UPDATED (10/13) Gophers cancel home and home with North Carolina; add New Mexico St

[BleedGopher]

This would be a shame if we cancel this series - it would be a fantastic road game and a solid home non-conference game as well. Kill definitely appears to have a different philosophy than Brewster did with non-conference games which is a shame. I hope this is not a trend.

"The Gophers would like to drop the football game scheduled at North Carolina in 2013 and one against the Tar Heels at TCF Bank Stadium the following year and play an extra home game in 2014. But at this late stage, North Carolina can't seem to find a replacement for their home game against the Gophers.

For years, the Rochester Williams Fund fundraiser was the biggest on the University of Minnesota summer circuit before it dropped to near the bottom in attendance. Well, Gophers football coach Jerry Kill changed all that Monday with the biggest crowd in history and I have attended practically all of them. It looks like there's a lot more Gophers football interest in Rochester.

One of Kill's 2012 recruits is Germantown, Wis., native Ben Holcomb. The safety/wide receiver had a great football season last year, grabbing nine touchdown passes and averaging 23.5 yards per catch. He's also a great track athlete.

Holcomb qualified for the Wisconsin state track championships in the 110- and 300- meter hurdles and the 800 meters. At the state meet, Holcomb hurt his ankle when he crashed into the final hurdle and fell during a 300-meter hurdles preliminary. But the following day, he came back to win the 110-meter hurdles in a state-best time of 14.22 seconds."

"It was disappointing [about the 300s]," Holcomb told GermantownNow. "So I used it as motivation to push myself and win a state title. I shook it off and tried not to think about it too hard. The plan was just to go out there and run a clean race, which I did."

http://www.startribune.com/featuredColumns/157651765.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

This would be a shame if we cancel this series - it would be a fantastic road game and a solid home non-conference game as well. Kill definitely appears to have a different philosophy than Brewster did with non-conference games which is a shame. I hope this is not a trend.

Go Gophers!!

It would be a shame if he does anything the same way Brewster did. Hopefully, he trends away from everything and anything that reeks of Brewster! Our motto should be "In Kill We Trust."

Go Gophers!

 

[EG#9]

Unless the Gophers are working on a deal for USC/Texas/Florida State type team to take the UNC spot (highly doubt it), then this is absolutely embarrassing. The 2013 non-conference schedule consists of UNLV, San Jose State, and Western Illinois. The 2014 non-conference schedule consists of Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, and San Jose State. The UNC game is the one game BCS team the Gophers play in the non-conference both years and it certainly appears that they are trying to run away from that challenge and find easier opposition. I don't think you build a winning culture that way and it's not something I support on any level.

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

Assuming that he is going for a lesser opponent, I don't like it. The non-conference schedule is already as weak as it gets those 2 seasons.

 

[gopherguy05]

Kill has allready come out and been quoted multiple places in saying he doesn't want to play any non-conference road games. If you don't do that, you won't get anything but bought games at home. Looks like we will be going with the Wisconsin method for non-conference scheduling in the future (except where mandated like in the future Big 10/ Pac 10 scheduling agreement)

 

[station19]

Is there any chance this has something to do with the new Big Ten/Pac 12 agreement?

 

[westcoastgopher11]

Is there any chance this has something to do with the new Big Ten/Pac 12 agreement?

This was the first thing my mind went to when I read it, but I'm not sure the agreement starts so soon with the football portion. If it is because of the PAC deal I can live with it, if not its kind of disappointing, I was looking forward to visiting relatives in NC and seeing the game.

 

[Parski1]

Assuming that he is going for a lesser opponent, I don't like it. The non-conference schedule is already as weak as it gets those 2 seasons.

Agree - I really hope Sid does not know what he's talking about...which is usually the case these days. So I think we're safe.

 

[GoAUpher]

This was the first thing my mind went to when I read it, but I'm not sure the agreement starts so soon with the football portion. If it is because of the PAC deal I can live with it, if not its kind of disappointing, I was looking forward to visiting relatives in NC and seeing the game.

The FB portion doesn't kick in until 2017.

 

[Cayman]

Kill has allready come out and been quoted multiple places in saying he doesn't want to play any non-conference road games. If you don't do that, you won't get anything but bought games at home. Looks like we will be going with the Wisconsin method for non-conference scheduling in the future (except where mandated like in the future Big 10/ Pac 10 scheduling agreement)

I like Kill, but if this is really his non-conference scheduling philosophy, then I disagree with it. I loved how Brewster would try to schedule at least one quality BCS opponent, like USC, North Carolina, and Texas (unfortunate that one didn't work out). In addition to not wanting to schedule road games, trying to take this game off the schedule I think looks bad. North Carolina isn't an unwinnable game, it's not Alabama or Oklahoma, it's not USC for that matter, and we didn't get embarrassed in that game. Our first game against North Carolina would have been (hopefully still will be) at the beginning of Kill's third year, I feel like we'll be looking for at least 6 wins, hopefully 7 or 8, and I think we could hold our own against a middling to above average BCS opponent.

If it's true, kinda lame, and I hope that periodically playing the MAC champ won't be considered our marquee non-conference opponent for years to come. Non-conference scheduling is one area where I would like to see Kill emulate Brewster, that and going to a bowl game and getting 7 wins in his second year.

And think about it: when it comes to non-conference scheduling, who would you rather have Kill emulate? Brewster? or Bielema?

 

[highwayman]

We really need to get our asses kicked in the NC for the next 5 years so that we can prove we are men. If we've learned anything in the last two years, it's that you have to play every game. If Kill is going to be here for the next 6 years, I'd take his NC philosophy as an indicator of where he thinks we are and where we're going to be.

We have arguably one of the toughest conference schedules in the country year in and year out. Let's worry more about that.

 

[Firejumper]

Unless the Gophers are working on a deal for USC/Texas/Florida State type team to take the UNC spot (highly doubt it), then this is absolutely embarrassing. The 2013 non-conference schedule consists of UNLV, San Jose State, and Western Illinois. The 2014 non-conference schedule consists of Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, and San Jose State. The UNC game is the one game BCS team the Gophers play in the non-conference both years and it certainly appears that they are trying to run away from that challenge and find easier opposition. I don't think you build a winning culture that way and it's not something I support on any level.

Agree with you 100% EG. We blast Wisconsin for their wimpy NC schedule, and then want this for ourselves? I hate it ! We are not going to win National Championships, so a (possible) loss in an NC game hurts little. It's all about the money. The U grabs us by the ankles, turns us upside down, and shakes out the loose change.

Maybe our new AD is embarrassed to lead us back to his home state.

 

[Curseislifted33]

This is odd considering how heavily Kill and staff have been recruiting in North Carolina, it would be very good exposure for us to play UNC in terms of gaining popularity/awareness in the state.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Brewster's rippable 'til the cows come home, but I'll be forever in his debt for those 3.5 hours I spent sitting 20 feet from the Song Girls in 2010.

 

[Maximus]

It's all about the money. The U grabs us by the ankles, turns us upside down, and shakes out the loose change.

How dare the U!!!! Giving its fans eight home games and a trip to somewhere warm in December/January.

 

[Stan]

How dare the U!!!! Giving its fans eight home games and a trip to somewhere warm in December/January.

If that's the only criteria, why did your guy Joel fire Mason?

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Hopefully Sid is off base on this one. I like having one BCS NC Opponent per year and think it is boarderline shameful/embarrassing to want to have 4 NC home games. That is not how you get better.

Also, Sid made a factual error in his article by stating "The Gophers would like to drop the football game scheduled at North Carolina in 2013 and one against the Tar Heels at TCF Bank Stadium the following year and play an extra home game in 2014." WE ALREADY HAVE 4 NC Home games in 2014, so dropping North Carolina that year would not ADD a home NC game in 2014." It would however potentially add a home NC game in 2013.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Like GopherInPittsburgh said, assuming the Gophers are looking for a lesser opponent. ...

Disappointing.

There's a lot of things to criticize about Brew, but his willingness to schedule quality nonconference opponents is not one of them. I respected the heck out of him for that.

Sounds like Kill is more in line with Tubby (crappy home opponents) with regards to "rewarding" season-ticket holders during the nonconference part of the schedule.

Two things:

(1) I hope North Carolina doesn't let us out of the contract.

(2) Thank God for the B1G/Pac 12 scheduling agreement starting in '17. That assures at least one nonconference opponent on the schedule with the ability to breathe.

 

[Magic]

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

I've never understood why the U doesn't try and schedule an annual game with Iowa State? Their usually a weaker team and its very close for both fans to travel too?

Iowa St doesn't want to play 2 Big Ten teams a year.

They already play Iowa.

 

[JoeDirt]

I have no problem dropping North Carolina home/away if they replace them with a another SEC/Big 12/PAC 12/ACC school. If they replace NC with a Middle Tenn State type team it will be extremely embarrassing. I've never had a problem with a couple of cupcakes before the Big Ten, but all four non conference games? I've never understood why the U doesn't try and schedule an annual game with Iowa State? Their usually a weaker team and its very close for both fans to travel too?

I wonder if Iowa state is the hold up here since they already have Iowa on the schedule every year.

 

[Schnauzer]

This sucks! I hope it isn't true. I very much like the formula of playing three directional hyphens and one BCS opponent for NC. It doesn't have to be USC and it doesn't have to be Syracuse. Schools in between like North Carolina are perfect and I would think a good measure heading into the Big 10 season.

 

[dpodoll68]

First of all, "absolutely/extremely/pick your adjective embarrassing" is a gross exaggeration. Let's settle down with the fake outrage.

Now that we have that out of the way, it seems to be a curious decision by Kill. UNC looks eminently beatable with Larry Detective Hat at the helm - far less imposing than they did with Butch Davis in charge. If Doogie and his media cohort is to be believed, Larry Detective Hat was thisclose to becoming Brewster's successor, so I would think Kill would want the challenge of showing Detective Hat that not only did he best him in the interview process, he will best him on the field as well. Further, as it's already been mentioned, Kill has clearly targeted North Carolina as a recruiting pipeline, so beating UNC on their home turf would seemingly do wonders in that regard.

In the end, I think it's probably all much ado about nothing. The way schedules are created now, I don't think there will be adequate time to line up a replacement that UNC deems suitable.

 

[highwayman]

First of all, "absolutely/extremely/pick your adjective embarrassing" is a gross exaggeration. Let's settle down with the fake outrage.

I hate to admit it, but you are 1000% correct. This is much ado about nothing.

 

[gophergrad]

I'm only throwing my 2 cents in because it looks like I'm in the minority here.

Like someone already said, we play a crazy difficult conference schedule. This program isn't at the stage where it needs to make life more difficult for itself.

If we get to the point where we are in back to back rose bowls and are still scheduling the worst of the worst in college football, then I can begin to see a problem.

But even in that scenario I see scheduling teams like North Carolina in the future. Look at this article about OSU cancelling its series with Georgia.

 

[SelectionSunday]

OSU canceled the series because the B1G/Pac 12 thing will be firmly in place by then. That's not the case with the Gophers-UNC home and home.

 

[gophergrad]

OSU canceled the series because the B1G/Pac 12 thing will be firmly in place by then. That's not the case with the Gophers-UNC home and home.

That's a fair point. What I was trying to say is that because of the PAC/B1G matchup we will be seeing even fewer of these kinds of games across the B1G.

As for North Carolina being beatable, sure I can see us winning the game (I hate to say this but so did most of our non conference opponents last year, and see how that turned out). But with how far in advance we have to schedule these games anything could happen. When we scheduled the Cal game they sucked, by the time we ended up playing them they were playing some pretty good football.

As for Dpol's point about Kill wanting to recruit North Carolina, I agree. And in some ways it will be too bad if the game doesn't happen, I won't cry too much though, I had no ambition of traveling to North Carolina to see the game.

Personal note: I am so jacked up on coffee and 5 hour energy right now.

 

[Omega015]

I don't look at these road games through the lens of "should we or shouldn't we" play them. I look at them as a trip to a new location. For that reason, I will be disappointed if this series is canceled.

 

[GoAUpher]

That's a fair point. What I was trying to say is that because of the PAC/B1G matchup we will be seeing even fewer of these kinds of games across the B1G.

Fewer against ACC and the like sure. And while I enjoy watching good games on TV, I care much more about who is on the Gophers schedule then the rest of the B1g. At least the Pac-12 partnership guarantees we won't get stuck with a non-con slate devoid of BCS matchups. And the Pac schools make for nice road trips.

 

[GoAUpher]

I don't look at these road games through the lens of "should we or shouldn't we" play them. I look at them as a trip to a new location. For that reason, I will be disappointed if this series is canceled.

Yup. I'm looking forward to the UNC game. I was hoping that NC State might have a home game the same day (but at a diff time) and that way I could catch a double-header too.