This browser does not support the Video element.
P.J. Fleck reflects on Gophers' win over Buffalo [FULL]
Gophers' football coach P.J. Fleck held his weekly news conference on Monday, looking back at Minnesota's 23-10 season-opening win over Buffalo and looking ahead to Northwestern State this Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team is 1-0 after a 23-10 season-opening win over Buffalo last Thursday night at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Darius Taylor's key play
What happened:
Gophers’ star tailback Darius Taylor had 34 total touches for 177 yards, but his most impactful play might have come in the second quarter. With Minnesota up 7-0, Drake Lindsey was trying to get Jameson Geers. Lindsey didn’t see that Geers had been pushed to the ground, and the ball went off his foot, up into the air and in the arms of a Buffalo defender, who was off to the races down the sideline.
Taylor sprinted back and made a touchdown-saving tackle on a 54-yard return. The ensuing drive ended in field goal and a 7-3 Gophers’ lead, instead of a tie game. Gophers’ coach P.J. Fleck said Monday it was the first clip he showed the team in their film session.
"The play of the game is Darius Taylor chasing that all the way down. That was the first clip we showed our football team of what the how means, and what it means to play at the University of Minnesota and the expectation of how hard to play," Fleck said.
Fleck explains 9:45 game-ending drive
Why you should care:
The Gophers were up 23-10 with 9:45 to play. Instead of trying to get another score and put the game away, Fleck drained the clock, every second of it.
The Gophers went on a 16-play drive, with Taylor getting 12 of the touches. He finished with 30 carries and four receptions. Fleck was asked Monday if that drive was sending a message to finish games, and if it might be worrisome for Taylor’s workload later this season. Fleck said he went into his four-minute offense to close out the game.
"Darius had really nothing to do with it. It had to do with going out there in four minute, being in that type of mindset where you have to bleed the clock," Fleck said. "That was a mindset drive, and a character-building drive."
Drake Lindsey’s debut
Dig deeper:
Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey made his highly-anticipated debut, with former teammate Max Brosmer on hand and wearing a No. 5 Lindsey Gophers’ shirt. Lindsey finished 19-of-35 for 290 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
He had a few passes dropped, had one sack he’d like to have back but otherwise, looked the part of why Fleck brought the four-star recruit in from Arkansas. He had touchdowns to Jameson Geers, and a 60-yard score to Jalen Smith.
"He played incredibly poised. I don’t think anything shocked me, I get to see that every single day," Fleck said.
The tackling
Big picture view:
The Gophers’ defense was fast and physical, limiting Buffalo to 151 yards, 1-for-11 on third down and getting two sacks. After missing 22 tackles in last year’s season-opening loss to North Carolina, Minnesota didn’t miss a single tackle against Buffalo.
Fleck said they did more tackling in fall camp than he can recall.
"In the offseason, we emphasized tackling in a major way. That’s something we’re going to have to be really good at," Fleck said.
What's next:
The Gophers are back at Huntington Bank Stadium this Saturday, hosting Northwestern State at 11 a.m. The Demons are coming off a 20-10 win over Alcorn State, ending a 20-game losing streak.