Hey all. I am a Twin Cities resident and usual Badger fan. I have a good friend who's a Rutgers staffer coming into town this weekend with an RU hat for me and tickets to the game on Saturday. I already have a soft spot for Cruickshank, so it's not a big stretch to root for the team in white.
I know way more about the Gophers than the Scarlet Knights, however. I suspect the Gophs will return to their 6th year QB, Tanner Morgan, who could've probably played last week but was held out after having a head injury the week before at Illinois. Morgan can be surgical in the RPO, but the WR corps lost its #1 for the year and the remaining personnel has been unproductive. The backup is a big, strong-armed guy who can run - he's just learning, though, and struggled with both accuracy and decision-making against PSU. Must contain Ibrahim, the only true threat (well, their TE, Spann-Ford is pretty good, but underused). Ibrahim has a 15-game 100-yard streak going and gets the ball 30 times a game. MN is very good in converting 3rd downs, but that's because of lot of 3rd and short situations - getting them off schedule is a great idea.
On defense, Minnesota has talent in all three levels and it's kind of a mystery to me why they've struggled lately. They don't get a lot of sacks, and sometimes the LBs gamble and get out of position trying to make splash plays. Sori-Marin is the king of that - he'll make an outstanding play, followed by one where the offense succeeds by taking advantage of his overaggressiveness. Illinois and PSU did well on the ground, but it was eventual - MN was good at stopping the run at times in both of those games.
I've only been to the Huntington Bank Stadium for a game once before, so I'm really useless in giving game-day advice. There is a reputation that the entry into the stadium can be a lengthy wait - the stadium itself is comfortable with wide concourses.
So, that's what I know. What sort of things should I know about RU fandom?
I know way more about the Gophers than the Scarlet Knights, however. I suspect the Gophs will return to their 6th year QB, Tanner Morgan, who could've probably played last week but was held out after having a head injury the week before at Illinois. Morgan can be surgical in the RPO, but the WR corps lost its #1 for the year and the remaining personnel has been unproductive. The backup is a big, strong-armed guy who can run - he's just learning, though, and struggled with both accuracy and decision-making against PSU. Must contain Ibrahim, the only true threat (well, their TE, Spann-Ford is pretty good, but underused). Ibrahim has a 15-game 100-yard streak going and gets the ball 30 times a game. MN is very good in converting 3rd downs, but that's because of lot of 3rd and short situations - getting them off schedule is a great idea.
On defense, Minnesota has talent in all three levels and it's kind of a mystery to me why they've struggled lately. They don't get a lot of sacks, and sometimes the LBs gamble and get out of position trying to make splash plays. Sori-Marin is the king of that - he'll make an outstanding play, followed by one where the offense succeeds by taking advantage of his overaggressiveness. Illinois and PSU did well on the ground, but it was eventual - MN was good at stopping the run at times in both of those games.
I've only been to the Huntington Bank Stadium for a game once before, so I'm really useless in giving game-day advice. There is a reputation that the entry into the stadium can be a lengthy wait - the stadium itself is comfortable with wide concourses.
So, that's what I know. What sort of things should I know about RU fandom?
