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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Gophers Will Continue to Play Both QBs
11/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Gopher interim head coach Jeff Horton said earlier today at his weekly press conference that the Gophers need some "mojo." Horton was answering a question about the team's inability to score on its opening possessions.
But he could be talking about the entire team and its need for some good things to happen. Horton believes the Gophers could have an even better chance to be successful in its final two games of the 2010 season if it could get something going to give them some confidence.
"When you're a team that's struggling, you need every frickin' thing to go right that you can," Horton said. "You can say, 'Let's move, on, let's get better, we'll be okay.' But you know what? We're not okay when that happens. We need some mojo. Every chance we get a chance to get some, we need to get it."
One way that Horton is hoping to see his offense get some of that going is by sticking with Adam Weber at quarterback, but continuing to play MarQueis Gray behind center as well.
"We'll continue to do those things and play both quarterbacks," Horton said. "I think it's a good combination. I think you probably saw where he needs to play to receiver, too, because he can't throw it to himself and catch it. He can still make some good plays at receiver for us. I think both him and Adam hopefully over the last two games can give us some extra benefits and be able to attack defenses a little differently and try to do some things to them."
Defensively, the Gophers will be heading to Champaign to face a team that scored 65 points last week. Illinois runs a great deal of option and the Minnesota defense will need to hearken back to last season and remember what they did to slow down the Air Force triple-option attack in the inaugural game at TCF Bank Stadium.
"It's assignment football," Horton said. "It's not the old on defense, you see the ball, you go chase the ball. Can't do that. Got to be able to take the dive away, then you got to have a guy on the quarterback, then a guy on the pitch. If anybody chases the ball, gets out of their responsibility, that's why they get big plays. All you have to do is put on the Michigan tape, watch them all year, they've had a lot of big plays."
Notes
Here are some other news and notes from Tuesday's press conference:
- Horton said Brandon Kirksey has been reinstated to the team and will be in the lineup Saturday at Illinois.
"He's ready to go," Horton said. "Illinois is a big game for him. I think I mentioned a lot of kids are from St. Louis that play there. Like a homecoming for him almost. I expect him to go out there and be a great leader, play his tail off, help us win the football game."
- Defensive backs Ryan Collado and Johnny Johnson both left the Michigan State game with injuries. Coach Horton expects both to be on the field this week. Horton also said that fullback Jon Hoese was probably 75-80 percent last week and expects him to be able to play even more at Illinois.
- Horton mentioned that last week, Michigan State was coming off its first loss of the season and this week Illinois is coming off a triple-overtime loss to Michigan while the Illini are fighting to get bowl-eligible.
"They need one win to be bowl‑eligible," Horton said. "They're back at home. It seems like we get Michigan State after their Iowa loss, now we get Illinois after a loss to Michigan. They need one win to get to a Bowl. That's all right. We'll be ready to go."
-By Andy Seeley, Associate Director of Athletic Communications
