Minnesota Golden Gophers: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Minnesota Golden Gophers: Key To The 2022 Offense
The passing game at least has to complete the midrange passes.
The ground game will work no matter what. Last year the Gophers were able to run on just about everyone even with a slew of injuries at running back. That’s not the problem. Getting big things out of the passing game is.
Check that – big things out of the passing game aren’t the problem. It’s the little-to-mundane things that are the struggle.
Tanner Morgan will hit a few deep shots here and there, but the Gophers ended the season connecting on just 59% of their passes. Getting to around 200 yards wasn’t the issue; it was how the O got there.
All the Gophers have to be is okay at hitting passes. Over the last three years they’re 17-2 when they complete 60% or more – that’s not asking for the world.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: Key To The 2022 Defense
Find a pass rush.
It’s been one of the strangest aspects of the Gopher defense over the last few years. It’s been good, and there’s been an occasional Boye Mafe or Carter Coughlin who can get to the quarterback, but the sack production overall has been soft.
It’s hard to complain when you have the nation’s No. 3 defense, but the Gophers only generated 4.2 tackles for loss and fewer than two sacks per game.
It would be nice if a Thomas Rush or Jah Joyner could emerge as the star, but as long as there’s just a little pressure from all parts, that might be enough.
Feast or famine, 19 of the team’s 25 sacks came in four games. The production has to be steadier. With that in mind …
Minnesota Golden Gophers: Key Player To The 2022 Season
DE Thomas Rush, Sr.
Sophomore Jah Joyner might turn out to be the star of the line, but Rush is the veteran everyone will count on early.
He was the second-leading playmaker behind the line with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss to go along with 31 tackles in all. He was good in the rotation, and now he has to be fantastic.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: Key Transfer
CB/S Beanie Bishop, Jr.
The Gopher secondary needs as many playmakers as possible after losing a slew of last year’s stars. Bishop is versatile enough to play anywhere – he’s a corner by position, but he might be allowed to work in more of a freelancer go-make-plays hybrid role.
The 5-10, 185-pounder was a First Team All-Conference USA star last year for WKU with 42 tackles, three interceptions – taking one for a score – with four broken up passes and 6.5 tackles for loss. Minnesota would take that this year.
Minnesota Key Game To The 2022 Season
Iowa, Nov. 19
Wisconsin is the bigger game overall for the Gophers in the West, but they already own the Paul Bunyan Axe. Now they need Floyd of Rosedale – a bronze pig trophy – for the first time since 2014.
Seven years and nine of the last ten – that’s the futility against the team from that state down there. Change that up, win this, and the trip to Madison the following week might just be for a trip to Indianapolis.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: 2021 Fun Stats
– Minnesota 1st Quarter Scoring: 46 – 2nd Quarter Scoring: 128
– Time of Possession: Minnesota 35:25 – Opponents 24:33
– Fumbles: Opponents 18 (lost 9) – Minnesota 10 (lost 4)
Minnesota 2022 Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Minnesota Top 10 Players | Minnesota Schedule & Analysis