Minnesota walked away with a comfy 41-7 shutout win over Akron yesterday, wrapping up their nonconference schedule at 2-1. That score looks great on paper, but if you were watching, you know it was a slow burn. The Gophers definitely earned that “wear ’em down” victory, but the stats tell a different story about how they got there, especially early on.
When the Plan Goes Off Script
The Gophers started the day already down a man, with veteran running back Darius Taylor ruled out pregame due to a “lower body” injury. You’d think that would slow them down, right? Nope, not the opening drive. Drake Lindsey was surgical, going 4 of 4 for 55 yards, hitting true freshman Roman Voss for his first career touchdown to snatch an instant 7-0 lead. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. had that first drive dialed in, no doubt. But after that? The source says there wasn’t “much of a plan beyond that.” Eight designed runs in the entire first half for a measly 1.3 yards per carry as a team? Oof. Akron even ran one more play and held the ball for 16 more seconds, but somehow Minnesota still took a convincing 20-0 lead into the locker room. That’s a huge contrast and definitely a red flag.
Grinding it Out Till the End
It wasn’t all bad news. Javon Tracy nearly took his third punt return of the season to the house, getting 155 all-purpose yards and giving the offense a much-needed jolt in that sluggish first half. The Gophers didn’t have a single explosive play for the first three quarters, but they just kept grinding Akron down. Running backs TJ Thomas and A.J. Turner started finding some lanes late in the first half, and their long runs eventually made the ground game’s box score look way more respectable. Lindsey, after a shaky start, pulled it together, finishing 17 of 31 for 204 yards, three touchdowns, and one pick. Thomas racked up 122 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and Tracy led the team with 91 receiving yards. The Gophers clearly “flexed its Big Ten muscles” and used some “garbage time” to make that 41-7 final score look pretty.
A 41-7 win is always a good sign, especially a shutout on the defensive side of the ball with Karter Menz even getting a sack. But let’s be real, there’s “a lot of room for improvement” before next week. They’re heading into their Big Ten opener at Washington, and while wearing down Akron worked, that kind of slow start might not fly against conference opponents. The Gophers need to find that consistent plan for all 60 minutes, not just the first drive, if they want to make some noise.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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