Brian Bennett on 2016 Gophers: I could see the Gophers challenging for the West title

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Gopher04. I asked about who is going to call plays? I don't think you can say the offense will be revamped if you don't have an OC.

I may be wrong but isn't your best player (kj mayes?) is a senior? Are there any play makers returning?

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Factchecker said:
Gopher04. I asked about who is going to call plays? I don't think you can say the offense will be revamped if you don't have an OC.

I may be wrong but isn't your best player (kj mayes?) is a senior? Are there any play makers returning?

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Look bud, I ain't in the mood to argue with you about a season that hasn't even started yet.
 


Gopher04 said:
Look bud, I ain't in the mood to argue with you about a season that hasn't even started yet.
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Not arguing just asking questions.
You made a statement and I just want to know how you got to the point where you believe that statement to be true.

I said that calling Minnesota a contender next year is silly. If you want to challenge me on that then have at it.

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Factchecker said:
Not arguing just asking questions. You made a statement and I just want to know how you got to the point where you believe that statement to be true. I said that calling Minnesota a contender next year is silly. If you want to challenge me on that then have at it. Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
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Sounds like a fun Thursday night...

Sent from a user who knows how to turn off annoying advertisements after every post.
 

It's a matter of degrees. If you say the Gophers will have a better record next year, I will agree with you heartily.

But, after a season like 2015 where we were constantly surprised, and the team was hobbled by injuries, I just think it's premature to start making sweeping claims or predictions about 2016.

Is it possible that the Gophers have an Iowa-like turnaround? Yes, it's possible.
But, it's also possible that we see some of the same issues/weaknesses crop up again next season.

I, for one, want to see some evidence of the new offensive philosophy, and see how the revamped defensive backfield performs. At the same time, there are definitely things to look forward to seeing - Brooks and Smith a year older and stronger, a year of experience for the young WR's, Duke A. and Plsek back to make TE a much stronger position.

I'm hopeful - but I'm also realistic. If you want to predict 9 or 10 wins, more power to you. I'm just not ready to go that far out on the limb.
 

GopherBulldog said:
Wow. Sconnie's schedule is a murderer's row. Is their non conference all cream puffs?
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I just wanted to interject the following tidbit... Wisconsin's first six games (with a little subjective win % analysis) looks like this next year:

@ Michigan State (85% L)
@ Michigan (85% L)
vs Ohio State (85% L)
@ Iowa (65% L)
vs Nebraska (40% L)
@ Northwestern (50/50)

Very real chance Wisconsin starts 2-4 next year. A 3-3 start would be a success for them IMO.
 

Hollinsanity said:
I just wanted to interject the following tidbit... Wisconsin's first six games (with a little subjective win % analysis) looks like this next year:

@ Michigan State (85% L)
@ Michigan (85% L)
vs Ohio State (85% L)
@ Iowa (65% L)
vs Nebraska (40% L)
@ Northwestern (50/50)

Very real chance Wisconsin starts 2-4 next year. A 3-3 start would be a success for them IMO.
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I agree. 3 - 3 with that schedule would be very respectable. It's not inconceivable that they lose every one of those games.
 



Gold Vision said:
Sounds like a fun Thursday night...

Sent from a user who knows how to turn off annoying advertisements after every post.
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For sure...the bipolar personality of GH. From Bennett said something to next year's schedule to Wisconsin's schedule. From GOPHERHOLE! IT'S THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE!!!
 

whats discouraging is what Wisconsin did with freshmen OL to us. we will need a lot of help to improve on both lines to give the other players a chance to show improvment
 

Until we show that we have someone on our team that can rush the passer, we can't be considered a contender for anything. And I don't care how much easier the schedule is next year.
 

Factchecker said:
Minnesota was still 2-4 in the division. This was suppose to be a team that could contend in 2015. They need to prove that they can be the other contenders with some consistency without losing to teams like Illinois (2014). It also looks like the division is getting stronger with he resurgence of Iowa and Northwestern playing better. Wisconsin still has Minnesota's number (11 now?). I wouldn't count on Nebraska to be a 5 win team next year. To say right now that Minnesota could be a contender next year is just silly.

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They need to prove they can beat the other contenders or do they just need to beat them?
 



I am not sure who is going to call the plays next year but I know who won't be calling the plays.... I think that the O-Line will be better and not just because of the JUCO players but because there will be a full time O-Line coach not a part time one.
Yes I think our O will be better. A 9 WIN SEASON IS POSSIBLE!
 

been discussed before, but, yeah, anything less than challenging for the west would be a HUUUUUUGE disappointment--even with injuries, they should roll, not saying they will but they should
 


Wisconsin and Iowa are ahead of us now and Nebraska will rapidly improve as Riley gets his recruits into his system, starting at QB. It will be quite a climb for the Gophers to get ahead of those three programs, not to mention Northwestern.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
Wisconsin and Iowa are ahead of us now and Nebraska will rapidly improve as Riley gets his recruits into his system, starting at QB. It will be quite a climb for the Gophers to get ahead of those three programs, not to mention Northwestern.
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That is a frustrating thought given how we looked compared to those programs just one year ago.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
wisconsin and Iowa are ahead of us now and Nebraska will rapidly improve as Riley gets his recruits into his system, starting at QB. It will be quite a climb for the Gophers to get ahead of those three programs, not to mention Northwestern.
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FIFY
 

GophersInIowa said:
I agree we don't have much depth at DE but DT is going to be very deep next year. We'll have two seniors, three juniors, a sophomore, and redshirt freshman.
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Might we see Stelter and Elmore move to DE where they would be solid first and second down guys?
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
Might we see Stelter and Elmore move to DE where they would be solid first and second down guys?
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Elmore is a DE, he just moved to DT midway through the season out of necessity. He'll be back at DE next season.

Not sure about Stelter though.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
Wisconsin and Iowa are ahead of us now and Nebraska will rapidly improve as Riley gets his recruits into his system, starting at QB. It will be quite a climb for the Gophers to get ahead of those three programs, not to mention Northwestern.
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Our average rating is ahead of Iowa, will pass them when our class fills up. It'll be close with Wisconsin as well, Honestly between the four schools the rankings are so close it'll come down to coaching Bielma went to three straight Rose Bowls with classes rated similar to the one were bringing in, just need to get the right players
 

bemidjigopher said:
Our average rating is ahead of Iowa, will pass them when our class fills up. It'll be close with Wisconsin as well, Honestly between the four schools the rankings are so close it'll come down to coaching Bielma went to three straight Rose Bowls with classes rated similar to the one were bringing in, just need to get the right players
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My only caution would be that it was a very strong year for MN HS football talent. In the 2016 class there were 16 players 3* or better according to 247 composite. In 2015 there were 5. In 2014 there were 5. In 2017 there are currently 6. There are 3 out of state players who have higher ratings than the class average: Snelson, Wright, and Elijah Daniels.
 

justthefacts said:
My only caution would be that it was a very strong year for MN HS football talent. In the 2016 class there were 16 players 3* or better according to 247 composite. In 2015 there were 5. In 2014 there were 5. In 2017 there are currently 6. There are 3 out of state players who have higher ratings than the class average: Snelson, Wright, and Elijah Daniels.
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Next year is solid too it's a really good in state class for offensive lineman, bit quite as deep as 2016, but I bet there will be 10-12 three star recruits in that class, which will probably be a typical year. Prep football been getting a lot better here, it'll never be on the Sun belt's level, but more of the bigger suburbs are investing in it. Some high schools have a nicer practice facilities than the gophers
 

MNGoldenGophers1 said:
With that gift of a schedule, they better challenge for it and if they don't win the west, they better be very close. Anything less than eight wins will be a failure. Nine or more wins will be a success.
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Been a Gopher fan long?
 


How often have we heard this same tune? Maybe if we can win the games we should in '16 and squeak by 1 other win, it's possible. Nothing ever plays out this way for the Gophers.


Section 148
 

We saw what Iowa did last year with that schedule..... monkey see monkey do!
 

I think 8 wins is also about the cutoff line. We shouldn't lose any non conference games at home. Oregon St and Colorado St could give us fits but I like us to win those.

In the Big Ten schedule we SHOULD beat Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland. That leaves one other win out of Penn St, Neb, Wis, Iowa, Northwestern. Winning more than 1 or 2 of these will be difficult to do and I think it will take more than 5-3 to win the West.
 

tmvander said:
I think 8 wins is also about the cutoff line. We shouldn't lose any non conference games at home. Oregon St and Colorado St could give us fits but I like us to win those.

In the Big Ten schedule we SHOULD beat Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland. That leaves one other win out of Penn St, Neb, Wis, Iowa, Northwestern. Winning more than 1 or 2 of these will be difficult to do and I think it will take more than 5-3 to win the West.
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I feel like a team with some coaching changes when you have FOUR conference "should" wins, you're kinda guaranteed a disappointment in there somewhere.
 

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