The 2023 Gophers football season will be a success if?...

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PoockItInfor6 said:
I’d feel:

Disappointed at anything 6-6 or worse
Okay/meh at 7-5 (pending bowl
Decent/good at 8-4 (pending bowl)
Forward momentum, really good at 9-3
Best season of my lifetime at 10-2
Time to book my flights for the CFP at 11-1
Is this even real life?!? At 12-0
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This sums up my feelings quite well.
 

BleedGopher said:
...if we finally beat Iowa. It's time.

And if we win the BT West. I don't want to hear about how hard our schedule is. We didn't take advantage of a softer schedule, so F it, let's win the damn last BT West and take a crack at OSU or Michigan in the BT title game.

Let's not be afraid of expectations. Beat Iowa and win the BT West!

Go Gophers!!
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This is exactly where I am. It concerns me that PJ seems to be encouraging discussion about how tough the schedule is (under the guise of using his "opportunistic" line). We never heard about how soft the schedule was when we missed both tOSU and Michigan from PJ and Iowa was a home loss against Nebraska away from winning the West last season with this same schedule last year. It can be done, it's certainly time. Are we really going to go in to 2024 STILL talking about 2019 as if it just happened?
 

No doubt, Gophers going 7-2 in Big Ten with 6-0 vs West while another West team goes 8-1 in Big Ten with 5-1 in West is highly unlikely.

OSU, Mich, and Penn State are all AP Preseason top 7, and every West team plays at least one of those.


So, to put a bow on it: we win the West if we go undefeated in the West, beat Mich State, and if there is a West team that goes 5-1 against the division they lose at least one game against the East.


The more interesting and realistic discussion is if we go 5-1 vs the West but 1-2 vs the East, then what are the scenarios?


I still think Illinois is one to watch. They only have Penn State as a hard East matchup, it’s in Champaign, and it’s earlier in the season on Week 3 (could be better or worse, tough to say yet).
 

Win the West. That is success in Year 7.
 

HopHead said:
Two trophies and a bowl game not held in a baseball stadium or Detroit.
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200w.gif


Pretty much exactly what I was going to say.......or at 9pm on a Thursday night.
 
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We beat Wisconsin and Iowa, anything else is gravy!
 


At this point only the Guaranteed Rate and Pinstripe Bowls are in baseball stadiums, and those were the last two we went to.

So I think it’s safe to say we won’t be in a baseball stadium this season?
 

have you not learned anything? success = winning the Nebraska season
 



MplsGopher said:
So we go 7-2 overall in Big Ten conf games, like you propose. Let’s say Iowa is 5-1 in the West, losing only to us. But they go 3-0 vs their East opponents, while we went 1-2. That puts them at 8-1 and I’m afraid that means they win the West. In other words, the division crown is not primarily determined by division record but by overall conference record. If I’m wrong, someone please correct me.
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To boil this down, Your question is "Does 8-1 beat 7-2?"

LOLOLOL.
 

USAF said:
To boil this down, Your question is "Does 8-1 beat 7-2?"

LOLOLOL.
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To be fair, when determining "Division" champ, having a team that is undefeated in the division not win it due to non-division games is a little weird.
 

beat iowa, and no ugly loses
 




swelna said:
To be fair, when determining "Division" champ, having a team that is undefeated in the division not win it due to non-division games is a little weird.
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Has it ever happened in the B1G?

Technically, it could happen in MLB, NBA, NFL, or NHL. All of those sports declare a division champion based on overall record. Vikings could go 6-0 in the NFC north, lose their other 11 games, and finish fourth in the division with a 6-11 record.
 

Just fine to note that.

Also just fine to note that it is technically incorrect to say that if we go 6-0 against the West and win one game against the East, we're guaranteed to win the West.
 



swelna said:
To be fair, when determining "Division" champ, having a team that is undefeated in the division not win it due to non-division games is a little weird.
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It really isn't though. The Vikings could win all their division games and not finish first in the division based on the rest of their schedule.

Divisions in college football were just there because they needed them to have a championship game. That rule got changed and we are seeing divisions go away. Conference record was always the most important thing.

 

MNVCGUY said:
It really isn't though. The Vikings could win all their division games and not finish first in the division based on the rest of their schedule.

Divisions in college football were just there because they needed them to have a championship game. That rule got changed and we are seeing divisions go away. Conference record was always the most important thing.

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It could get really weird with no divisions and 18 teams. Second spot in the title game could come down to taking one of two 7-2 teams who didn't play each other, and whose only opponents in common are Rutgers and Indiana, who they both beat. I made the same Vikings comparison earlier. Division champions picked by a record in including more than just division games is not at all unique to college football.
 

BleedGopher said:
...if we finally beat Iowa. It's time.

And if we win the BT West. I don't want to hear about how hard our schedule is. We didn't take advantage of a softer schedule, so F it, let's win the damn last BT West and take a crack at OSU or Michigan in the BT title game.

Let's not be afraid of expectations. Beat Iowa and win the BT West!

Go Gophers!!
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I’ll stand by my original criteria for success which was to win the BTW. It’s a shame as it was there for the taking, again.

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
I’ll stand by my original criteria for success which was to win the BTW. It’s a shame as it was there for the taking, again.

Go Gophers!!
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This season was a failure by any measure

But

I think that the west going away helps the gophers

10-2 is a good season for sure now. Whereas before 10-2 was a failure if not big ten west champs
 

swingman said:
This is a Big Ten West title team that can certainly play with UNC and will be ready to go toe-to-toe with Ohio State like 2019 Gophers did and with Michigan like 2015 Gophers did. PJ has made it obvious he loves this team. Raves about strength, speed, agility numbers. Raves about work ethic. Raves about leadership. Says all are in the boat, all are rowing in the same direction. Look for him to match or top his 11-2, top ten 2019 team or his 2016 Cotton Bowl team.

QB:
....Best QB arm I've seen in Maroon and Gold in 40 years in AK. One of very few QBs in Big Ten with Big Ten game experience. Was consensus 4-star and Gatorade player of year out of Illinois.
....Very solid 5th year back-up who bleeds Maroon and Gold and has ties to Couglin, Moe and Grant.
....Both guys can run better than Morgan.
....Fresh and hungry voice coaching this group with aide of newly allowed accomplished staffers.

WR:
....Deepest, fastest WR group in 40 years.
.... A 7th year guy offering great leadership in CAB who is a gamer who has proven big-time play skills.
....4-star recruit Daniel Jackson is in year 4 and may not be back for year 5 as NFL scouts are on him.
....Portal gifted us two hits in 5th year Crooms and 4th year Spencer. Both lit up the Spring game. Both experienced, fast with great hands and verticality. Crooms hungry to prove he is NFL-worthy.
...Badger-beater Brockington another guy PJ snuck out of talent-rich Georgia. Was All-State in Peach State.
...Fastest, most agile kid on team was a sleeper out of Alexandia - Minnesota, not Virginia.
...Lanier a great late flip in 2023 class.
...Group coach has put multiple guys in NFL in last decade and now has a stronger voice as co-OC. ...Head coach knows this position inside and out.
...Added an Ohio State staffer to further assist this group.

TE:
...Group features a 6th year pre-season All-American from St. Cloud who bleeds the RTB culture. Hungry to up his draft-stock. Enough said.
...Kallerup is a 5th year grown man who brings the physicality you need in the Big Ten, and Simon and Harbaugh love to use the TE.
...Geers is a guy we pulled out of Chicago that Iowa, WI, NW, IL, and PU all wanted. Ready to emerge in year 3.
...Fresh viewpoint leading this room as Andrew Sowder joins the staff. Sowder was OC at Kent State the last five years, one of the nation's top offenses. Friends with Callahan from early years so good fit.
...Last year's TE coach now co-OC and will use this group.

RB:
...Sean Tyler is third in NCAA in returning career yards. Among tops in nation in big gain runs. Veteran mature guy in year 5, eager to prove he is NFL worthy.
...Red shirt frosh RB Zach Evans was a Top 50 RB in 2022 class by 247; top ten all-purpose back by Rivals. Played at high level in Texas. Flashed in one limited outing last year and in Spring game.
...True frosh RB Darius Taylor picked us over Michigan. Might just pull a Marion Barber Sr, who, as a frosh in 1977, helped upset his home state-school in Mpls. Kid has burst, strength and shiftiness. His high school stats are insane.
...Tyler, Evans and Taylor all more of a weapon in pass game than Mo was.
...New voice leading this group had #4 rushing offense in nation in 2021, had #2 rushing offense in MAC last year, helped put Minnesota Zach Zenner into the NFL when he was at SDSU.
...Another unit with great veteran leadership as Bryce Williams returns for year 6. Special place in all Gopher fans hearts as the guy who helped end the skid against Bucky back in 2018. Solid, dependable and a great blocker in passing situations...which we will have a lot more of this year with great throwing and catching talent.

O-line:
...Loaded with 4th, 5th, and 6th year guys who are grown men with a lot of time in one of the top strength programs in the nation; coached by a guy in prime of his career who is just racking up all-big players and NFL players out of his room.
...4th year LT Ersery is an NFL talent. Fleck and Callahan says maybe best they have coached.
...5th year Likely RG Carroll is an NFL talent. Son of last guy who beat Ohio State in Mpls.
...likely C 6th year guy Nathan Boe has been kept off the field as he mentored under Weyler and Schmitz. A Lakeville kid, smartest kid on team, bleeds Maroon and Gold and has started in spots over career.
...Sounds like great competition between 6th year guy Karter Shaw (former starter at Utah State), 5th year guy Tyler Cooper, 5th year guy JJ Guedet, and 4th year guy Martes Lewis to fill two other spots on line. All of them 6'4" or longer, all of them 300 pounds plus. Being pushed by some very talented younger guys who are hungry.

K:
...One of biggest legs in nation has proved his value in kick-offs and now gets the FG gig. 4th year guy; locker room leader.

Safety:
...5th year Tyler Nubin a pre-season All-American; bleeds the RTB culture. Sets the tone. Hungry to up his draft-status
...3rd year Darius Green ready to step in. played in all 13 games last year, started and shined in Bowl game. Ran 10.6 hundred in high school and is the hardest hitter on the team; good combo.
...Great depth with Bowl game MVP Bryson and rising star Aidan Gousby.
...not a hungrier, harder working position coach in the nation than Danny Collins...as loyal to Fleck and Rossi as one can be

Corner:
...My fear is this last season we see 2021 Frosh All-American Justin Walley at corner. NFL loves corners and they have eyes on him.
...RS Frosh Watson ran a 10.43 100 in Louisiana as a high schooler; got to study under NFL'er T-Smith last year
...added some experience via portal in 5th year Jones and 4th year Bride; both hungry to prove they can compete at higher level...positive reports on both as possible upgrades over Bishop and Stapp
...Mahtomedi/St. Clous State boy Nick Monroe returns home to join buddy Joe Rossi's staff...Monroe has great track record putting guys in the League

Nickel:
...transfer Jack Henderson is this year's Jack Gibbens...4th year guy may elevate himself from SE Louisiana to NFL...the number one rave of defensive newcomers through Spring and into Fall...if Auburn-transfer Craig McDonald gets eligibility, Gophers are stacked here...a 4th year guy who has found his way home via Big12 and SEC stops

LB:
...Fleck says 4th year Cody Lindenberg is best LB he has coached and calls him one of best in nation....has the strength, speed, instincts, smarts, passion to be very, very good this year...kind of home-grown kid Iowa has beat us with for years ready to bring Floyd home
...Rossi brought in 6th year guy Selig from WMU, where they had very good scouting info from; in 2022 played in 12 games and made 73 tackles, while recording 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, broke up one pass, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble
...PJ sounds very optimistic that 3rd year guy Devon Williams may be ready to step in next to Cody...from powerhouse Dublin Coffman in Ohio, Williams was 2nd team All-State as a senior
...very good reports on rs frosh Maverick Baranowski stepping up as well

D-Line:
...Fleck can't stop talking about his d-line and its coach, former Gopher Winston DeLattiboudere; calls Winston best DL coach he has had and a fast-track head coach guy...was able to add an extra d-line staffer he loves
...he loves 5th year DT guy Kyler Baugh as returning starter
...he loves uber-talented DT Deven Eastern, Prior Lake kid who bleeds RTB and M&G, a 4-star recruit
...he has 6th year Clemson transfer Jefferies ready to rotate with Eastern
...he has 5th year Perham kid Logan Richter ready to rotate with Baugh
...he loves the 4th year DE Jalen Logan-Redding (beat out Mizzou for him), he killed the weight room in off-season
...he loves 4th year DE Jah Joyner (beat out BC and Rutgers for him) who led the team in pressure last year
...he loves 2nd year 4-star talent Anthony Smith, who looks like a Michigan DE
...he loves 4th year guy Danny Striggow from Orono, who was taking snaps from Thomas Rush (now getting some NFL run) at end of last year

Return Joe Rossi as DC

...Get to play year-zero coaches at WI, NE, Purdue and NW.
...Will have packed houses vs NE, Michigan and Wisconsin...get Bielema's bunch at home...get MSU, who they destroyed in East Lansing, at home
...get to play Iowa coming off a bye, while Iowa comes off trip to Camp Randall and will be eighth week with no bye
...get UNC after they face regional rivals SC and App State; will have a huge Maroon and Gold contingent supporting them...
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Post of the year
 



Tlsbhansen said:
Reality?
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What you call reality, I call misery, cynicism, amd the inability to find a way to enjoy life and instead find the worst in things to shield yourself from disappointment. You choose your own path, I've got mine😄
 

We won't know until 2025 / 20026.

With the way college football is changing, we had to make changes in order to keep up.

So, even though the year absolutely sucked, I think it forced PJ to realize he has to change and can't just be the same old PJ.

What we decide to do on offense and who we decide to hire as a defensive coordinator are going to be extremely important in where we are two years from now because the recruiting classes we have had back-to-back gave us the players to be competitive against even the good teams.

It really is on the coaches now. So, I would much rather have a year like this year that sucked because it forced to change then to have gone seven and five and nothing changes because it's just good enough to make people think we don't need to change.
 

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