After edging Colorado State 31-24, Minnesota is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2013. Quarterback Mitch Leidner looks better every week, and the run game has been dominant against non-conference competition. The defense has been less consistent and is allowing an awful lot of passing yardage, although it’s generally been good against the run. The red zone defense has room for improvement as well. So what does that mean for the Gophers’ first road game and their first Big Ten match-up of the season?
I watched Penn State play Michigan last weekend, and the thing that stood out to me was how often Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight was able to scramble just enough to evade would-be tacklers and make a nice accurate throw. (Keep in mind, Speight is both a first-year starter, and nowhere near as mobile as Leidner). One thing that was working nicely for the Gophers last weekend was faking the hand-off to one of the running backs, and then having Leidner run the ball himself. If Penn State’s defense struggles with mobile quarterbacks, and it sure looked that way based on their trouble with Speight leaving the pocket, I expect we’ll see more of this play this week. The fact that Michigan’s stable of running backs rushed for over 300 yards against the Nittany Lions bodes well for the Gophers too.
As for Minnesota’s game last weekend, I think my favorite play was about eight minutes into the first quarter. In the face of a lot of pressure, Leidner stepped up in the pocket and made a beautiful throw to Drew Wolitarsky that went for 29 yards. It was a throw that, a year ago, I think he would have rushed and not stepped into as well; he may have even taken off with the ball himself and only gained a few yards. It was also nice to see tight end Nate Wozniak targeted more often against Colorado State. With Brandon Lingen out for at least another few weeks, Wolitarsky will almost certainly draw a fair amount of double coverage. (Plus, how do you cover a guy who’s 6’10”?)
As for the Nittany Lions’ offense, Saquon Barkley is the guy the Gophers need to be most concerned with. I’m sure the Gopher coaches are watching film of last week’s game to see how the Wolverines held the talented Barkley, who rushed for 1,076 yards and seven TDs last season, to 59 yards on 15 carries. The offensive line for Penn State has four returning starters from last season, all of them upperclassmen, but bear in mind how leaky that unit has been for the last several seasons. A year ago, they allowed 39 sacks in 13 games. Quarterback Trace McSorley is just a sophomore and a first-year starter who needs time in the pocket to make accurate throws; if that line hasn’t improved drastically, I could see him being well-acquainted with Tai’yon Devers before the game is over.
In short, the keys for Minnesota versus Penn State are as follows:
- Establish the run early
- Get pressure on McSorley; give him as little time in the pocket as possible
- Make sure Saquon Barkley doesn’t get loose
The last key is likely to be the most difficult, but if the Gophers can do all of the above, I like their chances this weekend.
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