Minnesota has hit its stride
PSU presents first big test
Minnesota’s football team is somewhat of an unknown commodity this season.
The Golden Gophers have come out of nowhere as a potential Big Ten Conference championship contender with an 8-0 record, but the bout Saturday with No. 5ranked Penn State (8-0 overall, 5-0) will be No. 13 Minnesota’s first real test against a proven team.
Luckily, the PostGazette has an old friend who can answer some of the questions surrounding the Gophers. Megan Ryan worked for the Post-Gazette from 2015-16 and covered Penn State during that time. Now, she covers Minnesota for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Megan was kind enough to give her perspective on the Gophers’ season, expectations surrounding the program and some things to watch out for on Saturday.
Q: How have those within [Minnesota’s] program handled any changing expectations, and is it fair to say that it’s a surprise the Gophers are where they are at this point?
A: A surprise to us, yes, but apparently not to P.J. Fleck. If you go back to his intro presser, he basically predicted the Gophers could be contenders in Year 3. I think this team particularly is very good at self-belief and not listening to outside hype or criticism, which has served them very well. I mean, I had them at 8-4 at best and Nebraska winning the Big Ten West, so I’m surprised to see them undefeated at this point. But they’ve looked very good in the recent games.
Q: With guys like [wide receiver Rashod] Bateman, [wide receiver Tyler] Johnson, [quarterback Tanner] Morgan and [running back Rodney] Smith playing as well as they have, but also with Fleck in his third season there now, how much of Minnesota’s success is an upgrade in talent from the past and how much is a more general, program improvement? Obviously both deserve credit, but I’m wondering how you’ve seen the program develop and whether it is a concrete, physical difference or maybe something less tangible.
A: I’d pin a lot of it on general improvement, both from the program as a whole and players. Tyler Johnson, for example, really became an NFL prospect once Fleck
and receivers coach Matt Simon came on and steered his development. Bateman, of course, is a new talent infusion as a sophomore Fleck recruited. But a lot of the stars are seniors, and that speaks more to how the new coaching staff was able to win them over and make them better. Program-wise, Fleck took over in a really weird situation, with a sexual assault scandal and player boycott going on. And his culture is very strong and sometimes offputting. So I think that took a lot of work to instill and accept. But now that the team is proving it can win with that mentality, that goes a long way.
Q: Who is an under-the-radar player who could be important against Penn State?
A: Man, all the cornerbacks, probably. Had a convo with a draft expert recently where he mentioned two of the Gophers cornerbacks as draft potentials that I had never really considered because they’re kind of under-sung. But that group went from having no real clear starters at the beginning of the year to using a real solid rotation. Benjamin St-Juste, Coney Durr, Chris Williamson … they’ve all exceed expectations in my book. And it will be good to see how they handle someone like KJ Hamler.
Q: How have you seen the excitement and support grow around this team as the season has progressed, and what do you expect the atmosphere to be like on Saturday?
A: I go to Fleck’s radio show every Tuesday at lunch, and when I first started going in the offseason, there were, like, 10 people there. This week, the restaurant was packed. I would not have been able to get a table if I wasn’t a regular at this point. So that to me is a great indicator that people are excited about this team. Minnesotans are desperate for a winning team, and the Gophers have languished for years in that aspect, plus competing with a professional sports-heavy market. But they’re commanding the spotlight now, for the first time that I can really remember. If they can sell out Saturday’s game, I think it’ll be an awesome environment. Probably not up to a whiteout standard, but TCF Bank Stadium also doesn’t hold 100,000 people.
Q: What is one place anyone traveling to Minneapolis should try to hit? And what’s the thing you miss most about Pittsburgh/ State College?
A: I’m a big fan of the Stone Arch Bridge. I live by it, and it’s a wonderful little walk over the Mississippi River with great city views. Grab a cup of coffee and hit it in the morning. And as far as what I miss about the good old Western PA, probably the people. That’s sappy, but I loved my time at the PG and the sports staff there. Also, low-key loved my East Liberty apartment and walking up to Highland Park. And Smiling Banana Leaf. Still my favorite Thai restaurant of all time.