The first hour after most Gopher football wins usually reveal what head coach P.J. Fleck has concocted as that week’s theme. After the 31-28 home victory over Rutgers in the Big Ten opener on Saturday, it was about players being hunting dogs since the 27-14 loss to California on Sept. 14.
While that might seem random, it’s not out of left field for Fleck.
“We talked about, we had to go on a hunt,” Fleck said. “State of Minnesota, hunting season is right around the corner. Sometimes you let the dogs out of the cage and they are ready to hunt, and you don’t see the pheasant, you don’t see the deer, you don’t see a turkey. I don’t know what else you can shoot. I’m not a big hunter. But you go onto the next scent. You just keep hunting.”
That theme helped put into context why star defensive end Anthony Smith delved into barking on the postgame radio show. He was asked by KFAN sideline reporter Justin Gaard what he thought about Drake Lindsey leading a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.
“A dawg,” Smith said. “Woof. Woof. Woof.”
Then Fleck joined Gaard for a postgame interview, and the coach was soon barking, too.
With a win to improve to 3-1 and 1-0 in Big Ten play, the Gophers were just having some innocent fun.
Perich responds
After a tough outing against Cal, sophomore safety Koi Perich had a much improved game against Rutgers. The Esko, Minn., native was second on the team with 11 total tackles and one sack.
Perich did not have any snaps on offense, a departure from the first three games, but he kept a role on special teams and his 56-yard punt return in the second quarter was his biggest of the season.
“That was a really tough few days, I know it was, for him,” Fleck said. “He had to battle through some things internally for himself because I don’t think it ever happened for him like that before. There was a lot of transparency and honesty, and I thought he responded absolutely elite to it.”
Injuries deepen
Gophers backup running back A.J. Turner was ruled out for the season on Saturday, while No. 1 tailback Darius Taylor (hamstring) missed a second straight game.
Without Taylor or Turner, the Gophers struggled to run the ball against Rutgers, managing only 1.9 yards per carry.
Fame Ijeboi had 12 carries for 37 yards, while Cam Davis had three carries for 8 yards.
Turner appeared to injure his knee in the Cal loss. He needed help off the field and didn’t return in Berkeley, Calif. Billed as a big-play threat after transferring in from Marshall, he had 16 carries for 64 yards and one touchdown across three games.
Turner, who came into the season with two years of eligibility remaining, would be a candidate for a medical redshirt, but the NCAA in considering changing that policy and instead permit student-athletes to participate in up to five seasons of competition during their first 10 semesters or 15 quarters of full-time enrollment.
Briefly
Safety Garrison Monroe, who played in the first three games, was the most notable other player to miss the Rutgers game. Fellow safety Aidan Gousby left the game with a leg injury and didn’t return.
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