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Please take the below as paraphrasing and not as verbatim quotes, though some selections of it may be word-for-word what was said.
It’s great to be 1-0. It was great to go on the road and beat a good team in a tough environment. Proud of the way the team responded to the crowd and the opponent. It’s been a long time since the Gophers went on the road and beat a BCS team in the opening game. The team found a way to win the game instead of finding a way to lose the game, and there’s something to be said for that.
Outside a stretch in the second quarter, the defense played outstanding. The coaches also did a great job at halftime of not panicking and not flinching despite trailing the game.
Offensively, there were some good things. The team made plays when it needed them. Some people have said that Weber was not as sharp as he could have been or should have been, but he did what all great quarterbacks do, he rose up and accepted the challenge at the end of the game and came through. Overall, the offense was a little hit or miss, and the team will certainly strive for more consistency moving forward. There were some crowd-induced penalties, guys flinching, etc., but expecting improvement going into the second game and moving forward.
Other than the long kick return, felt that the special teams play was very good, especially when the team needed great coverage late in the game on an important kick off. The coverage team came through and pinned Syracuse deep in their own end. The story of special teams though is obviously Eric Ellestad. He’s from a family of big Gopher fans, always dreamed of being a Gopher, and when he got his opportunity he took advantage. To see him under those conditions in his first game and to watch him drill the game-winning kick, everyone was just very happy and very happy for Eric. Felt like the whole operation on the final field goal was excellent from the snap to the hold to the blocking. Also felt like Dan Orseske was solid in his first game. A little bit of inconsistency is to be expected from a true freshman, but finished the game with a solid average.
Awards for the week:
• Offensive MVP – Eric Decker. Had a huge stat line and was big when the flame was the hottest. Not enough superlatives to describe Eric Decker.
• Defensive MVP – Lee Campbell. Was also named Big 10 player of the week on defense. Played middle linebacker about as well as you can play it. Plays with passion and spirit that’s unmatched.
• Special Forces MVP – Eric Ellestad, obviously. Honorable mention goes to Bryan Klitzke, who made a couple of tackles and worked very hard on coverage.
• Hardhat Hit of the Week – Nate Triplett for his big hit on the Syracuse tight end early in the game. Triplett is just one example from a group of linebackers that played very, very well.
• Lunch Paul – Jon Hoese. An excellent fullback.
• Extra Effort Play – Troy Stoudermire. On first touchdown run, Stoudermire not only caught the safety with a great block, but also blocked the Mike linebacker and allowed Bennett to reach the end zone basically untouched.
• Teammate Award – Nick Tow-Arnett. Doesn’t say much, but is a great leader, solid player, a great tight end.
• Scout Offensive Player of the Week – Ed Olson
• Scout Defensive Player of the Week – Aaron Hill
The team’s depth charge won’t change from last week. All injuries from last week (Stommes, Bennett, etc.) are day-to-day. Right now, expecting everyone to play on Saturday.
Coach Brewster worked with Troy Calhoun (head coach at Air Force) when they both coached for the Denver Broncos. Thinks Coach Calhoun is a great coach with a great team. The finest men in the country attend the Air Force Academy. The team has the most dedicated, most focus, and some of the smartest players in America.
Looking back on their 72-0 win last week, it’s hard to say what’s more impressive, the 72 points on offense, or the shutout on defense. They’re a good team that’s ready every week and gives everyone they play a hard time.
On defense, they feature a 3-4 base set, which is unusual for the college game. That’s something Minnesota will have to be prepared for, just like preparing for their triple-option offense.
The triple option offense presents several challenges. The first phase is the fullback dive. You have to shut down that play. Then you have a quarterback who is very athletic. Most of the explosive plays from the Air Force option come from either the fullback or the quarterback, not as much come from the pitch. The defense needs to be disciplined in order to have a chance. It’s very difficult to simulate it in practice, because Air Force performs it with such speed and precision. The team also doesn’t want to simulate the cut and chop blocks on its own guys, so that’s something the coaches have to prepare the lineman for. There isn’t really a single unit of the defense that’s most important when stopping the triple option. Defensive backs can’t relax because the play action can be very effective in this offense. Inside guys on the line need to play with great discipline. The defensive ends really need to force the pitch. Linebackers need to pursue the ball effectively and cornerbacks have to be ready to support the run. It’ll take 11 guys focusing for 60 minutes to play good defense. The challenge to defending the triple option is much more cerebral than physical.
Air Force plays great on special teams, and it’s due to each player’s willingness to dedicate himself to the task at hand. They’re smart men who love football, and that combination makes them a great opponent.
Their conditioning is among the finest in the country as well, done at 7,000 feet above sea level every day. Their offense can be very time-consuming, and it will be up to the offense to stay on the field and chew the clock to keep our defense fresh. If our defense is out on the field for too long, that will cause issues. Their conditioning is among the finest in the country as well, done at 7,000 feet above sea level every day. Looking back at Coach Brewster’s time in Denver, the Broncos had the best home winning percentage in the NFL. Altitude training is something that’s very real. You can see it when watching Air Force film, they get strong as the game progresses and it’s their conditioning. The Gophers are in great condition too, will need to show it again on Saturday.
The challenge for Minnesota will be to match Air Force’s focus and match their discipline. The team’s focus has to remain on the Air Force Falcons and not on all the distractions that come with the new stadium.
Focusing beyond the emotion of the day isn’t hard necessarily, the team just needs to prepare and be concerned only with Air Force. The emotion of the day should provide a great lift for the team. The Syracuse crowd created a hostile environment for the Gophers, and the hope is that Minnesota will be the same way this Saturday.
The honorary captains for the day will do more than just the coin flip. They’ll speak to the team. It’ll be great for the team to meet these people and get a chance to talk to them before the game.
It’s great to be 1-0. It was great to go on the road and beat a good team in a tough environment. Proud of the way the team responded to the crowd and the opponent. It’s been a long time since the Gophers went on the road and beat a BCS team in the opening game. The team found a way to win the game instead of finding a way to lose the game, and there’s something to be said for that.
Outside a stretch in the second quarter, the defense played outstanding. The coaches also did a great job at halftime of not panicking and not flinching despite trailing the game.
Offensively, there were some good things. The team made plays when it needed them. Some people have said that Weber was not as sharp as he could have been or should have been, but he did what all great quarterbacks do, he rose up and accepted the challenge at the end of the game and came through. Overall, the offense was a little hit or miss, and the team will certainly strive for more consistency moving forward. There were some crowd-induced penalties, guys flinching, etc., but expecting improvement going into the second game and moving forward.
Other than the long kick return, felt that the special teams play was very good, especially when the team needed great coverage late in the game on an important kick off. The coverage team came through and pinned Syracuse deep in their own end. The story of special teams though is obviously Eric Ellestad. He’s from a family of big Gopher fans, always dreamed of being a Gopher, and when he got his opportunity he took advantage. To see him under those conditions in his first game and to watch him drill the game-winning kick, everyone was just very happy and very happy for Eric. Felt like the whole operation on the final field goal was excellent from the snap to the hold to the blocking. Also felt like Dan Orseske was solid in his first game. A little bit of inconsistency is to be expected from a true freshman, but finished the game with a solid average.
Awards for the week:
• Offensive MVP – Eric Decker. Had a huge stat line and was big when the flame was the hottest. Not enough superlatives to describe Eric Decker.
• Defensive MVP – Lee Campbell. Was also named Big 10 player of the week on defense. Played middle linebacker about as well as you can play it. Plays with passion and spirit that’s unmatched.
• Special Forces MVP – Eric Ellestad, obviously. Honorable mention goes to Bryan Klitzke, who made a couple of tackles and worked very hard on coverage.
• Hardhat Hit of the Week – Nate Triplett for his big hit on the Syracuse tight end early in the game. Triplett is just one example from a group of linebackers that played very, very well.
• Lunch Paul – Jon Hoese. An excellent fullback.
• Extra Effort Play – Troy Stoudermire. On first touchdown run, Stoudermire not only caught the safety with a great block, but also blocked the Mike linebacker and allowed Bennett to reach the end zone basically untouched.
• Teammate Award – Nick Tow-Arnett. Doesn’t say much, but is a great leader, solid player, a great tight end.
• Scout Offensive Player of the Week – Ed Olson
• Scout Defensive Player of the Week – Aaron Hill
The team’s depth charge won’t change from last week. All injuries from last week (Stommes, Bennett, etc.) are day-to-day. Right now, expecting everyone to play on Saturday.
Coach Brewster worked with Troy Calhoun (head coach at Air Force) when they both coached for the Denver Broncos. Thinks Coach Calhoun is a great coach with a great team. The finest men in the country attend the Air Force Academy. The team has the most dedicated, most focus, and some of the smartest players in America.
Looking back on their 72-0 win last week, it’s hard to say what’s more impressive, the 72 points on offense, or the shutout on defense. They’re a good team that’s ready every week and gives everyone they play a hard time.
On defense, they feature a 3-4 base set, which is unusual for the college game. That’s something Minnesota will have to be prepared for, just like preparing for their triple-option offense.
The triple option offense presents several challenges. The first phase is the fullback dive. You have to shut down that play. Then you have a quarterback who is very athletic. Most of the explosive plays from the Air Force option come from either the fullback or the quarterback, not as much come from the pitch. The defense needs to be disciplined in order to have a chance. It’s very difficult to simulate it in practice, because Air Force performs it with such speed and precision. The team also doesn’t want to simulate the cut and chop blocks on its own guys, so that’s something the coaches have to prepare the lineman for. There isn’t really a single unit of the defense that’s most important when stopping the triple option. Defensive backs can’t relax because the play action can be very effective in this offense. Inside guys on the line need to play with great discipline. The defensive ends really need to force the pitch. Linebackers need to pursue the ball effectively and cornerbacks have to be ready to support the run. It’ll take 11 guys focusing for 60 minutes to play good defense. The challenge to defending the triple option is much more cerebral than physical.
Air Force plays great on special teams, and it’s due to each player’s willingness to dedicate himself to the task at hand. They’re smart men who love football, and that combination makes them a great opponent.
Their conditioning is among the finest in the country as well, done at 7,000 feet above sea level every day. Their offense can be very time-consuming, and it will be up to the offense to stay on the field and chew the clock to keep our defense fresh. If our defense is out on the field for too long, that will cause issues. Their conditioning is among the finest in the country as well, done at 7,000 feet above sea level every day. Looking back at Coach Brewster’s time in Denver, the Broncos had the best home winning percentage in the NFL. Altitude training is something that’s very real. You can see it when watching Air Force film, they get strong as the game progresses and it’s their conditioning. The Gophers are in great condition too, will need to show it again on Saturday.
The challenge for Minnesota will be to match Air Force’s focus and match their discipline. The team’s focus has to remain on the Air Force Falcons and not on all the distractions that come with the new stadium.
Focusing beyond the emotion of the day isn’t hard necessarily, the team just needs to prepare and be concerned only with Air Force. The emotion of the day should provide a great lift for the team. The Syracuse crowd created a hostile environment for the Gophers, and the hope is that Minnesota will be the same way this Saturday.
The honorary captains for the day will do more than just the coin flip. They’ll speak to the team. It’ll be great for the team to meet these people and get a chance to talk to them before the game.
