Obviously everyone feels great after a win like that, IMO it's even better than that.
This team is still vastly underwhelming talentwise, very young, and not very deep. And yet we saw for the first time how a Kill coached team will attack and win games.
I believe this win to be a sign that we've lifted off the bottom, our trajectory is going up now, and even though we still may not win another game, Kill has a solid foundation partially in place and well on it's way to being completed.
We just beat Iowa, a blood rival, a team based on execution and physical development up front with 2-4 OL underclassmen, and 2 Freshmen starting DE's 8 games into a new coach with new and vastly different schemes than these players were used to.
We've weathered bad blowouts, an FCS loss, and been upset by a team from New Mexico. Our coach had 20 seizures and missed 2 weeks of practice,. Through all of that, we were able to rally in a rivalry game and beat a rival. That's big.
Ok now the sunshine and lollipops, imagination time. Next year's season opener:
QB-Gray/Shortell/Nelson, whichever proves himself to this coaching staff will be much improved or very talented.
HB- So backs Kirkwood, Cobb, Wright, JUCO Gillum, R. Williams if need be, one year better, with better depth, mental knowledge, and... BLOCKING
OL- Jr E Olson, So T. Olson, Jr Mottla, So Epping, So Gjere/Campion, plethora of backups young and talented McAvoys, Bjorkland, Bush, phenoms Hayes and Pirsig to RS if needed, this group quite simply will be better and better for the next 2.5 years culminating in a truely talented and experienced group in 2013 and for the forseeable future.
TE-So. Goodger plays the role of McGarry, fill in with Sr Rabe, FR. Heifort, and Fr. Williams if needed this group will also be around and together until beyond 2013.
WR- Moulton, Green, Jones, DCT all return one year better, one year healthier, one year with experience in this system, add to that JUCO Freucte, transfer Engel, and possibly freshman Harbison. Deeper, more experienced, new pieces for Limegrover to move around, and a QB with experience to get them the ball.
Pretty picture isn't it.
On D:
DE- One year stronger, bigger for Amaefula, Perry, Wilhite, Garin and with supposedly talented Cockran in the mix freshmen will be able to redshirt unless they are too good.
DT-The one position I think we are worse at next year, BUT we'll be adding young talent much like our DE's this year. Hinjosa will likely impact, Hageman has shown flashes, we likely get a JUCO here and fill in spaces with freshmen and bulked up DE's.
LB- This group gets a youth infusion, Rallis and Cooper will be solid, Beal may finally heal up, Edwards will grow in his role, but mainly we have freshmen kids like Westerhaus, Matilus, Baudacco, Davis, Nicholson, Ballestros etc will be able to filter in and find roles, depth will be excellent going into 2013
CB-Thin, Vereen and Wells return, likely a JUCO comes in for help, and kids like Montgomery, Moss, and Murray have to play alot, but most of these kids will be around for a long time and be very savvy by by the time they are upperclassmen. Henderson's play this year and Collado last year has opened my eyes to the underrated nature of angles, awareness, and experience in secondary play.
S-Better but still thin, Levine, Thompson, Manuel and Haivland hold some potential. Experience in the scheme will help here, we will see how Claeys does without Royston.
Jr Punter, Jr Kicker, Jones in full time return roles, special teams has been good so far.
The future looks great, IMO this Iowa win will be a moment we look back on and remember when we saw what Kill could do.
Go Gophers!
This team is still vastly underwhelming talentwise, very young, and not very deep. And yet we saw for the first time how a Kill coached team will attack and win games.
I believe this win to be a sign that we've lifted off the bottom, our trajectory is going up now, and even though we still may not win another game, Kill has a solid foundation partially in place and well on it's way to being completed.
We just beat Iowa, a blood rival, a team based on execution and physical development up front with 2-4 OL underclassmen, and 2 Freshmen starting DE's 8 games into a new coach with new and vastly different schemes than these players were used to.
We've weathered bad blowouts, an FCS loss, and been upset by a team from New Mexico. Our coach had 20 seizures and missed 2 weeks of practice,. Through all of that, we were able to rally in a rivalry game and beat a rival. That's big.
Ok now the sunshine and lollipops, imagination time. Next year's season opener:
QB-Gray/Shortell/Nelson, whichever proves himself to this coaching staff will be much improved or very talented.
HB- So backs Kirkwood, Cobb, Wright, JUCO Gillum, R. Williams if need be, one year better, with better depth, mental knowledge, and... BLOCKING
OL- Jr E Olson, So T. Olson, Jr Mottla, So Epping, So Gjere/Campion, plethora of backups young and talented McAvoys, Bjorkland, Bush, phenoms Hayes and Pirsig to RS if needed, this group quite simply will be better and better for the next 2.5 years culminating in a truely talented and experienced group in 2013 and for the forseeable future.
TE-So. Goodger plays the role of McGarry, fill in with Sr Rabe, FR. Heifort, and Fr. Williams if needed this group will also be around and together until beyond 2013.
WR- Moulton, Green, Jones, DCT all return one year better, one year healthier, one year with experience in this system, add to that JUCO Freucte, transfer Engel, and possibly freshman Harbison. Deeper, more experienced, new pieces for Limegrover to move around, and a QB with experience to get them the ball.
Pretty picture isn't it.
On D:
DE- One year stronger, bigger for Amaefula, Perry, Wilhite, Garin and with supposedly talented Cockran in the mix freshmen will be able to redshirt unless they are too good.
DT-The one position I think we are worse at next year, BUT we'll be adding young talent much like our DE's this year. Hinjosa will likely impact, Hageman has shown flashes, we likely get a JUCO here and fill in spaces with freshmen and bulked up DE's.
LB- This group gets a youth infusion, Rallis and Cooper will be solid, Beal may finally heal up, Edwards will grow in his role, but mainly we have freshmen kids like Westerhaus, Matilus, Baudacco, Davis, Nicholson, Ballestros etc will be able to filter in and find roles, depth will be excellent going into 2013
CB-Thin, Vereen and Wells return, likely a JUCO comes in for help, and kids like Montgomery, Moss, and Murray have to play alot, but most of these kids will be around for a long time and be very savvy by by the time they are upperclassmen. Henderson's play this year and Collado last year has opened my eyes to the underrated nature of angles, awareness, and experience in secondary play.
S-Better but still thin, Levine, Thompson, Manuel and Haivland hold some potential. Experience in the scheme will help here, we will see how Claeys does without Royston.
Jr Punter, Jr Kicker, Jones in full time return roles, special teams has been good so far.
The future looks great, IMO this Iowa win will be a moment we look back on and remember when we saw what Kill could do.
Go Gophers!
