2012 Expectations...

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In an era where you can schedule your way into a bowl invitation (4 non-conference cupcakes and win 2 out of 8 Big Ten games), I expect the Gophs to go 6-6 or 7-5 this fall. Then the real challenge begins - going beyond the low to middle of the pack in the conference and competing with Michigan, tOSU, NE, Bucky, et al

Unfortunately finding that window of opportunity will be more difficult with new coaching blood at both MI and OSU but certainly not impossible (Fry, Tiller, Alverez, Barnett, and even Zooker)

Go Gophs!
 

I predict a 14-0 season, with the only question mark being whether win 14 happens in the BCS title game or if the BCS screws us and we have to "settle" for the Rose Bowl.

Having said that, my expectations are the same as always. Improve. I will be furious at 3-9 again (especially given the weaker schedule), annoyed at 4-8 (with the weaker schedule, I don't really see 4 wins as an improvement), satisfied at 5-7 (hey, improve 2 wins a season and next years freshman will get to see a Rose Bowl before they graduate), and would be very pleased if we could make a bowl game next year as that would represent substantial improvement from what we saw this year.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I predict a 14-0 season, with the only question mark being whether win 14 happens in the BCS title game or if the BCS screws us and we have to "settle" for the Rose Bowl.

Having said that, my expectations are the same as always. Improve. I will be furious at 3-9 again (especially given the weaker schedule), annoyed at 4-8 (with the weaker schedule, I don't really see 4 wins as an improvement), satisfied at 5-7 (hey, improve 2 wins a season and next years freshman will get to see a Rose Bowl before they graduate), and would be very pleased if we could make a bowl game next year as that would represent substantial improvement from what we saw this year.
Click to expand...

Team depth is still not good, a few key injuries could sideline this squad easy.
That said, a healthy and improved Gray, and an improved D all season should be enough for 6 or 7 wins, and I'm hopeful we get a signature "Kill overachiever win", where we end up sneaking a win out from under someone who really shouldn't lose to us. We nearly finished off USC and MSU last year in this fashion on the road, I'd love to see it actually happen next season at some point.

The main thing is we are able to develop some future players to a competitive level.
If we end up seeing consistent good play from a bunch of underclassmen, that would be a very good sign for things to come.
 


The non-conference schedule looks favorable. Last year, the offense and the defense really struggled early. I think this season they will understand the system from the beginning. In the first half of last season, the offense gave up a lot of sacks, and the defense got few sacks. In the second half it was the opposite; the offense gave up few sacks, and the defense got a number of sacks, and that was against tougher competition. I'll be very interested in the Spring Game, and seeing if the team has the system figured out. 5 or 6 wins I think is reasonable with the schedule we have.
 


5-7 and happy with improvements made across the board.

Keep the team together and progressing on and off the field.
 

I'll be happy with,
- six wins
- bowl bid
- no loss by more than two TD's

The next goal has to be a top five finish in conference. The top five teams in most years will play on or after NYD. It needs to be a solid top five finish (last yeas OSU plays on NYD with 3-5 record). For the gophers, the next step probably requires 5-3, 8-4 or 5-3, 9-3. If it happened this year I think they'd play on NYD, but it is probably not realistic @Iowa,@Nevraska,@Wisconsin. If they played 12 Illinois games in terms of effort and limiting mistakes I think they could win eight of them.
 

My most accurate model predicts 4 wins but I would personally be happy with 5. After reviewing the schedule, I would guess we could pull off 6 wins. The more accurate prediction takes my initial estimate minus 2 wins. It has been amazingly accurate over the past ten years.
 

HouseOfHagen said:
My most accurate model predicts 4 wins but I would personally be happy with 5. After reviewing the schedule, I would guess we could pull off 6 wins. The more accurate prediction takes my initial estimate minus 2 wins. It has been amazingly accurate over the past ten years.
Click to expand...

I don't know if you're joking, but that is actually a really good way to guess how the Gophers will do next season. That's actually exactly what I did, but I subtract a game....I predict 5-7.

I think we will be improved, but we still have a ton of question marks in our secondary, and a ton of question marks at DT and MLB. When you couple that with the lack of depth, I would be....annoyed at 4-8, ok with 5-7, happy with 6-6, and pumped up about 7-5 (to steal from bleedsmaroonandgold).
 



No joke whatsoever...but it sure makes it difficult to predict an undefeated season. I can only hope for the day when the actual games won are higher than I initially predict.
 

I'm thinking between 4 and 8 wins. There are so many unknowns it's really tough to say for sure. But if I had to put money on only one number I'd say 5 wins.
 

I think the Gophers can make the 6 win mark and will qualify for a bowl game. That would be a REAL step forward!

I want a bowl game to attend sometime in December of 2012. I don't think we can stretch it out to January of 2012 THIS season...but: Big Ten wins will make or break us. Two Big Ten wins might do it. It MAY take 3 Big Ten wins this year just to be certain though!

; 0 )
 

On the condition that there are no key injuries to skill players, I'd say 5-6 Wins would be definite improvement. A little luck could have us go above that, but you can hardly expect to count on luck. I'll be interested to see how going into the same systems for the for the first time in a long time will affect the players.
 



If Gray stays healthy, 6 wins.

If we manage to put a defense on the field AND gray stays healthy, 7-8 wins.

If Max Shortell starts more than 2 games and the defense looks as young as they are: 4 wins.
 

Having re-upped for the 35th year - and considering the strong finish last season - I will be disappointed with less than six wins plus a bowl win. Time to get moving...
 

I'd say 6-6 and some bowl in December would meet expectations. Anywhere from 4 to 7 wins wouldn't surprise me, though.
 

We have to take advantage of our Sr QB this year...I think our running game will be considerably better this year which should make our defense better by default. We are young but experienced up front on offense and have deeper talent in the backfield than years past...we have fast young receivers who need to be good right away. I think the addition of all the speed in the secondary will at least help us be competitive back there...and our pass rush will improve which helps the secondary as much as the speed will.

I predict 7-5 with a surprise win on the road and a bowl victory!
 

Anything less than 3-1 in the non conference schedule would be disappointing in my opinion. 3-5 in the Big Ten is certainly doable. So I would say I'd be okay with 5-7, happy with 6-6, very happy with anything above 6-6, and disappointed in anything below 5-7.
 

HouseOfHagen said:
My most accurate model predicts 4 wins but I would personally be happy with 5. After reviewing the schedule, I would guess we could pull off 6 wins. The more accurate prediction takes my initial estimate minus 2 wins. It has been amazingly accurate over the past ten years.
Click to expand...

That's a really fair way of making predictions. I'd have to say I'm with you on being happy with 5.. wouldn't want to have anything less and anything more would be bonus.
 

After the last couple years any record that get's us into just about any bowl game is progress. It will be a better team. How can it not be when you throw speed in the secondary - ala #11 and Shabazzzzzzzz.
 

A bowl game this coming season would be huge. Coach Kill knows that recruiting better players is a must. Getting to a bowl in season two would prompt a lot of kids to take a double look at what Minnesota is all about.

There are many variables that will factor into our ability to get there but I need to remind myself that this is still a very young squad.
 

The offensive line is going to be better. The defensive line is moving in the right direction. Anything less than 5 wins will be a disppointment for me.
 

I expect to be bowl eligible this year, there is no reason for me to think otherwise especially give the amount of improvement we showed from game 1 through game 12.

I am also expecting to win the Axe and for no other reason than this will be the first game in Madison I have missed since 2000.
 

I think it will be very important for the Gophs to continue showing positive momentum. A big win (or 2) in the non-conference games will help to build some positive buzz, and hopefully generate some ticket sales. In the conference schedule, I feel the Gophs have to win at least 1 of the trophy games (lord, please let us beat the Stinkin' Badgers and send their Stinkin' coach home crying to his underage wife......)

Expectations: Bare minimum: 5 wins
Most likely IMHO: 6 wins
Make me smile: 7 wins
Make me turn cartwheels down university Ave: 8 wins
 

Injuries because of our depth will be the key. I'm not digging all these concussions. ( Gjere, Campion, etc) Key positions we need someone to stepup.
Safety, DT, MLB, WR and RB. That being said, I agree with most. Gray stays injury free his legs will get us 6 wins. If his passing improves and we've a couple of WR's make strides. 7-8 wins. Usually a first game doesn't define a season. If we don't smoke UNLV I will get back on the plane concerned. My buddy lives out there and he has seen them play and according to him they're horrible
 

Every win will be cherished, every advancement noted, a bowl game of any kind a bonus...Go Gophers!
 

HouseOfHagen said:
My most accurate model predicts 4 wins but I would personally be happy with 5. After reviewing the schedule, I would guess we could pull off 6 wins. The more accurate prediction takes my initial estimate minus 2 wins. It has been amazingly accurate over the past ten years.
Click to expand...

While conservative, I wonder how accurate this is if you discount the Brewster years? Brewster's game day coaching, out of charity I did not put quotes around the word coaching, was so horrid it would account for at least one loss on its own.

I think you get five wins, possibly six and go bowling.
 

This note from Phil Miller's blog tempers my expectations more than anything:

"Of those dozen linemen [who played last year], 10 return this year. Yet even with all the playing time the Gophers' various linemen received last year, they remain perhaps the most inexperienced line in the Big Ten. There are no seniors in the group of 18 linemen (counting those who will join the team in the fall), and Ed Olson and Zach Mottla are the lone juniors."

So, 14 - 0 is my best guess.
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
A bowl game this coming season would be huge. Coach Kill knows that recruiting better players is a must. Getting to a bowl in season two would prompt a lot of kids to take a double look at what Minnesota is all about.

There are many variables that will factor into our ability to get there but I need to remind myself that this is still a very young squad.
Click to expand...

+1
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I think it will be very important for the Gophs to continue showing positive momentum. A big win (or 2) in the non-conference games will help to build some positive buzz, and hopefully generate some ticket sales. In the conference schedule, I feel the Gophs have to win at least 1 of the trophy games (lord, please let us beat the Stinkin' Badgers and send their Stinkin' coach home crying to his underage wife......)

Expectations: Bare minimum: 5 wins
Most likely IMHO: 6 wins
Make me smile: 7 wins
Make me turn cartwheels down university Ave: 8 wins
Click to expand...

+1
 

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