Gopher Football 2015

[JBMasterAngler]

So much for working the kinks out on offense. At least the defense is solid.

[JBMasterAngler]

Holy cow! Way too close for comfort! Special teams was horrendous! Who's this new guy, Brooks? He's pretty good...much better than Williams! 

[Big Dave2]

[JBMasterAngler]

My goodness Leidner sucks! At least they finally benched him! Croft wasn't given much of a chance to shine, but at least he completed SOME passes! Interesting to see who starts next week.

[JBMasterAngler]

Yay! The offense showed up!

[Big Dave2]

Does anyone still think this Jerry Kill program is still moving forward?

[dfv87]

I think the overall players he is getting is getting better but he lacks the ability to get a playmaking QB, (Something all schools struggle with except OSU) Case and point would be Big Dave's AL Tide... they lost to OSU last year for the simple reason that they did not have that stud playmaker at QB, they could have won almost every other position battle except that one and it ended up biting them in the end. So the overall players he is getting (Oline/Rb and especially DEF) are getting better but at premier skill positions QB/WR he really lacks recruiting studs aka "divas" aka "headcases" (Most stud qb and wr know they are special... hence act like Divas and so some coaches don't recruit them as well as others.) At OSU Urban Meyer has made a living his whole career getting all the stud Divas and been successful in the biggest stage (divas shine then...) but historically they drop the ball in a meaningless game that costs them (see OSU loss last year) Saban and AL NEVER lose to a vastly inferior opponent, but have recently fell to the diva player rising up as only they can... IMO Kill and his crew do not relate to the self absorbed who "freelance" too much on plays called by the coaches. Too Conservative as a coach coming from a small college background where no one player is more important than the next...

BTW Big Dave... I think Saban at AL has the same control issue at AL when recruiting QBs. HE could get ANY QB he wants... He is Saban and they contend annually for NC on a team loaded with studs all over, but he does not seem like a coach to just give the reins to a player and say go win it... he is a structure coach and for all his studs at multiple positions he does not have Divas per se (IMO with all those studs a Diva would throw off the chemistry which is a balancing act as it is). Hard to argue with his success, but he relies on a mentally tough QB, not limitless talent, (McCarron was a perfect fit) and that bulldog of a QB is even more rare than the stud athlete. Just my observation... for what it is worth.

[JBMasterAngler]

Yeah, Kill has some good young talent on the team right now. Brooks and Smith are going to be a great 1, 2 threat at running back. We have a good young defense for the most part...lot of guys have been hurt this year though. But, for some reason, Kill just CANNOT get a good QB! I'll settle for a decent QB at this point! This season is a loss at this point. Unless we can get an upset or 2, then I don't see any bowl appearances. I picked a bad year to miss the state fair this year, as it might be a long time before I get to see the brown jug in person  I really do hope they get to a bowl game though, as it would be very beneficial for the young guys on the team.

[CaptainMusky]

QB is the single most important position, but it is also the most difficult. We haven't had a good QB in years. With the running backs we have we shouldn't need a great QB, but one that can throw to keep the defense honest. I didn't see a lick of the game last week, but didn't Leidner throw for over 300 yards? I know Nebraskas defense is bad against the pass AND they stacked the box AND we were in catch up mode, but that is a pretty decent outing if he could just do something similar AND have a rushing game we would win a bunch of games.

Sadly, that will not happen. Our O Line is so decimated. Starting 18 year olds in the O Line is one of the riskiest things to do. They don't have the beef or have the smarts to make the right reads, etc.

There has been progress under Kill, but depth is still an issue. Secondary they have the most depth, but they were missing 5 guys one week. That hurts!

The schedule doesn't look good the rest of the way.

[JBMasterAngler]

Wow, did the final 30 seconds of that game make me want to puke my guts out!

[Bobby Bass]

Tuff loss, enuff said

[Big Dave2]

I think the overall players he is getting is getting better but he lacks the ability to get a playmaking QB,

Mason recruited many more play makers than Kill ever thought of but he got fired. Just sayin'.

[dfv87]

Mason recruited many more play makers than Kill ever thought of but he got fired. Just sayin'.

Not saying I disagree here... but back when he was HC, Mason was one of the least liked coaches by HS coaches in MN EVER!

That does not make him a bad coach just a jerk... and you know how we cherish our "MN Nice" title.   

[Big Dave2]

Not saying I disagree here... but back when he was HC, Mason was one of the least liked coaches by HS coaches in MN EVER!

That does not make him a bad coach just a jerk... and you know how we cherish our "MN Nice" title.   

The only Gopher coach with a winning record since Murray Warmath and he gets fired. Great move.

[JBMasterAngler]

I liked Mason, and I think if the gophers had their own stadium while he was the coach, he would have been able to recruit even better players. Unfortunately, as a coach, he wasn't the best decision maker in the world. Example: he lost a lot of games in the 4th quarter because he was in love with the prevent defense. The worst example of which, is the game that cost him his job. The horrific 4th quarter against Texas Tech in the bowl game we lost. I think that still stands as the biggest come from behind win in bowl game (all bowl games) history!

[Big Dave2]

At least the Gophers signed Tracy Claeys. Might as well continue the mediocrity for 3 more years. Great move.

[CaptainMusky]

So BigDave, who would you have signed?

Its not like they have a ton of options right now. There is no AD who would certainly want to put their stamp on the hiring process. They had to do something quick because of recruiting.

I think Claeys deserves a shot and I think this continuity will keep the program moving in the right direction. Kill did a lot of good things, maybe they didn't show up in W's, but the cumulative GPA has skyrocketed under him and I only see that being sustained which is a good thing.

[Big Dave2]

So BigDave, who would you have signed?

Its not like they have a ton of options right now.

I would have done what any other school would have done under the circumstances and not hired anyone until after the season is over to see who might be available.

There is no AD who would certainly want to put their stamp on the hiring process.

So then wouldn't the smart move have been to hire an AD first?

I think Claeys deserves a shot and I think this continuity will keep the program moving in the right direction. Kill did a lot of good things, maybe they didn't show up in W's, but the cumulative GPA has skyrocketed under him and I only see that being sustained which is a good thing.

[JBMasterAngler]

This isn't going to be a good year for coach availability, with all the vacancies that are already open. Who knows how many more there will be when the season ends. Signing Claeys right now was a good move. If the whole team was all seniors, then maybe go on the lookout. But with the whole team made up of underclassman, this was the right move.

 

With that being said, last night sucked! Can you please just try for a normal on sides kick?

[Big Dave2]

Yes you are right, mediocrity is the best that can be hoped for here at the U anyway.

[JBMasterAngler]

Wow. Disappointing ending to a disappointing season. How fitting the season ends on a Leidner interception?

[Bobby Bass]

Well that was fun........Not

[Big Dave2]

At least they locked up Tracy Clayes for 3 more years.

Not even up to the usual standard of mediocrity, but I keep hearing that the Gophers are going in the right direction.

Roll Tide!

Edited November 29, 2015 by Big Dave2

[Big Dave2]

You guys should be passing the hat around to raise some money to throw at Les Miles if he gets fired.

[JBMasterAngler]

I didn't read the article, but right before I came here, I seen that LSU is keeping Miles. 

 

I knew the game was over in the 2nd quarter when the defense finally stopped Wisconsin, then we started moving the ball, and yep, Leidner fumbles. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew that we had no chance of winning the second that happened!

 

When I got off of work on wednesday night, I seen that the badgers' team buses were parked in the hotel across the street. I knew I should've did something