Realistic View from ESPN on Gopher Program.

[CrocShots]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5888840


Lowlights:
"Kill inherits a program in shambles."

"It was a disaster from start to finish. Brewster went 0-10 in trophy games, butted heads with Maturi on several occasions and wasn't able to capitalize on brand new TCF Bank Stadium, a shimmering $300 million project that was supposed to put the once-proud program back on the map."

"Brewster's lack of success quickly took the shine off the wonderful new stadium, with the student section half-empty for most games and a lack of energy and excitement that was supposed to have been created when the Gophers moved back to campus after more than two decades of playing in the Metrodome."

Rest is about the hire.

Welcome Coach Kill!!!

 

[EG#9]

Realistic? The program is in "shambles"? The program is one year removed from a typical Mason year and has more talent than 07 when Brewster took over. The program is certainly not in good shape, but its certainly not in "shambles" by the pathetic standards we are used to as followers of Gopher football.

 

[USAFChief]

"(NIU Athletic Director) Jeff Compher was informed within the last 24 hours that Minnesota was interested."

Translation: Maturi spent 7 weeks without seriously considering this guy, and then in panic and desperation turned to someone not even in consideration just days before.

 

[Ewert86PC]

"(NIU Athletic Director) Jeff Compher was informed within the last 24 hours that Minnesota was interested."

Translation: Maturi spent 7 weeks without seriously considering this guy, and then in panic and desperation turned to someone not even in consideration just days before.

+1,000 and Quoted For Truth!

 

[Tricks]

Kill's agent could have been contacted weeks ago. The AD would have no clue. I can't imagine we contacted someone 24 hours ago and it's already a done deal.

 

[goldengophers]

Kill's agent could have been contacted weeks ago. The AD would have no clue. I can't imagine we contacted someone 24 hours ago and it's already a done deal.

Pretty easy to believe when you receive the salary bump Kill is going to...

 

[thevintageeffect]

Talk about circling back after receiving a million "No, thank you" responses. Kill might end up being great but this is just depressing. I supported Maturi and Bruininks for a long time but this is ludicrous. Frankly, this is about both of them. I think Bruininks has done many positive things for the university, especially in taking over for the disgusting snake oil salesman, Yudof, but his legacy has got to be that he was a horrible president for U of M football. Then again, that's nothing new compared to the previous four decades or more.

What's kind of funny is that the U of M's sports marketing team just got slapped in the face so hard they can't even see straight. It's going to take a Hollywood miracle to spin and sell this story!

 

[goldengophers]

Talk about circling back after receiving a million "No, thank you" responses. Kill might end up being great but this is just depressing. I supported Maturi and Bruininks for a long time but this is ludicrous. Frankly, this is about both of them. I think Bruininks has done many positive things for the university, especially in taking over for the disgusting snake oil salesman, Yudof, but his legacy has got to be that he was a horrible president for U of M football. Then again, that's nothing new compared to the previous four decades or more.

What's kind of funny is that the U of M's sports marketing team just got slapped in the face so hard they can't even see straight. It's going to take a Hollywood miracle to spin and sell this story!

Bruininks and Maturi are flat out horrible at managing expectations, you can't speak with Brewster like enthusiasm about the search and then have Jerry Kill to show for it. They are going to need a tobacco lobbyist to spin this story.

 

[GopherGod]

"(NIU Athletic Director) Jeff Compher was informed within the last 24 hours that Minnesota was interested."

Translation: Maturi spent 7 weeks without seriously considering this guy, and then in panic and desperation turned to someone not even in consideration just days before.

Why should this suprise you, when Maturi hired Brewster he admitted he hadn't even heard of Brewster until just a few days before hiring him. Maturi simply is not a BCS caliber athletic director.

 

[TheManfromtheSouth]

Why should this suprise you, when Maturi hired Brewster he admitted he hadn't even heard of Brewster until just a few days before hiring him. Maturi simply is not a BCS caliber athletic director.

He's not?

He botched the Brewster hire and the Mason/Monson firings - no question about it.

Other than that, he has presided over some great success across the board in athletics. The volleyball team is better than it's ever been. The same can be said about the baseball team. Men's basketball is back in the national conversation after slowly crawling out of the shadow that Clem Haskins' created (they've qualified for post-season tournaments during 6 of the 9 Maturi years and they have a highly, highly respected coach). The women's basketball team has never had a period of success like they've had during Maturi's tenure - three times making the Sweet Sixteen and making a Final Four.

Several teams have won National Championships during his tenure (Wrestling, Men's Hockey x2, Women's Hockey x2, Men's Golf). No athletic director in the history of the University of Minnesota has presided over more National Champions during his tenure.

He played an instrumental role in securing funding for the new football stadium. He's in the process of securing the necessary funding for a new baseball facility.

I understand the frustration with the football program...but Maturi has led a very successful athletic department. Thinking or saying otherwise is a complete distortion of the truth.

 

[Uffda]

Your Translation Incorrect

"(NIU Athletic Director) Jeff Compher was informed within the last 24 hours that Minnesota was interested."

Translation: Maturi spent 7 weeks without seriously considering this guy, and then in panic and desperation turned to someone not even in consideration just days before.

Think that if you want. Its very naive to think that.

 

[USAFChief]

Think that if you want. Its very naive to think that.

That could be...or it could be pretty naive to think the University of Minnesota and Joel Maturi went into this process thinking "Jerry Kill...that's the guy!"

Of course, if they did, then it's even worse than I think.

 

[jovs]

Auburn hired Chizik after a not very good couple of years at Iowa State, Tennesee hired Derek Dooley from Louisiana Tech with not exactly blow away numbers, why would Minnesota be any different than these programs and rate one of the established top coaches. It just wasn't going to happen.

Mid major or coordinator was going to be the choices from the start. People really need to get a grip on reality as far as this hire goes.

 

[goldengophers]

Mid major or coordinator was going to be the choices from the start. Joe Maturi really need to get a grip on reality as far as this hire goes.

Fixed, Joe Maturi set the expectation! No blame can be placed on fans for his stupid comments.

 

[TheManfromtheSouth]

Fixed, Joe Maturi set the expectation! No blame can be placed on fans for his stupid comments.

What stupid comments? You mean this comment, from his Brewster-firing session.

"We're out here to find a Tubby Smith," meaning a well-known, successful coach. "Somebody that people can recognize, people have confidence in, and people are going to bring instant credibility and notoriety to the football program," Maturi said. "That is my goal. Whether there is that interest remains to be seen."

Read that last line over and over and over again. There wasn't interest from the high level guys. Maturi played the hand he was dealt. He was hoping for a royal flush, but got three-of-a-kind.

 

[USAFChief]

What stupid comments? You mean this comment, from his Brewster-firing session.



Read that last line over and over and over again. There wasn't interest from the high level guys. Maturi played the hand he was dealt. He was hoping for a royal flush, but got three-of-a-kind.

Exactly...this hire is a complete fail.

 

[goldengophers]

Read that last line over and over and over again. There wasn't interest from the high level guys. Maturi played the hand he was dealt. He was hoping for a royal flush, but got three-of-a-kind.

Read FBT's blog where it states that the high level guys turned the U down because of the administration. The money (if Maturi wasn't lying) and facilities are there, Maturi wasn't dealt a bad hand he already stacked the deck against himself.

 

[TheManfromtheSouth]

Exactly...this hire is a complete fail.

It's not a complete fail - it's just not bright and shiny.

This hire epitomizes society. The majority want instant gratification - like hiring Mike Leach would have solved all of our problems.

The Gophers weren't getting a major coach - they weren't. Why would a top name guy come to Minnesota? How does it benefit his career? The Gophers hired a successful mid-major coach who has a track record of winning. Why is that a bad thing?

Mike Leach is clamoring for every available job and can't get hired - doesn't that tell people something? Colorado doesn't want him, Minnesota didn't want him, Indiana doesn't want him and Miami won't want him. There's a reason for that. He's done something that athletic directors know about and don't want to deal with...so they aren't going to. It's not just Maturi who's avoiding him. Nobody wants to touch him.

 

[goldengophers]

Mike Leach is clamoring for every available job and can't get hired - doesn't that tell people something? Colorado doesn't want him, Minnesota didn't want him, Indiana doesn't want him and Miami won't want him. There's a reason for that. He's done something that athletic directors know about and don't want to deal with...so they aren't going to. It's not just Maturi who's avoiding him. Nobody wants to touch him.

Way to early to say that. Colorado has little money to offer and went the alumni route. Who knows on Miami, they could still decide to go Leach.

 

[TheManfromtheSouth]

Way to early to say that. Colorado has little money to offer and went the alumni route. Who knows on Miami, they could still decide to go Leach.

They won't. It will be anyone but Mike Leach.

Leach has apparently done something that has blacklisted himself from any job.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

That could be...or it could be pretty naive to think the University of Minnesota and Joel Maturi went into this process thinking "Jerry Kill...that's the guy!"

Of course, if they did, then it's even worse than I think.

If you are of the belief that we had a chance at Patterson, Petersen, Mullin, Harbaugh or anyone like that than yeah, Kill makes no sense. If you are of the belief that we were looking at Golden, Hoke, Calhoun etc., Kill makes as much sense as any of that.

I have no idea when the idea popped into Maturi's head about Jerry Kill but the AD wouldn't have been informed more than 24 hours ago either way. Jerry Kill's season ended on friday night and we likely didn't get into direct contact with him until his season ended (that was the entire point of the search firm). So most likely we talked to his agent and then when his season ended we contacted his AD and then had a meeting with him. I am not saying that Kill was anywhere near their #1 choice, but that is exactly how the search firm was supposed to work.

-they contact behind closed doors and reach out to his agent
-when his season is over, we contact their AD and then immedietly contact him
-We have a contract with him within a day or so