Who else is optimistic about the 2024 season?

[Otis]

I see many reasons for optimism for the Gophers in 2024. Let’s look at the depth chart!

Offense:

QB:
Brosmer
Lindsay
Shikenjanski

Bro-smer has got to be better than AK, especially at decision making. So this should be better as long as he stays healthy. Lack of depth here is similar to the 2023 Vikings! But on paper, it looks improved.

RB:
Taylor
Bangura
Major
Nubin

When a guy who ran for 200 yards in one game is the fourth option in your running back stable you feel pretty good about it! Plus, we have some well regarded freshmen coming in. One thing this staff excels at is evaluating RBs. I really like this bunch!

WR:
Jackson
Brockington
Spencer
Redding
Driver
Varner
Hoskins
Lanier

Jackson is a stud. Can we get two more out of this group? Brock and Spencer we kind of know what we have. I’m intrigued big time by Driver! His dad certainly played well in Minnesota! So I see potential here. Big plus is no more 100 mph screens and dump offs! Bro-smer most likely throws a catchable ball.

TEs:
Kallerup
Geers
Bierman
Walsh

Not a lot to get excited about here. Does the coaching staff consider these guys are eligible receivers or just another blocker? Bierman should be destined to be the next great Gopher TE just because of his last name!

OL:
Ersery
Cooper
Lewis
Carroll
Johnson
B Carroll
Beers
Roy

Returning 80% of you starting line is pretty freaking awesome! Ignore those ridiculous sack give up rates because we passed so little. These guys are huge and block well for the running game. Don’t sleep on the two highly regarded freshmen who look ready to contribute coming in. This should be a strength with two All-B1G level players at the tackles. Coupled with the RBs, these guys should make play calling easy!

Defense:
DL:
Joyner
Eastern
Striggow
Redding
Becker
Etc..

Those first four names should make you all feel pretty good about our DL! Motivated to get back into the top of the B1G defenses should help D-Lat get these guys ready to excel. This feels like a strong unit.

Lbs:
Lindenberg
Baronowski
Williams
LeCaptain
Gerlach
Zolman
Stolsky

That fist guy could have made such a difference if he had played more than four games. And I’m sure he wasn’t 100% when he did come back! Silver lining is Baronowski got extra time to play and was a strength on the D by the time his freshman rust shook off. These guys could be our best LB unit in a while as long as they stay healthy!

DBs:
Walley
Bryson
Robinson
Henderson
MsMillan
Brown
Gousby
Watson
Bryan
Kelly
KOI PERICH

Walley coming back is huge! The rest of these guys are questionable after giving up so many big plays last year. Even with Nubin to clean things up. But one player has me very excited! KOI PERICH! I really think this kid is going to contribute immediately. He has all the athletic ability you could ask for and seems to have great instincts! This might be the weakest part of the defense but this freshman makes it the most interesting! I’m betting on the Eskimo to ice out the opposition!

Kickers: don’t even argue. We are set.

Well, that’s why I think 2024 could be special. I mean, we already know we’re going to the Rose Bowl!

 

[highwayman]

I always get excited for a new season. Everyone should. Three, two, one...

 

[short ornery norwegian]

It's one thing to have the pieces.

it's another thing to make the best use of the pieces through schemes and systems that get the most of the talent.

for all of the focus by fans on the offensive issues, the defense had a lot of problems last year. my gut says that fans generally liked Rossi, so they tended to be less openly critical of the play by the defense. but the new DC has got a lot of work to do, especially with the secondary.

put me down as cautiously optimistic - but I want to see what the defense looks like before I go any further. just allowing one or two fewer big plays a game could make a significant difference.

 

[Otis]

It's one thing to have the pieces.

it's another thing to make the best use of the pieces through schemes and systems that get the most of the talent.

for all of the focus by fans on the offensive issues, the defense had a lot of problems last year. my gut says that fans generally liked Rossi, so they tended to be less openly critical of the play by the defense. but the new DC has got a lot of work to do, especially with the secondary.

put me down as cautiously optimistic - but I want to see what the defense looks like before I go any further. just allowing one or two fewer big plays a game could make a significant difference.

Would you drop the “cautiously” if Rossi was still around?

The backend of the defense is the biggest concern.

I’m banking on the offensive side to reduce the defenses exposure!

 

[FredCoxRocks]

I'm always optimistic at the beginning of the season. Been let down several times, but been surprised too. Optimism keeps us coming back.

 

[Out State Gopher]

Controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball makes the other players & position groups better. A top 25 offense starts with a great running, ball control game. Remember there are more great running backs than great Quarterbacks plus less competition for their services. A running back needs blocking a quarterback needs blocking & receiving to be successful.

 

[Section209]

I always get excited for a new season. Everyone should. Three, two, one...

Yep, this is where I'm at. I'm excited to see what the team puts together, how Brosmer does, etc.

But I'm not going to be delusional about the W/L record. It's an uphill climb.

 

[denguegopher]

I'm always optimistic at the beginning of the season. Been let down several times, but been surprised too. Optimism keeps us coming back.

This is exactly where I stand. My wife and a nephew ridicule me for it, they laugh at me and say, "when will you learn?" I have now accepted that I will never learn. Go Gophers!

 

[highwayman]

Yep, this is where I'm at. I'm excited to see what the team puts together, how Brosmer does, etc.

But I'm not going to be delusional about the W/L record. It's an uphill climb.

Exactly why I put the three two one...

"Enjoy life, don't act 'Minnesotan'."

 

[Gophergrandpa]

I always start off optimistic. First four games will determine whether I stay optimistic in 2024 ... or reduce expectations dramatically.

 

[BTChamp]

The only thing optimistic is how much anthacite and white I get to see.
To hell with gold and maroon!!!!!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

 

[gopherbadgerman]

I’m very interested to see the QB and if DT can stay healthy. I’m concerned about the defensive side of the ball a lot.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

I feel really good about who we have in the trenches and the rbs. I'm cautiously optimistic about the dbs. The ? is can Brosmer be as effective at this level as he was in the FCS? Some say it couldn't get any worse but that doesn't mean it will be significantly better!

 

[Cobra]

I would say that I’m always hopefull, and I’d love to see our Gophers in the Rose Bowl.

 

[PMWinSTP]

This is exactly where I stand. My wife and a nephew ridicule me for it, they laugh at me and say, "when will you learn?" I have now accepted that I will never learn. Go Gophers!

Are either of them Vikings fans?

 

[PMWinSTP]

I always start off optimistic. First four games will determine whether I stay optimistic in 2024 ... or reduce expectations dramatically.

You never know, right? After the rollercoaster noncon wins in 2019, I was not optimistic going into conference play.

 

[PMWinSTP]

The trip;s to Seattle and Eugene OR the ones I am most fired up about. As I get old, I'll do my best to attend all these road games.

A random link to avoid hearing any miserable Pearl Jam grunting when out west. Fuck that...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry2AY7F2NZE

Seattle trip can't come soon enough!

 

[MNVCGUY]

Sad how much of everything hinges on one player in football but it really does come down to the QB position. If Brosmer is the upgrade we think he will be there is a good chance that we can be good next year given that all of our top guys seem to be coming back and not jumping into the portal.

Granted there is still another portal window to contend with but so far the 2023/4 portal cycle has been very much in our favor in terms of who we have lost and who we have brought in.

 

[denguegopher]

Are either of them Vikings fans?

No, my wife only likes one college football team, Oregon, and the nephew goes to Southern Cal (he's a fan) and his pro team is the Ravens. My wife calls my condition "Gopher Delusional Disorder." It is a seasonal condition.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

I'm always optimistic at the beginning of the season. Been let down several times, but been surprised too. Optimism keeps us coming back.

100%. I'm optimistic about every season (for the most part). I feel a little bad for folks who feel otherwise.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

The only thing optimistic is how much anthacite and white I get to see.
To hell with gold and maroon!!!!!!

You’re dead to me

 

[SHGopher]

"Bad" was the quarterback play last season most of the time. AK's completion percentage was 52.1% in Big Ten games, 12th best, compared to 71.7% for #1 JJ McCarthy in the run-first Michigan offense and 66.3% for the Maryland and Ohio State QBs.






So yes be optimistic about the next season. They have a veteran QB coming in. He doesn't have to be Brett Favre. Just be decent. Make a few better throws and Gophers can beat a team like North Carolina, and UCLA, and maybe even Washington (they don't play until 2026).

 

[MplsGopher]

I love the spirit of the OP. It paints a nice picture. A picture I want to buy.

Two things hold me back:

1) as nice of a picture as it is ….. this exact same picture is being painted at probably every single other Big Team program. New coaches, and lots of new players, everywhere, every year. We improve … but so does our competition. They aren’t standing still.

2) And that’s the bigger thing: there is no more West. We missed the boat on that, three years in a row. And now we will be stepping up in competition.


So, we’ll see. I at least am hopeful with the new QB and more defensive depth that we will play better than last year. But I’m less optimistic on how that will translate into wins and losses.

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

The only thing optimistic is how much anthacite and white I get to see.
To hell with gold and maroon!!!!!!

I've long liked the maroon but wish the gold was toned way down. Don't like the black. Not our color and looks hoodish.

 

[proudgopher]

We have a tough schedule next year. I try to be optimistic and hope for the best but I suspect a record something like the '23 season, maybe worse.

 

[#2Gopher]

Season looks better now than a few days ago. Can't imagin the morale in the locker room if Fleck had left.

 

[Word]

Season looks better now than a few days ago. Can't imagin the morale in the locker room if Fleck had left.

Locker room would have been half empty if he left.

 

[MplsGopher]

Locker room would have been half empty if he left.

Where would they all have gone?

There has to be openings on other teams. You can't just add yourself to whichever roster you want.

 

[Word]

Where would they all have gone?

There has to be openings on other teams. You can't just add yourself to whichever roster you want.

Deion always has room. Also, it was a joke (sort of).