Win-Win Situation

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Duluthguy

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I'll admit up front that I'm prone to irrational rationalizing, but I see a silver lining to the Gopher's loss on Saturday. The way I see it, there are two possible scenarios:

(1). (least likely) Brewster and the assistant coaches know that their jobs are on the line and put everything they've got into salvaging the season while the players respond to adversity like rats backed into a corner and finally play above their capabilities. By season's end, the very unexpected success on the field leaves everybody smiling and looking forward to even better things to come.

(2). (most likely) Saturday's loss starts a downward spiral that takes on a life of its own. Sometime, probably after the Northern Illinois or Northwestern game, it's obvious that Brewster will be gone no later than the end of the season. The Gopher Nation stands totally united in acknowledging what must be done. At some point, Brewster is fired, leaving everyone smiling and looking forward to better things to come.

Without the loss on Saturday, Brewster might have survived the season with all of us arguing over what should be done. With the loss, the status quo is no longer a viable option. To me at least, this is going to make the next 2-3 games exceptionally interesting.
 

Having Brewster fall on his face and getting fired is fine as long as people understand that we will lose a lot of players/recruits and have ANOTHER couple of years of futility no matter who the new coach is (I understand there are hires that would negate this impact, but I just don't see us making that type of move). Coaching changes suck in college.
 

GopherHomer said:
Having Brewster fall on his face and getting fired is fine as long as people understand that we will lose a lot of players/recruits and have ANOTHER couple of years of futility no matter who the new coach is (I understand there are hires that would negate this impact, but I just don't see us making that type of move). Coaching changes suck in college.
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The team is on the cusp of Wackeresque futility. Might well take care of business before it's too late.
 

dont ever underestimate joel maturi and the gopher fan base's ability to savor a moral victory. a 1-15 point loss to usc/ohio state/uw/iowa will be viewed as a step in the right direction by some u decision makers and many on this board. though it shouldnt.
 

+1

agreed...my thoughts exactly.

My fear is Maturi hiring the next guy. No more projects....proven winner is all we can accept.

last 5 coaches....

Holtz - Former HC @ Ark
Gutey - Former DC @ Minn under Holtz
- could have had the guy that won a NC at Georgia Tech
Wacker - Former HC @ TCU
Mason - Former HC @ Kansas
Brewster - Former TE coach in NFL @ Denver and San Diego
- could have had Bo Pelini @ Nebraska now
- could have had Kragthorpe ....fired from Louisville

I'm hoping for the former...breakthrough year beating our rivals.

GM
 


Duluthguy said:
(1). (least likely) Brewster and the assistant coaches know that their jobs are on the line and put everything they've got into salvaging the season while the players respond to adversity like rats backed into a corner and finally play above their capabilities. By season's end, the very unexpected success on the field leaves everybody smiling and looking forward to even better things to come.
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To be honest I really do believe the coaches are giving this everything they've got. I don't doubt that one bit. Lack of commitment is one criticism I'll never lay at their feet.

They don't need to get players to play above their heads though, just to play to their levels. The season will end a lot differently than it looks now if they can accomplish that.
 

I don't think that Brewster is like Wacker. Wacker never won more than 4 games in a season with the Gophers. Wacker won a total of 8 Big Ten games in 5 years. Over three years, Brewster won six, so Brewster's ahead there too.

No, Brewster may be more like Joe Salem: Mediocre until the wheels fell off in 1982.
 

My biggest fear going into this season was a 4-8, 5-7 or 6-7 season in which the jury would still be out on Brewster and 2011 felt no more comfortable than 2010.

I would LOVE to see us go 7-6 or better. I think that with the start we've had, that would be quite an accomplishment and most of us would be more excited about 2011. I would even be fine with 6-7 given the low national expectations, youth on the field and horrid game last week.

IF we would ultimately hire a marquee coach, then 4-8 or worse this year might be in the best long-term interest of the program.

I am still fearful of 5-7, though, and the uncertainty that it would lend to 2011.
 

I'd rather us win more games than less, regardless of what that does to the coaching situation.

The coach being fired is only "good" in the same sense that getting a root canal is good. If you need a root canal, then it is the thing to do.
 



Go Gophers Rah said:
My biggest fear going into this season was a 4-8, 5-7 or 6-7 season in which the jury would still be out on Brewster and 2011 felt no more comfortable than 2010.

I would LOVE to see us go 7-6 or better. I think that with the start we've had, that would be quite an accomplishment and most of us would be more excited about 2011. I would even be fine with 6-7 given the low national expectations, youth on the field and horrid game last week.

IF we would ultimately hire a marquee coach, then 4-8 or worse this year might be in the best long-term interest of the program.

I am still fearful of 5-7, though, and the uncertainty that it would lend to 2011.
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5-7 would mean only 3 Big11Ten wins....not good enough when you add in a loss to South Dakota.

I might be wrong.

GM
 

gophermartin said:
5-7 would mean only 3 Big11Ten wins....not good enough when you add in a loss to South Dakota.

I might be wrong.

GM
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5-7 is absolutely not good enough. It would take a pretty stupendous showing at this point to justify retention. Not just in terms of W/L but in terms of what the team shows. He needs to not only get to a decent bowl but win it.
 

GopherHomer said:
Having Brewster fall on his face and getting fired is fine as long as people understand that we will lose a lot of players/recruits and have ANOTHER couple of years of futility no matter who the new coach is (I understand there are hires that would negate this impact, but I just don't see us making that type of move). Coaching changes suck in college.
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Good post. Many people in this town do not grasp this reality. It takes a while to build a successful program. This is not an NFL franchise, whereby a new head coach is brought in, a few free agents are signed and look at that, you went from the cellar to a title contender in one year. It just does not work that way at this level.

For those of you calling for Brew to be fired now, without waiting to see how the season plays out, do you fully grasp what comes next - a painful rebuilding process that likely leaves the program, at best, years away from fielding a contending team? If the ship can be righted in the coming weeks, and the young talent develops, particularly on the defensive-side of the ball, this program is much closer to contending than starting at square one again.
 

Put me in the camp that says the team can overcome this loss. I'm not saying they will, just that they can. I mean it was only a week ago we all thought we could give USC a run. As Duluthguy said, the next 2-3 games are CRITICAL! It is game on again if they somehow come out of the non-con 3-1. If they come out 1-3, you might as well let him go then and there.

With that said, I pretty much feel Brew has lost the fan base and won't be able to win them back, even if they somehow ran the table and finished 11-1. I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but if he has truly lost the fan base (and more importantly, the boosters) as it appears, it is time for him to go. I just don't see a scenario where he wins them back.
 




GoldenRose said:
Good post. Many people in this town do not grasp this reality. It takes a while to build a successful program. This is not an NFL franchise, whereby a new head coach is brought in, a few free agents are signed and look at that, you went from the cellar to a title contender in one year. It just does not work that way at this level.

For those of you calling for Brew to be fired now, without waiting to see how the season plays out, do you fully grasp what comes next - a painful rebuilding process that likely leaves the program, at best, years away from fielding a contending team? If the ship can be righted in the coming weeks, and the young talent develops, particularly on the defensive-side of the ball, this program is much closer to contending than starting at square one again.
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Well said by both. The hardest part of that loss, for me, wasn't the loss itself but how obviously the coaching staff was at fault, and the effect it would have.
I went into this game thinking there was a reasonable chance that 2011 would be a breakout, statement season for this program. I left the game thinking it more likely that 2011 would be a repeat of 1-11.
If Brewster has to go, he has to go (I'm still not 100% convinced, but am more amenable to the idea since Saturday). But if he does, it will likely be ugly, and it will be difficult. And if we get lucky, we won't be right back here again in 4 years.
 

I agree with the OP. It essentially moved up the timetable a year. That's good both ways. A change now means a stronger roster for the new guy, and of course performing at a high level is an obvious win.
 

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