The one encouraging thing I took from yesterday's loss to MD was the MN started to execute a more varied passing game involving multiple receivers. Helping this development along was the fact that Rhoda was not sacked during the game.
The QB running the ball was not much of the offense at WMU under Fleck. He complimented his very successful running game there with a quick and varied passing offense. I believe he is beginning to do the same with the Gophers offense.
Fleck will probably continue to pound his running game up the middle and use passing as a way to loosen up defenses. Rhoda is not a running QB and an injury to him would be a big blow. If the passing game improves, big runs will open up. If it doesn't, things will look like they did yesterday. The way MD ran its offense yesterday is by and large the way Fleck wants the MN offense to be run. It's a big departure from Kill/Claeys philosophies but will have success at some point, hopefully starting this year. MN doesn't have the athletic talent MD showed yesterday but players are being recruited to fit Fleck's systems. Execution can make up for lack of raw talent to quite an extent. The Gophers still played with discipline yesterday, so that's another hopeful sign. Poor tackling comes from loss of focus and not lack of discipline, as Glen Mason has said repeatedly over the years.
Fleck needs a ball control element to his offense utilizing a power running game in order to rest his defense. That defense is very thin, especially in the DB. Keeping it off the field can only help it and decrease the chances of more injuries. Finally, MN won't be as flat as they were yesterday next week or any time soon. The Gophers read too many headlines about MD's QB problems and the point spread before the game. They'll play scared at PUR and beyond--they should and will need to do so.
The QB running the ball was not much of the offense at WMU under Fleck. He complimented his very successful running game there with a quick and varied passing offense. I believe he is beginning to do the same with the Gophers offense.
Fleck will probably continue to pound his running game up the middle and use passing as a way to loosen up defenses. Rhoda is not a running QB and an injury to him would be a big blow. If the passing game improves, big runs will open up. If it doesn't, things will look like they did yesterday. The way MD ran its offense yesterday is by and large the way Fleck wants the MN offense to be run. It's a big departure from Kill/Claeys philosophies but will have success at some point, hopefully starting this year. MN doesn't have the athletic talent MD showed yesterday but players are being recruited to fit Fleck's systems. Execution can make up for lack of raw talent to quite an extent. The Gophers still played with discipline yesterday, so that's another hopeful sign. Poor tackling comes from loss of focus and not lack of discipline, as Glen Mason has said repeatedly over the years.
Fleck needs a ball control element to his offense utilizing a power running game in order to rest his defense. That defense is very thin, especially in the DB. Keeping it off the field can only help it and decrease the chances of more injuries. Finally, MN won't be as flat as they were yesterday next week or any time soon. The Gophers read too many headlines about MD's QB problems and the point spread before the game. They'll play scared at PUR and beyond--they should and will need to do so.
