Three conclusions from today's game...

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Great Plains Gopher

Great Plains Gopher

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1) Those who said Minnesota lacked the talent to compete in the Big Ten were wrong; 2) Those who said Kill's system would eventually kick in and players would buy it were right; 3) Those who said Gray should have played a lot more the past two years were right.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
1) Those who said Minnesota lacked the talent to compete in the Big Ten were wrong; 2) Those who said Kill's system would eventually kick in and players would buy it were right; 3) Those who said Gray should have played a lot more the past two years were right.
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Those all seem to be true. Nice to be competitive again and very nice to be rid of the "those kids suck" threads.

Now beat Wisconsin!
 

We don't have copious amounts Big Ten talent, in my opinion. We have some kids that belong, but we all know we need more, and more importantly depth. Come on, we're starting a true freshman walk-on on the offensive line. Both Iowa and MSU played pretty poorly against us, but I'm certainly not apologizing for it. Even after last week, I can't say I expected such an awesome game today. Our kids really played their tails off and I couldn't be happier. I completely agree Gray is starting to get it. By far his best game against a pretty stout defense. We certainly have potential to be a fringe bowl team as soon as next year. Will be interesting to see if we can sustain this kind of effort the rest of the season.
 

I think it's probably more accurate to not look at things in terms of black and white.

I think your two points are probably interrelated. What I mean is that I still think we have a talent deficiency on this current football team. That means (for me) that if we play great, we can compete in the Big 10, but our margain for error is tiny.

For me, how that relates to the coaching system is that when you have a team with a minimal margin for error, and they are extremely young and playing a new system...that can have disasterous results because younger players are more prone to mistakes, especially with a new system. I think that's what you saw in the Michigan, NDSU, NMSU games.

Our program will only get better if our margain for error increases and our players starting buying in and executing better (which I imagine will happen with experience and time).

Go Gophers!
 

This is going to be a LONG offseason. I can't wait to see the improvement they can make with an entire offseason, new recruits, and a fresh season.
 


Well, the Gophers are lacking depth and experience, but both are coming.

MS has been playing in their system for years. This is the Gophers first year with Kill and are just starting to show they are getting it. The fact they did as well as they did today even with the big experience gap testifies to the resilience and quality potential of the team along with the coaching staff and system.

Great to see them hungry and starting to play with confidence. Given all the turmoil they have had this year, bode incredibly well for them and for the future of the team.

Also very encouraged by the decrease of mental mistakes which has had a huge impact on the games.

Though DB is still weakness, at the same time, to many are converted from other positions as compared to others that have played it since HS.

One last thought...think of what these past 2 games have done for recruiting?

Not to worried about red shirting players for a couple of years. More important to continue to develop a winning, even champion attitude on the team. They can red shirt recruits a year or two down the road and have a better handle on developing depth then.
 

Took a few games to let Gray feel more comfortable. That was a problem as we let Weber play too long, he should have got more time last year.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I think it's probably more accurate to not look at things in terms of black and white.

I think your two points are probably interrelated. What I mean is that I still think we have a talent deficiency on this current football team. That means (for me) that if we play great, we can compete in the Big 10, but our margain for error is tiny.

For me, how that relates to the coaching system is that when you have a team with a minimal margin for error, and they are extremely young and playing a new system...that can have disasterous results because younger players are more prone to mistakes, especially with a new system. I think that's what you saw in the Michigan, NDSU, NMSU games.

Our program will only get better if our margain for error increases and our players starting buying in and executing better (which I imagine will happen with experience and time).

Go Gophers!
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Agree. we still need a lot more talent that fits the system, but these last two weeks certainly show we can compete. We just need more talent to win consistently.
 

In my opinion, what is says more than anything else is that those who wanted Gray at QB last year were right ... although maybe be wrong reasons. He would not have helped us compete much better last year but think of the situation we'd be in now if he had gotten last year the experience he is getting this year. Different offenses, yes. But we could be a .500 club right now with M. Gray who has 5 more games under his belt, imo. full disclosure - I was on the Weber bandwagon last year so I'll put myself in the "I was wrong" camp.
 



THIS!


Bob_Loblaw said:
I think it's probably more accurate to not look at things in terms of black and white.

I think your two points are probably interrelated. What I mean is that I still think we have a talent deficiency on this current football team. That means (for me) that if we play great, we can compete in the Big 10, but our margain for error is tiny.

For me, how that relates to the coaching system is that when you have a team with a minimal margin for error, and they are extremely young and playing a new system...that can have disasterous results because younger players are more prone to mistakes, especially with a new system. I think that's what you saw in the Michigan, NDSU, NMSU games.

Our program will only get better if our margain for error increases and our players starting buying in and executing better (which I imagine will happen with experience and time).

Go Gophers!
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jags1998 said:
In my opinion, what is says more than anything else is that those who wanted Gray at QB last year were right ... although maybe be wrong reasons. He would not have helped us compete much better last year but think of the situation we'd be in now if he had gotten last year the experience he is getting this year. Different offenses, yes. But we could be a .500 club right now with M. Gray who has 5 more games under his belt, imo. full disclosure - I was on the Weber bandwagon last year so I'll put myself in the "I was wrong" camp.
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I think many of us that wanted Gray to play more real QB still wanted Weber to be the starter. Gray should have been allowed to get playing time in games that were decided early. The wildcat didn't help him become a better QB.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
1) Those who said Minnesota lacked the talent to compete in the Big Ten were wrong; 2) Those who said Kill's system would eventually kick in and players would buy it were right; 3) Those who said Gray should have played a lot more the past two years were right.
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Those who said we can't get the Axe back this year - just watch!
 

Truly can't recall...when did we have BOTH THE PIG and THE AXE...the last time?

Go Gophers! Get the Axe! In Kill We Trust!
 



BilldGopher said:
Truly can't recall...when did we have BOTH THE PIG and THE AXE...the last time?

Go Gophers! Get the Axe! In Kill We Trust!
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According to Wikipedia, it looks like 1990 was the last time we held both. And the last time we held the pig, the jug, and the axe was sometime in the 1960's I think.
 

A Big Ten Football win can launch 0ne thousand claims that "...we are no longer wondering and wandering in the Big Ten wilderness..." Would you believe that statement? Well, maybe not a thousand claims...BUT...I am starting to read some.

Jags 1998 says: "...In my opinion, what is says more than anything else is that those who wanted Gray at QB last year were right ... although maybe be wrong reasons. He would not have helped us compete much better last year but think of the situation we'd be in now if he had gotten last year the experience he is getting this year. Different offenses, yes. But we could be a .500 club right now with M. Gray who has 5 more games under his belt, imo. full disclosure - I was on the Weber bandwagon last year so I'll put myself in the "I was wrong" camp..."

I can see no way that this 2011 Football Team could be a .500 club right now if M. Gray had 5 more games under his belt. It is a TEAM game. The offensive line, defensive line, receivers, running backs, pass defenders, lack of pass rush, etc would still have kept this 2011 squad from being a .500 club at this point in time. We have what we have...and ONLY what we have. There are 11 posiions on offense and 11 positions on defense. Each and every one of those positions counts.



I LOVED that Big Ten win against iowa in TCF BANK STADIUM. And I saw some reasons to be encouraged by the showing in East Lansing. However, I have a belief that the job of Coach Kill and his staff has just begun and that there is still a LOT of work to do with this program.

The team played well today, but, unfortuantely, the team did not add to it's Big Ten win total for the 2011 season today. After the Big Ten win over iowa last week, the Big Ten record for this season was 1 win and 3 defeats. As of this evening, the Big Ten record is 1 win and 4 defeats.

The building of this football program is merely beginning. I value EVERY Big Ten win. Even ONE Big Ten win in a season is FAR better than zero Big Ten wins in a season.

However, Big Ten wins need to be accomplished on the football field. The number of Big Ten wins and losses is recorded in the Big Ten standings. People proclaiming that "we have arrived...and things are DIFFERENT now, are perhaps being just a bit premature. There are three very difficult games to play yet this season.

Our Gophers have 3 more chances for a Big Ten win in 2011. They play wisky next game. Then, they journey to Evanston to take on NU. They end the season entertaining Illinois in TCF BANK STADIUM.

EVERY single Big Ten win is worth it's weight in gold and will improve our CURRENT standing in our Big Ten Divisional Standings. But, Big Ten wins ONLY happen when they are WON on the playiing field. I like playing more competetively just as much as the next guy. But, a Big Ten win HAS to be a win on the final score board to count as a Big Ten win in the final Big Ten Standings.

I hope very much that our Gophers can win some more Big Ten games during the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 Big Ten season we will know exactly where our 2011 Gophers rank within their Big Ten Division.

The job of building this Football Program is FAR from completed.

But, isn't it AMAZING just how much a single Big Ten Football win can mean? Simply AMAZING, don't you all agree? Some of you have scoffed at the concept of the total number of Big Ten wins in a season as being the true barometer and assessment indicator of the health of the Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Program. Just ask yourself IF your outlook on Gopher Football in the here and now has improved with just ONE Big Ten Football win and a good showing against a pretty fair Big Ten Football Team on the road?

The number of Big Ten wins will show us EXACTLY how this program stacks up against all the other Big Ten Football Programs. Please keep that in mind when making bold statements about the current condition of our Golden Gopher Football Program.

Go Gophers! Beat wisky!

; 0 )
 

Floyd/Axe/Jug/Bell - NEVER

Floyd/Axe/Jug - 1967

Floyd/Axe - 1990

Floyd/Jug - 1967

Floyd/Bell - 2000

Axe/Jug/Bell - Never

Axe/Jug - 1986

Axe/Bell - 2003

Jug/Bell - Never
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
Floyd/Axe/Jug/Bell - NEVER

Floyd/Axe/Jug - 1967

Floyd/Axe - 2011

Floyd/Jug - 1967

Floyd/Bell - 2000

Axe/Jug/Bell - Never

Axe/Jug - 1986

Axe/Bell - 2003

Jug/Bell - Never
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Fixed it for ya.
 

Not Looking forward to playing ya in Minny next year

I gotta give your team all due respect. They played with passion and heart. Gray has been the best QB we have faced, others have gotten much more pub, but Gray deserves more ink then anyothers. Your recievers also are very sure handed and played very well with zero dropped passes that I noticed. McKnight is the real deal, and Bennett (sp) has big time potential even though he didn't rush for that many yards today, loved his speed. I would rather we didn't play ya next year, but, I guess ya cant dodge the schedule. Good Luck the rest of the year...you will surprise all your oponents.
 

macspartan said:
I gotta give your team all due respect. They played with passion and heart. Gray has been the best QB we have faced, others have gotten much more pub, but Gray deserves more ink then anyothers. Your recievers also are very sure handed and played very well with zero dropped passes that I noticed. McKnight is the real deal, and Bennett (sp) has big time potential even though he didn't rush for that many yards today, loved his speed. I would rather we didn't play ya next year, but, I guess ya cant dodge the schedule. Good Luck the rest of the year...you will surprise all your oponents.
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Mac, thanks for the positive words. Good feelings here right now about the direction of the program, esp as compared to 3 weeks ago.

That said, go win the Legends and the Big Ten championship. I'll be rooting for Sparty the rest of the year.
 

One or two games do not a season or a team make. Let's wait and see how they do against Bucky. Now if we can pull of wins in the last two games, THAT would be something to hang our collective hats on. NW looked awesome against the Huskers yesterday and Illinois is still a team of mystery...we don't know who will show up for that one. I have hope because finally I am seeing progress. Hats off to the team and the Coaches but let's not get all giddy over 2 games. Go Gophers!
 

Having a chance for a W on the last possesion against a 15th rated team on the road is a good sign. But it resulted in another L. This squad has glaring weak areas across the board, a ton of green horns on offense, lack of top talent, its share of injuries, etc. But the coaching staff is now getting the best out of the guys and they have finally been making some plays. And the players have not given up.

Going into the season, I was hopeful that we would see improvement as the season progressed as the young guys gained valuable experience. We have seen that.

Now Wisky is coming and the guys have to be ready or they will get blown out. It will be interesting to see if the guys have improved to the point where they can somehow hang in there.
 

year of the gopher said:
Mac, thanks for the positive words. Good feelings here right now about the direction of the program, esp as compared to 3 weeks ago.

That said, go win the Legends and the Big Ten championship. I'll be rooting for Sparty the rest of the year.
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I agree. Really support MSU and hope they win it all.
 

GIDDY

go4rob said:
One or two games do not a season or a team make. Let's wait and see how they do against Bucky. Now if we can pull of wins in the last two games, THAT would be something to hang our collective hats on. NW looked awesome against the Huskers yesterday and Illinois is still a team of mystery...we don't know who will show up for that one. I have hope because finally I am seeing progress. Hats off to the team and the Coaches but let's not get all giddy over 2 games. Go Gophers!
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Why can't we get all giddy over the last 2 games. If this isn't progress, what were you expecting? Plus these 2 last games have been incredibly fun to watch! Let hope they don't regress next week, but it could happen. Even so, I love with what I'm seeing from this coaching staff and their influence on the players.

Go Gophers!
 

Kill has always said the margin for error with this squad is small, so we all know that. Regardless, as has been said in this thread several times, the last two games have been a blast and the players are having fun playing the game of football and it shows. Hats off to Kill, his staff, and the players for continuing to work hard!
 

Mac, thanks for the nice words - win the rest of your games so that the Big Red can't win the division!
 

If gray didn't get that toe injury the entire season would be different. Though we might have the same record.
 

Rosemountian said:
If gray didn't get that toe injury the entire season would be different. Though we might have the same record.
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Agree, and I think the effect the seizure had was greatly underestimated by many of us. It's one thing to say things are going forward as normal because the staff had been through this before, but the reality was this was another chaotic episode for a team that had experienced a whole lot of chaos last year. Those players were adjusting to a new system as well as being expected to buy into a new culture. I know Coach Kill went down at the end of a game where we had already laid an egg, but but I think it made it that much harder to get them back on the right track.

Looking forward to seeing how they handle Wisconsin. That offensive line scares me and, sorry, but I'd settle for another morale victory Saturday.
 



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