Minnesota Gophers back on track with WIN over Akron?!

0:00Whether you're here for the game, the atmosphere, or the memories, there's one stop you have to make at Huntington Bank Stadium. Parler Bar. That's right, the Twin Cities favorite is now showcased right inside the stadium. Home of the iconic Parler Burger crafted with that same rich signature flavor fans can't get enough of. So, grab a burger, raise a glass, and make your game day taste like victory. Parler Bar at Huntington Bank Stadium with legendary flavor, now part of every home game. Take your seats, settle in, and listen up. Gofers 101 is underway, and in session, it's time to go to class and talk all things Gofers. Gofers, come on! Gofers victorious late this morning, early this afternoon at Huntington Bank Stadium by a final score of 41 to 7 over Akron at a soggy US Bank Stadium.

1:00A bit of a sleep US Bank, how about Huntington Bank Stadium? Hopefully, that is the sleepiest Gofer game I attend. All year long, probably half full, a lot of it weather related, I think some of it related to, will not think, no, some of it related to what happened against Mississippi State last weekend. 41 to 7, Gofers rebound, I think the theme of this show, Manny, is going to be, what does it really mean and are the Gofers back on track? I was more encouraged in the second half, but because it was so late in the game, I'm also already struggling with what it means, having now been back from the stadium for about 90 minutes. Overall, Gofers did what they needed to do, game never really end out, I think I would have liked it to be a bit smoother, look maybe a bit nicer than it did, it was by no means a Picasso, but you win 41 to 7, you do what you're supposed to do, you get back to 2 and 1, and hopefully the teams feeling right as they start to look ahead to Washington, your initial thoughts on what happened at Huntington Bank Stadium today.

2:10Or Ross, I'm not going to lie, I was at halftime, I was kind of preparing myself to kind of lambast this team a little bit on this on the show, mainly just because in the first half, okay they're up, was it 20 to nothing at halftime, which is fine. But I was still prepared to rip this team to shreds just because in the first half, they still couldn't run the ball. I think they had like, I think they said, the guys of Big Ten Network said they had like 13 yards on the ground in the first half. Now, obviously in the second half everything changed and they ran all over the zips, they finished with 191 yards on the ground. So you're talking well over 170 yards rushing in the second half, which is good. So, you know, I kind of stand corrected, but again, then the first half, it felt like they were kind of sleepwalking to that 20 to nothing lead.

3:14And they weren't running the ball with a lot of effectiveness. Obviously, Darius Taylor was not available in the game today. So, you know, you kind of wonder how much that may have impacted, but you know, as we've, as we've talked in these first through the first couple of games when Darius Taylor was out there, they still couldn't really run the ball with a whole lot of effectiveness. So, but they, but they turned things around the second half, second half looked a little bit better. And to your point, I think they just took care of business, didn't screw around too much, didn't let Akron really get back into this game at all. And now you just prepare for a Washington team that I'm still trying to figure out a little bit how good they actually are. I think you and I were both pretty high on them going into the season, but they've been a little suspect their first couple of games, they kind of struggle to won't get to this a little bit later, but they kind of struggled to beat Utah State last week at home.

4:14So, you kind of wonder where they're at offensively, but, but look, I mean, the gopher's, whatever they were supposed to do was a good bounce back, albeit expected bounce back, I think, from what they dealt with with Mississippi State last week. So, two and one, you get ready to, for the big 10 schedule and, you know, hopefully you can kind of prepare for, I think a decent at least Washington team next week. I think what you were preparing for at halftime is entirely fair game and probably what we're going to spend the bulk of this show on the run game. So, I think that's a little bit late into the third quarter, maybe halfway through the third quarter and the fourth quarter. Some of that I don't know if that is a change in approach or just wearing down a team that is maybe not as talented as you. So, that's not to demean them at all, but a big 10 offensive line should be able to dominate the line of scrimmage and the gopher's just didn't do that.

5:22They really have not done that in the run game, specifically the run game for two and a half quarters. The negative side of me says this could be a real problem and it's going to be really tough to win more than a game or two in the big 10 if you can't run the football. The positive side in me says maybe they figured things out in the third and fourth quarter and again, Darryus Taylor didn't play, but I think we're getting to the point, Manning, where we just kind of have to assume that he's not going to play in anything you get from Darryus Taylor at this point in his gopher's career is a bonus because calling a spade a spade. He's just not on the field a lot and when he has been on the field the last year or two, he hasn't been incredibly healthy. So, I'm going to need to see the run game look good against Washington or at least improved before I can say, okay, they found something against Akron. The positive side is that they did. It just took too long into the game for me to really say, okay, I feel good about heading to Washington.

6:26If you want to look ahead a little bit to Washington and Thorne, I will do that later in the week. Perhaps that game is a bit more winnable than I thought it was three, four weeks ago, but then again, it's college football. It is so weak by week, you just don't know if the gopher's were hosting that game and say, yeah, I think they can win. Still think it's a tough ask heading out to Washington, but to me, that has to be the emphasis at practice all week long. A couple of things. Funny, we spent most of the reactionary show last week ripping on the defense and now seven, eight minutes into this one. We haven't spent really a ton of time on the defense. Believe me, I still have issues with the defense and we saw some of it again today run plays way too easy for Akron at times. And also specifically wide receivers just kind of all by themselves, but the defense was better. But again, consider the quality of the opponent. But to me, the emphasis at practice this week needs to be not only how can we get the run game going, but how can we do it quicker than halfway into the third quarter?

7:32Because if it's halfway into the third quarter against Washington, you might not be in that game and it's unrealistic to ask Drake Lindsay to pass 30, 35 times in a row. Like he did against Mississippi State. And I know we all believe in Drake Lindsay and like what he can do as a quarterback, but I would bet Greg Harboh, PJ Flack, probably even Danny Collins doesn't want Drake Lindsay throwing the ball 31 times next week at Washington. That doesn't seem like a recipe for winning the game. So to me, it starts up front. You got to be able to run the ball better. And I guess my hope, Manny, and I don't even know if it's a belief, but my hope is that they did find something in the final quarter and a half. And maybe they found some things that work, but I'm going to need to see it next week before I really believe it. Well, with the way that this roster is constructed right now with the struggles that we've seen on defense. And again, today it's today and you know, two weeks ago against Eastern Illinois, it's hard to just considering the quality of opponent.

8:36It's hard to really. I mean, find they gave up seven points in both of those games, but you got absolutely torched by a legitimate, legitimately talented football team in Mississippi State last week. So like you said, you know, I still have question marks about, you know, what this where this defense is and where they're headed. So with that said, you're going on the road to Seattle next week against still a pretty good team, a team that offensively doesn't look as impressive as maybe we thought they were going to look. Again, we don't know what we don't know what Washington's offense is going to look like against the go for defense. We don't know if the go for is going to be able to fix some of the defensive issues that they've had so far on the road and a tough environment. And if you if you can't get enough stops. And you can't run the ball on offense.

9:37I said it last week, Ross, you're screwed. You got you got you got no shot. Now listen, Washington has scored a grand total of 40 points in their first two games. They scored 16 points against albeit a pack 12 team in Utah State, but it's still Utah State. Yeah, exactly. And so they offensively they were very lethargic on route to a 16 to 14 win against Utah State at home last week. So we know that Washington's having some trouble on offense first couple games of the year. And so it's a lot of time before points in the apple cup to start the year against Washington State. It's it's an offense that has had some trouble, but it's it's a quarterback in in Williams, who's very talented athletic can run around can throw the ball down the field. And so it's a lot of time before they make some plays. You can't if you're the go for as you can't bank on this defense.

10:45Being able to hold Washington to 16 or 17 points next week, you're going to have to put some points on the board and part of that is going to have to be coming from the run game. And then you're going to put Drake Lindsey in a position where he has to to your point throw the ball 35 40 times in a row to try and keep keep you in this game because you can't get any stops because you're down. You know 21 to 7 in the second quarter and you have to abandon the running game because. A you're down by two scores and B you're running game is ineffective anyway that just it's a recipe for disaster. So if this team is going to compete in the big 10. Forget about just Washington for a second the entire big 10 schedule. If you're going to compete if you're going to find a way to win more than two or three big 10 games. You've got to be able to establish some sort of run game and find some consistency again. They found something today and maybe it's something that they can carry on in the next week. But it's hard to really tell it's hard to tell because of who they went up against today.

11:46If they fix all of those problems. So it's going to be a huge test next week and you know I. I'm going to believe that they've got all these issues fixed when I actually see it until then I'm going to be very skeptical. Yeah, and I think that literally basically just took the words right out of my mouth. When you go into the game next Saturday to me it kind of feels like the season opener in one form it is it's the big 10 season opener. But I don't think we learned anything about eastern about the go for is after Eastern Illinois what we learned about the go for is after Mississippi state wasn't good. And I'm not sure what we learned about the go for is today against Akron, although then it was really cool to see Roman Vosget in the mix have a nice catch and score touchdown good for him first career touchdown. First reception as a go for is a touchdown very cool moment for him. Demon Williams Jr. for for Washington. I don't again I don't know how much time we need to spend on Washington preview.

12:48But I do think some of the parallels that you talked about athletic can escape in the pocket can make throws who also could do that. Camario Taylor who who torch the go for defense. Camario Taylor. So I had said after the Mississippi state game I was frustrated annoyed disgusted by it. I also said it doesn't have to be the end all be all for the season you can use it still to springboard your season in a positive direction. It will be interesting to see in two weeks time what adjustments the go for defense is able to make if any adjustments at all for a similar style quarterback. I know when you look at the numbers today Akron only had I think 220 yards of total offense. It's a little deceiving Akron had to play a second quarterback today. But also at times just too many breakdowns again on defense for for my liking they did recover a couple fumbles made some made some nice place the defense recovered one fumble special teams was still to be in the right place at the right time but they were also kind of gifted a fumble recovery on a ball you should not be feeling after you've let a bounce for 12 yards but that's.

14:09Neither here nor there but I'm 100% with you on I need to see what this looks like post Washington before I can say anything good that we saw in Akron may be applicable going forward. I would also say again not that the go for his can't recover from going oh into to start the big 10 season but these two games might be I always thought Michigan could be winnable I still think it is as we are doing the show live there in a battle with the. There in a battle with you tap at home every one of their games has been fairly low scoring Michigan should come to Minnesota independent of what their record is favored to beat Minnesota and honestly they probably will beat Minnesota doesn't mean you can't beat them. But I do think many whether it's Washington Michigan or dream scenario both you really do have to find a way to win one of these two games and be three and two and not two and three. And we can have the argument all day long what defines success this season but I can tell you one thing that defines no success is probably going five and seven or less and if you get to two and three your math gets really dicey very quickly and then you.

15:22Start to wonder what is the state of this team when they go to Purdue a place they haven't always played well at so I think it's important to take whatever lessons the coaching staff feels like they've learned today I think it's tougher for me from section 208 and you from your couch to look at things and say boy they seem to have found something here. One thing that I did like Jennings looks good he looks the park great great touchdown catch in an odd way kind of nice to see Drake Lindsay's run of no interceptions come to an end I'd rather have it happen against Akron on kind of a fluky tip then maybe in an important moment against Washington. So as I sit here and I start to think about Washington. I do have a philosophical question for you and maybe it's not even philosophical it's more of just again state of the program and doesn't mean that things can't really change and turn around next week but as we sit here today.

16:22It is very interesting to me and again the game has changed roster make ups change what you have available to you changes I get all that but it is very interesting that a PJ flat lead team what has led to his success and again some people don't believe he's been successful I would say that he has maybe not as much as he would like to be or should be but overall he's been successful at the University of Minnesota. I do find it interesting that how he originally built this program how he built Western Michigan how he built Minnesota. How he wants to win football games is largely running the football controlling the ball not turning the ball over which by and large they've continued to do a good job. But it's running the football and playing pretty good solid defense right now this team feels incapable of running. And I don't either of those they're not doing either of those things and what is going to prevent a team from winning which you talked about the onset of this edition.

17:24If you can't do those things you're not going to win a lot of games so I got to be honest man aside from the start time 10 p.m. Central time in Minnesota. I'm actually really excited for the Washington game I don't need them to win the game but I need them to look the part of a quality big 10 team or at least one that's not going to be a door mat. I'm going to be honest if my only two options right now for the go for is our door mat or surprisingly good season. I lean much further towards door mat than surprisingly good season so I think the Washington game again I'd like them to win it. I think they can win it but I just think it's incredibly important to actually be in the game not get run off the field have some someone's of a run game. And by golly get off the field on third down and here's a novel concept maybe sack a quarterback once or twice without letting them evade the pocket and get down field.

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19:25That's where I'm at that's how I see this team currently and how I feel as we head towards Washington. Yeah we're going to learn a lot I think Ross in Seattle next week next Saturday night. You and I are both going to be up till 1130 in the morning probably watching that game considering it gets in a clock kickoff classic big 10 start time with 10 p.m. Yeah it was funny I was telling some friends because obviously you know I've got some friends that are NDSU fans and they follow the bison and everything and of course North Dakota states in the mountain west this year for the first time as they've made the jump up to to FBS and so joking to a couple of friends in my last week yet get bison fans get used to those mountain west our times now. That's one with those eight o'clock nine o'clock 10 o'clock sometimes 10 o'clock kickoffs for for North Dakota state going forward. Yeah I think I think we're going to learn a lot about the go for next week and you know like you I don't know if that necessarily means that they have to win the game but

20:32I think Washington is going to be a pretty good witness test for what this team is going to look like for the rest of the season because it's a quality opponent they haven't looked great as I mentioned earlier to start out they've had some struggles on offense but the flip side to that is and again I don't I'm not sure how good Washington state is going to be I don't anticipate Utah state being all that great this year but at least in those first couple of games for Washington their defense has looked pretty solid it looked pretty sound so it's going to be a road game a late night kickoff your offense talking about the go for now that has saved for a quarter and a half today against Akron has largely struggled to run the football. This is going to be a big test for you and and so if you're able to go in there run the ball with some effectiveness trick Lindsay doesn't turn the ball over and you can get some stops against an offense that has that has talent but has struggled so far out of the gate and you still lose the game I can I think if I'm a if I'm the go for as I can I can live with that you certainly would rather win the game when win as many games as you can.

21:52But I think how they look against Washington next week winner lose is going to tell us a lot it's going to give us a real sound idea of like what kind of football team this actually is because. How do we really tell with four quarters against eastern Illinois and four quarters today against Akron and then whatever the hell that abomination was against Mississippi state last week it's just hard to really tell if this is a. Seven or eight win team that just hit a rough patch against maybe a Mississippi state team that's better than we thought or is this like a four and eight five and 17 that can't run the ball and can't get enough stops on defense and we learn nothing against lesser opponents like eastern Illinois and Akron. One thing that I think will be interesting and we can talk about Drake Lindsay's play today 17 to 31 204 yards passing three touchdowns the interception we discussed a few moments ago I thought it was good not great had some great anticipatory throws again the one to Jennings for a touchdown I thought was a fantastic throw even the jail and Smith throw literally we're only jail and could catch the football I think those are the types of throws the NFL salivates over when they talk about him being a quarter back.

23:09But let's also not forget and this is not all on him Drake Lindsay has yet to win a road game at the University of Minnesota he is one and one in neutral side games they lost at rigley field against northwestern they did win the mighty rateball against New Mexico it's going to be important at some point whether they asked Ray Quincy to throw 25 passes next Saturday night or 40 passes at some point Drake Lindsay is going to need to drag this team to the next day. So I think it will be very interesting to see how Drake even performs on the road can he come out slinging in the game. And the offensive line has been abysmal in the run game again save for the final quarter quarter and a half that we've been discussing. I actually thought today and past protection was probably as bad as they've been all season be interesting to see I listen to the head football coaches post gave radio comments that they were going to be playing the game. I'm looking forward to see what he has to say overall man I don't know if you heard it he was largely positive he was not out there.

24:17I'm looking forward to seeing what he has to say overall man I don't know if you heard it he was largely positive he was in the game. I'm looking forward to see what he has to say overall man I don't know if you heard it he was largely positive I mean you would expect him to be the team one he always is after victories but he talked about. You know the team responding he thought they played pretty well I think he said great off of what they were up against you know getting drug pretty bad last week and also I always want to give coaches the benefit of the doubt he's doing that interview within 10 15 minutes of the game. So sometimes he hasn't really sat down and looked at all the tape and went through everything but the offensive line as a whole is going to need to be better. So Drake Lindsey can be better but at some point if the go for is our ever going to win a road game of importance I mean the last big road victory was what many almost two years ago now at Illinois and that was Max Brozmer am I missing something else along the way and I think for a lot of people that was a largely unexpected.

25:26Victory if the go for is our to go to Washington and win it's probably going to be a similar type game and Drake Lindsey is going to have to make a few big throws I don't want to say this is a legacy game for him we're still talking about a red shirt sophomore we're a quarter of the way maybe approaching a third of the way into his second season as a starter. He's going to have to win a big time road game at some point and it's not all on him the defense needs to be better I get that can't turn the ball over probably need to win the penalty battle I understand all that but they're not going to win a big time road game or road game against a comparable opponent if he's not solid and he's really got to do that on the road so I guess that would be my challenge this week to the coaching staff would be. Look at the tape what we did in the back half of the third quarter and fourth quarter is that actually applicable to going forward and what can we do to get Drake Lindsey to settle into a game so we're not down 21 3 or 14 nothing before he's really at a chance to settle into the game which by the way some of that is on him when an offense comes out and goes three and out right away that a lot of that can be on the quarterback so.

26:39I think it's I don't think we're talking enough about that I think maybe we will as the week goes on, but I think it's important for him to play well on the road he really has not done that yet as a go for his quarterback and if you're going to be a big time draft prospect you're probably not going to get there without any notable road wins or playing well when you leave the friendly confines of Huntington Bank Stadium. Mississippi state is down 10 nothing in the first quarter at South Carolina by the way so they might Mario Taylor is already throwing an interception so they might not. That would be the world's greatest football team is what you're saying yeah yeah a South Carolina team that has talent to with Lenora sellers at quarterback but. I mean they weren't barn burners last year either I mean I'm kind of surprising beamer kept his job anyway yeah I mean they they have to this is again like I said this is. This is going to I mean i'm not going to sit here say the seasons on the line in Seattle next week but but I mean look it's it's this is this is going to be a test we're going to get a pretty good idea of what kind of football team this this actually is next week and it's going to take.

27:55All the little things because again I keep going back to the running game and you know this is an era of football now where we know throwing the ball and throwing the ball down the field with efficiency is the best way to move the ball and score points and everything. But again. If your defense can't get enough stops and we saw today even against a lesser opponent Akron was able to move the ball with some effectiveness. Here and there throughout the game. If you can't get enough stops even it screws you when you fall down big like they did last week and even against a talented team. If you jump out to a big lead that lead is not necessarily safe as we saw against Northwestern last year where. If you know your defense can't get enough stops and then you also can't run the football with enough effectiveness. To your point about the three and outs you can't have those three and outs because even if you jump out 21 nothing 21 to three that lead is not safe.

29:03If you're getting constant three and outs because you can't pick up enough first downs and you can't control the clock and then your defense is very suspect so all of that. All of those questions that we have again are going to be I think answered next week and Michigan by the way we talked about them as an opponent coming up here in a couple of weeks. That's a team that may maybe starting to find their groove offensively they've opened things up now against you tep it's 38 to 14 to the third quarter so this is this is a big one for the go for us and I think at the very least again. You want to put together a competitive game you cannot. You can't fall behind big early like they did last week because that that just puts you in a really tough spot. And you're going to need to be able to establish some sort of running game so that you can control the clock and dictate the tempo of the game and put Washington in a position where. You know the mind Williams has to throw throw them back into a game and then you know it might be a little bit easier for you defensively to maybe pin your ears back and get after the quarterback but again that's another problem that they haven't really been able to to solve either on defense so it's we're going to have a lot of questions I think answered with this team about whether at how well they can actually compete in the big 10.

30:24And we'll just kind of see how it plays out. Very quick exercise for you I just did in my head next two games at Washington at home against Michigan. Percent chance they beat Washington percent chance they beat Michigan percent chance they win both games I guess the easy thing to be to do would be to just average out the percentages that you're going to give. I would say because it's a road game even though I think it's the more vulnerable team until I see this team show up on the road and look competent. I'll give you a range I think it's like a 10 to 15 percent chance the go for his win next Saturday night it should be higher but theme of the show there's two themes they need to run the ball better and we need to see it to believe it until I see them play well on the road and win a game. I'm just going to keep operating as if it's not going to happen so I think it's 10 to 15. I did see that Michigan score as well I still think you probably have a 25 ish percent chance to beat Michigan at home.

31:27The go first don't take out the Mississippi State game they tend to play better at home again PJ Flex teams often win a game you wouldn't think that they would win I think plenty of teams plenty of people think they can beat Michigan. I I tend to agree but I would also put that again 20 to 25 percent percent chance they win both man he is probably like 10 percent and if they win both games which they're allowed to do it's not like they're playing the number one in two teams in the country. Well then you and I are having an entirely different conversation the Sunday after Michigan about where this team is where they could be going and perhaps what they learned not only from Mississippi State but Akron. So long story short man I kind of feel like going into Washington is house money as we sit here today on this Saturday now early evening. I'm not super confident that they're going to win that game where are you in the next two games because I think this also plays to sentiment of how we are feeling about the program and I am very iffy three games in.

32:35It is now 45 to 14 Michigan at the end of the third quarter they will bring scored 28 points in the third quarter and Bryce underwood 19 out of 25 for 223 to touchdowns no picks allegedly he can point everybody's been waiting for him. Again sadly for the go first maybe he's finding it out this week but then again who knows he's been horribly inconsistent in his career and it is for context it is you tap you tap I don't think is very good you know in the in the mountain west right. So I mean you I guess you can take that for what it is but. The thing about that is and I'll get to the percentages in a second the thing about that is now it at least. Michigan may be a team that starting to find their groove now. As you know offensively they really struggle the first two games you know albeit both wins one that was kind of given to them with the next second yeah but I digress.

33:38But they were really struggling on offense Bryce underwood in particular was struggling now it feels like a team that has kind of found their groove a little bit again and they're going to be tested when they take on Iowa next week and so we'll see how that plays out before they come here. And and maybe you know maybe my perception of that game will will change over the next couple of weeks but right now considering our Michigan's playing today. That's I think that's going to be a really tough one for the go for and so when you're talking about next week. I'm with you I just I would give the goal for as a much better chance if this game was at Huntington Bank Stadium but I think because it's in Seattle because of the travel. Because of the recent history of this program just not being able to win games on the road and just not in a lot of situations. I mean even if you throw out Oregon and Ohio State last year.

34:38They just have kind of no showed when they when they're away from home you know neutral sites they've been they've been okay but. You know when they've when they've had true road games they have really struggled to even be competitive in a lot of these games and so. That is still going to be a thing to to watch and why I'm not super confident that they can go in and win again they can prove me wrong you established a run game. You don't turn the ball over you get some key stops on defense and you find a way to stay competitive or you find a way to steal a game. Because you do enough then I think that'll change my perception but right now I am I'm with you I think it's 10 to 15% chance at best to go on to go into Seattle when next week and. The way Michigan's looking right now I think it's going to be really tough for them to beat beat the Wolverines at home two two weeks two weeks from now i probably put that at about 19 20% maybe a little higher because it's a home game.

35:38But i'm not super confident and I don't really see a scenario right now where they win both games I just it's just not even a thing for me right now but that is also to your point where they can the beauty of college football in the NFL as well. Week by week sport you can change people's perceptions weekend and week out and the go first can do that they can go to Washington and winning you and I can then all the sudden go oh maybe they're back maybe this is closer to an eight win team than a four win team they're they're well allowed to do that and I hope that they do that because again at some point I don't expect Drake Lindsey to never win a road game at the University of Minnesota. It would be very go for like if the only road game he does get is at Purdue in which you know will be an absolute grinder of like a 19 to 16 victory I don't even don't even want to think about that and by the way Purdue all be it not very good also might be slightly better than people thought so far this year so we'll talk about all that when we get there.

36:38There is one positive that we haven't spent really any time on in the first three games and I think we'll close with this there's also a negative from today kind of a hilarious negative but still a bad negative. Overall with Daniel DePrado the special teams has been and again consider the consider the opponents for two of the three games I get that but it has been nice to see functional special teams cover kicks cover punts return three points. For a tough well actually to because the punt return a ran out of bounds because I think was too busy too busy I don't think he was necessarily taunting but he could just put his head down and run straight to the end zone and he chose not to do that lost track of where he was and ran out of bounds then they tried to do a solid and give him the ball on the next play and that and that didn't work either but. But you know Thor likes to call me the special teams whisperer and a couple years back or last year I dubbed Tom Weston dinky towns Tory Taylor Tory Taylor the phenomenal punter for Iowa now in the NFL.

37:46We don't need to spend much time on this but Tom Weston continues to do his job just keeps bearing opponents inside the 10 yard line right at about the five yard line. Again we'll see when they're playing better competition weekend and week out but just the fact that they're able to field upon relatively uneventful and make some guys miss and pick up some yards it's been a revelation to see go for special teams look functional and by the way dris wiki today drills a 43 yarder yeah. Two games now as a member of the go for former all conference kicker at the mountain west last year again go for is actually played against him in the rateful so if you are looking for positives and if you need to win games on the margins mani which I think you and I believe again that's how this go for his team is going to have a successful season if they do. The special teams playing much better the first three games of the season and I live in fear that I'm going to put something bad into the atmosphere but it's been a breath of fresh air and it's nice to see.

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39:47And I will say. Where I think there is even more room for optimism is. To your point earlier about this sport being you know we see it in the NFL to it is kind of a week to week sport especially now with you know in the in the NIL era where. You know the talent is a little bit more spread out throughout these teams. There is a possibility that the go for is did today just find something albeit against a lesser opponent they just found something they found something that works and that they're able to carry that into next week I mean just even. Kind of looking around at some of these other scores and this kind of goes to show you that it is a week to week. So I mentioned earlier it's now 13 nothing South Carolina against Mississippi state this is a bulldogs team that hung 38 on the go for last week and ran all over hunting bank stadium. Now they can't do anything offensively come are you Taylor hasn't even completed a pass yet.

40:51The end of the first quarter hasn't completed a pass yet. Don't forget the band was a lead though during the during the Mississippi state game never forget. Yeah Florida state right now is up 21 to 6 in Tuscaloosa right now at Florida state team that's not viewed as being very good they're. Taking it to Alabama right now well nor Norval saw that Jim Bofischer was coming for his job so. Right right bigger they would coach well right and then you've got Kentucky is down at Kyle field down and down in college station Texas up 28 to 14 to the fourth quarter against. The ninth ranked Texas A&M Aggies so. Again you know i'm. Highlighting SEC games here where you know it's a little bit it's a little bit different but. You know this is a week to week sport and. I think with what we've seen from Washington these first couple of weeks I think does give does keep the door open for the golfers to sort of build off of what they accomplished today.

41:53Maybe they found something in the run game and then maybe they can kind of carry that into next week again i'm not betting on it I would my guests would be that it doesn't really work out well for them but. As we've seen around the world of college football crazy things happen the the ending to the NC state Vanderbilt game was nuts this is the crazy sport we've seen a lot of crazy things happen so. I don't you know so i'm i'm as we've been going through this this episode i've been trying to sort of. Taper my my my thoughts you know one way or the other that. There might be something there and maybe they found something today. But it's also entirely possible that because of who they played today that's why it worked out for them and it's going to be more challenging next week so. Again I think we're going to learn a lot more about this team next week and will will kind of see how it plays out but I think there is a.

42:56At least a chance that if they put their best foot forward that they can. Find a way to steal one again i'm not betting on it but I think it is possible and then if they do they do find a way to win next week then I think everything change the conversation changes I think we're starting to look at that Michigan game as a little bit more. Winnerball because Michigan hasn't played a road game yet you know and they struggle a little bit in the first couple games at home and they're. Blowing out you tap right now but again that's at the big house it'll be you know a road game I think they're. I think it's the gold for games that going to be their first. Road game because I think they're hosting Iowa next week right Michigan. Let me look that up I don't know off the top of my head but I do know Washington's going to be three and all more than likely they host Eastern Washington tonight they. Should clean up and take care of that game Eastern Washington a good FCS program by the way beautiful field beautiful. Exactly right love it beautiful and it's got great scenery by the way but also again Washington fans might also be saying the same thing after their non conference schedule yeah what did we really learn today and what do we really know about this team other than I mean Washington score 70 points tonight and most Huskies fans may look at it and say.

44:11This offense any good we don't we don't we don't we don't we don't simply especially especially okay so they beat Washington beat Utah state 16 to 14 at home last week right. Well Utah State is playing Utah right now and they're down 33 to nothing in the fourth quarter so if you're a Washington fan and you're seeing Utah State get annihilated in in Salt Lake City right now and you just. Slogged your way to beating them by two points last week how are you feeling about how things are going I mean they were. They were ranked 19th in the country going into last week's game and then they fell completely out of the top 25 even after a win. So there is that part of it too you are a great Michigan schedule mind they do host Iowa next Saturday at 230 on the consistency thing and this is a week to week and I think this is where we can close and. Leave it out and leave and move on with our Saturdays just because it is a week by week sport doesn't mean you shouldn't strive for consistency because 100% the more consistent you become look and I don't love doing this but look at the Iowa football program for the most part you know what they are you know what they're going to do.

45:28And they find a way to win eight and nine games every year and they limit the pendulum swings like we have seen from the go for program over the last six or seven years if you can be consistent and reasonably be assured you go into a game and know what you have and know what you're going to be able to accomplish well then you don't feel so lost going into games or you don't feel like. I'm just making this up you don't feel like a bowling green loss is going to happen that happened to the go first five six years ago so you should still strive to be consistent and get better it's you can't just fall back on the I don't we talk about it well it's crazy sport it's week by week. You can elevate your program and be better just by getting consistent and I want Drake Lindsay to have a great career at the University of Minnesota I hope he stays one more year I hope he maybe even stays all the way through a senior year rewrites all the records wins eight nine games a season maybe the go for is of a pop up season. Manie maybe the go for is even make that college football play and they might anyways because it might expand in 96 teams within two years so maybe maybe they'll make it at that point.

46:37But to kind of circle back to where we started yet got to start running the ball more and you have to play better defense and if they do that. I still believe that this could be a fun season but I'm just not sure if the players on the field are capable of that three games in so we will see if they can start to be more consistent and start to change the narrative a win over Washington would be fantastic but don't most let's be honest too many unless you're going for die hard you're not staying up late next Saturday don't let the casuals wake up check their phone and see that you lost 41 to 10 at Washington. Give people a reason to stay invested and pay attention I want you to win the game but please please please head to the fourth quarter in a football game which they have yet to do for the most part with Drake Lindsay leading this team under center on the road that's all I want next weekend that's what I want next week.

47:38I'll be in it's a road game next week cannot look like last week. No, it can't. For everybody and I think if we watch next week and it looks like anything similar to last week. I honestly Ross I think we're looking at about a four win team and and that's that's going to be really troubling which again which is why I go back to. I think this game however it turns out I think it's going to tell us a lot about where this team is at and what they can do going forward and yeah Michigan will be tough. Purdue might be a slog fest a week after that and you got Iowa and Indiana the schedule is going to be tough you know UCLA it's not a pushover. You know there's there's a little bit more credibility in that program now which has been leading the way there it's it's not you know even though you don't have. Ohio State and Oregon on the schedule you still got some good some pretty good teams in the big 10 on your schedule and so if you can find a way to to be competitive against Washington and.

48:44You know give Michigan a good fight two weeks from now then I think there's there's reason for optimism that this team can. Can kind of fight their way to a to a seven seven or eight win campaign but. You got to you got to next week is the game for me that you got to really show us something if you really go for you got to show us a running game you got to show us a defense that can get some stops fairly consistently especially again against a team that has struggled offensively in their first couple of games this is an opportunity for the for the go for defense to really show us something this this can't be the game that. You know Williams and that in that Washington offense just gets healthy and figures everything out against the go for defense next week that that's not acceptable. And I know Thorin I will talk about it later this week probably on Wednesday just what the go first can do schematically. To hopefully demon Williams junior does not end up looking like Camario Taylor I think it's probably going to have to start with you're going to have to spy him.

49:44Because we've been sought today if a quarterback gets outside of the pocket on this defense for some reason they cannot stop and it wasn't nearly as bad today but again consider the quality of the opponent but. I just. I'm going to repeat what I've said probably four or five times maybe even seven or eight just look the part on Saturday you don't need to win just look the part. It is kind of sad at year 10 I'm talking about you don't need to win a game. Right but I mean just just the way it's just the way it's looked the last we'll call it season half will round up just the way it's looked many the last season and a half. I just need you to go on the road and look like a functional college football program and it's been a while since you've done that. So let's start there because I worry if you don't and we bring this up off and on this show it's the snowball effect. If you come back home to play Michigan and in your head is we have played to also ran and for the most part put a number on them and we've played to we'll call it quality opponents and they have named their score on us.

50:49I don't love the way that that presents hosting Michigan in by the way a trophy game in a year where the go for us play for all four trophies it would be nice to leave the year with at least a couple of them so I think that's all have not beat Michigan at home since. 1978 was the last time the go for his beat Michigan in Minneapolis. 86 no 86 was the last time they had one in Michigan for quite some time when they finally won in 2005 yeah well here's another thing by the way the go for seven played Washington since not that it really matters doesn't mean anything but they haven't played Washington since 1977 so that'll be kind of fun to now conference foes looking forward to that big 10 start time of 10 p.m. Central time. All right buddy I'll let you get back to your Saturday okay sounds good always a pleasure my friend again I'll close with this this is a brand new channel the go for

51:51is one on one YouTube channel we would be much obliged if you would subscribe to this channel will be with you two times a week during the football season at least once a week during the basketball and hockey season probably even twice a week many weeks but please subscribe to this channel like this video comment on this video I'd love your thoughts are are mani and I being too negative are we two homers are we not viewing the win over Akron as positive as we should let us know yes I do read them and I try to reply to as many comments as I possibly cannot thank you Dennis for the for the complements we really do appreciate that but please like and subscribe and share the news of go for is one on share the news what am I an evangelist I'm a go for is evangelist share the news of go for is one on that's mani hill I Ross Brandel thank you so much for watching and listening to go for is one on one row the boat sky you ma and go go for is