The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1) open Big Ten conference play looking to rebound against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-1) at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday, Sep. 27, at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Can Rutgers score on offense?
Now a fifth-year
senior, former Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanias has blossomed in his second season with the Scarlet Knights and looks comfortable commanding former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca’s offense. He is completing 68.8 percent of his passes, has thrown for 1,150 passing yards and 7 touchdowns, and had not thrown an interception until the fourth quarter against Iowa. Kaliakmanis has always had the arm talent — and it’s on full display when Rutgers attacks defenses with their vertical passing game — but the key has been Ciarrocca’s simplified scheme, which rarely asks Kaliakmanis to move beyond his first read.
Kaliakmanis has also benefited from a talented receiving corps led by Ian Strong, K.J. Duff, and D.T. Sheffield, all of whom can stretch the field and beat defensive backs deep when isolated in man coverage. Strong, in particular, is an NFL prospect who has been a spark for this offense with his ability to make catches in traffic.
The challenge for Minnesota defensive coordinator Danny Collins in game-planning for this offense mirrors the challenge he faced against Cal. Do you dial up pressure and risk giving up an explosive play down the field with your defensive backs on an island, or do you play zone and risk letting Kaliakmanis pick you apart from the pocket because you can’t generate enough pressure while only rushing three or four defenders?
In the second half of the Iowa game, the Hawkeyes brought pressure and had their defensive backs play very physical in man coverage, daring the officiating crew to throw a flag. They didn’t completely shut down Kaliakmanis, but were able to sack him twice and force a critical interception late in the game.
The Scarlet Knights’ offense runs through Kaliakmanis, but they have a decent ground game with sophomore running back Antwan Raymond. He leads the team with 61 carries for 310 rushing yards with 7 touchdowns. Back-up C.J. Campbell has been lost for the season due to an injury sustained in Week 3.
Please tell me the Gophers will be able to score
Y’all remember Robb Smith?
The former Minnesota defensive coordinator — who was fired midseason in 2018 after surrendering 55 points and 430 rushing yards to a sub-.500 Illinois team — is in his third stint in Piscataway. This year’s Rutgers defense has all the hallmarks of a Robb Smith defense, ranking 93rd nationally in run defense (151.5 rushing yards allowed per game) and 80th in scoring defense (24 points allowed per game).
When the tackle leaders on your defense are your two starting safeties, that’s never a good sign. The Scarlet Knights are a bit undersized on the defensive line, and their linebacker corps has looked flat-footed at times as opposing offenses have had little trouble running through the first two levels of the defense. Rutgers may also be without linebacker Moses Walker after he left the Iowa game with a non-contact injury.
But what if the Gophers are without their top two running backs? The severity of Darius Taylor’s hamstring injury remains a mystery after he sat out the Cal game, and second-string running back A.J. Turner exited the game with a leg injury that required him to be helped off the field. If neither is available against Rutgers, expect to see redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi, former Washington transfer Cam Davis, and perhaps even true freshman Grant Washington. Ijeboi flashed his elusiveness against the Golden Bears, rushing for a team-high 85 yards on 16 carries. He also had a 22-yard touchdown reception the previous week against Northwestern State.
But who will score more points on Saturday?
Aside from the health of Darius Taylor, my biggest concern going into this game is the Minnesota defense. Against Cal, the defensive line struggled to generate consistent pressure, and the secondary seemed to be on its heels for most of the game. But I’m going to choose optimism here and give defensive coordinator Danny Collins the benefit of the doubt after a bye week to address their issues. Minnesota 31, Rutgers 27.
