Minnesota Golden Gophers: By The Numbers

Purdue comes off its fourth consecutive loss last weekend in Ann Arbor and has Minnesota up next on the docket. The Golden Gophers are hanging in the Big Ten West title picture for now at 5-4 on the year and 3-3 in conference play, which is just a game back of Iowa.

PJ Fleck and company have had an up and down 2023 to say the least, starting out 2-0 and looking like a potential force in the division before dropping their next two outings. Since then, they picked up wins over Louisiana, Iowa and Michigan State while falling to Michigan and most recently Illinois last week.

Purdue is out of the Big Ten West race and bowl eligibility, but the Boilermakers can play spoilers to a Minnesota team with hopes of making it to Indianapolis next month.

Boiler Upload dives into the Golden Gophers by the numbers ahead of Saturday's tilt in Ross-Ade Stadium.

Similar to the team as a whole, PJ Fleck's offense has gone through its fair share of up and downs throughout the season. Minnesota has had four games of 13 points or less and five games of 25 points or more, only one of which was over 30.

A large part in Minnesota's inconsistent play offensively has been starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who hasn't lived up to the preseason hype placed upon him by the media. In his first full year as a starter following the departure of Tanner Morgan, Kaliakmanis has thrown for 1,290 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 54.1% of his passes.

As a result, the Gophers are 12th in the Big Ten is passing offense through nine games this season.

Kaliakmanis has found a reliable target on the outside, however. Wide receiver Daniel Jackson has been one of the most productive pass catchers in the Big Ten, hauling in 38 catches for 562 yards and seven touchdowns. Those marks are good for 6th (catches), 5th (yards) and 3rd (touchdown catches) in the Big Ten this season.

Outside of Jackson has been a different story, as only two other pass catchers have produced more than 100 yards to this point. Corey Crooms is second on the team with 24 catches and 292 yards and the next closest receiver in those categories is sophomore Le'Meke Brockington, who has just five catches for 73 yards on the season, but hasn't played since late September.

Ryan Walters was very complimentary of tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, who was viewed as one of the best at his position coming into the season, but his production has not met that billing. Although, he has been heating up. 101 of Spann-Ford's 167 yards this season have come in the last two weeks.

Make no mistake though, PJ Fleck's focus offensively is on the ground.

Minnesota has been in the top five of rushing in the Big Ten over the last two seasons, but it has been more of a backfield by committee than when Mo Ibrahim ran all over the conference a year ago.

The Golden Gophers have had four different leading rushers through nine games, mostly due to injuries to the group. True freshman Darius Taylor burst onto the scene, having 529 yards between week two and week four, but has played in just one game since then. Despite playing in only five games, Taylor is fifth in rushing in the conference. There is a change the freshman phenom returns this weekend against the Boilermakers, however.

In Taylor's absence, fellow freshman Zach Evans found some success with 130 yards over his first two outings, but that production has trailed off in recent weeks.

Enter Jordan Nubin, who has been one of the most productive backs in the country over the last two weeks and has a ton of momentum heading into Saturday. The sophomore and brother of star safety Tyler Nubin has rushed for 279 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks, rising on the depth chart.

Minnesota is going to lean on the run against Purdue, who owns the fourth worst rushing defense in the Big Ten coming into Saturday, and will have their work cut out for them against the Gophers.

It hasn't been the same type of elite defense that the folks in Minneapolis have been accustomed to over the previous two years, when it was the top scoring defense in the country during that time.

The Gophers started the year on that path, surrendering just 16 points across their first two games, but have since given up just over 27 points per game. In October wins over Iowa and Michigan State, the defense looked to be returning to stellar form, but then allowed Illinois to hang 27 on them last weekend. In total, the Gophers are eight in the Big Ten, allowing 23.2 points per game.

A constant throughout the season has been Minnesota's stellar play defending the run, where it is fourth in the conference and 23rd in the country in rushing defense. A large part in that is the front line of the Gophers, most notably Danny Striggow and Kyler Baugh, who have combined for 11.5 of Minnesota's 43 tackles for loss.

That front is middle of the pack in the conference with 21 total sacks on the year, led by Striggow (5) and Jah Joyner (4.5) this season.

Helping out in the run game will be junior linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who missed the first seven games of the year, but has returned for the last two. Lindenberg already has 14 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss upon his return.

Start safety Tyler Nubin headlines things on the back end for the Gophers, the future All-Big Ten performer and NFL Draft selection is tied for second in the Big Ten with four interceptions on a defense that has produced the second most interceptions and turnovers in the conference this season.

That has not translated into complete success defending the pass, however. Minnesota is 11th in passing yards allowed per game and have allowed the fourth most passing touchdowns in the Big Ten.