The best thing Claeys can do in this situation is...

[Deleted_User]

I love rebutting negative Chicken Little posters. Present company included. It doesn't hurt anything to be positive. It makes the board a lot less fun to read, though, when a large percentage act like a bunch of whiny little bítches.

Dpi and I have gone to war and once I covered Dpo when being unfairly lambasted. Not defending anyone who calls anybody 'Whitney little bitches.'.

 

[tato2001]

You are not understanding the definitions of words. I am attacking people for acting like whiny little bìtches, i.e., attacking their actions, not the people themselves. Do whatever you want on GopherHole, just be prepared for a rebuttal. When did I say anyone wasn't free to be relentlessly negative? I'm equally free to treat them like the little bìtches they're being.

Thanks for the clarification. Just like the Family Research Council etc. doesn't attack gays themselves, they attack acting gay. Clear as a bell.

 

[dpodoll68]

Not defending anyone who calls anybody 'Whitney little bitches.'.

Just calling a spade a spade, Dean-O. I don't know what assessment any other reasonable observer of this board since 9/28 could arrive at. The inmates are running the asylum.

 

[MNVCGUY]

We had to stay close to have a chance to win. The same people who were upset about not being more aggressive at the end of the first half would have been equally pissed if we were aggressive and Leidner threw a pick six just before halftime. Can't have it both ways....

While I have no doubt there would have been some griping in that scenario I think it would have been from a very small percentage of fans. I fall in the camp that did not want to see them be reckless before the half and make desperation plays but with the amount of time on the clock, decent field position, a full set of timeouts, and knowing the other team gets the ball first in the 2nd half, they needed to be a little more aggressive than they were in that situation.

 

[e.bigelow]

While I have no doubt there would have been some griping in that scenario I think it would have been from a very small percentage of fans. I fall in the camp that did not want to see them be reckless before the half and make desperation plays but with the amount of time on the clock, decent field position, a full set of timeouts, and knowing the other team gets the ball first in the 2nd half, they needed to be a little more aggressive than they were in that situation.

Yep, agree 100% with this.

 

[FireDaveLee]

-Onside kick to start game
-Double or Triple Reverse Pass with one (or both) of the Olson brothers trailing for a pitch back on the 1st offensive play of the game
-Some super crazy formation with line splits that would make Mike Leach wonder what's going on

Obviously I'm exaggerating a bit, but something that would get all the players fire up. Northwestern just lost a huge game at home to OSU and could be on a two game losing streak after this weekend in Madison. If there was ever a time to catch Northwestern napping, it could be on 10/19 in Evanston....

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

We had to stay close to have a chance to win. The same people who were upset about not being more aggressive at the end of the first half would have been equally pissed if we were aggressive and Leidner threw a pick six just before halftime. Can't have it both ways....[/QUOTE]

I know I mentioned this somewhere else, but I feel like that is a false choice (run out the clock or throw a pick six). We should have our quarterback and our offense trained and disciplined enough that we can have a QB drop back, let the receivers run some routes, make a throw if there is a good one available (maybe a defender slips and falls, maybe a receiver finds a gap in the zone, etc.), and, if nothing materializes, take a slide (which gives us the same chance to run out the clock as the no gain up the middle). I obviously don't want us throwing up desperation heaves as though we are trailing at the end of the 4th quarter, but there should be something we can do that at least gives us a chance to work our way into field goal range without unduly risking a pick six.

 

[GopherDieHardDyingHard]

We had to stay close to have a chance to win. The same people who were upset about not being more aggressive at the end of the first half would have been equally pissed if we were aggressive and Leidner threw a pick six just before halftime. Can't have it both ways....[/QUOTE]

I know I mentioned this somewhere else, but I feel like that is a false choice (run out the clock or throw a pick six). We should have our quarterback and our offense trained and disciplined enough that we can have a QB drop back, let the receivers run some routes, make a throw if there is a good one available (maybe a defender slips and falls, maybe a receiver finds a gap in the zone, etc.), and, if nothing materializes, take a slide (which gives us the same chance to run out the clock as the no gain up the middle). I obviously don't want us throwing up desperation heaves as though we are trailing at the end of the 4th quarter, but there should be something we can do that at least gives us a chance to work our way into field goal range without unduly risking a pick six.

Agree with this 100%. Especially considering Michigan had just scored a TD and was getting the ball to start the 2nd half. Gotta do something..anything...to stem the tide. At least give them something to think about going into halftime. Instead, they ran out the clock and the rest is history.

 

[Ole]

Agree with this 100%. Especially considering Michigan had just scored a TD and was getting the ball to start the 2nd half. Gotta do something..anything...to stem the tide. At least give them something to think about going into halftime. Instead, they ran out the clock and the rest is history.

They did what they could to keep the game close and hope Michigan made a key mistake that could put them ahead in the end. The game got away because Michigan is better than us.
We needed a clean game from ourselves(didn't happen), and a few key mistakes from Michigan(didn't happen)

 

[GopherDieHardDyingHard]

They did what they could to keep the game close and hope Michigan made a key mistake that could put them ahead in the end. The game got away because Michigan is better than us.
We needed a clean game from ourselves(didn't happen), and a few key mistakes from Michigan(didn't happen)

My argument to that is the best way to get Michigan to make mistakes is to put the pressure on them. I feel like we let them off the hook with our capitulate approach to the end of the 1st half. Just hoping your opponent makes a mistake probably isn't going to get a team too many wins. Force the issue and maybe Michigan cracks.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

read and follow the advice of all GH posters.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

Exactly. That is all Claeys should be focusing the team on is the next game. I think our Run Offense will dictate the outcome of the Northwestern game, assuming that is what we are talking about.

Yes, one practice and game at a time.

 

[Triple D]

Throw the ball to Maxx Williams until they take it away, and even then keep throwing it to him. Under no circumstances use him as a fullback. He is our best offensive weapon so use him as such. Throw to him a minimum of 8x per game.

Why the coaching staff has not done this so far I have no idea. Do the Saints throw to Graham for a couple of big gains and then stop throwing him the ball? No, they keep throwing him the ball, and they keep winning.....funny how that works.

 

[John Galt]

We had to stay close to have a chance to win. The same people who were upset about not being more aggressive at the end of the first half would have been equally pissed if we were aggressive and Leidner threw a pick six just before halftime. Can't have it both ways....[/QUOTE]

I know I mentioned this somewhere else, but I feel like that is a false choice (run out the clock or throw a pick six). We should have our quarterback and our offense trained and disciplined enough that we can have a QB drop back, let the receivers run some routes, make a throw if there is a good one available (maybe a defender slips and falls, maybe a receiver finds a gap in the zone, etc.), and, if nothing materializes, take a slide (which gives us the same chance to run out the clock as the no gain up the middle). I obviously don't want us throwing up desperation heaves as though we are trailing at the end of the 4th quarter, but there should be something we can do that at least gives us a chance to work our way into field goal range without unduly risking a pick six.

If we had a more experienced offense, I would tend to agree with you. But the fact is we were starting freshman Mitch Leidner, who was making the first road start of his career in the Big House. Not to mention a bunch of freshman WRs. A turnover would have been devastating in that situation, and more likely since Michigan knew we had to pass (remember Leidner's pick six at the end of the game when they knew we were going to pass?). If the situation was different, say two years from now where we have juniors and seniors all over the offense, or if we had been down 27-20 and the passing game was on fire, the conversation would be different.

 

[John Galt]

Throw to him a minimum of 8x per game. Why the coaching staff has not done this so far I have no idea.

They just did. At Michigan.

 

[John Galt]

My argument to that is the best way to get Michigan to make mistakes is to put the pressure on them. I feel like we let them off the hook with our capitulate approach to the end of the 1st half. Just hoping your opponent makes a mistake probably isn't going to get a team too many wins. Force the issue and maybe Michigan cracks.

Gardner eats up defenses when they leave their lanes to pursue him. I'll take my chances with him beating me with his arm. The strategy was solid, he just made throws and our DBs didn't play their best game.

 

[Triple D]

They just did. At Michigan.

True, and that turned out pretty good after he had zero receptions against San Jose St. and Iowa.

Please excuse my mad love for Williams, he's my favorite player.

 

[matt]

While I have no doubt there would have been some griping in that scenario I think it would have been from a very small percentage of fans. I fall in the camp that did not want to see them be reckless before the half and make desperation plays but with the amount of time on the clock, decent field position, a full set of timeouts, and knowing the other team gets the ball first in the 2nd half, they needed to be a little more aggressive than they were in that situation.

See: NDSU 2011

 

[Unregistered User]

See: NDSU 2011

Just looked up the drive chart to bring this up. I was at the game and thinking "just chuck it, what's the worst that could happen?". The worst thing that could happen DID happen.

 

[localGophah]

In the Gophers situation I believe defenses know what's going to happen pretty much. So........IMHO I believe we should mix it up. Quit being so Conservative and for gods sake play the hot qb which now I believe is Leidner. And Ole don't you ever call me to my face a whiney bitch!!

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

Play to WIN! Not keep the score close ( copyright Michigan )

The other coaches should open things up a bit, take a leap, take a chance and knock off some of these teams - as the Gophers will be underdogs in all games. All the coaches - and Kill - are on the line now. No time to play it safe.

 

[fryguy22]

Gardner eats up defenses when they leave their lanes to pursue him. I'll take my chances with him beating me with his arm. The strategy was solid, he just made throws and our DBs didn't play their best game.

Honestly he didn't even make great throws. Their WRs (and their TE) were just phenomenal

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

While I have no doubt there would have been some griping in that scenario I think it would have been from a very small percentage of fans. I fall in the camp that did not want to see them be reckless before the half and make desperation plays but with the amount of time on the clock, decent field position, a full set of timeouts, and knowing the other team gets the ball first in the 2nd half, they needed to be a little more aggressive than they were in that situation.

That's for sure!

 

[thailleagle]

You can be supportive of the team's coach and admit the "no worries plan in place" line when the head coach is missing parts of a game or all of the game doesn't work anymore.

Not if you're a "koolaid drinker"... you know... the blind "everything is ok!" fans. If you read only the "positive" posts in threads on Gopherhole you would think that we WEREN'T at the bottom of the Legends division. Realistic fans see problems & address them while the sippers ignore issues the team has as long as they're beating the cream puffs then can't understand why we look horrible in Big Ten play.

 

[GopherDieHardDyingHard]

Not if you're a "koolaid drinker"... you know... the blind "everything is ok!" fans. If you read only the "positive" posts in threads on Gopherhole you would think that we WEREN'T at the bottom of the Legends division. Realistic fans see problems & address them while the sippers ignore issues the team has as long as they're beating the cream puffs then can't understand why we look horrible in Big Ten play.

Careful...you might get called a troll for that sort of talk around here! Re: the creampuff argument...look, I get that everyone in the B1G schedules a healthy dose of cupcakes in their NC schedule...but when you spend 800k to buyout a home and home with North Carolina (1-4 this year, if you're paying attention) and replaces it with a freaking home & home against New Mexico State and the only explanation fans get is, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing"...that's when this staff began to lose me as a fan. On the bright side, we all got to experience AggieVision.

 

[Halsey Hall]

Hire a new OC and O-line coach.

+1

 

[Halsey Hall]

I love rebutting negative Chicken Little posters. Present company included. It doesn't hurt anything to be positive. It makes the board a lot less fun to read, though, when a large percentage act like a bunch of whiny little bítches.

said the pot to the kettle

 

[Halsey Hall]

Dipdoll attacking people for their opinions. So they're whiny. In the grand scheme of things does it really matter? And another thing Dipdoll. After 60 years of losing people have a right to be whiny. If a
30 year season ticket holder wants to whine, so what. He's invested quite a bit in Gopher football.
Quit trying to be Judge Jury, and Hangman. So those that want to whine! Bugger on!!!

+3million I have been there since 1949 and am sick of ordinary football...Warmath punting on 2nd down, Gutey having too many men on the field, Mason coaching to avoid losses, Brew being Brew AND NOW the Kill drama

 

[Halsey Hall]

Throw the ball to Maxx Williams until they take it away, and even then keep throwing it to him. Under no circumstances use him as a fullback. He is our best offensive weapon so use him as such. Throw to him a minimum of 8x per game.

Why the coaching staff has not done this so far I have no idea. Do the Saints throw to Graham for a couple of big gains and then stop throwing him the ball? No, they keep throwing him the ball, and they keep winning.....funny how that works.

THANK YOU

It is criminal that we don't throw to him more

 

[Halsey Hall]

If we had a more experienced offense, I would tend to agree with you. But the fact is we were starting freshman Mitch Leidner, who was making the first road start of his career in the Big House. Not to mention a bunch of freshman WRs. A turnover would have been devastating in that situation, and more likely since Michigan knew we had to pass (remember Leidner's pick six at the end of the game when they knew we were going to pass?). If the situation was different, say two years from now where we have juniors and seniors all over the offense, or if we had been down 27-20 and the passing game was on fire, the conversation would be different.

Oh boo ho. Johnny Football was a freshman last year. If they are in the game, they should be used