Fourth down struggles hindering Gophers offense – Austin Daily Herald

By Randy Johnson

Star Tribune (TNS)

During the 2023 and 2024 seasons, it was nearly a foregone conclusion that if the Gophers football team went for it on fourth down rather than punting or attempting a field goal, they would succeed.

After all, Minnesota led all FBS teams in fourth-down conversion percentage both years, going 10-for-11 (90.9%) in 2024 and 14-for-17 (82.4%) in 2023.

The Gophers were doing the short-yardage thing with flair, too.

There was Max Brosmer’s pop-pass touchdown to tight end Jameson Geers out of the tush-push formation in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

This year, however, the Gophers’ fourth-down success has dried up.

The Gophers (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) enter Saturday night’s Homecoming game against Purdue having converted only two of eight fourth-down chances, a 25% rate that’s tied for 131st among the 136 FBS teams. They’ve come up empty on their last four attempts at converting.

“The level of execution and the level of play and the play-calling starts with me,” Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said. “We’ve gotta be better, and it will be better. Like I said, it’s been addressed throughout the week.”

Not all fourth-down situations are the same, and that’s certainly the case with the Gophers.

Seven of the eight attempts have come on fourth-and-1, while the other was an unsuccessful fourth-and-8 pass when trailing California by 10 points with 5:50 left in the fourth quarter.

vs. Buffalo

vs. Northwestern (La.) State

vs. Rutgers

vs. Ohio State

“I won’t say that’s a hard call,” Fleck said of his decision to go for it against Ohio State. “That was a pretty easy call for me. That’s what I talked about with our football team all week, that we’re going to be bold and go for it.”

The fourth-down issues exacerbate another weakness this season: the team’s kicking game.

By not converting fourth-and-1 situations, the Gophers are forced to opt for field-goal attempts. That’s been a dicey proposition.

Kicker Brady Denaburg is 6-for-6 on field goals inside 40 yards but 0-for-3 on attempts of 40 yards or longer. In his career, the Syracuse transfer is 3-for-12 on kicks of 40 yards or longer, and those three makes came in 2023.

The fourth-down issues are a product of a variety of factors, and the team’s offensive line play is front and center.

The Gophers are averaging 128.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks 103rd nationally, and are averaging 3.8 yards per carry, which is tied for 104th.

Fleck and offensive line coach Brian Callahan juggled the lineup for the Ohio State game, moving Nathan Roy from left tackle to right tackle, Greg Johnson moved from left guard to left tackle, Dylan Ray moved from right tackle to right guard, Marcellus Marshall shifted from right guard to left guard, and Tony Nelson finished the game at right guard. Ashton Beers remained at center.

“We’re going to find the best five, look at the best five, put the best five on the field,” Fleck said. “And if we have to rotate, we’ll rotate. It’s a semi-good problem to have. We do have some guys who can play. We’re deep. We just need more consistency.”

Taylor, a 6-foot, 215-pounder, returned to the lineup in a limited capacity at Ohio State. His presence and power should help in short-yardage situations.

For Harbaugh, an improved push from the line on fourth-and-short runs will go a long way, too.

“If you’re going to have any successful running game, it’s got to start with how physical you are at the point of attack,” he said. “And when we have positive runs, I think we’re pretty physical. When we have negative runs, I don’t think we’re very physical. That’s as easy as I can say it.”

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