Observations from the East Coast.

Governor Sibley

Section 109 Row 21
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--Who are we as a team? What's our identity? Three years into Brewster and I don't see what mold or imprint he's trying to put on our program. A college team has to wear the identity of the coach. I feel like each week is a new season and a new gameplan and a new philosophy with our coaching staff.

--Three years into Brewster and we've played--count it--one game where we played above average in each of the 4-5 main facets of the game.

-Sometimes I feel like Brewster inherited a car from Mason. He put rims on it, installed a new stereo, had some body work done to it, and dropped in a new engine he bought on the cheap. Now the car goes faster and turns more heads. But sometimes it just doesn't want to run, and it's never a comfortable drive even when it does.

--How bad will this team be next year? We have ten seniors starting on defense and our offense would probably be ranked around #100 without Decker. Be afraid.

--There's no kind way to state this. Our offensive backfield (inclusive) is easily the worst in the conference, and probably as bad as any big conference school. I can't think of a worse backfield in the last two decades, come to think of it. It's quite stupifying to think about: nobody has to pay any attention to our backfield (inclusive) because nobody back there can beat them.

--There's no kind way to state this nicely either. Wisconsin came into our house and physically licked us. That there was a beat down. I wish we played football the way Wisconsin does. The irony is that we can and we have chosen not to. I've struggled with that decision from day one.

--That tight end screen that we blitzed into on third and ten? Cosgrove gets caught with his pants around his ankles as he innocently stands in the Larry Craig Stall with a "Who me?" look on his face.

--We have a starter on defense who is terrified of contact. Time for him to hit or sit.

--All our non-playside end has to do is fall down in front of his guy. He is literally a warm body on that play. Instead he whiffs and gets called for holding. You can't draw that up. A four point play, as we settle for three.

--I still think we have too many formations and wrinkles in our offense. An offense needs identity and rhythm. Part of the reason why our backs can't find holes when they're there is because 1) they don't have a feel for what's developing and 2) they don't have confidence that they can take their time.

--Too much of our playbook has stuff developing behind the line of scrimmage. I basically hate this at any level of football.

--Our o-line is not the only unit that needs to work on blocking. Our receivers are awful too.

--Last summer I said I'd probably be happy if we won three games in the B10. Everybody heckled. I just call them how I see them. At one level, this sport is not complicated.

--Studwell is hurting after today...you betchya.
 

--Who are we as a team? What's our identity? Three years into Brewster and I don't see what mold or imprint he's trying to put on our program. A college team has to wear the identity of the coach. I feel like each week is a new season and a new gameplan and a new philosophy with our coaching staff.

--Three years into Brewster and we've played--count it--one game where we played above average in each of the 4-5 main facets of the game.

--How bad will this team be next year? We have ten seniors starting on defense and our offense would probably be ranked around #100 without Decker. Be afraid.

--There's no kind way to state this. Our offensive backfield (inclusive) is easily the worst in the conference, and probably as bad as any big conference school. I can't think of a worse backfield in the last two decades, come to think of it.

--There's no kind way to state this nicely either. Wisconsin came into our house and physically licked us. That there was a beat down. I wish we played football the way Wisconsin does.

--We have a starter on defense who is terrified of contact. Time for him to hit or sit.

--All our non-playside end has to do is fall down in front of his guy. He is literally a warm body on that play. Instead he whiffs and gets called for holding. You can't draw that up.

--I still think we have too many formations and wrinkles in our offense. An offense needs identity and rhythm. Part of the reason why our backs can't find holes when they're there is because 1) they don't have a feel for what's developing and 2) they don't have confidence that they can take their time.

--Too much of our playbook has stuff developing behind the line of scrimmage. I basically hate this at any level of football.

--Our o-line is not the only unit that needs to work on blocking. Our receivers are awful too.

--Last summer I said I'd probably be happy if we won three games in the B10. Everybody heckled. I just call them how I see them. At one level, this sport is not complicated.

Excellent post...9 Sr. starters on D (Theret & Royston)...WRs are not terrible blockers
 

Nice post Studwell. Unfortunately I agree with most of what you said.
 

Gophers are 1-0 with Studwell55 in The Bank.
Gophers are 0-2 with Studwell55 on the East Coast.

Get. On. The. Plane.

Go Gophers!!
 

Another view from the East:

Yes...the glass can be viewed as half-empty and cupboard bare...or "woe is me", they should have lost by 3 scores or more.

But remarkably, despite the lopsided talent hand-wringing, repeated snafus and some poor execution, the Gs lost by 3 points, and at one stage might have actually pulled it out with a few bounces in the other direction.

IMHO that's progress versus previous fiascoes.
 


We don't need to accept the "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda's" because we played that card with Mason too many times.........
 

I am very concerned about our linebackers for next year. We lose Triplett,Campbell and Lawrence. Yikes.
 

Not overly concerned about the LB's next year. Cooper should be starting now. Reeves and Maresh will have an extra year of development.
 

I always thought that the Wisconsin model, with huge big uglies up front, big backs,
and good receivers off play action, is the correct model for a Minnesota team.

Eventually, SOMEBODY will coach at the U and discover this. It might not be
this coach, it may be 20 years from now. Everyone wants to keep proving they're
smarter than everyone else.

Truth is, Wisconsin's entire program is based on their geography. Ours should be also.
I've said this since we got the stadium approved.
 



--Who are we as a team? What's our identity? Three years into Brewster and I don't see what mold or imprint he's trying to put on our program. A college team has to wear the identity of the coach. I feel like each week is a new season and a new gameplan and a new philosophy with our coaching staff.

--Three years into Brewster and we've played--count it--one game where we played above average in each of the 4-5 main facets of the game.

-Sometimes I feel like Brewster inherited a car from Mason. He put rims on it, installed a new stereo, had some body work done to it, and dropped in a new engine he bought on the cheap. Now the car goes faster and turns more heads. But sometimes it just doesn't want to run, and it's never a comfortable drive even when it does.

--How bad will this team be next year? We have ten seniors starting on defense and our offense would probably be ranked around #100 without Decker. Be afraid.

--There's no kind way to state this. Our offensive backfield (inclusive) is easily the worst in the conference, and probably as bad as any big conference school. I can't think of a worse backfield in the last two decades, come to think of it. It's quite stupifying to think about: nobody has to pay any attention to our backfield (inclusive) because nobody back there can beat them.

--There's no kind way to state this nicely either. Wisconsin came into our house and physically licked us. That there was a beat down. I wish we played football the way Wisconsin does. The irony is that we can and we have chosen not to. I've struggled with that decision from day one.

--That tight end screen that we blitzed into on third and ten? Cosgrove gets caught with his pants around his ankles as he innocently stands in the Larry Craig Stall with a "Who me?" look on his face.

--We have a starter on defense who is terrified of contact. Time for him to hit or sit.

--All our non-playside end has to do is fall down in front of his guy. He is literally a warm body on that play. Instead he whiffs and gets called for holding. You can't draw that up. A four point play, as we settle for three.

--I still think we have too many formations and wrinkles in our offense. An offense needs identity and rhythm. Part of the reason why our backs can't find holes when they're there is because 1) they don't have a feel for what's developing and 2) they don't have confidence that they can take their time.

--Too much of our playbook has stuff developing behind the line of scrimmage. I basically hate this at any level of football.

--Our o-line is not the only unit that needs to work on blocking. Our receivers are awful too.

--Last summer I said I'd probably be happy if we won three games in the B10. Everybody heckled. I just call them how I see them. At one level, this sport is not complicated.

--Studwell is hurting after today...you betchya.

I agree with you. I think a lot of the lack of identity is due to hiring a coach who was not ready to be a head coach because he had not even developed yet what his own vision was for his team, as evidenced by the issues with hiring and retaining coaches. The coach needs to have his own identity before he can effectively relay it to his players and also to prospective coaches. Without this we are left continually looking behind door # 2 and starting over with new coaches searching for the solution. And in the instance of Cosgrove we are left hiring a coach who was discarded by the other programs. Sometimes someone elses trash is just as it sounds and not a treasure.
 

were a team with alot of people who are so called gopher fans that post stupid s#it all week long!
 

Truth is, Wisconsin's entire program is based on their geography. Ours should be also.
I've said this since we got the stadium approved

This is a great point in a sea of people overreacting.

We can get kids in-state - linemen, LBs, RBs. It's just makes sense for us to build our program around our recruiting base. We fill in the pieces from everywhere else.

Certainly Minn shouldn't try to copy us, but copy the formula. What is the easiest thing for UM to get? Build your program around your recruiting base, and fill in the gaps with kids you get outside your region. If the largest part of your roster is built with kids close to home, you have probably done a good job of scouting them, and aren't likely to make a mistake/miss on a kid. You can afford to miss on a few more out of state, if you hit home runs on in-state kids.
 




Great post studwell. Brewster strikes me more and more as a guy who has no plan. Spread? Pound it? 5 trick plays a game? What the hell are we? Brew - watch UW and Iowa. Try to copy.
 

If there is still a POST OF THE DAY, this is it. I appreciate your wit & accuracy here, Studwell. Now take the rest of your meds & go lie down. LOL J/K
 


I always thought that the Wisconsin model, with huge big uglies up front, big backs,
and good receivers off play action, is the correct model for a Minnesota team.

Eventually, SOMEBODY will coach at the U and discover this. It might not be
this coach, it may be 20 years from now. Everyone wants to keep proving they're
smarter than everyone else.

Truth is, Wisconsin's entire program is based on their geography. Ours should be also.
I've said this since we got the stadium approved.

The ol' big, fat, and slow model, eh?

BTW, hasn't Brewster been recruiting huge OL prospects? With the exception of Epping, all of his OL recruits are at least 6-5. Four are listed at 6-7.
 


Hey, each of these KIDS could put on thirty to forty pounds in four years; different expectations are warranted for the college game. These are young people in development. Do you remember the Columbus three? Massey, Jones, & Daniels. They started off playing well and are now out of the FBS. Yet; Triplett, Tavale, Ruckdashel, & Decker have been big name contributors from that class. Then, you look at the next two classes (which were a part of Mason's last groups) and the talent pool - besides Weber - is thin. Brewster is bringing aboard more play-makers, faster guys, and bigger (more mobile) lineman.

The most important component we can bring is the 12th man. When the guy sitting next to you sells his ticket to a Wisconsin fan to pay for the Homecoming Game (or, the Royals/Twins game), that advantage evaporates! Have pride people!
 

Mason knew what kind of football he wanted to play. He recruited to his systems. When you thought about his teams, you thought about a team that could run the rock. Unfortunately, a weak D was also a Mason legacy. With a few exceptions, Mase did not have enough talent to do what he wanted to do on Saturday.

Maturi recognized he needed a new head coach who could recruit to fix the talent issue and a coach who would promote the program. He got that in Brewster. But what he also got was a guy who had never been a head coach before. Brewster had not "battle tested" his philosophy of offense and defense as a head coach or coordinator somewhere before Minnesota. That is a big deal. He just went out there and got the "best guys" he could get to run the D and O for him with his input. Brew had not paid the price as a head coach to develop his convictions of what Brewster-ball was. He is foremost a recruiter and a promoter. You don't get a guy with all the attributes you want in a head coach to come to Minnesota. Brewster-ball and a Minnesota Gopher football identity are in development. Not ideal, but not the first time this approach has been tried. I agree we need to settle into an identity as a program. We have gone from finesse zone blocking to road graders on the o-line, from Mase to spread to pro set on offense.....these rapid fire transitions have severely stunted the growth of the program from a personnel and learning viewpoint.

We need to settle in. We need stability and identity. Coordinators need to stay. When someone asks what kind of ball they play in Minnesota.....there is an immediate answer.
 

IMO - Brewster changed his philosophy (new assistant coaches and targeting big O-lineman) this year based on the whipping we got from Iowa last year and continually falling to UW. This has caused the program to take a step back. His big lineman aren't ready for the BT (watch Willis get beat on every play of the last drive). If he sticks to his new model, we will be more like UW and Iowa in 3 years. The key is sticking to this philosophy.

My problem is, why change philosophies when your best players, Weber and Decker, have so many years in the spread and Decker is a senior? Why not recruit for the new system, but keep the old one for one more year. This allows you to get the kids in and trained to start the new system after Decker graduates. Why recruit a gifted athletic QB like Gray, who seems tailor made for the spread, then try and change the system?
 

IMO - Brewster changed his philosophy (new assistant coaches and targeting big O-lineman) this year based on the whipping we got from Iowa last year and continually falling to UW. This has caused the program to take a step back. His big lineman aren't ready for the BT (watch Willis get beat on every play of the last drive). If he sticks to his new model, we will be more like UW and Iowa in 3 years. The key is sticking to this philosophy.

My problem is, why change philosophies when your best players, Weber and Decker, have so many years in the spread and Decker is a senior? Why not recruit for the new system, but keep the old one for one more year. This allows you to get the kids in and trained to start the new system after Decker graduates. Why recruit a gifted athletic QB like Gray, who seems tailor made for the spread, then try and change the system?

Interesting question. One concern with sticking to Dunbars scheme is Weber is not suited to the spread. Adam would fit well into a run based system similar to what Wisky and Iowa run. Decker is good enough to be a great receiver in any system.
 

Stud

Great post I couldn't agree more on almost everything. Two things that stood out for me both relating to how far we have to go on upgrading our talent level.
1) Take away all the turn overs, coaching decisions etc. in the end we got beat, and beat bad on both the Off and Def lines. You don't win ever doing that, I was especially surprised that their Off line handled our def line so completely.
2) Hayo catches the ball going full speed on a crossing route and gets caught from behind by a defensive lineman, that he got caught is not a crime, that he is supposedly our fastest player and got caught by a defensive line man says it all.

Go Gophers
 

I know it may not be the answer you're looking for, but the lineman(Nzegwu) who caught him is just a freakish athlete. He played RB in high school, ran a sub 4.5 40, a sub 7 sec 3 cone drill, a sub 4 sec short shuttle, and a 42" vert.

It's not like your WR was run down by a slow lumbering DL. Your guy looked fast to me. It was just a case of one speedy guy being caught by another, who may have had a good pursuit angle.
 





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