Preseason Expectations
Grade: C
Again throughout Huge Ten Media Days in July, Cleveland.com revealed their predicted end for the Huge Ten, based mostly on a survey of 24 voters, together with one beat author for every crew:
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1. Penn State (11 first-place votes)2. Ohio State (11)3. Oregon (2)4. Illinois5. Michigan (1)6. Indiana7. Iowa8. Nebraska9. USC10. Washington11. Minnesota12. Wisconsin13. Michigan State13. Rutgers15. UCLA16. Maryland17. Northwestern18. Purdue
And listed here are the precise standings from the tip of the common season:
1. Indiana (13-0 total, 9-0 B1G)1. Ohio State (12-1, 9-0)3. Oregon (11-1, 8-1)4. USC (9-3, 7-2)4. Michigan (9-3, 7-2)6. Iowa (8-4, 6-3)7. Washington (8-4, 5-4)7. Illinois (8-4, 5-4)7. Minnesota (7-5, 5-4)10. Nebraska (7-5, 4-5)10. Northwestern (6-6, 4-5)12. UCLA (3-9, 3-6)12. Penn State (6-6, 3-6)14. Rutgers (5-7, 2-7)14. Wisconsin (4-8, 2-7)16. Michigan State (4-8, 1-8)16. Maryland (4-8, 1-8)18. Purdue (2-10, 0-9)
The Gophers outperformed media expectations, ending within the higher half of the Huge Ten for the second straight 12 months. The oddsmakers’ preseason over/underneath for Minnesota was 6.5 wins.
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Conversely, expectations had been greater amongst our readers, as 85% of respondents to our preseason ballot predicted the Gophers would win eight or extra common season video games.
From our employees predictions, please be a part of me in giving mowe0018 a standing ovation. Not solely did he predict the Gophers would end 7-5, however he predicted the proper final result for all 12 common season video games.
Maybe extra of our employees ought to have taken observe of his modest prediction, as zipsofakron predicted an 8-4 file and the remainder of us predicted a end of 9-3 or higher. A lot for that!
The person sport predictions that stand out:
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8 of 9 predicted a win over Cal
7 of 9 predicted a win over Nebraska
6 of 9 predicted a win over Iowa
6 of 9 predicted a win over Michigan State
8 of 9 predicted a win over Northwestern
Offense
Grade: D
It was a rebuilding 12 months on offense for the Gophers, as Minnesota wanted to switch their beginning quarterback, their prime two cross catchers, and 4 starters on the offensive line.
I’ll begin with the quarterback place, which was the intense spot on offense this season. Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey had a stable first season underneath middle, finishing 63.2 % of his passes for two,382 yards with 18 passing touchdowns and 6 interceptions (half of which got here in a single sport). The long run is vibrant with Lindsey at quarterback, however the message was clear this season: He wants extra assist.
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The offensive line by no means discovered its footing, leaving the Gophers’ floor sport caught within the mud. Minnesota ran right into a little bit of dangerous damage luck with working backs Darius Taylor and A.J. Turner, however that’s no excuse for rating 126th nationally in dashing offense, averaging 103.2 dashing yards per sport. And not using a constant dashing assault, the offense turned one-dimensional, placing extra stress on Lindsey to make performs.
The Gophers wanted extra out of their large receivers, who often struggled to create separation or make contested catches in site visitors. Former Miami (Ohio) switch Javon Tracy was a vibrant spot, hauling in 37 receptions for 454 yards and 6 touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Jalen Smith flashed potential early, then had a breakout sport within the Charge Bowl with six receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns.
By season’s finish, offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh’s unit ranked 127th nationally in whole offense and 98th in scoring offense, averaging 23 factors per sport. That’s not ok. Not even shut.
Protection
Grade: C-
Coming into this season, the Gophers wanted to switch six starters on protection: Linebacker Cody Lindenberg, defensive finish Jah Joyner, rush finish Danny Striggow, nickel again Jack Henderson, and cornerbacks Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson. However essentially the most impactful departure was off the sphere, as defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman signed a brand new two-year contract with Minnesota in December, then modified his thoughts a month later and left to take the identical place at Miami (Fl.) in January.
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Fleck opted to advertise from inside, handing the reins to safeties coach Danny Collins, who began his teaching profession as a defensive graduate assistant at Western Michigan earlier than following Fleck to Minnesota.
In Collins’ first season as defensive coordinator, the Gophers ranked thirty first in run protection (121.1 dashing yards allowed per sport), 52nd in cross protection (210.5 passing yards allowed per sport), and 51st in scoring protection (22.9 factors allowed per sport). These could not appear to be horrible numbers till you contemplate that solely three of Minnesota’s opponents completed the common season ranked within the High 75 in whole offense.
These three groups: Oregon (thirteenth), Ohio State (twenty fourth), and Rutgers (forty third).
It was Minnesota’s efficiency towards lesser competitors that proved most irritating.
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Towards Northwestern (93rd), the Gophers surrendered 525 yards of whole offense and 38 factors.
Towards Michigan State (97th), the Gophers surrendered 467 yards of whole offense and 20 factors
Towards Purdue (one hundredth), the Gophers surrendered 456 yards of whole offense and 20 factors.
In fact, two of these video games had been wins for Minnesota, so perhaps I shouldn’t be complaining. However even when the end result was in the end a optimistic for the Gophers, the method was trigger for concern.
Two place teams, particularly, had been obvious issues for the Gopher protection this season.
The line of defense was not bodily sufficient, and the cross rush all however disappeared in all 5 of their losses. Defensive finish Anthony Smith led the Huge Ten in sacks with 12.5, however his teammates on the line of defense not often capitalized on the additional consideration he acquired from opposing offenses. Minnesota defensive linemen averaged lower than a sack per sport within the Gophers’ 5 losses this season.
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Fleck appears to have assigned a lot of the blame for his or her efficiency to line of defense coach Dennis Cottin-Carter, who was fired in early December after just one season because the place coach.
Outdoors of Iowa switch John Nestor — who had his personal highs and lows all through the season — Minnesota was merely not ok at cornerback, with each Za’Quan Bryan and Mike Gerald struggling. The Gophers even tried shifting former TCU switch Jai’Onte McMillan to cornerback, with blended outcomes.
I’m going with a C- grade for this unit as a result of it was ok to win seven video games, however their efficiency in losses (and even in a few of their wins) makes me critically query whether or not Collins is match for the job.
Particular Groups
Grade: C-
No kicker within the Huge Ten missed extra area purpose makes an attempt this season than Brady Denaburg. The Syracuse switch was 14-of-21 (66.7%) on area purpose makes an attempt, rating 14th within the convention in area purpose proportion. Worst of all, Denaburg was 2-of-7 on makes an attempt of 40 yards or extra.
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Previous to permitting a 100-yard kickoff return for a landing within the bowl sport, Minnesota had solely allowed 174 kickoff return yards on 11 returns for a mean of 15 yards allowed per return. That might have put them within the High 15 nationally. Sadly, their bowl sport blunder despatched them tumbling to one hundred and fifth.
Koi Perich didn’t develop into the game-changing returner Gopher followers had been hoping for. To be truthful, although he by no means discovered the tip zone, he ranked second within the Huge Ten in kickoff return common (26.3 yards per return). However the Gophers’ punt return unit was abysmal, as Perich averaged 6.6 yards per return on 18 returns.
If there was a vibrant spot on particular groups, it was first-year beginning punter Tom Weston. He led the Huge Ten with 23 punts downed contained in the 20-yard line, and completed second within the convention with 15 punts of fifty+ yards.
