What grade would you give the Gophers in the 38-35 loss to Northwestern?

[PMWinSTP]

They better pony up some big bucks to get a real defensive coordinator in here to fix this mess. Maybe Coyle can stop giving Fleck raises and extensions and give it to the assistants. We also need a Big10 caliber kicker. The two missed kicks today weren’t even close.

He has the money.

 

[BilldGopher]

Went with D.

If we had won on the last possession with TD, or got the FG to even take OT, might have graded a B for toughing it out to the W.

That's not what happened so the lack of Defense dragged it down to a solid D. Sigh.

 

[25mkg]

Offense A defense F averaged out to a C

But they lost, and add an F for coaching, so a D at best.

 

[Tim from Rosemount]

ASAP like tonight!

If Fleck is to be taken seriously, it will be tonight or tomorrow to send a message before the Wisconsin game.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

We have a lot of individual talent on D. Kind of weak at DB, but otherwise some good, experienced talent. But that talent is being prepared and deployed poorly this year. NW is a mediocre to poor passing team (until it lit us up today). Why play a scheme that gives the receivers in that offense such exploitable cushions? … At the same time as giving the QB all day to throw? Collins has been a decent position coach, but we have to go back to Robb Smith to find a Gopher DC who has been so ineffective with so much talent at his disposal. And this defense appears to have regressed substantially during the season. In retrospect, PJ probably whiffed on his choice of an inexperienced DC (and a FG kicker with accuracy issues outside of 40 yards). This is the B1G. Such choices have consequences … that have really affected the season.

 

[#2Gopher]

At this stage of the season, all cylinders should be clicking. Our boat is not. F