This team is somewhere between what they did vs. MSU and what they did the past 2 weeks. They need to get back to that level of play and they'll then hopefully at least avoid an embarrassingly bad end to the season.
That's two games in a row where the other team's starting QB was not supposed to play but starts anyways. It seems PJ and coordinators really struggle to adjust from a game plan. It happened last year against Bowling Green. Autman Bell goes out early and PJ admitted the game plan was built around him. This year against Purdue it seemed they were expecting Ibrahim to play and didn't know what to do when he couldn't go. Defense played really soft the last few games. Seems like they want to let the receiver catch it and then tackle as opposed to challenging them. Really allows the opposing teams to have long sustained drives.
Illinois deserved to win. That said, I do not understand why someone didn't light up the guy who punched Morgan in the head, either after the play, during the time out while Morgan attended to, or during the game afterwards. Fourth string tight end "put me in coach". If someone went right after him, they would give offsetting penalties. The referees really were risking game out of hand
I know he was likely going for the ball, but in sports you are responsible for your actions (and stick in hockey), even if accident.
He deserves a several game suspension at a minimum.
First time I’ve been happier pulling a dock out of the water rather than watching football.
Time of possession and lack of passing yards. Those were the telling stats of the game. Embarrassing.
Agree. Not much more to say. What is a perfect QB rating 153.1? Morgan's rating was 8.
4 of 12, for 20 yards, and a pick. Yikes! I'd like to think I could do that. Maybe not.
Illinois had the ball 40 minutes, Gophs for 20.
Can this team win three more games?
Time of possession and lack of passing yards. Those were the telling stats of the game. Embarrassing.
Agree. Not much more to say. What is a perfect QB rating 153.1? Morgan's rating was 8.
4 of 12, for 20 yards, and a pick. Yikes! I'd like to think I could do that. Maybe not.
Illinois had the ball 40 minutes, Gophs for 20.
Can this team win three more games?
The pick was a well thrown ball that hit the guy in the hands/shoulder. There’s not much you can do when you have little receiver talent other than run for yards which he did a decent job of. They also never had the ball because they D couldn’t get off the field.
Gophers +4.5 in the 'whiteout' at Penn State. I saying right now... Gophers to cover and win!!! And the under at 45!!!
Keep your stick on the ice...
Gophers will likely play up for PSU. Who knows though. All I do know is Bielema is 9-0 against us ?
All I do know is Bielema is 9-0 against us ?
Looked like Bielema put on 100+ lbs. since he was at wisconSIN.
Keep your stick on the ice...
Time of possession and lack of passing yards. Those were the telling stats of the game. Embarrassing.
Agree. Not much more to say. What is a perfect QB rating 153.1? Morgan's rating was 8.
4 of 12, for 20 yards, and a pick. Yikes! I'd like to think I could do that. Maybe not.
Illinois had the ball 40 minutes, Gophs for 20.
Can this team win three more games?
The pick was a well thrown ball that hit the guy in the hands/shoulder. There’s not much you can do when you have little receiver talent other than run for yards which he did a decent job of. They also never had the ball because they D couldn’t get off the field.
Every ball is catchable. 
So who is the Gophs QB this week? That was a terrible hit (punch) on Morgan, there just has to be a suspension from that.
With a porous defense and such bad receivers might as well just go Wildcat on every possession.
Gophers -4.5 in the 'whiteout' at Penn State. I saying right now... Gophers to cover and win!!! And the under at 45!!!
Gophers are favored and you would bet them to cover?
How much can we bet?
Gophers -4.5 in the 'whiteout' at Penn State. I saying right now... Gophers to cover and win!!! And the under at 45!!!
Gophers are favored and you would bet them to cover?
How much can we bet?
My bad... Gophers +4.5
Keep your stick on the ice...
Damn I thought I could get Penn State and points for a second there. Was about the empty the accounts
Damn I thought I could get Penn State and points for a second there. Was about the empty the accounts
I almost sold my car.
That said, I am still pretty happy with +4.5 considering the last 2 games. I may have to lay a healthy bet as an emotional hedge at the risk of losing the bet and the game.
Time of possession and lack of passing yards. Those were the telling stats of the game. Embarrassing.
Agree. Not much more to say. What is a perfect QB rating 153.1? Morgan's rating was 8.
4 of 12, for 20 yards, and a pick. Yikes! I'd like to think I could do that. Maybe not.
Illinois had the ball 40 minutes, Gophs for 20.
Can this team win three more games?
The pick was a well thrown ball that hit the guy in the hands/shoulder. There’s not much you can do when you have little receiver talent other than run for yards which he did a decent job of. They also never had the ball because they D couldn’t get off the field.
Every ball is catchable.
So who is the Gophs QB this week? That was a terrible hit (punch) on Morgan, there just has to be a suspension from that.
With a porous defense and such bad receivers might as well just go Wildcat on every possession.
Morgan was reportedly feeling better yesterday but was still under the care of the medical staff.
Athan Kaliakmanis was the QB they brought in when he went down and I would guess he gets the nod if Morgan isn't cleared.
Credit to Illinois defensively. They were very very aggressive and their blitzes consistently got pressure on Morgan and seemed to have the OL on their heels a lot. Seemed like every time the Gophers had a play drawn up for a big gainer Illinois had a DL in Morgan's face before he could get to the back of his drop
Per a Pioneer Press report, Tanner Morgan will not play tonight.
Looking like another 7 maybe 8 win season. That 7.5 over under is looking more and more right.
We don’t play from behind well and don’t seem to trust who is our QB next year.
Penn State may as well play 10 DL/LB and one corner on first and second down all game.
Our linemen can’t block 3 and our receivers can’t catch. So that’s good.
Sloppy play on the OL (5 or 6 pre-snap penalties already) too.
Kaliakmanis with a couple great throws on this drive (one was broken up by a CB on an equally great play) and all of a sudden he's running for 10+ yards and Mo had some room to run.
Mo touchdown!!! 9 play 90 yard drive and the Gophers are back within a touchdown and get the ball after halftime.
Kaliakmanis throws a ball up for MBS, who gets held and tackled mid route and the refs keep the flags in their pocket while the ball gets picked off.
The story of the 2022 Gopher football team is they cannot overcome adversity.
Cannot overcome injuries
Cannot overcome trailing in a game
Cannot overcome questionable officiating
October has been a complete disaster. A 180 from September. Sure, they can beat Rutgers and Northwestern to get bowl eligible. But this October team won’t beat WI, IA, and NE becomes a toss up.
Guess those who say wins against Iowa and Wisconsin are all that matters still have something to get excited about.
? The flip is unreal. No one stepped up with Crab going down and the OL which was a weakness proving to be right. The D has been less than spectacular espeicllly the last couple seasons. Need to clean it up
The story of the 2022 Gopher football team is they cannot overcome adversity.
Cannot overcome injuries
Cannot overcome trailing in a game
Cannot overcome questionable officiating
October has been a complete disaster. A 180 from September. Sure, they can beat Rutgers and Northwestern to get bowl eligible. But this October team won’t beat WI, IA, and NE becomes a toss up.
Guess those who say wins against Iowa and Wisconsin are all that matters still have something to get excited about.
The boat has sunk. This isn't the same team that beat Penn State a couple years ago or WI last year.
Fleck had a chance to start putting his hype man reputation behind him and had a chance to start looking like a Big Ten Coach that could lead a program.
He is all Showman and that's all he will ever be for now, until he can start proving he knows what he is doing.
1-3 in the Big Ten JV and the season is pissed away in the first 4 games of the conference schedule that they were supposed to make a deep run in. Pathetic.
Fleck had a chance to start putting his hype man reputation behind him and had a chance to start looking like a Big Ten Coach that could lead a program.
He is all Showman and that's all he will ever be for now, until he can start proving he knows what he is doing.
1-3 in the Big Ten JV and the season is pissed away in the first 4 games of the conference schedule that they were supposed to make a deep run in. Pathetic.
Regardless of one's feelings about Fleck, the facts speak for themselves. Yes, they are 1-3 in the Big Ten JV. Whatever the excuse-making machine spits out, they're still 1-3 in a results-oriented business.
They’re having a rough year but without Morgan on the road vs PSU I can’t say I expected much. The other losses are more inexcusable though they had a chance to come back vs IL until Morgan got punched in the head. Purdue loss was probably the worst of all, Mo was out but you should still be able to beat that team.
I think the bigger concern is that the bad D is back and it’s been 2 weeks of it now. I also wonder about the recruiting when they clearly have no stand out receivers and as far as I can tell no RB after Mo. This team looks more like the Covid year team than last year’s.
They’re having a rough year but without Morgan on the road vs PSU I can’t say I expected much. The other losses are more inexcusable though they had a chance to come back vs IL until Morgan got punched in the head. Purdue loss was probably the worst of all, Mo was out but you should still be able to beat that team.
I think the bigger concern is that the bad D is back and it’s been 2 weeks of it now. I also wonder about the recruiting when they clearly have no stand out receivers and as far as I can tell no RB after Mo. This team looks more like the Covid year team than last year’s.
2 RBs from last season's roster are starting on ranked teams this season in other conferences (though Ky has been banged up most of the year). Bucky is killing it for Oregon. IDK what Potts is doing this season but he looks nowhere near as good as he did last season. Freshman Zach Evans is an extremely talented RB. I dunno if he's injured or if they are just redshirting him, but unless he transfers, I'd expect him to be the starter next season.
That’s good at least. Is there any help at WR coming?
That’s good at least. Is there any help at WR coming?
Depends on your definition. Lameke Brockington is starting to get some playing time, he's a redshirt freshman this year. Ike White and Kristen Hoskins are both on campus but I'd guess they are going to redshirt this season. They have one commit for next season (Donielle Hayes).
Brady Boyd transferred out, he was a pretty good get at WR at the time.
I don't know if the D has been as bad as the fact the O can't stay on the field.
I don't know if the D has been as bad as the fact the O can't stay on the field.
That’s certainly a big part of it.
The defense was downright bad against Illinois. You can't allow a team to go 4/4 on 4th down conversions. Devito picked them apart in the air. The Illinois scoring drivers were 9 plays, 75 yards, 15 plays 74 yards, 19 plays 72 yards, 7 plays 75 yards, 15 plays 74 yards, and 14 plays 68 yards. Four separate scoring drives of 14 plays or more and all their scoring drives 68 yards or more. They were actually OK against the run all things considered (Illinois ran for 200+ yards but had like 55 carries).
I think there is something to the offense's inability to do anything against Penn State hurting the defense. In the first half they ran a total of 20 plays on their first 5 drives. The Gopher defense got off to a great start (3 and out, 3 and out, interception with a long return). But they netted 3 points total as the offense ran like 12 plays in response to that great start. They gave up a FG to tie it, but the offense immediately went 3 and out and Penn State marched down and scored on a broken coverage play (nobody in the Gophers secondary was within 15 yards of a tight end running right down the middle of the field).
The game really shifted early in the 2nd half when they were down by a TD and punted 4ish plays into the half. They had just marched down the field perfectly to end the first half with a TD to cut the game to 7 and had a chance to come out in the second half and tie it. Instead Penn State drove down and scored on a great play by the WR - Clifford threw a jump ball into 1-on-1 coverage and the PSU WR slammed on the brakes a little short to get some separation, and then jumped up and high pointed it before the Gopher CB could swat it away. The Gophers started marching a bit after that and then Kaliakmanis threw an INT (on a clear missed defensive holding/PI against the targeted WR who was going to be able to run right past the CB had the CB not held him).
The floodgates opened after that as PSU ended up scoring TDs on 4 straight drives in the second half while the Gophers went punt-interception-punt to start. On the road @ Penn State in an atmosphere like that? The offense has to do something to help the defense IMO.
Big Ten announced the 2023 schedule as maybe the last with the West/East. Crossover games with Penn State and Rutgers this year, but next year we get Ohio State and Michigan. Yikes..
https://twitter.com/GopherFootball/status/1585301718837133314
Might as well get Athan a couple more games this year.
Really weird hearing the twins radio guy on tv for gopher football.
Great day to go to the game, what a perfect day to sit on the sunny side!
(but there’s a more important game at 4 I needed to stay home for.). 😉
Really weird hearing the twins radio guy on tv for gopher football.
Great day to go to the game, what a perfect day to sit on the sunny side!
(but there’s a more important game at 4 I needed to stay home for.). 😉
It is weird hearing him do football games but he does a pretty great job IMO
Gophers with a 99 yard, 10:27 drive to take a 7-0 lead, capped off by Mo Ibrahim's record setting 44th career touchdown.
Congratulations to Mo!
That punter is NFL material.
14-0 at half. Not dominating like you’d like, but solid ball control and not giving Rutgers anything. Makes for a boring game.
Feels like a week one non conference game where you don’t open the playbook.
A win is a win. Doesn't have to be pretty. The end result is all that matters.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Wow. Thought that would be targeting. But my view was from the stands.
Should have had a fourth touchdown there. Big guy tight end missed one, great play call, ugly duck pass. Then Williams with a great run annnnd, holding. Oh well, conference shut-out win is pretty darn good!
Tough schedule for Rutgers after this. Doubt they'll win any of them.
edit: Could have taken a knee but I think coach wanted Williams to get that td back?
14-0 at half. Not dominating like you’d like, but solid ball control and not giving Rutgers anything. Makes for a boring game.
Feels like a week one non conference game where you don’t open the playbook.
That’s exactly what it felt like. It was a boring game with very few exciting plays. I’m sure PJ loves that. It put the fans to sleep. It was parents weekend so there were a ton of parents around us that just left after halftime then after the third quarter.
WR Chris Autman Bell will be back in 2023 (after received a medical redshirt).
WR Chris Autman Bell will be back in 2023 (after received a medical redshirt).
Does he get a doctorate after the 7th year? No Mo and no Morgan. Will be a big change next year. Need to hit the portal for some WRs
Gophers vs Nebraska tomorrow. Surprised to see the line move from 10 early to around 16 now. Is Nebraska that bad or the vegas folks haven’t seen a gophers game?
Nebraska's starting QB is most likely not going to play. That is the main reason for the line. But I agree, the line being that high is absurd.