My worry

[stocker08]

Snelson will not be a Gopher. We cannot pass this year, we won't be able to pass next year. When a head coach says we are a running team, then why would you want to play for that team as a highly touted WR if the team isn't a perennial Big Ten contender?

I would probably bet against it....but until he says otherwise....he's still a Gopher commit. We still have the Daniels coming here....and that seems to be a draw for him.

 

[Old Goph]

I realize your shtick is bad sarcasm (are you Spoofins dad?) but I don't see anyone being a Debbie Downer. Everyone says we had a good day yesterday and with a good defense we have a chance in every game, even OSU. If you refuse to admit there are some ongoing problems on the offense then that's the definition of head in sand.

Nothing wrong with being irrationally optimistic, and nothing wrong with voicing valid concerns and discussion.

Ah you wouldn't know good sarcasm if it bit you in the ass. You must have some sort of filter on your browser. EVERYONE says we had a good day? And they ALL say we have a chance in every game? I never respond sarcastically to rational posters voicing valid concerns. I also never said there are no problems with the offense. I mostly respond negatively to posters who deal in absolutes, e.g. the qb is horrible, or the offense has never run well against a good defense, or Kill has never beaten a good team. That stuff apparently doesn't make it through to you.

 

[cjbfbp]

Games aren't played on paper. Because Team A beat Team B doesn't guarantee how Team C will do. Stats are fun and good for discussion, but too many here base their posts on those measurable things. Often the "eye test" is cited to refute what the stats and scores predict.

There are teams that run predictable offenses (option) that are really tough to stop because of their execution. The Gopher offense was guilty of trying to be something they are not and struggled. Kill recognized that and we got back to who we are.

I'm sure you thought those words were quite profound when you typed them but they're actually pretty nonsensical. We should ignore what we've seen through the first five games and disregard what we're seeing from some of the top teams in the league so far just because of the "eye test" against 1-5 Purdue. Now that we're back to "who we are," the Michigan, Ohio State, and Iowa games should all be a quite winnable and I'm sure those opponents will be perfectly cooperative in succumbing to our attack.

 

[John Galt]

Basically every team in the country can say that if X was better (QB play, running game, passing game, ability to stop the run, stop the pass, etc, etc) they would be more successful and win more games. The teams that don't have any of these issues will be playing in the CFB final four.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Kill was quoted somewhere yesterday as saying he'd just as soon not throw a single pass. Something like that worked for Woody Hayes and Murray Warmath, but it doesn't work anymore. It's the "There are three things that can happen with a forward pass and two of them are bad" philosophy. If Kent State could shut down our run, so will Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Well, we will find out Saturday on that one.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Ah you wouldn't know good sarcasm if it bit you in the ass. You must have some sort of filter on your browser. EVERYONE says we had a good day? And they ALL say we have a chance in every game? I never respond sarcastically to rational posters voicing valid concerns. I also never said there are no problems with the offense. I mostly respond negatively to posters who deal in absolutes, e.g. the qb is horrible, or the offense has never run well against a good defense, or Kill has never beaten a good team. That stuff apparently doesn't make it through to you.

Yes, literally everyone. No, you're not funny. In fact, you seem like a grumpy old asshole.

 

[highwayman]

To the first part in bold - Where are people saying this? The fact of the matter is that we did beat a bad team, that is undeniable, we also played very well against that bad team as opposed to the way we looked against Kent State for example. But the other part is being invented by the handful of vocal posters that see anything even slightly negative and translate it to the sky is falling, gophers suck, can't win....even if that is not anywhere close to what the poster said.

To the second part in bold, this is exactly how the rational posters on this board feel. Most of those rational posters also see where the holes on this team are, namely the passing game, so they want to discuss the team both good and bad. Unfortunately nearly every thread on this board gets hijacked by the sunshine and unicorns crowd that gets totally bent out of shape the second they see anything that doesn't fall along the lines of the "Gophers are great, they can do no wrong".

If you could just weed out the insanely positive and insanely negative posts this would be a great fan board....it would be short on posts....but they would be interesting.

I don't know, but I did a quick recent search on the board and got 138 hits. That's a few.

Hey, look, I think the posters here are overwhelmingly pleased after yesterday's victory, but the next six games are tougher than the first six so I wouldn't say that we are on pace to win 8 games. Hard to imagine gaining anything close to yesterday's rushing yardage in many of the remaining games. Nebraska seems the most likely bet as we put up big rushing games against them the last two years. Illinois held us to 171 rushing last year (although they did give up 278 to Iowa yesterday). Yesterday's game was a lot of fun to watch after the frustration of the season so far, but the previous rushing high was 204 yards against Ohio.

Kill doesn't want to throw the ball 30 times per game but he may have to. Michigan has allowed 397 yards rushing in 6 games. Iowa has only allowed one rushing game over 100 yards and that was in a blow out win over North Texas. The remaining opponents are more vulnerable to the run to one degree or another but it's hard to imagine winning at OSU. I'd be happy enough if the Gophers won three more games (and probably satisfied enough if they won only two) but we're going to have to throw more often than we did yesterday to give ourselves a fighting chance in all of the remaining games.

We've heard the same droning mantra by the "Realists" since game one of 2013. We can't throw, we can't win, we can't run against good teams.

Yet, here we are 32 games later, the Gophers are 20-12, and the "Realists" have been wrong most of the time.

They can take and keep their realism, I'll just say that this staff and team just know how to win. We are in the midst of the best Gopher run in almost 50 years. I'll take it for what it is, and I love every bump and victory.

I'm sayin' we'll always have a shot....

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I don't know, but I did a quick recent search on the board and got 138 hits. That's a few.



We've heard the same droning mantra by the "Realists" since game one of 2013. We can't throw, we can't win, we can't run against good teams.

Yet, here we are 32 games later, the Gophers are 20-12, and the "Realists" have been wrong most of the time.

They can take and keep their realism, I'll just say that this staff and team just know how to win. We are in the midst of the best Gopher run in almost 50 years. I'll take it for what it is.

In what way? Be more specific please.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I looked at the offensive performance poll numbers and out of 51 votes, 50 voted average to above average. With the defensive poll, 53 out of 53 gave them average or above.

Given there are always a few trolls voting in these things (who voted Mitch for MVP?), I'd say that's a ringing endorsement that we did pretty well in this game.

By all means, continue the witch hunt

 

[cjbfbp]

They can take and keep their realism, I'll just say that this staff and team just know how to win. We are in the midst of the best Gopher run in almost 50 years. I'll take it for what it is, and I love every bump and victory.

.

Well, OK, fair enough, but understand that your maudlin homerism is as irritating to me as my cynical "realism" is to you.

Also be aware that the accomplishments you mention (8 wins and a bowl loss in each of the last two years) aren't enough to silence doubters even if they occur infrequently over 50 years.

 

[Old Goph]

Yes, literally everyone. No, you're not funny. In fact, you seem like a grumpy old asshole.

Ouch! Well, my original comments weren't directed to you but I apparently struck a nerve. If you're one of those guys who already knows how the season will play out, that's fine. Have at it. I didn't mean to make you feel bad about yourself. Also, very sorry you don't find me funny. I'll try to do better. And I'll try to be less grumpy. As for being an asshole, well there's only so much I can do.

 

[Killjoy]

Ouch! Well, my original comments weren't directed to you but I apparently struck a nerve. If you're one of those guys who already knows how the season will play out, that's fine. Have at it. I didn't mean to make you feel bad about yourself. Also, very sorry you don't find me funny. I'll try to do better. And I'll try to be less grumpy. As for being an asshole, well there's only so much I can do.

You may be an asshole but it could have been worse, somebody could have called you a Pompous Elitist. Personally, I think some people are unhappy that the Gophers won and that there is no melt down here this week. Maybe they are trying to create one? I expect you feel like it is dangerous to be positive and a fan here. Do I dare say it? Go Gophers!

 

[highwayman]

Well, OK, fair enough, but understand that your maudlin homerism is as irritating to me as my cynical "realism" is to you.

Also be aware that the accomplishments you mention (8 wins and a bowl loss in each of the last two years) aren't enough to silence doubters even if they occur infrequently over 50 years.

...and yet you are still...wrong.

 

[MNVCGUY]

You may be an asshole but it could have been worse, somebody could have called you a Pompous Elitist. Personally, I think some people are unhappy that the Gophers won and that there is no melt down here this week. Maybe they are trying to create one? I expect you feel like it is dangerous to be positive and a fan here. Do I dare say it? Go Gophers!

Honestly I think the only people upset there is not a meltdown this week are people like you who spend their whole time trying to cut down other posters instead of bringing anything to the table from a conversation standpoint. The fact that you actually think other fans of the team are unhappy the team won is just sad. Just because we don't see things exactly the same way you do doesn't mean we are not fans of the team. Not sure why you and a few others can't accept that.

 

[Old Goph]

You may be an asshole but it could have been worse, somebody could have called you a Pompous Elitist. Personally, I think some people are unhappy that the Gophers won and that there is no melt down here this week. Maybe they are trying to create one? I expect you feel like it is dangerous to be positive and a fan here. Do I dare say it? Go Gophers!

Thanks. I do think he could have been a tiny bit less harsh. I wouldn't have minded as much if he'd have called me a killjoy.

 

[Old Goph]

Honestly I think the only people upset there is not a meltdown this week are people like you who spend their whole time trying to cut down other posters instead of bringing anything to the table from a conversation standpoint. The fact that you actually think other fans of the team are unhappy the team won is just sad. Just because we don't see things exactly the same way you do doesn't mean we are not fans of the team. Not sure why you and a few others can't accept that.

Not sure if you would include me with the few others that can't accept that. Speaking for myself, I'm set off by the few over the top critics. I see you and the majority of posters as eminently reasonable. Unfortunately, when I do post, the over the top folks do not read, care or respond. It's usually the reasonable group that feels attacked. It's tough to take a nuanced stance around here. Small example - if you argue that Leidner's is in fact a division one qb, and not absolutely horrible, you become a Leidner apologist, lover or fan - none of which are true.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

With a few exceptions, nobody is calling for Kills head. You want to see some fan base negativity, head over to Hammer and Rails. Their thread today was hysterical, in a good way, scads of gallows humor.

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['13Gopher]

Just play the backup with a 43.8 completion percentage and all will be solved.

I hope you aren't referring to Demry who had about 10 pass attempts while being thrown into a B1G game against a nationally touted defense.

It's no secret that we were 1-dimensial on Saturday but that is what Jerry knew could get the job done. It's extremely doubtful that he has the same gameplan for each week without changing it. Jerry will create a gameplan that he believes is best suited to beat Nebraska and it will then be up to the players to go out and execute. As frustrated as I get with Leidner, as we saw last year, he is more than capable of playing an above average game that will be plenty to get another big win this season.

 

[corcoran1]

I assume the coaches will look at alternatives now that they have made their point about running the ball, and the oline e is playing physicallyrics tough.
What they were not going to do was concede we are not a running team against anyone.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I shouldnt be worrying after a win but all the gophers need to do is face a team that shuts down the run---and many of our upcoming foes can do that--and we will sit there again with a non performing offense. You just cant be one dimensional and win in the big ten or anywhere if you want to reach the top.

I think that's a legit concern. You'd hope the run could open up the pass, or at least the threat of a a pass would keep the run going. But yeah that's a worry. Right now though this team just needs to get to a bowl game with all the injuries and etc.