What grade would you give the Gophers 2013 football season?

[MN4ever]

A B- Fantastic parts to the season, but you can't deny two steps forward and three steps back.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I need a plus or minus for a final grade. I'll go with a B-.

Can't complain about the 8 wins (beating Nebraska), but the horrific offensive finish in the last 3 games, the lack of a rock-solid #1 QB, and the puzzling lethargic bowl performance vs. a very beatable opponent knocks it down from a B+ to a B-. Losing to Syracuse a kill-joy going into the offseason. It won't get any easier next season, even though the Gophers are in the much weaker (West) division.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I went B, would have gone A with a victory over Syracuse in the bowl game.

The team took a definite step forward during the regular season but there is no way around the bowl loss being very disappointing.

 

[PapaHawk21]

Let me put context around it. 2011 was year 1 for Kill and we all knew that team was terrible. It was a minor miracle that we ended up with even 3 wins, so those losses, while painful, weren't that surpising.

Iowa in 2012? We were down by 11 points midway through the 4th quarter and driving in Iowa territory, then Max had a pick 6. It was disappointing, but not altogether shocking given that we haven't won at Iowa since I believe 1999.

Michigan this year? Come on, Kill unexpectedly didn't make the trip, we were down by 3 or 6 at the half to a team that we've beaten in Ann Arbor how many times in 50 years? That game looks worse in hindsight since Michigan was nothing special this year, but it was closer than the score.

Syracuse is different. It was a bad Syracure team that was 1 play away from not making a bowl. We were going to the same bowl/location that we were at last year, so there was a level of familiarity. It was a neutral site game, not a road game. Kill talked about the importance of getting to 9 wins for the last month, so you would have thought we would be motivated to play. We were favored. And we came out absolutely flat and unprepared. For 3 quarters. And it was the final game of year 3 for Kill, so there are none of the year 1 and 2 excuses that could be made, because we saw earlier this year what the team is capable of.

In the 2012 Iowa game, Iowa lead 24-7 (17 point lead) with 5:15 left in the 4th quarter. The Gophers were driving into Iowa territory when Christian Kirksey intercepted Max Shortell's pass and ran it back 68 yards for a Touchdown. Minnesota scored a TD with 0:41 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed. The game was over halfway through the 2nd quarter when Iowa took a 24-0 lead. The Gophers were never really in the game in the second half.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

In the 2012 Iowa game, Iowa lead 24-7 (17 point lead) with 5:15 left in the 4th quarter. The Gophers were driving into Iowa territory when Christian Kirksey intercepted Max Shortell's pass and ran it back 68 yards for a Touchdown. Minnesota scored a TD with 0:41 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed. The game was over halfway through the 2nd quarter when Iowa took a 24-0 lead. The Gophers were never really in the game in the second half.

PapaHawk flies straight. http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2012-09-29-iowa.html

 

[John Galt]

In the 2012 Iowa game, Iowa lead 24-7 (17 point lead) with 5:15 left in the 4th quarter. The Gophers were driving into Iowa territory when Christian Kirksey intercepted Max Shortell's pass and ran it back 68 yards for a Touchdown. Minnesota scored a TD with 0:41 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed. The game was over halfway through the 2nd quarter when Iowa took a 24-0 lead. The Gophers were never really in the game in the second half.

My mistake. I thought it was 24-13 before the INT return for a TD.

 

[MZBKA]

Seriously though, I like you Galt, but it's crazy to say that's the worst game a Kill team has played.

1) 0-55 Michigan (2011)- And the game wasn't even that close.
2) 17-45 Purdue (2011)- We lost by 38. To Purdue.
3) 21-28 New Mexico State (2011)- New Mexico State. We lost to New Mexico State.
4) 13-31 Iowa (2012)- Losing by 18 to a team that finished 4-8? That's our rival? Yeah that blows.
5) 13-42 Michigan (2013)- This wasn't even a good Michigan team and we lost by almost 30.

-Some might argue losing to North Dakota State as well. The loss to Iowa this year is close in my mind.


Those are my 5 worst losses under Kill. Losing by 4 points to Syracuse doesn't even come close to touching any of those. Let's have some perspective.

How many games does a team lose 0-55 that are close?

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Before the Bowl Game, I would have given the Gophs a solid "B."

But, like any class, flunking the final exam is going to bring down your grade.

My grade - a "C" - due to the bad taste the team left in our mouths for the off-season.

I don't think you can over-estimate the damage that bowl game caused - damage to the optimism, damage to the team's image, damage to recruiting, and damage to the media perception.

The worst thing about the bowl game - it gave the TC media carte blanche to go back to their old "the gophers stink" routine. The ESPN1500 gang was practically giddy in their roasting of the program. And that is what people are going to carry into the off-season.

 

[maroonedinCA]

Can we stop acting like this loss is somehow damaging to our national perception? Within two weeks nobody in the national media or college football fans in general will remember that this game even took place. Likewise, I don't really think that there was much to ruin in the first place. Every year programs have remarkable turnarounds that are long forgotten unless continued success is achieved. If we crap the bed next year nobody will remember the fact that we won 4 in a row this year (on the national scene). We do the same thing in the next few years people will start to take notice. Until then it's an aberration unless we follow up with subsequent successful years.

In summary, we didn't lose anything from a national perspective due to the bowl loss. In part because one game doesn't make a difference and in part because we had nothing to lose in the first place (again for fans outside of our region).

 

[short ornery norwegian]

In summary, we didn't lose anything from a national perspective due to the bowl loss. In part because one game doesn't make a difference and in part because we had nothing to lose in the first place (again for fans outside of our region).

Yes - BUT: If the Gophers had won the Bowl game, 99% of the people on this board would have been crowing about momentum, and how the program is "on the right track" and "showing progress." After the loss, even some of the most hard-core fans are disappointed and not nearly as enthusiastic about the program. If the hard-core fans feel that way, that attitude will be reflected in the local and national media, which in turn will have an impact on the perception of the program among recruits.

Or, to put it another way - would you rather be recruiting while coming off a bowl victory, or off a defeat where you lost as the favored team?

 

[phipho]

B+ going in but choking on the Final exam leaves the our Golden Gophers with a B-

 

[hungan1]

B, they exceed my expectations.

 

[MZBKA]

Can we stop acting like this loss is somehow damaging to our national perception? Within two weeks nobody in the national media or college football fans in general will remember that this game even took place. Likewise, I don't really think that there was much to ruin in the first place. Every year programs have remarkable turnarounds that are long forgotten unless continued success is achieved. If we crap the bed next year nobody will remember the fact that we won 4 in a row this year (on the national scene). We do the same thing in the next few years people will start to take notice. Until then it's an aberration unless we follow up with subsequent successful years.

In summary, we didn't lose anything from a national perspective due to the bowl loss. In part because one game doesn't make a difference and in part because we had nothing to lose in the first place (again for fans outside of our region).

While national perception might not be damaged, if I were Frank Ragnow or Jeff Jones, the bowl loss would make me have second thoughts about coming to Minnesota.

 

[GophersInIowa]

nm

 

[jaymil]

While national perception might not be damaged, if I were Frank Ragnow or Jeff Jones, the bowl loss would make me have second thoughts about coming to Minnesota.

I disagree. The team already did well enough this year to show recruits that the program is headed in the right direction. And Kill going down on the sideline should help in my opinion. Jones made some comments a few months ago that he was worried about Kill's health and whether he'd keep coaching or not, Kill being more involved towards the end of the season and capping it off with an appearance on the sideline was probably more impactful in a positive way than losing the Syracuse game was in a negative way.

 

[MZBKA]

I disagree. The team already did well enough this year to show recruits that the program is headed in the right direction. And Kill going down on the sideline should help in my opinion. Jones made some comments a few months ago that he was worried about Kill's health and whether he'd keep coaching or not, Kill being more involved towards the end of the season and capping it off with an appearance on the sideline was probably more impactful in a positive way than losing the Syracuse game was in a negative way.

I hope you're right. Ragnow has said he wanted to play for a winning team, and I'm sure Jones does too. The bowl loss certainly raises questions in my head as to whether a couple of the wins this season were flukes - recruits may be asking themselves the same questions.