Minnesota / Post-season thoughts

[Cusefan69]

I think his coach pulled him, to keep him healthy.

Yeah it didn't happen that way Mrs Fleck.

 

[Chip]

Our depleted team just outgained Minnesota 477 to 215.

If people don’t think that’s something positive to build on for next year then perhaps your expectations are a tad high for this program.

 

[PhatOrange]

I’d give Beck a big nod. Wasn’t this D supposed to be too much for us and was that the best stat game of the year against a P5 team?

These are stats at least that we’ve wanted all season they normally equate to wins.

 

[kingtidge]

This is why I don't like how football has turned into a showboating sport. Every player after every play on defense has to do some stupid flex. Let your game do the talking, simple.

Just be glad the school didn't unretire the 44 jersey for Dino jersey bingo...

”...number 44 is now #96..."

 

[Goin' Deep]

LaQuint Allen...bravo young man...good runner with vision and can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Shrader...looked like he did LAST season..throwing the ball like a baseball and staring down receivers.
I'm not saying the ball took forever to reach a receiver on a sideline route...but a couple looked like they wanted to give the fair catch signal. We MIGHT look like Clemson next season where the incumbent has a lower ceiling than the #2 QB.

Did you notice SOMEBODY REALLY TINKERED with the front of our defense...4 down lineman...3 down with Darton standing just off the LOS?
Rocky...was that you?

 

[hungrychuck]

I thought the Yankees organization did a superb job putting on this game from start to finish.

The stuff about the field…come on.

Yes it’s a grass field in December. Yes everything is very expensive. You’re in NYC.

This bowl isn’t going away.

 

[MSOrange]

 

[PhatOrange]

So on first Minn TD at least one Minn player was taunting 3 SU players, right in their faces. But they call that at the end of the game. Ridiculous

Agree. Unless Clark was completely unhinged that should have been a ‘knock it off’ and let it go. That was garbage. Eat the whistle, Ref shouldn’t decide a game like that.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Our depleted team just outgained Minnesota 477 to 215.

If people don’t think that’s something positive to build on for next year then perhaps your expectations are a tad high for this program.

It was weird though. At half we were up 190 to 166, with nearly half of our yards coming the last 5 plays. Then the 3rd Q happened. We ran 28 plays for 172 yards, and scored 6 points. They ran 5 plays for 31 yards, and scored 14 points. Don't need yards in that case.

 

[IthacaMatt]

It's always tough to lose, but overall I thought we played pretty well. They ran all over us early in the game, but we seemed to put a stop to that, especially when their star RB went out.

Shrader made some great throws, and he also made some poor ones. Maybe the footing had something to do with it.

I see why LaQuint Allen was the 2nd RB for us this season. That kid is very talented. I feel a LOT better about the offense for next season. We have a lot of receivers back next year, and a couple of them (Alford and Cooper, for example) really had good games.

Overall, a pick 6 when we could have taken the lead in the 3rd quarter, and then the kickoff return, and then the fumble return, those 3 plays were the difference in the game.

Yes, mistakes are what win games, but with all the guys who opted out, that was a pretty good performance against a pretty good Big 10 team. Nothing to be disappointed about.

 

[Scooch]

Just back, what a weird game.

Encouraged that we could rack up that kind of yardage offensively. But we simply don’t have any game-altering weapons aside from Gadsden. I’ll assume Shrader is still banged up because he was very slow to run, as he was for most of the back half of the season. Allen’s production was awesome, but he doesn’t have a second gear. We really need someone who can occupy a DC and get us TDs when we’re in the red zone. That’s gotta be priority #2 for next season (with #1 being to vastly improve the OL).

D did their job. Not much more to say than that. Let’s get Rocky in the fold and be good again next season.

I’ve accepted that we’ll never be the more fundamentally sound or less penalized team vs. most any opponent. That’s just an enduring characteristic of Dino’s teams. It ain’t changing.

Nice turnout of SU fans. Great to see all the orange. I’ve been to Yankee Stadium many times, and I can’t stand it. Just an ad-soaked, soulless place. Yankees fans make it an intimidating place to play, but the facility itself stinks.

 

[JustPherU]

Yeah it didn't happen that way Mrs Fleck.

So the coach wasn’t deciding who was playing and who wasn’t?

 

[Cusefan69]

Are fans giving him grief on Twitter? I don't go into the twitterverse

 

[richmondcuse03]

Just back, what a weird game.

Encouraged that we could rack up that kind of yardage offensively. But we simply don’t have any game-altering weapons aside from Gadsden. I’ll assume Shrader is still banged up because he was very slow to run, as he was for most of the back half of the season. Allen’s production was awesome, but he doesn’t have a second gear. We really need someone who can occupy a DC and get us TDs when we’re in the red zone. That’s gotta be priority #2 for next season (with #1 being to vastly improve the OL).

D did their job. Not much more to say than that. Let’s get Rocky in the fold and be good again next season.

I’ve accepted that we’ll never be the more fundamentally sound or less penalized team vs. most any opponent. That’s just an enduring characteristic of Dino’s teams. It ain’t changing.

Nice turnout of SU fans. Great to see all the orange. I’ve been to Yankee Stadium many times, and I can’t stand it. Just an ad-soaked, soulless place. Yankees fans make it an intimidating place to play, but the facility itself stinks.

Agree on yankee stadium. It’s amazing how much nicer citi field is compared to yankee stadium.

 

[ECE '76]

About Alijah Clark's penalty... In the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl, SU was leading 36-28, KSU scored a TD with less than 1 1/2 minutes in the game, and was flagged for Unsportmanship because the player who scored the TD saluted the crowd. That meant that the 2-point conversion would have to be from the 18 yard line rather than 3 yards out. KSU was unable to convert the 2-pt conversion, and SU won the game.

What goes around comes around I guess ...

 

[Cusefan69]

So the coach wasn’t deciding who was playing and who wasn’t?

Not for the guy who was only playing for records and then immediately left and didn't play again. The Minnesota All Pro center decided not to play at game time, he saw the field. You don't think the #3 Runner in the NCAA and soon to be NFL draft pick told the coach I am in for the records and then done?

 

[money3189]

About Alijah Clark's penalty... In the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl, SU was leading 36-28, KSU scored a TD with less than 1 1/2 minutes in the game, and was flagged for Unsportmanship because the player who scored the TD saluted the crowd. That meant that the 2-point conversion would have to be from the 18 yard line rather than 3 yards out. KSU was unable to convert the 2-pt conversion, and SU won the game.

What goes around comes around I guess ...

What do the current players have to do with that game?

 

[blust2i3d4]

The Yankee organization should be embarrassed. Yankees should be pi$$ed to see their field look like that. Will they have to replace entire infield?

It happened because the field was frozen and covered with ice two days ago.

 

[JustPherU]

Not for the guy who was only playing for records and then immediately left and didn't play again. The Minnesota All Pro center decided not to play at game time, he saw the field. You don't think the #3 Runner in the NCAA and soon to be NFL draft pick told the coach I am in for the records and then done?

I think he probably didn’t want him playing at all but agreed he could get the records and then get the hell out.

 

[smartman]

Few observations from the game.

- Love that we were in a bowl. Disappointing result, but love that we had another 5 weeks or so to care about football. It was great to be at the game althoguh tough to see from many parts of a baseball stadium.
- Bailey made some plays. Where has he been? Nice bright spot for next year.
- As good as Bailey was, I was wondering where McDonald, Sparrow, Roon, and Jones were. I assume Jones sat out after declaring, but what about the others? I saw Lowery on the sideline a bunch. Thoughts?
- Also, did I see a few times where they seemed to play 4 traditional linemen with Darton and Fuentes/Baste out there. Geer seemed to play in 2 point stance a bunch. Did I miss something? It was tough to see live.
- Barron and Simmons seemed all over the field. Darton is just always in the middle of plays - kid is good.
- Overall, defense let up 21 points - 7 after a long return. That's not too shabby. New secondary folks seemed to hold up okay with reinforcements coming next year.
- Offense - I actually thought from the last drive of the first half through the game we moved the ball well - just couldn't punch it in. Pick 6 was a dagger.
- Allen looked very good and proved he can be an every down back. He looked fast, broke some tackles, had good vision, and great hands. Slipped a few times which seemed to be a problem for many.
- I thought Cooper played a heck of a game and made some very tough catches. He seems like a good teammate and glad he went out with a good game
- Gadsen looked good again. I really think Alford can be our second guy. Has all the tools. Was glad to see Adams play more. Need more though.
- OL...seemed just okay. Hoping we continue to improve.
- I know a lot have thoughts on Shrader. He can still improve and some head scratchers, but I'm excited to have a 5th year senior lead us next year.

Excited about 2023...curious who steps up to lead. All in all...didn't hit the high bar we though was there in October, but overall enjoyed the season. Go Orange!

 

[Chip]

It was weird though. At half we were up 190 to 166, with nearly half of our yards coming the last 5 plays. Then the 3rd Q happened. We ran 28 plays for 172 yards, and scored 6 points. They ran 5 plays for 31 yards, and scored 14 points. Don't need yards in that case.

But we figured something out and exploited it. And the defense held strong.

Pick 6 is a killer but they’re rare. KO return was another killer, but again they’re rare.

We’ve seen this program at its lowest, this is really good all things considered. The 90s aren’t coming back.

 

[Orangello]

As others have noted, GS seemed to tire into the 4th quarter and may have contributed to his decisions to throw more and run less. We fell behind early and Beck decided to start chucking which was the right call until MN figured out they didn't have to cover GS running. He's not a throw 40X a game guy like a Hartman. My fervent hope is that we beef up the OL and get some serious push next year which would be a game changer for us. Find a possession receiver in the portal and another CB and we should be OK. Played a lot of young ones today on D which is a good thing.

 

[Scooch]

Agree on yankee stadium. It’s amazing how much nicer citi field is compared to yankee stadium.

100%. Give me Citi Field any day.

 

[hungrychuck]

It happened because the field was frozen and covered with ice two days ago.

This sort of complaint is always lame.

Like Gophers got to play on field turf while we had imperfect grass.

 

[IthacaMatt]

This sort of complaint is always lame.

Like Gophers got to play on field turf while we had imperfect grass.

Bad conditions help power running teams more than speed teams.