and were having fun. In football I guess emotion really is a lot more important than schemes.

Now can they do it again next week? This defense has been all over the place so you don't know which one will show up. Sure hope it's the one out there today.
Click to expand...

So the next two weeks will help tell the story of course, but yesterday I was just hoping for slight improvement. Like, don't allow the 50 yard TD improvement, and that was it. But then they started forcing Purdue into short possessions and 0-12 on third down and forced 3-5 on fourth downs. I'm wondering where this came from.

The improvement from one game to another game was so vast I can't understand how it could vary and improve so much. So it will be interesting to see what happens against NW who has not been a very high scoring team this year.
Click to expand...
 

It was one game but having talked to a few former players who played college ball (not at the U) including D1 they all agreed that coaching is the "play fast" component. They said when you don't have to think you just react. You can usually tell when a scheme gets over complicated when players are caught flat footed, out of position, or slow. One of the guys played at a school who to change coordinators and the new guy just scrapped half the stuff and simplified the scheme and coverages and changed some of the blitz schemes. The result he said is they went from giving up 35+ down to about 17 a game. Same players. I found it interesting that the sideline guy said, "This is the fastest I've seen Minnesota play all year". Not sure if he watched any games at all or reviewed a handful of portions of games but that's a good take. Now this may not hold true for the next couple of games but it makes one pause and wonder that's for sure. There was something too it, certainly getting your butt whooped the week before will motivate you but it will be exciting to see what happens the next 2 weeks.
 



You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom