Thomas Barber has moved from his role as defensive graduate assistant at the U to the nickel backs coach at St. Thomas.




Go Thomas! I really thought played just as well as anyone on that 2019 team…the one with a bunch of current NFL players
In a different era, he might have played in the NFL. He just wasn't going to be athletic enough to play against modern wide open NFL offenses. He was a very good Gopher though and probably didn't get the love he deserved because our system is hard on linebackers (I think it's a great system, it just expects a lot out of them).
 

In a different era, he might have played in the NFL. He just wasn't going to be athletic enough to play against modern wide open NFL offenses. He was a very good Gopher though and probably didn't get the love he deserved because our system is hard on linebackers (I think it's a great system, it just expects a lot out of them).
Agree with both of your points you made.
 



Was it the Barber family who had the tailgating vehicle had a big University Minnesota wrap on it?
 

Was it the Barber family who had the tailgating vehicle had a big University Minnesota wrap on it?
Maybe they had one, but I remember a Offensive Lineman's family having one that was really decked out.

I lost track of the players families once we moved from the MetroDome. Stopped trying to do my own tailgate.
 

"the nickel backs coach at St. Thomas". So confused...first thought Jimmy Butler punishing his teammates to listen to Nickelback in the locker room. Second thought...does Barber even know the words to their songs? Can he sing at all?
Then...I got to thinking maybe it's got something to do with football? So I looked it up on the Google machine wiki Nickelback American Football
(Not even drinking...well, at least I wasn't).
 



I feel that he will make his way back at some point. Good experience move for him.
Also, he will be making significantly more $ as a full time position coach than he did as a graduate assistant. Good move for him professionally and financially!
 



Also, he will be making significantly more $ as a full time position coach than he did as a graduate assistant. Good move for him professionally and financially!
How is that an upgrade from working with the Gophers to working with a non scholarship team in the Pioneer Conference? With his family background I would think he could have signed up with a larger program.
 



How is that an upgrade from working with the Gophers to working with a non scholarship team in the Pioneer Conference? With his family background I would think he could have signed up with a larger program.
Financially it will be a huge upgrade. Graduate assistants make very little money (essentially enough to scrape by) and have to be working towards a masters degree. Even if he's making like $35K he's gotten raise from what he was doing for the Gophers.

In regards to your second comment about his family background. If that really were the case don't you think he'd be at a bigger program?
 

How is that an upgrade from working with the Gophers to working with a non scholarship team in the Pioneer Conference? With his family background I would think he could have signed up with a larger program.
You get paid more as actual coach than you do as graduate assistant. I get your point, but in coaching you have to start somewhere. Local opportunity.
 

How is that an upgrade from working with the Gophers to working with a non scholarship team in the Pioneer Conference? With his family background I would think he could have signed up with a larger program.
Well they have surpassed us in basketball
 

Well they have surpassed us in basketball
A. I’m not sure them being less awful than one of the worst gopher teams of all time means they have “surpassed” us.
B. Even if they have, what’s the relevance of that to our football program, or are you just looking to troll?
 

A. I’m not sure them being less awful than one of the worst gopher teams of all time means they have “surpassed” us.
B. Even if they have, what’s the relevance of that to our football program, or are you just looking to troll?
A. They were better than us last year in basketball, just a fact.
B. Fair point. I was ripping the basketball team and that has nothing to do withFB team, it was a cheap shot.
 

A. They were better than us last year in basketball, just a fact.
B. Fair point. I was ripping the basketball team and that has nothing to do withFB team, it was a cheap shot.
So you would agree we have surpassed Wisconsin as a football program, correct?
 


How is that an upgrade from working with the Gophers to working with a non scholarship team in the Pioneer Conference? With his family background I would think he could have signed up with a larger program.

Let's see, Option A: get a paying job in your hometown with a perennial Pioneer League challenger that's on the upswing under a highly respected head coach in a very stable program with money (a resume builder) and maybe eventually work into a job with the alma mater (Gophers), or Option B: land a job in Timbuktu at some generic directional university where coaching staffs are a revolving door. Option A looks pretty good.
 

Yes. Over the last 3-4 years. Although I think the tide is turning back
Don't count your eggs before they hatch...haven't even seen them play under Fickell and you think the tide is already turning...
 

Don't count your eggs before they hatch...haven't even seen them play under Fickell and you think the tide is already turning...
They have billboards!!!
 




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