Erik Bacharach, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee Published 10:00 a.m. CT Sept. 14, 2017
The grueling stretch ends here. MTSU’s opening slate of three Power Five opponents in three games will conclude at TCF Bank Stadium in Minnesota, where the Gophers (2-0) will host the Blue Raiders (1-1) on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten). Here are five things to know for the game.
Fleck has experience coaching against MTSU
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota’s first-year coach, previously served as the coach of Western Michigan from 2013-16. In 2015, his Broncos defeated MTSU in the Bahamas Bowl 45-31. The biggest thing that stuck out to Fleck during that game? MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill.
“This kid, by far, with no disrespect to anybody else whatsoever, he's just one of the toughest quarterbacks I've ever played against, I've ever coached against,” Fleck said during a press conference Tuesday. “I got a chance to coach against him two years ago in the Bahamas Bowl, and when you watch that film, that team is extremely tough. Every one of them.
"Why? Because their quarterback is the toughest guy on the field. He's one of the best passers we'll face all year, one of the most accurate guys we'll face all year, and one of the toughest quarterbacks we'll face all year, and the whole team responds to him, whether that's (Richie) James, the wideout who's been there since when we played them his freshman year. These guys were freshmen that took their team to a bowl game, and now they're starting to get better and better. Probably have a good opportunity to be Conference USA champions.
"But he is a tough, tough young man. And that's what happened. It got tough, and he shined. And he got banged up here and there, and he shined. And that's what elite quarterbacks do.”
Minnesota is dominating time of possession
Through two games this season, Minnesota is averaging more than 37 minutes of possession, good for third-best in the country. A lot of that has to do with the Gophers’ tandem of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks at running back. In Minnesota’s 48-14 win over Oregon State last week, both had more than 90 rushing yards while combining for 47 carries.
“I expect them to come in and try to impose their will from a running game standpoint," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said, "trying to run the ball on us as much as they can.”
Minnesota hasn’t seen a defense like MTSU’s yet
Minnesota’s first two opponents, Buffalo and Oregon State, hardly resemble the much-improved defense MTSU boasts under first-year defensive coordinator Scott Shafer.
The Blue Raiders rank in the top 20 in the nation in both sacks and tackles for a loss, a result of Shafer’s aggressive approach. And it’s paying off in a big way: After allowing 35.8 points per game last season, MTSU has allowed fewer than 26 points per game against two Power Five teams to begin 2017.
http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/college/mtsu/2017/09/14/mtsu-minnesota-5-things-know/657070001/
The grueling stretch ends here. MTSU’s opening slate of three Power Five opponents in three games will conclude at TCF Bank Stadium in Minnesota, where the Gophers (2-0) will host the Blue Raiders (1-1) on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten). Here are five things to know for the game.
Fleck has experience coaching against MTSU
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota’s first-year coach, previously served as the coach of Western Michigan from 2013-16. In 2015, his Broncos defeated MTSU in the Bahamas Bowl 45-31. The biggest thing that stuck out to Fleck during that game? MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill.
“This kid, by far, with no disrespect to anybody else whatsoever, he's just one of the toughest quarterbacks I've ever played against, I've ever coached against,” Fleck said during a press conference Tuesday. “I got a chance to coach against him two years ago in the Bahamas Bowl, and when you watch that film, that team is extremely tough. Every one of them.
"Why? Because their quarterback is the toughest guy on the field. He's one of the best passers we'll face all year, one of the most accurate guys we'll face all year, and one of the toughest quarterbacks we'll face all year, and the whole team responds to him, whether that's (Richie) James, the wideout who's been there since when we played them his freshman year. These guys were freshmen that took their team to a bowl game, and now they're starting to get better and better. Probably have a good opportunity to be Conference USA champions.
"But he is a tough, tough young man. And that's what happened. It got tough, and he shined. And he got banged up here and there, and he shined. And that's what elite quarterbacks do.”
Minnesota is dominating time of possession
Through two games this season, Minnesota is averaging more than 37 minutes of possession, good for third-best in the country. A lot of that has to do with the Gophers’ tandem of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks at running back. In Minnesota’s 48-14 win over Oregon State last week, both had more than 90 rushing yards while combining for 47 carries.
“I expect them to come in and try to impose their will from a running game standpoint," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said, "trying to run the ball on us as much as they can.”
Minnesota hasn’t seen a defense like MTSU’s yet
Minnesota’s first two opponents, Buffalo and Oregon State, hardly resemble the much-improved defense MTSU boasts under first-year defensive coordinator Scott Shafer.
The Blue Raiders rank in the top 20 in the nation in both sacks and tackles for a loss, a result of Shafer’s aggressive approach. And it’s paying off in a big way: After allowing 35.8 points per game last season, MTSU has allowed fewer than 26 points per game against two Power Five teams to begin 2017.
http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/college/mtsu/2017/09/14/mtsu-minnesota-5-things-know/657070001/
