They had 4 guys, Garcia, Christie, Payne, and Hawkins that would have played significant minutes for most teams in the league. Lack of talent wasn't the issue, coaching was.
I know you’re joking but if I was a program looking for an assistant coach I’d take a hard look at Ben. I think he actually has a good eye for talent, probably his best attribute as a coach. Last years Gopher team was one of the most talented in the Big Ten. It’s an indictment of his in game...
One could make the argument that last season was Ben Johnsons poorest coaching. How the hell do you have Payne, Garcia, Christie, Hawkins, and some decent depth pieces and not sniff the tournament?
I think the fact that it's been really quiet lately suggests that Niko to Minnesota is a done deal. In fact I believe Thorson has probably communicated with the players on behalf of Niko and given them some indication of whether the incoming staff views them as guys they want to retain.