Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. Texas Tech: Pregame Thread

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per Sid:

"Junior defensive tackle Roland Johnson and redshirt junior linebacker Brendan Beal will not play in the bowl game because both will have knee surgery. Sophomore wide receiver Marcus Jones, who has missed nine games because of a knee injury, is also most likely out. Sophomore tight end Drew Goodger, who started seven consecutive games but missed the final two of the regular season because of a dislocated shoulder, is also questionable to return. However, Kill is hopeful offensive linemen Tommy and Ed Olson will be able to completely heal from ankle injuries, along with redshirt sophomore Marek Lenkiewicz -- who has missed two games because of a leg injury. The Gophers also hope to get redshirt freshman center Jon Christenson back. He started five of six games in the middle of the season but missed the past two games because of a knee injury."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/182289151.html?page=2&c=y

Go Gophers!!
 


BleedGopher said:
per Sid:

"Junior defensive tackle Roland Johnson and redshirt junior linebacker Brendan Beal will not play in the bowl game because both will have knee surgery. Sophomore wide receiver Marcus Jones, who has missed nine games because of a knee injury, is also most likely out. Sophomore tight end Drew Goodger, who started seven consecutive games but missed the final two of the regular season because of a dislocated shoulder, is also questionable to return. However, Kill is hopeful offensive linemen Tommy and Ed Olson will be able to completely heal from ankle injuries, along with redshirt sophomore Marek Lenkiewicz -- who has missed two games because of a leg injury. The Gophers also hope to get redshirt freshman center Jon Christenson back. He started five of six games in the middle of the season but missed the past two games because of a knee injury."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/182289151.html?page=2&c=y

Go Gophers!!
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Hard not to feel bad for Mr.Beal. The old cliche "If you work hard enough.." doesn't apply here. The kid by all accounts, worked as hard as anybody to get on the field. Did it too. Hope the degree and contacts he made set him up for life. We all know he'll work hard to get that done.
 

BleedGopher said:
per Sid:

"Junior defensive tackle Roland Johnson and redshirt junior linebacker Brendan Beal will not play in the bowl game because both will have knee surgery. Sophomore wide receiver Marcus Jones, who has missed nine games because of a knee injury, is also most likely out. Sophomore tight end Drew Goodger, who started seven consecutive games but missed the final two of the regular season because of a dislocated shoulder, is also questionable to return. However, Kill is hopeful offensive linemen Tommy and Ed Olson will be able to completely heal from ankle injuries, along with redshirt sophomore Marek Lenkiewicz -- who has missed two games because of a leg injury. The Gophers also hope to get redshirt freshman center Jon Christenson back. He started five of six games in the middle of the season but missed the past two games because of a knee injury."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/182289151.html?page=2&c=y

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Getting 4 O-lineman back healthy would be quite nice lol
 



Houston Chronicle: Tech, Minnesota hope to benefit from Meineke Car Care Bowl

Gophers on the rise

Minnesota, which will make its first bowl appearance since the 2009 Insight Bowl, combined for only six victories in the previous two seasons before finishing 6-6 this season.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl, which will be played in prime time Dec. 28, will be the first postseason appearance for most of the Gophers. Only six players on Kill's roster have appeared in a bowl.

"When you're going to a bowl game, it's a lot easier to recruit," Kill said. "I think we have 13 kids on our roster from Texas. We recruited Texas hard in our first year at Minnesota, and we will continue to do that because we've got a little bit of a tradition.

"And kind of where we're located in the Twin Cities, it's a good fit for a young man. This situation is a big win for us. There's no question about it."

http://www.chron.com/sports/college...-hope-to-benefit-from-Meineke-Car-4095066.php

Go Gophers!!
 

per the U:

All bowl practices are closed to the public and media.

The following is Minnesota’s practice and media availability schedule for the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

Friday, Dec. 7 – No availability
Saturday, Dec. 8 – Media availability at 5 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 9 – No availability
Wednesday, Dec. 12 – No availability
Friday, Dec. 14 – No availability
Saturday, Dec. 15 – Media availability at 1 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 16 – No availability
Wednesday, Dec. 19 – Media availability at 5 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 20 – No availability
Friday, Dec. 21 – No availability

Go Gophers!!
 

@GopherGridiron: Alot of excitement around complex today the coaches are back in the office and #Gophers Bowl practice #1 is later today!

Go Gophers!!
 

Should be interesting to see who takes over for TTech if Tuberville is indeed leaving (and if he is indeed not coaching the bowl). Gotta think this could swing the game our way if there's enough turmoil over there.
 



per Sid:

Gophers are big underdog

Early Las Vegas odds have the Gophers a 13-point underdog in their Meineke Car Care Bowl appearance against Texas Tech (7-5) in Houston on Dec. 28. This will be a tough opponent boasting a great passing attack, with victories at Texas State (58-10) Iowa State (24-13) at TCU (56-53 in three overtimes) and home victories with New Mexico (49-14) Kansas (41-34 in two overtimes), West Virginia (49-14) and Northwestern State (44-6).

Texas Tech lost games to some outstanding teams like Kansas State, ranked No. 7 in the AP poll (55-24) , No. 12 Oklahoma (41-20), Texas (31-22), Oklahoma State (59-21) and Baylor (52-45 in overtime). The Red Raiders did lose four of their last five games by combined scores of 197-112 so defensively they have some shortcomings, finishing tied for 91st in the country in points allowed per game at 31.8.

But offensively they're hard to fault. They were second in the country in passing with an average of 361.9 yards per game and 16th in the country in scoring at 37.8 points per game.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/182616181.html

Go Gophers!!
 






BleedGopher said:
STrib: Even for U's bowl game, defining Gray's role is hard

MarQueis Gray isn't sure if he'll close out his Gophers career as a receiver or quarterback. He's still practicing at both for postseason.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/182687991.html

Go Gophers!!
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Whatever decision they make, I hope it is based on our chances of winning the bowl game rather than a tryout/practice for next year. We have plenty of those on the schedule already. Our objective going into this trip should be to give ourselves the best shot to win the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It would be hard to continue getting too excited about going to bowl games if we start using our bowl games as just a winter scrimmage.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Whatever decision they make, I hope it is based on our chances of winning the bowl game rather than a tryout/practice for next year. We have plenty of those on the schedule already. Our objective going into this trip should be to give ourselves the best shot to win the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It would be hard to continue getting too excited about going to bowl games if we start using our bowl games as just a winter scrimmage.
Click to expand...

I agree which is why I would rather see Gray start at QB.
 


Per footballscoop.com, offensive line coach Chris Thomsen will serve as Texas Tech's interim head coach for the bowl game
 

On Monday, T Tech's Offensive Coordinator, Neal Brown, resigned to take the OC position at Kentucky.
 


According to the Doogie,

The U has only sold 350 tickets.

I wonder how true that is.
 

@GophersNow: #Gophers have sold as of this morning just over 2,000 of their allotted 12,000 tickets for Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston.

Go Gophers!!
 







Ring that F%^&$ing Bell!

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ESPN Best case/worst case: Big Ten bowls

Minnesota

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas vs. Texas Tech, Dec. 28, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

Best Case: The month off works wonders for the Gophers' injury-plagued offense, as true freshman quarterback Philip Nelson gets fans daydreaming about the future by throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to newlywed MarQueis Gray. Minnesota's highly rated pass defense shines against a Texas Tech team thrown into turmoil by coaching changes, and Jerry Kill leads one of the big upsets of bowl season.

Worst Case: Playing a high-scoring Big 12 opponent in Texas is not a good matchup for a Minnesota team that struggled to put up points late in the year. Tommy Tuberville may be gone, but the Red Raiders have a system that works, and it's much too powerful for the Gophers in a three-touchdown rout.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/67833/best-caseworst-case-big-ten-bowls

Go Gophers!!
 


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