2011=2007

[balds]

New coach, new first time starting qb, little depth, scrambling late for Juco/MAC recruits. A lot of similarities. The two obvious questions are:

1) are we better off talent-wise heading into 2011 than we were in 2007?

2) Can Coach Kill do more in a short amount of time than Brew did heading into 2007?

I think 1= maybe yes, by a little? 2= easily yes.

I have no large aspirations for 2011, but a 1-11 or 2-10 type season would be extremely dismaying.

 

[diehard]

Both are easily yes. Additionally, the talent on hand much better suits the staff than in '07.

Much of the depth questions are because of the practice requirements of Coach Kill verses Brewster. Brewster arrived to a team that wasn't close to 1 deep. Coach Kill is taking over a team that is 2 deep +. Coach Kill just demands so much more in practice than Brewster did and of course the inevitable injuries will arise and must be covered w2ith depth. Coach Kill has said that his S&C should help some with the injury situations.

I think many of you underestimate the schedule difficulty we have from here on out. The Legends/West is a bitch. Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin as the rival game. That could be 6 losses for a lot of decent teams. All in conference.

 

[wels0081]

Both answers are 'yes'. In fact, I look for this team to win 5-6 games next year.

Here is why:

1.) Schedule. (Kill won't lose 'gimme' non-conference games, we've got 3 of them)

2.) Mindset. Brew wanted to pound the rock but had no idea how to do it. The personnel in place have the talent to let Gray and a potentially explosive backfield run wild. Kill's staff knows how to do it, especially against weak defenses. (Remember how they torched us in 2010?)

3.) Brew brought us raw talent, Kill will shape it. This has been brought up several times on GH.

Entirely too bold prediction? The U will steal some of the Vikings swagger in 2011. Neither team will be great, but the Gophers have a better facility and the pro-team will clearly be in the midst of a rebuilding process with, gulp, Joe Webb? starting at quarterback?