Gophers vs. San Jose State: Four Downs

Posted by Higgy

Each week, I'll take a look at the upcoming game and focus on four keys to the game, hence the clever "Four Downs" title. It's a football thing. Well, I won't do it each week. We have two byes. I won't look at the non-existent opponent that week, ya dingus.

Tomorrow the Golden Gophers receive a visit from the San Jose State Spartans and their ugly uniforms. At stake? A 4-0 start and perfect trip through the nonconference schedule, not to mention 2/3 of the way to bowl eligible. So ... for an 11 a.m. out-of-league game, actually quite a bit against a team that should be a lot better than anyone else we've faced to this point. Let's line up for four downs.

FIRST DOWN - DEJA VU?
If you're feeling Deja Vu because we're 3-0 and welcoming our toughest nonconference opponent into TCF Bank Stadium with a talented, NFL-prospect quarterback and a good passing game, it's because this is EXACTLY LIKE LAST SEASON. Just replace Syracuse with San Jose State and move a night game to 11 a.m. and it didn't take Doc Brown and a DeLorean to get you here.

Other similarities? Our starting quarterback is out. It looks like Phillip Nelson won't play, which gives Gopher fans a full game to fall in love with Mitch "The Lamplighter" Leidner. For my feelings on who our starting quarterback should be (and Gopher fans' quick trigger to call for the backup) can just be summed up by reading Big Party's BIG Word of the Day from earlier this week. I think Nelson is our starter and Leidner would have to be REALLY good tomorrow to insert himself into the discussion for more playing time.

Who gave those gentlemen field passes?

How can he do that? Continue his passing efficiency from last week, with a few more intermediate and deep routes mixed in. (More Maxx Williams? Yes please!) Don't keep it quite as much. We should have Kirkwood back tomorrow. Rodrick Williams has been good the last two weeks, and David Cobb is one of our most pleasant surprises so far. Hand the ball to them. Don't keep it as often. Save your impressive combination of speed and size as more of a surprise/big play element. Plus, as Coach Bud Kilmer taught James Van Der Beek and all of us, "By running the ball, we control the clock," and that will be huge against SJSU.

Most of all, don't be Max Shortell. But get us a win, like he did against the Orange last season.

One big difference? I don't think the Classy Gentlemen will come into a pair of field passes for this game. Our sideline antics against Syracuse were over the top.

SECOND DOWN - MAKE FALES FAIL (no easy task)
I know, terrible pun. Hopefully, like Syracuse a year ago, this ends up being strength vs. strength with our pass defense. A similarity we can't lean on? Experienced cornerbacks Michael Carter and Troy Stoudemire, because they graduated. This needs to be the game Derrick Wells proves that he's healthy, and the move to corner was a good one. We need Eric Murray and Martezz Shabazz at their best. Brock Vereen needs to patrol the middle of the field. I'm real excited to see the speed of Devondre Campbell in coverage. We should see him for a lot of snaps. And let's see James Manuel and Damien Wilson on some blitz

Be very afraid.

And, as Kellen deftly pointed out in his video blog, we need Ra'Shede Hageman and Theiran Cockran to continue being dominant forces. They should have an edge against the SJSU line and we need pressure on Fales, who I've heard is accurate and efficient. If Hageman can get a sack without a helmet, hopefully he can really do some good things with his chin strap buckled up. And let's see James Manuel, Aaron Hill and Damien Wilson on some blitzes for added pressure. What do you think, Coach Kilmer?

"The only pain that matters is the pain you inflict!"

THIRD DOWN - MORE WEAPONS PLEASE
I've already covered our QB and RB situation, and mentioned our good friend Maxx "Double X" Williams, but this offense needs to be a little more explosive and a few young weapons emerging would be real nice. Jamel Harbison finally played last week, but didn't do much of anything. Drew Wolitarsky is starting to get some action and Donovahn Jones continues to settle in at WR. If these three young talents - or even two of the three - can start making plays down the field and on the edge, it could be a huge boost to The Lamplighter in his first start.

Also, what happened to KJ Maye? Let's get him involved. Put him in motion and either fake it to him or hand it off to give our offense another dimension. Run a few WR screens for him. Look for him on third downs (along with Double X). I really like his skills now that he's a full-time WR and he's been basically non-existent since the UNLV game.

Having said all that, I still want to see us control the line of scrimmage, the clock, and pound the ball on the ground. But I think Wu-Tang Financial would want us to diversify our bonds.

Should be another gorgeous day in Lot 37 and Sec. 117.

FOURTH DOWN - GET UP EARLY TO GET A WIN
I'm usually not a big fan of analysts putting a lot of emphasis on how time zones can affect a team's performance. However, when you're a Mountain West team that plays a ton of night games, and now you're getting up for an 11 a.m. central time kickoff, which is normally your 9 a.m., I can be convinced it will be a little more of a factor. I was tempted to call the former Miami players that called Brian Bosworth all night before a bowl game against Oklahoma, as revealed in "The U," to see if I could hire them to do the same to Fales.

That means another early morning for us fans as well. Thanks a lot for the weeknight 6 p.m. kickoff and  a pair of 11s for our three home out-of-league games, B1G. The Classy Gentlemen plan to be in Lot 37 by 7:30 a.m. We've got Von Hanson's double-smoked bacon and maple sausage links ready to fuel us (among other things) and we'll be ready to shout the Spartans into a handful of false starts. Get up early, get excited, and hopefully we'll be 4-0 by midday.

That should just about cover it. This was meant to be shorter, but hot damn is this new blog exciting! Time for bed ... we've got a big day tomorrow.