HOPES FOR 2016?

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Vandy

Vandy

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My Dad loved college football and the Gophers. It was a treat to come down from the Iron Range 1-2 times per year back in the 70's as a kid to the brickhouse.

I learned to love college ball from Dad, the game, the Gophers, the "U", the experience, the weather, the new stadium, the atmosphere.... everything about it and I'm coming back to Section 2015.

I also have high hopes for 2016. The schedule is not as brutally tough, a nice recruiting class is lined up, and there is no way that the injury bug bites again like it did this year. Not an excuse, but damn....

Heal the returning lettermen. The experience gained by others due the the starters injuries should add some depth. We will have two seasoned running backs in Smith and Brooks. Duke Anywanu has no knees left to injure and can add some depth at TE. Drew Wolitarski has some seasoning, and we can hope that our 4 star WR recruit from Florida can make an immediate impact, and perhaps Gentry, Holland etc can be ready to contribute.

Here's to high hopes for 2016.---- I'm thinking 9 or more wins... Let's go.
 

I'll have what you are drinking. My drinks are keeping me in the depression of this season. :drink:
 


Vandy said:
The schedule is not as brutally tough, a nice recruiting class is lined up, and there is no way that the injury bug bites again like it did this year.
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Yes, but some of those recruits could renege and some of the existing players could transfer. At this point, I'm guessing 8-4 next year if all goes well.
 

cjbfbp said:
Yes, but some of those recruits could renege and some of the existing players could transfer. At this point, I'm guessing 8-4 next year if all goes well.
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I'd take that at this point, but a little more would be nice. It seemed that the recruiting class had been kind of rallying around each other at the time of Kill's retirement announcement, so I will remain hopeful.

I was never much of a Kool-Aid drinker... the off brand "Funny Face" was cheaper...
 


I'm thinking 7-5 or 8-4 and that's ONLY because of a soft schedule and NOT because we're better than this season. I don't see the Gophers making any improvements for a few years. We should simply be satisfied at this point being so-so.
 

At least 6 wins measuring from where the team sits today.

I think that's everyone's minimum at the end of the regular 12 games...and that's where we are once again.

Not looking for this to be a hijacked "5-7 team bowl or no bowl thread," but missing a bowl is a huge setback that can only be mitigated by even more diligent off-season training by the kids...which by all reports was good coming in to this year.

Otherwise, ready for the conference playoffs and everyone else's bowls over the next month.

National Signing Day is only 10 or so weeks away. It'll be here in no time.
 

A lot of what happens next year will be dependent on, how completely, some of our injured players come back and shoring up the interior lines. We have a commitment from a JUCO guard and have offered a Juco DT. If we get those pieces and they work out we'll be in pretty good shape. I'm hoping for good news on Dec 16 (signing date for JUCO mid year transfers.).
 

One thing that really showed up year was team depth. Real shortage of quality backups at the O-Line and D-line. I know it's hard to find quality DT's with size in the middle, but the Gophers really need to find some bigger, stronger kids in the middle of the D-line.

As far as next year, I'll say this. I think some people had unrealistic expectations for this year's team - based on the schedule, and loss of top two playmakers from last year (Cobb & Maxx.)

So, for next year, we are looking at a better schedule; hopefully more depth from a decent recruiting class; hopefully better health (can't be this bad two years in a row); a full off-season for Claeys to put his own stamp on the program; and I think 8 wins is definitely possible, or 9 with some breaks.
 



Since hope is a terrible strategy and has failed us miserably for more than 40 years, I'm hoping we address some issues. I'll be the first to admit that I really don't offer any solutions but admitting you have a problem(s) seems like a logical first step. Here are some direct and indirect issues I see facing the program moving forward:

Next year's schedule is great if you're trying to notch wins but terrible if you're trying to entice fans to buy more tickets. We will need nine or more wins to retain or increase on current season ticket sells. Anything less than eight or nine wins will probably kill the sunny vs. shady side debate once and for all.

The jury is out on our HC. The evidence presented thus far (i.e., 1-4 in 2015) is not good. I like TC but he will do nothing to sell tickets next year and we will never increase ticket sales without getting nine or more wins.

Recruiting seems to be going okay this year but can probably only get worse, not better. Cross your fingers that the current verbals are solid and we win big next year. If we don't show significant improvement next year, recruiting will tank and we all know what that means.

Season ticket prices are in line with the cost to get an iPhone 6 but instead you are handed a blackberry, any blackberry. I repeat, nothing short of nine wins next season will reverse the inevitable mass exodus of the not so big mass of remaining season ticket holders.

The AD situation is a complete CF. Burn in hell NT.

Much needed practice facilities are on the way but they come with a mountain of debt and apparently no significant additional donations to help pay it down. So much for build it and the donors will come. I'm afraid Fatrick's grandchildren will be writing about this one: Did we learn anything from the Great Recession?!?

Gopher football is a lot like a tire fire. Just when you think you have it extinguished, the fire starts back up (e.g., 2015 season). Even if we put it out, it will take years to clean up the mess left behind. Anyone who has been following the program since the 70's knows this all too well. It's sad to think that we wet our pants over eight wins last year when many skunk fans thought they had a down year with just nine and worse yet the hog-eyes are 12-0 in what was suppose to be a down year. I'll admit it, I want what they have.
 


For all the reasons stated before, I'm expecting a winning season and bowl bid next year. How much of
a winning season will depend on a number of things, but a winning season nonetheless.
 

I am tired of waiting and currently do not have any faith/hope/dreams that things will ever be better - the team that took the field yesterday was inferior in so many respects. We have made minimal progress and it's disappointing - current staff and personnel will continue to disappoint
 



MNGoldenGophers1 said:
Since hope is a terrible strategy and has failed us miserably for more than 40 years, I'm hoping we address some issues. I'll be the first to admit that I really don't offer any solutions but admitting you have a problem(s) seems like a logical first step. Here are some direct and indirect issues I see facing the program moving forward: Next year's schedule is great if you're trying to notch wins but terrible if you're trying to entice fans to buy more tickets. We will need nine or more wins to retain or increase on current season ticket sells. Anything less than eight or nine wins will probably kill the sunny vs. shady side debate once and for all. The jury is out on our HC. The evidence presented thus far (i.e., 1-4 in 2015) is not good. I like TC but he will do nothing to sell tickets next year and we will never increase ticket sales without getting nine or more wins. Recruiting seems to be going okay this year but can probably only get worse, not better. Cross your fingers that the current verbals are solid and we win big next year. If we don't show significant improvement next year, recruiting will tank and we all know what that means. Season ticket prices are in line with the cost to get an iPhone 6 but instead you are handed a blackberry, any blackberry. I repeat, nothing short of nine wins next season will reverse the inevitable mass exodus of the not so big mass of remaining season ticket holders. The AD situation is a complete CF. Burn in hell NT. Much needed practice facilities are on the way but they come with a mountain of debt and apparently no significant additional donations to help pay it down. So much for build it and the donors will come. I'm afraid Fatrick's grandchildren will be writing about this one: Did we learn anything from the Great Recession?!? Gopher football is a lot like a tire fire. Just when you think you have it extinguished, the fire starts back up (e.g., 2015 season). Even if we put it out, it will take years to clean up the mess left behind. Anyone who has been following the program since the 70's knows this all too well. It's sad to think that we wet our pants over eight wins last year when many skunk fans thought they had a down year with just nine and worse yet the hog-eyes are 12-0 in what was suppose to be a down year. I'll admit it, I want what they have.
Click to expand...

So you're saying there's a chance?!?! Wooooooooooooo!!!!
 

Whatever Iowa had to drink in the off season, we should stock up. I see a lot of parallels.
 


My HOPE for 2016? Beat Wisconsin. Beat Iowa. Beat Nebraska. Win the West. 11-1.

My expectation? 9-3 (6-3) and 2nd place in the West. 4-3 against Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Penn State, Illinois, Northwestern, Maryland. Absolutely must win against Purdue and Rutgers.
 

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