Scouting: Northwestern @ Minnesota
Northwestern (4-0) at Minnesota (1-3)
When: 11 a.m. at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
TV: ESPN; Radio: WGN 720-AM
Series: Minnesota leads 50-30-5
Coaches: Pat Fitzgerald (31-23, fifth year at NU); Tim Brewster (15-27, fourth year at Minnesota)
NU players to watch: Northwestern junior Dan Persa leads Division I in completion percentage (80.2) and ranks third in passing efficiency (186.3), but the bad news is that Persa leads the Wildcats in rushing yards (172). Redshirt freshman Mike Trumpy, who posted 53 yards in 12 carries last week, joins junior Jacob Schmidt this week as NU's primary runners. The Wildcats' defensive line has been terrific with DE Vince Browne (4 sacks) and DT Corbin Bryant (4.5 TFLs) leading the way.
Minnesota players to watch: Senior QB Adam Weber already owns Minnesota's career records for passing yards (9,243), completions (781) and TD passes (59). He ranks ninth in Big Ten history in passing yards and figures to be in the top five before he leaves. RB Duane Bennett (371 yards) needed 24 carries to get 74 yards last week against Northern Illinois. Junior WR Da'Jon McKnight posted 7 catches and a TD last week. Senior S Kyle Theret (10 career INT) is one of the Gophers' few returning defensive starters.
The skinny: Considering Minnesota has dropped three home games in the last three weeks, this might not be the happiest Homecoming crowd of all-time. The Gophers' defense has been the big culprit. Minny ranks last in the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense (159.69 rating), rushing defense (187.8 ypg) and scoring defense (31.0 ppg). Basically, the Wildcats should be able to pick and choose how they matriculate down the field, but only if their rushing prowess in the second half last week (when Trumpy was solid) returns. NU's defense, meanwhile, benefits from the returns of safeties Jared Carpenter (lower back) and David Arnold (foot).
He said it: Pat Fitzgerald on his secondary, which allowed several big passes in the late going of the Central Michigan game: "Fourth-and-15, we've got four guys around taking pictures of the guy catching the ball. I mean, I'd like to see their reel. Awesome camera angle to watch a guy catch a ball. I mean, come on. Make a play. You've got to be aggressive and you've got to feel free to go make a play and not worry about the other end."