Playing Minnesota -15 way above average play
I think this will be a blow-out. Here is an article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Although it was written by a Minnesota sportswriter, I have to agree with the facts.
Posted on Sat, Oct. 02, 2004
? IN THE AIR
? ON THE GROUND
A glance at the numbers suggests Minnesota might have a battle on its hands. Penn State is ranked 28th in the nation against the run, allowing 97.8 yards per game. And there seems to be some credence in the Gophers' claim that the Nittany Lions have a big, physical defense; their defensive front averages about 270 pounds. But Northwestern came in with respectable numbers against the run, and the Gophers managed 251 rushing yards, which was considered a bad day. And Wisconsin's Matt Bernstein ? a converted fullback, for goodness' sake ? rumbled for 123 yards last weekend against Penn State. Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney should find enough room. Again.
? IN THE AIR
If there's a place where the Nittany Lions can hang their hat, it's in the secondary, where there are three junior starters and one senior. Experience seems to be working, since Penn State allows a respectable 173.2 passing yards per game. But holding down an air attack such as Wisconsin's ? which isn't much right now ? is different than getting torn between a strong run game and avoiding the deep ball. If Gophers quarterback Bryan Cupito can find Ernie Wheelwright or Jared Ellerson deep, and do it fairly early, it may be easy downhill skiing for the offense. The Nittany Lions may have enough athletically to keep up with the midrange, underneath routes, and if there's no stretching the defense, it could make things interesting. More interesting than Minnesota hopes, anyway.
? AGAINST THE RUN
With a quarterback situation in disarray, the likelihood of Penn State coming out and tossing the ball around the Metrodome is virtually nil. The Nittany Lions most likely will run the ball as much as possible to take the weight off Zack Mills' injured shoulder or the unprepared shoulders of either Chris Ganter or Anthony Morelli ? and it probably won't work. Sophomore Tony Hunt has been fairly solid with 93.8 yards per game, but the Nittany Lions were bemoaning their own offensive line inconsistencies this week. The Gophers' front isn't as fearsome as Wisconsin's, but it can hold its own. And if Darrell Reid and Co. get an adequate push, the Nittany Lions should be staring down a long road all night. The Gophers buckled down and allowed just 140 rushing yards last weekend. The Penn State attack shouldn't do much better.
? AGAINST THE PASS
There should be no doubt that Minnesota will dare Penn State to beat it through the air, since the quarterback either will be gimpy (Mills) or green (Ganter and Morelli), and the most athletic receiving threat (Michael Robinson) won't even play. Though Ganter was thrown to the wolves against Wisconsin, he hit just 6 of 23 passes. All the Gophers need is a solid performance on the corners from Ukee Dozier and Trumaine Banks, and they'll be able to stack up against the run. They'll probably even take some chances on the pass rush, maybe opening things up for ends Reid, Mario Reese and Eric Clark. Even when Mills has been healthy, he has thrown seven interceptions against four touchdown passes. It would take a miraculous turnaround for the Gophers to be threatened.
? SPECIAL TEAMS
Well, in any other week, this might be a blowout against the Gophers. But Penn State has an average punter in Jeremy Kapinos (36.1 yards per kick), an unused kicker in Robbie Gould (just two attempts all year) and a return game that scares no one (10.6 yards per punt return, 16.0 per kickoff return). So that 97-yard kickoff return for a score and those two blocked extra-point attempts of a week ago may slide into distant memory. In the Metrodome, after a week of screaming and tinkering by the staff, Rhys Lloyd and the rest of the Gophers' kicking game should be back on track. If it's not, it probably won't make a difference tonight ? but it should put plenty of fear in everyone's gullet down the line.
? COACHING
Glen Mason can go on and on about Joe Paterno being a cut above the rest as a coach. The Gophers coach has ingredients for success that Paterno would die for just about now, with what the Penn State coach calls his youngest team in memory. What's more, there have been rumblings in Happy Valley that Paterno has meddled in the offense of new coordinator Galen Hall and mucked things up. All this and a rough schedule points to another year of disappointment, and that shouldn't stop tonight against the Gophers. Plus, all Minnesota hears is how great Penn State and Paterno are. Even if it's stretching the truth.
Prediction: Gophers 42, Penn State 13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
? Brian Hamilton
I think this will be a blow-out. Here is an article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Although it was written by a Minnesota sportswriter, I have to agree with the facts.
Posted on Sat, Oct. 02, 2004
? IN THE AIR
? ON THE GROUND
A glance at the numbers suggests Minnesota might have a battle on its hands. Penn State is ranked 28th in the nation against the run, allowing 97.8 yards per game. And there seems to be some credence in the Gophers' claim that the Nittany Lions have a big, physical defense; their defensive front averages about 270 pounds. But Northwestern came in with respectable numbers against the run, and the Gophers managed 251 rushing yards, which was considered a bad day. And Wisconsin's Matt Bernstein ? a converted fullback, for goodness' sake ? rumbled for 123 yards last weekend against Penn State. Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney should find enough room. Again.
? IN THE AIR
If there's a place where the Nittany Lions can hang their hat, it's in the secondary, where there are three junior starters and one senior. Experience seems to be working, since Penn State allows a respectable 173.2 passing yards per game. But holding down an air attack such as Wisconsin's ? which isn't much right now ? is different than getting torn between a strong run game and avoiding the deep ball. If Gophers quarterback Bryan Cupito can find Ernie Wheelwright or Jared Ellerson deep, and do it fairly early, it may be easy downhill skiing for the offense. The Nittany Lions may have enough athletically to keep up with the midrange, underneath routes, and if there's no stretching the defense, it could make things interesting. More interesting than Minnesota hopes, anyway.
? AGAINST THE RUN
With a quarterback situation in disarray, the likelihood of Penn State coming out and tossing the ball around the Metrodome is virtually nil. The Nittany Lions most likely will run the ball as much as possible to take the weight off Zack Mills' injured shoulder or the unprepared shoulders of either Chris Ganter or Anthony Morelli ? and it probably won't work. Sophomore Tony Hunt has been fairly solid with 93.8 yards per game, but the Nittany Lions were bemoaning their own offensive line inconsistencies this week. The Gophers' front isn't as fearsome as Wisconsin's, but it can hold its own. And if Darrell Reid and Co. get an adequate push, the Nittany Lions should be staring down a long road all night. The Gophers buckled down and allowed just 140 rushing yards last weekend. The Penn State attack shouldn't do much better.
? AGAINST THE PASS
There should be no doubt that Minnesota will dare Penn State to beat it through the air, since the quarterback either will be gimpy (Mills) or green (Ganter and Morelli), and the most athletic receiving threat (Michael Robinson) won't even play. Though Ganter was thrown to the wolves against Wisconsin, he hit just 6 of 23 passes. All the Gophers need is a solid performance on the corners from Ukee Dozier and Trumaine Banks, and they'll be able to stack up against the run. They'll probably even take some chances on the pass rush, maybe opening things up for ends Reid, Mario Reese and Eric Clark. Even when Mills has been healthy, he has thrown seven interceptions against four touchdown passes. It would take a miraculous turnaround for the Gophers to be threatened.
? SPECIAL TEAMS
Well, in any other week, this might be a blowout against the Gophers. But Penn State has an average punter in Jeremy Kapinos (36.1 yards per kick), an unused kicker in Robbie Gould (just two attempts all year) and a return game that scares no one (10.6 yards per punt return, 16.0 per kickoff return). So that 97-yard kickoff return for a score and those two blocked extra-point attempts of a week ago may slide into distant memory. In the Metrodome, after a week of screaming and tinkering by the staff, Rhys Lloyd and the rest of the Gophers' kicking game should be back on track. If it's not, it probably won't make a difference tonight ? but it should put plenty of fear in everyone's gullet down the line.
? COACHING
Glen Mason can go on and on about Joe Paterno being a cut above the rest as a coach. The Gophers coach has ingredients for success that Paterno would die for just about now, with what the Penn State coach calls his youngest team in memory. What's more, there have been rumblings in Happy Valley that Paterno has meddled in the offense of new coordinator Galen Hall and mucked things up. All this and a rough schedule points to another year of disappointment, and that shouldn't stop tonight against the Gophers. Plus, all Minnesota hears is how great Penn State and Paterno are. Even if it's stretching the truth.
Prediction: Gophers 42, Penn State 13
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? Brian Hamilton
