This was our big chance for a big season - and it's gone.

[Replacement Gopher]

When we threw it on 3rd and 1, only to attempt the field goal on 4th and 1….

I mean, he just never learns. If you were going to try a field goal, then run it on 3rd and 1. So tired of seeing the same game mismanagement over and over.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Just think, Iowa will be winning the West this year on a schedule similar to the Gophers schedule next year. It's not like it's impossible. Iowa played OSU, Michigan and Rutgers (granted, MSU was 1 touchdown better than Rutgers this year).

PJ needs to figure out how to beat the West opponents more than anything. Iowa has been the huge roadblock. Bielema's Illinois is now a roadblock. PJ has found success against the rest, but not when it mattered, which is the issue.

2019 - loses to Iowa and Wisconsin
2020 - nevermind
2021- loses to Illinois and Iowa
2022 - loses to Purdue, Illinois and Iowa

Effing Iowa.

We still have next week to play ...

 

[Gold Rush]

Back to the title of the thread and OP.


Look how perfectly the 2022 Big Ten West was set up for Minnesota to win the division.

- Nebraska is historically bad
- Iowa and Wisconsin started the year out, and still largely are, as bad as they've been since the West was formed
- we had owned Purdue and Brohm going into this year
- NW could end up with 1 win, for the first time in a very long time/ever?
- Illinois is in year 2 of a new coach
- @ Penn St is tough, but @ MSU ended up being easy and Rutgers was easy. 2 out of 3 from the East is usually as good as it gets.

It was never going to get better set up for us to win the division, than this.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We weren't going to win the Illinois and Penn State games. Just wasn't going to happen.


But we easily could've won the Purdue and Iowa games. With momentum from a nice win yesterday, we roll into Madison. 10-2 is an awesome regular season and easily wins the division.



Nope. We're looking at 7-5 or if we somehow turn it around and keep the axe 8-4.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


We'll never have this opportunity again. Divisions are going away, so we'll have to compete directly with USC, Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, and all the rest to win the conference.


Tough to see Minnesota ever getting a trophy from the Big Ten, again.

College football doesn't distribute talent in any kind of way that even comes close to resembling "fair". The talent you need to win the Big Ten, is almost never going to choose to come to Minneapolis, Minnesota. No matter who the coach is or what "culture" is installed.


And the few blue-chips that do grow up in the Cities, want out.

This is EXACTLY what I am talking about but probably thought out a lot better. This was the perfect setup for us and we blew it.

 

[Some guy]

I agree with the part about KC. Wish they would have rolled with Simon or made an outside hire. The team actually had interesting wrinkles in the final few weeks of the season last year. I was of the opinion that it was kind of OC by the committee the last month of the season last year. This year I figured we'd go back to the same basic offense that KC ran so effectively in 2019. We basically did, except RPO slant defensives have got better so we run the ball way more. KC and/or PJ need go realize that it's never going to be 2019 again and evolve in their game planning.

That said that has nothing to do with why they lost yesterday. Can't miss a chip shot and turn the ball over twice and expect to beat Iowa.

OMG people stop with the Simon stuff

A guy who has been passed on twice who can’t develop a wideout and that’s our answer?
If there was a coaching staff change this year Simon should be let go for an inability to recruit or develop his position the past few years.

 

[OddStack]

If a play doesn't score points, it can't be considered a big play.

Apparently, using the poster's logic, Mo and company only had 1 big play and it came from inside .the 5.

 

[Gophers_4life]

A guy who has been passed on twice who can’t develop a wideout

Passed on .... for Sanford. Yeah that decision was a doozy ...


Bateman?


Good god man ....

 

[Some guy]

Back to the title of the thread and OP.


Look how perfectly the 2022 Big Ten West was set up for Minnesota to win the division.

- Nebraska is historically bad
- Iowa and Wisconsin started the year out, and still largely are, as bad as they've been since the West was formed
- we had owned Purdue and Brohm going into this year
- NW could end up with 1 win, for the first time in a very long time/ever?
- Illinois is in year 2 of a new coach
- @ Penn St is tough, but @ MSU ended up being easy and Rutgers was easy. 2 out of 3 from the East is usually as good as it gets.

It was never going to get better set up for us to win the division, than this.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We weren't going to win the Illinois and Penn State games. Just wasn't going to happen.


But we easily could've won the Purdue and Iowa games. With momentum from a nice win yesterday, we roll into Madison. 10-2 is an awesome regular season and easily wins the division.



Nope. We're looking at 7-5 or if we somehow turn it around and keep the axe 8-4.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


We'll never have this opportunity again. Divisions are going away, so we'll have to compete directly with USC, Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, and all the rest to win the conference.


Tough to see Minnesota ever getting a trophy from the Big Ten, again.

College football doesn't distribute talent in any kind of way that even comes close to resembling "fair". The talent you need to win the Big Ten, is almost never going to choose to come to Minneapolis, Minnesota. No matter who the coach is or what "culture" is installed.


And the few blue-chips that do grow up in the Cities, want out.

For sure there were some things in the gophers favor this year.
Some things went against as well.

This team played exactly one conference game this year in conference play with its starting QB and top 2 offensive skill guys. (Michigan state)

This team played in 2 conference games this year with its starting QB for the entire game and at least 1 of the 2 offensive players. (Michigan state and Rutgers)

 

[Some guy]

Passed on .... for Sanford. Yeah that decision was a doozy ...


Bateman?


Good god man ....

Bateman? Yup. Hasn’t caught a pass for the program in over 2 years.
You’re funny. You’re ready to cut loose the coach next year but you’re fine with the job the assistants are doing lol

 

[Gophers_4life]

Bateman? Yup. Hasn’t caught a pass for the program in over 2 years.
You’re funny. You’re ready to cut loose the coach next year but you’re fine with the job the assistants are doing lol

Huh?

If Fleck goes, then the new coach will have full range to hire the assistants he wants.


Was absolutely failure of a decision to hire Sanford. I would've hired Simon -- exactly the same decision has hiring Rossi, but I also would've been fine hiring someone else competent.

 

[Gophers_4life]

For sure there were some things in the gophers favor this year.
Some things went against as well.

This team played exactly one conference game this year in conference play with its starting QB and top 2 offensive skill guys. (Michigan state)

This team played in 2 conference games this year with its starting QB for the entire game and at least 1 of the 2 offensive players. (Michigan state and Rutgers)

Crab is great, but doesn't make a significant difference this year, by himself. I don't think so, but I could easily have been wrong. Agree to disagree

Wish I could peer into an alternate universe and see who is right. Actually, if I was wrong, that would be great -- because then it would've meant that he did make a significant difference.

 

[Some guy]

Huh?

If Fleck goes, then the new coach will have full range to hire the assistants he wants.


Was absolutely failure of a decision to hire Sanford. I would've hired Simon -- exactly the same decision has hiring Rossi, but I also would've been fine hiring someone else competent.

Would you be fine firing Simon now?

 

[Some guy]

Crab is great, but doesn't make a significant difference this year, by himself. I don't think so, but I could easily have been wrong. Agree to disagree

Wish I could peer into an alternate universe and see who is right. Actually, if I was wrong, that would be great -- because then it would've meant that he did make a significant difference.

We have recruited and developed two wideouts in 6 years (Bateman and Crab)
Developed a 3rd (Johnson)

Matt simon’s position is the biggest problem on the team. If staff changes were going to be made it should be at the OC and/or Co-OC/WR position

(I don’t think they need to change anyone unless the head coach really wants to)

 

[Gophers_4life]

Would you be fine firing Simon now?

Sure.

Someone on offense has to be let go after this year's embarrassment in the passing game, right? And quite honestly, it's the only way he's going to get a chance. Fleck will never hire him as (full, actual) OC, we know that. He has some made-up title now like "co-OC".

 

[Gophers_4life]

We have recruited and developed two wideouts in 6 years (Bateman and Crab)
Developed a 3rd (Johnson)

Matt simon’s position is the biggest problem on the team. If staff changes were going to be made it should be at the OC and/or Co-OC/WR position

(I don’t think they need to change anyone unless the head coach really wants to)

Quick question -- because I honestly don't know.

Is it even possible to "develop" someone to get open? And to catch the ball?


Definitely develop blocking. Route running. Learning the playbook and making adjustments based on what options you have and what the coverage is, how the CB is playing you, etc. Decision making.

 

[Hates Monikers]

I disagree that this was our best chance to win the division. We were better last year and blew it. We were much better in 2019 and blew it.

This year? We're an okay but flawed team in a division with other okay but flawed teams. We played a few close games and found ways to lose. That's what okay teams do. Hell, that's Nebraska the past four years. There's no reason to saw now that we're better than Iowa or Purdue. We could've beat them both but didn't. We are in no way deserving of a division title -- we're not good enough. That doesn't mean Fleck needs to be fired, but we need to get better.

 

[studentgopher94]

"I imagine the true fans are too." Nah, none of that no true scotsman bullshit, you don't get to decide who is a "true fan" we can be ticked off and not sky is falling end of the world.

 

[Some guy]

Quick question -- because I honestly don't know.

Is it even possible to "develop" someone to get open? And to catch the ball?


Definitely develop blocking. Route running. Learning the playbook and making adjustments based on what options you have and what the coverage is, how the CB is playing you, etc. Decision making.

Yes it is possible to develop as a player? Is this a trick question

 

[GophersInIowa]

What's most disappointing overall for me is how we were not able to take advantage of the 2019 season. You would think a great season like that would really propel the program forward. Instead recruiting hasn't improved and performance in big games has gotten worse. The 2019 team was better than this one but this was most definitely the best chance at winning the west.

We're a solid program overall and that's certainly better than what we've seen at many times in the program history. But I just expected more through season 6, especially after that 2019 success. This is easily the most disappointing season of Fleck's time at MN.

 

[50PoundHead]

What's most disappointing overall for me is how we were not able to take advantage of the 2019 season. You would think a great season like that would really propel the program forward. Instead recruiting hasn't improved and performance in big games has gotten worse. The 2019 team was better than this one but this was most definitely the best chance at winning the west.

We're a solid program overall and that's certainly better than what we've seen at many times in the program history. But I just expected more through season 6, especially after that 2019 success. This is easily the most disappointing season of Fleck's time at MN.

My sentiments in a nutshell. I hoped recruiting would get better and more consistent.

I'm old. I've seen a lot of coaches in a lot of sports and very few of them can get outside their original mindsets. It's what made Wooden great and what's made Saban great. They get great athletes which is obviously the biggest part of the equation, but they are also able to change systems to accommodate changing patterns in competition and capitalize on the strengths of their players.

Fleck seems stuck in a "I'm going to run them over" feedback loop that he can't break.

 

[Some guy]

What's most disappointing overall for me is how we were not able to take advantage of the 2019 season. You would think a great season like that would really propel the program forward. Instead recruiting hasn't improved and performance in big games has gotten worse. The 2019 team was better than this one but this was most definitely the best chance at winning the west.

We're a solid program overall and that's certainly better than what we've seen at many times in the program history. But I just expected more through season 6, especially after that 2019 success. This is easily the most disappointing season of Fleck's time at MN.

I think people discount the disruption that 2020 was. 2019 momentum wasn’t really a thing. No spring football. Irregular recruiting. A season with half the players missing half the time in both practice and games.

The 2019 season literally coundnt have happened at a worse time for it to be a momentum builder.

I also think it put coaches in an odd spot Elligibility wise. Keep running the same players back or new guys? I think that disrupted development in spots.


Not an excuse. Still need to see something serious the next two years. But its not as simple as why didn’t you build on that.


Had gameday in MN for the opener in 2020 but had a new OC and no spring ball. Had all the special teams on quarantine. Didn’t go well against a Michigan team that turned out mediocre.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

We are all using sports for entertainment. Right?

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Quick question -- because I honestly don't know.

Is it even possible to "develop" someone to get open? And to catch the ball?


Definitely develop blocking. Route running. Learning the playbook and making adjustments based on what options you have and what the coverage is, how the CB is playing you, etc. Decision making.

This is a developmental program. We develop players at all positions. If it is impossible to develop WRs (I personally disagree, and believe it is very possible), then our ceiling for wins each year is 6-8 and we should be ecstatic if we there without capable WRs. In NIL times, any full-fledged, ready-to-start in the B1G WR we get will be a gift, a black swan. We can’t just expect them to come here. So we have to develop the 4-5 wideouts we expect to play each year. Just how it is. No coach we can get can change that.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

with WR's, it's a chicken-and-egg situation.
MN doesn't throw the ball much.
Which makes it harder to develop WR's.
Which makes it harder to recruit WR's.

Seriously - if you were a good HS WR, and you had several options for college, are you going to choose a program that in 2021 was 4th in the country in fewest passes attempted, and this year with a different OC is now 6th in the country in fewest passes attempted?

If MN wants better WR's to consider the program, they have to open up the offense.
You're not going to recruit a 5* chef to cook at a restaurant that just serves burgers and fries.

 

[Whytetale]

We have not beaten a team that has a winning record this season. One last chance.

 

[Jack jones]

The Purdue loss I blame on the coaches and players more than I blame yesterday, even though they felt very similar.

Despite all the poor decision making, yesterday can be summed up like this: the football gods took a giant s__t on us. Again. A-GAIN.

- Tricket's FG is going in ..... then curves out right at the last second
- Mo had lost 3 fumbles in over 800 carries. THREE. ..... then we drive the entire length of the field (almost) literally on his back, he has another nice carry ..... and the ball magically squirts out
- we get the ball back, are driving again, then decide to throw a slant, their CB reads it perfectly, gets his hand in to deflect the ball ...... and it pops up perfectly into their LB's hands ...... and he RAN IT BACK FOR A PICK SIX. HE DID NOT STEP OUT. But they call it out.

^^ last one is actually bad for us. Instead of being down 10-17 with TO left and some time left to try a miracle drive to tie it up ... we burn TO, and you knew they were going to kick it in.


Everything that could've gone their way, pretty much did. Classic Gophers football losing to Iowa.

Still can’t excuse Rossi for NOT covering the one guy on Iowa who has 85% of their receiving yards. That is game planning - that is coaching.

 

[Some guy]

Still can’t excuse Rossi for NOT covering the one guy on Iowa who has 85% of their receiving yards. That is game planning - that is coaching.

For sure Rossi told them don’t cover him lol

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

I woke up realizing that I should move on and be optimistic that this team will roll into Madison and beat the Badgers. But no, I am still pissed off that we lost to the worst QB and offense in division 1. Damnit!!!

On paper, the Gophers are a better team. They can beat Wisconsin if the coaches open the offense up a bit, while still using Mo as a battering ram. The team has to be up for the game, because the Badgers will be.

 

[PMWinSTP]

What's most disappointing overall for me is how we were not able to take advantage of the 2019 season. You would think a great season like that would really propel the program forward. Instead recruiting hasn't improved and performance in big games has gotten worse. The 2019 team was better than this one but this was most definitely the best chance at winning the west.

We're a solid program overall and that's certainly better than what we've seen at many times in the program history. But I just expected more through season 6, especially after that 2019 success. This is easily the most disappointing season of Fleck's time at MN.

Yep, agree. Got the facilities in place, and the HC the AD wanted. Without consistently putting together a string 8+ win regular seasons, recruiting will not improve, and will most likely settle back. That's what it takes to move the needle to the next level here.

 

[disco]

We are all using sports for entertainment. Right?

Yes, and said sports are competing for disposable income with many other entertainment options. If a consistently good product is not put on the field, people will vote with their wallets.

In addition, and I've said this many times... It's big time entertainment and a big time business. I personally do not care if PJ and company empty the prisons, pay the team with hookers and blow and bags of laundered mob money if the team wins.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Yes, and said sports are competing for disposable income with many other entertainment options. If a consistently good product is not put on the field, people will vote with their wallets.

In addition, and I've said this many times... It's big time entertainment and a big time business. I personally do not care if PJ and company empty the prisons, pay the team with hookers and blow and bags of laundered mob money if the team wins.

Pretty sure the mob would not part with money already laundered, just saying. It would be a creative way to launder it though. Maybe Fleck's niche in NIL?