Expectations

[ncgo4]

This game, just as the Wisconsin & Michigan games demonstrates what a well coached and understaffed football team we have. Our offensive & defensive players are absolutely and totally outclassed by moderately good teams. Don't kid yourself, no one in the Big10 is anywhere approaching an elite team. Our players are slower weaker and less athletic than players on any good teams they face. Arguments about 2 & 3 stars vs higher ranked recruits are silly, re-watch those games.

As to good coaching, we've won 6 games and beaten those teame we should. We've been better coached and better prepared and made better changes at half time. Unless or until Coach Kill can get us the real good athletes, however, it'll get better with a few more season under his system, but beat the top teams? Not often.

I'm real concerned about Nelson. As my grandpa used to day, "He couldn't hit a cow in the arse with a hand full of rice." I didn't think it possible, but he's less accurate that Marquis.

 

[thailleagle]

I'll wait until after the Bowl Game...

 

[TrapperDoo]

We were boys among men out there today. JK is doing more with less I think, but we gotta have great players in order to be able to run with teams like this.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Ummmm, you DO realize that for much of the game there were essentially no JRs and SRs on the field on offense; at the very least not an every down starter, right?

 

[westcoastgopher11]

Get a grip.

We won more games than last year.

None of our losses this year were as bad as last year, both in effort and in margin.

Nebraska has two losses, to Pac-12 South Division Champ UCLA and undefeated Ohio State. They haven't lost at home this season.

There was no way we were going to beat Nebraska today.

This program is getting better.

 

[CP Gopher]

Get a grip.

We won more games than last year.

None of our losses this year were as bad as last year, both in effort and in margin.

Nebraska has two losses, to Pac-12 South Division Champ UCLA and undefeated Ohio State. They haven't lost at home this season.

There was no way we were going to beat Nebraska today.

This program is getting better.

I totally agree. We're getting better. No question about it.

 

[patrick08]

Get a grip.

We won more games than last year.

None of our losses this year were as bad as last year, both in effort and in margin.

Nebraska has two losses, to Pac-12 South Division Champ UCLA and undefeated Ohio State. They haven't lost at home this season.

There was no way we were going to beat Nebraska today.

This program is getting better.

Agree 100%

 

[scools12]

The program is getting better but they did not compete today. You can aruge men vs. boys but still you need to at least compete and not look as beat the whole game as they did.

Kill and staff might be able to coach up MAC level talent to win at a high rate but the B1G is a different animal all together and the recruitng will need to imporve quite a bit for this staff to be around for the long haul.

 

[wait!what?]

being consistent in losses

Agree 100%

gophs at least are consistenet in the way they are losing. that will assist in improving. like a golfer who has one or 2 faults vs the hacker who sprays everything.

 

[littlebigboy]

scools12, isn't it funny that their MAC beat some big 10 teams. Next yr. we will compete with most all team Fs, and in 2014 we will be fighting for the top spots, and our coach and coordinators will all of a sudden become smarter! Funny how that works. Rememeber a few yrs ago they were throw the NEB. sstaff out too.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

The program is getting better but they did not compete today. You can aruge men vs. boys but still you need to at least compete and not look as beat the whole game as they did.

Kill and staff might be able to coach up MAC level talent to win at a high rate but the B1G is a different animal all together and the recruitng will need to imporve quite a bit for this staff to be around for the long haul.

I agree, they played terrible and they deserve to be criticisized for that. However, I don't think it's because of a lack of effort, I think they were outmatched physically and they played poorly (didn't catch the ball, didn't execute, etc.). On the road, against the best team in the Big 10 (maybe 2nd best) that's the recipe for a stomping.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

This game, just as the Wisconsin & Michigan games demonstrates what a well coached and understaffed football team we have. Our offensive & defensive players are absolutely and totally outclassed by moderately good teams. Don't kid yourself, no one in the Big10 is anywhere approaching an elite team. Our players are slower weaker and less athletic than players on any good teams they face. Arguments about 2 & 3 stars vs higher ranked recruits are silly, re-watch those games.

As to good coaching, we've won 6 games and beaten those teame we should. We've been better coached and better prepared and made better changes at half time. Unless or until Coach Kill can get us the real good athletes, however, it'll get better with a few more season under his system, but beat the top teams? Not often.

I'm real concerned about Nelson. As my grandpa used to day, "He couldn't hit a cow in the arse with a hand full of rice." I didn't think it possible, but he's less accurate that Marquis.

I didn't think he played well today, but I think he's pretty accurate.

 

[John Galt]

I didn't expect us to win today or to even be within 2 TDs, but I did expect better than 38-0 in the 4th quarter.

 

[Dr.Don]

I didn't expect us to win today or to even be within 2 TDs, but I did expect better than 38-0 in the 4th quarter.

I am sure that your expectations drive the Gophers. Your expectations are in your mind. If one is to set expectations, be a part of it to help a team achieve those expectations. It really is simple. Your imaginary expectations as a commentor on GopherHole versus realistic expectations as part of the TEAM doing something about it.

 

[scools12]

I agree, they played terrible and they deserve to be criticisized for that. However, I don't think it's because of a lack of effort, I think they were outmatched physically and they played poorly (didn't catch the ball, didn't execute, etc.). On the road, against the best team in the Big 10 (maybe 2nd best) that's the recipe for a stomping.

I agree outmatched physcially and a stomping predictable but I didn't see a whole lot of fight back today. That to me was far more disapointing than the final score.

 

[TrapperDoo]

I agree outmatched physcially and a stomping predictable but I didn't see a whole lot of fight back today. That to me was far more disapointing than the final score.

I don't see a lack of fight in the dog - JK won't allow that. This was just a straight up physical beat down. The silver lining is that the boys get to see what they need to be in order to play at the top level in this game. Great teams have great players. It's that simple. Hopefully this coaching staff can reel some of these great players in. Negative comments on these boards won't help in this regard. The great players are going to need to know that Minnesota has great fans before they will sign on. The Gophers are improving.

 

[Sparlimb]

Negative comments on these boards won't help in this regard.

Negative comments on this board or any other should have NO EFFECT on play on the field. If they do, coach should be fired. My opinion, your opinion, we're welcome to them, but they don't change how the team plays. Any other insinuation is pure nonsense.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Some basic expectations that we should be able to have include every punt going for at least ten yards and that balls hitting receivers in the hands be caught.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Some basic expectations that we should be able to have include every punt going for at least ten yards and that balls hitting receivers in the hands be caught.

That's ridiculous. 10 yard punts can only be expected for upper echelon Big Ten teams.

 

[mplsbadger]

In high school you have a FR team, a SO team, a JV team, and a varsity. Nobody would expect the Eden Prairie sophomores to beat the Minnetonka seniors. Let's wait until it's apples to apples vs. these good teams before drawing conclusions. Doesn't mean it will work out any different, but silly to read too much into this when the average eligibility of our O is about a SO.

 

[ncgo4]

Please retread my first sentence. This team is well coached, IMHO. It is just that the talent level is very much below virtually every other B10 team. The fact that we beat Purdue & Illinois, both teams with more talent & depth than the Gophers, demonstrates this. The problem is Kill & Staff are recruiting to a high-MAC level of talent and if this continues we will be relegated to the lower third of the B10.

As to the youth of our team, does any one out there really believe that the Frosh & RSFrosh on our team will compete with Wisconsin & Iowa, in the next year or two? The Iowa & Illinois teams are in turmoil and their recruiting classes run circles around ours.

Kill and his staff are quality, high quality, coaches. But the talent they are recruiting is so low that Vince Lombardi couldn't bring this team to the mid level of the B10. I'm still a fan, but I've adjusted my expectations to a much more reasonable level.

 

[ncgo4]

In high school you have a FR team, a SO team, a JV team, and a varsity. Nobody would expect the Eden Prairie sophomores to beat the Minnetonka seniors. Let's wait until it's apples to apples vs. these good teams before drawing conclusions. Doesn't mean it will work out any different, but silly to read too much into this when the average eligibility of our O is about a SO.

Maybe not, but I'd expect Eden Prarie sophomores to beat the Edgerton Seniors. with the recruiting Kill & Company are doing this is what we are facing. My hope is that if the team continues to over achieve the recruiting will improve. Certainly, any four star recruits can expect big PT rightvaway.

 

[minibeaver]

I don't see a lack of fight in the dog - JK won't allow that. This was just a straight up physical beat down. The silver lining is that the boys get to see what they need to be in order to play at the top level in this game. Great teams have great players. It's that simple. Hopefully this coaching staff can reel some of these great players in. Negative comments on these boards won't help in this regard. The great players are going to need to know that Minnesota has great fans before they will sign on. The Gophers are improving.

This. I don't think they gave up any more than is normal when your physically and mentally drained getting pounded, as well as having little time to rest as your offense is going three and out every series. Holers think we can say whatever we want with no consequences, but our bipolar quick-to-fire fan base puts pressure on our program that is already fragile right now. All of us on the Hole are considered the most hardcore fans by other fans, local media, and fans of other teams. What does it say if the so called most ardent gopher fans are calling for firings already? Criticism=fine. Calling for coaches jobs= not fine/ asinine.

 

[The 12th Man]

Maybe not, but I'd expect Eden Prarie sophomores to beat the Edgerton Seniors. with the recruiting Kill & Company are doing this is what we are facing. My hope is that if the team continues to over achieve the recruiting will improve. Certainly, any four star recruits can expect big PT rightvaway.

If the Gophers had played Hamline (Edgerton) yesterday, your argument would work. They did not. They played a much better, older team (Minnetonka). Your analogy makes no sense because you have flipped the two sides.

The problem with recruiting is that people look at a recruiting class and expect that the results the following season will be impacted by the recently signed class. They never are. Kill's recruiting might be good, and it might be bad. The simple truth is that right now, WE DON'T KNOW. If the team does not compete in two years, it will be a different story because his recruits will then be seniors. Patience.

 

[hungan1]

Man-o-life! They need to figure out how to keep the Offense healthy.

 

[TrapperDoo]

Negative comments on this board or any other should have NO EFFECT on play on the field. If they do, coach should be fired. My opinion, your opinion, we're welcome to them, but they don't change how the team plays. Any other insinuation is pure nonsense.

Think recruiting.

 

[MNVCGUY]

If the Gophers had played Hamline (Edgerton) yesterday, your argument would work. They did not. They played a much better, older team (Minnetonka). Your analogy makes no sense because you have flipped the two sides.

The problem with recruiting is that people look at a recruiting class and expect that the results the following season will be impacted by the recently signed class. They never are. Kill's recruiting might be good, and it might be bad. The simple truth is that right now, WE DON'T KNOW. If the team does not compete in two years, it will be a different story because his recruits will then be seniors. Patience.

We should get a pretty good idea next season if Kill's recruiting is going to lead to a team that can compete in the Big Ten. He will have a majority of the players on the field and many of them will have 3 years in his system at which point it should be reasonable to expect them to be preforming close to their high end ability level.

He pretty much gets a free pass in years 1 and 2 but by next season we should at least look like we belong on the field with some of the better teams in the conference if we are to believe that this coaching staff is going to get it done. Please don't see that as we should expect to win the conference but hopefully 38 unanswered points and looking totally overmatched will be a thing of the past.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

The youth excuse gets thrown around a lot. A lot of people are sick and tired of it. Well, if you look at the depth chart from yesterday, it's pretty clear who the more experienced team was. I ran through the Gophers roster and struggled to come up with 20 Jrs./Srs. that I could qualify as regular contributors. This includes guys like Mike Henry, Brandon Green, Beal, Engel and Barker. Guys that are injured and/or play some, but certainly not every down players. Now, take a look at the Huskers depth chart from yesterday. Dominated by Jrs. and Srs., especially in the trenches, where the game was won by Nebraska.

http://www.huskers.com/pdf8/979895.pdf

 

[GopherinPhilly]

Fr & So O line versus Jr & Sr d line. Fr & So skill players versus Jr & Sr skill defenders. This is the story of yesterday. If our offense had been able to convert 40% of their third downs (instead of 0% through 3 quarters) the defense would have looked much better. Add in a 7 yard punt and a pick 6 and you get 38-0. The defense played extremely well yesterday considering who we were playing (top 10 run Offense in NCAA) and how poorly our offense played yesterday.

Kill & Co have doubled our win total from last year and we are bowl eligible with one home game left and a chance to win another Big ten game. Had we beat IA (we played bad against an matchup team) we would be playing for .500 in conference for the first time in forever. As it is....we are going bowling and we are getting better.

 

[Atl Gopher]

I wonder. The difference between winning and losing is not much. How many what if plays did we have yesterday? What if on 3rd and 1 on the opening drive, Kirkwood cuts upfield rather than trying go outside the defender. He had the first down and made a bad decision. What if those 2 tip balls were caught? I know, what if you won the lottery tomorrow? What if Baylor won yestday? How could that happen?

So much of sports is confidence. Nelson started out 5 for 5. What happended after that or why did it happen? Some passes should have been caught and other reminded me of Adam Weber on his worst days.