Entering last 3 controlling own destiny

[Dakota2]

Yeah. Twice the gameplan has cost them.
You can fire Sanford, game plans are going to look similar because Fleck is the guy who controls things.
Our 2021 offense looks more similar to what Fleck did with KC schematically than what Western Kentucky and Notre Dame were doing under Sanford whether gopher fans want to admit that or not.

I’m okay if fleck fired Sanford but I’m going to assume fleck knows more than me who is responsible for what mistakes

It's an interesting question how much Fleck controls or how much he would control with an OC as good at his job as Rossi is at his. Fleck does not seem to interfere with the defense. Rossi plays a lot of guys and gets his unit very deep with game experience. It is not apparent that Fleck is micro-managing those decisions.

PJ's strengths are of the CEO type. Great culture, recruiting good kids we are all proud of and making them better men, and motivating the players to achieve beyond their comfort levels.

I don't think he is as good at the minutia of game management and offensive strategy. Our defense was bad with Smith and our offense is unbalanced and uncreative with Sanford. When PJ had two good coordinators at the same time == KC and Rossi == we won 11 games.

 

[Some guy]

It's an interesting question how much Fleck controls or how much he would control with an OC as good at his job as Rossi is at his. Fleck does not seem to interfere with the defense. Rossi plays a lot of guys and gets his unit very deep with game experience. It is not apparent that Fleck is micro-managing those decisions.

PJ's strengths are of the CEO type. Great culture, recruiting good kids we are all proud of and making them better men, and motivating the players to achieve beyond their comfort levels.

I don't think he is as good at the minutia of game management and offensive strategy. Our defense was bad with Smith and our offense is unbalanced and uncreative with Sanford. When PJ had two good coordinators at the same time == KC and Rossi == we won 11 games.

When PJ had KC we had bad offenses in 2017 and 2018

 

[PMWinSTP]

OSU plan was excellent. The four BT wins were quite good but couple could have been more balanced looking ahead. Bottom line is Sanford is inadequate and not up to standard of defense. Goal is to be excellent in all aspects of the game.

Elite, not excellent.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Sorry , I can’t buy a bunch of fan opinions over the program PAID Coach and his PAID Staff members opinion when it comes to knowing how the heck to coach the U of M football team in the month of November.

I’ve known plenty of fans who have told me they know more than the people who are PAID to coach the team. But those damn fans can never agree on a damn thing and argue their opinion over and over. They have no skin in the game. About the only risk the have is that they might get banned from participating in the food fights (personal experience).

So I go with the coach and staff EVERY time now & let the chips fall where they may. Fans, as a group really don’t know diddly squat, are totally irresponsible, don’t have an actual BT coaching record, and are pretty darn full of themselves (once again, personal experience. & guilty as charged.)

I vote to go with the coach and his staff on their game plan for Iowa. Beat the stinking hawkeye, Gopher!

Being paid a lot to be average? That's your argument?

 

[imthewalrus]

Being paid a lot to be average? That's your argument?

At least I know who they are, and know that they have people they answer to. Who did you say you were again? Have a nice day.

 

[PMWinSTP]

At least I know who they are, and know that they have people they answer to. Who did you say you were again. Have a nice day.

OK, take it easy big fella, a bit of an over the top response. You have no idea who I am. Have a...day.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Arrogance in game planning is bad. Refusing to adjust when plan exposed is much worse.

I'm never sure what quite is more amusing; couch fan who thinks he knows what the actual game plan is each week, or couch fan who thinks no adjustments are being made... It could never, ever possibly be that the players can't or didn't execute the game plan. The reluctance to criticize the actual guys on the field in the uniforms is puzzling to say the least.

 

[STPGopher]

So we beat Purdue on the road. They spanked Iowa at Kinnick. Yet we have people on this board discounting that Purdue win as "lucky".

So Iowa beats Northwestern by 5 and scores 3 points in the last 45 minutes of the game. We trounce the same team on the same field 41-14 JUST last week. Yet we have people acting like Iowa is so much better than us.

There are some seriously damaged psychologies on this board. Basically, let's only look at the Gophers' two bad performances and not give any credit for any of the wins. You can't make this stuff up

Personally, I think the team comes out fired up next week and we have a game plan that surprises everyone - including Iowa - and we bring home Floyd for the first time this millennium.

Gopher fandom does have a little to do with this. I do think we can win this game. Hopefully culture helps the team flip back to winning ways.

 

[goldengophers]

I'm never sure what quite is more amusing; couch fan who thinks he knows what the actual game plan is each week, or couch fan who thinks no adjustments are being made... It could never, ever possibly be that the players can't or didn't execute the game plan. The reluctance to criticize the actual guys on the field in the uniforms is puzzling to say the least.

Adjustments are not being made, that was the consensus across the board out of yesterday.

 

[gophernut1]

Would you exchange the Bowling Green loss with 4 B1G wins and the Illinois loss with 4 more consecutive wins? If our team can't get up for the really bad teams but beats up on everyone else I can take that. However, if this team is going to suck every time someone shows them something they don't expect because we have a QB and/or OC who can't adjust than we are in trouble no matter what.

My hope is that we regroup like last time and take the next 4 games.

 

[hello-world]

I'm never sure what quite is more amusing; couch fan who thinks he knows what the actual game plan is each week, or couch fan who thinks no adjustments are being made... It could never, ever possibly be that the players can't or didn't execute the game plan. The reluctance to criticize the actual guys on the field in the uniforms is puzzling to say the least.

Well for one thing, Fleck does not really believe in in-game adjustments so no, he doesn't do that. (Neither do most college coaches fwiw).

Also the game plan sucks. It doesn't matter how good the team is when you are constantly fighting against numbers. Minnesota had a 'gotta have it' play where the defense dropped six into coverage and Minnesota ran two routes. In practice, every route had three people defending it.

Moreover, they repeatedly ran into a stacked box on first down when they had below average corners on an island, and refused to take what the defense was giving on second down (which, btw, was the entire middle of the field). A high school linebacker could diagnose what went wrong against Illinois and Sanford, for the life of him, couldn't figure it out.

People happily criticize the players when they're the problem, but this team is stacked with 5 year seniors and every play call is putting the offense in the worst possible position. How do you blame a 22 y.o. QB for failing to perform when every route takes 4 seconds to develop, the receivers are covered by 2 or 3 defenders and the defense is blitzing? You could put anyone back there and they would struggle.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Would you exchange the Bowling Green loss with 4 B1G wins and the Illinois loss with 4 more consecutive wins? If our team can't get up for the really bad teams but beats up on everyone else I can take that. However, if this team is going to suck every time someone shows them something they don't expect because we have a QB and/or OC who can't adjust than we are in trouble no matter what.

My hope is that we regroup like last time and take the next 4 games.

At this point in year five it shouldn't be an either/or.

 

[STPGopher]

In college football, even coaches don't know what team will show from week to week. It's got some elements of a crapshoot to it. It's been that way for decades. The bottom line is the Gophers are 6-3 and in a four way tie for first at 4-2. I'll take that easily. They've beaten one of the other first place teams already. They control their destiny and are playing meaningful games in November. No way they come out in Iowa City like they did yesterday. Buckle up, this should be fun.

Thanks for talking me off the ledge.

 

[STPGopher]

Bielema played at Iowa and obviously was the coach at Wisc. He hates Minnesota

Guessing he has pretty good relationships with both Ferentz and Chryst, and will be happy to ship every single aspect of his game plans for beating us to both.

How soon we forget...https://www.startribune.com/wiscons...akes-me-happier-than-putting-up-70/182110551/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/game...a-twitter-account-wisconsin-arkansas/1851233/

https://thespun.com/college-football/wisconsin-fan-sign-bret-bielema

 

[btowngopher]

When PJ had KC we had bad offenses in 2017 and 2018

With pretty weak personnel.

 

[Some guy]

With pretty weak personnel.

2018 had better skill players than we have this year (at least right now) and the same quarterback

 

[Unregistered User]

My hope is that we regroup like last time and take the next 4 games.

5. Win the next 3 and we're in the B10 CCG, that's 4, plus a bowl game. Win the next 5!

RTBSUMGG!

 

[btowngopher]

2018 had better skill players than we have this year (at least right now) and the same quarterback

Offense was fine at the end of 2018 with Morgan starting. Kind of sucked at the beginning of the year with a true freshman walk on.

 

[NotAFanOfBecky]

It’s college football so you never know what will happen. They have to scheme better routes and take what they give you. I just know that it’s going to most likely come down to throwing the ball. Wisconsin is #1 in the country at a measly 54 yards per game. Iowa is 9th at 98 yards per game. Gophs hold their own at 14th at 103. So going to see some smash mouth. Iowa is master of the takeaway. I think the Gophers can beat Iowa. Not so sure about Becky (which sucks because I hate being owned for the last 20 years by them).

 

[60's Guy]

I'd like us to beat Iowa. I know we can beat Iowa. But, wow it's really hard to think we actually will beat Iowa. We could though....but just like that it pops up we haven't yet with PJ. They kinda seem to toy with us and then smugly drag the pig out waaay too many years in a row lately.
Hey, maybe it's our year....our time. Bring Floyd home PJ! Leave the timeouts in Iowa City.

 

[Some guy]

Offense was fine at the end of 2018 with Morgan starting. Kind of sucked at the beginning of the year with a true freshman walk on.

Offense also better once bateman wasn’t a true freshman and once the running back position stabilized in Mo post injuries to other guys

 

[PMWinSTP]

Offense was fine at the end of 2018 with Morgan starting. Kind of sucked at the beginning of the year with a true freshman walk on.

Morgan had better numbers in his 9 games in 2018 than this year through 9 games. Two games in 2018 were brief appearances.

 

[Gold Rush]

There's about a 90% chance we win zero or one of last three.

You have obviously been a Gopher fan for a long time!!!

 

[The prez sez]

Morgan had better numbers in his 9 games in 2018 than this year through 9 games. Two games in 2018 were brief appearances.

Sounds like we had better skill players in 2018 to support Morgan than we do this year.

 

[Otis]

We don’t even control our bladders.
Did you missus pissing all over ourselves Saturday?

 

[mnvballdad]

What were they ranked? I’d say they’re playing more like their current ranking.

They were as high as 10 maybe? All I know is that they've given up 37 points in their last five games. That defense is really, really good.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I'm never sure what quite is more amusing; couch fan who thinks he knows what the actual game plan is each week, or couch fan who thinks no adjustments are being made... It could never, ever possibly be that the players can't or didn't execute the game plan. The reluctance to criticize the actual guys on the field in the uniforms is puzzling to say the least.

Hey, when I call the perfect play on Madden, my WR are wide open and it is a TD everytime....there is nothing to it.

Yeah, the oversimplification that fans do after a loss is mind boggling. I'm not sold that Sanford is the right guy for the job, but the idea that he is not making adjustments or that it is all on the gameplan is just foolish. There are so many moving parts, did the receivers run the right routes, did the line make the right protection call and then execute the protection properly, did Tanner make the right reads, did the RB do their job....it is never just one thing and it is never simple.

The trick is to fix it. Illinois and Bowling Green were able to exploit a weakness in our offense in a way that the other teams on the schedule haven't been able to. It is on the coaches AND players to figure out how to protect against that moving forward.

 

[Some guy]

They were as high as 10 maybe? All I know is that they've given up 37 points in their last five games. That defense is really, really good.

Yup. Top two in the country. Probably the 70-90th best offense though. They’re a top 20 team. Not a top 10 team.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I would frame the question this way:

Are the Gophers capable of beating Iowa? Yes.

But, this same team was capable of beating Illinois - and they didn't. This same team was capable of beating Bowling Green - and they didn't. that has to be part of the equation.

so I'm sorry, but right now, I just don't have a lot of confidence that this team is going to be able to pull off another turn-around - on the road - against a quality opponent.

let me put it this way - if IA had played the way the Gophers did in their last game, 98% of the people on this board would be declaring that "there's no way we can lose to that team....."

Don't get me wrong - I hope they can win, but my head is telling my heart to keep my expectations low.

 

[cjbfbp]

Yup. Top two in the country. Probably the 70-90th best offense though. They’re a top 20 team. Not a top 10 team.

I'd say Wisconsin is playing close to a Top 10 team right now.