Hole Poll: What grade would you give the Gophers 2021 football season?

Hole Poll: What grade would you give the Gophers 2021 football season?

  • A

    Votes: 9 7.3%
  • B

    Votes: 100 80.6%
  • C

    Votes: 14 11.3%
  • D

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • F

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    124

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Hole Poll: What grade would you give the Gophers 2021 football season?
 

Went B but was back and forth between B and C. My expectation was 9-10 regular season so slightly underachieved what I thought they’d do. Win over Wisconsin was nice. Losses to BG and Illinois plus the confusing one statistically versus Iowa. Hopefully it’s fuel for the next step. Expectations have (and very well should have) changed for this team
 







If A is basically perfect, then I’ll give a B. 9 wins and the axe, 6 conference wins, after losing like 4 running backs over the course of the season, and losing our star in game 1. We’ve had weeks and months to sulk over Bowling Green and Illinois, and beating them wouldn’t have gotten us to Indianapolis anyway, and we already shed our underperforming offensive coordinator for those performances.
 

by historical Gopher standards, a solid season.

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I think everyone understands it could have been a better season. But, you are what your record says you are.

At this point in my life, I've seen this movie before. Before I bite the dust, I still want to see the Gophers win a Conference title or play in the Rose Bowl again. that is something to really get excited about.

I just can't get too wound up about a 9-4 season. It's like going out with the 3rd or 4th hottest girl in school. Just once, I want to get a date with the head cheerleader, instead of always watching some other guy take her to the Prom while I wind up with the girl who has the "nice personality."
 



B that edges toward a B+ with the bowl victory. The team flunked what should have been pop quizzes against Bowling Green and Illinois and while the team did well in the bigger tests, quiz scores count (as many of us unfortunately figured out during our academic careers) in the final grade.

I went into the season with modest hopes (typical old Minnesotan doncha know), but after the showing against tOSU, I thought this might be the year. Things didn't turn out as well as my uptick in optimism portended, but outside of the two bad losses, I can't really complain.
 

The "What might have been" season... no doubt we lost a minimum of two games to Sanford's lack of imagination and play calling. Stubborn Fleck trusting him for two seasons. Now with a trusted KC back, things look real bright especially locking up Rossi. "C" as I really believe the losses were from game time coaching instead of skill/talent.
 


Will be interesting to see how the results compare to the post-regular season results (below). For me, beating a poor WV team does nothing to move the needle.

A Votes: 8 4.4%

B Votes: 129 70.5%

C Votes: 45 24.6%

D Votes: 1 0.5%

 





Will be interesting to see how the results compare to the post-regular season results (below). For me, beating a poor WV team does nothing to move the needle.

A Votes: 8 4.4%

B Votes: 129 70.5%

C Votes: 45 24.6%

D Votes: 1 0.5%

It moves the needle in the fact that its way more preferable to tell recruits and potential incoming transfers that had a 9-4 season instead of an 8-5 season. Thats a big deal.
 

These past three years have been remarkable when compared with the past 60 years. Fleck frustrated me for the first time this season and yet I gave this team an A. They built this team around Mo and that rug got pulled in the 3rd quarter of the first game. Winning 9 games is a tribute to the culture Fleck has created.
 

Feels like a solid B to me. Obviously some missed opportunities that keep it from being an A but considering the injuries to key players and other adversities this team faced, 9 wins with 6 being in conference games is still a very solid year.

Room for improvement but feels like another step in the right direction for the program heading into 2022.
 

B. Nine wins is pretty damn good by MN standards.

A disappointing B at that. Which I guess is a good thing.

Huge PJ Fleck fan. That hire was a an A++.
 

Feels like C work. Certainly not a failure by any margin but played a pretty weak crossover schedule and then the bg loss. Nice bowl win but against a bad team. Feel like the gophers deserved to play team more on there level. 9 wins is always pretty solid so C+ seems reasonable
 

These past three years have been remarkable when compared with the past 60 years. Fleck frustrated me for the first time this season and yet I gave this team an A. They built this team around Mo and that rug got pulled in the 3rd quarter of the first game. Winning 9 games is a tribute to the culture Fleck has created.
That’s a great point I had not thought of.
 


With Bronco here. At half-time in Game 1 against OH-IO State, I would have given the rest of the season a D if I were told what was to come. The Buckeyes fans around us were not happy...even a little concerned...and with good reason.

Then Mo happened in the 3rd Quarter and the rest of 2021 is history. After that terrible turn of fate, a very solid B for this year's team.

Progress.
 

B slightly underachieved could of and should of won the West. They had an easy schedule and tons of experience.

Obviously can’t be an A by firing the OC acknowledges some underachievement. I am optimistic for next year the schedule is doable.
 

B.

I know. I know. 9-4 (6-3) is one of the best Gopher seasons since 1970 and I really enjoyed it as a whole. However, this team had the potential to be better even with key injuries. It took Sanford too long to figure out the offense after Mo went down...like, until the Iowa game.

Gopher expectations have been raised.
 

I'll go with a B just because the Wisconsin win elevates the season for me. Even Fleck stated before the season he felt this was his best team so his expectations were higher than what was achieved. Yes, they had injuries at RB and WR but as we've seen at the pro level, RB is the one position where replacing the main guy isn't as difficult as other positions and they have done an outstanding job recruiting that position all based on how Fleck likes to control the game.

Expectations for the Gophers have really been raised and THAT right there shows that we have the right coach in place and they need to keep this guy happy. I really want to see these guys take the next step and I am really looking forward to next year already to see if that can be achieved!
 

Nice to end on a high note(s) with the last 2 games. Lack of development in the passing game very disappointing.
 

B for me as well. Probably a B+ given the injuries to skill position players on O and the dramatic improvement on D. I feel good about the program. Hoped for more this year, but it was a success on the whole.

Beat Wisconsin
5-2 against bowl eligible teams
Won 5th straight bowl game
9+ wins for the 2nd time in 3 years
Multiple players will be drafted
Several young guys stepped up big
Team continues impressing in the classroom and community
 

D+. This "culture" cannot establish consistency and does not have the ability to create a reliable passing game. Defense was pretty good. Losing to Bowling green is an automatic fail, done with that crap. 5 years in and all the hype but still doing this. Recovered well with the loss of Mo but still had a shot at Indy. Beating Wisconsin was nice but we apparently earned a D+ with the bowl boys. Pretty much with the advertised success and what will come is just the same old thing. So close to an A+ just like every year. New OC next year, few new guys on the O line and veterans coming back, there will be real expectations and there better not be any tripping on the uneven sidewalk like this year.
 





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