Year 7, one of the most pathetic losses in my 45 years.

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SHGopher said:
They lost to Northwestern.

This wasn't a loss to Florida State or even Maryland.

Northwestern, the worst.

Think about the impact.
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It's been said above, but you didn't see it. Northwestern isn't the worst. Their recruiting profile is about what ours is. Their 4 game record shows some real fight. I thought the game would be close, because NW has some talented players (no matter what you think). For me, the loss was devastating because we had a win firmly in hand and then played a passive, tentative 4th Q while NW played with aggression and growing confidence. Coaching decisions, including the decision to play hyper-conservative, totally predictable offense (meaning we kept giving the ball back to NW), and the decision to run some kind of 8-man zone defense in which no receiver is ever covered, and PJ's belief that momentum isn't a real thing, reversed three previous quarters of decent football. This wasn't a loss to a horrible team; NW isn't horrible--nor is it a powerhouse. It's kind of like us. This wouldn't hurt so much if the game had been relatively even and didn't go our way in the end. It hurts because we had a sure win--a sure win--in hand, and our coaches absolutely handed the game to NW in the 4th Q.
 

Gophers1992 said:
Sometimes I feel like I watched a different game than everyone else on GH. Our offense put up 430 yards and 31 points but somehow 80% of comments are blaming the offense more than the D.
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Stats are crap because you are fooling yourself based on one aspect of the game. The offensive stats only matter if the defensive stats don't overwhelm them.

The defense was collapsing because our scheme was unraveled and we were giving up an elite level of points.

The offense couldn't score more points to buffer the collapse in the last quarter. One touchdown, or even one field goal could have been enough to stave off more points being scored against us.

The first three quarters were statistically insignificant compared to the fourth quarter because the game flipped in one quarter. We did nothing to stop it. Not on defense. Not on offense.
 

I'll be curious to see some analysis of what happened to the defense in the 4th quarter. It's tough to tell from a TV screen. You have to give it to the Northwestern QB that was throwing dimes on time and breaking tackles, but the receivers got open for that to happen.

It's obvious UNC exposed some flaws in the defensive platooning by going high tempo, but there's got to be a lot more to it.
 

Ewert86PC said:
Stats are crap because you are fooling yourself based on one aspect of the game. The offensive stats only matter if the defensive stats don't overwhelm them.

The defense was collapsing because our scheme was unraveled and we were giving up an elite level of points.

The offense couldn't score more points to buffer the collapse in the last quarter. One touchdown, or even one field goal could have been enough to stave off more points being scored against us.

The first three quarters were statistically insignificant compared to the fourth quarter because the game flipped in one quarter. We did nothing to stop it. Not on defense. Not on offense.
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People say 31 points should have been enough. That's wrong. I see that the Gophers got thrashed 27 to 3 from the fourth quarter on. Both sides of the ball got thrashed.
 



Some guy said:
Yeah. It’s also funny how people still haven’t let go that we fired our interim coach in the midst of an off the field scandal 8 years ago because he won 9 games once.
Even though the current coach has won 9 games 3 times.
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I mean, the poster said that we would be in the same position now if we hadn’t fired Claeys.

Saying last game was no better than a kick in the balls is not pining to have your balls kicked.
 

Panthadad2 said:
People say 31 points should have been enough. That's wrong. I see that the Gophers got thrashed 27 to 3 from the fourth quarter on. Both sides of the ball got thrashed.
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Hear! Hear!
We let up and let them back in.
 

Harrymannback77 said:
How many yards did we have on the second half? I'll tell you, about 120. This was 100% percent due to PJ fleck and his gutless, play not to lose attitude, instead of stomping your cleats down on your opponents throat. He lives on Lake Minnetonka but his balls still reside in Michigan. Gutless.
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Many a grifter has a home on Lake Minnetonka.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I mean, the poster said that we would be in the same position now if we hadn’t fired Claeys.

Saying last game was no better than a kick in the balls is not pining to have your balls kicked.
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And that poster is wrong


Agree that last night sucked.
 




Spoofin said:
It his presser PJ said our strategy works 99% of the time and this was that 1%. Doesn’t sound like a guy who is going to change his best.
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I wonder what our strategy was, exactly. Let the other team throw it on every down to wide open receivers, and then maybe try to tackle them, but only if it's not too strenuous? And the punt downing was great strategy. So, PJ, that works 99% of the time, huh?
 


My personal top 4 collapses. Note I have limited editing skills :ROFLMAO:

gopherdebackle.jpg
 



GopherWeatherGuy said:
Besides giving up 24 in Q2 to Michigan in 2011:

Gave up 28 in Q2 to NDSU in 2011
24 in Q1 to Purdue in 2011
24 in Q2 to Nebraska in 2011
21 in Q1 to Northwestern in 2011
21 in Q2 to Iowa 2012
21 in Q2 to Wisconsin 2015
21 in Q4 to Wisconsin 2016. Although Mitch helped a lot with that.
There was a 19 point 4th quarter to Indiana in 2013
There were also five 17 point quarters.
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Didn’t he have a historically bad collapse when he went to WSU as well?
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Besides giving up 24 in Q2 to Michigan in 2011:

Gave up 28 in Q2 to NDSU in 2011
24 in Q1 to Purdue in 2011
24 in Q2 to Nebraska in 2011
21 in Q1 to Northwestern in 2011
21 in Q2 to Iowa 2012
21 in Q2 to Wisconsin 2015
21 in Q4 to Wisconsin 2016. Although Mitch helped a lot with that.
There was a 19 point 4th quarter to Indiana in 2013
There were also five 17 point quarters.
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it is absolutely crazy the revisionist history about the claeys era

Fleck might not be the coach that wins the big ten title. He may be fired by 2026.
But that doesn’t mean claeys was better than him.
 

Ewert86PC said:
Stats are crap because you are fooling yourself based on one aspect of the game. The offensive stats only matter if the defensive stats don't overwhelm them.

The defense was collapsing because our scheme was unraveled and we were giving up an elite level of points.

The offense couldn't score more points to buffer the collapse in the last quarter. One touchdown, or even one field goal could have been enough to stave off more points being scored against us.

The first three quarters were statistically insignificant compared to the fourth quarter because the game flipped in one quarter. We did nothing to stop it. Not on defense. Not on offense.
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This is exactly correct. We used to have a saying in baseball, win the inning. You have to win or tie every inning or you could lose the game. Gophers lost one quarter and it cost them the game, despite winning the other 3. I put it entirely on the coaching staff.
 

“Year 7” is interesting
People keep bringing it up. And I get it. But Minnesota isn’t a program that’s going to win 9+ every year. The loss last night was inexcusable. A team who IMO is much worse than the gophers. A 21 point 4th quarter lead. Terrible 4th quarter o and d.




Wittingham was 5-7 in year 8
5-7 in year 9
7-6 in year 13

Ferentz was 7-5 in year 7
6-7 in year 8
6-6 in year 9
7-6 in year 13
4-8 in year 14

Barry Alvarez was 5-7 in year 12
7-6 in year 14

Mark dantonio was 3-9 in year 10




The loss last night was pretty inexcusable whether it was year 1 or 5 or 7 or 15.
It is not worse because it’s year 7. It’s equally as terrible.
 

SamSquatch said:
There are sloppy and obese football coaches everywhere, including the NFL. Claeys was, thankfully, let go because he is a dud.

Egad enough with this guy. I wouldn’t want Claeys back if he coached for free.
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I liked Claeys as a DC. I have not seen another Gopher defensive coordinator make half-time adjustments that worked.
 

denguegopher said:
I liked Claeys as a DC. I have not seen another Gopher defensive coordinator make half-time adjustments that worked.
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I mean against eastern Michigan two weeks ago they had negative net yards in the second half

You just have missed that game/adjustment
 

Ewert86PC said:
Stats are crap because you are fooling yourself based on one aspect of the game. The offensive stats only matter if the defensive stats don't overwhelm them.

The defense was collapsing because our scheme was unraveled and we were giving up an elite level of points.

The offense couldn't score more points to buffer the collapse in the last quarter. One touchdown, or even one field goal could have been enough to stave off more points being scored against us.

The first three quarters were statistically insignificant compared to the fourth quarter because the game flipped in one quarter. We did nothing to stop it. Not on defense. Not on offense.
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Correct, but you forgot special teams.
 

Fire Fleck now. That was absolutely embarrassing
 


btowngopher said:
Didn’t he have a historically bad collapse when he went to WSU as well?
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In his second season against UCLA. Gave up 21 in Q3, and 29 in Q4. Lost 67-63. They were up 49-17 with 6:52 left in the 3rd quarter.

They lost to Utah 38-13 the following week and then he resigned.
 




Just watched a second string tight end (Oliver) make an NFL catch on a ball thrown way behind him (away from the defender). Hmmm.
 

TRF Guy said:
No idea but I’ve worn thin with Fleck
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Yeah he is annoying
I was pissed when they didn’t hire external Oc

But there are only 30-40 coaches out there definitely Better than fleck. And I don’t think we would get one of them. So we would either be taking someone known worse or a complete unknown
 

Some guy said:
Yeah he is annoying
I was pissed when they didn’t hire external Oc

But there are only 30-40 coaches out there definitely Better than fleck. And I don’t think we would get one of them. So we would either be taking someone known worse or a complete unknown
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I hear ya. Frustrating for sure
 


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