This is such a tired line. In year six, blah blah blah. Building a program is NOT linear. There will be ups and downs. And if this year is a down one - sitting at 4-2 with a lot of winnable games ahead, then so be it. This team can still likely go win 8 or 9 games and win a bowl game. That is nothing to shake a stick at here.
Minnesota was unranked to start the season, picked 4th in the west in the Big Ten media poll, and there were a few question marks.
Let's let the season play out before we call it dead. Win the pig and the Axe and go 10-3 or 9-4 with a bowl win. That is not a down season by any standard.
Barry Alvarez went 10-1-and-1 in Year 4, then went 4-5-and-2 in Year 6. God forbid, he lost to both Northwestern and Purdue in Year Six. Of course, he went on to compete in four Rose Bowls after that.
Kirk Ferentz went 11-2 in Year 4, then went 6-7 in Year 8 and then went to an Orange Bowl, a Rose Bowl, and several Jan 1 bowls after that.
Hayden Fry went 9-3 in Year 5, 11-2 in Year 7 and then went 5-6 in Year 11 and coached another nine years after that, including a Rose Bowl trip.