What happens if...

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We'll probably win the West
 

Most winning coach for the Gophers since I was born 53 years ago and he has grown the fan base and national attention with his RTB brand whether one likes it or not. He runs a good program with no scandals and he’s locking down our boarder with a good recruiting class coming in. He has earned the right to continue as coach through a rough season or two as far as I’m concerned.
 

The Flecktites will carry PJ Fleck on their shoulders to the College Football Hall of Fame and regardless of the first half of this season continue to believe he isn't the same coach that shit the bed against Northwestern, Purdue, and Bowling Green the past three years. Then spend the rest of the many long years ahead of us with PJ Fleck as our coach praying we crack the top half of the B1G.

Next year, 6 of the top ten teams in the country this week are in the B1G. If we were playing in the B1G East, we wouldn't remember the Fleck years anywhere near how Fleck keeps trying to spin his "accomplishments."

We played a real, live, top tier football team last night. For all of the people who have been convinced that PJ Fleck has changed anything in Minnesota, last night was a reminder that, nothing has changed. We played a real offense again this year, and our record against real offenses is.... 0-2, being outscored 83-23. The good news is we don't play another strong offense this year. tOSU is a good offense, but is not on par with Michigan or NC. They'll most likely hang between 30-50 points on us simply because we'll wear down in the second half.

I vote we play the games, but I for one hope we aren't "treated" to round two of the absolute whooping we were handed last night.
 

Gopher Ally said:
Most winning coach for the Gophers since I was born 53 years ago and he has grown the fan base and national attention with his RTB brand whether one likes it or not. He runs a good program with no scandals and he’s locking down our boarder with a good recruiting class coming in. He has earned the right to continue as coach through a rough season or two as far as I’m concerned.
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the growth of the fan base was evident last night when the cameras showed the crowd....

He has won more games, benefiting from playing in the west during one of the weakest times for nearly every school in the division.

His only real accomplishment and the only thing the admin cares about -- no scandals. If that ever changes, maybe we'll have a new coach, but unlikely. He's our coach until Coyle leaves or a scandal pops up. Then I might change my mind he'll no longer be our coach.
 


Gopher 461 said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
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in that scenario, the Gophers would be 8-4.

that would be nice, but I think 7-5 is more likely. even with the recent issues, IF they get some key people healthy, I think the Gophers split with IA & WI, lose to OSU and win the other three games against teams that are having even bigger issues than the Gophers.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
in that scenario, the Gophers would be 8-4.

that would be nice, but I think 7-5 is more likely. even with the recent issues, IF they get some key people healthy, I think the Gophers split with IA & WI, lose to OSU and win the other three games against teams that are having even bigger issues than the Gophers.
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Northwestern fits into the column of programs having bigger issues than the Gophers, don't they?
 


Even if the gophers lose out he gets at least another season. He’s got done equity with the program. And in all honesty unless you back up the brinks truck and come up with millions of NIL dollars who would be a better coach? Lots of people complaining but not offering a solution
 



8-4 still on the table if we can get and stay healthy and make some significant changes to how we play defense and get a new play caller on offense.
 



Gopher 461 said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
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Gopher 461 said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
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This a very realistic scenario, as the first 4 teams on this list are very bad. The question becomes is Minnesota just as bad? Unfortunately, I think the Northwestern debacle would still prevent the West from being on the line in the season finale at home against Wisconsin. I don't see Wisconsin losing to anyone other than Ohio State (their other remaining crossover game is Indiana). The best hope for Minnesota would probably be for Nebraska to pull the upset of the Badgers.
 




@EG#9 recall last year it seemed just as bleak but then somehow Michigan State upset Illinois. In fact I think was about the third thing that had to go right for us to have a chance. Of course lost to Iowa, but it was on the table.
 

Six wins, seven would be great, given that AK was 4 of 14 for 17 yards, plus the 35 yard TD toss to Jackson, and two of his passes were pick sixes to Michigan. Year after year, the Gophers just can't get a decent, reliable passing game going.
 

Gopher 461 said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
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This scenario is 100% possible as 5 of those 6 teams are nothing special. We could lose to any of them but if we play well we could also beat any of them outside of Ohio State.

-Iowa's offense is pathetic (lot of complaining about our offense but theirs is so much worse). Don't let their special teams or defense beat you (easier said then done some times)
-Michigan State is a mess
-Illinois is a mess
-Purdue is a mess
-Ohio State is very good and would take a perfect game with a lot of breaks to beat them
-Wisconsin is ok but is nothing special

Honestly the gap between the haves and have nots in the Big Ten this year is as extreme as it has been in a long time.

Michigan is the class of the conference and a legit National Title Contender
Ohio State and Penn State are really good
Maryland is Decent

Everyone else is very mediocre and anyone in this group can beat anyone else in this group. Just depends on which team shows up and makes the fewest mistakes.
 

Agree 100% about the gap between haves and have nots.


They'll never, ever do this, so no need to get upset about it, but ...

would almost be justified to refuse to play starters against OSU. Just play backups. Doesn't matter if it's a 10-52 loss or 0-100 loss. You only get 1L. And you don't risk injury to your starters and they can rest up for Wisc.

We have no chance to win the game so what is the difference?

It would be like a protest against the inherent unfairness of college football and the new Big Ten.
 

EG#9 said:
This a very realistic scenario, as the first 4 teams on this list are very bad. The question becomes is Minnesota just as bad? Unfortunately, I think the Northwestern debacle would still prevent the West from being on the line in the season finale at home against Wisconsin. I don't see Wisconsin losing to anyone other than Ohio State (their other remaining crossover game is Indiana). The best hope for Minnesota would probably be for Nebraska to pull the upset of the Badgers.
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It could happen.
 

MNVCGUY said:
This scenario is 100% possible as 5 of those 6 teams are nothing special. We could lose to any of them but if we play well we could also beat any of them outside of Ohio State.

-Iowa's offense is pathetic (lot of complaining about our offense but theirs is so much worse). Don't let their special teams or defense beat you (easier said then done some times)
-Michigan State is a mess
-Illinois is a mess
-Purdue is a mess
-Ohio State is very good and would take a perfect game with a lot of breaks to beat them
-Wisconsin is ok but is nothing special

Honestly the gap between the haves and have nots in the Big Ten this year is as extreme as it has been in a long time.

Michigan is the class of the conference and a legit National Title Contender
Ohio State and Penn State are really good
Maryland is Decent

Everyone else is very mediocre and anyone in this group can beat anyone else in this group. Just depends on which team shows up and makes the fewest mistakes.
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Feed Harrison Jr. exlax (or some other laxative) right before game time?
 

STPGopher said:
Feed Harrison Jr. exlax (or some other laxative) right before game time?
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Harrison is a super star but they have like 3 other guys that are awesome as well so you would have to get the whole receiver room.
 

Gopher 461 said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
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It is possible but we would need to really use the bye week to get healthy, reinvent the team mojo as well.
 

Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
If that happens—and I hope it does—the season is a success. 8-4 and hopefully a decent bowl game which we win, going 9-4. A record to be happy with given that we would have played one of the toughest schedules in CFB.

Dissatisfaction would be over (1) the Gophers’ shocking giveaway of the Northwestern game and (2) the shellacking we received at the hand of Michigan and perhaps tOSU. I expected item 2—except for the spirit-breaking pick sixes which caused PJ to shut down any true comeback effort. Item 1 will, for me, simply replace the Bowling Green as the new exemplar of what happens occasionally to a coach whose personal philosophy on offense is that more games are lost than are won (leading to conservatism that sometimes, in retrospect, goes too far).

Nebraska went for a long walk in the wilderness after dumping a coach for only winning 8 or 9 games a year. I remember when the Gopher faithful would have been ecstatic to win 8 or 9 games a year. I thank PJ for getting us to the point where we can bitch about a team that might win 8 games against a very tough schedule.

I think PJ got caught in a situation in which free transfers and NIL money have made it almost impossible to recruit and keep legions of top talent at non-helmet schools and/or schools without some boosters willing to throw millions per year at the program. He is making do with the top talent he can get (he does get some each year). It simply isn’t possible in today’s environment, for the Gophers UNDER ANY COACH to meet the unrealistic recruiting standards urged by some of the trolls on Gopherhole. PJ is running a developmental program with a few HS stars sprinkled in.

So, as much as PJ’s hyper-conservatism bugs me in games where we get meaningfully behind (rendering a comeback essentially impossible), and as much as PJ’s one gut-wrenchingly-unnecessary loss per year weighs on me as a devoted a fan, I think it is silly to think of replacing him. He brings so much more good than baggage. So much more. He has us winning far more than losing, which means he is getting a lot out of the talent the Gophers can realistically get. And he is placing players in the NFL.

So, bottom line: I am good with PJ for now —and I’ll just keep bitching about how uncreative and predictable his offensive play-calling is.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
Iowa (W), Michigan State (W), Illinois (W), Purdue (W), OSU (L), Wisconsin (W)????
If that happens—and I hope it does—the season is a success. 8-4 and hopefully a decent bowl game which we win, going 9-4. A record to be happy with given that we would have played one of the toughest schedules in CFB.

Dissatisfaction would be over (1) the Gophers’ shocking giveaway of the Northwestern game and (2) the shellacking we received at the hand of Michigan and perhaps tOSU. I expected item 2—except for the spirit-breaking pick sixes which caused PJ to shut down any true comeback effort. Item 1 will, for me, simply replace the Bowling Green as the new exemplar of what happens occasionally to a coach whose personal philosophy on offense is that more games are lost than are won (leading to conservatism that sometimes, in retrospect, goes too far).

Nebraska went for a long walk in the wilderness after dumping a coach for only winning 8 or 9 games a year. I remember when the Gopher faithful would have been ecstatic to win 8 or 9 games a year. I thank PJ for getting us to the point where we can bitch about a team that might win 8 games against a very tough schedule.

I think PJ got caught in a situation in which free transfers and NIL money have made it almost impossible to recruit and keep legions of top talent at non-helmet schools and/or schools without some boosters willing to throw millions per year at the program. He is making do with the top talent he can get (he does get some each year). It simply isn’t possible in today’s environment, for the Gophers UNDER ANY COACH to meet the unrealistic recruiting standards urged by some of the trolls on Gopherhole. PJ is running a developmental program with a few HS stars sprinkled in.

So, as much as PJ’s hyper-conservatism bugs me in games where we get meaningfully behind (rendering a comeback essentially impossible), and as much as PJ’s one gut-wrenchingly-unnecessary loss per year weighs on me as a devoted a fan, I think it is silly to think of replacing him. He brings so much more good than baggage. So much more. He has us winning far more than losing, which means he is getting a lot out of the talent the Gophers can realistically get. And he is placing players in the NFL.

So, bottom line: I am good with PJ for now —and I’ll just keep bitching about how uncreative and predictable his offensive play-calling is.
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Well said -- exactly how I look at it.
 

Gopher Ally said:
Most winning coach for the Gophers since I was born 53 years ago and he has grown the fan base and national attention with his RTB brand whether one likes it or not. He runs a good program with no scandals and he’s locking down our boarder with a good recruiting class coming in. He has earned the right to continue as coach through a rough season or two as far as I’m concerned.
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Agreed, but he needs to listen to himself and be willing to change his best.
 


@Gophergrandpa great post!!

My “bitch” is: yeah, but is it too much to ask that he just hire a decent damn OC to the U?!? He is looking like 0-for-2 on that, so far. (He didn’t hire Ciarrocca to here, just brought him from WMU so doesn’t count.)

Those two plus Robb Smith. I mean, damn.
 

That’s next case scenario. I would be thrilled. I’d take 7-5 or 6-6 if it included Iowa AND Wisconsin wins
 

MplsGopher said:
@Gophergrandpa great post!!

My “bitch” is: yeah, but is it too much to ask that he just hire a decent damn OC to the U?!? He is looking like 0-for-2 on that, so far. (He didn’t hire Ciarrocca to here, just brought him from WMU so doesn’t count.)

Those two plus Robb Smith. I mean, damn.
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Not to be silly, but why doesn't it?
 

(Thread title)……one of us hit the Powerball tonight!

We all can dream and dream we will.
 

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