POLL - What is your reaction to not rolling our first two non-conference opponents?

[Spoofin]

The dumb penalties will go away for the most part if not completely. When they happen I'm sure their teammates roll their eyes a bit.

I agree with this. PJ’s teams have always been very disciplined and I can imagine he is going to drive that home a lot over the next week. I am confident that crap won’t continue.


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[Sparlimb]

Just a random/ silly thought. Do you think the staff is intentionally coaching these games to be tight, knowing that the team has to learn how to win tight games?

I don't think so. Honestly, we'd have won much much bigger this week had we not had so many critical errors on 3rd down. We certainly aren't telling people to fumble or drop punts and we're not telling anyone to take a penalty on 3rd and 20 after we've stopped them. But I do think we save some of the offense for later in the year against different teams. We have really good receivers and we're not using them every way we could. Granted it looks like our O-Line is far better at run blocking than pass blocking.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

Just win and get better. The team improved from week 1 to 2. Keep improving and gaining confidence.


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[Great Plains Gopher]

Frankly, I thought we would lose to Fresno - they looked good against USC on the road. Also, I figured SD State to be just what they were, remembering ND State's victories over MN not so long ago.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I fall somewhere inbetween the two choices that are getting all the votes. I am not surprised that SDSU and Fresno have both proven to be tough opponents as both are quality teams coming off of good seasons. The SDSU game was tougher then I expected and actually a little surprised at the blowout potential from the Fresno State game if we could have stayed out of our own way.

All told, I felt we would be 2-0 at this point so even though we have not gotten there in the smoothest fashion the team is still on track for a strong season.

I don't know that a BIG West title is in the cards for this season but I still feel like we will be in the mix. Next year feels like the year when we can really start to talk true division title contender.

 

[Gopher028]

I knew FSU would be a dog fight, they are a good team with a great coach, who went wire to wire with USC (who throttled Stanford)

SDSU may end up being the best non-con team we play, truly... they could win the FCS 'ship this year.

I look at #7 Michigan who should've lost to Army. Purdue who lost a game. NW who lost a game.
We're not playing the likes of Rutgers and Central Michigan. We played legit teams thus far.
The only over-impressive team in the league right now, is Maryland.

 

[Dano564]

I fall somewhere inbetween the two choices that are getting all the votes. I am not surprised that SDSU and Fresno have both proven to be tough opponents as both are quality teams coming off of good seasons. The SDSU game was tougher then I expected and actually a little surprised at the blowout potential from the Fresno State game if we could have stayed out of our own way.

All told, I felt we would be 2-0 at this point so even though we have not gotten there in the smoothest fashion the team is still on track for a strong season.

I don't know that a BIG West title is in the cards for this season but I still feel like we will be in the mix. Next year feels like the year when we can really start to talk true division title contender.

I think you are reasonable in your assessment.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I’m expecting the team to get a lot better as the season goes on. My preseason optimism was effectively flushed after SDSU but the team handled FSU better than I expected leading into the game. Looking around the league I’m concerned about our ability to score on better defenses and stop better offenses...so every game will be exciting. At this point I legitimately feel like the team could go anywhere from 3-9 to 12-0 depending on how certain players improve over the season and the health of certain others (many). And that isn’t too far from preasesaon thoughts of anything can happen.

 

[hungan1]

It feels like the Gophers are like a fluorescent light that hasn’t quite been installed properly, so it flickers. SDSU was like it was just plain OFF and that was very concerning. It felt like a loss.

The team did flicker on like a light for one stretch in that game when the team’s identity of long, multi-play, demoralizing drives did happen once. It happened more against FSU to the point the light was on more than it wasn’t. The penalties continually gave life to the opponent however and it created more frustration and gifted points to the opponent to the point it required heroics and OT to win.

The next logical step is sustained play where the light doesn’t flicker at all, and then it remains solidly on for some of the upcoming conference foes.

More like a bug-out light that eventually zaps its dancing prey.

 

[Otis]

Just a random/ silly thought. Do you think the staff is intentionally coaching these games to be tight, knowing that the team has to learn how to win tight games?

I do think the Gophers are purposely keeping these games close to remain underdogs throughout the season and keep the clamps down on our National Title publicity drive.

I also believe that Bill Belicheck outlined the entire off-season for Antonio Brown. He orchestrated everything from his helmet grievance to his frostbitten feet and even ghost wrote all his twitter posts to ensure his release and subsequent signing by the Patriots. The NFL is blind to the Belicheck conspiracies and needs to hire Jesse Ventura to flush out and reveal the depths Bill and Craft will go to to ensure another Super Bowl!

Actually no, I don't think so.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

We're still on track for 15-0!!!!!

 

[salzie]

SDSU-I was concerned but not panicked. Felt like SDSU lost it more than we won it. And as a gopher fan there is always overhanging sense of dread.

Fresno-I didn't think we'd roll this game, but with them having so much turnover, thought we'd win. Didn't think Antoine would call game again. But this game made me fell much better about MN

MN defense is a bit concerning too me, it'll need to get better


Offense can't keep turning it over and running inside zone into stacked boxes every first down. We have mismatches on outside with Bateman/Johnson. Exploit it early

 

[salzie]

I would think if the Gophers win this one it will just be another win for the gophers making them 3-0.

It would mean a lot to GSU because your a P5 team.

Correct, this game has always met more to GSU then MN

For you guys it's a mini upset and good win vs B1G team. If you lose, eh, you were expected too and got your check.

for us, it's a just a win vs G5 or a bad loss vs a team we paid to be there

 

[Hates Monikers]

I think there's an option missing in the poll: "The games were tougher than I expected and we may not be quite as good as I thought" (but we are not "in trouble" or "bad").

2-0 is great, and I'll take it, but we could just as easily be 0-2. I still think we can get to eight wins, but I'm far less confident that this could turn into the magical season I was hoping for. The offense was better Saturday night, but still not what I was expecting. The defense also was better, but needs to continue to improve.

Still looking for a good season, but I'm feeling a little more cautious now.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I think there's an option missing in the poll: "The games were tougher than I expected and we may not be quite as good as I thought" (but we are not "in trouble" or "bad").

2-0 is great, and I'll take it, but we could just as easily be 0-2. I still think we can get to eight wins, but I'm far less confident that this could turn into the magical season I was hoping for. The offense was better Saturday night, but still not what I was expecting. The defense also was better, but needs to continue to improve.

Still looking for a good season, but I'm feeling a little more cautious now.

this is exactly where I'm at. 2-0 is 2-0, but the first two games have left me with some concerns.

One take-away for me: the Gophers (big) O-Line seems to struggle with smaller, quicker D-Lines that run a lot of stunts and twists. You can bet that every D-Coordinator in the B1G is taking notes. I suspect this will be something that teams will keep trying until the Gophers adjust.

I also want to see more variety in the offense. I liked the jet sweeps to Tyler Johnson - give me more of that. Have to find ways to get Johnson more touches. Also want to see more sets with Rodney Smith at a wing or flanker.

No panic yet, but my level of concern is definitely higher than it was going into the season.

 

[hello-world]

I still think the Gophers are on pace for a 7 to 9 win season and that they are a virtual lock for a bowl game of some kind.

My biggest questions right now are how they will play against Purdue (Fleck has struggled on the road in the B1G), and whether Maryland will continue to look like a powerhouse.

Right now, I still have the Gophers in both of those games, but I think they will be coin flips.

Outside of those I have the Gophers as 17 point favorites versus GASO, 10 point favorites versus Ill., 6 point favorites versus NEB, 15 point favorites at RUTG, and 7 point favorites at NW.

I have us as 11 point dogs against PSU, 12 point dogs at Iowa, and 15 point dogs against Wisconsin.

My biggest Q coming into the season was Fresno State, and they managed to eek out a win, so that was good.

The Gophers should be favored in every game heading into November assuming there aren't any bad slip ups.

 

[WoodburyTim]

Have no idea. Too early to tell if we just battled a couple of average teams or fought off too really good opponents.

 

[GoGophersUMN]

The Gophers beat the spread against Fresno State even with 3 turnovers, many other bad snaps, too many penalties, and one huge penalty that completely shifted the game. They did most of the hard things well and a lot of the easy things poorly. Those things shouldn't be too hard to fix. I'm pretty confident that the Gophers record won't be any worse than last year and it could potentially be quite a bit better.

 

[FMofDT]

2-0 and this team is not close to clicking on all cylinders yet. Take out 2 or 3 stupid penalties, take care of the ball better, and the Gophers win by 10+ vs a very well coached and solid Fresno St. program. SDSU is another well coached program who obviously had a great game plan and did a nice job executing. The first 2 or 3 games can always be tricky unless your opponent completely rolls over like those clowns who played Wisconsin.

 

[Chucklehead]

The Gophers are fine. I think SDSU was really well prepared for the game and executed the game plan. They caught the gophers a little flat-footed. Like everyone else, I thought the gophers could have won the FSU game in a little easier fashion. If they can clean things up, they will be good. I liked the pressure they put on Fresno St. QB late in the game.

 

[Otis]

I still think the Gophers are on pace for a 7 to 9 win season and that they are a virtual lock for a bowl game of some kind.

My biggest questions right now are how they will play against Purdue (Fleck has struggled on the road in the B1G), and whether Maryland will continue to look like a powerhouse.

Right now, I still have the Gophers in both of those games, but I think they will be coin flips.

Outside of those I have the Gophers as 17 point favorites versus GASO, 10 point favorites versus Ill., 6 point favorites versus NEB, 15 point favorites at RUTG, and 7 point favorites at NW.

I have us as 11 point dogs against PSU, 12 point dogs at Iowa, and 15 point dogs against Wisconsin.

My biggest Q coming into the season was Fresno State, and they managed to eek out a win, so that was good.

The Gophers should be favored in every game heading into November assuming there aren't any bad slip ups.

Wow! 11 and 15 pt dogs at home against PSU and Whisky! There is no way the spread will be that large by then.

 

[mjfelton15]

Just a random/ silly thought. Do you think the staff is intentionally coaching these games to be tight, knowing that the team has to learn how to win tight games?

I was thinking the same thing lately. I also think that it’s possible Fleck and Co. are baiting the conference into thinking we’re an easy W for them. I think for the non-con they’re trying to use as little of the playbook as possible. Save all the big guns for conference play. We haven’t tapped into our tight ends at all, no wildcat besides one play, etc.


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[salzie]

I was thinking the same thing lately. I also think that it’s possible Fleck and Co. are baiting the conference into thinking we’re an easy W for them. I think for the non-con they’re trying to use as little of the playbook as possible. Save all the big guns for conference play. We haven’t tapped into our tight ends at all, no wildcat besides one play, etc.


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No way fleck is intentionally making these games this close

 

[Dano564]

The idea a coach is trying to keep a game close is ridiculous.

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

No way fleck is intentionally making these games this close

I think its very reasonable to assume a coach doesn't use his entire playbook during the non conference games, but agree that a coach does not try to manufacture close games - there is just too much at risk if they lose and all three games were a coin flip during the closing drives. Actually I'd say the chance of us winning the Georgia game was well below 50% - I'd say about 10% - after we were backed up to our own 10 yard line, 30 yards to go on 3rd down. Absolutely unbelievable that the Gophers pulled that out and speaks volumes about the resiliency of this team and Morgan as a QB. Can we make mistakes against Big10 teams like we did against these 3 team and win; no way. Is there hope; Wow, yes! Fleck's teams typically are pretty good at not getting penalties, these 3 games an exception. Clean that up and we could be pretty good. Fix the offensive line and we could be really good.

 

[MisterGopher]

I think there's an option missing in the poll: "The games were tougher than I expected and we may not be quite as good as I thought" (but we are not "in trouble" or "bad").

2-0 is great, and I'll take it, but we could just as easily be 0-2. I still think we can get to eight wins, but I'm far less confident that this could turn into the magical season I was hoping for. The offense was better Saturday night, but still not what I was expecting. The defense also was better, but needs to continue to improve.

Still looking for a good season, but I'm feeling a little more cautious now.

My feelings, as well.



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