MINNEAPOLIS -- The Gophers' passing game remains a work in progress, but quarterback Mitch Leidner has now put together a pair of solid performances in Minnesota's last two wins.
After throwing for 167 yards and a touchdown against Michigan, Leidner followed up with 153 passing yards Saturday to help the Gophers top Northwestern 24-17 at TCF Bank Stadium. Leidner didn't throw a touchdown and did have an interception, but he did a better job of distributing the ball around to his receivers.
One of those was senior Isaac Fruechte, who entered Saturday's game with just three total catches on the season. Fruechte matched that against Northwestern as his three catches led all Gophers.
"We're just trying to get better each week," Leidner said. "I'm feeling confident. Overall, I feel pretty good about both games."
Leidner's biggest pass of the game came in the second quarter after Northwestern tied the game at 7-7. He hit sophomore tight end Maxx Williams on a deep pass down the right sideline for a 52-yard completion. It was the longest catch of Williams' career, and the second-longest completion for Leidner during his time with the Gophers.
That pass, plus a penalty on the Wildcats, gave Minnesota the ball at Northwestern's five-yard line. Two plays later, Leidner ran it in from one yard out to put the Gophers up 14-7.
Leidner was efficient with his passes Saturday, completing 10 of his 15 attempts. Williams, Donovahn Jones and Drew Wolitarsky all had two catches, while running back David Cobb also caught one pass for five yards.
"I think he's playing with a high level of confidence," Gophers coach Jerry Kill said of Leidner. "You start spreading that ball around a little bit, good things happen to you. You become better. We need to continue to get better."
Leidner's lone interception came in the third quarter when he threw into double coverage and was picked off at midfield. Still, he has just one interception in his last two games, and added 31 rushing yards in Saturday's win.
"Credit to the coaches for putting in a different protection scheme this week that we really felt would be good against Northwestern," Leidner said. "I thought the offensive line adjusted well to that new protection and really did well with it. I was able to get a great amount of time."
Penalties stung, but didn't cost Gophers a win: If Minnesota lost Saturday's game to Northwestern, it would have been natural for some fans to point the finger at the officiating.
The Gophers were flagged for six penalties that totaled 47 yards. But it was the timing of those penalties that almost proved costly for Minnesota. A few of the biggest calls came on Northwestern's 97-yard touchdown drive that was aided by several of Gophers penalties.
The first was on cornerback Jalen Myrick, who was called for pass interference after Northwestern's Mike McHugh turned for the ball but got tangled up with Myrick. It proved to be a 14-yard penalty and gave the Wildcats the ball at Minnesota's 36-yard line.
Later on the drive, Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian's pass was incomplete on fourth down. But Gophers cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty that gave the Wildcats new life. That penalty drew the ire of Kill, who was visibly livid on the sideline and spiked his headset to the ground.
Kill's outburst drew an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Gophers' sideline, inching Northwestern closer to the goal line. On second-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Siemian ran it in for the tying touchdown.
Gophers fans boisterously voiced their opinions to the referees after the Wildcats scored, feeling the call on Boddy-Calhoun shouldn't have been made.
"It's a situation where there's an emphasis on protecting the quarterback," Kill said. "I understand that. We always want to maintain taking care of the health of the quarterback. But I knew I threw my headset down. I'll leave it at that."
The penalty led to the game-tying touchdown, but Myrick redeemed himself after his pass interference penalty by running the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for what stood as the game-winning touchdown.
Mauer takes in Gophers game: Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer was at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday to see his first Gophers game at their outdoor stadium. Turns out he might have been Minnesota's good luck charm.
Mauer was down in the tunnel before the game, and drew the attention of several Gophers players as they ran by after warm-ups on their way to the locker room. One of the star-struck Gophers was Leidner, who pointed out to another teammate that the six-time All-Star was standing nearby, sporting a Gophers hat.
Also there to greet Mauer was Kill, who has attended several Twins games since taking the job before the 2011 season. Kill jokingly asked Mauer -- a former high school quarterback who had a scholarship to play football at Florida State -- if he brought his uniform with him.
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