Ad Disclosure
Minnesota interim DC Joe Rossi not planning to make major changes defensively
Published:
Minnesota’s defense might be under new leadership, but don’t expect to see anything drastically different over the final three weeks.
Wednesday, interim defensive coordinator Joe Rossi met with reporters to talk about his new role, taking over for fired DC Robb Smith. Though he’ll be a different voice calling the shots, the scheme and the approach will essentially be the same.
“We’re not going to be able to make changes, other than minor changes,” Rossi told the media. “There will be some new wrinkles here and there, but let’s be honest, that can’t happen in one or two days.”
The Gophers defense has struggled tremendously in B1G play, especially over the last few weeks. In games against Nebraska and Illinois, they surrendered over 600 yards of total offense. In six conference games, Minnesota has allowed an average of 43.2 points per game.
Rossi says that the change in voices and leadership might be enough to spark some energy from the defense during the final stretch.
“I think sometimes when there’s a different voice, sometimes that can be positive,” Rossi said. “I think some of it can be the mental focus in terms of just hearing that voice. And then increasing the energy and physicality in practice, which is something we look to do.”
The first test for Rossi won’t be easy. Minnesota hosts Purdue on Saturday, one of the most explosive offenses in the B1G.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB