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

[bemidjigopher]

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.

At some point ZA best option could be to learn from the sidelines for a couple games, get healthy, get right mentally, he's in a tough spot this year. Will see how the Iowa game goes, but if that's a poor showing I think the last thing you want to do is throw a wounded duck out there again Ohio State

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[Gophers_4life]

At some point ZA best option could be to learn from the sidelines for a couple games, get healthy, get right mentally, he's in a tough spot this year. Will see how the Iowa game goes, but if that's a poor showing I think the last thing you want to do is throw a wounded duck out there again Ohio State

Or you focus on running the ball, quick slant type throws, maybe some play action dump offs. "Easy" stuff. Build confidence. Maybe don't get a ton of yards, don't score a ton of points, but just don't get blown up all to hell trying to do drop back passes. With Zack immobile, and this OL not being able to give him time .... we'll be torn to shreds.

 

[bemidjigopher]

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.

With all do respect PJ is the highest paid coach we have ever had and nobody has had it as good as he does as far as facilities and administration report, if he fails it's on him, well I guess you could make the argument he was a poor choice by Coyle at that point, but Dino seems to be doing well at Syracuse so I think he knows how to pickem. Not sure if Coyle made the last hire at Boise, but that guy has picked up where Peterson left off having them in the top 25 still

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[bemidjigopher]

Or you focus on running the ball, quick slant type throws, maybe some play action dump offs. "Easy" stuff. Build confidence. Maybe don't get a ton of yards, don't score a ton of points, but just don't get blown up all to hell trying to do drop back passes. With Zack immobile, and this OL not being able to give him time .... we'll be torn to shreds.

You can do that early and they should, but eventually any DC worth his salt will adjust. Eventually you got to make plays and take shots, if ZA can't do it, see what you have in Tanner and let ZA get right for a couple of games. Either way it's not ideal

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[Gophers_4life]

You can do that early and they should, but eventually any DC worth his salt will adjust. Eventually you got to make plays and take shots, if ZA can't do it, see what you have in Tanner and let ZA get right for a couple of games. Either way it's not ideal

I hear ya! I'd be just fine giving TA a shot, if Iowa goes to hell.

I don't think Fleck will do it, though. I think he wants to let Zack fail this year, so he can learn from failure.

 

[Gophers_4life]

With all do respect PJ is the highest paid coach we have ever had and nobody has had it as good as he does as far as facilities and administration report, if he fails it's on him, well I guess you could make the argument he was a poor choice by Coyle at that point, but Dino seems to be doing well at Syracuse so I think he knows how to pickem. Not sure if Coyle made the last hire at Boise, but that guy has picked up where Peterson left off having them in the top 25 still

Dino inherited Jimmy Garappolo at E Illinois, which is a medium power FCS conference. That's like Tom Brady playing in the CFL. Was there two years. Then went to Bowling Green, where he inherited Dave Clawson's players. Was there for two years.

Now at Syracuse, 4-8 in both first two years. Has started 4-0, but hasn't played anyone. Florida St reeling. The other three were G5 and a low level FCS. I think they're gonna get torn up at Clemson, we'll see ..

 

[bemidjigopher]

I hear ya! I'd be just fine giving TA a shot, if Iowa goes to hell.

I don't think Fleck will do it, though. I think he wants to let Zack fail this year, so he can learn from failure.

If ZA fails too much he will be competing Clark and Kramer for his job in the Spring

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[short ornery norwegian]

Realistically, the Ohio State game is going to be ugly. The Gophers will be clear underdogs against Iowa and Wisc.

So, for all practical purposes, this is down to a five-game season, and the Gophers need to win 3 of the 5 to go to a bowl game.

Here's my thing: I don't expect them to beat Iowa or Wisconsin - but I do want to see them compete. go out, play hard, and try to make something happen. If they do that, and lose, then I can live with it. I just don't want to see efforts like the last two games of '17, when it looked like they were playing to get the season over with.

And, for the 5 winnable games, they need to play like their lives are on the line. show me some fire. Show me some rah-rah. show me players who look like they want to be there. if they play like that, they can win at least 3 of the five winnable games.

 

[rockford]

Realistically, the Ohio State game is going to be ugly. The Gophers will be clear underdogs against Iowa and Wisc.

So, for all practical purposes, this is down to a five-game season, and the Gophers need to win 3 of the 5 to go to a bowl game.

Here's my thing: I don't expect them to beat Iowa or Wisconsin - but I do want to see them compete. go out, play hard, and try to make something happen. If they do that, and lose, then I can live with it. I just don't want to see efforts like the last two games of '17, when it looked like they were playing to get the season over with.

And, for the 5 winnable games, they need to play like their lives are on the line. show me some fire. Show me some rah-rah. show me players who look like they want to be there. if they play like that, they can win at least 3 of the five winnable games.

Spot on. As I said in another thread, they need to make their stand in those five games. That's where the season will be won or lost. I don't expect us to hang with the big boys yet, but I do expect the team to show up for games in which they have a chance. They didn't do that against Maryland. Their effort was unwatchable, so I quit watching.

Getting to a bowl game this year -- any bowl game -- is an accomplishment.

JTG

 

[MirandaB]

My hope is the team believes in the "next man up" philosophy and doesn't start to think the rest of the season is lost. The team has come out shockingly flat against Iowa the past couple of years, which is really disappointing. Buying into our history is important. I'm excited by our young players - they're going to be fun to watch for the foreseeable future. But do we have the staff to game plan upsets like we had against Nebraska five years ago, or WSU in the bowl game? I'm not sold on our coaches (other than PJ - I'm getting there). Other than the traditional powerhouses, I don't think we have a good picture yet of where the rest of the B1G is - heck every conference has had strange games. Thank goodness we have the bye this week to get ZA healed up. I believe we can beat Iowa - but the coordinators need to be prepared for the game, and the coaches have to get our team ready.

 

[Go Gophs]

Spot on. As I said in another thread, they need to make their stand in those five games. That's where the season will be won or lost. I don't expect us to hang with the big boys yet, but I do expect the team to show up for games in which they have a chance. They didn't do that against Maryland. Their effort was unwatchable, so I quit watching.

Getting to a bowl game this year -- any bowl game -- is an accomplishment.

JTG

Good posts, I agree. They aren't gonna challenge anyone this year, they are too young. That doesn't mean they shouldn't win some games against the dregs though and at least show up and compete against middle range competition like Iowa and Wisconsin.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Realistically, the Ohio State game is going to be ugly. The Gophers will be clear underdogs against Iowa and Wisc.

So, for all practical purposes, this is down to a five-game season, and the Gophers need to win 3 of the 5 to go to a bowl game.

Here's my thing: I don't expect them to beat Iowa or Wisconsin - but I do want to see them compete. go out, play hard, and try to make something happen. If they do that, and lose, then I can live with it. I just don't want to see efforts like the last two games of '17, when it looked like they were playing to get the season over with.

And, for the 5 winnable games, they need to play like their lives are on the line. show me some fire. Show me some rah-rah. show me players who look like they want to be there. if they play like that, they can win at least 3 of the five winnable games.

What about the coaching staff? They need to have a game plan that works against B1G teams and can be adjusted to the in game situations. I'm just not seeing them attempting to make those adjustments. Also have lingering questions about their time management abilities. Happened again at the start of Q4 Saturday.

 

[GFBfan]

What about the coaching staff? They need to have a game plan that works against B1G teams and can be adjusted to the in game situations. I'm just not seeing them attempting to make those adjustments. Also have lingering questions about their time management abilities. Happened again at the start of Q4 Saturday.

That is a byproduct of having the team at the line and then looking over the defense to get the best play possible(or so they think). See many teams do this now. They either huddle or don't then get into a formation, fake like they are going to run a play, then everyone looks to the sideline to see what play is going to be run. The play clock runs down and sometimes the QB doesn't have time to get the play info to the team and a TO needs to be used or a 5 yard delay of game penalty. It's coaches needing to have too much control over the play calling and not having a belief that the play that is called can be run, which really says they don't have any faith in the players on the field. Sometimes you just need to be able to line up and run your play and execute it better than what the defense is doing. It doesn't always have to be to have the best play call to beat the opposing defense. You have to be able to line up and impose your will. Looking over to the sideline before every play is not doing that.

 

[GophersInIowa]

That is a byproduct of having the team at the line and then looking over the defense to get the best play possible(or so they think). See many teams do this now. They either huddle or don't then get into a formation, fake like they are going to run a play, then everyone looks to the sideline to see what play is going to be run. The play clock runs down and sometimes the QB doesn't have time to get the play info to the team and a TO needs to be used or a 5 yard delay of game penalty. It's coaches needing to have too much control over the play calling and not having a belief that the play that is called can be run, which really says they don't have any faith in the players on the field. Sometimes you just need to be able to line up and run your play and execute it better than what the defense is doing. It doesn't always have to be to have the best play call to beat the opposing defense. You have to be able to line up and impose your will. Looking over to the sideline before every play is not doing that.

All it's doing is taking the decision out of the QB's hand and putting it on the coach's. If they didn't do this, then you would see the QB doing the audibles. Coaches can see more and it's a little bit less the QB has to worry about. This is especially good IMO when you're dealing with a true freshman. Let him worry about executing the play instead of having to decide if they should flip the play, change to pass, etc.

 

[HoustonTXGopher]

The Maryland game was a setback, no doubt. I think losing a teammate to cancer made this game nearly impossible to win. Gophers will be fine, we still win 6-7 games and grow tremendously. If ZA can heal from his ankle injury, this becomes a different offense. I am not panicking yet, close, but not yet!

 

[magpie]

If ZA fails too much he will be competing Clark and Kramer for his job Spring

I’d be surprised if both guys didn’t get redshirted. QB is too important of a role to rush someone in like ZA this year. Plus, ZA is doing well enough and it will take time for the lines et al to mature.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

I’d be surprised if both guys didn’t get redshirted. QB is too important of a role to rush someone in like ZA this year. Plus, ZA is doing well enough and it will take time for the lines et al to mature.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Clark gives Zack some tough competition next Spring.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Put it this way: given how well ZA did in non-conf, and then how poorly he did against Maryland ..... neither hypothesis would be surprising, at this point. We need more data. We need to see how ZA responds, both physically how his body heals, and mentally if he can learn from this failure and regain confidence, and have a great outing vs Iowa.

I'm rooting for it to happen!