P.J. Fleck, Greg Harbaugh Jr. and Drake Lindsey all face pressure as Gophers' offense struggles

The Minnesota Gophers' offense has been struggling for the fourth consecutive week, ranking 130th nationally in total yards per game. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. and head coach P.J. Fleck are facing pressure to improve. Fleck admitted Monday that they must work on their performance at every position, including individual players, to get better.

The Gophers' rushing offense is one of the worst in college football, averaging only 99.5 yards per game, ranking 132nd out of 138 FBS teams. Their passing offense is also lacking, averaging 209.5 yards per game, which places them 90th in the country. Harbaugh, in his fourth season as offensive coordinator, should bear much of the blame, especially after other programs like Oregon and Oklahoma have replaced their offensive coordinators midseason despite having better-performing units.

Second-year quarterback Drake Lindsey has had a difficult time, with at least one turnover in six consecutive games and failing to surpass 250 passing yards in a single game since Week 2. Fleck attributes Lindsey's inconsistency to factors like trust in the pocket and fundamentals, but it remains unclear if the team's struggles stem from tough Big Ten defenses or Harbaugh's playcalling.

Minnesota's lack of a run game is becoming increasingly apparent, but simply blaming tough defenses is not enough. With the upcoming game against UCLA on the line, pressure should be placed on everyone involved in the Gophers' offensive game plan and execution.