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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Opposing Viewpoint
9/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Each week during football season, GopherSports.com will feature a Question & Answer session with a member of the media who covers the Gophers' opponent for that week. This week, we talk with Teddy Greenstein, who covers Northwestern football for the Chicago Tribune. Greenstein also appears on the Big Ten Network on Friday (Big Ten and Beyond) and Sunday (Big Ten Tonight).
Greenstein, like many, remembers the last two outings between the Gophers and Wildcats and fully expects this game to be decided late in the contest.
GopherSports: Northwestern and Minnesota are both 2-1 in the non-conference portion of the season. Which team has learned more about itself?
Teddy Greenstein: Hmmm ... this might be the toughest question of the lot. I'll say Northwestern, although the Wildcats aren't thrilled with what they have learned. They gave up only 20.2 points per game last season and did not expect a dropoff, not with one of its best secondaries in school history returning. But an injury to cornerback Sherrick McManis led the Cats to a poor performance at Syracuse. They gave up 37 points.
GopherSports: What have we learned about the Wildcats and Gophers through the first three weeks?
Teddy Greenstein: That these teams are remarkably similar -- big-time passing games, not much of a rushing attack, a so-so defense. It's appropriate that both teams are 2-1, although Minnesota's is clearly more impressive, given that the Gophers' loss came against Cal.
GopherSports: Mike Kafka hurt the Gophers with his feet last season at the Metrodome. Has he improved over what Gopher fans saw last year? What can we expect from the Wildcat QB?
Teddy Greenstein: Kafka was dynamic at the 'Cuse, completing an outrageous 35 of 42 passes for 390 yards and three touchdowns. But he also took five sacks, fumbling twice. And he threw a huge interception with one minute to play. Bottom line, though, is that Kafka is one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the Big Ten -- and beyond.
GopherSports: This game has been down to the wire each of the last two years. Do you expect another game like that?
Teddy Greenstein: Absolutely. If this one is decided with more than a minute to play, Northwestern should offer refunds to everyone at Ryan Field.
GopherSports: Northwestern was pretty banged up in its loss to Syracuse. Do you expect the Wildcats to be healthier this week?
Teddy Greenstein:That's tough to say because injury updates do not exactly flow from Northwestern's football facility. My guess is that tailback Steph Simmons and linebacker Nate Williams will return. But the key guy is McManis, and I'm not optimistic that he'll be anywhere close to 100 percent. And if you're not at your best, how can you cover Eric Decker?
GopherSports: How important is it for both teams to get started on the right foot in Big Ten play?
Teddy Greenstein: Extremely. This is a bigger game for Northwestern because the Wildcats are home and have to travel to Purdue next week, not that the Boilermakers are exactly scary but ... A win for the Gophers and a 3-0 conference start is easily in sight with home games versus Wisconsin and Purdue.
GopherSports: Who or what has Northwestern’s attention in this game?
Teddy Greenstein:"Deck," as NU coach Pat Fitzgerald called him. But Fitz has also cautioned that Minnesota has plenty of weapons. I suppose that's true, but when you see that Decker has nearly 60 percent of the team's receiving yards and that the team's top rusher has 121 net yards, it's hard to think about anyone else.
GopherSports: What are the keys for each team in this contest?
Teddy Greenstein: Kafka needs to protect the football, given that the Wildcats are a horrid (considering who they've played) minus-1 in the turnover margin. (Minnesota is worse at minus-3.) Minnesota probably needs to establish some kind of run, although I'm saying that mostly because it sounds good. Bottom line, each team has to be the last to score.
