BleedGopher
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per Randy:
His team had just lost its second consecutive game, and P.J. Fleck tried to offer his players some encouragement in his postgame remarks.
"I told them, 'We didn't lose the world, we lost this game,' '' Fleck said after No. 24 Illinois beat the Gophers 26-14 on Saturday in Champaign, Ill.
No, the world hasn't caved in on the Gophers, but in a two-game stretch with a bye week sandwiched in between, a season that started with so much promise sits on the precipice of disappointment.
First, the Gophers lost 20-10 to Purdue on Oct. 1, when the absence of Mohamed Ibrahim because of an ankle injury decimated their bread-and-butter rushing attack. Then, a defense that ranked as the nation's best in third-down efficiency "just couldn't get off the field,'' Fleck said, against an Illinois offense that ran 86 plays.
Halfway through the season, the Gophers sit at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Their chances of winning the West Division are clinging to a thread because co-leaders Purdue and Illinois are each 3-1 in the conference and own tiebreakers over Minnesota.
On Saturday, the Gophers got an added complication: Their quarterback situation might be uncertain for Saturday night's game at No. 16 Penn State. Sixth-year senior Tanner Morgan left in the fourth quarter Saturday after taking a fist to his helmet from Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas. Morgan was tended to on the field, walked to the sideline and was examined in the injury tent. He later was taken by cart to the locker room and then to a local hospital for evaluation. Medical personnel cleared him to fly back to Minnesota with the team.
Postgame, Fleck didn't have many details on Morgan's injury, saying it was "upper body." It also should be noted that Morgan's left foot was awkwardly pinned to the turf when Jacas and Isaac Darkangelo tackled him, but he didn't appear to be limping when he walked to the sideline.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
His team had just lost its second consecutive game, and P.J. Fleck tried to offer his players some encouragement in his postgame remarks.
"I told them, 'We didn't lose the world, we lost this game,' '' Fleck said after No. 24 Illinois beat the Gophers 26-14 on Saturday in Champaign, Ill.
No, the world hasn't caved in on the Gophers, but in a two-game stretch with a bye week sandwiched in between, a season that started with so much promise sits on the precipice of disappointment.
First, the Gophers lost 20-10 to Purdue on Oct. 1, when the absence of Mohamed Ibrahim because of an ankle injury decimated their bread-and-butter rushing attack. Then, a defense that ranked as the nation's best in third-down efficiency "just couldn't get off the field,'' Fleck said, against an Illinois offense that ran 86 plays.
Halfway through the season, the Gophers sit at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Their chances of winning the West Division are clinging to a thread because co-leaders Purdue and Illinois are each 3-1 in the conference and own tiebreakers over Minnesota.
On Saturday, the Gophers got an added complication: Their quarterback situation might be uncertain for Saturday night's game at No. 16 Penn State. Sixth-year senior Tanner Morgan left in the fourth quarter Saturday after taking a fist to his helmet from Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas. Morgan was tended to on the field, walked to the sideline and was examined in the injury tent. He later was taken by cart to the locker room and then to a local hospital for evaluation. Medical personnel cleared him to fly back to Minnesota with the team.
Postgame, Fleck didn't have many details on Morgan's injury, saying it was "upper body." It also should be noted that Morgan's left foot was awkwardly pinned to the turf when Jacas and Isaac Darkangelo tackled him, but he didn't appear to be limping when he walked to the sideline.
Gophers have an uphill climb after their second loss in a row
Redshirt freshman quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis faces the possibility of making his first start in front of a raucous 'White Out' crowd at Penn State.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!