***POST-GAME THOUGHTS***

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thailleagle said:
Amazing game for 'Shede... he was the #1 Trending Topic on Twitter in the US at one point in the game. National Televised game on ESPN against a ranked Helmet School & he shows his ass... this was a monster game for potential recruits...
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There is no doubt. I questioned the #1 pick label, but he is certainly playing his way to it. Very impressed and can't remember the last DT we had that this dominant. Mase got a transfer from SMU or somewhere in Texas in the late 90's who got a ton of sacks for us, but 'Shede makes plays all over the field. The running down the screen play may have been the most impressive to me just because you often see defensive lineman stop and watch on screen plays that are past them...
 

I also don't think that the Huskers started out (after a kickoff) beyond the 30 despite being able to return every kick. Really good coverage all day.
 

I don't want to start a media conversation, but Hitchcock just ripped on Soahan on the postgame show. He didn't call him by name but he first reference the article about Kill, then essentially said the same guy wrote that Northwestern should be putting feelers out there for a new coach, essentially saying Fitzgerald could/should get fired. Hitchcock then said something like, "well I think that just proves he doesn't know what he is talking about. But I kinda feel bad for the guy. He probably wanted to move up to work in a big market, but he's stuck here in the midwest."

It was a short, but pretty sweet shot at Souhan. Just made me laugh.
 

Sparlimb said:
There is no doubt. I questioned the #1 pick label, but he is certainly playing his way to it. Very impressed and can't remember the last DT we had that this dominant. Mase got a transfer from SMU or somewhere in Texas in the late 90's who got a ton of sacks for us, but 'Shede makes plays all over the field. The running down the screen play may have been the most impressive to me just because you often see defensive lineman stop and watch on screen plays that are past them...
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It was Wacker who got the guy, Karon Riley, but he played under Mason. Weren't Riley and Jack Brewster Cousins?
 

Unregistered User said:
I also don't think that the Huskers started out (after a kickoff) beyond the 30 despite being able to return every kick. Really good coverage all day.
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We've actually had outstanding coverage all year long. Special teams are so much better than just 3 years ago, its not even funny.
 


Iceland12 said:
It was Wacker who got the guy, Karon Riley, but he played under Mason.
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Yeah Karon Riley. He was a treat to watch, because he could get to the quarterback on standard plays (versus needing a blitz). Thinking back now, Willie Vandesteeg (sp?) was pretty good as well...
 

GophersInIowa said:
I don't want to start a media conversation, but Hitchcock just ripped on Soahan on the postgame show. He didn't call him by name but he first reference the article about Kill, then essentially said the same guy wrote that Northwestern should be putting feelers out there for a new coach, essentially saying Fitzgerald could/should get fired. Hitchcock then said something like, "well I think that just proves he doesn't know what he is talking about. But I kinda feel bad for the guy. He probably wanted to move up to work in a big market, but he's stuck here in the midwest."

It was a short, but pretty sweet shot at Souhan. Just made me laugh.
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I heard that too - I really enjoyed it.
 


Sparlimb said:
Had an interesting thought listening to many of the after game comments by talking heads. Many of them are making this out to be an utter shock and huge upset. This was not Alcorn State beating Michigan in Ann Arbor. This was a decent (dare I say fringe bowl team) beating a slightly better then average Nebraska team at home. We're a 6 or 7 win team (regular season) and Nebraska is a 8 or 9 wins at MOST team. So that's not that much better than we are. It was an upset, but we didn't win a fluke. We went out there and whipped them. From 10-0 on, it was all us. So anyway, just thought the national perception of the level of this upset is a lot different than I see it...
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Good points. Nebraska has dominated us since the Kennedy Administration, but we're an improving team and the Huskers, while having a stable of good athletes, aren't exactly in the NCAA Football stratosphere this season.

That said, this is a big win and I hope a harbinger of things to come. I don't think I've seen a Gopher football team as outright physical as this one since the two years Holtz coached. It's taken a while for Kill and the staff to get the kids to this level of physicality, but right now we're a team that our opponent will still be feeling the following Wednesday and I'm so happy to be seeing that. I haven't measured progress in wins and losses (although winning is a lot more fun), but how the team has been progressing in "how" it plays and today was a big step forward in that we dictated the action and sealed off the victory at the end.

Hitchcock talking smack? The guy who gave us Gutey is the last guy who should be ripping anyone.
 



Unregistered User said:
I also don't think that the Huskers started out (after a kickoff) beyond the 30 despite being able to return every kick. Really good coverage all day.
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Speaking of kicking, did we return a single kick today? Nebraska just seemed to keep booting them into the endzone on every kickoff.

Also, wooooooooooooooo! I got to be a part of my first field rush today! What a game! I went nuts after Nelson threw that touchdown on 4th and 11. Also lost in the awesomeness that is this win, a couple people have mentioned it, we're bowl eligible!
 


Another fun stat that we can thankfully bury:

When we scored the 2nd TD to take the lead 14-10, it was our first lead over UNL since 1969.
 

another another fun stat

The Gophers are 12-0 when leading at halftime under JK
 



So thankful someone from my work had an extra ticket and invited me because his wife would be complaining it would be too cold and wouldn't enjoy it. Awesome game.

The best part of the day for me was turning around and saying to an old time elderly fan behind us you've been waiting a long time for this one, Congratulations. The smile beaming back from his face was priceless!

Can't wait for my next Pick a Pack game against the Badgers.

Go Gophers!
 



With all the pre-snap shifts it was surprising we didn't have a false start or illegal formation called. Well coached and executed gameplay.
 

This just dawned on me:

We have 5 games left and the same number of wins as last year. I'd say things are looking up.

10 wins is still in play (aka. The Jerry Kill Year Three). I know. I know.
 

I'm not a Twitterer, but I found this Tweet from Duke Anyanwu and just love it: "To the loyal fans that have been there since day 1, we thank you. To the new bandwagon fans, welcome we've been expecting you."
 

Our D isn't perfect, but boy I like some of our guys. Antonio Johnson just makes me smile when I watch the kid play. Murray is as advertised and overall our D backs work hard and make us proud. Wilson plays with a heck of a motor and carries a wallup. Hageman is a monster obviously. I do think Roland Johnson has an outside chance to play at the next level, too. He has a motor and a nose for the ball that you can't teach. Again, they're not a perfect D by a stretch but they play hard, have some speed and are well coached. Does Jack Lynn have a chance next year to take Hill's spot and play alongside Wilson? Not sure, but I think Kill is high on Rallis, too. Campbell should be able to play full time next year and I bemoan a bit the fact that Manuel wasn't redshirted as he's really coming along.

I like both our QBs. They're not particularly accurate but that is improving and will continue to improve. They're tough and multi-faceted and seem like good leaders. We'll have some times when they make us pull our hair out, but there will be less of that over time. There is some hope at WR when you see how much playing time Wolitarsky and Jones are getting. They're not doing a ton and are not making many plays, but they're getting their feet wet and will improve exponentially next year. Our TEs are awesome. Goodger might not beat me in a foot race, but he's in there slugging it out in the trenches and catches the ball when thrown to him. Plsek is rock solid as a depth player and we all know that Williams is a special talent. We have some studs redshirting and in the pipeline at TE, too. Cobb may never break one for more than 50 yards, but the kid has moxie and toughness and I could see he and Edwards being a solid one-two punch next year; while not discounting Kirkwood and Williams who will provide depth.

Our special teams are special. Our kickers are probably a little more than adequate and our coverage units fly down the field and tackle well.

I even like Devon Wright who never plays but for special teams but is always up on the sidelines and there for the fellas.

The fellas were asked to play ball today with a full chamber of plays on both O and D and while they hiccuped a time or two, for the most part they stepped up and smacked Nebraska in the mouth and took the game, and their will, from them and sent them home with their tails between their legs.
 

My post game thoughts.... First, I will openly and gladly admit I was wrong about the outcome of this season. I was certain we were headed to 0-8. And I definitely didn't see wins against NW and Neb. Now that that's out of the way.... Holy smokes! It was FANTASTIC to see play calling that wasn't run, run, pass, punt. Other than a short series of Cobb up the middle, you never knew what to expect. I was a bit concerned the boys let up after halftime, but they came back to it and just kept rolling. Wow. GREAT intensity and momentum. Finally... I was up in my perch in section 209 and I've never seen a crowd atmosphere like this at the Bank. Everyone was wrapped up in the game from mid-1st quarter and they just stayed rev'd up. I had Husker fans behind us and to our left. They were quiet the whole game. Never got out of their seats. It all came together on the field and in the stands. What a great day and fun game to be at.

I beg forgiveness for my early pessimism. IU and PSU are both well within the Goph's capabilities and I think MSU is close too. Can't wait to see the rest of this season!
 

thailleagle said:
Agreed... we came into this game 5-2 with a decent Defense & an Offense that had proven it can be deadly when the running game is clicking. The way the announcers were talking you'd think we were Purdue coming in at 1-6 or something...

"If you can't even beat Minnesota..." pissed me off so much... like we didn't *DOMINATE* Nebraska in every aspect today... we even outplayed them physically, I don't think I've seen us just pushover a clearly bigger & faster Big Ten team in a loooooooong time...

We're 6-2 & possibly ranked after this week... give us some damn credit!
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Exactly.

Griese and the other doosh said it multiple times. Have some cake fella's
 



Indi1006 said:
I even like Devon Wright who never plays but for special teams but is always up on the sidelines and there for the fellas.
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I think that is the case with most guys. I don't see a whole of players pouting if they aren't playing much or getting the ball. KJ Maye hardly gets the ball, yet he gets just as excited as anyone when we make a big play on offense.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I think that is the case with most guys. I don't see a whole of players pouting if they aren't playing much or getting the ball. KJ Maye hardly gets the ball, yet he gets just as excited as anyone when we make a big play on offense.
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For sure, our team plays the game like it is a team game. It is rather refreshing.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I think that is the case with most guys. I don't see a whole of players pouting if they aren't playing much or getting the ball. KJ Maye hardly gets the ball, yet he gets just as excited as anyone when we make a big play on offense.
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I think this is a big difference between the Brewster and Kill mentality. Under Brewster, he wanted to know "where are my playmakers at?", and seemed to feel that the recipe for success was to find the best players that he could, stick them on the field, and trust that that will make the best team. Kill seems a lot more concerned about having the right players and getting everyone to know their role and work as a cohesive unit. Everyone really seems to be buying in right now.
 

Just proud to be an UMN alum and a Gopher Football fan!
 

I love Kill's, and this team's, mentality.

That said - I don't think Brewster was wrong, either. His way could work - I just don't think he was ready to implement his philosophy. Maybe he never will be - but, he certainly wasn't while here.
 

Haven't kept up with all the posts but two things that impressed me today. One, we pretty much pounded them. There was a lot of time on the field for their trainers as they tended to players with injuries. Two, with all of the shifting and motion, the offense didn't hurt themselves with penalties. Nelson, especially, managed the game very well. Want to watch the game again, but after thinking about it, I don't think the Gophers used as many different plays as it seemed during the game. Lots of movement and different formations, but they kept doing the same stuff.
 

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