The Gophers Help The Red Raiders Achieve Their Historic Comeback
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by user Leslie Monteiro
The Minnesota Golden Gophers were facing the Michigan Wolverines for the right to lead the Big Ten. They faced each other at the Metrodome on Friday, October 10 , 2003. The Gophers were leading the Wolverines 28-7 heading to the fourth quarter. Everyone thought that this game was going to the Gophers. There was pandemonium at the Dome on that Friday night. Unfortunately for the long-time Gopher loyalists and Gopher bandwagoners, Michigan rallied to win that game 38-35 in what was a heartbreaking loss. Gophers never recovered after that as they went bellyup for the rest of the season.
On Friday night, they played the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Insight Bowl at Tempe, Arizona. They were in total control of this game. They were leading 38-7 heading to the fourth quarter. They had a very good performance from the defense, the runningbacks, the wide receivers, the tight ends, and the quarterback prior to the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they fell apart in the fourth quarter. Texas Tech was able to overcome a 31-point deficit to put the game in overtime thanks to their kicker, Alex Trlica kicking the game-tying field goal at 38. Texas Tech won the game after Gophers kicker Joel Monroe kicked the field goal in OT to make 41-38. They won thanks to their running back, Shannon Woods scoring the game-winning touchdown. The final score was Texas Tech 44 Minnesota 41. This comeback was the longest comeback in bowl history.
There is a similiarity between that loss at the Metrodome from three years ago to this loss at Sun Devil Stadium on Friday night. The Gophers blew both large leads and they failed to come up with an answer to the other team's run.
This has been a signature of Glen Mason's coaching tenure with the Gophers.
At some point, Gopher fans have to wonder when is enough is enough. It is bad enough that the Gophers head coach can not win big games in the Big Ten. Is it too much to ask for a head coach to somehow get his team to not choke on big leads and respond to the other team making a run? It is ridiculous. Last year, Gophers had a commanding lead in a regular season game against Wisconsin at home. They blew it on a bad punt by their punter, Justin Kucek. Wisconsin recovered from it and then scored to win that game. Minnesota had a similiar lead like that last year in the Music City Bowl against Virginia yet they blew that one too.
One has to wonder if Mason will ever take the Gophers to the promise land. It sure does not look like it. The coach never seems to have a clue how to respond when things go tough and it rubs off on his players.
Mason was lucky to even get a generous contract extension by his bosses last year. He is way overpaid considering that he never had a monumental win like Greg Schiano has at Rutgers. How does he answer to his bosses when he loses game like Friday night? How does he live with himself?
Texas Tech began their run late in the third quarter. It started when their quarterback, Graham Harrell, who struggled in the entire first half, went deep to his wide receiver, Joel Filani. The score was 38-13, with the extra point (38-14).
The fourth quarter was all Red Raiders. They got it started when they scored another touchdown. This time, it was Robert Johnson, who was the beneficiary of a nice, touchdown pass from Harrell. It was now 38-20. Trlica kicked the extra point to make it 38-21, Red Raiders.
Red Raiders struck again later. Their receiver, Eric Morris was able to catch the ball at Minnesota's territory in the 30 yard line. Johnson was able to get to the Gophers 10 yard line. They were within striking distance. Johnson again was able to get close to the endzone. They finally got it done when their quarterback easily ran to the endzone. The touchdown plus the extra point made it 38-28.
Mason and his players had to be nervous considering that they have been in that situation for so many years.
Gophers tried to get something going on offense, but there was nothing doing for them.
Their defense had to get it done.
Unfortunately, they did not and they were not going to. They were tired. They were not tackling. They let the Red Raiders do whatever they want.
They were hoping the clock would be their friend here. They hoped that the clock ran out. It was a bad approach because they needed to be proactive in turning it on their favor. They failed to do so and they paid the price in the end.
The Red Raiders were clearly in the zone. Harrell was feeling comfortable with his trifecta of receivers in Morris, Johnson, and Filani. Now, their running back was starting to make hay. Woods, who has been quiet, was starting to run for several yards to help him be in a position to score. They got help by a pass interference. Woods finished the deal by going to the endzone. It was now 38-34, Texas Tech. Trlica kicked the extra point to make it, 38-35.
The Red Raiders defense had their best stand of the night when it was their turn to be on the field. They sacked Gophers quarterback, Bryan Cupito and forced him to make bad throws in that sequence.
By then, it was a hopeless cause for the Gophers.
Everyone knew this was the Red Raiders to tie it and eventually win it.
They did just that.
It is too bad that all the good work the Gophers did in the first half went to waste.
It was all Minnesota in the first quarter. They dominated the football on both sides of the ball. They were able to run the ball well. Their quarterback was able to be in synch with his backup tight end. Their defense was able to force Texas Tech's quarterback to make mistakes. Gophers were able to score thanks to Texas Tech's turnovers.
Cupito was able to get started thanks to him clicking with his backup tight end, Jack Simmons to start the game. This got Cupito very confident. He was then able to distribute the ball well to his running backs and then to the rest of his wide receivers.
Gophers running game has been a staple under coach Mason. Amir Pinnix and Jay Thomas had a great night on the football field. They were able to run past Texas Tech's defenders at ease. They worn out their defenders by the second quarter.
Simmons had a career night. He is rarely used because he is the backup tight end. He played because their regular tightend, Matt Spaeth had a shoulder injury.
The Golden Gophers took a quick lead of the Insight Bowl as Cupito threw to Simmons to give the Gophers the early lead at 6-0. The extra point kick made it 7-0.
Pinnix was able to find holes and get several first downs. He ran to the endzone to make it 13-0 thanks to a pass interference by the Red Raiders. Gophers were on the Red Raiders 5 that made Pinnix's job easy. The extra point by Monroe made it 14-0.
Justin Valentine ran for a touchdown to extend the lead to 20-0. Monroe kicked the extra point to make it 21-0. Gophers were able to score thanks to getting several first downs by their backup running back, Thomas in the first quarter.
The Gophers were able to get big time yardage thanks to Pinnix's running. Logan Payne was able to get several first downs. Cupito threw a touchdown pass to his wide receiver, Ernie Wheelwright. It was 27-0. Monroe's kick made it 28-0. The rout was on.
They took a 35-7 lead thanks to Logan Payne receiving a pass from his quarterback. They responded after the Red Raiders scored their first touchdown of the night. Pinnix again helped put the Gophers in a position to score with his running. Cupito was able to do his job thanks to Pinnix
Cupito was airing it out to start the second half. He and Simmons were connecting each other in the third quarter. This gave the Gophers another opportunity to score. They could have scored a touchdown here, but they decided to have mercy on the Red Raiders. They kicked for a field goal instead. It was Joel Monroe's first field goal attempt of the night. He kicked it as the score was now 38-7.
This game should have been over by then. It was expected that Texas Tech was going to make a run. They run a very good offense. Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach gets the most out of his players year in and year out so his team was not going to call it a season even with a large deficit like that.
Teams make runs in sports. With that said, a well-coached team never ever blow a lead like that. Does anyone think Greg Schiano's Rutgers would have blown that lead? Does anyone think Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, Steve Spurrier, Mack Brown, Joe Paterno, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez, Pete Carroll, or any other great coaches would pull a choke job like this? Didn't think so.
Only Glen Mason can pull that feat a lot. It is old hat. Gophers fans are so used to it.
The question is how long can fans and Mason's bosses put up with this.
This was Gophers football at its finest last night. A team that always chokes.
You had to watch the game to believe for yourself.
It was a joke. I am a Golden Gophers fan and I have seen this garbage for years. It is getting old.