Gophers

Maye wants sweeping success to continue against Ohio State

Coaches call on patient receiver, and he answers in sweeping fashion.

By Jason Gonzalez

November 14, 2014 at 2:13PM

KJ Maye ran for a first down despite defensive pressure by Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell. (Brian Stensaas — DML - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Gophers coaching staff needed something special to redeem a failed game plan against Iowa a year ago. Their offensive weapon needed to be versatile, quick enough to exploit the Hawkeyes' defense.

Enter KJ Maye.

The junior wide receiver rushed a career-high 10 times for 66 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 51-14 redemption victory over the rival Hawkeyes. His ability to stretch the running game to the outside opened up the Gophers' playbook for a historic offensive performance.

The Gophers' first play was a jet-sweep handoff — when the in-motion receiver arrives at the quarterback immediately after the snap to take the handoff — to Maye for 12 yards into Iowa territory. The eight-play drive ended with another handoff to Maye for 9 yards, a touchdown and the first six of 51 consecutive points.

"There's two parts to the equation: the best way to utilize the people that you have, their skill set, and then the best way to attack the defense," Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said. "And fortunately, on Saturday those two things converged with regards to KJ.

"We said, 'OK, what can we do differently?' And that's when a guy like KJ really became part of the equation."

At one key point in Saturday's second quarter, the Gophers were up 28-7 and driving toward a killer touchdown in Iowa territory. First down, from Iowa's 33: jet sweep to Maye for 13 yards. First down, again: jet sweep to Maye for 10 yards. First down, again: jet sweep to Maye for 6 yards to the Iowa 4. Seconds later, tight end Maxx Williams was catching a Mitch Leidner pass for a 35-7 lead, and Maye and the Gophers had essentially swept Iowa out of the game.

"It meant a lot to me to have a game like that and to be able to play a full game and get that many touches in one game," Maye said. "It just showed a lot of character and resilience to fight back. … To have a game where the game plan was kind of focused on me and surrounded around me, it was a great feeling that I could execute that and was able to prepare for my opportunity."

It has taken longer than Maye imagined to become a key ingredient in the Gophers' formula. The Mobile, Ala., native played his sophomore season with a sports hernia after spending his freshman season transitioning from a quarterback/running back to a wide receiver.

The position change forced Maye out of his comfort zone and the injury required surgery, but his resilience was on display in August. Gophers coach Jerry Kill said he had the best camp of any receiver.

His touches were limited to four catches for 113 yards over two months until the staff found a way to get him involved against Illinois. Maye had five carries for 43 yards and three receptions in that loss, and the momentum continued into the Gophers' offensive outburst against Iowa.

Maye's teammates never doubted he could handle the extra assignments. Williams said that Maye works harder than anyone on the team and that he is willing to be used any way the staff sees fit. Running back David Cobb said Maye often jokes that he's the team's smaller, Reggie Bush-like running back. Cobb likes Maye's confidence and "swag."

Following Saturday's game, it's likely that the coaching staff is most appreciative of Maye.

"What you can't quantify is how big that kid's heart is and his desire to go play football. It's hard to keep him off the field when he's healthy," Limegrover said. "There's that combination that now he can play inside for us, can play outside, and he's a kid that we just have a ton of faith in."

That faith could be exercised again on Saturday against Ohio State. The Gophers will need to keep up with the Buckeyes and their 46-points-per-game average.

"I'm sure I'll have some sort of impact on this game," Maye said. "It's a good feeling to see the offense clicking, and everything we call is working."

Jason Gonzalez • 612-673-4494