Doogie on expectations for Gophers season: "Big Ten West or bust in my mind"

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I thought it was Nothing Short of Greatness, or at least that's what we paid (part of) for.
 







100%

Too much returning on offense. If there were even a year to win the West, prior to the season commencing, this is it.
 






Got to see this year’s versions of the defense and kicking teams perform before I entertain Best in West thoughts. Offense alone won’t get a team to Best in West.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Got to see this year’s versions of the defense and kicking teams perform before I entertain Best in West thoughts. Offense alone won’t get a team to Best in West.
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Yep, in November you win with defense. Gopher's strong run game will compensate even if the defense is only average.
 



60's Guy said:
Coyle has to spend much of his time rehearsing his non answers to questions. Very fluid, no stumbling but saying absolutely nothing. Truly an art.
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He is learning to be a great AD.
 

60's Guy said:
Coyle has to spend much of his time rehearsing his non answers to questions. Very fluid, no stumbling but saying absolutely nothing. Truly an art.
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Definitely an art form, same with coach speak. When you know every word you say is going to be analyzed and scrutinized you have to be super careful how you phrase things.

The non answers get frustrating but it is the only real option they have most of the time.
 



Gophergrandpa said:
Got to see this year’s versions of the defense and kicking teams perform before I entertain Best in West thoughts. Offense alone won’t get a team to Best in West.
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Especially when we just don't know what the passing game is going to be like. Sanford F'ed up a good thing last fall, no question, but obviously TJ was very missed and the other receivers and TE's didn't add a ton to help Bateman out. It was pretty much "stop Bateman and stop Mo, and you've got them, their OL is missing some key pieces and Tanner can't/doesn't run".
 

MplsGopher said:
Especially when we just don't know what the passing game is going to be like. Sanford F'ed up a good thing last fall, no question, but obviously TJ was very missed and the other receivers and TE's didn't add a ton to help Bateman out. It was pretty much "stop Bateman and stop Mo, and you've got them, their OL is missing some key pieces and Tanner can't/doesn't run".
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I thought you were quoting someone. You just put your own thoughts in quotes.
 



When's the last time we beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season? Make it happen.
 

Nax5 said:
When's the last time we beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season? Make it happen.
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Hasn't happened in the 21st Century. Last time, I think was, 1990! Also in 1989 and 1984. Used to be more common. We beat both Iowa and Wisconsin in 1975, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1969, 1967, 1965, 1963 and 1960. I didn't look prior to 1960.

If you look for the last time we beat Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin in the same year, you have to go back to Coach Murray Warmath. He beat all three, winning the Jug, the Pig and the Axe, in 1967, 1965, 1963 and 1960. I stopped looking at 1960; sure there were more prior to then, as pre-1960 were the Gophers' Halcyon Days. My hope is that Fleck wants to stick around for the long term and be the next Murray Warmath.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
Hasn't happened in the 21st Century. Last time, I think was, 1990! Also in 1989 and 1984. Used to be more common. We beat both Iowa and Wisconsin in 1975, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1969, 1967, 1965, 1963 and 1960. I didn't look prior to 1960.

If you look for the last time we beat Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin in the same year, you have to got back to Coach Murray Warmath. He beat all three, winning the Jug, the Pig and the Axe, in 1967, 1965, 1963 and 1960. I stopped looking at 1960; sure there were more prior to then, as pre-1960 were the Gophers' Halcyon Days. My hope is that Fleck wants to stick around for the long term and be the next Murray Warmath.
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Murray Warmath, Bernie Bierman...I'd take Fleck being the second coming of either one!
 

Wisconsin really has a schedule advantage that the Gophers will have to overcome to win the division.
 

mnvballdad said:
Wisconsin really has a schedule advantage that the Gophers will have to overcome to win the division.
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Yeah to say win the west or bust, when we play 2 of the top teams from the East seems a little unfair.
 

mnvballdad said:
Wisconsin really has a schedule advantage that the Gophers will have to overcome to win the division.
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What is the schedule advantage?
Wisconsin isn’t the team to beat in the division either?

If Minnesota loses to Ohio state and wins out, they win the division. Never in the history of the big ten east and west has a team won the division due to crossovers.
 

Some guy said:
Never in the history of the big ten east and west has a team won the division due to crossovers.
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But that's just because they haven't needed to.

So the idea hasn't actually been put to the test.

Easy hypothetical, quite frankly:
- Gophers, Iowa, and Wisc all go 5-1 in the division (each beats one of the other, and loses to one of the other)
- Gophers lose to Ohio St and Indiana, Iowa loses to Indiana and Penn St, Wisc only loses to Penn St because Michigan is down.

Still going to say crossovers don't matter?
 
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I'm frankly going to be happy when the whole "divisions" thing goes away.

I get what they were going for, it made sense (at the time, and still to some extent), but it's time for football to be like every other sport and just have all the conference teams be together again.


And will not be sad to see these "division champions" or even worse "division co-champions" (what a joke) go away too.
 

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