3 keys for Minnesota football nearing the season's midway point
It’s a rare quiet week during football season at Athletes Village.
For a coach and program that spend a lot of time honing their external image, the focus for Minnesota football now turns inward. It’s technically not the midway point for PJ Fleck and his team, but a bye five weeks into the season offers a juncture for reflection.
No press conferences. No broadcasted platitudes about “changing our best” or “0ne-game championship seasons.”
The time for introspection couldn’t be better.
This is a team with holes. It’s already been through a lot, from losing its star running back to hanging with a top-10 team to getting upset by a 30.5-point underdog.
It’s also a team with a chance. Namely, to make a bowl game 2 years after a historic 2019 season. That means sustained progress. That means consistency.
So there’s a lot at stake coming out of this bye week, starting with an Oct. 16 date against suddenly-resurgent Nebraska. Here are 3 keys to 3-2 Minnesota finishing strong and reaching the postseason once again this year.
1. Tanner Morgan needs to rediscover himself. And Minnesota needs to rediscover Tanner Morgan.
The oft-scrutinized Golden Gophers quarterback was better in last week’s win against Purdue, but far from perfect.
There are still throws Morgan used to hit that are eluding him. But we’re also reminded of how great he can be when drops a ball in a bucket like he did a few times in West Lafayette.
Conversely, he needs help.
The nation’s largest offensive line was on its heels in that weird loss to Bowling Green. The receiving corps has been depleted due to absences and injuries. And while Mike Sanford Jr. has been a great presence for Morgan, the offensive coordinator can put his signal caller in better spots by sprinkling in some easier throws to establish a rhythm.
When Morgan settles in, he’s great. That hasn’t happened enough this season.
2. Turn up the pressure defensively.
How’s this for improvement? Through 5 games, Minnesota is allowing 307.8 yards per game. In 7 games last year, it gave up almost 416 yards per game.
That’s good for a jump from 10th to 5th in the Big Ten and 72nd to 28th nationally in total defense.
But there’s a lot of season left. And there’s at least another notch coordinator Joe Rossi Jr.’s bunch can surpass.
Turnovers have been sporadic but timely. Force 1 more a game, and Minnesota could flip a couple toss-ups into victories. The Gophers are doing a good job of getting after quarterbacks, too, but it’d be nice to see Thomas Rush and Boye Mafe get home a step faster and turn hurries into sacks.
The most improved group might be the linebackers. Here’s hoping Mariano Sori-Marin is able to get healthy after leaving the Purdue game early.
3. Reinforce the walls.
As someone who didn’t grow up in the Twin Cities, it never ceases to amaze how fatalist sports fans here can be.
The fact that a guy like Morgan, one of the classiest, most consistent collegiate athletes the market’s seen during this generation, can see himself become the scapegoat seemingly overnight speaks to it. So does the suddenly tepid vibe around Gophers circles.
Fleck makes a lot of noise. But in the process, he and his team are pretty good about flushing out the external drama. The fan base hasn’t turned against the Gophers, but a week of practice and inner focus will do this group good.
There are winnable games down the stretch. But what happens behind closed doors this week will help determine what actually comes to fruition.