Gophers notebook: U's penalties hurt chances to beat Wisconsin

MADISON, WIS. – The Gophers committed just one penalty in their victory at Nebraska last weekend and two penalties in their victory over Iowa on Nov. 8.

On Saturday, the Gophers looked determined to clobber Wisconsin at every turn. But by game's end, they had seven penalties for 72 yards.

"We lost our composure on the field a few times, which wasn't needed," coach Jerry Kill said.

Without saying the offender's name, Kill cited the personal foul penalty on Donnell Kirkwood on the kickoff after Wisconsin had taken a 20-17 lead. Instead of starting the next drive at their own 24-yard line, the Gophers were pushed back half the distance to the goal line.

"We don't need to do that," Kill said. "That's composure, not being smart. Teams I coach, we don't make those kind of mistakes."

Another costly penalty was the personal foul (hands to the face) on senior center Tommy Olson in the second quarter. The Gophers had third-and-5 from the Wisconsin 10-yard line, and quarterback Mitch Leidner had appeared to run 5 yards for the first down.

But the penalty pushed the ball back 15 yards. The Gophers had a chance to make it 21-3, but settled for a field goal. Kill considers Olson the best center in the Big Ten but said, "That was a critical play in the game."

Leading 17-10, they had the ball in field-goal range at Wisconsin's 30-yard line. But Leidner handed off to David Cobb on third-and-2, and they had a bad exchange. Cobb dropped the ball, and Michael Caputo jumped on it for Wisconsin.

With 18 seconds left until halftime, the Badgers got aggressive. Joel Stave hit passes of 35 and 14 yards to Alex Erickson, setting up Rafael Gaglianone for a 38-yard field goal as time expired.

The Gophers were 20-0 under Kill when leading at halftime, but the coaches knew that last turn of events in the second quarter could make things tough.

"You could tell on the kids' faces," Kill said. "We talked to them at halftime — 'We'll be all right' — but it was a big momentum shift. I don't think there's any question about that."

The big news was Cobb returning from his left hamstring strain, but Kill noted how Leidner has played through a sprained MCL in his left knee, and that left tackle Josh Campion played despite hyperextending his left knee.

Antonio Johnson, one of the Gophers' best safeties in run support, missed his second consecutive game because of a knee injury. Another safety, Daletavious McGhee, was injured and didn't make the trip.

Two other safeties led the Gophers in tackles: Cedric Thompson made 12, Damarius Travis 10.