Helwagen: Let’s see where Minnesota is in five years. We might be surprised.

[BleedGopher]

per Helwagen:

* Steve Says: It’s hard to mistake the direction Minnesota is headed. When the Golden Gophers get their first win over rival Wisconsin in 15 years, you know some special things could be in the offing for Minnesota and its energetic head coach P.J. Fleck.

OK, Fleck got the Gophers to a bowl game. The next step will be to make Minnesota a consistent contender in the Western Division. Step by step, this can be accomplished through recruiting gains and development. Let’s see where Minnesota is in five years. We might be surprised.

https://247sports.com/college/minne...up-for-spring-practice-129988004/#129988004_2

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

This guy gets it. Not a dink.

 

[Urbandale]

Not a dink, except for claiming that the Gophers beat Virginia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. I forgot to record that one.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Not a dink, except for claiming that the Gophers beat Virginia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. I forgot to record that one.

That probably would have been a better match for us.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

5 years ago it was 2014 and the season was pretty great.

Then 2015 .... was a BRUTAL / terrible season. Jerry left.... that Kent St. game will forever be burned into my soul.... some other games I don't want to talk about.

I would have never predicted where we are now based on that.

You just never know.

 

[PMWinSTP]

5 years ago it was 2015 and we just had a great 2014

Then 2015 .... was a BRUTAL / terrible season. Jerry left.... that Kent St. game will forever be burned into my soul.... some other games I don't want to talk about.

I would have never predicted where we are now based on that.

You just never know.

And then...2016 happened.

2010 was a brutal season.

 

[MNVCGUY]

5 years ago it was 2014 and the season was pretty great.

Then 2015 .... was a BRUTAL / terrible season. Jerry left.... that Kent St. game will forever be burned into my soul.... some other games I don't want to talk about.

I would have never predicted where we are now based on that.

You just never know.

Looking at the 2015 schedule we lost to 3 top 10 teams so not sure I would call it a terrible season in terms of results. Now all the stuff with Kill and what not obviously casts that season in a negative light.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Looking at the 2015 schedule we lost to 3 top 10 teams so not sure I would call it a terrible season in terms of results. Now all the stuff with Kill and what not obviously casts that season in a negative light.

The team didn't stink every game ... it still was a brutal year. Losses to 3 top 10 teams, at some point that's just how the schedule worked out, not an accomplishment.

 

[MNVCGUY]

The team didn't stink every game ... it still was a brutal year. Losses to 3 top 10 teams, at some point that's just how the schedule worked out, not an accomplishment.

What 2015 cemented for me was what the ceiling was for the Kill regime. They had pulled the program up from where it was under Brew and turned the team into one that could compete most weeks. But it also never felt like a program that was on the cusp of becoming a factor in the Big Ten. Very much what the later years of the Mason tenure were like, good but never great.

Now we get to find out if Fleck can finally be the guy to take that next step and get the team over that hump in these next few years.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

What 2015 cemented for me was what the ceiling was for the Kill regime. They had pulled the program up from where it was under Brew and turned the team into one that could compete most weeks. But it also never felt like a program that was on the cusp of becoming a factor in the Big Ten. Very much what the later years of the Mason tenure were like, good but never great.

Now we get to find out if Fleck can finally be the guy to take that next step and get the team over that hump in these next few years.

Kent State specifically drove that home for me.

Like Jerry and Co. had done an amazing job building the team. And yeah kids were hurt during that game. But god damn it was Kent State was so horrible to watch and the coach's just committed to it being that way.

Our offense had remained so bad and we were just committed to it ... and Jerry was or could not straight up not going to do anything different about it ... felt like we maybe hit a ceiling in 2014 too and just like you said I felt a bit like I felt about Mason near the end, I wanted more than that and I wasn't sure Jerry & Co. could do that, ever.

 

[RememberMurray]

What 2015 cemented for me was what the ceiling was for the Kill regime. They had pulled the program up from where it was under Brew and turned the team into one that could compete most weeks. But it also never felt like a program that was on the cusp of becoming a factor in the Big Ten. Very much what the later years of the Mason tenure were like, good but never great.

Now we get to find out if Fleck can finally be the guy to take that next step and get the team over that hump in these next few years.

Absolutely true. Well stated.

With the opening of spring practice, Year 3 has officially begun. We are right on the cusp of knowing if we've finally turned the corner here.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Absolutely true. Well stated.

With the opening of spring practice, Year 3 has officially begun. We are right on the cusp of knowing if we've finally turned the corner here.

Every year we're on the cusp of knowing ... we just never find out much.

 

[RememberMurray]

Every year we're on the cusp of knowing ... we just never find out much.

I disagree. Eventually, we always find out if we have the right coach at the helm or not.

If the goal now is to do better than the previous regime, and take the program to new heights, then... yep. We'll know pretty soon.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I disagree. Eventually, we always find out if we have the right coach at the helm or not.

If the goal now is to do better than the previous regime, and take the program to new heights, then... yep. We'll know pretty soon.

Eventually

I'm not sure that's the case. I'm also not sure any given year considering the complexities are sure to show anything.

 

[RememberMurray]

Eventually

I'm not sure that's the case. I'm also not sure any given year considering the complexities are sure to show anything.

I didn't mean we'll find out definitively this season.

But this is Year 3. The rubber must meet the road at some point, and Some Point is drawing quite near.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I didn't mean we'll find out definitively this season.

But this is Year 3. The rubber must meet the road at some point, and Some Point is drawing quite near.

What this year should show us is if those last 4 games were a trend or a mirage. If we can continue to play at a high level like we did against Purdue, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Georgia Tech for the entire season we should very much be in the hunt for the West title at the end of the year. And it would provide a great stepping stone into 2020 when we could very well be a favorite in the division based on the amount of experience we will have coming back.

Obviously nothing is set in stone and as Minnesota fans we understand better than most that bad things might be lurking around any corner. But this is the most excited I have been about the prospects of this team since maybe 1999-2000 when it looked like Mason had something special brewing before he checked out mentally with his desire to get the Ohio State job and them turning him down.

Hate to keep but those last 4 games were just so different then what we have seen around here in a long time. A ridiculously young team (8+ freshman starting on offense) grew up big time and suddenly looked like one that could make some serious noise in the Big Ten.

All we can do at the moment is cross fingers/toes/whatever and hope that what we saw down the stretch was the start of something really special around here. Goodness knows we are due for something good to happen with Gopher Football.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

following up on MNVC -

It seems like some people are just assuming that the Gophers are going to pick up exactly where they left off last season. don't get me wrong - that is certainly possible - but I don't take anything for granted, in life or in sports.

There are questions to be answered about the 2019 Gophers - just as there are questions to answer about every team. for me, I want to see how the offense looks; does the OLine continue to develop: how do they replace the graduated seniors; how do the players coming back from injury look, etc?

If those questions are answered positively, then yes, this could be a really fun team. But I have to see the team play before I know the answers to those questions. I'm not just going to take it on faith.

bottom line - If you're jumping up and down at this point of the season, going "THE GOPHERS ARE GOING TO BE GREAT," you may be right - but you may be wrong. I want to see the team play before I start jumping up and down. I think the non-conference games are extremely important this year - both to answer the questions, and to hopefully get the season off on a good note.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Eventually

I'm not sure that's the case. I'm also not sure any given year considering the complexities are sure to show anything.

That could be said about almost every P5 program yet there are many examples of programs improving and elevating its level of yearly average wins on a sustained basis. Wisconsin, NW (a couple times), Mich St just in the B1G. Dantonio has averaged 3 more wins per season than the combined previous five HC who preceded him. He also has, by a long shot, a higher win percentage than any of them individually as well.

 

[Pete smith]

following up on MNVC -

It seems like some people are just assuming that the Gophers are going to pick up exactly where they left off last season. don't get me wrong - that is certainly possible - but I don't take anything for granted, in life or in sports.

There are questions to be answered about the 2019 Gophers - just as there are questions to answer about every team. for me, I want to see how the offense looks; does the OLine continue to develop: how do they replace the graduated seniors; how do the players coming back from injury look, etc?

If those questions are answered positively, then yes, this could be a really fun team. But I have to see the team play before I know the answers to those questions. I'm not just going to take it on faith.

bottom line - If you're jumping up and down at this point of the season, going "THE GOPHERS ARE GOING TO BE GREAT," you may be right - but you may be wrong. I want to see the team play before I start jumping up and down. I think the non-conference games are extremely important this year - both to answer the questions, and to hopefully get the season off on a good note.

SON not sure about you but I think my “jumping” days are over. 2 back surgeries put the kobash on me leaving the ground. However, I agree with your comments. My big concern is with our secondary. Can we tackle and cover is something I will be watching this spring and early next fall.

 

[RememberMurray]

following up on MNVC -

It seems like some people are just assuming that the Gophers are going to pick up exactly where they left off last season. don't get me wrong - that is certainly possible - but I don't take anything for granted, in life or in sports.

There are questions to be answered about the 2019 Gophers - just as there are questions to answer about every team. for me, I want to see how the offense looks; does the OLine continue to develop: how do they replace the graduated seniors; how do the players coming back from injury look, etc?

If those questions are answered positively, then yes, this could be a really fun team. But I have to see the team play before I know the answers to those questions. I'm not just going to take it on faith.

bottom line - If you're jumping up and down at this point of the season, going "THE GOPHERS ARE GOING TO BE GREAT," you may be right - but you may be wrong. I want to see the team play before I start jumping up and down. I think the non-conference games are extremely important this year - both to answer the questions, and to hopefully get the season off on a good note.

Eventually — and in this particular case "eventually" means "pretty darn soon", because it's Year 3 — we need to be at a point where the program is, in fact, pretty great. I don't think they fired Tracy Claeys in hopes that the next guy's results would be about the same.

We looked very good at the end of the season. In my mind, that level of success should be our expectation (NOT PREDICTION) going forward. How could it not be?

If we end up with 7-8 wins in 2019, with our schedule, it won't do much to move the needle for this program. Certainly by 2020, at the very least, we need to be right there with the best in the B1G West.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Helwagen sounds like a good nickname for Mo or Shannon

 

[PMWinSTP]

What this year should show us is if those last 4 games were a trend or a mirage. If we can continue to play at a high level like we did against Purdue, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Georgia Tech for the entire season we should very much be in the hunt for the West title at the end of the year. And it would provide a great stepping stone into 2020 when we could very well be a favorite in the division based on the amount of experience we will have coming back.

Obviously nothing is set in stone and as Minnesota fans we understand better than most that bad things might be lurking around any corner. But this is the most excited I have been about the prospects of this team since maybe 1999-2000 when it looked like Mason had something special brewing before he checked out mentally with his desire to get the Ohio State job and them turning him down.

Hate to keep but those last 4 games were just so different then what we have seen around here in a long time. A ridiculously young team (8+ freshman starting on offense) grew up big time and suddenly looked like one that could make some serious noise in the Big Ten.

All we can do at the moment is cross fingers/toes/whatever and hope that what we saw down the stretch was the start of something really special around here. Goodness knows we are due for something good to happen with Gopher Football.

It's not like something all of the sudden clicked with the players in those games...the offense was performing for the most part...the defensive scheme handcuffed them.

 

[swingman]

It's not like something all of the sudden clicked with the players in those games...the offense was performing for the most part...the defensive scheme handcuffed them.

There were some things that changed and seemed to click on the offense. The move to Faalele helped the oline late in the year, the change to Morgan helped the offense...Andries, Bateman, Ibrahim, CAB, and DD all MAHtured. Seemed like more of a commitment to running the ball with two tight ends/six olinemen and less of hoping to win the downfield jump-ball helped the offense later in the year.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

What this year should show us is if those last 4 games were a trend or a mirage. If we can continue to play at a high level like we did against Purdue, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Georgia Tech for the entire season we should very much be in the hunt for the West title at the end of the year. And it would provide a great stepping stone into 2020 when we could very well be a favorite in the division based on the amount of experience we will have coming back.

Obviously nothing is set in stone and as Minnesota fans we understand better than most that bad things might be lurking around any corner. But this is the most excited I have been about the prospects of this team since maybe 1999-2000 when it looked like Mason had something special brewing before he checked out mentally with his desire to get the Ohio State job and them turning him down.

Hate to keep but those last 4 games were just so different then what we have seen around here in a long time. A ridiculously young team (8+ freshman starting on offense) grew up big time and suddenly looked like one that could make some serious noise in the Big Ten.

All we can do at the moment is cross fingers/toes/whatever and hope that what we saw down the stretch was the start of something really special around here. Goodness knows we are due for something good to happen with Gopher Football.

Not to go full debbie downer here because I'm super happy with the end of last year.

But 4 games ... makes me nervous.

 

[RememberMurray]

Not to go full debbie downer here because I'm super happy with the end of last year.

But 4 games ... makes me nervous.

Nervous... as in "Might have been a mirage. Too small of a sample size. We might be bad to mediocre in 2019"?

That type of "nervous"?

 

[swingman]

Not to go full debbie downer here because I'm super happy with the end of last year.

But 4 games ... makes me nervous.

it wasn't just 4 games...dominant wins vs NMSU, and Miami...good win vs a top 20 Fresno team...putting up 38 in a clutch win vs Hoosiers...showed some things scoring 31 vs a good Iowa defense...even in loss to Nebraska, offense showed some things...that's 10 games to take away good things from on offense...the defense will be so old, mature and experienced, tough not to think Rossi can continue to do well...he beat a very good passing team in Purdue, a very good running team in Wisconsin, and a uniquely high powered offense in GaTech...he also checked the Big Ten West Champs fairly well; with a little better ball is the program and a little FG help, we win that game.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Nervous... as in "Might have been a mirage. Too small of a sample size. We might be bad to mediocre in 2019"?

That type of "nervous"?

Yeah that's accurate.

Stuff like maybe our defense just doesn't hold up longer than that. I know we're running it different, but not sure if that is sustainability, or we changed the look enough that we got the job done, now someone else gets to adjust to it... and similar thoughts.

Not to say last year wasn't a good sign, absolutely was.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

it wasn't just 4 games...dominant wins vs NMSU, and Miami...good win vs a top 20 Fresno team...putting up 38 in a clutch win vs Hoosiers...showed some things scoring 31 vs a good Iowa defense...even in loss to Nebraska, offense showed some things...that's 10 games to take away good things from on offense...the defense will be so old, mature and experienced, tough not to think Rossi can continue to do well...he beat a very good passing team in Purdue, a very good running team in Wisconsin, and a uniquely high powered offense in GaTech...he also checked the Big Ten West Champs fairly well; with a little better ball is the program and a little FG help, we win that game.

All good signs (I think Fresno beats us if they didn't go bonkers with play calling... but still good on the team for taking advantage).

I'm hopeful, but nervous.

 

[RememberMurray]

Yeah that's accurate.

Stuff like maybe our defense just doesn't hold up longer than that. I know we're running it different, but not sure if that is sustainability, or we changed the look enough that we got the job done, now someone else gets to adjust to it... and similar thoughts.

Not to say last year wasn't a good sign, absolutely was.

I think you'll be well-pleased by the end of 2019. Maybe even ecstatic.

Definitely no longer nervous!

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

It's not like something all of the sudden clicked with the players in those games...the offense was performing for the most part...the defensive scheme handcuffed them.

Hiring, and then keeping for as long as we did, Robb Smith really hampered what could have been a good season. We saw that we had enough quality defensive personnel to succeed after he left. Man was he bad.