The program is on life support. The prospects are bleak for any kind of resurgence this year. We hired the new staff to bring life into the team. They had 2 games of momentum at the end of the season and this year looked bright. Why did it look bright? Because of the coaching staff and the work being done to bring discipline and order to the players. The S&C program was supposedly updated. The system was to be built up from this base of players.
The reality has proved quite different. We now see there was no real heir apparent at QB. The offensive line is regrouping this year and will next year as well. The defense will lose critical leaders and the leaders who were to emerge are injured or on the bench. The problem this year is the gap between the Gophers and the B!G has grown wider, instead of narrower. Many will argue this isn't true, so let me lay out my argument. 3 seniors will graduate next year who, in general, were not starters in a majority of games last year. Next year, we will have fewer returning starters along the line, including the tight end. At QB, we have 2 players struggling to emerge as the clear #1 and line play has clouded the picture from emerging clearly. This uncertainty is detrimental to recruiting skill players, which we remain critically short of talent. At defense, we have not progressed significantly and the upper half ranking of the rush defense reflects the willingness of the opposition to pass against us. We have a makeshift defense in the secondary with Shady playing were he hasn't and Kim is about the expire after 6 seasons of football. So, the secondary will be rebuilding. At what position has real depth emerged, other than linebacker?
What this team needs is a recruiting miracle for the 2013 class that wows the football world.