Why The Gopher Offense Will Struggle Mightily This Season

Written by Nicolas Hallett

Gopher football nation is optimistic as the new campaign is fresh and underway. But does the campus-based fanbase have any real clout behind its blind hope?

 

It was the storyline force fed down every Gopher fan’s throat when he was hired in 2010: Jerry Kill has won at every level and his teams get better each year. In fairness, Kill has done this: 2011, 3-9; 2012, 6-7; 2013, 8-5. But Minnesota has been here before, as recently as the 2000s with Glen Mason. It is accomplishments like winning Big Ten titles that would flip decades of insignificance and see Kill labeled a “football genius.”

 

Couple that with Minnesota's unrelenting optimism for its football teams — the state has convinced itself that the Minnesota Vikings that went 5-10-1 last year will be awesome this year — and you have a recipe for misguided hope and eventual devastation.

 

Early signs into the 2014 season say little has changed at TCF Bank Stadium and that the Gophers may have peaked last season.

 

Even in a 35-24 pounding of Middle Tennessee State, Saturday proved another example of why Minnesota (2-0) is so far away from its Big Ten contemporaries, let alone the nation’s elite.

 

Offensively, Minnesota is downright lackluster. The Gopher offense is centered around one thing: running the football. The one-dimensional attack has been a staple since Kill took over the program and has been his mantra during his 29-year coaching career.

 

Against Middle Tennessee State, the Gophers ran the ball 82 percent of its offensive snaps. And it’s wasn’t only because they led for the majority of the game. In Minnesota’s first scoring drive, while the score was knotted at zero, they had 10 plays, nine of which were rushes for 52 yards, including the 1-yard touchdown run from Donnell Kirkwood.

 

The straightforward strategy makes sense when you note the Gophers lack of exciting receiving options and see sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner throw the ball. The Lakeville, Minn. native’s slings lack any shred of velocity and the ball hangs in the air for what feels like minutes, often allowing a defender to catch up even if a receiver has found open space.

 

Late in the second quarter, Leidner threw a ball on a post pattern so high and away from his receiver that it surprised the Middle Tennessee State safety as it was coming directly to him. However, Leidner’s throw, as per usual, lingered in the air too long, allowing the Gopher wideout time to catch up and prevent the interception by sticking a hand in.

 

The chances of Mitch Leidner playing quarterback in the NFL are beyond slim. In fact, you’re more likely to see someone eat a salad at the Minnesota State Fair.

 

Yet, things could get worse for the Gophers. Leidner didn’t finish the game on Saturday with an apparent knee injury and his status is still questionable as of Monday. His back-up is redshirt freshman Chris Streveler, who saw his first collegiate action Aug. 28 in garbage time of the Gophers’ 42-20 win over Eastern Illinois.

 

One-trick pony offense

 

With no other options the Gophers will certainly run the ball ad nauseam this season. The simplistic gameplan is successful against weak non-conference opponents even if they know what’s coming. But the lack of dynamism will cause the Gophers to come up short against Big Ten opponents that can match their size and scheme for 1,202-yard rusher last season David Cobb.

 

Cobb emerged from a crowded backfield last season to be the shining star in Maroon and Gold. Looking back at Cobb’s numbers from last season, only 28 percent of his rushing total came during the meager non-conference schedule. This means Cobb maintained his zealous pace against quality Big Ten opponents, a positive sign that he’ll be effective once again this season when it matters most.

 

Still, imagine if the Gophers fall behind. In 2013, Minnesota ran the ball 69 percent of the time. If the Gopher defense doesn’t do its part, it’s conceivable Leidner could reach 20 interceptions this season.

 

Minnesota offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover is doing what he can with his limited resources. Leidner’s positive attributes include his sheer size of 6 feet, 4 inches and 237 pounds. First contact doesn’t usually shake him, and if given a small hole he always seems to find positive yards. Though he lacks much speed, Leidner runs low and always falls forward.

 

Limegrover has apparently chosen to unleash the unorthodox four-headed monster when it comes to the tailback position. Cobb is the complete package and workhorse back. Donnell Kirkwood and Rodrick Williams, Jr. apply the bulk, while Berkley Edwards applies the change-of-pace flash. Maroon and Gold fans will also see receivers K.J. Maye and Donovahn Jones get rushes on end-around and reverse plays. With teams aware the rock is coming on the ground, Limegrover’s play creativity will be pushed to the brink this season.

 

One of the positives of this run-all-the-time policy is elite running back prospects may begin to favor the Gophers as an ideal place to display their pro potential. We’ve seen in the past with the likes of Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney, both eventual first-round draft picks. We’re seeing it now, too. Under Armour All-American and four-star prospect Jeff Jones recently chose Minnesota over the likes of Michigan and Florida.

 

A combination of Cobb and Jones in the Gopher backfield together sounds Maroney and Barber-esque. Jones, unfortunately, is ineligible academically until at least 2015 and Cobb graduates after this season.

 

And even if Jones is as good as the most optimistic Gopher football fan would hope, he will likely be stymied when confronted by 9-man sets from Michigan State and Ohio State.

 

What’s troubling is Minnesota doesn’t seem to be doing anything to solve its monolithic offense. Leidner’s pass deficiencies were apparent last season, too, but the coaching staff has seemingly done little to address this problem. His final numbers against Middle Tennessee State: 5 for 11, 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Going back to the tape, though, it was even worse than that. One alumnus in the press box, although admittedly senile, was fed up, and let out a subtle, “Come on, you idiot!” every time Leidner missed a pass.

 

Speaking with Kill afterwards it’s clear he understands the limitations of his team’s passing attack. In fact, he said they threw it less late in the game Saturday because he was afraid an interception would let Middle Tennessee back in the game. That’s not exactly a rousing endorsement of your quarterback.

 

“There’s no question we’ve got to continue work throwing the football and get better,” Kill said. “The situation we were in, if we throw a pick then they are back in the game.”

 

When asked how Minnesota will improve its aerial game, especially if opponents stress stopping the run, Kill didn’t have a straight answer and implied the run game will have to open up holes in the secondary.

 

“I think we just got to continue to work on play-action pass and continue to get better at it,” Kill said. “We work on it every day. I think it comes with confidence and what the defense gives you.”

 

I tell you the limitations of the Gophers football team this season for your acquiescence because realistic expectations are the best bet in preventing a psychological breakdown.

 

In other words, I’m trying to let you down easy, Gopher fans.

 

No one else was saying it.