Next Day Perspective

[mkAz]

1-Northwestern's defense is really good, top 10 in the country good, Minnesota is not the only team they have/will shut down. It's not like they were the sisters of the poor out there, give them some credit.

2-We should have probably been checking out expectations more for this Gophers offense. For the most part, they only have 4 starters back from last year (Mitch Leidner, KJ Maye, Jonah Pirsig & Josh Campion). 3 guys from last year's offense are on NFL rosters (David Cobb, Maxx Williams & Isaac Fruechte), they lost probably their 2 best offensive linemen (Zap Epping & Tommy Olson), and they have been without Jon Christenson & Lincoln Plsek for all or most of the season. Fact is, last years offense struggled and this years team is not nearly as talented, why did we expect a better performance?

3-The sun came up. There is lots of good young talent to build around, things are still trending in the right direction for the program as a whole. Croft, Smith, Brooks, Gentry, Jones, Still, Holland, Gant et al are only going to get better.

 

[GopherinFlorida]

Not to mention an extremely difficult schedule this year. But let us go back when the over/under came out of Vegas and everybody was freaking out...go back and look. I agreed with the assessment and felt that a 6-6 season was very possible with our schedule, graduating players and lack of QB. Hoped for more. but expected this.

It is important that we make progress so the recruits stay in the fold.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

And we still have three impressive wins:

CSU 2-3 lost a close one to a great 2-2 Utah St. team 33-18
KSU 2-3 beat a stellar 1-4 Miami of Ohio team 20-14.
Ohio 4-1 pounded the 2-3 Akron Zips 14-12.

Yup, it's a new day and it just keeps getting better.

 

[cjbfbp]

And we still have three impressive wins:

CSU 2-3 lost a close one to a great 2-2 Utah St. team 33-18
KSU 2-3 beat a stellar 1-4 Miami of Ohio team 20-14.
Ohio 4-1 pounded the 2-3 Akron Zips 14-12.

Yup, it's a new day and it just keeps getting better.

The results you list there coupled with yesterday's debacle gives a pretty complete picture of the season so far. While I'm fairly confident that this team's offense can and will be better in the future than it was yesterday, it simply isn't very good (quite possibly the Big Ten's worst) and the defense, while solid, is more like top half of the Big Ten than top three (lack of pass rush continues to be a long term issue). With the weaker competition of the previous three games, it was easy to fool ourselves into thinking that the team's problems through non-conference were simply that the team hadn't put together a complete game yet (good defensive games for the first three and a good offensive game in #4) and the offense was simply finding its way while dealing with injuries and new players. This isn't like last year where the offense had just one terrible game through the first five. This is a chronic disability.

 

[John Galt]

And we still have three impressive wins:

CSU 2-3 lost a close one to a great 2-2 Utah St. team 33-18
KSU 2-3 beat a stellar 1-4 Miami of Ohio team 20-14.
Ohio 4-1 pounded the 2-3 Akron Zips 14-12.

Yup, it's a new day and it just keeps getting better.

Thanks for posting this. It also supports that our defense isn't the unbelievably great unit that some think it is. CSU puts up 20 on us but only 18 vs. Utah St.? Mighty Ohio marches up and down the field on us all day and scores 24, but the Zips hold them to 14....

We've created 0 turnovers in the last 3 games against 3 marginal at best offenses.

 

[Dr.Don]

Lot's of fans have/had high expectations this year without really knowing a whole lot. The danger of high expectations can and does result in disappointments.

OP explains lots of feelings.

Enjoy the season, and support and appreciate our Gophers.

GO GOPHERS!!!

 

[cjbfbp]

Thanks for posting this. It also supports that our defense isn't the unbelievably great unit that some think it is. CSU puts up 20 on us but only 18 vs. Utah St.? Mighty Ohio marches up and down the field on us all day and scores 24, but the Zips hold them to 14....

We've created 0 turnovers in the last 3 games against 3 marginal at best offenses.

I think the lousy offense, mediocre special teams, the TCU game, the injuries, and the resulting field positions and heavy minutes that have been dealt to the defense so far keeps the faith in the defense fairly high. The defense probably was overrated but they are at least Big Ten caliber unlike the offense.

 

[cjbfbp]

Lot's of fans have/had high expectations this year without really knowing a whole lot. The danger of high expectations can and does result in disappointments.


GO GOPHERS!!!

Amen.

 

[Section2]

1) Utah st is a good team. Losses are at Utah and at Washington.
2) I think we can learn a lot from Northwestern. They won 5 games last year. They've had a couple down years despite having good teams. This might just not be our year but it's not a reason to throw in the towel.
3) everything starts up front and out oline is not good. We can't protect long enough nor do we have enough accuracy to stretch the defense. When they can sit on short routes and stack the box we have problems. Run blocking has not been good either. We will take the next step when we have an above average oline. I don't buy the losing starters excuse. Everyone but Bobek and Connor have played a lot of games and Bobek is a 6th year senior and Connor was a high rated recruit with big time programs after him. This is the problem IMO.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

for almost 50 years, Gopher fans have waited and hoped for this program to really turn a corner and move back into national prominence. The Gophs flirted with "the next level" under Mason, but like a flirt, his era ultimately promised more than it delivered: some good individual teams and individual performances, but not a consistent step up for the program.

Then came Brewster - nuf' said.

So Kill comes along - an (apparently) plain-spoken regular guy, and Gopher fans (at least most of them) decided he was the guy who would lead the program to the next level. We saw (or thought we saw) steady improvement during the first 4 years; back-to-back 8-win seasons, and the team winning "trophy" games (except the axe.)

Now, we as fans are faced with another possibility. The possibility that Kill is not going to lead this program to the promised land. The possibility that he is another Mason - good, but not great, with some exciting victories and crushing defeats, and and the end of the year, leaving the team a step (albeit a long step) away from where the fans hoped the program would be.

Look, I'm 60 years old. I would love to see the Gophs Win another Rose Bowl, Win a Big Ten Title, or contend for a national championship. But, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I can live with that. There's more to life than watching Gopher Football.

Maybe - just maybe - this season is the reality check that some of the more exuberant fans needed to bring them back to earth.

 

[Gopher028]

I blame it all on the Dienhart curse. Picked Iowa to win the west last year and they had
a season we are about to have.
Picked us to win the west this year, and Iowa is having the year we were suppose to have.


DIENHART!!!!!!!

 

[DMB123]

Thanks for posting this. It also supports that our defense isn't the unbelievably great unit that some think it is. CSU puts up 20 on us but only 18 vs. Utah St.? Mighty Ohio marches up and down the field on us all day and scores 24, but the Zips hold them to 14....

We've created 0 turnovers in the last 3 games against 3 marginal at best offenses.

The fact that you continue to harp about the defense is mind blowing to me. The defense doesn't even deserve a mention when talking about this team's problems. TCU scored 23 against our defense, in their four games since then they have scored 70, 56, 52, and 50 points. An average defense is not capable of holding a team like TCU to 23. Colorado State has averaged 35 pts/game this year, we held them to 20 at home (and one of those TD's for CSU was due to Leidner and the offense turning it over in our own end again). Then the defense SHUT OUT Kent State at home. And the defense gave up 13 points on the road against Northwestern (I refuse to blame the TD they gave up after the punt return inside their own five). The ONLY game this year where you can criticize the defense is the Ohio game, and that's even a stretch. They gave up 24 at home and only 345 total yards. That's not great but it's not a disaster either. It's the year 2015 where points are scored like crazy at all levels of football, games like the Ohio game simply happen in this day and age.

I'll say it again, our defense was flat out good Saturday against NW. They were the only reason we were still in the game at 13-0 in the 3rd quarter. If the Gopher offense simply has two TD drives through the first three quarters yesterday we probably win the game, thanks in most part to the defense hanging in there and keeping NW off the scoreboard.

Our defense is top five in the conference and still VERY good. Without their stellar play against Colorado State and Kent State this team is 1-4 right now. John Galt, my goodness you need to get a clue.

 

[MaxyJR1]

False expectations... Thinking our good parts will stay good and our bad parts will improve from the previous season.

Offense has bottomed out, time for a full youth movement. Have some fun doing it.

 

[Mick Turition]

Good News, Purdue is not very good!

 

[cjbfbp]

False expectations... Thinking our good parts will stay good and our bad parts will improve from the previous season.

Offense has bottomed out, time for a full youth movement. Have some fun doing it.

Well said about expectations!

Agree 100% on the preferred strategy going forward too.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I blame it all on the Dienhart curse. Picked Iowa to win the west last year and they had
a season we are about to have.
Picked us to win the west this year, and Iowa is having the year we were suppose to have.


DIENHART!!!!!!!

Maybe that means his predictions are just one year too early. So watch out for next year!

 

[DMB123]

for almost 50 years, Gopher fans have waited and hoped for this program to really turn a corner and move back into national prominence. The Gophs flirted with "the next level" under Mason, but like a flirt, his era ultimately promised more than it delivered: some good individual teams and individual performances, but not a consistent step up for the program.

Then came Brewster - nuf' said.

So Kill comes along - an (apparently) plain-spoken regular guy, and Gopher fans (at least most of them) decided he was the guy who would lead the program to the next level. We saw (or thought we saw) steady improvement during the first 4 years; back-to-back 8-win seasons, and the team winning "trophy" games (except the axe.)

Now, we as fans are faced with another possibility. The possibility that Kill is not going to lead this program to the promised land. The possibility that he is another Mason - good, but not great, with some exciting victories and crushing defeats, and and the end of the year, leaving the team a step (albeit a long step) away from where the fans hoped the program would be.

Look, I'm 60 years old. I would love to see the Gophs Win another Rose Bowl, Win a Big Ten Title, or contend for a national championship. But, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I can live with that. There's more to life than watching Gopher Football.

Maybe - just maybe - this season is the reality check that some of the more exuberant fans needed to bring them back to earth.

Reactions like this are ridiculous. This was ONE game, and people like you are always re-evaluating the entirety of the program after a bad loss rather than just the season. This program is absolutely trending up, yesterdays game does nothing to stop that. I still expect no worse than a 4-4 conference record this year, and that's fine with this brutal schedule. Have people already forgotten going 0-8 or 2-6 in the conference under Brewster? My God, a 4-4 season is still a fun and competitive Big Ten season, especially with a chance to win a trophy game or two with two big trophy games at TCF this year (Michigan and Wisconsin).

And your last comment about fans needing a reality check is just silly, and also condescending. Most people expected anywhere from a 4-4 to 6-2 conference record which was and still is realistic (at least 4-4 is certainly still very possible).

If any Gopher fan out there is actually doubting whether or not Kill is the right man to turn this program around, well, I don't even know what to say other than you need your head examined. Kill's teams improve as the year moves on, and the QB and O-line play will improve and we will enjoy a fun 4-4 or even 5-3 conference record and the people doubting the direction of the program will look very foolish.

Before yesterday's game Minnesota was 9-5 in their last 14 Big Ten games, behind only Ohio State, MSU, and Wisconsin. Let's keep some perspective here people.

 

[Mvgopher]

The fact that you continue to harp about the defense is mind blowing to me. The defense doesn't even deserve a mention when talking about this team's problems. TCU scored 23 against our defense, in their four games since then they have scored 70, 56, 52, and 50 points. An average defense is not capable of holding a team like TCU to 23. Colorado State has averaged 35 pts/game this year, we held them to 20 at home (and one of those TD's for CSU was due to Leidner and the offense turning it over in our own end again). Then the defense SHUT OUT Kent State at home. And the defense gave up 13 points on the road against Northwestern (I refuse to blame the TD they gave up after the punt return inside their own five). The ONLY game this year where you can criticize the defense is the Ohio game, and that's even a stretch. They gave up 24 at home and only 345 total yards. That's not great but it's not a disaster either. It's the year 2015 where points are scored like crazy at all levels of football, games like the Ohio game simply happen in this day and age.

I'll say it again, our defense was flat out good Saturday against NW. They were the only reason we were still in the game at 13-0 in the 3rd quarter. If the Gopher offense simply has two TD drives through the first three quarters yesterday we probably win the game, thanks in most part to the defense hanging in there and keeping NW off the scoreboard.

Our defense is top five in the conference and still VERY good. Without their stellar play against Colorado State and Kent State this team is 1-4 right now. John Galt, my goodness you need to get a clue.

I don't disagree for the most part. The lack of pass rush and turnovers does allow for improvement. This d can improve if they get healthy.

 

[jaymil]

Reactions like this are ridiculous. This was ONE game, and people like you are always re-evaluating the entirety of the program after a bad loss rather than just the season. This program is absolutely trending up, yesterdays game does nothing to stop that. I still expect no worse than a 4-4 conference record this year, and that's fine with this brutal schedule. Have people already forgotten going 0-8 or 2-6 in the conference under Brewster? My God, a 4-4 season is still a fun and competitive Big Ten season, especially with a chance to win a trophy game or two with two big trophy games at TCF this year (Michigan and Wisconsin).

And your last comment about fans needing a reality check is just silly, and also condescending. Most people expected anywhere from a 4-4 to 6-2 conference record which was and still is realistic (at least 4-4 is certainly still very possible).

If any Gopher fan out there is actually doubting whether or not Kill is the right man to turn this program around, well, I don't even know what to say other than you need your head examined. Kill's teams improve as the year moves on, and the QB and O-line play will improve and we will enjoy a fun 4-4 or even 5-3 conference record and the people doubting the direction of the program will look very foolish.

Before yesterday's game Minnesota was 9-5 in their last 14 Big Ten games, behind only Ohio State, MSU, and Wisconsin. Let's keep some perspective here people.

Great post. Knee-jerk reactions after losses like yesterday are bound to happen. Bottom line, it's just one game. If we go to West Lafayette next weekend and blow out Purdue a lot of people will be excited about the team again.

 

[killme]

Excellent post, mkAz. I also think that NW was plagued by injuries the last couple of years. It's not an excuse, but could be part of the reason. We don't have the bell cow, and Mitch isn't capable of carrying the offense on his back without help. He's also not as bad as many like to believe. Christian Hackenberg is a highly regarded NFL prospect, but couldn't carry PSU the last couple of years. This coaching staff is building the program on solid foundations and their history suggests they will figure things out and a bright future looms.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

for almost 50 years, Gopher fans have waited and hoped for this program to really turn a corner and move back into national prominence. The Gophs flirted with "the next level" under Mason, but like a flirt, his era ultimately promised more than it delivered: some good individual teams and individual performances, but not a consistent step up for the program.

Then came Brewster - nuf' said.

So Kill comes along - an (apparently) plain-spoken regular guy, and Gopher fans (at least most of them) decided he was the guy who would lead the program to the next level. We saw (or thought we saw) steady improvement during the first 4 years; back-to-back 8-win seasons, and the team winning "trophy" games (except the axe.)

Now, we as fans are faced with another possibility. The possibility that Kill is not going to lead this program to the promised land. The possibility that he is another Mason - good, but not great, with some exciting victories and crushing defeats, and and the end of the year, leaving the team a step (albeit a long step) away from where the fans hoped the program would be.

Look, I'm 60 years old. I would love to see the Gophs Win another Rose Bowl, Win a Big Ten Title, or contend for a national championship. But, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I can live with that. There's more to life than watching Gopher Football.

Maybe - just maybe - this season is the reality check that some of the more exuberant fans needed to bring them back to earth.

I don't disagree. I've been subjecting myself to Gopher football since the 70's and you'd think by now I would have thicker skin. However if the past 50-year trend continues, my issue comes back to ticket prices. Up until this season, I was been paying about $80 per game for a $5 or $10 (street value) product and somehow convinced myself that was okay. In two years that cost will be over $150 per game and if we continue to get the same $5 sh!t product, then I probably need to do everyone a favor and move on.

Yeah, I've walked to the edge of the cliff before only to come crawling back to that ugly gopher-dog that has bitten me countless times in the past. I've dropped two of four tickets and will probably stick around a couple more years to see what happens. I hope to be pleasantly surprised but if things don't change, I'll just try and laugh off this thing we like to pretend is D1/B1G football.

P.S. - please spare me that last year we had our best season in 50-years with an 8-4 record, went to a News Years Bowl game, and lost. If this was really our best season in 50-years, it is evidence how pathetic we are as a program. Keep in mind that 9-3 gets you fired at places like Nebraska.

P.S.S. - rant over.

 

[cjbfbp]

Great post. Knee-jerk reactions after losses like yesterday are bound to happen. Bottom line, it's just one game. If we go to West Lafayette next weekend and blow out Purdue a lot of people will be excited about the team again.

It's not just one game. This team has scored 77 points in five games. The next worst total over five games in the conference is Maryland's (2-3) at 118. I don't know what you're seeing that makes you think this team could blow out anybody. They beat two MAC teams and 1-3 Colorado State by a combined total of 9 points.

 

[46Gophers]

Good News, Purdue is not very good!

Yeah, losing to Mich. State on the road by 3 tells me they suck

 

[DMB123]

I don't disagree. I've been subjecting myself to Gopher football since the 70's and you'd think by now I would have thicker skin. However if the past 50-year trend continues, my issue comes back to ticket prices. Up until this season, I was been paying about $80 per game for a $5 or $10 (street value) product and somehow convinced myself that was okay. In two years that cost will be over $150 per game and if we continue to get the same $5 sh!t product, then I probably need to do everyone a favor and move on.

Yeah, I've walked to the edge of the cliff before only to come crawling back to that ugly gopher-dog that has bitten me countless times in the past. I've dropped two of four tickets and will probably stick around a couple more years to see what happens. I hope to be pleasantly surprised but if things don't change, I'll just try and laugh off this thing we like to pretend is D1/B1G football.

P.S. - please spare me that last year we had our best season in 50-years with an 8-4 record, went to a News Years Bowl game, and lost. If this was really our best season in 50-years, it is evidence how pathetic we are as a program. Keep in mind that 9-3 gets you fired at places like Nebraska.

P.S.S. - rant over.

Please don't renew your tickets next year. The program doesn't need fans like you.

 

[cjbfbp]

Our defense is top five in the conference and still VERY good. Without their stellar play against Colorado State and Kent State this team is 1-4 right now. John Galt, my goodness you need to get a clue.

To date there are seven conference teams that have given up fewer points than the Gophers in five games (Michigan State has given up just a few more points in five games). The defense earned a lot of credibility with their performance against TCU in the opener but the competition in the three games after that was not stellar. The defense is a whole lot better than the offense and could well be top half in the Big Ten but there is no empirical evidence so far clearly indicating that the defense is "top five" in the conference. Wishful thinking is not evidence.

 

[46Gophers]

Great post. Knee-jerk reactions after losses like yesterday are bound to happen. Bottom line, it's just one game. If we go to West Lafayette next weekend and blow out Purdue a lot of people will be excited about the team again.

Purdue coming off a 3 point loss to Mich. State on the road and we're coming off being shutout. I'm hoping for a win next week but I doubt we blow anyone out this year. I hope I'm wrong. I expect a very close game that hopefully we can take away a win.

 

[jaymil]

It's not just one game. This team has scored 77 points in five games. The next worst total over five games in the conference is Maryland's (2-3) at 118. I don't know what you're seeing that makes you think this team could blow out anybody. They beat two MAC teams and 1-3 Colorado State by a combined total of 9 points.

Nobody really expected to get beat 27-0 to Northwestern. Nobody expected us to beat Iowa 51-14 last year. Things change week to week. We're 3-2 with our two losses being to top 15 teams and people are contemplating whether Kill is the right guy or not. I'm pretty sure similar things were being said last year after TCU and we ended up going 5-3 in the conference. Is that likely this year? At the moment it doesn't look like it will happen. But like I said, things can change.

 

[jaymil]

Purdue coming off a 3 point loss to Mich. State on the road and we're coming off being shutout. I'm hoping for a win next week but I doubt we blow anyone out this year I hope I'm wrong. I expect a very close game that hopefully we can take away a win.

I'm not saying I think it's going to happen, but there is always that possibility and if it happens people will be all sunshine and rainbows around here again. The knee-jerk reactions tend to be extreme around here IMO.

 

[DMB123]

Nobody really expected to get beat 27-0 to Northwestern. Nobody expected us to beat Iowa 51-14 last year. Things change week to week. We're 3-2 with our two losses being to top 15 teams and people are contemplating whether Kill is the right guy or not. I'm pretty sure similar things were being said last year after TCU and we ended up going 5-3 in the conference. Is that likely this year? At the moment it doesn't look like it will happen. But like I said, things can change.

Exactly. The season is longer than people realize and Kill will no doubt get this straightened out. Our QB situation, which is Kill's fault, will stop us from winning the west and having a special season. But that doesn't mean we can't go 4-4 and beat some rivals and have another solid season.

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

1-Northwestern's defense is really good, top 10 in the country good, Minnesota is not the only team they have/will shut down. It's not like they were the sisters of the poor out there, give them some credit.

2-We should have probably been checking out expectations more for this Gophers offense. For the most part, they only have 4 starters back from last year (Mitch Leidner, KJ Maye, Jonah Pirsig & Josh Campion). 3 guys from last year's offense are on NFL rosters (David Cobb, Maxx Williams & Isaac Fruechte), they lost probably their 2 best offensive linemen (Zap Epping & Tommy Olson), and they have been without Jon Christenson & Lincoln Plsek for all or most of the season. Fact is, last years offense struggled and this years team is not nearly as talented, why did we expect a better performance?

3-The sun came up. There is lots of good young talent to build around, things are still trending in the right direction for the program as a whole. Croft, Smith, Brooks, Gentry, Jones, Still, Holland, Gant et al are only going to get better.

All true, which is why some of us expected maybe 4 to 6 wins at the most; but being at the bottom of the NCAA in offense speaks to a continuing five year pattern, including fielding a decent B10 QB. It's a pattern, not a one-year thing.