Kill out of hosptial, back to practice
Jerry Kill was admitted to the Mayo Clinic on Sunday after yet another seizure, but is now out and coaching practice
Published: 2011-09-29
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill was released from the hospital at 11 a.m. Wednesday, and made it to a coach’s meeting two hours later.
He returned to late afternoon practice and said he plans on coaching this weekend at Michigan.
“I’m not going home resting. I’m doing everything I can,” Kill said.
Kill has had sporadic seizures over the last six years since his battle with kidney cancer in 2005. Recently, those seizures have turned frequent, including more than 20 of them in a six-day period last week.
“I have a situation — a complicated issue,” Kill said Wednesday. “It’s not something I’m going to die from, but it’s complicated right now. It’s dealing with seizures. Sometimes if you’re out of it, you’re out of it. Nothing I can do about it. It’s going to take a while.”
Kill was admitted to the Mayo Clinic after suffering another seizure Sunday morning, one day after last weekend’s loss to North Dakota State University.
Team doctor Pat Smith’s primary concern now is the regulation of Kill’s anti-seizure medication — doctors have been working on finding a balance for the medication, Kill said.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys and offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover, who have been with Kill for 16 years and 12 years, respectively, had a contingency plan in case Kill had to miss a game.
“I expect him to be there. We’re going to prepare like he’s not going to be there. I’ll be shocked if he’s not there,” Claeys said Tuesday.
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Thursday, September 29, 2011
A brief history of the Little Brown Jug
A brief history of the Little Brown Jug
The origin of the trophy can be traced back to the 1903 football game between Minnesota and Michigan.
Published: 2011-09-29
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Little Brown Jug rivalry has deep roots, and its interesting history of theft, imitation and recreation throughout the years still is up for debate.
The origin of the trophy, however, can be linked back to the 1903 football game between Minnesota and Michigan.
The Wolverines came to Minnesota on Oct. 31, 1903 on a 29-game winning streak. Neither team had lost a game that season.
During the game, Michigan head coach Fielding H. Yost had a white (not brown) earthenware jug that was used to hold water for the team.
The game was a hard-nosed football battle that ended in a 6-6 tie in old Northrop Field. After the game, Michigan student manager Tommy Roberts accidentally left the jug behind, and custodian Oscar Munson stumbled upon it and delivered it to Minnesota athletics department head L.J. Cooke.
Cooke asked Gophers head coach Doc Williams if he should return the jug, and Williams reportedly said, “Make them win it back.”
Cooke hung the jug up in his office with the score of the game painted on it. The jug stayed, suspended in Cooke’s office for the next six years.
In 1909, the day before Michigan played Minnesota, Yost went to Cooke’s office to meet with both him and Williams and saw the jug hanging.
He didn’t realize what it was until Williams told him it had been left there after the game in 1903. They decided at that meeting to let the jug pass back and forth to the winner of the rivalry.
There are many other branches to this origin that make the history mythical.
There are stories of Yost writing to Minnesota to get his jug back, that the jug was a good luck charm and Michigan wrote the scores from their winning streak on it, and that the jug was stolen back and forth on numerous occasions.
None of these stories have been proven, but each adds to the legacy of one of the longest-running rivalries in college football.
Minnesota heads to Michigan this year attempting to re-acquire the jug for the first time since 2005. The Gophers have an all-time record of 24-69-3 in the rivalry.
Now, with the Big Ten’s new divisions in place, the Gophers can look forward to playing the Wolverines each year for the Little Brown Jug.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/29/brief-history-little-brown-jug
The origin of the trophy can be traced back to the 1903 football game between Minnesota and Michigan.
Published: 2011-09-29
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Little Brown Jug rivalry has deep roots, and its interesting history of theft, imitation and recreation throughout the years still is up for debate.
The origin of the trophy, however, can be linked back to the 1903 football game between Minnesota and Michigan.
The Wolverines came to Minnesota on Oct. 31, 1903 on a 29-game winning streak. Neither team had lost a game that season.
During the game, Michigan head coach Fielding H. Yost had a white (not brown) earthenware jug that was used to hold water for the team.
The game was a hard-nosed football battle that ended in a 6-6 tie in old Northrop Field. After the game, Michigan student manager Tommy Roberts accidentally left the jug behind, and custodian Oscar Munson stumbled upon it and delivered it to Minnesota athletics department head L.J. Cooke.
Cooke asked Gophers head coach Doc Williams if he should return the jug, and Williams reportedly said, “Make them win it back.”
Cooke hung the jug up in his office with the score of the game painted on it. The jug stayed, suspended in Cooke’s office for the next six years.
In 1909, the day before Michigan played Minnesota, Yost went to Cooke’s office to meet with both him and Williams and saw the jug hanging.
He didn’t realize what it was until Williams told him it had been left there after the game in 1903. They decided at that meeting to let the jug pass back and forth to the winner of the rivalry.
There are many other branches to this origin that make the history mythical.
There are stories of Yost writing to Minnesota to get his jug back, that the jug was a good luck charm and Michigan wrote the scores from their winning streak on it, and that the jug was stolen back and forth on numerous occasions.
None of these stories have been proven, but each adds to the legacy of one of the longest-running rivalries in college football.
Minnesota heads to Michigan this year attempting to re-acquire the jug for the first time since 2005. The Gophers have an all-time record of 24-69-3 in the rivalry.
Now, with the Big Ten’s new divisions in place, the Gophers can look forward to playing the Wolverines each year for the Little Brown Jug.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/29/brief-history-little-brown-jug
Quick hitters for this week
Quick hitters
This week in football.
Published: 2011-09-29
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-Minnesota is 24-69-3 all time against Michigan and 3-36 over the last 39 games. Michigan has won the Little Brown Jug the last three times, but the two teams haven’t played since 2008.
-Denard Robinson broke the NCAA single-season rushing record for a quarterback last season. He is currently leading the Big Ten in rushing and is fourth overall in the nation.
-First year Michigan head coach Brady Hoke implemented a pro-style offense and said he plans to give Robinson only 10-15 carries per game. In the last three games, Robinson has run 16, 26 and 21 times for 108, 198 and 200 yards, respectively.
-Minnesota safety Kim Royston leads the Big Ten in tackles with 41. He’ll be a key to stopping Robinson and Michigan’s offense.
“We’re not going there to be in awe of the stadium. We’re there to win. We have to contain Robinson and have someone else beat us besides him,” Royston said.
-In addition to converting to ditching the spread offense, Michigan also switched its defensive scheme from Rich Rodriguez’s 3-3-5 to a traditional 4-3.
-Greg Mattison is the new defensive coordinator at Michigan. He achieved fame with Florida from 2005-2007, which included a national championship. He also ran the defense for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2011. He is the highest paid defensive coordinator in college football at $750,000.
-Minnesota’s run defense has been getting progressively worse each game. It has given up an average yards per carry of 2.39, 3.59, 3.81 and 4.96 in the last four games.
Michigan ranks first in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation with 6.80 yards per carry.
-Senior running back Duane Bennett is one of the few Gopher players on the roster in 2007, the last time Minnesota played at Michigan.
In that game, Bennett had more than 100 yards and averaged more than 5 yards per carry. He is coming off his best game of the season last week against NDSU, in which he collected 74 yards on 5.69 yards per carry.
-Michigan has an experienced wide receiver corps, beginning with Junior Hemingway and Roy Roundtree. Hemingway leads the team with 211 yards and a remarkable 42.2 yards per reception average.
-Minnesota’s offense was more successful on third down last week against NDSU; they converted 64 percent of the time, far and away their best of the season.
Michigan’s defense has allowed a third-down conversion rate of less than 45 percent in each of their last two games, and held their opponents to fewer than 10 points a game.
-The Wolverines have a perfect scoring record in the red zone. They have converted 13 times in 13 chances when inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, and 12 of those scores have been touchdowns.
-MarQueis Gray sat out practice Wednesday with a sore toe.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/29/quick-hitters
This week in football.
Published: 2011-09-29
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-Minnesota is 24-69-3 all time against Michigan and 3-36 over the last 39 games. Michigan has won the Little Brown Jug the last three times, but the two teams haven’t played since 2008.
-Denard Robinson broke the NCAA single-season rushing record for a quarterback last season. He is currently leading the Big Ten in rushing and is fourth overall in the nation.
-First year Michigan head coach Brady Hoke implemented a pro-style offense and said he plans to give Robinson only 10-15 carries per game. In the last three games, Robinson has run 16, 26 and 21 times for 108, 198 and 200 yards, respectively.
-Minnesota safety Kim Royston leads the Big Ten in tackles with 41. He’ll be a key to stopping Robinson and Michigan’s offense.
“We’re not going there to be in awe of the stadium. We’re there to win. We have to contain Robinson and have someone else beat us besides him,” Royston said.
-In addition to converting to ditching the spread offense, Michigan also switched its defensive scheme from Rich Rodriguez’s 3-3-5 to a traditional 4-3.
-Greg Mattison is the new defensive coordinator at Michigan. He achieved fame with Florida from 2005-2007, which included a national championship. He also ran the defense for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2011. He is the highest paid defensive coordinator in college football at $750,000.
-Minnesota’s run defense has been getting progressively worse each game. It has given up an average yards per carry of 2.39, 3.59, 3.81 and 4.96 in the last four games.
Michigan ranks first in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation with 6.80 yards per carry.
-Senior running back Duane Bennett is one of the few Gopher players on the roster in 2007, the last time Minnesota played at Michigan.
In that game, Bennett had more than 100 yards and averaged more than 5 yards per carry. He is coming off his best game of the season last week against NDSU, in which he collected 74 yards on 5.69 yards per carry.
-Michigan has an experienced wide receiver corps, beginning with Junior Hemingway and Roy Roundtree. Hemingway leads the team with 211 yards and a remarkable 42.2 yards per reception average.
-Minnesota’s offense was more successful on third down last week against NDSU; they converted 64 percent of the time, far and away their best of the season.
Michigan’s defense has allowed a third-down conversion rate of less than 45 percent in each of their last two games, and held their opponents to fewer than 10 points a game.
-The Wolverines have a perfect scoring record in the red zone. They have converted 13 times in 13 chances when inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, and 12 of those scores have been touchdowns.
-MarQueis Gray sat out practice Wednesday with a sore toe.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/29/quick-hitters
Denard v. MarQueis - A review of the two star quarterbacks
Denard v. MarQueis
A review of the two star quarterbacks.
Published: 2011-09-28
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
This week Minnesota travels to Michigan to open up the Big Ten schedule against the Wolverines, who have a dynamic quarterback, whom the nation has been watching for the last two years: Denard Robinson.
Robinson, also known as “Shoelace,” received national attention last year because of his tremendous athletic ability to run around in Rich Rodriguez’s offensive system.
This year, Michigan has a new head coach in Brady Hoke. Even though Hoke said his philosophy would only allow Robinson 10-15 carries a game, Robinson has had 16, 26 and 21 carries in the last three games.
He has turned those carries into a Big Ten-leading 552 yards but has performed poorly in the passing game. In three of Michigan’s four games, Robinson has thrown for less than 100 yards and completed less than 10 passes.
MarQueis Gray plays a similar style to Robinson. Gray has less speed but more size and strength. He has proven his ability with his legs, breaking Minnesota’s single-game quarterback rushing record two weeks ago with 171 yards.
Like Robinson, Gray has struggled with his passing game. He has thrown for only 521 yards and has three interceptions.
In two of the four games, Gray has failed to pass for 100 yards and has been benched in favor of freshman Max Shortell in several passing situations.
The mobile quarterback showcase will be unveiled this Saturday at the Big House.
Gray and Robinson will undoubtedly attempt some passes, but the defenses and the fans will focus much heavier on their legs rather than their arms.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/28/denard-v-marqueis-0
A review of the two star quarterbacks.
Published: 2011-09-28
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
This week Minnesota travels to Michigan to open up the Big Ten schedule against the Wolverines, who have a dynamic quarterback, whom the nation has been watching for the last two years: Denard Robinson.
Robinson, also known as “Shoelace,” received national attention last year because of his tremendous athletic ability to run around in Rich Rodriguez’s offensive system.
This year, Michigan has a new head coach in Brady Hoke. Even though Hoke said his philosophy would only allow Robinson 10-15 carries a game, Robinson has had 16, 26 and 21 carries in the last three games.
He has turned those carries into a Big Ten-leading 552 yards but has performed poorly in the passing game. In three of Michigan’s four games, Robinson has thrown for less than 100 yards and completed less than 10 passes.
MarQueis Gray plays a similar style to Robinson. Gray has less speed but more size and strength. He has proven his ability with his legs, breaking Minnesota’s single-game quarterback rushing record two weeks ago with 171 yards.
Like Robinson, Gray has struggled with his passing game. He has thrown for only 521 yards and has three interceptions.
In two of the four games, Gray has failed to pass for 100 yards and has been benched in favor of freshman Max Shortell in several passing situations.
The mobile quarterback showcase will be unveiled this Saturday at the Big House.
Gray and Robinson will undoubtedly attempt some passes, but the defenses and the fans will focus much heavier on their legs rather than their arms.
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/28/denard-v-marqueis-0
Gophers ground game keeping offense afloat
The Gophers have three potential game changers in the running game.
Published: 2011-09-27
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers’ offense as a whole has looked poor at times, but its running game continues to improve.
Minnesota’s ground attack is led by a three-headed monster of senior Duane Bennett, redshirt freshman Donnell Kirkwood and junior quarterback MarQueis Gray. This running game has allowed Minnesota to stay competitive in games that may have otherwise been blowouts.
The speed and power combination of Bennett and Kirkwood has proven effective, with each of them darting past or plowing over defenders. Saturday against NDSU, each reached the 70-yard plateau, a feat that hasn’t been done by two Gophers in the same game since 2007 with quarterback Adam Weber and running back Amir Pinnix.
The Gophers like their tailback situation so much, they felt it possible to shift Lamonte Edwards to linebacker to try to get him on the field more. That move opened a spot for Texas native and freshman David Cobb, who got his first carry of the year Saturday.
Bennett is the senior voice of the backfield and preaches the team concept to his fellow players. In the game against NDSU, Bennett shined for 74 yards, but the previous week at Miami (Ohio) he had only 12. He found a way to contribute in that game by blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown that assured the Gopher’s lone win so far this season.
Bennett said he’s not worried about individual statistics or individual roles. Kill said in August camp that Bennett had a leg up on other backs because of his ability to pick up blitzes and blocking schemes.
Kirkwood, a stout 5-foot-10-inch powerhouse, just returned from an early injury against Miami (Ohio) and has barreled over defenders in his two games to an average of 5.43 yards per carry and three touchdowns.
A hamstring tweak slowed him down against NDSU, but he said he is optimistic that it will not keep him from next week’s game.
Kirkwood deflected credit to the team and particularly to the offensive line.
“The line moves them back. It was easy work from the backfield. The holes were there and the first five yards come easy,” Kirkwood said.
Gray is one game removed from breaking Minnesota’s all-time record for rushing yards in a game for a quarterback with 171.
He has achieved numerous first downs with his legs on long runs this year.
The running game has allowed more opportunities for play action passes. However, the Gophers have yet to take full advantage of this running attack because they’ve struggled to convert in the passing game or to develop a consistent offensive rhythm.
Offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said he likes his options at tailback and is pleased with how the running game is developing.
The roles of the Gophers tailbacks are varied, but simple, he said.
“We simplified a few things and really emphasized being physical. You can’t go through [the] schedule we got with just one guy. We have four tailbacks and whoever is sweating, we’re going to keep riding him,” Limegrover said.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/27/gophers-ground-game-keeping-offense-afloat
Published: 2011-09-27
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers’ offense as a whole has looked poor at times, but its running game continues to improve.
Minnesota’s ground attack is led by a three-headed monster of senior Duane Bennett, redshirt freshman Donnell Kirkwood and junior quarterback MarQueis Gray. This running game has allowed Minnesota to stay competitive in games that may have otherwise been blowouts.
The speed and power combination of Bennett and Kirkwood has proven effective, with each of them darting past or plowing over defenders. Saturday against NDSU, each reached the 70-yard plateau, a feat that hasn’t been done by two Gophers in the same game since 2007 with quarterback Adam Weber and running back Amir Pinnix.
The Gophers like their tailback situation so much, they felt it possible to shift Lamonte Edwards to linebacker to try to get him on the field more. That move opened a spot for Texas native and freshman David Cobb, who got his first carry of the year Saturday.
Bennett is the senior voice of the backfield and preaches the team concept to his fellow players. In the game against NDSU, Bennett shined for 74 yards, but the previous week at Miami (Ohio) he had only 12. He found a way to contribute in that game by blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown that assured the Gopher’s lone win so far this season.
Bennett said he’s not worried about individual statistics or individual roles. Kill said in August camp that Bennett had a leg up on other backs because of his ability to pick up blitzes and blocking schemes.
Kirkwood, a stout 5-foot-10-inch powerhouse, just returned from an early injury against Miami (Ohio) and has barreled over defenders in his two games to an average of 5.43 yards per carry and three touchdowns.
A hamstring tweak slowed him down against NDSU, but he said he is optimistic that it will not keep him from next week’s game.
Kirkwood deflected credit to the team and particularly to the offensive line.
“The line moves them back. It was easy work from the backfield. The holes were there and the first five yards come easy,” Kirkwood said.
Gray is one game removed from breaking Minnesota’s all-time record for rushing yards in a game for a quarterback with 171.
He has achieved numerous first downs with his legs on long runs this year.
The running game has allowed more opportunities for play action passes. However, the Gophers have yet to take full advantage of this running attack because they’ve struggled to convert in the passing game or to develop a consistent offensive rhythm.
Offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said he likes his options at tailback and is pleased with how the running game is developing.
The roles of the Gophers tailbacks are varied, but simple, he said.
“We simplified a few things and really emphasized being physical. You can’t go through [the] schedule we got with just one guy. We have four tailbacks and whoever is sweating, we’re going to keep riding him,” Limegrover said.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/27/gophers-ground-game-keeping-offense-afloat
Quick Hitters - This week in Football
Quick hitters
This week in football
Published: 2011-09-26
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-MarQueis Gray was 5-for-12 for only 53 yards and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by the Bison. Gray’s legs were unable to carry the Gophers this week, as he gained only 23 yards on 13 carries. He had averaged more than six yards per carry in the previous two games, but only 1.8 yards per carry Saturday.
-Max Shortell finished with 71 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown strike was a 20-yard pass, his third completion of more than 20 yards in the game. Gray’s longest completion was for 17 yards when the Gophers were losing 37-24 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
-Marcus Williams, former Hopkins High School star athlete, returned two touchdowns for the NDSU defense — one for 52 yards and the other for 40 yards.
“I’ve been waiting for this for two years,” Williams said of playing the Gophers.
-Duane Bennett and Donnell Kirkwood combined for 23 carries and 144 yards along with two touchdowns. Freshman running back David Cobb also saw his first action of the year with a single carry for three yards.
-NDSU running back D.J. McNorton rushed 13 times for 92 yards and a touchdown, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
-The Gophers run defense continued their trend of progressively worse play. In four games, the Gophers have allowed an average yards-per-carry of 2.39, 3.59, 3.81 and 5.00.
-Shortell helmed the Gophers’ most impressive scoring drive, but didn’t attempt a single pass. The Gophers ran the ball 10 times, marching 95 yards for a score. The Bison weren’t able to load the box with Shortell under center as often as they did against Gray.
-NDSU scored on every possession they had for the first three quarters of the game. They didn’t punt the ball until the third quarter with 1:12 remaining.
-NDSU quarterback Brock Jensen started the game with six straight completions and finished 16-for-21 with 197 yards and no turnovers. He added 37 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground.
-The Gophers tied a season-high with eight penalties for 57 yards, including two penalties on third down that would have halted the driving Bison. Senior linebacker Gary Tinsley had one of two 15-yard personal foul penalties that allowed NDSU to score on both drives.
-The Bison converted 66 percent of their third downs and Minnesota was called for the two penalties that gave automatic first downs to the Bison.
-Donnell Kirkwood left in the fourth quarter with a tweaked hamstring. He finished with 10 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns. The hamstring is the same he injured last year that forced him to miss the season.
He said he is optimistic that it will not keep him out of a game.
“Nothing too serious, not like the first time,” Kirkwood said.
-Troy Stoudermire left the game after the first quarter. Stoudermire had a fracture in his lower arm, but practiced all week.
The Big Ten’s all-time leader in kickoff return yards was unable to field kickoffs, but attempted to play at cornerback.
He was unable to secure two open field tackles against NDSU that led to big gains, after which Stoudermire left the game.
“Hopefully there wasn't any more damage to [his arm], and I hope he gets used to playing with it,” head coach Jerry Kill said.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/26/quick-hitters
This week in football
Published: 2011-09-26
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
-MarQueis Gray was 5-for-12 for only 53 yards and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by the Bison. Gray’s legs were unable to carry the Gophers this week, as he gained only 23 yards on 13 carries. He had averaged more than six yards per carry in the previous two games, but only 1.8 yards per carry Saturday.
-Max Shortell finished with 71 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown strike was a 20-yard pass, his third completion of more than 20 yards in the game. Gray’s longest completion was for 17 yards when the Gophers were losing 37-24 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
-Marcus Williams, former Hopkins High School star athlete, returned two touchdowns for the NDSU defense — one for 52 yards and the other for 40 yards.
“I’ve been waiting for this for two years,” Williams said of playing the Gophers.
-Duane Bennett and Donnell Kirkwood combined for 23 carries and 144 yards along with two touchdowns. Freshman running back David Cobb also saw his first action of the year with a single carry for three yards.
-NDSU running back D.J. McNorton rushed 13 times for 92 yards and a touchdown, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
-The Gophers run defense continued their trend of progressively worse play. In four games, the Gophers have allowed an average yards-per-carry of 2.39, 3.59, 3.81 and 5.00.
-Shortell helmed the Gophers’ most impressive scoring drive, but didn’t attempt a single pass. The Gophers ran the ball 10 times, marching 95 yards for a score. The Bison weren’t able to load the box with Shortell under center as often as they did against Gray.
-NDSU scored on every possession they had for the first three quarters of the game. They didn’t punt the ball until the third quarter with 1:12 remaining.
-NDSU quarterback Brock Jensen started the game with six straight completions and finished 16-for-21 with 197 yards and no turnovers. He added 37 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground.
-The Gophers tied a season-high with eight penalties for 57 yards, including two penalties on third down that would have halted the driving Bison. Senior linebacker Gary Tinsley had one of two 15-yard personal foul penalties that allowed NDSU to score on both drives.
-The Bison converted 66 percent of their third downs and Minnesota was called for the two penalties that gave automatic first downs to the Bison.
-Donnell Kirkwood left in the fourth quarter with a tweaked hamstring. He finished with 10 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns. The hamstring is the same he injured last year that forced him to miss the season.
He said he is optimistic that it will not keep him out of a game.
“Nothing too serious, not like the first time,” Kirkwood said.
-Troy Stoudermire left the game after the first quarter. Stoudermire had a fracture in his lower arm, but practiced all week.
The Big Ten’s all-time leader in kickoff return yards was unable to field kickoffs, but attempted to play at cornerback.
He was unable to secure two open field tackles against NDSU that led to big gains, after which Stoudermire left the game.
“Hopefully there wasn't any more damage to [his arm], and I hope he gets used to playing with it,” head coach Jerry Kill said.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/26/quick-hitters
Monday, September 19, 2011
Kill returns for Gophers’ first win
MarQueis Gray set a school QB rushing record and got his first win as the starter.
Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill's wife Rebecca embraces him after the game Saturday against Miami Red Hawks at TCF Bank Stadium. Photo by Anthony Kwan
Published: 2011-09-19
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
MarQueis Gray scrambled across TCF Bank Stadium field Saturday and gave the Jerry Kill era a needed first win after stumbling out of the gates with two losses.
The Gophers 29-23 victory over Miami of Ohio was Gray’s first as the starting quarterback and he ran for a school-record 171 yards.
Kill coached from the sidelines after spending five days in the hospital following last week’s seizure. Gray finished a game healthy for the first time this season and thrived when he could tuck and run the ball in broken play situations.
Both teams dealt with strong winds throughout the game, as the contest often slowed to a battle of field position, with the punters playing a pivotal role.
A key special teams play, in which running back Duane Bennett blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown, turned out to be the difference.
Though the Gophers played better than a week ago in all facets of the game, it took a Kim Royston pass deflection in the red zone on the final play to seal a victory.
Minnesota won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to establish its defensive presence.
The Gophers’ defensive scheme was more complex than the previous two games, where defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys brought in numerous blitz packages.
Miami was able to exploit an early blitz for a 66-yard pass from quarterback Zac Dysert to Nick Harwell, but the Gophers’ defense held up on the drive after that and limited the RedHawks to a field goal. That defensive stop was a precursor for the afternoon’s performance.
On the ensuing possession, Gray quickly hit sophomore Malcolm Moulton for a 59-yard pass that set up a Chris Hawthorne field goal to tie the game. The 33-yard field goal was the longest of Hawthorne’s career.
Minnesota’s defense then held Miami to two straight three-and-out drives and limited the RedHawks to two yards rushing.
On the Gophers’ next drive, they marched down the field and established themselves on short yardage when Donnell Kirkwood ran for his first touchdown of the year.
Minnesota had struggled to that point in the season controlling the line of scrimmage and picking up short yardage.
“Kirkwood ran the ball hard today and we need more of that.” Kill said.
Indeed, Kirkwood had more success against the RedHawks than other backs in previous weeks and the ground attack led by Gray allowed the Gophers to dominate the time of possession 35 minutes to 25 minutes.
Gray broke the single-game rushing record for a Minnesota quarterback on 25 carries. The previous record (160 yards) was held by Rose Bowl MVP Sandy Stephens in 1961.
Another quick stop from the Gophers’ defense that included a sack for freshman Michael Amaefula — the team’s first sack of the year.
Minnesota began its next drive with a play-action pass to Eric Lair on a crossing pattern for 43 yards down to the Miami 16-yard line. The Gophers’ offense was stifled at the two-yard line and settled for a 19-yard field goal from Hawthorne to take a 13-3 lead.
The RedHawks capped a later drive with an Erik Finklea 1-yard rushing touchdown with 19 seconds remaining in the half to pull within three, 13-10.
Dysert later connected for a 7-yard touchdown. Miami failed to convert the extra point and tied the game 16-16.
The Gophers drove down the field on the strength of Gray’s legs on their next possession. Gray rushed for 47 yards on this drive alone, and capped it with a one-yard out route to tight end John Rabe for his first touchdown reception to open the fourth.
Minnesota’s defense clamped down at the start of the final quarter and on a crucial fourth-and-five play, Bennett blocked the RedHawk’s punt attempt, and recovered it for a touchdown that gave the Gophers a 29-16 lead and some much-needed breathing room.
The score proved crucial, because the RedHawks weaved their way through the Gophers’ secondary. Dysert connected on his next six of eight passes including a touchdown, which made it a one-possession game.
The Gophers were stymied by Miami on the RedHawk’s 35-yard line, and attempted a fourth-and-nine conversion with three minutes remaining.
They failed to convert and the Minnesota’s defense had to take the field one last time.
The RedHawks marched down the field, and Dysert several times made something out of nothing by scrambling around in the backfield and narrowly avoiding sacks.
Miami got the ball inside the red zone in the six-point game. An incomplete fade route to the end zone with three seconds remaining sealed the victory when Royston deflected the pass.
Dysert, after being slowed down by the Minnesota defense in the first half, finished the game with 325 yards passing and two touchdowns. Harwell finished with a team-high 12 catches for 162 of those yards.
Gray still looked raw in the passing game, often struggling to read through progression. If his first option was covered, he would take off down the field.
Still, he finished with 334 yards of total offense and a touchdown.
“He’s played three games in four years,” Kill said. “You can see him gaining confidence. There is a lot he still needs to learn. I’m real proud of him.”
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/19/kill-returns-gophers’-first-win
Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill's wife Rebecca embraces him after the game Saturday against Miami Red Hawks at TCF Bank Stadium. Photo by Anthony Kwan
Published: 2011-09-19
Adam Richard
arichard@mndaily.com
MarQueis Gray scrambled across TCF Bank Stadium field Saturday and gave the Jerry Kill era a needed first win after stumbling out of the gates with two losses.
The Gophers 29-23 victory over Miami of Ohio was Gray’s first as the starting quarterback and he ran for a school-record 171 yards.
Kill coached from the sidelines after spending five days in the hospital following last week’s seizure. Gray finished a game healthy for the first time this season and thrived when he could tuck and run the ball in broken play situations.
Both teams dealt with strong winds throughout the game, as the contest often slowed to a battle of field position, with the punters playing a pivotal role.
A key special teams play, in which running back Duane Bennett blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown, turned out to be the difference.
Though the Gophers played better than a week ago in all facets of the game, it took a Kim Royston pass deflection in the red zone on the final play to seal a victory.
Minnesota won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to establish its defensive presence.
The Gophers’ defensive scheme was more complex than the previous two games, where defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys brought in numerous blitz packages.
Miami was able to exploit an early blitz for a 66-yard pass from quarterback Zac Dysert to Nick Harwell, but the Gophers’ defense held up on the drive after that and limited the RedHawks to a field goal. That defensive stop was a precursor for the afternoon’s performance.
On the ensuing possession, Gray quickly hit sophomore Malcolm Moulton for a 59-yard pass that set up a Chris Hawthorne field goal to tie the game. The 33-yard field goal was the longest of Hawthorne’s career.
Minnesota’s defense then held Miami to two straight three-and-out drives and limited the RedHawks to two yards rushing.
On the Gophers’ next drive, they marched down the field and established themselves on short yardage when Donnell Kirkwood ran for his first touchdown of the year.
Minnesota had struggled to that point in the season controlling the line of scrimmage and picking up short yardage.
“Kirkwood ran the ball hard today and we need more of that.” Kill said.
Indeed, Kirkwood had more success against the RedHawks than other backs in previous weeks and the ground attack led by Gray allowed the Gophers to dominate the time of possession 35 minutes to 25 minutes.
Gray broke the single-game rushing record for a Minnesota quarterback on 25 carries. The previous record (160 yards) was held by Rose Bowl MVP Sandy Stephens in 1961.
Another quick stop from the Gophers’ defense that included a sack for freshman Michael Amaefula — the team’s first sack of the year.
Minnesota began its next drive with a play-action pass to Eric Lair on a crossing pattern for 43 yards down to the Miami 16-yard line. The Gophers’ offense was stifled at the two-yard line and settled for a 19-yard field goal from Hawthorne to take a 13-3 lead.
The RedHawks capped a later drive with an Erik Finklea 1-yard rushing touchdown with 19 seconds remaining in the half to pull within three, 13-10.
Dysert later connected for a 7-yard touchdown. Miami failed to convert the extra point and tied the game 16-16.
The Gophers drove down the field on the strength of Gray’s legs on their next possession. Gray rushed for 47 yards on this drive alone, and capped it with a one-yard out route to tight end John Rabe for his first touchdown reception to open the fourth.
Minnesota’s defense clamped down at the start of the final quarter and on a crucial fourth-and-five play, Bennett blocked the RedHawk’s punt attempt, and recovered it for a touchdown that gave the Gophers a 29-16 lead and some much-needed breathing room.
The score proved crucial, because the RedHawks weaved their way through the Gophers’ secondary. Dysert connected on his next six of eight passes including a touchdown, which made it a one-possession game.
The Gophers were stymied by Miami on the RedHawk’s 35-yard line, and attempted a fourth-and-nine conversion with three minutes remaining.
They failed to convert and the Minnesota’s defense had to take the field one last time.
The RedHawks marched down the field, and Dysert several times made something out of nothing by scrambling around in the backfield and narrowly avoiding sacks.
Miami got the ball inside the red zone in the six-point game. An incomplete fade route to the end zone with three seconds remaining sealed the victory when Royston deflected the pass.
Dysert, after being slowed down by the Minnesota defense in the first half, finished the game with 325 yards passing and two touchdowns. Harwell finished with a team-high 12 catches for 162 of those yards.
Gray still looked raw in the passing game, often struggling to read through progression. If his first option was covered, he would take off down the field.
Still, he finished with 334 yards of total offense and a touchdown.
“He’s played three games in four years,” Kill said. “You can see him gaining confidence. There is a lot he still needs to learn. I’m real proud of him.”
All content © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/09/19/kill-returns-gophers’-first-win
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