Four Downs - Four in a row?

Posted by Higgy

The year was 1999. American Pie was on the big screens at the local picture houses, Clinton was in the White House, Limp Bizkit was atop the charts and Y2K was a very real threat to life as we knew it. The core that would eventually lead to the Section 117 Classy Gentlemen - myself, Rap, Magsh, Ja$o and many other dear friends and even a vampire before it was cool to be a vampire - were beginning our legacy on the first floor of Frontier Hall at the University of Minnesota.

One fateful Saturday that fall, we huddled around a radio, as our dorm didn't have what the kids today call "television," and heard the call as Dan Nystrom's game-winning field goal sailed over the outstretched arm of LaVar Arrington and between the uprights to give Minnesota a stunning road upset of undefeated and No. 2-ranked Penn State.



Minnesota plays for stories rivalry trophies like
Paul Bunyan's Ax, Floyd of Rosedale, the Little Brown Jug ...
and this piece of crap.

Suddenly, cheers could be heard throughout the halls, as Gopher freshmen throughout their dorms embarked on a celebration that couldn't be contained by their rooms. Had we all been of legal drinking age, I think we would have enjoyed a celebratory champagne or cocktail or two in celebration of the big win.

This day was important because it gave Gopher fans their first taste in years (decades?) that big things were possible. It's amazing to me that it coincided with our freshman fall, which stands to me as the official start of my Gopher fandom. My parents both went to "The U" and I became a Gopher fan through stories of Tony Dungy, a Rose Bowl appearance when my dad was six, and those great Gopher basketball teams of McHale, Thompson and Flip.

But this was MY first defining moment as a Gopher fan, the first time I celebrated a significant Minnesota athletic achievement on campus as a student. And the foundation was laid for the fans who blog before you today.

Regardless of the outcome or how it happens, Saturday's game can't possibly live up to that colossal upset, and I wouldn't disrespect the good sirs Cockerham, Hamner, Carter and Nystrom by suggesting it could. But the parallels are interesting because, at the time, it was hoped that win over Penn State would be the moment everyone pointed back to from New Year's Day bowls and occasional Rose Bowl appearances as the decisive minute everything changed.

Saturday, with that same (well ... not the SAME) Nittany Lions squad coming to town, our team faces a similar opportunity. The Gophers can win their fourth-straight B1G game for the first time in decades. We could get to 8-2 - already two wins beyond last season's total with three games to play - and possibly even a top 25 ranking. The catch is that even if Minnesota wins Saturday, but continues to be a 6-8 win team and play in mediocre bowls, it won't mean much. But if we go on to play on New Year's Day this year, and content for B1G Division titles in the years to come, this winning streak will serve as the moment the turnaround happened before our eyes. Much is still at stake.

So the focus turns to Saturday's big game and the nuts and bolts of how we can grab that fourth straight victory and all the optimism it would inspire. This week, we're gonna run a two-QB set for Four Downs, as Rap has already made his way into town from Roch Vegas for tomorrow's big game. We'll hash out the four biggest keys to victory together, and even reminisce a little further about that magical fall Saturday in Frontier Hall, Room 182. Let's snap the ball for a very special edition of Four Downs.

 

Rap and Higgy's first trip to the Bank, 2009.

FIRST DOWN - KEEP OPENING IT UP

Higgy: Rap, to me the biggest improvement we've shown in the last two wins is our ability to mix it up and find balance on offense. We're no longer the one-dimensional team that struggled to gain yards against Iowa or Michigan. Suddenly we can run, Nelson can throw, and we've had a lot of promising targets emerge in the passing game. Your thoughts?

Rap: I agree with that. We gotta establish some presence up front on offense to make all that work. Penn State's strength is their d-line. If Donovahn Jones and Engel get involved, that's gonna open up the middle of the field for Double X.

Higgy: And it helps that we're way less predictable than we were earlier in the season. Motion, shifts, varied play-calling, it all needs to continue Saturday.

Rap: I used to be a pro-Kirkwood guy and wanted him to get more touches, but I've become a big fan of David Cobb. He's been awesome.

Higgy: What Cobb has that those other backs don't is the speed to turn average plays into big plays.

SECOND DOWN - FRESH MEAT

Higgy: Rap, what's the biggest key to containing their good freshman QB Christian Hackenberg?

Rap: We know what our d-line's gonna give us. If the secondary can play well and give the d-line time to get to him, we'll be in good shape. 'Sheed needs to get those hands up. Knock down some more passes.

We're hoping for more smiles Saturday.

Higgy: I think our defensive line could use some help putting pressure on. Plus, blitzing against a freshman QB on the road seems like a good idea. I love getting our linebackers and even our corners involved in going after Hackenberg to get some sacks and force him into some bad decisions.

Rap: I love that. We're getting solid play out of our linebackers lately, too.

THIRD DOWN - STOP THE RUN

Higgy: Penn State has three good options at running back, starting with Bill Belton (668 yards, 4 TD). We had a rough day against Ameer Abdullah of Nebraska and Indiana's fast-paced rushing attack. What's the key to stopping Penn State on the ground.

Rap: Like you said before, those linebackers blitzing could be scary in that respect. People have to stay disciplined, stay in their gaps, don't let them find big holes. That's a big key.

Higgy: Hackenberg's really good, and Allen Robinson's is one of the best in the business, but this running game is solid too and probably not appreciated enough. Robinson's gonna get his 100 yards a touchdown, or more, and the passing game will move the ball, but if we can stop the run and make them more one-dimensional, it will be huge for us.

Rap: I agree. 100 percent.

FOURTH DOWN - KEYS TO VICTORY

Higgy: What are the other big keys to Saturday's game?

These guys want to party like its 1999
with another big win over Penn State.

Rap: Keep mixing up the offense. I love the formation shuffling we've been doing. That can keep the Penn State defense on their heels. We need to continue being aggressive on our play calls. How many consecutive games now have we attempted a fourth and long and converted? I kinda like that.

Higgy: I think the biggest two - for me - are don't turn the ball over, especially in their red zone like we did at Indiana early, and get off the field on third down. Especially don't let them convert third and long over and over, as our defense has sometimes been apt to do. Bring pressure and get off the field.

Rap: I'm excited. It should be a good one tomorrow.

Higgy: It's your dad's first trip to The Bank. What will he think of the tailgating, the atmosphere and joining the Classy Gentleman?

Rap: He's gonna ... I don't know how to put it into words. I can tell he's excited because he's called me three times this week to nail down details that we've already nailed down.

Higgy: I think his first trip to The Bank means we'll have another loud voice to help us yell at the refs.

Rap: Ohhh yeah. He loves doing that. Old Man Rap does love reprimanding the referees. Pointing out their flaws. Sometimes I think that's why he goes to games.

EXTRA POINTS

-It's another 11 a.m. kickoff, and another breakfast tailgate in Lot 37 for the Classy Gentleman. As Kellen once said, "Breakfast burritos are a great tailgating food." They sure are Kellen. They sure are.

-Speaking of Kellen, he was right about the order of importance of our rivalry trophies. The Governor's Victory Bell is stupid. I still want to win it tomorrow, but it's dumb. At least we don't ring it like this guy.

-I am really doubting the six nerds waving pom-poms will make their way back to The Bank from Penn State. However, they did provide us the opportunity to yell "NERDS!" over and over, and allowed me to have one of my personal highlights at The Bank. As they were all waving their blue and white pom poms I loudly made a remark about how only male cheerleaders wave pom poms at football games. Immediately they all put them in their back pocket and didn't use them again the rest of the game. Take that, Nittany Lions!

-Along those lines, we really need to start a campaign to get the U of M to move the Classy Gentlemen - or basically any loyal Gopher fans - into Row 1 of Section 117. Every single game it's opposing fans in the first row of our beloved section. I hate that and it has to stop.

-I really have a good feeling about Drew Wolitarsky being tomorrow's breakout star. I hope we keep feeding Donovahn "The 'H' is Silent" Jones as well. He's got serious moves.

-In addition to the 1999 win in Happy Valley, one of my favorite Metrodome moments happened against Penn State. They were fortunate enough to be our opponent for one of those 11 a.m. Twins-7 p.m. Gophers days with tailgating in-between. I believe it was that day we learned the white van I drove in college could work as a field goal net (yes, we kicked field goals directly into the side of my van), and then during a Gopher win inside the Dome a member of our group disproved the "No smoking" threat inside the Metrodome. Classic.

-Today we reached 5,000 page views in the short history of Recession Proof. Thanks to all our friends, families and the awesome Minnesota community at Gopher Hole for humoring us. We never expected anyone outside our group would ever look at this blog, so we're very honored and proud that other Gopher fans have checked it out. Thanks and hats off to thee.

-And finally, watch this clip and dream happy thoughts of victory. Get those voices ready to rattle a freshman QB and force a few false starts, and let's hope its handshakes all around and a four-game winning streak by midday. Bundle up and get excited, Minnesota.