Just an opinion

[calminnfan]

I have read a lot of the posts concerning Brewster and almost all seem to agree it is a done deal that he is gone at some point this year, whether at the end of the season or sometime during.

But I got this gnawing feeling that this Saturday's game against Wisconsin is pivotal. I think that if Brew and crew can show some good stuff this Saturday, he might be able to make a good enough impression to "stay the ax" (a little pun intended).

Brew has done some good things with the team and the defense does need some maturing and developing, which some in the U understand.

The other concern I have, since the OL has a couple of seniors on it is what about next year. Do they have OLmen ready to step in or are thy going to need the seasoning the defense needs this year?

 

[Unregistered User]

The other concern I have, since the OL has a couple of seniors on it is what about next year. Do they have OLmen ready to step in or are thy going to need the seasoning the defense needs this year?

That has been my biggest concern as well. I didn't bring it up because I didn't want to jinx the team. I believe there are more pieces in place to make a big step forward than there has been for many years, but I'm concerned about the experience on the O line.

I like Tim Davis, and I hope they have some plans in place to address this. That being said, I'm not a linemen guru, so I don't really know.

 

[Ole]

A win saturday would be the first step of the only path to redemption for Brewster, along with an iowee win and a nice late Big ten season run including giving OSU hell on Halloween weekend.
However, if it doesn't happen, I do think the next coach has some pieces to work with including a 2011 seasoned D and most skill players returning on O.

The Oline, the most key position in football, will have some turnover, but there's enough veteran depth in place to fill gaps until some of the young talent is ready. I'd expect Wynn at C, Orton at RT, along with Bunders returning. Tommy Olson by all accounts is good enough to possibly play right away, his Brother Ed should be seasoned and ready at LT by the end of the year, Gjere and Michel are pieces that should either lock down jobs early like Ed O did this year, or filter in and have spots ready for 2012, Michel could easily end up playing later this year if injuries start piling up.
The 2012 season and beyond holds alot of potential for Olinemen with Ragoo, Lenkiwitz, Gjere, Olson, Olson, Eggen, Epping, and hopefully the McAvoy twins. There's alot of beef and size in that group that could be a force in the right coach's plan.

My projected 2011 starters
LT-Olson
LG-Bunders/Gjere
C-Wynn
RG-Olson/Gjere
RT-Orton/Michel

 

[jovs]

I have read a lot of the posts concerning Brewster and almost all seem to agree it is a done deal that he is gone at some point this year, whether at the end of the season or sometime during.

But I got this gnawing feeling that this Saturday's game against Wisconsin is pivotal. I think that if Brew and crew can show some good stuff this Saturday, he might be able to make a good enough impression to "stay the ax" (a little pun intended).

Brew has done some good things with the team and the defense does need some maturing and developing, which some in the U understand.

The other concern I have, since the OL has a couple of seniors on it is what about next year. Do they have OLmen ready to step in or are thy going to need the seasoning the defense needs this year?

I agree with you, but I think it would take a miracle for the defense to stop the Wisconsin running game. Who knows maybe improvement is occuring and they will look alot better.

 

[Wheaton]

If Brewster is the head coach for another year it will only set back the Program another 5 years.

Now if he was looking for his second or third win against a real rival, then maybe we can talk. No he is still searching for that big first win, of any magnitude for that matter.

 

[Silvio]

Why not set the program back infinity years? Brewster has had wins of many magnitudes, just not big.

 

[gophmeister]

A win on Saturday would be nice, but alone it's not enough to save his job. They've lost four games straight, all at home. People are PO'd and no one is going to view a win in Madison on its own as a sign of progress.

 

[RodentRampage]

If Brewster is the head coach for another year it will only set back the Program another 5 years.

If Brewster is back next year, it will set the program back one year. If we fire him at the end of next season, we'll be in the same situation as if we fire him after this season, the difference is that we'll just be set back one extra year.

 

[Silvio]

A win on Saturday would be nice, but alone it's not enough to save his job. They've lost four games straight, all at home. People are PO'd and no one is going to view a win in Madison on its own as a sign of progress.

Seriously? No, people who already had their mind made up before this season starts will not see it as a sign of progress. Are you mad as hell? Are you not going to take it anymore? Have you been mad as hell since Mase was fired?

 

[thailleagle]

Wins against Wisconsin didn't save Wacker's Job & I doubt it would save Brewsters. However...should he beat Wisconsin & Penn State & either Iowa or Ohio State I feel he could sell the talk of "Next Season" & keep it...

 

[RodentRampage]

Wins against Wisconsin didn't save Wacker's Job & I doubt it would save Brewsters. However...should he beat Wisconsin & Penn State & either Iowa or Ohio State I feel he could sell the talk of "Next Season" & keep it...

It may have. In Wacker's third year, he beat Wisconsin. The Gophers were 3-8, with the Wisconsin win being the only Big Ten win. The next season, the Gophers were again 3-8, with the only Big Ten win being a one point win against Purdue. It wasn't until the 5th season that he was fired, going 4-7 with only one Big Ten win against Wisconsin. He might not have gotten a 5th year without that Wisconsin win.

 

[Rosemountian]

That has been my biggest concern as well. I didn't bring it up because I didn't want to jinx the team. I believe there are more pieces in place to make a big step forward than there has been for many years, but I'm concerned about the experience on the O line.

I like Tim Davis, and I hope they have some plans in place to address this. That being said, I'm not a linemen guru, so I don't really know.

The biggest problem with Brewster is this: He is having a rebuilding year with a senior QB and a senior heavy O-line. It is like mason trying to pass off Cupito's senior year as a rebuilding year. When you are a mediocre (at best) major conference program, you can't have rebuilding years with senior QB's. If you are, you aren't building towards much.

With where the experience was on the roster:
If Brewster was ever going to win big it was last year or in 2012, he went 6-7 last year. There is almost a 0% chance he makes it to 2012. He will have a green O-line and a new QB next fall.

 

[GophersInIowa]

A win on Saturday would be nice, but alone it's not enough to save his job. They've lost four games straight, all at home. People are PO'd and no one is going to view a win in Madison on its own as a sign of progress.

If someone doesn't see beating Wisconsin on the road after just a few weeks earlier losing to South Dakota as a sign of progress, then they are just blinded by their hate of Brewster. I'm not saying it's going to happen or that a win at Wisconsin should totally change everyone's minds about him, but it would be progress.

 

[NateDawgUM]

If someone doesn't see beating Wisconsin on the road after just a few weeks earlier losing to South Dakota as a sign of progress, then they are just blinded by their hate of Brewster. I'm not saying it's going to happen or that a win at Wisconsin should totally change everyone's minds about him, but it would be progress.

He's in his FOURTH YEAR. Losing to South Dakota is the ultimate sign of NO PROGRESS.

 

[GophersInIowa]

He's in his FOURTH YEAR. Losing to South Dakota is the ultimate sign of NO PROGRESS.

Are we talking about progress this year or over the 4 years? I guess I assumed he was talking about this year only.

 

[dpodoll68]

He's in his FOURTH YEAR. Losing to South Dakota is the ultimate sign of NO PROGRESS.

He's quite obviously talking about from earlier this year to now; not from year 1 to year 4. Moving from "rock bottom" to "beating a rival" is progress, no matter how you slice it. Of course, we'd all rather be moving from "mediocre to good" rather than "terrible to competitive", but that doesn't mean it isn't progress.

 

[thailleagle]

It may have. In Wacker's third year, he beat Wisconsin. The Gophers were 3-8, with the Wisconsin win being the only Big Ten win. The next season, the Gophers were again 3-8, with the only Big Ten win being a one point win against Purdue. It wasn't until the 5th season that he was fired, going 4-7 with only one Big Ten win against Wisconsin. He might not have gotten a 5th year without that Wisconsin win.

In his 2nd year he went 4-7 with a *BIG* win against Wisconsin at home while Wisconsin was 8-0 & the Gophers were 3-4. It was the last game they won too with the next week losing to Illinois 23-20 in a snow game. I went to every Gopher Game that year & Wacker showed so much promise. Seeing the gophers down 19-3 at the half against Kansas State & came back to lead 25-19 in the 4th Quarter. They gave up a TD & FG before having a chance to win the game in the final minute but Sauter overthrew Omar Douglas in the End Zone on 4th Down from inside the 5. With Chris Darkins I never understood why they didn't just try to run the ball when they got down there. Kansas State finished the season ranked in the Top 25.

Minnesota lost 3 games by 5 points or less & lead in all three games in the 4th. You think Mason's Defense was bad? I was at the Purdue game...both teams were horrendous. The score was like 42-35 at halftime...

Wacker showed a lot of promise in that 2nd year, don't know what happened...

 

[howeda7]

I understand we all hate Wiscy and Iowa, but you can't let it blind you. If we beat them both but go 3-9, Brew still needs to be gone. The bottom-line is he still needs to find a way to 5-6 wins or it's over. Beating Wiscy counts as one of those and is more significant, but it doesn't count for more then 1. And keeping Brew one more year doesn't necessarily only cause one year of damage . We're likely entering an off-season with limited big-time openings where MN will be one of the top 2-3 jobs available. That won't always be the case.