Last Wednesday, the Minnesota football team was informed that head coach Jerry Kill would be stepping down from the job for health reasons. Kill coached the Gophers to 8-4 records the last two seasons, and is widely liked both as a coach and as a person in the Twin Cities. Anyone who follows his players on Twitter could tell from their reactions how much they both like and respect Kill, and how grateful they are to have had a chance to play for him. Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys was named interim head coach; Claeys also took over when Kill’s health issues forced him to take a leave of absence from the team in 2013. I knew the Gophers would play hard for their coach, as well as for the Little Brown Jug, college football’s oldest rivalry trophy. Their play surpassed even my expectations.
Minnesota Caps Emotional Week with Last-second Loss
The Positive:
-Against the #2 defense in the country, the Gopher offense blew me away. Quarterback Mitch Leidner threw for 317 yards, a touchdown, and no picks. The run game gained 144 yards, a score from Leidner, and no turnovers. With the possible exception of the Purdue game, this was hands-down the best the offense has played all year, and again, it was against the second-best defense in the country.
-K.J. Maye in particular had an excellent game. Not his best numbers-wise, but he made a couple of big catches to extend drives, and he was being defended by an excellent corner in Michigan’s Jourdan Lewis.
-The defense did their part as well. Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock, who got off to a shaky start this season, has improved every week. The defense harassed him into one of his weaker performances of the season, going 13 of 21 for 140 yards, one touchdown, and one interception before he left with an injury late in the third quarter. Rudock also fumbled in the second quarter after being sacked by Eric Murray, who recovered the fumble.
-Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who’s been nicked up this season, picked off Rudock so early in the game that ESPN was still showing Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
-Even special teams got in on the action, with punter Peter Mortell making a touchdown-saving tackle on ace punt returned Jabrill Peppers, and Ryan Santoso going 4/4 on field goals with a long of 47.
The Negative:
-The late clock management that led to the Gophers’ only having time for two attempts at the end zone. Initially, Drew Wolitarsky’s 22-yard catch was called a touchdown. Replay showed his knee down inside the one-yard line. As soon as the ball was placed, the clock was started, but the Gophers didn’t seem to realize it. Leidner used up precious seconds at the line of scrimmage directing shifts and motions before signalling for the snap and ultimately throwing an incompletion. How did nobody realize the clock was running?
-With :02 left on the clock and the Wolverines up 29-26, interim coach Tracy Claeys decided to gamble and go for the win. I can understand why he did it; personally, as I wrote in my column Sunday morning, I go for the field goal and overtime every time. The way the team had been playing, I really think they would have won in overtime. But Claeys went for it, and Michigan stopped the QB sneak.
-The result left me gutted for Minnesota. Those kids played their hearts out and really deserved the win.
Up Next…
It doesn’t get any easier for the Gophers down the stretch, with a trip to Columbus to face the Buckeyes this weekend. Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett may be suspended, but what Cardale Jones lacks as a pure passer, he makes up for in mobility. The Buckeyes have excellent skill players surrounding him, notably running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback-turned-wideout Braxton Miller. The task for the Gophers’ offense won’t be any easier, with Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington leading a stout front four. I’m sure Minnesota will be considered a huge underdog in this game, but Ohio State has looked vulnerable at times this season.
Main Image
