More often than not, TMP is a space used to offer some perspective following a loss. Typically, we discuss how a loss isn’t the end of the world, perhaps there is some nuance to the discussion…and other such things. And frankly, in today’s college football ecosystem, perspective and nuance are needed more than ever. But today’s topic is not that.
Some Mondays, TMP struggles to come up with a topic to discuss. Today, that isn’t a problem. I’m tempted to write about the ridiculousness of a $50M buyout,
tempted to write about how college football feels like it is going to implode from greed, tempted to write about the arrogance of teams when they get ahead early, and tempted to write about how teams take on the personalities of their coach and how that might not be a good thing. But also, those are not today’s topic.
A win is a win, and sometimes that is an important perspective. But sometimes a win feels like a loss. Or, more appropriately, sometimes things are exposed that cause you to be very concerned about the rest of the season.
Football is often described as the ultimate team game. You may have an elite pass rush, but if your secondary stinks, then you will struggle to slow an opponent’s passing game. You may have an elite rushing attack, but teams can stack the box and beat you when you can’t throw the ball. You need to be at least competent and complimentary with all units if you want to have a successful season.
The 2025 Gopher football team has a couple of areas that are of grave concern. And what’s most concerning is that they do not appear to be improving. The offensive line, particularly in run blocking, and the defense’s run defense are struggling. These areas have been exposed all season and continue to be. Rutgers exposed both of these units. Ohio State did as well, but that was to be expected. And then Purdue, a team that may end up with a three-win season, continued the trend.
In past seasons (all of the past seasons), I hesitate to become too concerned if the offensive line struggles early in the season because there is time for the team to improve. And usually they do. The old, “if we can’t block against Georgia Southern, how the hell are we going to block Wisconsin?” But it turns out that the line can get better, and we usually compete very well in the Big Ten trenches.
But this year feels very different. Now, three games into the Big Ten season, the Gopher offensive line is not opening holes or getting any push against Big Ten opposition. The Rutgers game is where this was starting to show. In the first half, six plays were short-yardage situations. These are situations where a PJ Fleck offense would typically lean on its strong offensive line and running backs to push forward for a few yards to continue the drives or score.
- Q1 – 3rd and 1 – rush for a loss of three yards
- Q2 – 1st and goal from the 3 – rush for zero
- Q2 – 2nd and goal from the 3 – pass (interference called)
- Q2 – 1st and goal from the 2 – rush for two (touchdown!)
- Q2 – 3rd and 1 – rush for zero
- Q2 – 4th and 1 – rush for zero
In the first half, they had six short-yardage situations. They chose to pass on one of them and then were successful on one of the other five.
In the second half? They didn’t even try.
- Q3 – 2nd and 1 – pass
- Q3 – 2nd and 1 – pass
- Q3 – 3rd and 2 – pass
- Q4 – 2nd and goal from the 4 – pass (touchdown)
The team ended with 50 yards rushing on 15 actual carries. Rutgers is 14th in the Big Ten in rushing, and that includes the mere 50 they gave up to the Gophers.
I’ll give them a pass against Ohio State, but how about Purdue?
- Q1 – 2nd and 2 – rush for 5 (first down) – YAY!
- Q3 – 2nd and 1 – pass
- Q4 – 3rd and 1 – rush for (-1) on direct snap to Darius Taylor
- Q4 – 4th and 2 – bootleg QB run for 3 yards (first down)
- Q4 – 1st and goal from 4 – pass (touchdown)
- Q4 – 3rd and 3 – rush for zero
Once again, the team essentially quit trying to play power football. The 3rd and 1 in the fourth quarter was a play where Drake Lindsey acted like the snap was bad, the snap went to Taylor and it went for a loss. The next bootleg play had a receiver out and Lindsey was able to beat the one guy to the edge to scramble for the first down. But at this point, we are resorting to trick plays. Why? Because the staff knows they cannot lean forward for one yard. Not against Rutgers and not against Purdue, two teams that are 0-6 in the Big Ten.
16 short-yardage situations in those two games. They chose to run on nine of the for a total of six yards gained. Notably, they converted on just three of those nine where the impetus was on the offensive line pushing forward. This offensive line’s inability to get any push in short-yardage situations and the general running game in general is non-existent because the backs are being hit in the backfield with no holes to run through.
Perhaps the most telling sign that this is an area of major concern is that we are six games into the season and Brian Callahan has now shuffled around his starting line in each of the last three games. They are trying to find something that works…but they haven’t yet found it.
There are two final points to be made about the offensive line before I move on to the second half of this perspective. One, it should be noted here that the pass protection has been solid. Not perfect, but this has not been a significant problem. And two, in all previous seasons, Brian Callahan has improved his offensive lines throughout the season. Things are usually coming together by this point, but it usually shows improvement. TMP is losing faith that it will come together this year, but it is still possible.
But we aren’t done yet. While the running game is struggling, the run defense might be be just as concerning.
This is partially a scheme problem and partially about cleaning up the technique. But the Gopher defense is getting gashed week after week on the ground.
Antwan Raymond, of Rutgers, ran for a career-high 161 yards against Minnesota. Only the 2nd 100-yard rushing game of his career. Devin Mockobee had 119 yards rushing in his three previous games combined. He ran for 98 against the Gophers, and it would have been more had they not decided to pass a lot in the 4th quarter. And let’s not forget about Malachi Singleton’s 73 yards on just five carries and Ryan Brown looked like Lamar Jackson, running for 61 yards on eight carries.
To their credit, the Gopher run defense was much better in the second half of the Purdue game. And also, to be fair, the Rutgers game was largely due to their focus on taking away their receivers and the passing game. But this is another area where you have to be better if you want to win Big Ten games.
The Gophers sit with a 4-2 record, 2-1 in the Big Ten. This is essentially where we expected to be halfway through the season. And I have been clear that the next two games are the ones that should define this 2025 season. But my expectations for the remaining games hinged on the offensive line improving and having more faith in the defense. Two things I am struggling to be optimistic about.
I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised in the next two weeks. But this week? This week, I’m more concerned following a win than I can ever recall.
