Tale of the Tape: How the Gophers Stack Up Entering the Big 10 Schedule

A lot of people (myself included) expected the Gophers to be 2-1 heading into Big 10 play.  It turns out that Syracuse wasn't the cupcake many expected them to be (ask Northwestern), Air Force was a worthy adversary and the running attack of Cal's Golden Bears was as good as advertised.  The Gophers have been tested, we'll see if that weakens the squad down the stretch or makes them stronger.

On offense, the Gophers have a lot of work to do.  To say that the running game has struggled would be a massive understatement. If the Gophers are to have any success in the Big 10, they need to run the ball effectively.  The offensive line has been adequate in pass protection, but they've struggled in run blocking.

The Gophers don't have a back on the roster that is capable of making plays on their own, they need the line to open holes.  Until the offensive line starts winning the battles at the line of scrimmage, the Gophers are going to have trouble running the ball.

Quarterback Adam Weber has had his moments, but he's also made his share of bad decisions.  Too often, Weber seems to lock into a receiver early, ignoring other options that may be more open.  It also seems that Weber is more reluctant to tuck the ball and run when pressure mounts. 

In the past, Weber's been more of a dual-threat, this season, he's been almost strictly a pocket passer.  Weber needs to be more of a leader down the stretch.  There has to be times when he takes this team on defining drives, showing everyone this is his team.  If not, fans will begin to clamor for talented freshman Marquise Gray, who's breathing down Weber's neck.

The bright spot for the Gophers offense so far has to be senior WR Eric Decker.  Everyone knows he's Weber's favorite target and it just hasn't mattered.  Through double and triple coverages, Decker seems to always find a way to get open. 

If Decker played for an "elite" program, he'd be in the conversation when Heisman Trophy candidates were mentioned.  He's proven that he's the star on this offense, but someone must emerge as another weapon.

JC transfer Hayo Carpenter and sophomores Brandon Green and Troy Stoudemire have shown flashes, but one or more of them must make plays on a consistent basis for success in the Big 10.

The defense has been a pleasant surprise.  Like many Gopher fans, I questioned the hire of Kevin Cosgrove as co-defensive coordinator.  Cosgrove and Ronnie Lee have taken a unit that was once considered the weak link for this team and turned it into a strength.  The defense has had its struggles, but overall they've been pretty solid.

The Gophers haven't had a lot of success rushing the passer so far, but that can be attributed to the fact that for the most part, they've played run-oriented offenses.  Syracuse had a nice mix of running and passing, but Air Force is a triple-option offense and everyone saw how dangerous Cal is on the ground, with Jahvid Best scoring five times on the ground.

The strength of the Gopher defense has been the linebacking corps.  In week one, middle linebacker Lee Campbell was named a Big Ten defensive player of the week.  The following week, outside linebacker Nate Triplett's performance earned him national honors.

The Gophers will need those two to continue their high level of play once the conference schedule gets underway.  If Simoni Lawrence and Keanon Cooper can continue to be counted on, the linebackers will go a long way towards determining how much Big Ten success the Gophers have.

The secondary has had its problems.  Marcus Sherels was being counted on to start opposite Traye Simmons at corner, but he's been injured and Ryan Collado's been beaten a few times in his absence. 

Kyle Theret and Kim Royston have played decent at safety, but they'll be counted on much more once conferecne play gets underway.  The Gophers are relatively thin in the secondary, so they're going to have to stay healthy if they want to win a lot of games.

The schedule sets up nicely for the Gophers.  Northwestern, Wisconsin and Purdue are all teams that the Gophers can beat.  If they can figure out a way to win those three, they're in good shape before heading out on the road to Penn St. and Ohio St.  After that, it's anyone's guess.

If the Gophers can somehow get to at least 5-3 in the Big Ten, Coach Brewster probably gets a contract extension If not, the search for the new Gophers coach could be underway.