Shortell's Interception...

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Costa Rican Gopher

Costa Rican Gopher

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Not trying to make excuses for Max's poor throw, but McKnight needed to come back & get that ball! He's the Sr. potential All Big-10 selection & with the game on the line he got out-muscled & out-hustled for that ball. Apples & Oranges of course, but no way Decker would have let the CB take that ball away from him.
 

Yes he could have. He was more worried about a interference call that was not coming. Two guys hand fighting and no advantage to either. However, that throw needs to be to the outside where only McKnight can get it. Pass was under thrown.
 


Shortell said he was throwing to the outside shoulder. That ball need to be over the DB not through him.
 

From the replay, it looked to me McKnight pushed off but nothing flagrant. From that point, it appeared that he lost his balance thus his timing was off to catch the ball when it arrived. It was not an errant throw, three or four feet closer to the sideline would have been perfect, but rather a very good play by the defender and a ball that McKnight will normally get.
 


All you Shortell apologists just need to admit it was one bad throw. That's all it was. It was a freshman mistake that you see many freshman make. Regardless of McKnight losing his balance, that ball needed to be either up in the air so McKnight could jump for it, or thrown away so they could go for it on 4th and 1. McKnight lost his balance because he was trying to get back to where Shortell threw the ball in tight coverage.
 

Not a perfect throw by Max. But McKnight needs to bail him out there.
 

Studwell55 said:
Not a perfect throw by Max. But McKnight needs to bail him out there.
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He tried to bail him out, but with the ball placement where it was there was no way he could. The USC defender had good position and was consequently able to make the play because of where the ball was placed. If the ball is high McKnight has a chance against good coverage. Where it was, he had no chance.
 

Studwell55 said:
Not a perfect throw by Max. But McKnight needs to bail him out there.
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With the location of the pass, there are 2 likely outcomes for that play and neither one is McKnight catching that ball. Its either an INT or offensive PI.

McKnight had to go through the DB to get to that ball which would have drawn the PI. McKnight was attempting to avoid the penalty but in this case that would have been the preferred outcome. If anything one could argue a lack of situational awareness but the rest is just absurd.
 



cjcarter8 said:
With the location of the pass, there are 2 possible outcomes for that play and neither one is McKnight catching that ball. Its either an INT or offensive PI.

McKnight had to go through the DB to get to that ball which would have drawn the PI. McKnight was attempting to avoid the penalty but in this case that would have been the preferred outcome. If anything one could argue a lack of situational awareness but the rest is just absurd.
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+1
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
From the replay, it looked to me McKnight pushed off but nothing flagrant. From that point, it appeared that he lost his balance thus his timing was off to catch the ball when it arrived. It was not an errant throw, three or four feet closer to the sideline would have been perfect, but rather a very good play by the defender and a ball that McKnight will normally get.
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Take a look at the replay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFDyPFML-qM&feature=youtu.be Advance the video to the end.

After further review, I will stand by my statement.
 

It's the 4th quarter. I don't care if McKnight has to commit a felony to keep him from picking it off.
 





Studwell55 said:
It's the 4th quarter. I don't care if McKnight has to commit a felony to keep him from picking it off.
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All this means is that it is both of their fault. The ball was not where it should have been, AND, McKnight should have tackled him. It doesn't defend the throw, IMO.
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
Take a look at the replay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFDyPFML-qM&feature=youtu.be Advance the video to the end.

After further review, I will stand by my statement.
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Totally agree. McKnight was way too concerned with the hand-checking. Then he pushes off (borderline illegally), instead of jumping up/moving back to the QB to try to make a play on the ball. This is receiver 101. Not every throw is going to be perfect.

It may have been a bad throw. But the INT could have easily been prevented by a receiver occupied less by the contact and more by "how can I catch this ball or at least prevent the CB from catching it?"

Question: Who was the senior and who was the freshman in his first game?
 

hendo59 said:
All this means is that it is both of their fault. The ball was not where it should have been, AND, McKnight should have tackled him. It doesn't defend the throw, IMO.
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Re-read the original post & Studwell's posts, no one defended the throw. It was NOT a perfect throw, but it was in the ballpark. The point is that the when the game is on the line your potential All Big-10 type players need to make big plays & McKnight didn't. He shares some responsibility for that interception imo. Instead of crying for a flag after the play, he should have found a way to use his size advantage & get back to the ball. Instead, the other guy blocked McKnight out & made the big play.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
Re-read the original post & Studwell's posts, no one defended the throw. It was NOT a perfect throw, but it was in the ballpark. The point is that the when the game is on the line your potential All Big-10 type players need to make big plays & McKnight didn't. He shares some responsibility for that interception imo. Instead of crying for a flag after the play, he should have found a way to use his size advantage & get back to the ball. Instead, the other guy blocked McKnight out & made the big play.
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Actually, Bayfield defended the throw when he said, "it was not an errant throw." However, whether a receiver is a senior or not, if a throw puts him in a bad position to make a play, it is a bad throw. Certainly McKnight should have tried to tackle the guys to prevent the pick. However, when a receiver is handfighting and trying to get open to get back and make a play on the ball, that is a easier said than done. The location of the ball caused him to stumble with all of the handfighting as he tried to get back to the ball. So I stand by my position that more of the blame lies with Shortell making a freshman mistake than it does with McKinght not breaking it up. Shortell puts that ball where it should be, and we're not having this discussion.
 

My only concern is that they both learn from it and move on. What's done is done.
 

McKnight would have likely caught that ball if he wasn't preoccupied with pushing off the defender. As a result, his timing was off to go up for the ball when it arrived. It was a very catchable ball.

IMO, this INT goes to McKnight.
 

Share the blame

Costa Rican Gopher Gopher expresses my opinion on the pass.

However, I was screaming at the TV for a timeout before the play. We took 15-20 seconds off the game clock to get lined up to throw the interception on third and one. (1) You can't get that time back. (2) Equally important we have a freshman quarterback who needs to be reminded of the situation and circumstances and a whole team that needs to calm down and execute.
(Coaches words: we lost in the first half because we were too nervous. What? We developed poise with a freshman quarterback taking his 17th snap ever and on the road against USC driving to attempt to win the game? Slow the moment down.) Coaches need to Remind the receivers the game is over if USC intercepts. The game is not over if we have offensive pass interference. Play hard. Play smart.

Not taking the timeout was a greater error than the result in my opinion.

In addition: Gophers spent a lot of time on the kicking game in practice. You can't screw up two field goals in a row with the same mistake. You gotta be able to see that coming and fix it as coaches.

Not a Jerry Kill basher. He is the solution. But he needs to be accountable as well. Don't know about his feelings on the timeout but I'm sure he is taking blame for the field goals. We are going to get better and better will be good some day. Pleased Jerry Kill is our coach.
 

You guys are no better than Kiffin. Give some credit to the defender who made a great play on the ball. Get over it and move on.
 

60's Guy said:
Costa Rican Gopher Gopher expresses my opinion on the pass.

However, I was screaming at the TV for a timeout before the play. We took 15-20 seconds off the game clock to get lined up to throw the interception on third and one. (1) You can't get that time back. (2) Equally important we have a freshman quarterback who needs to be reminded of the situation and circumstances and a whole team that needs to calm down and execute.
(Coaches words: we lost in the first half because we were too nervous. What? We developed poise with a freshman quarterback taking his 17th snap ever and on the road against USC driving to attempt to win the game? Slow the moment down.) Coaches need to Remind the receivers the game is over if USC intercepts. The game is not over if we have offensive pass interference. Play hard. Play smart.

Not taking the timeout was a greater error than the result in my opinion. They would still have to gain 40 plus yards but would only have one timeout to do it.

A timeout would have left them with one to still go 40 yards.

In addition: Gophers spent a lot of time on the kicking game in practice. You can't screw up two field goals in a row with the same mistake. You gotta be able to see that coming and fix it as coaches.

Not a Jerry Kill basher. He is the solution. But he needs to be accountable as well. Don't know about his feelings on the timeout but I'm sure he is taking blame for the field goals. We are going to get better and better will be good some day. Pleased Jerry Kill is our coach.
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He had just completed the first two passes of the drive. He didn't need to be reminded of anything.
 

OMG, All GH posters are now Howard Cossells.
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
McKnight would have likely caught that ball if he wasn't preoccupied with pushing off the defender. As a result, his timing was off to go up for the ball when it arrived. It was a very catchable ball.

IMO, this INT goes to McKnight.
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ONly if he goes right through the defender for an offensive PI.

Regardless, Arbogast is right. Hopefully we won't see it again.
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
IMO, this INT goes to McKnight.
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Agree. As a former receiver, my job was to adjust to the QB's throw, not hand-fight with the CB. A good receiver can take many bad throws and mitigate them and even make them look good. This was one such throw.
 



hendo59 said:
ONly if he goes right through the defender for an offensive PI.
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nope, watch the film again. the defender has to reach to his right toward the sideline and toward mcknight to catch the ball. if mcknight isn't off balance ha makes a play on the ball with any pass interference on the defensive player.

not saying that is was a great pass, but i am saying that you are wrong.
 

Does anyone think running was an option or has everyone dismissed that as too outrageous? If we get the 1st down on the ground the clock stops and we have time to set up another play or spike the ball and preserve both of our two timeouts.....easy to second guess but thats what i was thinking at the time, just get the first down
 

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