Minnesota Football Notes - Game 6

GOPHERS LOOK TO REBOUND AGAINST INDIANA SATURDAY
The Minnesota Golden Gophers will look to bounce back from their first loss of the 2008 campaign Saturday. That’s when the Indiana University Hoosiers will visit Minneapolis for an 11:03 a.m. kickoff at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Minnesota lost the turnover battle for the first time this season last week at Ohio State. The Gophers lost on the scoreboard for the first time as well, dropping a 34-21 decision. The Buckeyes scored on all three Gopher turnovers, leading to 17 points. Meanwhile, Indiana played a wild one with Michigan State last week. The Hoosiers dropped a 42-29 decision to the Spartans. Indiana went from a potential lead to a seven-point deficit late in the third quarter. IU had a 97-yard TD pass become a safety on a holding call in the end zone.

The Big Ten Network will televise this week’s game. Wayne Larrivee will call the play-by-play. Charles Davis will be the analyst. Charissa Thompson will report from the sideline.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Minnesota dropped to 4-1 on the season and lost their Big Ten opener at Ohio State last week. The Gophers fell to the nationally-ranked Buckeyes by a tally of 34-21. It was the first time Minnesota had lost the turnover battle this season and it equated to the first time the Gophers lost on the scoreboard.

Adam Weber has taken nearly every snap for Minnesota at quarterback and has thrown all of the Gophers’ 146 passes this season. He is 102-of-146 with eight touchdowns against just two interceptions. Weber has passed for 1,154 yards through five games. Eric Decker has been the main beneficiary of Weber’s aerials. Decker leads the Big Ten with 37 catches for 506 yards. He has caught four scoring passes.

Leading the way on the ground is true freshman DeLeon Eskridge. Despite getting limited carries in the first two games of the season, Eskridge has rushed for 280 yards on 65 carries (4.3 avg) to lead Minnesota’s rushing attack.

Defensively, junior transfer safety Tramaine Brock is the team’s top tackler with 34 stops. Junior transfer cornerback Traye Simmons has 27 tackles and has defended 11 passes (9 PBU, 2 INT). Senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg has 6.0 tackles for loss.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana will be playing its first game away from Bloomington this week. The Hoosiers are 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play, after dropping their Big Ten opener at home to Michigan State Saturday.

Offensively, the Hoosiers are paced by quarterback Kellen Lewis. He is Indiana’s leading rusher, with 357 yards on 42 carries. Lewis is also the team’s top passer, going 55-of-94 with four TDs and four INTs. He has thrown for 650 yards. Andrew Means (217 yards, 14.5 avg) is Lewis’ favorite target.

Defensively, Will Patterson leads Indiana with 23 total tackles. Jammie Kirlew (21 tackles) and Matt Mayberry (20 tackles) rank second and third, respectively. Kirlew leads teh team with 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Nick Polk has recorded Indiana’s only interception of the season.

QUICK HITTERS
> Despite going -2 in turnovers last week, Minnesota is the No. 3 team in the nation in turnover margin, averaging +1.80.
> The Gophers rank 24th in the NCAA in pass efficiency (151.64).
> Minnesota ranks No. 21 in the nation in kickoff returns (25.2 yards per return).
> The Gophers are No. 10 in the NCAA in red zone efficiency (.950, 19-of-20).
> Minnesota ranks 10th in the nation in 4th-down conversions (6-of-7).
> Minnesota has already quadrupled its win total from last year.
> The Gophers 2008 recruiting class was ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation and was a consensus Top 25 class. Numerous members of that class are on the depth chart.

DECK HANDS
Junior wide receiver Eric Decker set a new Minnesota single-season record for receptions with 67 last year. The Bruce Smith Award winner as Minnesota’s top offensive player in 2007 is on pace to smash that record. If Decker keeps up his current pace, he would tally 89 receptions by the end of the season. Decker is tied for No. 8 in the nation and is No. 1 in the Big Ten in receptions (7.4 per game). He is 14th in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten in receiving yards (101.2 per game). He saw his streak of six games with a TD reception end last week. But he has scored in seven straight, grabbing a two-point conversion reception at Ohio State. Decker missed 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. He was picked by Milwaukee in the 39th round of the MLB Draft.

TRAYE TOPS
After breaking up three passes last week at Ohio State, junior cornerback Traye Simmons has jumped into the national lead in passes defended (interceptions + passes broken up). With nine pass break-ups and two interceptions, Simmons has 11 passes defended (2.2 avg) this season.

THE EARLY RETURNS
True freshman cornerback Troy Stoudermire has played an important role as a kick returner for Minnesota early this season. He has returned 11 kickoffs for an average of 28.8 yards, which ranks No. 16 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference. He has three returns of 39 yards or more already this season.

-UM-

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