One-fourth of the Gophers football season has played out, and a few trends on offense have emerged.
- Behind a deep, physical offensive line and a stable of running backs, the Gophers will run the ball as their identity, even without reigning Big Ten Running Back of the Year Mohamed Ibrahim, who was lost for the season in the opener. Minnesota has run the ball 149 times and passed it 59 times.
- The tight end position, though not featured in the passing game like, say, the Kansas City Chiefs feature Travis Kelce, is no longer just a third or fourth tackle. Footballs, at least occasionally, are finding their way to Gophers tight ends.
- It might be a stretch for quarterback Tanner Morgan to repeat that 3,253-yard, 30-touchdown pass performance of 2019. However, the fourth-year starter has been an efficient game manager, hasn't thrown an interception and should see an uptick in his productivity now that wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has returned from a lower leg injury.
"We've been able to run the football to finish games and win games,'' coach P.J. Fleck said, "but at some point, we're not going to be able to do that.''
That would shift more of the burden to Morgan, who has completed 33 of 59 passes for 481 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. His passing yards per game (160.3) and completion percentage (56%) are down slightly from his career numbers (203.4 ypg, 62%). In 2019, Morgan had the luxury of throwing to two All-Big Ten wide receivers, Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman, who now are in the NFL. The QB averaged 250.2 passing yards per game and completed 66% of his throws on the way to an 11-2 record.
Against Colorado, Morgan went 11-for-17 for 164 yards. His most productive connections were a pair of third-down throws to Autman-Bell to gain 8 and 32 yards to move the chains; a 39-yard hookup with Dylan Wright to set up a TD; and a 33-yard pass to Autman-Bell that led to a field-goal attempt.
Fleck praised Morgan for a strong finish but pointed to two or three passes that should have connected. Morgan, his own worst critic, saw room to improve.
"For us in the passing game, we've just got to execute better, and that starts with me being able to give guys chances to make plays,'' Morgan said. "Our protection has been elite, guys have been getting open, and we've had flashes here and there.''
With Autman-Bell returning to the lineup, Morgan has his most productive weapon available again. The wideout caught a game-high four passes for 79 yards against Colorado. He was targeted two more times and drew a pass interference penalty that helped set up a third-quarter touchdown.
"It was awesome to get him back on the field Saturday and see him make a couple of big plays,'' Morgan said. "It's obviously huge.''
