1500: Matt Limegrover recognized mistakes and audibled, with great results

[BleedGopher]

per 1500:

The coordinator also said he thinks players, such as quarterback Philip Nelson, have started to play more loosely, as they better understand the pressures of the game.

"I wish we would have done it earlier but sometimes you've got to admit your mistakes. We're having a heck of a lot more fun in practice. We're letting the kids - with all the motions and movements and shifts - we're letting them be creative with that stuff... All we tell them is, 'hey, get to where you need to be so we can execute the play. I think those kids are enjoying it."

Whether winning is a product of having fun or the inverse is true, Gophers fans have enjoyed the ride in the past month. Limegrover and Claeys appear to be a big part of that.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...istakes_and_audibled_with_great_results110513

Go Gophers!!

 

[killme]

Thanks for posting. One might be able to say that all of Limegrover's critics were right. If he had just listened to them earlier, we might be 9-0 right now.

 

[BarnBoy]

Thanks for posting. One might be able to say that all of Limegrover's critics were right. If he had just listened to them earlier, we might be 9-0 right now.

As my boss would always say, hindsight is always 50/50.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Thanks for posting. One might be able to say that all of Limegrover's critics were right. If he had just listened to them earlier, we might be 9-0 right now.

Disagree, I think the players progressed to the point where they gained a better understanding of the offense and earned the coaches trust, gotta crawl before you can walk, gotta walk before you run, problem with the haters is they just want to sprint

 

[cncmin]

Disagree, I think the players progressed to the point where they gained a better understanding of the offense and earned the coaches trust, gotta crawl before you can walk, gotta walk before you run, problem with the haters is they just want to sprint

What Limegrover implied in the article mainly contrasts with what you have said here, however.

 

[highwayman]

The motion is one thing. They could have still run the motion but it still would have been featured in less plays. The offense wasn't executing in practice. They had to be protected. Doubt it would have made any difference.

Now they are executing. Damn the torpedoes.

 

[cncmin]

I think more than anything, the aggressiveness and creativity that the Gophers have shown the past 3 weeks, along with the wins, have to make the Gophers a much more exciting brand of football for the players, the fans, and the recruits. Honestly, I went from 3 weeks ago, quietly thinking a kid would have to be a sadist to play in the boring, lackluster offense of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, to now believing that kids of every position should WANT to play football under this coaching staff.

What I've seen out of Limegrover over the past 2 1/2 games is honestly one of the most innovative offensive systems I've seen, and certainly the best that the Gophers have had since at least Mason's running schemes; though I'd argue it's better, since there is a legitimately innovative passing scheme to go along with a running game basis.

Call me a flip-flopper if you wish. But the flashes of brilliance we've seen from Limegrover in the past (such as last year's bowl game) have suddenly blossomed into something special in this program. And what we're witnessing, in my opinion, is the fruits of that.

Some say he coached this way at NIU in helping build that program into what it is today. I believe, now.

 

[GoldenRodents]

Recruits that want to learn the science and art of football need to come to Minnesota.

 

[tikited]

This Limegrover is not even close to the Limegrover of five games ago.

 

[McGopherFan]

Responded, deleted.

 

[McGopherFan]

Well put!

Recruits that want to learn the science and art of football need to come to Minnesota.

 

[Iceland12]

He said on Monday that the changes actually started after the Gophers lost Sept. 28 at TCF Bank Stadium to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

They got beaten that game for homecoming and scored just one touchdown. Then, the following week, Kill was unable to join the team in Michigan as the Wolverines whipped the Gophers, 42-13.

It was clear that something needed to change. And it appears that has happened, in the form of being more creative and aggressive.

"Absolutely. It's spot-on," Limegrover told 1500ESPN morning show hosts Judd Zulgad and Jeff Dubay. "We got to Iowa and really hit a snag there, hit a road block and didn't play well."

"We really took a look and said, 'OK, what do we need to do differently?' Because the formula we wanted to have, we're not quite there yet. 'What can we change? What can we do to give the kids the best chance moving forward.' We started moving towards what we're trying to do now, getting more kids involved, young kids like Donovahn Jones and Drew Wolitarsky, getting involved the young wide receivers and trying to give those kids something different other than just ground-and-pound.

"When we started doing that we started noticing the kids get a little more excited and practices were becoming more fun and more loose and we were having fun doing it. It's just kind of evolved that way.

It was a combination of starting to trust the young kids, everybody starting to feel comfortable and then also the idea that we can't just turn around and hand the ball off 45 times and win games. We've got to do some things a little bit differently," Limegrover said.

The coordinator also said he thinks players, such as quarterback Philip Nelson, have started to play more loosely, as they better understand the pressures of the game.

"I wish we would have done it earlier but sometimes you've got to admit your mistakes. We're having a heck of a lot more fun in practice. We're letting the kids - with all the motions and movements and shifts - we're letting them be creative with that stuff... All we tell them is, 'hey, get to where you need to be so we can execute the play. I think those kids are enjoying it."

 

[cncmin]

Only to the degree that he is starting virtually right now and not from the beginning of the season. The Soul searching came post Michigan...

You're saying things that are false, according to the article, which to me suggests you didn't read it. I recommend that you read it first, then post about it.

 

[Gold Vision]

The biggest change is we started playing worse defenses. Hopefully we carry the momentum and confidence into these last three games because they only get better from here.

I'm excited to see more progress!

 

[McGopherFan]

Imperfect me and information.

I had heard, probably on KFAN, that it was post Michigan.I cannot prove that. But it was a source that had different information. This may have corrected that. I do not know.

 

[McGopherFan]

Right on.

The biggest change is we started playing worse defenses. Hopefully we carry the momentum and confidence into these last three games because they only get better from here.

I'm excited to see more progress!

 

[Section2]

I love the attitude and humility of our coaches. They don't need to keep hammering a square peg into a round hole to prove how smart they are. They recognize when something isn't working and they try to fix it. I don't mind mistakes as long as they are recognized reasonably quickly and addressed. This is absolutely perfect and Matt and the rest of the staff deserve a lot of credit.

 

[Indi1006]

Some of you are priceless; won't even change you stupid "it's all about execution" BS even when the perp admits it was to a good extent his fault. He even talks about Trust. Thank you, thank you very much.

 

[fryguy22]

Some of you are priceless; won't even change you stupid "it's all about execution" BS even when the perp admits it was to a good extent his fault. He even talks about Trust. Thank you, thank you very much.

You know what is pretty cool? cncmin was completely validated by this article, and yet he took this opportunity to praise Limegrover's recent work and heap praise on him rather than running around like a small child screaming "I told you so, I'm the greatest!" to everyone that would listen. cncmin, I really appreciate that, and great post

 

[Indi1006]

I've been all over Limegrover in a positive way the past two weeks on the board. It's the folks here who continue to have their heads in the sand even in the face of Limegrovers admissions that blow my mind.

 

[thailleagle]

Really nice to see coaches change things up when something isn't working instead of sticking to a philosophy *cough* BREWSTER *cough* that wasn't working against better teams...

This is why I have faith in Kill & his staff...

 

[Gold Vision]

Really nice to see coaches change things up when something isn't working instead of sticking to a philosophy *cough* BREWSTER *cough* that wasn't working against better teams... This is why I have faith in Kill & his staff...

What's that supposed to mean? Brewster flip flopped philosophies throughout his tenure, it pretty much led to his demise.

 

[hyaluronic]

I think more than anything, the aggressiveness and creativity that the Gophers have shown the past 3 weeks, along with the wins, have to make the Gophers a much more exciting brand of football for the players, the fans, and the recruits. Honestly, I went from 3 weeks ago, quietly thinking a kid would have to be a sadist to play in the boring, lackluster offense of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, to now believing that kids of every position should WANT to play football under this coaching staff.

What I've seen out of Limegrover over the past 2 1/2 games is honestly one of the most innovative offensive systems I've seen, and certainly the best that the Gophers have had since at least Mason's running schemes; though I'd argue it's better, since there is a legitimately innovative passing scheme to go along with a running game basis.

Call me a flip-flopper if you wish. But the flashes of brilliance we've seen from Limegrover in the past (such as last year's bowl game) have suddenly blossomed into something special in this program. And what we're witnessing, in my opinion, is the fruits of that.

Some say he coached this way at NIU in helping build that program into what it is today. I believe, now.

+1

 

[Iceland12]

What's that supposed to mean? Brewster flip flopped philosophies throughout his tenure, it pretty much led to his demise.

You're both right G.V. aren't you? Brewster changed his Offensive Scheme what, three times at least during his term. T-eagle was probably talking about those damn two last seasons when Brewster still had Offensive players who were much better suited to throwing the ball but he insisted that they run, run, run it.

Still think that his best shot was staying with Dunbar's scheme. But…..

Really don't give a a dman anymore. On Brewster I'm taking a 'Badger Fan" Stand. Don't care about it anymore. To far into the past.

 

[RolGnav]

I'm glad Limegrover finally saw the light... We really don't have a great ground and pound team. We really don't have a great passing team. So without mixing it up, and just doing the usual Limegrover run run third-and-long play calling, he was putting the offense in bad situations because he was too predictable. I would love to be the defensive coordinator vs (pre-winning streak) Limegrover. Stack the box, play the run on first and second, play the pass on third. Simple. Sure, some say it's about execution, but lets face it, the coaches have to put you in the right situations also. You have to run the offense around your players. And since we don't have any Lawrence Maroney's or Marion Barber's or Daryl Thompson's at the moment, and we don't have any Eric Deckers', we should make us of Max, Cobb, Jones. Whether it's screens, or jet sweeps, or whatever... keep the defense off balance, instead of being so predictable.

 

[killme]

Disagree...

I was being facetious.

...They recognize when something isn't working and they try to fix it....

Minnesota is never going to be able to go recruit all 5-star players, line them up and run over people. The best coaches, IMHO, are the ones that can adjust their philosophies and schemes to fit the talent they have. This staff has a philosophy and is trying to bring in kids to fit that system, while converting those already here. It takes some time and we're starting to see the fruits of that patience and the staff is pretty good at figuring things out.

You know what is pretty cool? cncmin was completely validated by this article, and yet he took this opportunity to praise Limegrover's recent work and heap praise on him rather than running around like a small child screaming "I told you so, I'm the greatest!" to everyone that would listen. cncmin, I really appreciate that, and great post

I, too, think cncmin deserves praise for taking the high road. Also, the process of adjusting the playbook doesn't happen overnight.

I've been all over Limegrover in a positive way the past two weeks on the board. It's the folks here who continue to have their heads in the sand even in the face of Limegrovers admissions that blow my mind.

Good job, Indi1006.

Really nice to see coaches change things up when something isn't working instead of sticking to a philosophy *cough* BREWSTER *cough* that wasn't working against better teams...

This is why I have faith in Kill & his staff...

What's great about football is figuring out what will work with the players you have, the opponents you face.

 

[thailleagle]

What's that supposed to mean? Brewster flip flopped philosophies throughout his tenure, it pretty much led to his demise.

It's what Iceland said that I was referring to... Limegrover could've easily went the Brew route of "Pound The Rock!" despite not being able to actually pound the rock if that makes sense...

 

[UpnorthGo4]

It's what Iceland said that I was referring to... Limegrover could've easily went the Brew route of "Pound The Rock!" despite not being able to actually pound the rock if that makes sense...

It doesn't make a lick of sense because it revises history and it isn't true. If you want to bring Brewster into almost every thread about how great Kill and his staff are then you open the door to bring Mason into it as well. Do we want to talk about Brewster and Maon or Limegrover and the rest of the coaching staff? It's your choice. How much time do you think Alabama fans spend ripping Gene Stallings, Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, and Mike Shula on their message boards these days?