Gophers fans have learned to treasure rare wins against Michigan, including in Ann Arbor where Minnesota plays the Wolverines tomorrow in a game TV viewers from Minneapolis-St. Paul will see on ABC. The opinion here is the Gophers’ chances are 50-50 to earn one of those once-in-a-generation moments tomorrow at Michigan Stadium—the famous 109,901 capacity “Big House.”
The Gophers won in Ann Arbor in 1962 and haven’t exactly been greedy there since, with victories also in 1986 and 2005. During the last 50 years—home and away—the schools have played against each other every season except two, and the Gophers have defeated Michigan only five times, claiming the famous Little Brown Jug trophy awarded to the winning team.
There have been years when the Wolverines were so vastly superior to the Gophers in coaching and personnel that Minnesota fans might have enjoyed a more pleasant afternoon cleaning their showers. But tomorrow the Gophers will take the field in Michigan Stadium with a coaching staff and a roster of talent that compares more favorably to the Wolverines than in the recent past.
Michigan is 2-2 with wins over bad teams and embarrassing losses to Notre Dame, 31-0, and Utah, 26-10. In the two defeats the Wolverines didn’t produce an offensive touchdown and they enter tomorrow’s game with a quarterback dilemma after senior starter Devin Gardner was replaced by sophomore Shane Morris during the Utah loss.
College football’s winningest program appears shaky. After four games, critics are calling for head coach Brady Hoke’s job. His record the last 30 games is 17-13. That’s not up to Michigan standards and if the Gophers build a sizeable lead in the game the stadium boo-birds will be noticeable.
After last week’s loss to Utah, Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo expressed concern about the body language of Michigan players. He also observed a lack of full effort in some situations.
The best scenario for the Gophers will be a successful start in the game and double-digit lead by halftime. That could help demoralize the Michigan defense, the strength of the team. The Wolverines are No. 1 among Big Ten clubs in total defense allowing 261 yards per game.
The Gophers’ strength is also on defense so forcing the Michigan offense into costly turnovers might turn the game Minnesota’s way. So, too, could Minnesota special teams work where success might come from blocking a punt, field goal attempt, or having a long kick return.
The Gophers’ offense was muted against the one quality team Minnesota, 3-1, has played so far. TCU held the Gophers to 268 total yards, including only 99 yards rushing in a 30-7 win in Fort Worth.
For the season the Gophers’ passing offense ranks last in the Big Ten, producing 99.8 yards per game. Minnesota is fourth in rushing offense at 236.2 yards while Michigan’s defense is allowing only 80.2 yards.
Much has been written about Minnesota’s inability to pass with success. Freshman quarterback Chris Streveler completed just one throw in last week’s 24-7 win against San Jose State, but has kept a positive attitude—even joking about it and receiving some good-natured kidding. “Yeah, some of my buddies in class have been like, ‘Nice completion or whatever.’ It’s just funny,” Steveler said. “I like to joke around about it because we got the win so it doesn’t really matter, to be honest. …”
The Gophers have their own quarterback puzzle with Streveler and Mitch Leidner who is definitely the No. 1 starter but might not play tomorrow because of injuries. Whoever plays may give the Gophers improved passing but don’t expect to be dazzled because baby steps seem more likely and receivers, not just quarterbacks, need to step up.
The oddsmakers have the Wolverines as a double-digit favorite to win and that looks off target. A low scoring, close game seems more likely. The Gophers’ chances of winning may come down to better preparation, more will and focus than the Wolverines.
Those are attributes associated with Gophers head coach Jerry Kill who is admired by coaching peers. An ESPN.com poll of FBS coaches announced last week had Kill tied with Kansas State’s Bill Snyder for most underrated coach in the country.
When teams feel prepared, players have confidence. Maybe the Gophers are ready. “It would be good to go in there and steal one from Michigan,” said Gophers junior cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun. “We watched them on film. I said they’re good and we’re good too. But I think we have a really good shot to win this weekend.”
Kill and the Gophers would like to start changing wins against the Wolverines to more than a once-in-a-generation thing.
Worth Noting
Gophers’ senior defensive tackle Cameron Botticelli is a team leader and was asked if Minnesota takes extra confidence going into tomorrow’s game because the Big Ten has been unimpressive in nonconference competition and Michigan has a 2-2 record.
“I feel like we always have confidence in our team no matter how well or how poor the rest of the conference is doing,” he said. “Just because they’re 2-2 doesn’t mean anything to us. Michigan is a good team and they’re going to be physical and fast so we need to prepare hard this week no mater what our opponents’ record is. …We’re ready for a fight.”
Streveler is the Big Ten’s Co-Freshmen of the Week for his 161 yards rushing performance against San Jose State—the third highest total ever by a Minnesota quarterback. Streveler’s success, and that of running back David Cobb, who rushed for 207 yards, was enhanced by the quarterback understanding whether the best decision was to hand the ball off to Cobb or run with it himself.
Gophers’ offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said Steveler, despite being inexperienced and making his first college start, made defensive “reads” as effective as any quarterback he has coached at Minnesota or before that at Northern Illinois. “He did a fantastic job,” Limegrover said. “Everything they threw at him—handled it like a vet—which was great to see.”
The Gophers have lacked consistency at the quarterback position for awhile but a program insider said Kill hasn’t pursued junior college quarterbacks, preferring to develop his own players over their four or five year careers. That formula worked with considerable success at Northern Illinois when Kill and his assistants found under-recruited talents Jordan Lynch and Chandler Harnish.
Rookie Teddy Bridgewater gets his first NFL start on Sunday when the Vikings play the Falcons at TCF Bank Stadium. He will be the second youngest Vikings quarterback ever to start a game for the team. Fran Tarkenton, 21 years, 226 days, was the youngest, while Bridgewater will be 21 years and 322 days on Sunday.
Suspended running back Adrian Peterson, who has the biggest contract on the team and a tarnished reputation, will miss his third consecutive game and likely will never play for the Vikings again. As the Vikings navigate the local political, business and social scene here, it seems highly improbable they will keep a 29-year-old running back who is expensive and controversial. Peterson, though, is all but certain to some day play with another NFL club.
Detroit Lakes native and wide receiver Adam Thielen, who was on the Vikings practice squad last year, had his first career start last Sunday against the Saints but didn’t catch a pass.
Vikings-Falcons connections include Mike Tice and Ra’Shede Hagemen. Tice, the former Vikings head coach, is the Falcons offensive line coach while Hagemen, the former Gopher, is a rookie reserve defensive tackle.
Saint John’s running back Sam Sura, averaging an MIAC-leading 180.7 rushing yards per game and five touchdowns, will test St. Thomas’ defense tomorrow when the Johnnies and Tommies renew their rivalry in St. Paul before an anticipated crowd of 10,000 fans. The Tommies have the league’s top-ranked defense, allowing 8.5 points and 263 yards per game. Saint John’s is 2-1 overall, 0-1 in the MIAC while St. Thomas, 2-0, plays its league opener tomorrow.
Congratulations to Marshall High School football coach Terry Bahlmann who won his 200th career game last week. Bahlmann has a career record of 200-91 over 31 years of coaching including at three high schools in Iowa.
The WCHA made the right hire earlier this year when Bill Robertson agreed to become commissioner. His business skills, including marketing expertise, will be a major asset for the WCHA which announced an exclusive partnership with FOX Sports North this week to telecast the 2015 WCHA Final Five. The network will provide live telecasts from the Xcel Energy Center for all three games of next year’s Final Five: Two semifinal games on Friday, March 20 and the Broadmoor Trophy championship game on Saturday, March 21. Tournament ticket packages go on sale starting at noon Monday with availability at the Xcel Energy Center and via Ticketmaster.
Offseason workouts are generating optimism about the 2014-2015 Gophers basketball team. Minnesota might finish among the top six teams in the Big Ten Conference and possibly make an NCAA Tournament run. Richard Pitino, the Gophers 32-year-old head coach, is a taskmaster and pushes his players hard.
State prep basketball authority Ken Lien was pleased to see Pitino receive a verbal commitment from DeLaSalle guard Jarvis Johnson for the Gophers’ 2015 recruiting class. “I am excited to watch Jarvis play at the U because he’s got tremendous quickness, not only north and south, but great lateral quickness,” Lien said. “He will be fun to watch defending people. …He’s going to have to improve his shooting—and the ball handling—to be able to run the fast break the way Pitino wants them to run.”
Former Gopher Oto Osenieks, who gave up his career last winter with a season of eligibility remaining because of a knee injury, is in graduate school taking sports management classes and helping with the basketball program.
The Timberwolves begin training camp in Mankato next week and team owner Glen Taylor will continue the team tradition of hosting players for dinner at his house on October 3. His wife Becky, with help from her daughters, will make enough lasagna to feed a group of players, coaches and other staff at the Taylor home in Mankato. “She’s a typical Minnesota housewife and loves to take care of her family,” Taylor said. “She’s got a big family, and it just gets extended when the players come down (to Mankato).”
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