Buck Bravo

- Northwestern blog Lake the Posts gives an analysis of Northwestern’s backup quarterback Mike Kafka:

I don’t recall many deep balls by Kafka in these four games, but I do remember him running all over Nevada before getting injured with the hamstring pull. I expect Minnesota to be cramming the line and throwing blitz packages based on QB runs early and often. For the Cats to win, they’ll need to throw downfield early to get the DBs and LBs to respect the pass.

- According to the Chicago Sun-Times, it looks like CJ Bacher still hasn’t been ruled out.

- Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald discusses the Wildcats’ status as a homecoming opponent in the Chicago Tribune.

- Adam Rittenberg of ESPN’s Big Ten Blog comments on the Gophers’ schedule:

Only one of Minnesota’s seven victories has come against a team with a winning record (Northern Illinois). Minnesota’s road win at Illinois was solid, but the Illini have been a major disappointment this season. And the Gophers could run the table and go 11-1 without beating a ranked opponent, which is mind-boggling.

- Dave Revsine of the Big Ten Network breaks down the statistics of Minnesota’s turnaround in this article.

- Rachel Blount of the Star Tribune has a feature article on Gopher tackle Garrett Brown.

- Jim Souhan writes a feature article on Tim Brewster.

- Sid Hartman discusses the relationship between Tim Brewster and Vikings’ coach Brad Childress:

Vikings coach Brad Childress and Gophers coach Tim Brewster have been close friends for a long time, so Childress has followed the success of the Gophers this year with great interest.

- Kent Youngblood expects Northwestern to be a tough matchup.

- Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press writes:

“We lost to every Big Ten team on our schedule last year,” tight end Jack Simmons said. “We use it as a revenge factor. I think even people in this state are surprised.”

The Gophers say they’ve seen that “deer in the headlights” look from the opposition during several of their upset victories. But Brewster says they are going to be seeing a lot less of it. He said the Gophers have gone from being the hunters to the hunted.

“We’ve been hunting the bear,” he said. “We’ve somewhat now become the bear.”

- Marcus Fuller encourages Gopher Nation to fill the dome in this blog entry.

- The Denver Post has a great interview/article on Tim Brewster and the Gophers:

I called him Monday and asked what his timetable was for making Minnesota competitive.

“Yesterday,” he said. I laughed. He didn’t.

“I’m not a patient guy,” he continued. “Anybody who knows me understands that. I truly believe that the only limits you put on what you can accomplish are from yourself.”

- Bob Sansevere interviews Deleon Eskridge.

- Golden Gopher Football blog notes:

Anyway, we’re talking about Northwestern, and I do not mean to imply that this game is only as important as practice. On the contrary, this is an incredibly important game for the Gophers, and considering that the final three games of the season are all trophy games, where team record doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, this N’Western game could almost (I said ALMOST) be called a must win.

- The Daily Gopher interviews Northwestern blogger Lake the Posts.

- Gopher Gal found out that ticket prices for tomorrow are going up.  A larger Gopher Nation has a price.

- Dr. Saturday writes of Minnesota:

In lieu of this week’s “Life on the Margins,” I give you Gophers. Less than a year removed from closing out one of the truly rotten campaigns in Big Ten history, Minnesota’s win at Purdue Saturday means the Gophers are entering November 7-1, 3-1 in the Big Ten, and one Penn State mishap from hoarding in on the Lions’ path to the Rose Bowl.

- Blogs Michigan Sports Center, The Buckeye Battle Cry, The Nittany Line, Black Shoe Diaries, and Maize & Blue Nation predict Minnesota victories.

- Ohio State blog Our Honor Defend writes:

Minnesota is one Penn State national title game, one Ohio State loss, and 4 wins away from… gulp… a trip to Pasadena!

- Michigan blog Varsity Blue questions Minnesota’s strength of schedule.

- Penn State blog Happy Hour Valley writes:

The Caddyshack Gophers are well on their way to a bowl bid (and perhaps a very respectable one) after beating Purdue last weekend and Tim Brewster, who was much maligned in these power rankings last year, should be the front-runner for numerous “Coach Of The Year” awards.

Northwestern comes to the Metrodome with only two losses and a resurgent football program.  Both the Gophers and the Wildcats are becoming better teams under ambitious young head coaches.  Tim Brewster is on the national radar for the Gophers’ remarkable turnaround this season.  Pat Fitzgerald is rebuilding the Wildcats with a new energy and by coaching solid fundamental football.  Both coaches are contributing to building a stronger Big Ten.

Northwestern is coming to the Metrodome as an unranked team facing a Minnesota squad ranked 20th in the AP poll and 17th in the BCS poll.  Usually, a ranked team will always be the clear favorite versus an unranked team.  However, a quick look at both teams’ statistics tells a different story:

The Wildcats and the Gophers have had very similar statistics over the course of the year.  Northwestern has had slightly better success running the ball, but Minnesota has a clear advantage in avoiding interceptions on offense and making interceptions on defense.  If both teams perform as expected, the Gophers should have an advantage due to their remarkable, best in NCAA Division 1A turnover margin.

What the statistics don’t take into consideration is the players behind the numbers.  Northwestern has three key injuries that will likely hinder their performance.  Senior quarterback CJ Bacher has a leg injury that has him listed as questionable for Saturday.  Starting running back Tyrell Sutton is out with a wrist injury.  Starting middle linebacker Malcolm Arrington was lost to a knee injury two weeks ago.  His absence likely contributed to the Indiana loss.  Northwestern very well could be playing without three of their best players.  With an injured starting quarterback, missing their starting running back, and without the middle linebacker who quarterbacks the defense will the Wildcats be the same team?  Probably not.

Regardless of Northwestern’s injuries, Saturday’s game is likely to be a hard fought battle.  In the end, I think that a sea of maroon and gold in the Metrodome is the deciding factor in predicting a Minnesota victory.  Gophers 24 - Wildcats 10.

On another topic, fellow Minnesota bloggers have added some great features to their sites.  The blog Golden Gopher Football now offers podcasts that are worth the listen.  In fact, if they were to be given a radio show I’d be sure to listen.  The Daily Gopher will be blogging live from the Metrodome pressbox for Saturday’s game.  I’ll be at the game, but if I wasn’t I’d definitely have a laptop in front of me to check out their commentary.

Purdue’s campus newspaper The Exponent conducts a few interviews with players and coaches:

True freshman Brandon Green had a breakout game yesterday with over 100 yards receiving.  Here are some highlights from his record setting high school senior season:

Josh Campion of Fergus Falls plans on playing for the Gophers in 2009.  He’s listed as an offensive lineman, but in this video runs back an interception on defense:

Ed Olson of Mahtomedi also plans to wear maroon and gold next year:

Victor Keise has committed to the Gophers as a wide receiver:

Nick Rengel of Sartell will stay home and play for Minnesota:

- Purdue blog Off the Tracks previews the Gopher game:

The only common opponent we share so far is Ohio State. They couldn’t stop the Buckeye offense that day, but at least they moved the ball and scored points. Minnesota has even impressed some in defeat. We cannot say the same thing.

- Off the Tracks also features an article by Gopher blog The Daily Gopher.

- Purdue student newspaper The Exponent previews the game:

If there ever was a winnable game for Purdue against a ranked opponent, this Saturday’s homecoming game against No. 24 Minnesota could be it.

- Myron Medcalf of the Star Tribune has a feature article on Joe Tiller.

- Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune comments on Saturday’s matchup:

Anyway. After much thought - I think the Gophers’ game Saturday is a hard one to call - I think I’m going with the Gophers. But I still think Painter, backed into a corner, could come out hot. He has a lot to prove and he’s done it before. Good thing Sherels is back.

- Golden Gopher Football blog notes in a Purdue preview:

Prediction… It’s looking like weather could play a factor in Saturday’s game as rain is predicted, so this could slow down the scoring for both offenses. As of now, it’s looking like Purdue is favored by 1 pt…. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? A 2-5 team favored by a point over a 6-1 nationally ranked squad.

- The Daily Gopher also has a great Purdue preview featuring an interview with the author of Purdue blog Off the Tracks:

I do think turnovers will come into play. Purdue has had turnover issues this year and we have been creating them on a regular basis. These kinds of things are contagious and trends tend to continue at this level. I fully expect we’ll be on the plus side of the turnover margin. How many we produce and what we do with them will determine the outcome.

- Although not related to the Purdue game, Nadine Babu has a can’t miss article at GopherHole.com featuring an interview with blue chip recruit Bryce McNeal from Minneapolis.

- Down With Goldy comments on the Gophers’ season so far:

This season has already exceeded most people’s wildest expectations for this team. I’d love to make a smartass comment here, but I just can’t. I’m pretty happy over here.

- Iowa blog Black Heart Gold Pants comments:

A nationally ranked team goes to an imploding 2-5 doormat, and it’s straight up (check that, I just double-checked and some places are favoring Purdue by 1.0). Frankly, we think this is an egregious error, as Purdue’s got a QB who can barely hang onto his job and their only other star on offense was grousing about his role until he got a gag order slapped on him. Purdue just gave up 48 points to Just Northwestern, people.

- Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries has an interesting chart which shows that the Gophers have outperformed expectations to a greater extent than any other Big Ten team.

- Michigan State blog Ground Zero East Lansing predicts a 41-20 Gopher win.

- Penn State blog Happy Hour Valley notes:

A funny thing happened during the bye week: The Gophers entered the Top 25. If you also take a look at their remaining schedule (@Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, @Wisconsin, Iowa), it’s not laughable at all to suggest that the Caddyshack Gophers could reach 10 wins, a feat that would lock up a “Coach Of The Year” award for Tim Brewster.

- Michigan’s Maize and Blue Nation remarks:

Minnesota has come a long way this year in terms of respectability since their 1-11 performance last year, and I think they will win again this week. They’ve burned me in the last two weeks when I predicted them to be upset by Indiana and Illinois, but they beat them both…so I am on board with the Gophers until they let me down…which will probably be this week.

- The Nittany Line predicts a Gopher victory.

- Penn State’s Zombie Nation also predicts a Minnesota victory.

- The blog FANHOUSE predicts:

Adam Weber is as good as any quarterback in the Big Ten, at least where throwing is concerned. His numbers are as good as Clark’s or Pryor’s and, if he trails Juice Williams in touchdowns, he’s well ahead of him in completion percentage and not throwing picks. Meanwhile, Eric Decker is the best receiver in the Big Ten, and there’s no debating it. Purdue can still save its season with a win, but if they gave up 48 to Northwestern last week, what are the Gophers going to do against them? Answer: win.

If you’re looking for a way to contribute to a sea of maroon for the Iowa game, or if you’d like a gold T-Shirt to wear to the Wisconsin game in Madison, I’ve put together a CafePress store with a couple of options.  These T-Shirts would be great for other sports, too.  Standard shipping should take 7-9 days.  I plan on designing more items down the road.  Click here to visit the shop.

Beware the Boilermaker Special.  No, I’m not referring to a shot of Windsor dropped into an ice cold Hamm’s at happy hour.  The only thing to watch for with that type of Boilermaker is spontaneous growth of hair on your chest.  Veteran Minnesota football fans are well acquainted with the deafening train whistle that often echoes during games at Ross-Ade Stadium.  The culprit is Purdue’s official mascot, the Boilermaker Special.  The Boilermaker Special is a Victorian style model of a locomotive engine. 

Despite a 2-5 record, Purdue is a talented team that will be prepared for Minnesota.  Veteran Boilermaker head coach Joe Tiller is a class act.  His aggressive, air-it-out spread offense has troubled the Gophers for years.  Remember in 2000 when a quarterback considered too small for a major program completed 33 of 49 passes for 409 yards and two touchdowns?  That was Drew Brees quarterbacking an early version of the spread offense.  Even though current Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter only has six touchdowns to nine interceptions, have no doubt that Joe Tiller’s Boilermakers will be prepared for a fight.

Despite the disparity in Purdue’s (2-5) and Minnesota’s (6-1) records, statistically Purdue has a passing game that may provide Minnesota with a challenge:

* Prorated for eight games played

Purdue has the second highest average passing yards per game in the Big Ten.  Let’s take a look at the pass defenses:

* Prorated for eight games played

Despite 10 interceptions and a strong run defense, the Gophers are last in the Big Ten for passing yards allowed per game.  Purdue is the underdog in this matchup, and due to passing statistics may be in position for an upset.

Minnesota has a strong run defense, 10 interceptions, and Adam Weber has only given up two interceptions all year.  Despite the yardage allowed, the Gophers’ defensive backfield is much improved versus last year.  Curtis Painter has given up nine interceptions, and the Purdue defense has only had five interceptions.  The turnover margin definitely favors the Gophers.  If the Gophers are to win, their strong run defense must force Curtis Painter to make errant passes resulting in mistakes.

When the Boilermaker Special sounds a loud whistle on Saturday, hopefully it will be a warning sign of an imminent derailment.  My prediction?  Minnesota 35 - Purdue 24.

I’d like to conduct a poll of the predictions that readers have for the Gophers’ record at the end of the season.  The remaining games are against Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.  After the poll I’ve attached several video for your enjoyment.

[polldaddy poll=1020342]

Tim Brewster pregame:

Part 2 of Brewster’s day at Illinois:

Here’s a highlght compilation of talented tight end Ra’Shede Hageman of Minneapolis Washburn.  He’s yet to commit and has several offers on the table:

Bryce McNeal of Breck has also listed Minnesota as a potential destination.  Imagine McNeal and Hageman together as receiving targets in Mike Dunbar’s spread offense.  I don’t think it’s a stretch to predict that records could be shattered:

Matt Garin is another top recruit from Minnesota who remains uncommitted:

Here’s one of the funniest videos I’ve seen in a long time.  The caller towards the end of the clip reacts to the firing of Tommy Bowden at Clemson:

If you believe the impossible, the incredible can happen.  Such was the tag line from the movie Field of Dreams.  While fictionally evoking the spirits of baseball past is nostalgic entertainment, the University of Minnesota will in 2009 summon the spirit of football fans present to grace the opening of TCF Bank Stadium.  Walking across campus, those not long in the tooth know little of the football once played there by legends such as Bronko Nagurski, Carl Eller, and Heisman Trophy winner Bruce “Boo” Smith.  Epic battles, long forgotten by many, still haunt those grounds.  Gridiron gladiators clad in maroon and gold won six national championships but a generation ago.

From 1924 until 1981 Gopher football was played outdoors and on campus at Memorial Stadium.  Known as the “Brick House,” Memorial Stadium once had a record attendance of 66,284 fans at a football game on a Fall day in November of 1966.  Alas, in 1982 Memorial Stadium was abandoned and demolished as the University of Minnesota moved their football games to the newly built, state-of-the-art Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.  All that is left of the Brick House is fond memories in the minds of long-time fans and the following archway which is now part of McNamara Alumni Center:

From 1982 through 2007, the Gopher football program languished in mediocrity, finishing no higher than third in the Big Ten Conference.  The Metrodome, once predicted to become a bastion of the new sporting era, became a functionally sterile environment for college football.  Known by Wisconsin as “The Toilet Bowl” and Iowa fans as “Kinnick North,” the noble concept that is the Metrodome has become the laughingstock of college football.  Yet, the faithful of Gopher Nation have remained steadfast in their hope that one day the University of Minnesota would return to football greatness.  If you believe the impossible, the incredible can happen. 

In the movie Field of Dreams, the protagonist built a baseball field in a cornfield upon suggestion by a mysterious voice that whispered If you build it, they will come.  Well, in an ambitious effort analogous to the movie, the University of Minnesota will be bringing Big Ten football back to campus in an outdoor stadium come Fall of 2009.  TCF Bank Stadium will not only reincarnate the greatness of the Brick House but will undoubtedly surpass it.  Let the seers be believers by clicking here for the official preview tour.

If you build it, they will come.  In Field of Dreams, “they” were the ghosts of baseball legends along with  fans who longed for America’s past-time passed.  In one scene, the legendary “Shoeless” Joe Jackson emerges from the cornstalks.  Who exactly is “they” for TCF Bank Stadium?  They are the students of whom now only the most loyal commute to the Metrodome for Minnesota home games.  They are the forlorn fans who long ago abandoned a program in perpetual mediocrity.  They are talented recruits in search of an exhilarating environment in which to play their college careers.

TCF Bank Stadium is more than an idea, a concept, or a fantastical dream.  It is becoming a reality.  The following pictures are courtesy of Chris (user name GoAUpher) at GopherHole.com.  The full collection of pictures and comments from his stadium tour can be found at GopherHole.com as Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3:

The stadium will initially hold 50,000 and can be expanded to 80,000. The design has acoustics that will retain noise for a LOUD home field advantage.

Notice that the above archways are in the same style as the old Brick House.

All of Minnesota's counties will be displayed on the outside wall of the stadium.

Fans and players will be able to view the Minneapolis skyline framed by the stadium.

The scoreboard, a 48 ft by 108 ft LED screen, will be the second largest in the nation. Fans will be able to see an instant replay of the terror in a quarterback's eyes before being sacked by a Gopher linebacker. Basically, it's a 9 million dollar flat screen.

The locker room will be the best in all of college football. It is enormous. Players will have name plates at their lockers along with tributes to players who have worn their numbers in the past.

The locker room will be lit by a giant LED University of Minnesota logo.

The "worst seat in the house" still looks great.

Recruits and their families will be able to relax in a deluxe recruiting lounge with six plasma televisions and leather couches.

 If you believe the impossible, the incredible can happen.  TCF Bank Stadium will be the most modern stadium in college football with a location, design, and view that very well may be the best in the entire nation.  With season tickets already in high demand, a sea of maroon and gold will flood Dinkytown once again come the September 12, 2009 home opener.  If you have the chance to walk by the stadium at dusk, peering at the field and imagining what will soon be, Bronko Nagurski just might emerge from a cloud of dust in the end zone.  If you build it, they will come.

In my October 9th Illinois preview I ended the post with the following comment:

Besides an improved Gopher defense, there is one other wild card statistic that could give the Gophers hope. The Gophers have a turnover margin of + 10 while the Illini are only + 1. What does that mean? The Illini are far more likely to throw an interception or fumble away possession than the Gophers. If Juice Williams could just throw a few interceptions or if the Gophers could recover a few fumbles…anything could happen.

The turnover margin ended up determining the outcome of this game and facilitated a historic win for Tim Brewster that will likely be a turning point for the Minnesota program.  The Illini gave up three turnovers versus one surrendered by the Gophers.  One of those turnovers, a fumble by Juice Williams, translated into a touchdown for linebacker Simoni Lawrence.  Another was an intercepted Juice Williams pass by Ryan Collado with 1:10 left in the game.

A few things were proven today:

1. The Gopher defense is now the real deal.  Ted Roof has them playing aggressive, hard-hitting football. 
2. Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, and Indiana were not playing flat on offense against Minnesota.  They were facing a tough defense.
3. Tim Brewster, in one year, has transformed the Gophers into a winning program with an exciting offense, a solid defense, a new look, and a zelous hope for the new TCF Bank Stadium in 2009.
4. Gopher Nation is going BOWLING…now it’s just a matter of which bowl.

- At Golden Gopher Football Blog, the following prediciton was made:

Juice, Benn, Vontae Davis, “Andy” Dufrene and company are a tall task for your Golden Gophers to overcome, and while I don’t see a big Ski-U-Mah upset, I do think they keep it interesting.

- The Daily Gopher has an in-depth interview with an Illinois blogger (Paint the Town Orange) that can be read by clicking here.  His feelings regarding the chances for a Gopher victory:

From what I saw last week against Indiana I have serious doubts as to how good Minnesota is. Illinois does not statistically rank very high but I would wager it is a much better defense than Bowling Green FAU or Montana State. If Minnesota is close or wins this game, I will frankly be shocked and very disappointed.

- Goldy from Down With Goldy…well…he isn’t in the mood for a prediction:

Want some Gopher news? Well it’s really too bad for you then. You should probably read a blog that isn’t written by a drunken retard.

Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune quotes a discussion with Tim Brewster in his blog:

“Everybody understands the deal with the homecoming opponent,” Brewster said. “You’re picked because, for the most part, you think that it’s a victory for your school. That’s age-old. That goes back 100 years. So it is what it is.”

- Kent Youngblood also has some interesting statistics for the gameday preview in an article that can be read by clicking here.

- Marcus Fuller quotes Traye Simmons ragarding Marcus Sherels’ shoulder injury in his Pioneer Press blog:

“I have to pick up the slack, as well as other guys in the secondary,” Simmons said. “The backups for Marcus also have to pick up the slack. We have to just go out and play. They have to me, the best receiving core that we’ve played thus far — size and speed wise. We have to stop the run, force them to pass and make plays on the ball.”

- Marcus Fuller also notes in this article that Eric Decker is leading the nation in receiving yards.

- Myron Medcalf of the Star Tribune has an up close and personal article about Juice Williams.

- Patrick Reusse wrote a Star Tribune article focusing on the improving Gopher defense.

- MNdaily.com has an article on kicker Joel Monroe.

- In another MNdaily.com article Adam Weber comments:

“I think a lot of people are concerned or nervous that we’re throwing to Eric too much,” Weber said. “I don’t think that’s a problem; kid catches the ball, what’s the problem with that?”