Spaeth: "It was frustrating to watch them for awhile to see where that program went"

[BleedGopher]

Spaeth: "It was frustrating to watch them for awhile to see where that program went"

per Shama:

Ex-Gopher Expects ‘Big Things’ in Football

Matt Spaeth played for the Gophers from 2003-2006. The tight end from St. Michael, Minnesota was on the 2003 team that finished 10-3 and fourth in the Big Ten. The 2006 season was his last at Minnesota and it was also the final year for head coach Glen Mason.

The program went backward under coach Tim Brewster with his 2007-2010 teams finishing 11th, 7th, 8th and 9th. Spaeth was disappointed. “I am a Gopher fan forever. It was frustrating to watch them for awhile to see where that program went, and the things that happened on the field. It was tough for awhile.”

At the end of spring practice last week Spaeth, who now plays for the NFL’s Bears, told Sports Headliners the Minnesota program isn’t back to the level it was under Mason. “…I think they’ll be there soon. When I played with coach Mason he had some really tough teams. We had a team there the one year (2003), (if) we don’t blow a fourth quarter lead against Michigan, we probably go to the Rose Bowl. …”

How long before the Gophers return to a level of winning season records and at least approach .500 in the Big Ten Conference? “They’re headed there and they’re headed there fast,” Spaeth said. “I really think so. I expect big things in the next couple of years.”

Spaeth believes some day the Gophers can compete for a Big Ten championship under coach Jerry Kill, now in his second season at Minnesota. “You gotta hope to be a team that wins eight, nine games every year, and then every once in awhile you get a good team and compete for a Big Ten championship,” Spaeth said. “I hope people have patience because Big Ten championships just don’t happen in a conference like this.”

Kill has impressed many former Gophers who believe the former Northern Illinois coach is the person to revive the program and make it better than it has been in decades. “…I think he’s a great football coach, but he’s a better person,” Spaeth said. “I think it’s really important to have a guy like that as the head of your program to be a good person.

“It makes a difference when parents are thinking about sending their kids off to school and they’ve got a guy like coach Kill you can trust. He’s a good guy and I am very excited about where they’re going.”

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!

 

[dinkything]

I agree with Matt...Jerry Kill will eventually have the Gopher football program approaching where it was under Glen Mason...and prolly sooner rather than later....

 

[gophmeister]

I don't know if we can call any game on our schedule a gimme, but we definitely have more match up games than we did last year. We should have a reasonable chance to win our four nonconference games plus Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois. Michigan St without Cousin's, Cunningham, et al might be vulnerable on 11/24. My one wish is we beat Michigan at home. I don't know if it's possible, but it would cool.

 

[RodentRampage]

I've posted this before, but I've looked at some of the numbers from last season, and the trend is promising.

In the first 5 games, the Gophers were outsacked 14-2. In the last seven games, the Gophers outsacked their opponents 17-8.
In the first 6 games, the Gophers had 41 penalties. In the last 6 games, the Gophers had 27 penalties.

It seems that as the season went on, the team really began to understand the system better. Hopefully, this improvement will continue into the 2012 season.

 

[Rouser4eVA]

I've posted this before, but I've looked at some of the numbers from last season, and the trend is promising.

In the first 5 games, the Gophers were outsacked 14-2. In the last seven games, the Gophers outsacked their opponents 17-8.
In the first 6 games, the Gophers had 41 penalties. In the last 6 games, the Gophers had 27 penalties.

It seems that as the season went on, the team really began to understand the system better. Hopefully, this improvement will continue into the 2012 season.

Great stats, and the improvement we saw came against increasingly stronger competition in the Big Ten. That is remarkable progress for a season. It's difficult to be a Golden Gopher optimist, but shucks, Coach Kill and his staff have got me believing something special is "brew"ing...Sorry, couldn't resist.

Go Gophers!

 

[RodentRampage]

Here's some more detail to the stats:

USC: 0 sacks, 4 sacks given up. 8 penalties for 44 yards.
NMSU: 0 sacks, 1 sack given up. 6 penalties for 58 yards.
Miami: 1 sack, 1 sack given up. 4 penalties for 25 yards.
NDSU: O sacks, 5 sacks given up. 8 penalites for 57 yards.
Michigan: 1 sack, 3 sacks given up. 9 penalties for 74 yards.
Purdue: 3 sacks, 1 sack given up. 6 penalties for 74 yards.
Nebraska: 0 sacks, 0 sacks given up. 5 penalties for 55 yards.
Iowa: 3 sacks, 0 sacks given up. 4 penalties for 40 yards.
MSU: 2 sacks, 2 sacks given up. 8 penalties for 73 yards.
Wisconsin: 2 sacks, 1 sack given up. 3 penalties for 20 yards.
Northwestern: 2 sacks, 2 sacks given up. 5 penalties for 43 yards.
Illinois: 5 sacks, 2 sacks given up. 2 penalties for 30 yards.

 

[Gopher028]

per Shama:

Ex-Gopher Expects ‘Big Things’ in Football

Matt Spaeth played for the Gophers from 2003-2006. The tight end from St. Michael, Minnesota was on the 2003 team that finished 10-3 and fourth in the Big Ten. The 2006 season was his last at Minnesota and it was also the final year for head coach Glen Mason.

The program went backward under coach Tim Brewster with his 2007-2010 teams finishing 11th, 7th, 8th and 9th. Spaeth was disappointed. “I am a Gopher fan forever. It was frustrating to watch them for awhile to see where that program went, and the things that happened on the field. It was tough for awhile.”

At the end of spring practice last week Spaeth, who now plays for the NFL’s Bears, told Sports Headliners the Minnesota program isn’t back to the level it was under Mason. “…I think they’ll be there soon. When I played with coach Mason he had some really tough teams. We had a team there the one year (2003), (if) we don’t blow a fourth quarter lead against Michigan, we probably go to the Rose Bowl. …”

How long before the Gophers return to a level of winning season records and at least approach .500 in the Big Ten Conference? “They’re headed there and they’re headed there fast,” Spaeth said. “I really think so. I expect big things in the next couple of years.”

Spaeth believes some day the Gophers can compete for a Big Ten championship under coach Jerry Kill, now in his second season at Minnesota. “You gotta hope to be a team that wins eight, nine games every year, and then every once in awhile you get a good team and compete for a Big Ten championship,” Spaeth said. “I hope people have patience because Big Ten championships just don’t happen in a conference like this.”

Kill has impressed many former Gophers who believe the former Northern Illinois coach is the person to revive the program and make it better than it has been in decades. “…I think he’s a great football coach, but he’s a better person,” Spaeth said. “I think it’s really important to have a guy like that as the head of your program to be a good person.

“It makes a difference when parents are thinking about sending their kids off to school and they’ve got a guy like coach Kill you can trust. He’s a good guy and I am very excited about where they’re going.”

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!

Of course he had to bring up the '03 season, where we were literally A DEFENSE, (didn't even have to be a good defense, just any kind of defense) away from being in the Rose Bowl. Just like every MN team, ('02 Twins, '03 Wild, '03 Gophers, '04 T-wolves, '09 Vikings) it was all so close, but you just can't have it. No sir... Hopefully Jerry Kill can break that curse.

 

[denguegopher]

I've posted this before, but I've looked at some of the numbers from last season, and the trend is promising.

In the first 5 games, the Gophers were outsacked 14-2. In the last seven games, the Gophers outsacked their opponents 17-8.
In the first 6 games, the Gophers had 41 penalties. In the last 6 games, the Gophers had 27 penalties.

It seems that as the season went on, the team really began to understand the system better. Hopefully, this improvement will continue into the 2012 season.

Yep, this is exactly why I am very hopeful for the upcoming season. There was observable and quantifiable improvement in the team as the season progressed. And this was done with a patchwork offensive line. I may eat my words, but IMHO this staff can coach. There will be bumps in the road, but I foresee good things in the near future. I also attended the UNLV spring game a week ago. I know that things can change, but if we do not defeat them I will be very disappointed.

 

[Killjoy]

Yep, this is exactly why I am very hopeful for the upcoming season. There was observable and quantifiable improvement in the team as the season progressed. And this was done with a patchwork offensive line. I may eat my words, but IMHO this staff can coach. There will be bumps in the road, but I foresee good things in the near future. I also attended the UNLV spring game a week ago. I know that things can change, but if we do not defeat them I will be very disappointed.

I didn't attend UNLV spring game and I will be very disappointed if we do not defeat them. Since you attended the game do you have anything from that game that you could share with us?

 

[denguegopher]

I didn't attend UNLV spring game and I will be very disappointed if we do not defeat them. Since you attended the game do you have anything from that game that you could share with us?

Nothing specific, I guess they just didn't look sharp. On a related note my wife and I had previously made a bet on who would win more games this season, the Gophers (me) or UNLV (her). She also attended UNLV's spring game and was back-peddling on her bet after observing the scrimmage. I'll ask her if she has any specifics about her rationale for her lowered expectations for UNLV.

 

[MinnMarchDTF]

A bit off the topic of the post, but Matt Spaeth is my favorite Gopher of all time. Playing your last 3 games with a dislocated shoulder and helping your team make a bowl is pretty amazing.

 

[Art Vandelay]

I also attended the UNLV spring game a week ago. I know that things can change, but if we do not defeat them I will be very disappointed.

Ummmm....the Gopher Spring game was a 3-0 barnburner. UNLV players and fans are probably thinking the same thing.

 

[highwayman]

Ummmm....the Gopher Spring game was a 3-0 barnburner. UNLV players and fans are probably thinking the same thing.

Gophers ran 4 offensive plays and one defense. On purpose. What was UNLV's spring game philosophy? I'm going to say it here first, in front of all the passive-aggressive haters--Minnesota 38, UNLV 10. Defense and special teams score. Go.

 

[Unregistered User]

Ummmm....the Gopher Spring game was a 3-0 barnburner. UNLV players and fans are probably thinking the same thing.

Wow...Art pissing in the punch-bowl again. I'm shocked, absolutely shocked.

What a horrible life you must live.

 

[Killjoy]

Ummmm....the Gopher Spring game was a 3-0 barnburner. UNLV players and fans are probably thinking the same thing.

I apologize to you for what I said to you this morning. What I should have said is what Unregistered User said to you this evening, “What a horrible life you must live.”

 

[EG#9]

Brewster was the Mason average in 2 of his 4 years (and 2 of his 3 full years) at 3-5 Big Ten. Matt Spaeth deserves a pass for remembering the Gophers under his former coach in a different light, but this journalist has no excuse. If only Brewster came in and told everyone that the players he inherited sucked...I don't know how it could be frustrating watching where the program "went" when the program was never a contender under Mason. The 2003 team that Matt mentions finished in a 3 way tie for 4th in the Big Ten and lost to both teams it tied with... a long way from going to the Rose Bowl. I also believe that the Gophers never defeated a team that finished in the top 3 of the Big Ten during Mason's entire tenure.

Can we get back to where we were in Brewster's (allegedly the worst coach in the history of Gopher football) last full year where we went 3-5 in the Big Ten and 6-6 overall in Kill's second year? He doesn't have to deal with USC (who the Gophers played 3 years ago).

 

[Cayman]

Brewster was the Mason average in 2 of his 4 years (and 2 of his 3 full years) at 3-5 Big Ten. Matt Spaeth deserves a pass for remembering the Gophers under his former coach in a different light, but this journalist has no excuse. If only Brewster came in and told everyone that the players he inherited sucked...I don't know how it could be frustrating watching where the program "went" when the program was never a contender under Mason. The 2003 team that Matt mentions finished in a 3 way tie for 4th in the Big Ten and lost to both teams it tied with... a long way from going to the Rose Bowl. I also believe that the Gophers never defeated a team that finished in the top 3 of the Big Ten during Mason's entire tenure.

Can we get back to where we were in Brewster's (allegedly the worst coach in the history of Gopher football) last full year where we went 3-5 in the Big Ten and 6-6 overall in Kill's second year? He doesn't have to deal with USC (who the Gophers played 3 years ago).

I do feel like people exaggerate how bad Brewster was. He had a crappy first season, just like Kill did. Brewster only had one win to Kill's three, but Brewster for the most part kept games close, 6 of our 11 losses in 2007 were by 7 points for fewer, 2 of those games being 1 point overtime losses. Then in 2008-09 we went .500, 13-13 with two bowl appearances (losses). I feel like the loss to South Dakota is what made opinions of Brewster shift toward the worst-coach-in-Gopher-history end of the spectrum, and made people view his entire tenure here as 3 and a half seasons of God awful football.

We were incredibly close to the Rose Bowl in 2003. Yes, we finished in a 3 way tie for 4th, but had we simply not given up a 3 touchdown lead in the 4th quarter against Michigan, we would have finished 6-2 in a 4-way tie for 1st with Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue. Having been the team with the least recent Rose Bowl appearance, we would have gone to Pasadena that year.

Other than a bad first season, which isn't out of the ordinary under a new coach, and a very rough start to the 2010 season, Brewster wasn't much worse than Mason.

 

[FreakyDeke]

I do feel like people exaggerate how bad Brewster was. He had a crappy first season, just like Kill did. Brewster only had one win to Kill's three, but Brewster for the most part kept games close, 6 of our 11 losses in 2007 were by 7 points for fewer, 2 of those games being 1 point overtime losses. Then in 2008-09 we went .500, 13-13 with two bowl appearances (losses). I feel like the loss to South Dakota is what made opinions of Brewster shift toward the worst-coach-in-Gopher-history end of the spectrum, and made people view his entire tenure here as 3 and a half seasons of God awful football.

We were incredibly close to the Rose Bowl in 2003. Yes, we finished in a 3 way tie for 4th, but had we simply not given up a 3 touchdown lead in the 4th quarter against Michigan, we would have finished 6-2 in a 4-way tie for 1st with Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue. Having been the team with the least recent Rose Bowl appearance, we would have gone to Pasadena that year.

Other than a bad first season, which isn't out of the ordinary under a new coach, and a very rough start to the 2010 season, Brewster wasn't much worse than Mason.

Zero trophy game wins and a big problem with retention (both coaches and players) was what made him terrible. We don't have any upperclassmen and we are starting to see the benefits of staff stability.

 

[Gold Vision]

We don't have any upperclassmen and we are starting to see the benefits of staff stability.

Where?