WCCO's Steve Thomson: "I'm starting to think Kill and assistants are overmatched"

[BleedGopher]

WCCO's Steve Thomson: "I'm starting to think Kill and assistants are overmatched"

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I'm starting to think Jerry Kill & his loyal assistants are overmatched at this level. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> physically dominated by mediocre Iowa.</p>— Steve Thomson (@SteveThomsonMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveThomsonMN/statuses/384112436481363968">September 29, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Go Gophers!!

 

[beavergopher]

I agree. This loss is on the coaching staff. Very depressing.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I agree. This loss is on the coaching staff. Very depressing.

Shouldn't be that depressing or surprising for that matter. What should we expect from a team that beat a bunch of mediocre non-conference teams? And to think they paid 800k to not play a 1-3 UNC squad. Not sure if that was this year or next, but you get the point. Apparently his 3 year goal of only winning cupcake games with the occasional conference win has been successful. How long till we move on?

 

[Governor Sibley]

That's over-stating it.

But it's demoralizing that we were never, ever in the game today.

Today we paid the price for our game plans in the first four games. Weren't ready to play a real game with a real team.

 

[alchemy2u]

Unfortunately, I am beginning to think they same thing. It just looks like the opponents are so much better prepared for their game plan and blocking schemes. I think Kills group has done a good job of upgrading the talent and strength programs, but they just seem a little naive when it comes to game preparation, too predicable and not much imagination. The whole end of the first half was painful to watch as the team let the clock run out without any sense of urgency or plan of action.

 

[WolfontheProwl]

The sad part is Iowa is no more a legit team than the Gophers are. Iowa couldn't beat Norrhern Iowa and they dominated our offense. The game plan is only part of it I truely question the ability of our coaching staff to not only recruit Big Ten talent but coach players up once they are here. Outside of upsetting Michigan next week I see very little positives coming from the coaching staff other than what positives have come in the class room,

 

[Gopher028]

I will be the objective force here, although I thoroughly agree Kill & company were over matched and showed up without a game plan, I still believe he will be very successful here. Its easy to question, with a loss to a very 'okay' Hawkeye team, whether Kill is the man or not. But lets consider what his predecessor left him, how his former AD supported the program or lack thereof and the mountain hes up against and where we were when he showed up and where we are now... plus, look how good N ILL is, that program is largely where it is today, because of coach Kill. I do however think some thought needs to be made about Limegrover and his inability to call an offense and use our strength s where we have them. Horton sans Brewster was able to do that in 4 games..

 

[imthewalrus]

Not a good showing by the coaching staff today. They will have to pick it up this week as they put together their game plan for trip to Ann Arbor.
Have the lads ready Coach Kill, et al. Go Gophers!

 

[savagerube]

The sad part is Iowa is no more a legit team than the Gophers are. Iowa couldn't beat Norrhern Iowa and they dominated our offense. The game plan is only part of it I truely question the ability of our coaching staff to not only recruit Big Ten talent but coach players up once they are here. Outside of upsetting Michigan next week I see very little positives coming from the coaching staff other than what positives have come in the class room,

*Northern Illinois, not Northern Iowa. Big difference considering Northern Illinois is the only MAC team to beat 2 B1G in the same season. Can't remember which coach it was that put Northern Illinois on the map???

 

[goldengophers]

*Northern Illinois, not Northern Iowa. Big difference considering Northern Illinois is the only MAC team to beat 2 B1G in the same season. Can't remember which coach it was that put Northern Illinois on the map???

Name you're trying to think of is Joe Novak, he turned NIU into a plug and play job.

 

[scher215]

Name you're trying to think of is Joe Novak, he turned NIU into a plug and play job.

Was going to say, Novak was pretty successful there before Kill.

 

[MNSpaniel]

The part you can really put on the staff is starting Nelson. If they wanted to start him they should have given him a series or two. Worked both QBs in. Nelson hadn't had the snaps in practice. Not only did he miss wide open receivers but he failed to notice other wide open receivers. I counted at least 12 times that he missed wide open receivers. I think the game has a total different outcome if he hits them. Each time we get four extra downs .... that is four downs that Iowa is not on the field on offense. So you never know what happens.

 

[wdgold]

The part you can really put on the staff is starting Nelson. If they wanted to start him they should have given him a series or two. Worked both QBs in. Nelson hadn't had the snaps in practice. Not only did he miss wide open receivers but he failed to notice other wide open receivers. I counted at least 12 times that he missed wide open receivers. I think the game has a total different outcome if he hits them. Each time we get four extra downs .... that is four downs that Iowa is not on the field on offense. So you never know what happens.

I think yesterday was another reminder on how far this program is from being relevent in the conference, especially when you don't execute. This team has got to bring their A game every week if their going to get that signature win. The passing game has got to get fixed and fast or were going winless at home IMHO

 

[scher215]

The part you can really put on the staff is starting Nelson. If they wanted to start him they should have given him a series or two. Worked both QBs in. Nelson hadn't had the snaps in practice. Not only did he miss wide open receivers but he failed to notice other wide open receivers. I counted at least 12 times that he missed wide open receivers. I think the game has a total different outcome if he hits them. Each time we get four extra downs .... that is four downs that Iowa is not on the field on offense. So you never know what happens.

Timing and practice with receivers and quarterbacks is huge. Agree that lack of practice, taking snaps, and in-game throwing really hurt him.

 

[MNSpaniel]

I think yesterday was another reminder on how far this program is from being relevent in the conference, especially when you don't execute. This team has got to bring their A game every week if their going to get that signature win. The passing game has got to get fixed and fast or were going winless at home IMHO

Totally agree ... the thing that was frustrating about the passing game is that the throws that were completely missed were not that difficult to make. Don't know if the hamstring wasn't 100 percent if that would make a difference in the throws he was trying to make.

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

The part you can really put on the staff is starting Nelson. If they wanted to start him they should have given him a series or two. Worked both QBs in. Nelson hadn't had the snaps in practice. Not only did he miss wide open receivers but he failed to notice other wide open receivers. I counted at least 12 times that he missed wide open receivers. I think the game has a total different outcome if he hits them. Each time we get four extra downs .... that is four downs that Iowa is not on the field on offense. So you never know what happens.

As a dropback passer, Nelson is terrible. He is better when on the rollout because he doesn't have to make that many reads.

 

[Gold Vision]

As a dropback passer, Nelson is terrible. He is better when on the rollout because he doesn't have to make that many reads.

Man, I'd have to disagree. I thought he looked much better actually throwing the ball dropping back in rhythm. He was awful on the run yesterday.

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

Man, I'd have to disagree. I thought he looked much better actually throwing the ball dropping back in rhythm. He was awful on the run yesterday.

I was more so alluding to what we've seen from him over the past 11 games. 1 thing that does frustrate me is being indecisive. If the play is dead, throw it away. Don't take a sack that kills a drive.

 

[Gold Vision]

I was more so alluding to what we've seen from him over the past 11 games. 1 thing that does frustrate me is being indecisive. If the play is dead, throw it away. Don't take a sack that kills a drive.

I think he was used to being able to run out of those situations. Iowa contained well. Those were drive killing sacks though.

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

I think he was used to being able to run out of those situations. Iowa contained well. Those were drive killing sacks though.

Iowa did an excellent job at contain. Our receiver did get some separation which makes me think Iowa would get chewed up by a decent passing team. Maybe Ferentz has his rabbit out a hat season this year. Who knows. Yesterday was very discouraging though.

 

[Blackhammer]

I am disappointed in how are offensive and defense lines have heen manhandled. It didn't help that Iowa got the early lead and got to play their game. The offensive game plans suck. I don't care who you are in today's football you have to throw the ball. And you have to commit to a passing game something Kill has no interest in. As far as Steve Thomson or whoever. the guy knows less than most people on this forum. Let the hack analize St Thomas football.

 

[savagerube]

Was going to say, Novak was pretty successful there before Kill.

Kill took over a team that won 2 games and finished last in the MAC. Novak retired after that season so I'm sure how he turned it into a plug and play coaching spot?

 

[Gopherprof]

Kill took over a team that won 2 games and finished last in the MAC. Novak retired after that season so I'm sure how he turned it into a plug and play coaching spot?

The Huskies were 31-9 in the MAC the five years before that. Kill took over a program that needed a minor tune-up, but calling that a rebuild is a stretch.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Who is Steve Thomson?

 

[MNVCGUY]

The Huskies were 31-9 in the MAC the five years before that. Kill took over a program that needed a minor tune-up, but calling that a rebuild is a stretch.

Kill did a great job at Northern but agree 100% that it was not a rebuild and really wish people would stop using that as an example of how great he is at rebuilding programs.

Bottom line is we didn't look like be belonged on the field with Iowa today and that is very troubling in year 3. That was not a great Iowa team by any stretch of the imagination but they just physically dominated our guys from start to finish. They only scored 23 but does anyone really think they could not have put up significantly more points if they had wanted to? Ferentz is extremely conservative when he gets a lead and that showed big time yesterday.

There are winnable games left on the schedule but we are going to need to see a whole lot more than what we saw yesterday if we think we will get the W in any of them.

 

[GopherGod]

Kill did a great job at Northern but agree 100% that it was not a rebuild and really wish people would stop using that as an example of how great he is at rebuilding programs.

Bottom line is we didn't look like be belonged on the field with Iowa today and that is very troubling in year 3. That was not a great Iowa team by any stretch of the imagination but they just physically dominated our guys from start to finish. They only scored 23 but does anyone really think they could not have put up significantly more points if they had wanted to? Ferentz is extremely conservative when he gets a lead and that showed big time yesterday.

There are winnable games left on the schedule but we are going to need to see a whole lot more than what we saw yesterday if we think we will get the W in any of them.

And Dave Doeren took that job to a level that Kill could not, yet many want to give the credit for the BCS game to Kill. Sure Kill recruited some of those kids but Doeren is the one that put the ingredients together.

 

[bemidjigopher]

The sad part is Iowa is no more a legit team than the Gophers are. Iowa couldn't beat Norrhern Iowa and they dominated our offense. The game plan is only part of it I truely question the ability of our coaching staff to not only recruit Big Ten talent but coach players up once they are here. Outside of upsetting Michigan next week I see very little positives coming from the coaching staff other than what positives have come in the class room,

That Iowa State that lost to UNI

 

[GopherInPittsburgh]

And Dave Doeren took that job to a level that Kill could not, yet many want to give the credit for the BCS game to Kill. Sure Kill recruited some of those kids but Doeren is the one that put the ingredients together.

Well which one is it? Are you saying Kill doesn't deserve credit because he just succeeded in Novak's footsteps while Doeren deserves credit for succeeding in Kill's?

 

[PupsMaroon]

Kill did a great job at Northern but agree 100% that it was not a rebuild and really wish people would stop using that as an example of how great he is at rebuilding programs.

Bottom line is we didn't look like be belonged on the field with Iowa today and that is very troubling in year 3. That was not a great Iowa team by any stretch of the imagination but they just physically dominated our guys from start to finish. They only scored 23 but does anyone really think they could not have put up significantly more points if they had wanted to? Ferentz is extremely conservative when he gets a lead and that showed big time yesterday.

There are winnable games left on the schedule but we are going to need to see a whole lot more than what we saw yesterday if we think we will get the W in any of them.

I am feeling overwhelmed at the very strong chance of winning no more than 1 game in the Big Ten this year and then next year the possibility of another coaching change in November. After yesterday I'm not being negative, I am being realistic

 

[savagerube]

Kill took over a team that won 2 games and finished last in the MAC. Novak retired after that season so I'm sure how he turned it into a plug and play coaching spot?

And Novak was 47-38 in the MAC and Kill was 18-6 in the MAC. You're right, Novak should get all the credit.