Which direction will this team take into the rest of the season?

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I’m going to guess 5 wins.

Next season could be decent if they can manage to stay healthy.




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IMHO, the death of Nick Connelly on Wednesday deeply affected the entire team including the coaches. So, the focus in the practices and the game may not be there entirely with a heavy heart.

With the week off it will be good for the funeral, healing, and a re-focusing. You never know. Wouldn't it be a great surprise if they upset Iowa? WIN ONE FOR NICK! 'Just saying.
 
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The way these injuries are going, it's feeling very 2017-ish.
 

They need to tough it out this year, let several underclassmen gain valuable experience, and take whatever the opponents will give. Maybe even play Tanner Morgan in parts of some game.

They will be playing to win instead of playing not to lose. The improvements this year will be measured in small minute improvements here and there.
 
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I’m hoping like hell for 6 wins and a bottom bowl. But if the Gophers play like they did at Maryland, we’ll be lucky to go 2-7 in the Big Ten. Even Illinois is looking tougher. Nebraska about the only one where we would have a chance, in the toilet bowl.
 


2 key things need to happen for success for this team.

1)FAR better o-line play. create holes, once in awhile, pass block, once in awhile.
2)Ty Johnson needs to stop dropping the ball.

If both those things are attainable, we will move the ball, open the play book, keep
the defense off the field and when they're on the field, they'll play well enough to win.
 

Six wins. Exciting games, setbacks due to inexperience, and maybe a surprise. Year two of a rebuild and what was built before wasn’t perfect. Need to get experience and depth for the long term. As far as this season let’s enjoy watching the young talent and hope for no more injuries. There will be more setbacks. Don’t let it get you down
 

It was always going to be a tough season. We were going to take our licks. 2020 is what Fleck has said. I believe him. No bowling this year.
 

It will not be easy to win six: both Indiana and Purdue are much improved and Nebraska at home with a healthy Martinez and 92,000 in the stands will be tough. Ditto Northwestern being tough. I was hoping for an upset of Iowa, but they looked terrific against Wisconsin if not for that heel touching the punted ball. Ohio State and Wisconsin look like sure losses. Illinois may be the only Likely win and that is dicey as they have some good young talent this year. Maybe with an upset or two thrown in, we make six, but five looks more likely.
 




MennoSota said:
It was always going to be a tough season. We were going to take our licks. 2020 is what Fleck has said. I believe him. No bowling this year.
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Less than bowling would be a disappointment. We were already 5-7 last year. Fleck improved each year at WMU. Granted, if injuries take too many of our best players, that’s different. But we still have prices to win six games, if Fleck and staff coach their butts off!!!
 

Gophers_4life said:
Less than bowling would be a disappointment. We were already 5-7 last year. Fleck improved each year at WMU. Granted, if injuries take too many of our best players, that’s different. But we still have prices to win six games, if Fleck and staff coach their butts off!!!
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That's a big if.
We are so undersized and weak on the defensive line that we may not be able to stop the run. Once teams break through the line we saw our secondary get torched by missed tackles and bad technique. We were spoiled by Claeys and Saville and their ability to get more from less. Our current defensive staff is a significant drop off in every facet of coaching and making adjustments. If we listened to Arkansas fans we'd recall they told us so. This team is worse on defense this season than they were last year. We can only hope our offense gets better, but the jury is out on that.
In short, 5-7 is about all we can hope for.
 

magpie said:
I originally thought we would beat Iowa. Now I’m expecting to get routed. Considering the last 3 Big Ten games we were outscored 112-13, things could get ugly with two more blowouts to follow.
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Remember, the last time we played Iowa off a bye we lost to a bad Illini team and Iowa had routed NW the week before. We won 51-14, I doubt that happens again, but our last few wins against have been pretty unexpected and they'll have two weeks to feel sorry about themselves as well after the Badger game.

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Gophers_4life said:
Less than bowling would be a disappointment. We were already 5-7 last year. Fleck improved each year at WMU. Granted, if injuries take too many of our best players, that’s different. But we still have prices to win six games, if Fleck and staff coach their butts off!!!
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Plus Kill and even Brew got to a bowl in year two. They both inherited worse situations, Fleck needs to show progress this year so he can keep bringing in talent on the recruiting trail.

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patrick08 said:
Six wins. Exciting games, setbacks due to inexperience, and maybe a surprise. Year two of a rebuild and what was built before wasn’t perfect. Need to get experience and depth for the long term. As far as this season let’s enjoy watching the young talent and hope for no more injuries. There will be more setbacks. Don’t let it get you down
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Amen!
 

MennoSota said:
That's a big if.
We are so undersized and weak on the defensive line that we may not be able to stop the run. Once teams break through the line we saw our secondary get torched by missed tackles and bad technique. We were spoiled by Claeys and Saville and their ability to get more from less. Our current defensive staff is a significant drop off in every facet of coaching and making adjustments. If we listened to Arkansas fans we'd recall they told us so. This team is worse on defense this season than they were last year. We can only hope our offense gets better, but the jury is out on that.
In short, 5-7 is about all we can hope for.
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How can you look at OJ and say we’re small and weak at DL?? We have great LB’s. We just got outschemed and hurt by big plays.

I’m still hopeful ... but also a realist.
 

Gophers_4life said:
How can you look at OJ and say we’re small and weak at DL?? We have great LB’s. We just got outschemed and hurt by big plays.

I’m still hopeful ... but also a realist.
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Have you seen any appreciable push by our D-line when they actually face a B1G offensive line? We are outweighed and out muscled. Our kids are simply young. They don't have their man muscles yet. By 2020 it will be a different story.
I really don't care what our record is this season. This year and next year are grow up seasons. By next year I suspect we get a lower tier bowl game. This year we won't win 6 games.
 

Gophers_4life said:
How can you look at OJ and say we’re small and weak at DL?? We have great LB’s. We just got outschemed and hurt by big plays.

I’m still hopeful ... but also a realist.
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Me too. OJ can and should plug the middle. I would like to see Umlor or some guys with size at DE at least on running downs.
The holes that the Maryland backs ran through were large. Maybe chalk it up to a combo of being down about Nick passing away, the motion that Maryland ran, but our line backers were often not in position and then the safeties just took bad routes to tackle or were not fast enough. Was it just me or does Maryland have some really good talent at running back. Ty Johnson, the Maryland RB, has size and very good speed.
I'm hopeful that the staff can identify a player on the roster that can step up at safety. Maybe it's Howden, Sapp, or Swanson, but filling that position with a decent player is going to be important.
I still think we are in decent shape at CB.
 
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MennoSota said:
Have you seen any appreciable push by our D-line when they actually face a B1G offensive line? We are outweighed and out muscled. Our kids are simply young. They don't have their man muscles yet. By 2020 it will be a different story.
I really don't care what our record is this season. This year and next year are grow up seasons. By next year I suspect we get a lower tier bowl game. This year we won't win 6 games.
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No push -> could be the defensive scheme is to have them sit in the gaps/take up multiple OL to let LB make plays. I don't know that ... but those are two different schools of thought on DL (clog up gaps vs. penetrate upfield)

Age/size -> Gary Moore 5th year senior 6-4 300, Royal Silver 4th year Junior 6-3 300, OJ Smith 5th year Junior 6-2 320


I hope your wrong that this year could be the same or worse record than last year. But you might end up being right. We might struggle to win more than one Big Ten game.
 

We'll win 5 or 6 as expected but it will feel like a let down because of the hot start to the season. Next year is the year.
 

All you can really do is have a "next man up" mentality.....

Feels a little different than last year in that I think a lot of the guys are to be contributors the next few years, so I will be watching how they develop & get better as the year goes knowing that they'll be playing a lot the next few years. Plus, even though this weekend was a setback, I still feel better about our '18 offense than the '17 offense.

Last year seemed to have a little less of the watching guys for the future than this year. Almost like you knew some guys would be leaving at season's end & you didn't know exactly what we would have for the next season. Seems like there's a little more stability in terms of that.

The Iowa game should hopefully give a good indication. They should beat us, but their philosophy sometimes allows the Gophers to be in games that they shouldn't be in. After Iowa game, other than Ohio State & Wisconsin, there isn't a game of the remaining 5 that I can count as an automatic W....but none that should be an automatic L either. Hopefully find a way to pull off 3 out of 5 of those toss-ups, with 3 of them being at home....
 

We got manhandled by their offensive and defensive lines. Gophers need to hit the weights and turn that baby fat into muscle.
 

FireDaveLee said:
After Iowa game, other than Ohio State & Wisconsin, there isn't a game of the remaining 5 that I can count as an automatic W....but none that should be an automatic L either. Hopefully find a way to pull off 3 out of 5 of those toss-ups, with 3 of them being at home....
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I'm onboard with this. This is the season, right here.
 

Otis said:
We got manhandled by their offensive and defensive lines. Gophers need to hit the weights and turn that baby fat into muscle.
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While I agree our OL and DL were out muscled, our running back did very little to help Zac with any kind of blocking technique. Several times they whiffed.
Defensively our linebackers were AWOL on the long touchdown runs over the offense left, defensive right side. And of course, AS (#34) was out of position —- either by design or mistake. In either case, he/they didn’t make the play.
Let me be very clear. Under no circumstances I would I suggest, ask for, demand, favor a coaching change. If PJ can’t get it done, then it’s time to re-evaluate the status of the entire athletic department.
 

Pete smith said:
While I agree our OL and DL were out muscled, our running back did very little to help Zac with any kind of blocking technique. Several times they whiffed.
Defensively our linebackers were AWOL on the long touchdown runs over the offense left, defensive right side. And of course, AS (#34) was out of position —- either by design or mistake. In either case, he/they didn’t make the play.
Let me be very clear. Under no circumstances I would I suggest, ask for, demand, favor a coaching change. If PJ can’t get it done, then it’s time to re-evaluate the status of the entire athletic department.
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Agree with most of your post. PJ needs time for sure. Disagree with "if he doesn't get it done part..." I would say then you go on to the next coach. I would argue Kill was getting it done and if not for his health who knows where the program would be? They were not far away from winning the west.
 

Our defensive issues are at DE and young DB's taking bad angles. DE's are too small.

OL was bad on Saturday, but I'm willing to see how they rebound. They lost a really good friend last week and I can't imagine being focused with school and preparing for a game with that going on.

I still think this team can go to a bowl without Winfield. Many games will be toss ups and I like us at home.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Our defensive issues are at DE and young DB's taking bad angles. DE's are too small.

OL was bad on Saturday, but I'm willing to see how they rebound. They lost a really good friend last week and I can't imagine being focused with school and preparing for a game with that going on.

I still think this team can go to a bowl without Winfield. Many games will be toss ups and I like us at home.
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Agree with this wholeheartedly.
 

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Pete smith said:
While I agree our OL and DL were out muscled, our running back did very little to help Zac with any kind of blocking technique. Several times they whiffed.
Defensively our linebackers were AWOL on the long touchdown runs over the offense left, defensive right side. And of course, AS (#34) was out of position —- either by design or mistake. In either case, he/they didn’t make the play.
Let me be very clear. Under no circumstances I would I suggest, ask for, demand, favor a coaching change. If PJ can’t get it done, then it’s time to re-evaluate the status of the entire athletic department.
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While I agree with the bolded, it should also be added that Zack did very little to help the OL and RB with their blocking, as he was immobile and would only back up and throw off his back foot, due to his severely sprained ankle. As PJ said, they couldn't move the pocket ever because Zack couldn't move, which begs the question of why not make a switch to Tanner at some point in the game to move the pocket and exploit the Maryland D. To me that is the worst offensive decision that wasn't made on Saturday.
 

GFBfan said:
To me that is the worst offensive decision that wasn't made on Saturday.
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Sometimes it feels like the HC can't see the forest for the trees. I know he wants to not give ZA a quick hook, I know he wants him to be able to make mistakes, and learn from them, and hopefully a lot of learning happens from failing.

Just hope it works out ...


If rest of season goes like that, then next spring QB battle could be interesting.
 

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