BleedGopher
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per ESPN:
1. Who is going to take over?
Just more than a week after the college football world was singing the praises of the Minnesota coaching staff for a marvelous defensive game plan, for getting a gritty effort from a shorthanded roster and for providing momentum with one of the program’s best records, Minnesota might be starting from scratch. There’s no question that the way Claeys handled the team's boycott, appearing to speak out before having all the details of a September incident involving 10 players, wasn't ideal and put him at odds with the administration and an athletic director who didn't hire him. But that doesn't make the January dismissal any less surprising, particularly because the Gophers are effectively forced to play catch-up on the coaching carousel. And given what has just gone down with Claeys, now there might be some doubt in the minds of coaches the Gophers might be interested in hiring, such as Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck, about the people in charge at Minnesota.
2. What will life be like without Mitch Leidner?
As a pure passer, Leidner might have left a bit to be desired. And while that’s obviously a significant part of the job description, Leidner never gave Minnesota anything else to complain about at the most important position on the field. Replacing him isn't going to be easy. Leidner was an effective rusher on the ground and a respected leader in the locker room, and players don’t come any tougher than him. So, no matter who takes over the program and replaces Claeys, the first order of business will be filling the big shoes that Leidner leaves behind and figuring out if Demry Croft or Mark Williams can handle the responsibility.
3. Can the defense keep humming along?
The Gophers have proved they have an eye for overlooked defensive talent and a knack for developing it, and the incredible performance in the Poinsettia Bowl offered yet another reminder of what that defensive staff and a hard-working roster is capable of delivering against even high-powered attacks. This won’t be the first time Minnesota has had to reload after losing a handful of contributors on defense, but it will be interesting to see if the coaching transition will lead to any shakeups on the staff and potentially complicates the process of replacing six senior starters.
http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/140618/three-questions-for-2017-minnesota-golden-gophers
Go Gophers!!
1. Who is going to take over?
Just more than a week after the college football world was singing the praises of the Minnesota coaching staff for a marvelous defensive game plan, for getting a gritty effort from a shorthanded roster and for providing momentum with one of the program’s best records, Minnesota might be starting from scratch. There’s no question that the way Claeys handled the team's boycott, appearing to speak out before having all the details of a September incident involving 10 players, wasn't ideal and put him at odds with the administration and an athletic director who didn't hire him. But that doesn't make the January dismissal any less surprising, particularly because the Gophers are effectively forced to play catch-up on the coaching carousel. And given what has just gone down with Claeys, now there might be some doubt in the minds of coaches the Gophers might be interested in hiring, such as Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck, about the people in charge at Minnesota.
2. What will life be like without Mitch Leidner?
As a pure passer, Leidner might have left a bit to be desired. And while that’s obviously a significant part of the job description, Leidner never gave Minnesota anything else to complain about at the most important position on the field. Replacing him isn't going to be easy. Leidner was an effective rusher on the ground and a respected leader in the locker room, and players don’t come any tougher than him. So, no matter who takes over the program and replaces Claeys, the first order of business will be filling the big shoes that Leidner leaves behind and figuring out if Demry Croft or Mark Williams can handle the responsibility.
3. Can the defense keep humming along?
The Gophers have proved they have an eye for overlooked defensive talent and a knack for developing it, and the incredible performance in the Poinsettia Bowl offered yet another reminder of what that defensive staff and a hard-working roster is capable of delivering against even high-powered attacks. This won’t be the first time Minnesota has had to reload after losing a handful of contributors on defense, but it will be interesting to see if the coaching transition will lead to any shakeups on the staff and potentially complicates the process of replacing six senior starters.
http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/140618/three-questions-for-2017-minnesota-golden-gophers
Go Gophers!!
