Golden Nugz 10.19.09

by GopherNation on Oct 19, 2009 3:00 AM CDT in Gopher Football Comment 12 comments

YAY the first BCS poll is out. Boise State debuts at #4 in the initial ballot. Who here believes if Texas, Alabama and Florida lose while Boise finishes undefeated that the Broncos will get a shot at the BCS title? I think two of those teams will have to lose twice and most of the teams behind them will have to lose once. Anyway here is the initial top 10.

Florida
Alabama
Texas
Boise State
Cincinnati
Iowa
USC
TCU
LSU
Miami (FL)

Here is the real question. Would the BCS really "allow" a team like Iowa to play in the BCS title game? I know Iowa fans will get bent out of shape on this one and the question would be just as valid if you replaced Iowa with Minnesota. But really would a non-sexy, Big Ten team be "allowed" to play in the BCS title game? Computer may say so but the coaches poll may not. I think a one loss sexy team (Tex, USC, Flor, Bama) would get in ahead of a potentially undefeated Iowa team. I hope I'm wrong. I want a Boise vs. Iowa BCS title game!

Back to the Gophers. Any grand thoughts of upsetting the Nittany Lions were dashed with our first three and out.

The Philadelphia Inquirer believes the Nittany Lion defense is impenetrable. The Gopher offense did nothing to disprove that theory, not even on 4th and 1 from the one.

When Minnesota mounted its only threat of the game, driving to the Penn State 1 early in the fourth quarter, Wallace and linebacker Navorro Bowman combined to stop Kevin Whaley on a sweep to the left on fourth down.

"When they ran that toss, I saw it kind of late, so I tried to sprint to the pylon," Wallace said. "I just told myself, 'He's not going to get there before I will.' Navorro wrapped him up, and I hit him high so he wouldn't stretch over."

In his post game press-conference Brewster still liked the call. Decker was on the opposite side and they were using him as a decoy. But I still question the call. A Hoese quick-hitter or a Weber sneak would have been the better move in the opinion of this arm-chair quarterback.
The Star Tribune wasn't going to let the lack of officiating aptitude go. Kent is accurate that they were questionable calls and what is the point if they aren't going to get them right but the offense still stunk.
Mark Craig brings up the QB question! His story starts with a bang...

Last Sunday, Gophers coach Tim Brewster dismissed suggestions that quarterback Adam Weber has struggled because of the team's decision to change the offense and modify his throwing motion.
"That," Brewster said, "is a lot of people talking who don't know what they're talking about."
Well, those people aren't going away anytime soon.
Very true. I am entrenched in the Weber camp, inserting anyone else on the roster will get us far less production than what we are getting. The offensive problems are more than just Weber struggling. Inserting someone with zero experience will only add to the current problems we are already facing.
And a big thank you to Purdue for poking the bear and beating Ohio State.
And Gopher hockey wasn't outstanding but they avoided a sweep.
This Irish message board has Seantrel inserted in his 2010 depth chart.
Lets look ahead to the Buckeye's by looking back on their thoughts from the Purdue loss.

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Weber

With the plays they are calling for Weber, I can barely stand to watch him play. While I agree that if the Weber of last year was playing he would give the gophers a better chance to win, the combination of changing the offense, his mechanics, the lack of run game and the play calling have IMO really got to Weber. The MN coaches have really done a number on Weber’s psyche.

The fact of the matter is that a weber sneak or Hoese run is the better play. Whaley has speed, but he isn’t a power guy, which is what you traditionally go with in a 4th and 1. They make that play and get one of those two horrible review overturns reversed and the gophers are actually in this game.

This 0 performance tells me more about our coaches than it does about Weber. While I am on record as believing that Weber isn’t accurate enough to really excel as a QB, he does bring some skills to the table and they just aren’t being used. If our run game sucks…why not use a couple more QB scrambles? Something…anything.

by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 19, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Opportunity

Brewster had the perfect opportunity to use Gray agaist Penn State, down by 20 with our offense doing nothing, what do you have to lose? Weber wasn’t getting time to throw the ball so it would have helped to have a QB that is a real threat to run the ball. I would have liked to see Gray get some experience there, what the hell are they waiting for?

by Narby on Oct 19, 2009 9:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

All people say about Gray is that he can run the ball. I’m certain he will get more yards on the ground than Weber, but out of a QB I want a guy who can make a pass and limit turnovers. It is painfully obvious that Weber has struggled with doing that this year but does anybody really think Gray will come in and read a defense then make an accurate pass? Especially with zero pass protection.

Weber has struggled but he really hasn’t been TERRIBLE. The problem is that he has been inconsistent. He was terrible for three quarters against Syracuse and people were howling that the only chance we have of winning the game is putting in Gray (go back and read the game thread). Well, Weber put it together in the 4th and he led us to the win. After that he had four consecutive games with a QB rating of 126 or higher. He hasn’t been TERRIBLE (at least not all of the time). And inserting a freshman because he is faster is not going to do anything.

what you say here can, and will, be used against you

by GopherNation on Oct 19, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

GN

Once the game got to 20-0, there was no harm in letting Gray get some playing time.

If the Ohio State game gets out of hand (meaning, 3 TD deficit or more), Gray should get some snaps running the PRO-STYLE offense, not the stupid Wild Rodent set. Find out if Gray can do a five-step, and go beyond the first option in the passing game.

I maintain Gray is a transfer risk. This offense does not suit his talents at all, and was not what he signed up for in 2008. We’re risking a Terrelle Pryor kind of situation here with Gray in 2010-11, especially since Brewster seems adament that the Gophers are going to have a power running attack that will not mesh with Gray’s style.

by JG2112 on Oct 19, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Running

No, I want to see if Gray can avoid the pass rush and scramble out of the pocket to make some plays. We need to do something to buy some time for the QB. Good teams are killing us at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Our DE’s are non-existent and our offensive line can’t pass or run block against a good team. Weber has been inaccurate, why don’t you think Gray can throw the ball up and let Decker go get it just as well as Weber has?

by Narby on Oct 19, 2009 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very prescient GN

On Saturday, in the pregame you said:

Kickoff coverage needs to force Penn State into 70+ drives all day (assuming we get more than a couple kick-offs) and Stoudermire/Thomas getting the Gophers to the 40 on a regular basis will be significant.

I think it was a wise assumption to think Minnesota would kick off a few times. The reality? One kickoff all game. Unbelievable.

I’m not sure this Saturday will be much better – Ohio State, like you said, isn’t going to play nice after laying an egg against our vanquished Homecoming opponents.

by JG2112 on Oct 19, 2009 11:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice formatting, JG.

by JG2112 on Oct 19, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Officiating

Is it me or has officiating been horrible this year? Across the board.

I was at OU-TU in Dallas this weekend – there were like 10 replays and half over-turned horrible calls made on the field.

I mean, there was a botched punt that hit the receiving team, Texas picks it up and runs it to 1, guy strips him and the ball goes out of bounds. TOUCHDOWN – uneducated Longhorn fans go wild – while I’m saying it can’t be a touchdown. YOU CAN’T ADVANCE A MUFFED PUNT. Plus the fact that he fumbled out of the end zone. After a 10-minute double review (had to check the clock) it was placed at the recovery. Idiots.

There was also a facemask on Okie on a play that would have pinned Texas at their on 5. Problem was, guy who tackled the runner never had a hand above his waist. And he was the gunner and made a solo tackle. The 50,000 Sooner fans saw the replay and booed for like a minute.

Back to the Gophers:
Missed block in the back in the 4th right in front of the Gophers bench and the Theret pass interference – those were really great calls by that Big 10 crew too.

by HutchLeaderGuy on Oct 19, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

For the record

First, it is UT, not TU. Secondly, the refs actually got that first call right without a review (the muffed punt). They spotted the ball at the point where it was first recovered and then they reviewed it and confirmed the call (yes, the side judge did signal TD when it happened, but the ball was placed around the 20 before the official review because the ref closest to the ball ruled it a muff). Thirdly, the facemask call you are referring to was not on the tackler, but another guy trying to shed a block.

Lastly, the officiating doesn’t matter as much in NCAAF since they have a great review system (unlike the terrible one the NFL uses).

Extra bonus opinion: football (both pro and college) needs to ease up on pass interference calls. All referees seem to forget that the defender has a right to both the ball and his position. Pass interference is the most over-officiated call in the game. Let them play defense.

by rencito on Oct 19, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

BCS

Dear BCS:

Please give Boise State a shot. What else do they need to do? They have proven capable of playing with BCS opponents both at home, on the road, and in bowl games. True, they don’t have the strongest schedule this year, but no one wants to play them. Plus, the SEC schools always get a free pass based on what they have done in past seasons. I would much rather watch Boise State in the national championship game than any of the other also-rans.

If Florida and Alabama both lose, I’m looking forward to a Boise State/Texas national championship game (although Cincinnati will have a very legitimate gripe as well). I don’t think Texas will lose this year—although Oklahoma definitely seemed to want it more last Saturday.

by rencito on Oct 19, 2009 3:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If boise gets in...

do they import a little bit of the blue field for the cheerleaders to dance on? Hell, the BCS owes Boise a shot at a title. How many times have they or some other mid major gone undefeated and still been excluded?

by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 20, 2009 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs