Gophers notes: Missing top threat Tyler Johnson, passing game self-destructs

EVANSTON, ILL. – Playing without their best receiver, the Gophers found out, isn't enjoyable.

Sophomore Tyler Johnson missed Minnesota's 39-0 loss at Northwestern on Saturday, reportedly because of a broken left wrist suffered last week against Nebraska. His absence showed, as the Gophers had only two completions all afternoon — on Demry Croft's first two passes — for 43 yards. After that, the passing game collapsed amid three interceptions thrown by Croft and six drops by his receivers.

"It just shows how young and inexperienced we are at wideout, how non-explosive we are at wide receiver,'' Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said. "When guys get their opportunity, do you take advantage of it or do you not take advantage of it?''

The answer was the latter.

Croft hit Rashad Still for a 36-yard gain to the Northwestern 35-yard-line on the Gophers' first offensive play, and connected with Rodney Smith for 7 yards on the second play. After that, the Wildcats stiffened, derailing back-to-back Minnesota possessions with third-down sacks. Northwestern finished with six sacks for 39 yards on losses.

"For us to beat that football team, especially with the conditions like today, we were going to have to play like last week with execution and be able to mix it up,'' Fleck said. "But we didn't make enough plays in the passing game.''

The dropped passes were especially troublesome.

Case in point on that came late in the third quarter, when the Gophers drove to the Northwestern 11 and Croft delivered a pinpoint pass to Phillip Howard for a would-be touchdown. But Howard bobbled the ball and hit caromed to the hands of Wildcats linebacker Nate Hall for the interception.

Croft didn't use Johnson's absence as an excuse.

"Guys like Rashad and Phil and Mark [Williams], they still make plays,'' he said. "It's just different weapons we're using.''

None, of course, are as accomplished as Johnson. The former Minneapolis North standout is expected to miss next week's Wisconsin game, too. He leads the Gophers with 35 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns. His 19.3 yards per reception leads the Big Ten and ranks 17th nationally. He has three 100-yard receiving games this season, and his 67.7 receiving yards per game rank fifth in the Big Ten.

• Saturday's attendance at Ryan Field was announced as 30,014, but there appeared to be less than a third of that at the start of the game, with kickoff temperature at 40, steady north winds listed at 22 mph and rain that turned to snow.

• Gophers center Conner Olson was helped off the field in the fourth quarter after suffering an injury to his lower left leg but returned to the game.