.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
No. 25 Minnesota Travels to Purdue Saturday
10/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minnesota Game Notes - at Purdue
NATIONALLY-RANKED GOPHERS TRAVEL TO PURDUE SATURDAY
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are in the national rankings for the first time in three years. No. 25 Minnesota enters this week’s game at Purdue with a 6-1 overall record and a 2-1 Big Ten mark. Purdue is 2-5 overall and is 0-3 in the Big Ten.
The Golden Gopher defense came up big last once again in its last outing. Minnesota gave up 550 total yards to the Illini. But the Gophers forced three turnovers and made a crucial goal-line stand. Minnesota’s offense scored 14 points off turnovers. Meanwhile, Purdue traveled to Northwestern last week and dropped a 48-26 decision to the Wildcats. The Boilermakers led 6-0 after the first quarter, but Northwestern outscored Purdue 24-6 in the second quarter. The Boilermakers turned the ball over five times in the loss.
This week’s game will be broadcast on ESPN Classic. Bob Wischuesen will call the play-by-play. Former NFL and University of Washington QB Brock Huard will be the analyst.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Minnesota is now 6-1 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten after defeating Illinois 27-20 on Oct. 11. The Gophers are tied for No. 1 in the nation in turnover margin and won the turnover battle 3-1 against the Illini. Minnesota scored 14 points off turnovers at Illinois.
Adam Weber has taken nearly every snap for Minnesota at quarterback and has thrown 209 of the Gophers’ 210 passes this season. He led the Gophers to a win at Illinois, just six days after arthroscopic knee surgery. Weber has passed for 1,612 yards and 9 TDs through seven games. Eric Decker has been the main beneficiary of Weber’s aerials. Decker ranks No. 3 in the nation with 8.43 catches per game and No. 5 with 111.7 receiving yards per game. Leading the way on the ground is true freshman DeLeon Eskridge. Despite limited carries in the first two games, Eskridge has rushed for 478 yards on 120 carries (4.0 avg).
Defensively, junior transfer safety Tramaine Brock is the team’s top tackler with 42 stops. Junior linebacker Lee Campbell has 40 total tackles. Junior transfer cornerback Traye Simmons is No. 3 in the nation in passes defended, averaging 1.83 per game. Senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg has 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Both marks tie VanDeSteeg for No. 14 in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision play.
SCOUTING PURDUE
Purdue has lost in its last four outings. But three of those losses were to nationally-ranked teams and the other was at Notre Dame. The Boilermakers are 2-5 overall, 0-3 in the Big Ten.
Offensively, Purdue is paced by running back Kory Sheets. he has rushed for 104.7 yards per game and 10 TDs this season. Curtis Painter is the Boilermakers’ top quarterback, averaging 246.6 yards per game, with six scoring passes. Greg Orton and Desmond Tardy are the top receiving targets, as both have eclipsed 500 yards receiving this season.
Defensively, Anthony Heygood leads Purdue with 70 total tackles. He has also compiled 3.0 tackles for loss and an interception. Ryan Baker and Mike Neal have tallied 7.0 and 6.0 sacks, respectively. Neal also has 4.0 sacks. David Pender is Purdue’s top cover man, with seven passes broken up. Five different Boilermakers have one interception each.
QUICK HITTERS
> Minnesota has cracked the national polls for the first time since Oct. 9, 2005. The Gophers were No. 22 in that ranking.
> The Golden Gophers are the No. 1 team in the nation in turnover margin. After a +2 outing at Illinois, Minnesota has an average turnover margin of +1.71.
> Minnesota ranks 4th in the nation in 4th-down conversions (8-of-9, .889).
> The Gophers rank No. 16 in the nation in kickoff returns (24.6 yards per return).
> Minnesota ranks 26th in the NCAA in pass efficiency (145.30).
> The Gophers are No. 25 in the NCAA in red zone efficiency (.880, 22-of-25).
> Gopher WR Eric Decker is No. 3 in the nation in receptions and No. 5 in receving yards.
GOPHERS IN THE POLLS
By coming in at No. 25 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls this week, Minnesota has reached the Top 25 for the first time in more than three years. The last time the Gophers were ranked in either national poll was Oct. 9, 2005. Minnesota dropped a 38-34 decision to Wisconsin later that week and has not been ranked again since. It has been 1,106 days since the Gophers have been ranked. Since 2000, Minnesota has ranked as a Top 25 football team in 21 polls. Seventeen of those rankings came in 2003 (nine) and 2004 (eight).
BAKING TURNOVERS
Minnesota defenders have been busier than pastry chefs this season. The Gopher defense has baked up 20 turnovers so far this season, which is tied for No. 3 in the nation. Meanwhile, Minnesota has been pretty good at maintaining possession of the ball. The Gophers have only coughed it up eight times (tied for No. 12 nationally). All that leads to an average turnover margin of +1.71 per game, which is No. 1 in all the land.
Of Minnesota’s 20 takeaways, the Gophers have converted 15 into points, for a success rate of 75.0 percent. Eleven of those scores have been touchdowns. Minnesota scored 41 points off turnovers during the entire 2007 campaign. The Gophers already have 89 points off takeaways in seven games this season.
STACKING THE DECK
Junior wide receiver Eric Decker is leading the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (111.7) and receptions per contest (8.43). He ranks No. 5 and No. 3, respectively, in those categories nationally. Decker is on pace for 101 receptions, which would smash his own record of 67 catches in a season. He is also on pace for 1,340 receiving yards, which would also easily be a Gopher record. He grabbed nine aerials for 86 yards and a score in his last outing at Illinois. He has now scored in six of Minnesota’s seven games this season. Decker is doing all this after missing spring football to play baseball. He was the Gophers’ starter in left field and batted .329 with 11 doubles, four triples and three home runs last season. Despite making clubs aware that he had no intention of signing a baseball contract, he was picked by Milwaukee in the 39th round of last year’s MLB Draft.
SIMONI'S SCORES
Junior transfer Simoni Lawrence has scored two touchdowns this season. Lawrence returned an interception 50 yards to paydirt against Florida Atlantic. In his last outing, he picked up a fumble and went back nine yards for a TD at Illinois. Lawrence is the first Gopher defender to score twice in one season since Tyrone Carter did it in 1996.
-UM-
