Gopher Football Week 1 ‘Helmet Sticker’ Performances

Nearly one week removed from the season-opening 17-19 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels, let’s take a look at how the game played out compared to my preseason prediction, the “Helmet Sticker” performances, and take a small look forward towards the week two matchup with the Rhode Island Rams. 

I, along with just about every other Gopher fan who predicted how this game would go, had predicted that this matchup would be settled by 1-2 points and be a very tight matchup of teams looking to get early-season kinks out. This was how the game played out, but Minnesota’s inability to figure out some discipline and clean up the sloppy play before UNC did end up costing them the win. The entire team could not stop stepping on its own feet, with penalties coming at extremely inopportune times over and over. The offense seemed as though it wanted to get the ball moving through the air, but the inability to keep a clean pocket and hit receivers consistently made that difficult for the Gophers. As for the defense, any fan could tell you that missed tackles were a main reason they lost this game. Linebackers and the secondary were in position to make plays to get off the field on numerous occasions but seemed to let it slip through their fingers each time. Lastly, special teams was atrocious. Every fan knows that former BIG10 Kicker of the Year Dragan Kesich’s two misses were a big factor in losing this game, but those do not begin to tell the story. Two illegal formations on punts is inexcusable, as well as not having the ability to get any sort of return game working. The Tar Heels gave Minnesota every chance they could to win this game, but time after time they gave it right back. 

Helmet Sticker Performances

For those of you who do not know what a Helmet Sticker is; it is the tradition of giving small decals to put on their helmet the week after a game for good individual plays or performances. Ohio State is most known for this practice, as their blank gray helmets are filled out continuously over the course of a season. Although Minnesota does not actually give out decals for good performances, I will just use it as a way to point out positive performances that happened during the course of a game. For the first week of the season there were not a ton of standout performances, as mistakes tend to happen when attempting to get things figured out, but here are the few that came out of week 1. 

• Cornerback Play
  • Although UNC brought out one of the worst passing attacks that the Gophers will see all season, Justin Walley, Ethan Robinson, and Za’Quan Bryan all played with a lot of physicality and a lot of confidence throughout the performance. The standout play was Walley’s long interception return, but throughout the game, this group was continuously making UNC receivers make extremely difficult catches or getting stops. With the safety position being a question mark for this team, being able to man up confidently on the outside will be critical once Minnesota begins to face more successful passing attacks.

•  Marcus Major
  • Major made his Gopher debut against UNC, as he stepped in to start for the injured Darius Taylor. He finished the contest with 20 carries for 73 yards and 1 TD, which normally would not be looked at as a “Helmet Sticker” type of performance. Considering how the second half played out, where the Gophers ran 4 plays in the 3rd quarter and were throwing the ball often in the 4th, Major did not have many opportunities to build on a solid first half. With this, the offensive line play was below average and with this being his debut on this roster, the performance gave fans confidence that he can be a really solid change of pace back once Taylor is able to return. 

After searching and searching for any other performances that could be considered here, it just seems as though every other position group’s bright spots were completely overshadowed by glaring mistakes. Therefore week one’s game against North Carolina will leave a vast majority of the Gopher helmets barren for the time being. Next week’s FCS opponent, Rhode Island, should be the perfect opportunity for Fleck and the Gophers to fine tune all phases of the game and get the boat back afloat.