UMD/ Grand Valley St.

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CP Gopher

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Just got back from this game. Beautiful day in Duluth. About 40 degrees and sunny. A little wind in the 2nd half.
Grand Valley is a solid football team, and would give our Gophers a good run.
Their defensive line and linebackers are outstanding. Big, quick, physical.
After returning the opening kick for a touchdown, UMD could muster only a field goal.
UMD's great back, Odim (who returned the opening kick for a TD), was stonewalled the rest of the day.
UMD was hampered by the mistakes of a true freshman QB, who threw some costly intereceptions.
Grand Valley has a great passer with a strong arm. Also some very athletic receivers.
Grand Valley led 17-10 at the half, and went on to win 24-10.
Great football teams playing at a high level. Nice to see it here.
 

I have had the fortune to get to know Bob Nielson (coach at UMD) quite a bit, he might be one of the brightest football people I have ever met, and when he left UWEC to go to UMD, I had no doubts that they would be a powerhouse.
 

Assuming it is a matter of time before Brewster and company are out of here (this year or next year presumably), it is too bad the U' wouldn't take a chance on Nielson. Obviously this is just a pipe dream (nobody at the U' would take a chance on a DII coach), but there is no question in my mind, if somebody could/would have success here, he would/could be the guy. Maybe even as just the O-coordinator. His knowledge/ability I believe would be thoroughly superior to a Judd Fisch, or most any candidate I could imagine for that position.
 

Funny you mention Nielson as a Gopher coach. A friend at the game yesterday compared him to Jim Tressel. Not sure this is an accurate comparison, but it's interesting to think about.
 

I dont think Bob would come here. I am close to his son and he lives by me. They love UMD and wouldn't move.
 


GG07 said:
I dont think Bob would come here. I am close to his son and he lives by me. They love UMD and wouldn't move.
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You may be right but coaches say that all the time. If a better opportunity (higher level job) becomes available and the money difference is big, most coaches would be very interested.
 

GG07 said:
I dont think Bob would come here. I am close to his son and he lives by me. They love UMD and wouldn't move.
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Apparently you don't know them to well. He actually accepted the Upper Iowa job before renigging last year.
 


Yeah, I'm sure he was after that coveted job at Upper Iowa.
 




CP Gopher said:
Yeah, I'm sure he was after that coveted job at Upper Iowa.
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Fact: Nielson accepted the job at Upper Iowa

What about that is too hard for you to understand?

He won't come to minnesota because it won't be offered to him EVER. I can think of two division II coaches that have a better shot of being offered the job than he does.
 





If I was the AD at Minnesota, I would take a chance on Bob Nielson provided I was comfortable with two questions....1) Where/how would he recruit to Minnesota and 2) make-up of his coaching staff. He is a hell of a football coach, but has only had to recruit in the upper midwest for most of his career, and I am not sure what type of staff he would have to coach in the Big Ten.
 

I hope there isn't anymore "take a chance" at MN.

How old is Nielson? Maybe NDSU would be a good next step for him, Bohl might have to win a few games next year.
 

CP Gopher said:
Just got back from this game. Beautiful day in Duluth. About 40 degrees and sunny. A little wind in the 2nd half.
Grand Valley is a solid football team, and would give our Gophers a good run.
Their defensive line and linebackers are outstanding. Big, quick, physical.
After returning the opening kick for a touchdown, UMD could muster only a field goal.
UMD's great back, Odim (who returned the opening kick for a TD), was stonewalled the rest of the day.
UMD was hampered by the mistakes of a true freshman QB, who threw some costly intereceptions.
Grand Valley has a great passer with a strong arm. Also some very athletic receivers.
Grand Valley led 17-10 at the half, and went on to win 24-10.
Great football teams playing at a high level. Nice to see it here.
Click to expand...

As someone who grew up very near GVSU let me say this... they are a "division 2" public university(Recieving a large governmental endowment) with 20-25,000+ students. I find the Idea that they enjoy beating up on schools which the vast majority of time have less than half the student population and funding pretty irritating. For instance, on the news recently they congratulated Grand valley for winning the womens soccer national title... a game they played against California State University-Dominguez Hills. How impressive.:rolleyes:

Thanks for letting me rant. For the record if you meet a GVSU student or alum dont ask them how they feel about beating up on lesser competition in division two unless you want to ruffle some feathers... they get a little sensitive.
 

alpinegopher said:
I hope there isn't anymore "take a chance" at MN.

How old is Nielson? Maybe NDSU would be a good next step for him, Bohl might have to win a few games next year.
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Nielson is about 50. I hear you about the problems with giving him a chance from D2 to D1, but I really would love to see him coach the Gophers (I know it won't happen).
 

There's no way a school of that size belongs in D-II. They should move up to I-AA, or all the way up to I-A. They would be a logical fit for the MAC.
 

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