Do you expect a Bowl game next year?

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Oneoldgopher said:
The Gopher team will win 2-4 games next year. Any other prediction is betting on the impossible. The team does not have the talent level or the discipline yet to improve very much. It is even possible that we will see no improvement at all.

Cue the boo birds.
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Impossible is pretty strong language. Players do improve from one year to the next, and there are players who redshirting this season. The players should know the system better next year than they did this year. I'm not betting on a bowl game next year, but impossible? No.
 

I'm going with no. Roster appears to me next year to be pretty thin.
 

I think it's highly unlikely that they will be in a bowl game next year. I predict 4-5 wins tops. Hopefully I'm wrong.
 

Wow, so most people don't expect Jerry Kill to be able to win one FEWER game than Tim Brewster did in year 2? With that non-conference schedule, I would think most fans would expect a minimum of 6 wins. There's nothing to be proud of in going to a bowl game with a losing conference record, but at least it would represent a step forward in year 2.
 

No.

We need big improvements across the board in both the OL and DL to get there. I don't see that next year. Plus the younger players on D have shown very little big play capability. Our O should be somewhat improved but I see another weak D. Kicking game? One would think it should be improved with our kickers back but they must become more consistent.

The 2012 group of Sr.s is very small so we will still field a young squad.
 


While I don't expext a bowl game in 2012, it wouldn't surprise me if we won 6 games.
 

Given that out of conference schedule, we should be starting the B1G season with four wins in our pocket already. I would consider anything less than three out of conference victories against those opponents to be pretty catastrophic in year 2. If we could play within a field goal of this year's USC team in game 1 of Kill's career with this roster, I expect that Kill should be able to get wins in games 13-16 having had a full year to start instilling the mentality and systems he wants. The B1G will still be rough for a young, underskilled team, but my expectation is 6 wins and no losses by more than 20.
 

Like I said earlier, I'm thinking 5 right now. Expounding a little more....if you watch this team, they are very inconsistent and lacking experience in virtually every spot on the field. It may improve next year, but we'll still be really young, particularly in the most important spots of OL and DL. That alone is gonna make us a tad spotty, so no, it should not be a shock if we slip up during non-conference season. And being spotty and inconsistent doesn't bode well in the B1G, where you can't take any week off.

BUT, as I've said virtually every year, I will always be expecting wins over non-BCS squads, because we are a B1G program, and if we're worth our salt, that will happen. If we do that though, that is still only 3 wins, as Syracuse is out there, and they are not quite the pushover they used to be. I don't think we can just mark that one off considering where we are right now.
 

Oneoldgopher said:
The Gopher team will win 2-4 games next year. Any other prediction is betting on the impossible. The team does not have the talent level or the discipline yet to improve very much. It is even possible that we will see no improvement at all.

Cue the boo birds.
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I have to agree. Baby steps.
 




Oneoldgopher

Oneoldgopher said:
<<crickets>>
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I always expected that you may be wren's twin brother but with the above comment you have confirmed it. You and your twin brother seem to really enjoy the use of "cute" symbols. The next step for the two of you would be to use only symbols all the time. That way the two of you might start to make sense.:eek:
 

ruppertflywheel said:
My thoughts on the 6 wins
UNLV
New Hampshire
Western Michigan
Syracuse
Northwestern
Purdue or Iowa ( Hawks lose many key players)
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This. Sweep the nonconference and pick up a couple of the conference wins listed above. Add Illinois to the list too, it is late enough in the season that they will be in their annual free-fall at that point.
 

Yes.

I expect a bowl game every year.....
 



The games against Syracuse, Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue will be the deciding factor. I feel like the best-case scenario (and this is obviously way too far out to be a reliable projection) is that we could improve to be basically at the level of those teams. But that doesn't mean we would automatically beat those teams.
I think the best I could do for a prediction at this point is that the team should finish with from 3 to 7 wins. But that's assuming that they improve enough to beat the weak non-AQ teams, and to be competitive with the next level, represented by the four teams above. (And obviously not predicting "one or two upsests somewhere," which is an absurd practice.)
 

Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he is never disappointed.

Anything can happen next year, but my guess is we'll only look marginally better and win 3-5 games. I am very surprised so many people here are counting Syracuse as an easy win. I'd bet we lose that game.
 

For me, it's all about the defense; whether it be a few impact JUCO's or a few of the current youngsters who make a major leap from this year to next (Hageman hopefully?). Without an infusion of JUCO talent on defense, the defense could be even a little worse next year than this year. I hope not, but we'll see.

I think the offense will be alright, although still relatively young, inexperienced and mature on the line. With all the guys who have played/started on the O-Line this season, it'll be interesting to see who the starting 5 is on opening day next year.
 

Killjoy said:
I always expected that you may be wren's twin brother but with the above comment you have confirmed it. You and your twin brother seem to really enjoy the use of "cute" symbols. The next step for the two of you would be to use only symbols all the time. That way the two of you might start to make sense.:eek:
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It was a function of a program that deleted the notation I wrote between the symbols. Not my doing. But, believe what you want. I'll have the pie ready for you to throw at my face the first game.
 

Oneoldgopher

Oneoldgopher said:
It was a function of a program that deleted the notation I wrote between the symbols. Not my doing. But, believe what you want. I'll have the pie ready for you to throw at my face the first game.
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Thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately, I obviously don't know what the quote was but I am curious why the pie? Also what kind of pie will it be? Personally, I would enjoy it more if we ate the pie unless it is humble pie.
 

Rosemountian said:
If we don't win at least 4 next year it will be a huge disappointment. I would say I'd be pretty shocked with anything 7+[/QUOTE

Really weak non-conference next year. I would hope a couple more then 4.
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Killjoy said:
Thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately, I obviously don't know what the quote was but I am curious why the pie? Also what kind of pie will it be? Personally, I would enjoy it more if we ate the pie unless it is humble pie.
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I'ld be glad to bring a pie to eat. Apple? Cherry? Key lime?
 



idagopher said:
how come no Indiana two years in a row?
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More than that - we haven't played them in a couple years.

As for a bowl game, I wouldn't say I expect it, but I think it's entirely possible next season. I think the team will be significantly better next year with one full year of Kill's system under their belts.
 

We will have huge improvement at QB next year. Plus the five or six freshmen OL players should be much better and stronger. This will be a real test of the Kill/Limegrower system and coaching. I believe we could have a very good maybe even borderline dominant offense next year. Watch Saturday's game and see if we don't have an extension of the running prowess we showed last week. Could be a sneak preview of a much better offensive team in 2012.

The defensive line will lose both starting tackles, but we have some ability and talent to step in without any fall off, IMHO. The key will be linebacker and D backs. Here's hoping we get Stoudamire back and 1 or 2 JC players in that can help from day 1. Certainly our tackling will be improved by then.

My guess is, YES! Seven victories (4 preseason plus IA, Ill & NW) and a bowl game. But, hey, I thought Brewster could talk us into the Rose Bowl!
 

ncgo4 said:
We will have huge improvement at QB next year.
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this statement right here, says everything.... there is no way you can predict this... what happens if gray blows out his acl in spring ball and is done for the year...

it seems to me, people are having a hard time choosing between hope and reality.. what has this season shown us so far? we are a young, inexperianced, and underdeveloped squad. we lose key people at lb,rb, as well as all experiance in the secondary (until the verdict comes out on stoud, we should be treating it as hes gone) so as it stands right now we dont have a secondary.. who are the starting lb's going to be? what about the DL....

i think the gophers on offense will be able to outscore teams like NW, IL, and IA next year... will we be able to stop anyone... Next is that if this season taught us anything its that our players are tiny compared to other squads... its going to take another year of strength and conditioning before our ol and DL will match up...

all this adds up to 5 wins next season... 3-1 in nc and 2 wins in the b10

2013-2014 season is when the gophers go to a bowl game....
 

stuck_in_scony_go4_fan said:
this statement right here, says everything.... there is no way you can predict this... what happens if gray blows out his acl in spring ball and is done for the year...
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Why can't you predict that? Isn't it reasonable to predict that Gray will be better next year, or that Shortell will be better? Players do get better.
Of course he could get hurt, but that doesn't doesn't mean that you can't predict that QB play will be better.
 

you cant come out and say the qb play will be better... you HOPE it would...
 

The tragedy of this thread is having to read the optimists predict success when it is going to be mighty hard to improve next season. Just because somebody has been with the program, does not mean they are capable of stepping up to the level the seniors left. That kind of thinking is pure fantasy. The seniors we have leaving are not a star filled group by any stretch.

This is why I think it will take 7 years to improve the team. We need to flush out all the dead wood and start from scratch. That will take 3 more years to take out the dead weight. From there, it will take another 3 to establish the program as something more than a doormat. If we win on Saturday, I will celebrate, but, from my perspective, it is a probable loss. Just that much more evidence that we will need to be more patient than most suspect within the brethren of the hole.
 

Oneoldgopher said:
The tragedy of this thread is having to read the optimists predict success when it is going to be mighty hard to improve next season. Just because somebody has been with the program, does not mean they are capable of stepping up to the level the seniors left. That kind of thinking is pure fantasy. The seniors we have leaving are not a star filled group by any stretch.

This is why I think it will take 7 years to improve the team. We need to flush out all the dead wood and start from scratch. That will take 3 more years to take out the dead weight. From there, it will take another 3 to establish the program as something more than a doormat. If we win on Saturday, I will celebrate, but, from my perspective, it is a probable loss. Just that much more evidence that we will need to be more patient than most suspect within the brethren of the hole.
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imo the dead weight will clear itsself out with kill over the next yr or 2.... i cant see it taking longer..... he is a my way or the highway coach... that will be seen with some atrition over the the winter months...
 

Here you go again Oneoldgopher!

Oneoldgopher said:
The tragedy of this thread is having to read the optimists predict success when it is going to be mighty hard to improve next season. Just because somebody has been with the program, does not mean they are capable of stepping up to the level the seniors left. That kind of thinking is pure fantasy. The seniors we have leaving are not a star filled group by any stretch.

This is why I think it will take 7 years to improve the team. We need to flush out all the dead wood and start from scratch. That will take 3 more years to take out the dead weight. From there, it will take another 3 to establish the program as something more than a doormat. If we win on Saturday, I will celebrate, but, from my perspective, it is a probable loss. Just that much more evidence that we will need to be more patient than most suspect within the brethren of the hole.
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For some reason I trust Kill more than you when it comes to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of this team. I know you would like to restructure his coaching staff based on your insight but again I trust Kill more than your professional opinion when it comes who should be his coaches.

I also trust Coach Kill more than you when it comes to evaluating next year’s team. I do find it interesting that coach Kill who is not known for bold predictions, has stated that next year team will definitely be better. He goes on to make a compelling case as to why this will be the case. He is not predicting x number of wins but he is excited about next year. That is because the players have bought in and understand what they need to do. Football is 90% mental and Coach Kill is making major changes in our culture when it comes to understanding how important the mental part is in playing the game. Oh, I forgot to mention that Coach Kill also said he is an optimist. Well there goes his credibility.

By the way, I don’t know if you know this or not but they have done scientific research on optimist and have found that optimists tend to not see the roadblocks that other people see. I guess you could say that they are not “realistic”. It is a funny thing though, optimist succeed much more often than realists do. I wonder why that is?
 

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