CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Gophers football team had 48 rushing attempts Saturday. Mitch Leidner attempted 19 passes.
That level of imbalance was not by accident. Gusty winds and game situations dictated some of it, but a run-heavy emphasis serves as an acknowledgment of what the Gophers do well, and what they don't do well.
"If you're going to go down, you go down with your best," coach Tracy Claeys said. "So we're putting the ball in the hands of our best players."
The Gophers didn't go down against a woeful Illinois squad because they repeatedly put the ball in the hands of their dynamic tailback tandem of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks.
Five rushing touchdowns fueled a 40-17 rout at Memorial Stadium and reaffirmed a narrative that has evolved since the preseason.
The Gophers have a senior quarterback with 36 career starts on his résumé, but the offense's identity revolves around Smith & Brooks, not Leidner.
"We know we can run the ball even when defenses attempt to stack the box," Smith said. "I would say we have found our identity."
So much preseason conversation focused on Leidner's experience and alleged improvement. Eight games later, Leidner has assumed a secondary role in favor of a two-headed rushing attack, which is a smart strategy — for now.