Four Downs - Beware the letdown

Posted by Higgy

There's only one way this week's Four Downs blog can start. Ladies and gentlemen, here to get us started is my favorite all-time fictional manager, Lou Brown.



After two incredible weeks, it's like our old friend Lou is speaking directly to our beloved Gopher football team. He's got a feeling that things are gonna turn around for us. That potential turnaround started in a big way last week with our much-desired "signature" win over Nebraska. It can continue in a big way Saturday when we head to Indiana to face the improved Hoosiers.

In the past, this game would terrify me. The Gophers played great against Nebraska. They both out-played and out-coached the Huskers, celebrated the win with fans on the TCF Bank Stadium Turf and have spent the days since hearing what a great story they are and how good they've been over the last two weeks. Normally, that sounds like a recipe for complacency and a letdown loss that could derail all the positive progress and vibes.

"Scared money don't make money."
-Wu Tang

Fortunately, complacency just doesn't exist with this coaching staff. After beating Nebraska, I can't envision Coach Kill, Claeys, Limegrover and the rest sitting around patting themselves on the back. Claeys said it best after the win, "There are bigger wins for us out there." Saturday at Indiana wouldn't necessarily be a bigger win than beating the Huskers for the first time since 1960, a ranked team without a loss in conference play. But the success of the last two weeks makes Saturday's game a necessary win. In order to validate that we truly have taken a step forward in our progress, beating Indiana on the road becomes a must.

If focus WAS a concern, our friends in Vegas made Indiana a 9.5-point favorite. Personally, I think they did that because they saw what kind of wealth Minnesota fans have during last fall's trip to UNLV, so they set the line that way on purpose to entice us to throw our vast monies in that direction, but it certainly can serve as a rallying cry. "Here are 9.5 reasons no one believes in us!" Plus, if the Hoosiers want to get bowl eligible, this is one of their best opportunities, at home, so you can bet they're treating this as their biggest game of the season to date. We need to match that intensity.

So if we are to improve to 7-2 and make next weekend's home showdown with Penn State REALLY fun, how will we get the job done? Let's snap the ball and play Four Downs.

FIRST DOWN - REPEAT PERFORMANCE
Since Sunday afternoon when my focus turned from the big Nebraska win towards Saturday's matchup at Indiana, one thing kept ringing in my head - this matchup is A LOT like San Jose State. There are some subtle differences - Indiana runs the ball better than the Spartans, might have a worse defense, and is probably overall a slightly better team. But there are just so many similarities. Coach Claeys compared the two in the media yesterday, which validated my assumption and helped me breathe a sigh of relief.

As far as game plans go, only Nebraska's ranks better than how we approached SJSU. If Minnesota can follow that same script Saturday, we should have one of those winning streaks Lou Brown mentioned by mid-day. That formula includes a bend-but-don't-break defense. A team like Indiana is going to get yards. Fortunately, it's points that count. So a fourth-down stop here, a field goal there and a red zone turnover or two, and suddenly a lot of yards don't add up on the scoreboard, similar to how we limited the magnificent David Fales.


The blueprint for success against SJSU should
provide a nice roadmap for beating the Hoosiers.

Along those lines, our best defense will again be a clock-munching offense that controls the line of scrimmage and grinds out long drives, primarily on the ground. We used some misdirection and gadgets successfully against Nebraska, but against the Hoosiers I think we can line up, plow forward and dominate in a more straight-ahead fashion. Look for Cobb to go over the century mark again, our QBs to combine for 100 on the ground, and a two-to-one time of possession ratio. If we do those things, victory should follow.

SECOND DOWN - TACKLE
The Hoosiers are going to rely on their receivers and backs to run after the catch, so our tackling will be paramount Saturday, and might be one of the biggest indicators of success. If we're whiffing on the perimeter, not wrapping up and not getting multiple guys to the ball, Indiana will find the YAC it craves, and likely the points will follow.

Fortunately, I also feel good about our ability in this area ... as good as I have about a Gopher defense in years. All our linebackers - Hill, Wilson, Manuel, Campbell - don't miss many tackles, and we've got great speed there across the board in the first time forever. They should be able to flow to the ball and help on the outside, while also keeping an eye on the run game and blitzing from time-to-time.

Also, in Brock Vereen and Derrick Wells we have two of the better tackling corners to wear Maroon and Gold in some time. Now, that's assuming Vereen stays at corner this week and Wells plays through his recent injury issues, but those two guys are very sure tacklers, and very fundamentally sound, as is Cedric Thompson. We'll need Shabazz, Travis, Murray  and others to follow their lead and hang on for dear life. I've also been really pleasantly surprised with Antonio Johnson's physicality lately, and he could play a big role Saturday as well.

THIRD DOWN - DISCIPLINED BURSTS
I read some quotes from the Gopher d-linemen about their role in this game. It's clear that one way to stop a fast-paced, high-powered offense is to get to the quarterback. If Hageman, Cockran, Alex Keith, Roland Johnson and friends can create a good push up the middle and get some sacks, knockdowns and hurries, life will be good.

But one thing that was telling in the line's comments this week was the need to stay disciplined. We need to generate a pass rush, but the rushers need to stay in their lanes, stay alert and aware of their surroundings and be prepared to change course and help on screens and short passes. And if Ra'Shede can bat down a few passes as he's been known to do, that would be nice, too.

FOURTH DOWN - HELP A BROTHER OUT
As Big Party mentioned yesterday in his B1G Word of the Day, a few big drops almost spelled doom in the win over Nebraska. Our receiving core - which includes the backs and tight ends - need to haul in everything they get their hands on. Our quarterbacks haven't been overly accurate all year, so when the ball's on the money, they need to haul it in. Coach Brown wants you to catch the ball the proper way, too.

More than that, it would be nice to see them make some adjustments on the run and haul in some of the more difficult throws. I think we'll be able to run the ball and control the clock, and that should open some things up in the passing game. Incomplete passes would be our biggest enemy in this game. They don't gain any yards and they stop the clock. We need to gain yards and keep the clock moving. Do I sound like Coach Bud Kilmer yet? No wonder he hated Mox. This isn't that hard!

A 3-game winning streak would rock.

EXTRA POINTS
-This summer, I found myself up all night with a toothache one evening. That led me to click on the B1G Network, where I caught a replay of one of the "Big Ten's Greatest Games." It was Brewster-era Minnesota beating Indiana in a nondescript 16-7 win. I can only think of two reasons why they decided this was one of the "Big Ten's Greatest Games." It's either because Eric Decker of Denver Broncos and Reality TV fame had 13 catches for 190 yards, or because someone there thought "It's 2 a.m. on a weekday in July, let's find the most boring game since the network's inception and put it on the air and see if anyone watches it. Guess what? I did. Hopefully our next meeting with Indiana - Saturday - is both more entertaining, and another Gopher victory. Tim Brewster said "tremendous" 75 times in his four minutes of airtime at halftime and postgame.

-What would you give to be in the Gopher locker room when Coach Kill came in and ended up in a giant bear hug with the whole team? What a great moment. I should've tried to evade security and get up the tunnel. Next time...

-I loved when they split OT Ben Lauer out wide in one of last week's wacky new formations. This week, I'd love it even more if they threw him the ball. I feel another Varsity Blues reference coming on...

-We've kicked around the idea of opening up the Recession Proof Tuxedo T-Shirt order to everyone to try and spread our good cheer beyond the borders of Section 117. Would others be interested in joining our classy cause? Let us know in the comments section.

-We're upset that our friend Lou Brown couldn't join us in the limo and on the field last week. He was undergoing a medical procedure. But fortunately Constable Butler snuck him a transistor radio and an earpiece so he could catch Mike Grimm and Darrell Thompson's call of the Gophers' win. Thanks to this hospital security camera footage, he was excited.



Don't move to England, Lou. There are too many great things going on in Minnesota right now.