247: Big Ten football: New Year's resolution for every team in conference (MN: Finally win the West)

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Per Sam:

MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS: FINALLY WIN THE WEST​

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(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Minnesota squandered a chance to win the division and play Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game with a home loss to Iowa, but the Golden Gophers aren't hanging their heads about the finish. However, should this happen again next year, they may. P.J. Fleck and company were on the doorstep in two of the last four seasons, but were unable to get the job done. Should they be in the same position next season, they will want to make sure they do.

247sports.com

Big Ten football: New Year's resolution for every team in conference

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247sports.com 247sports.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Finally? There have been nine seasons of the BiG West. The Gophers are one of seven teams in it. "Finally" would more appropriately apply to the Twins breaking their playoff game losing streak.
 

FanSinceTheFifties said:
Finally? There have been nine seasons of the BiG West. The Gophers are one of seven teams in it. "Finally" would more appropriately apply to the Twins breaking their playoff game losing streak.
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I think it's more to do with the fact that we have been 1 win short for the last 3 full seasons(19, 21, 22)

I feel somewhat like this too but I agree, the twins are brutal
 

Very doable in 2023 but will have to be flawless in the West or pull an upset v OSU or Michigan.
 

The '23 schedule is far more challenging than the '22 schedule. Mo is gone, the OC is gone and two assistants need to be replaced.
NE and WI got HC upgrades.
If PJ wins what will be his last shot at the West he might deserve a statue on campus.
 


Plato said:
The '23 schedule is far more challenging than the '22 schedule. Mo is gone, the OC is gone and two assistants need to be replaced.
NE and WI got HC upgrades.
If PJ wins what will be his last shot at the West he might deserve a statue on campus.
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At this point, I don't see the West as any more challenging next year than this year.
- Iowa is Iowa.
- Illinois loses a lot but Bielema is a good coach. A push.
- Wisconsin probably can't help be improved somewhat, but Lickle's new schemes are a wild card. I actually hope they go air raid and shit-can they're power football identity.
- Northwestern has a long ways to go to be a challenger.
- Nebraska a total wild card like always.

Taking 2 of 3 against OSU, MI and MSU is probably too high of an ask (though a huge opportunity for high rankings). Just ask Penn State. However, that's probably what will be required to win the West next year.
 

Panthadad2 said:
At this point, I don't see the West as any more challenging next year than this year.
- Iowa is Iowa.
- Illinois loses a lot but Bielema is a good coach. A push.
- Wisconsin probably can't help be improved somewhat, but Lickle's new schemes are a wild card. I actually hope they go air raid and shit-can they're power football identity.
- Northwestern has a long ways to go to be a challenger.
- Nebraska a total wild card like always.

Taking 2 of 3 against OSU, MI and MSU is probably too high of an ask (though a huge opportunity for high rankings). Just ask Penn State. However, that's probably what will be required to win the West next year.
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I agree.

Better chance WI will suck than be awesome. Same w Nebby. No change in other teams.

If Harbaugh leaves and leaves a dumpster fire then we may have a chance vs Michigan.
 

Panthadad2 said:
At this point, I don't see the West as any more challenging next year than this year.
- Iowa is Iowa.
- Illinois loses a lot but Bielema is a good coach. A push.
- Wisconsin probably can't help be improved somewhat, but Lickle's new schemes are a wild card. I actually hope they go air raid and shit-can they're power football identity.
- Northwestern has a long ways to go to be a challenger.
- Nebraska a total wild card like always.

Taking 2 of 3 against OSU, MI and MSU is probably too high of an ask (though a huge opportunity for high rankings). Just ask Penn State. However, that's probably what will be required to win the West next year.
Click to expand...
Why do you hope WI abandons its power football identity and adopts a pass-based offense? You think they will be then be easier to beat?
 

Thomasthetank said:
I think it's more to do with the fact that we have been 1 win short for the last 3 full seasons(19, 21, 22)
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Right.

This is why fans are so frustrated, even though there have been a lot of wins. And Fleck acts like fans are completely out of line and his success - he absolutely has been successful, by pretty much any measure - should be beyond questioning.

Three seasons, basically in a row (I don't count the covid season), where the division was there for the taking. And in all three seasons, they found ways to lose key games that let it slip away.


Now 2023 is going to be much harder. Much harder schedule, new offensive coordinator.
 



FanSinceTheFifties said:
Why do you hope WI abandons its power football identity and adopts a pass-based offense? You think they will be then be easier to beat?
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I think any time you mess with the formula that's given you all your success for the past 25 years, there's a chance it won't be as effective. I think a more pass-based offense will be a higher risk, higher reward type situation. They are going to try to be a better version of what Brohm's Purdue was the past few years. They had mixed success with that.
 
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The simple thing is that they don't have a roster built up for those schemes.

That can be more quickly corrected these days with the portal.
 

Gophers_4life said:
The simple thing is that they don't have a roster built up for those schemes.

That can be more quickly corrected these days with the portal.
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Part of the move to the real spread (if that's what they're going to to) is having more agile o-lineman that can block in space. I get the sense good o-lineman are more difficult to find in the portal. That move might also lessen the recruiting competition for the big o-lineman that PJ loves. We'll see.
 

Panthadad2 said:
Part of the move to the real spread (if that's what they're going to to) is having more agile o-lineman that can block in space. I get the sense good o-lineman are more difficult to find in the portal. That move might also lessen the recruiting competition for the big o-lineman that PJ loves. We'll see.
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He got two to follow him from Cinci. Haven't looked up if they were starters or what.
 





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