Are we this far under the radar?

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Ole

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All the talk of preseason rankings and no highly rated players really makes me wonder if we're not primed to sneak up on a few teams.
I just don't buy that we're not still at least a middle of the pack Big Ten team.
IMO we're better than NW, MSU, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. We're probably even with Purdue in that we have alot of unheralded but athletic players. Iowa and Wisconsin are going to be tough games, but did anyone feel we couldn't have won those last year? PSU and OSU are tough, we get them at home, they will still be tough wins.
I'm not saying we're going to run the table or any crazy thing like that, I just am really amazed that we are this far under the radar. Anyone really scared we're going to win 2 games? No frickin way.
Anyone really scared we go less than at worst 2-2 in our NC schedule, and at worst 3-5 in the conference? I guess if that's how our opponents see us fine with me, probably fine with the coaches and players too. OSU's loss to purdue last year rested IMO squarely on them overlooking them and coasting on the road. We get some big fish at home this year, maybe we'll get a shot like that too.
 

I think we are better than Indiana/Illinois, hard to say between MSU/NW/Michigan.
 

Since many (most?) publications and scribes predict the Gophers to finish last in the Big 10, our team has plenty of teams to sneak up on.

I'm concerned... so I sure hope you are right.
 

I think the Gophers are absolutely going to sneak up on some teams in the first half of the year.
I think it's incredible that people think the Gophers are going to finish last. These people are focusing only on numbers of returning starters, and don't realize our young defensive players most got a lot of experience last year in supporting roles, and have had another year of spring ball and off season to prepare for this year. I mean, look at Michael Carter, he was scrawny but showed promise last year but now he has hit the weight room and looks like the real deal.

In any case, IMHO The Gophers are definitely better than Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan, Purdue, and probably 2 to 4 other teams as well. Purdue has had catastrophic injuries plague them all off season. Northwestern lost 3 all Big Ten performers in the secondary, an amazing QB, and they are just not the kind of school that bounces back from that. Indiana remains Indiana with a decent O and absolutely zero Defense. Michigan State should be good on O, but their secondary got lit up like a christmas tree all season last year and they have no semblance of a pass rush. Penn State will be solid on D but has the worst QB conundrum of any Big Ten team which makes them vulnerable.

People will call me crazy, but I think the Gophers have a great shot at a 6-1 start (before the immature losers on this board link this to their signatures, remember, I'm not saying this absolutely will happen, I'm saying it is not at all beyond the realm of realistic possibilities). I am predicting the Gophers have a good shot to go into Madison and beat Wisconsin. Wisconsin lost an all word DE and underrated Safety. These losses will magnify their terrible corners. With the loss of their backup QB they are one play from having no answer at QB. Wisconsin's 3rd string and now backup QB looked absolutely terrible by all accounts this spring.
 

If one of the freshman running backs is the real deal then we'll be better than expected. Otherwise, I think the schedule is too tough and the defense too green to really expect more than 6-6.
 


AhliBobwa said:
With the loss of their backup QB they are one play from having no answer at QB. Wisconsin's 3rd string and now backup QB looked absolutely terrible by all accounts this spring.
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What happened to the backup QB?
 

sonnygarcia said:
What happened to the backup QB?
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phillips was injured pretty seriously in spring ball. At the time they said he would likely miss the upcoming season. I haven't checked on his injury status since then.
 

AhliBobwa said:
People will call me crazy, but I think the Gophers have a great shot at a 6-1 start
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I'm right there with you. Sitting next to my buddy at the spring game, I said that from looking at the schedule, it is possible the Gophers will be 5-0 when we head to Madison. I am even more confident in that now given what has happened to USC in the interim. Nonetheless, 5-0 is probably pie-in-the-sky, with 4-1 being very realistic, at least 3-2 being the minimum, and anything less than 3-2 an absolute disappointment.
 

gophmeister said:
If one of the freshman running backs is the real deal then we'll be better than expected. Otherwise, I think the schedule is too tough and the defense too green to really expect more than 6-6.
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That will help for sure. I think Bennett has enough savvy and strength now to contribute as an average Big Ten back if the Oline can get push.
I think 6-6 is pretty right on too, but we're not going 2-10, we're just not. And where do those 6 wins come from? I can see this team playing up and down to competition, the young players in key spots point to that. I just think we see a big win or two and a few mind numbing losses. Something like wins against PSU and wisky, and losses at MSU and IL, I dunno. I just find it amazing that we're "expected" to win 2-4 games after back to back .500 years.
 



A lot of stock is being put into the fact we are losing so many returning starters. However, by the end of the year Carter seemed like a better option than Simmons, Collado was playing well when called upon, Tinsley was good when called upon, Coop is a more athletic version of Simoni, Kirksey and Edwards will be very good at DT, Wilhite is the only player we had last year who put any pressure on the QB anyway, both our starting safeties return(I think Royston will be back at full strength by Fall), and Watkins should be a quality player if needed.

The offense has nowhere to go but up. I guess Davis and Fisch didn't gel, so we should see more of Davis's personality on the OL, Weber is not being asked to change his throwing motion(we'll see if that was part of the problem) and has another year in the system, Bennett should be at full strength, Hoese could be a good FB, Stoudemire will still be a good returner, and the system has been simplified under Horton(which will be a welcome change for the players, I'm sure). WRs are the wild card for our offense this season, for sure.

A lot of what we have coming up for this season is based on potential, but it's very encouraging to see that kind of potential.
 

Oh, yeah, we're under the radar. We're that last bomber in Dr. Strangelove that didn't get the order to abort the mission. All we need is Slim Pickins to ride the bomb down to the ground, waving his cowboy hat. Let's blow up the football world.
 

Kratos3 said:
A lot of stock is being put into the fact we are losing so many returning starters. However, by the end of the year Carter seemed like a better option than Simmons, Collado was playing well when called upon, Tinsley was good when called upon, Coop is a more athletic version of Simoni, Kirksey and Edwards will be very good at DT, Wilhite is the only player we had last year who put any pressure on the QB anyway, both our starting safeties return(I think Royston will be back at full strength by Fall), and Watkins should be a quality player if needed.

The offense has nowhere to go but up. I guess Davis and Fisch didn't gel, so we should see more of Davis's personality on the OL, Weber is not being asked to change his throwing motion(we'll see if that was part of the problem) and has another year in the system, Bennett should be at full strength, Hoese could be a good FB, Stoudemire will still be a good returner, and the system has been simplified under Horton(which will be a welcome change for the players, I'm sure). WRs are the wild card for our offense this season, for sure.

A lot of what we have coming up for this season is based on potential, but it's very encouraging to see that kind of potential.
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I agree with what you and many others are saying. I will add that Orseske should be at worst equivalent with Hauden (sp?) and I think Ellestad is returning...?? What about our long snapper?
 

RodentRampage said:
Oh, yeah, we're under the radar. We're that last bomber in Dr. Strangelove that didn't get the order to abort the mission. All we need is Slim Pickins to ride the bomb down to the ground, waving his cowboy hat. Let's blow up the football world.
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Love it.
 



Yes we are under the radar but that is a good thing when you are as young as we are on defense. However, I did read something about Royston being rated as one of the top safeties in the league which makes sense. Carter is about 185 lbs now and Watkins is 200 lbs. I meen these guys look to be really ready to make noise. I know that I said this before but I think it is key to our defensive success and how quickly it happens. If we get a healthy Royston back earlier than later, LOOK OUT. While we will need significant improvement in our pass rush from last year, we should see improvement there as well.
 

Defense the Problem

If we had our whole defense returning then I'd be more optimistic about this year. Last year was the first year since Gibbs was Defensive Coordinator that we had a defense. I know at times our stats weren't good but the defense was on the field the whole time. The problem is Theret and Royston are the only returning starters and there is doubt that anyone of them will play for this year. People are wondering if even Tinsley will be back, and Sam is gone.

I really think the defense is going to be terrible. The offense this year will be suprisingly good but the defense will be pathetic.
 

I definetly hope I'm wrong about the defense but I think we're going to struggle big time on defense.
 

Stargenes said:
Yes we are under the radar but that is a good thing when you are as young as we are on defense. However, I did read something about Royston being rated as one of the top safeties in the league which makes sense. Carter is about 185 lbs now and Watkins is 200 lbs. I meen these guys look to be really ready to make noise. I know that I said this before but I think it is key to our defensive success and how quickly it happens. If we get a healthy Royston back earlier than later, LOOK OUT. While we will need significant improvement in our pass rush from last year, we should see improvement there as well.
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The athletic D will be fun to watch develop if all the pieces play like they are expected.
I'm not even interested in the preseason pickings of the college FB rags, those are irrelevant to me.
I could give a crap about Phil Steele? Who ever he is. I don't care what athlon ranks us. Etc.
I'm talking our real and serious place in college FB. Where do other teams and fanbases see us? I have a hard time believing all this doom and gloom sky is falling, end of the line crap.
 

gold04 said:
If we had our whole defense returning then I'd be more optimistic about this year.
I really think the defense is going to be terrible. The offense this year will be suprisingly good but the defense will be pathetic.
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Respectfully, you are dead wrong.

Think about all the guys who got significant PT on Defense last year and are returning. Edwards, Kirksey, Carter, Wilhite, Collado, Tinsley, Cooper, Theret, Royston, and others.

That is a ton of experience, and the youngest guys in that group will be much better this year after a whole offseason and another season of spring ball.

This is an incredibly athletic, big, and more experienced than you give think they are group. I believe this will be the 4th best D in the greatest Defensive conference in the country.
 

I definetly hope that I'm dead wrong about the defense. I want to be dead wrong. Every year we go through this where the young guys behind our staters are suppose to be more athletic and better and it never pans out. I hope I'm wrong about the defense but time will only tell.
 

gold04 said:
Every year we go through this where the young guys behind our staters are suppose to be more athletic and better and it never pans out.
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What are you talking about?
 

I'm right there with you. Sitting next to my buddy at the spring game, I said that from looking at the schedule, it is possible the Gophers will be 5-0 when we head to Madison.
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I do remember you saying that. However, when I looked through the schedule I could not find a loss - so I'm predicting an undefeated season.

Note: This will be the 12th consectutive season in which Josh087 has predicted an undefeated campaign.
 

I could see as few as 4 wins, as many as 9 wins (including bowl). Anything 3 or less and anything 10 or more (Including Bowl) would be a massive shock. I could see a lot of 4 win predictions being realistic. But 2 wins? That is nutty. Northern Illinois and SDSU are almost locks. Anyone who doesn't think the gophers can sneak another win out of MTSU, NU, MSU, IL, PU is nutty. If MN sweeps those 5 games, they could get lucky once and beat a good team. And then win a bowl (because they are probably playing in the Insight Bowl Regardless of record)....that would be 9 wins. Not unrealistic. The most unrealistic game out of those is Michigan State.....Minnesota beat them last year.
 

I've heard people that are comparing this to the 07 team which is ludicrous. That team had no depth and even less talent. I don't see anywhere on the D where true freshmen will be starting out of necessity. Some of the CBs may need to play some, but not like when Theret, Collado, and Thomas were starting.
 

Rosemountian said:
Northern Illinois and SDSU are almost locks.
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We don't play SDSU this year.

Rosemountian said:
(because they are probably playing in the Insight Bowl Regardless of record)
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That would be quite an improvement, actually. Whereas the Insight Bowl used to pick the 6th Big Ten team after BCS selections, they now have the 3rd/4th pick (depending on year). Playing in the Insight Bowl this year would be a very good thing.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/colleges/articles/2010/05/05/20100505insight-bowl-espn.html
 

I completely agree with Rosemountain. I'll go so far as to say Wisconsin is the most likely upset unless PSU finds out they don't have answers they think they have on the O-line and QB. If PSU's O-line falls apart and Wisky's QB gets hurt before we play them there's a chance of going 9-3 with a bowl win there could be an 10 win season. A realistic appraisal is 6-6 +/- 1. I lean more toward 6-6 or 7-5
 

josh087 said:
Note: This will be the 12th consectutive season in which Josh087 has predicted an undefeated campaign.
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When you are right make sure to let everyone know you said it first :D.
 

dpodoll68 said:
We don't play SDSU this year.



That would be quite an improvement, actually. Whereas the Insight Bowl used to pick the 6th Big Ten team after BCS selections, they now have the 3rd/4th pick (depending on year). Playing in the Insight Bowl this year would be a very good thing.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/colleges/articles/2010/05/05/20100505insight-bowl-espn.html
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To me, there is no difference between a Coyote and a Trix Bunny. USD is actually worse than SDSU.

I had forgotten about the bowl rearrangement. What I was implying was, that if the gophers did get to 8 regular season wins. They would probably end up playing in a bowl that is lower than their on-field performance would merit. Making it a winnable bowl game.
 

Rosemountian said:
To me, there is no difference between a Coyote and a Trix Bunny.
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How do you like our chances against the Ohio Bobcats this year?

I personally think we will do well against the Cyclones on November 27. (Crossing fingers)

I think it's a little weird that we're playing the Penn Quakers right in the middle of our conference schedule, though. Hopefully the bowl selection committees won't discount us too much for playing two I-AA schools this year.

We haven't won in Ann Arbor since 2005. Hopefully we can rectify that situation this fall.
 

dpodoll68 said:
How do you like our chances against the Ohio Bobcats this year?

I personally think we will do well against the Cyclones on November 27. (Crossing fingers)

I think it's a little weird that we're playing the Penn Quakers right in the middle of our conference schedule, though. Hopefully the bowl selection committees won't discount us too much for playing two I-AA schools this year.

We haven't won in Ann Arbor since 2005. Hopefully we can rectify that situation this fall.
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We've never lost to a team that we didn't play, and we'll keep that streak alive.
 

I presume that the offense will be better, if only because it will be hard for it to be much worse. If the offense is better, and the defense remains competent, we should do much better than the pundits think. Part of the problem on offense was trying to do more than the players were capable of. At least that part of the offensive problem shouldn't be there. The question is how much improvement we should expext. I'm not expecting greatness, just better.

The defense remains a big question mark, but let's not assume that all questions will be answered badly.
 

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