Minnesota Football vs Indiana: Postgame Exit Survey

The Minnesota Golden Gophers didn’t lose! It turns out playing on Saturdays was the problem for the Gophers in conference play, as the Indiana Hoosiers were no match for Minnesota in front a tepid, rain-soaked crowd on a night typically reserved for high school football.

Praise be to Jim Delany.

What is your Tweet-length (140 280 characters or less) summary of the Gophers’ 38-31 win over Indiana?

GopherNation: A win is great. It wasn’t a consistent effort, the fourth quarter was nearly a disaster, but disaster was averted and a win is a win.

GoAUpher: VICTORY HAIKU BACK!

Offense makes me smile

Could do with less soft coverage

Chrome helmets are fire

gopherguy05: An ugly win is still a win. But, yeah that fourth quarter was pretty damn ugly.

Iowa Gopher: I could’ve done without the fourth quarter meltdown, but a win is a win.

Ustreet: Never in doubt.

wildcat00: Phew. Again.

To borrow a Fleck-ism, who is your pick for “Nekton of the Week” from the game?

GopherNation: Tanner Morgan. He was great for most of the game and made the big play that was absolutely necessary in the fourth quarter.

GoAUpher: Gonna go with Morgan. This isn’t the same quarterback we saw in the spring or in early season mop-up duty. That is a good thing.

gopherguy05: Tanner Morgan. Way to step it up, kid. If Shannon Brooks doesn’t fumble twice, he might have also gotten my nod.

Iowa Gopher: I think I’m going to give this to offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, actually. Because asking P.J. Fleck over the headset, “You mind if we end this game?” prior to that game-winning 67-yard touchdown pass is the definition of a nekton mentality.

Ustreet: Tanner Morgan. 17-of-24 for 302 yards and three touchdowns in his first start is an excellent showing, even if Indiana’s defense is porous.

wildcat00: Rashod Bateman. He was nails when it mattered.

How would you grade Tanner Morgan's first start? Good enough to challenge Zack Annexstad?

GopherNation: I would give him an A and I’m not going to worry about who should be starting or not. I don’t think Annexstad has been fully healthy with that ankle. But I feel better having two quarterbacks whom I trust to be at least competent.

GoAUpher: MINION! MINION! MINION!

gopherguy05: I give him an A-. That interception was brutal but otherwise he did what he needed to do.

Oh... it’s time. You know it’s coming, if you have been here for a while. #QBGAZE18

Iowa Gopher: B+. After a solid showing in relief of Annexstad against Nebraska last week, I was prepared for a letdown in his first career start on Friday, but there was none to be had. In fact, Morgan was much better than expected. I particularly appreciated how he would look off defensive backs, something that stands in stark contrast to Annextstad’s tunnel vision. But I’m not ready to declare him QB1 after one game.

Ustreet: B+. The fourth Quarter was shaky and the interception was bad. Morgan certainly deserves to be in the conversation, and should start if Annexstad remains injured and 80% or below.

wildcat00: All things considered, Morgan’s first start went about as well as it could have. 17-of-24 for 302 yards and three touchdowns is a stellar maiden effort, and I’m even willing to look past the terrible interception. I think he’s earned the right to compete for the starting spot, provided Zack Annexstad is healthy enough for competition.

Please use a GIF to describe your feelings as it became clear the Hoosiers were going to erase a 31-9 deficit in the fourth quarter.

GopherNation: Not on this defense!

GoAUpher: This is where I admit I didn’t watch the game live, thereby saving myself the pain of having the pain come at me without any warning (OK, without any warning other than being a Minnesota fan). I was prepared and knew the outcome already, so my reaction is going to be different than everyone else.

gopherguy05:

Iowa Gopher:

Ustreet:

wildcat00:

The Gopher defense: Better, worse, or about the same compared to previous weeks?

GopherNation: Better in stretches, the same when they went soft in the fourth quarter. Don’t go soft.

GoAUpher: The soft coverage nonsense can burn in the fiery pits of hell and there is no way I’m gonna feel even a little okay about Robb Smith until he knocks that shit off.

gopherguy05: Maybe slightly better, but sightly better than abysmal isn’t really a real improvement.

Iowa Gopher: When they were aggressive, they were able to hold the Hoosiers in check. When they went soft in the fourth quarter with a 31-9 lead, the Hoosiers did whatever they wanted against the Gopher defense. Please take note, Robb Smith.

Ustreet: The same. Indiana should feel annoyed about only coming away with three field goals in the first half due to some questionable play calling. Minnesota’s defense finally got a turnover, but there was not tremendous improvement anywhere on the field.

wildcat00: About the same, I think. It’s easy to see the first half as an improvement over Nebraska, but overall, I think the unit isn’t trending in either direction. Maybe this is the ceiling of performance for the current personnel, given youth and injuries?

How shocked were you when it was gopherguy05 who had to plead with people to be positive in our TDG staff Slack channel?

GopherNation: He was cold and wet, I’m sure it was a typo.

GoAUpher: “Where is this when I have to calm your ass down?” That’s right folks, it’s all about me.

gopherguy05: I was the only one sitting out in that rain. Everyone else was nice and dry and warm. Maybe that’s why I could see the positives.

Iowa Gopher: For a second I thought I could hear the faint sound of The Twilight Zone theme music playing somewhere nearby.

Ustreet: Friday Nights are weird.

wildcat00: “Who is this and what have you done with the real gopherguy05?”