I feel terrible even thinking about this, but are we looking at a new coach on the sideline next season if we end up 6-7?
I think it would be as well, but losing 6 straight after starting so good would basically kill off all momentum and put us back in square 1.No. That's very premature. It'll take several more Illinois games before that's even on the table.
Although part of me wonders what a Norwood picked coach would look like.
I feel terrible even thinking about this, but are we looking at a new coach on the sideline next season if we end up 6-7?
No, but 6-7 would be a pretty humiliating collapse (especially because 6-6 would give us a pretty easy bowl opponent), and would warm the seat up. I am as mad as anyone about yesterday, but this coaching staff is too good for a 6 game losing streak this year to even be a possibility.
No, but 6-7 would be a pretty humiliating collapse (especially because 6-6 would give us a pretty easy bowl opponent), and would warm the seat up. I am as mad as anyone about yesterday, but this coaching staff is too good for a 6 game losing streak this year to even be a possibility.
My hope for the gophers is that they can return to the perception that they are as good a program overall as Iowa and Wisconsin who hold a place below the perception level of Ohio State and Michigan. We had fallen out of that level and Northwestern had started to climb into that level of respectability. Beating Northwestern two years in a row is huge, we need to keep that up and start at least spliting games with Iowa and Wisconsin to regain our place. Being a better team than Michigan one year is nice, becoming a program that is comparable to Michigan long term would be fantastic. To get there we need to consistently out perform teams that are perceived as having better programs that have an easier time recruiting. I think this coaching staff can do that and the happy accident that Coach Kill's health issues probably keep him from being wooed away by better programs might allow them the time to make it happen.
I agree but would also state that the B1G isn't good enough this year to put a 6 game losing streak on us.
Selection,
I think Wisconsin is a lot worse than you think. The wheels haven't come completely off the bus for them, but it likely will before we play them. All the carping on this website about ML7 and where he ranks among college quaterbacks it gets looked over that Wisconsin's QB is rated even worse.
We are IMO better than Iowa and Wisconsin this year (doesn't mean we will win) and worse than OSU and Nebraska (doesn't mean we will lose). I don't think OSU or Nebraska are unbeatable. I'm going to the Nebraska game hoping for a repeat of last year, the only guarantee I have at that game is a chance to experience one of the best college game day atmospheres.
After 8 hours of sleep I have changed my opinion of "success" for this team to the following:
1. 7-5 with a bowl game win
2. 8-4 with a bowl game loss
They may not be steps forward, but those would not be steps backward and I can handle that for a year. Just as long as it doesn't become a year after year trend. Next year needs to see a ninth win in what looks like another down year for the B1G.
Selection,
I think Wisconsin is a lot worse than you think. The wheels haven't come completely off the bus for them, but it likely will before we play them.
We are IMO better than Iowa and Wisconsin this year (doesn't mean we will win)
We are exactly where I thought we'd be, but with the Michigan and Illinois games flipped. I always thought Iowa would be a toss up (maybe that's being a little too optimistic) and the last three as losses. This leaves us with 6 or 7 wins before the bowl...not a bad season. People that thought Kill's era would be a steady climb towards Big 10 championships have zero concept of history. We are done being a trainwreck and that is what you want out of a Gopher football program.
No, especially in recruiting battles with Wisc, Neb, and Iowa.Would we still have that recruiting momentum and everything 8-4 record, meaning we likely lose 3 of 4 to end the season?