Gopher Football

[so haaad]

I know that Brewster is supposed to be known for his recruiting, but is anyone else surprised with the recruiting job that he is doing this off season? Especially after last year's 1-win season? I am very surprised to see that next year's recruiting class is ranked #23 nationally by Rivals...higher than teams like Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kansas. Lots could happen between now and signing day, but on paper I'm quite impressed. Now if it can just transfer to the field...

[Pointer_Pride]

I am a huge gopher fan and have been following recriuting the whole winter, and I am super excited for the years to come. This will definetly be a heck of a class, lots of speed on defense and a few good looking guys on offense too. Brewster has been working his tail off and I think there might be some surprises come signing day.

[fishyguy]

The jury is out on whether the guy can coach but he appears to be the salesman they made him out to be. I will take a downcyle with hope of improvement to a higher tier than the constant stage of mediocrity Mason was giving us.

[gopher_nation]

Yep he's doing a great job with recruiting. Probably will have a tough 2008 season still. His team is going to start taking shape when they get into the new stadium in '09. As far as coaching stats go, he really can't get any lower this year. He is what the program needed.

[lawdog]

They have a million miles to go to even be respectivable. Rivals.com just rated them one of the ten worst Bowl Championship Division programs in the nation... HOW SAD!

[fishwithteeth]

I think they will be respectable this year.

Brewster inherited a terrible defense then lost 2 starting thugs to a rape allegation. The team played every game hard -- they never gave-up. The last couple games they started freshmen at D-back and probably had the best pass defense of the year.

Call me a Homer, but I think the Gophs

could be .500 in the Big Ten in 2 years - maybe next year. How many times did Mason go .500+ in conferance - twice? in 10 years!

Bottom line - The Gophers will be fun to watch and they will be competative!! Remember, you heard it here first!

[fishyguy]

 Originally Posted By: lawdog

They have a million miles to go to even be respectivable. Rivals.com just rated them one of the ten worst Bowl Championship Division programs in the nation... HOW SAD!

Agreed....and most won't take issue with that but I think his initial recruiting class, especially coming off the season they had, has to be looked at optimistically. That said, it will take a steady rise in play on the field and level of athlete coming in but it is a step that had to be taken.

[lawdog]

Ya I think he did a good job recruiting with what he has to work with. I think we just have to be realistic about this team though.

This is never going to be a powerful football program, we don't have the alums, the facilities, the money or many other things to be competing with the Michigans and Ohio States of our conference, let alone the Florida's and the USC's of the world. I honestly don't know that I'll live long enough to see MN play a Rose Bowl...

[fishwithteeth]

That's what they said in Wisconsin before Barry Alvarez was hired.

I believe every team in the Big Ten has made the Rose Bowl since the Gophers were there in the early 60's. A lot of those schools are smaller and some have tougher academic requirements than Minnesota. What the Gophers need is a committment to win from the Regents - just like Wisconsin did when they hired Alvarez.

I really believe that a new stadium, the stadiums return to campus, the commitment of Maturi to turn the program into a winning program, Brewster's commitment to the team by recruiting top players in state and out, will eventually cause the Alumni's return to support the program.

Don't buy your tickets to Pasadena yet, but maybe in 2010.

[Pointer_Pride]

The brew crew picks up another solid commit! A three star WR in Brodrick Smith. That leaves us with one scholie left(assuming we don't lose anyone)for a last minute bonus. Feb. 6th can't come soon enough.

[so haaad]

One scholie left for...maybe...Willie Mobley???

I don't remember, is Walker Ashley playing for the Gophs this next year or not?

[HUNT&FISH]

Gophers had a solid offense last year. Freshmen Quarterback Weber set many records and showed more experience as the year went on, But do you think he can handle the job for 08? The defense had many struggles but Brewster has a strong recruiting class coming in, and mostly on defense means there should be improvement. Looking forward to watching them in the years coming!!!

[LMITOUT]

I keep reading and hearing the apologies about "what Brewster was left with". Well, Mason made it to bowl games with "what Brewster was left with".

Brewster didn't.

[PierBridge]

 Originally Posted By: LMITOUT

I keep reading and hearing the apologies about "what Brewster was left with". Well, Mason made it to bowl games with "what Brewster was left with".

Brewster didn't.

UMMMMMM....no he didn't and no he "mace" would not have made a bowl game if he was the coach last year.

That being said I think Mason is a better College football coach than the Brew at this point in time anyway!

[so haaad]

 Originally Posted By: LMITOUT

I keep reading and hearing the apologies about "what Brewster was left with". Well, Mason made it to bowl games with "what Brewster was left with".

Brewster didn't.

Mason's teams that went to bowl games were much better than last year's team and included players like Maroney, Barber, Tapeh, Utecht, Spaeth, Eslinger, Setterstrom, Montgomery, etc. There was nobody on last year's team of this caliber. I for one am interested to see if Brewster can step this team up a notch.

So does anyone know the status on Ashley? Is a Gopher this fall?

[fishyguy]

Actually, Mason made to the mediocre bowl games with guys like Maroney, Barber, Eslinger, Setterstrom, Tapeh, Russell, Spaeth, Utecht, Lehan (off the top of my head). These are all guys who were on NFL rosters and for the most part played a prominent role or started for their NFL teams. Don't forget Brewster lost 3 or 4 other starters due to criminal activity. They were not his guys but he paid the price for their departures.

I didn't see any future NFL prospects on the field last year other than maybe some promising freshmen or sophomores. Yes, Mason gave us consistent mediocrity and probably would have done more with last years team, but he also never would have surpassed average while scheduling every little school that would take a beating. We are now scheduling, Washington State, Cal, Colorado, and others for future years. Not USC or Florida but still better than the NDSU, Toledo, and Northern Louisiana schedules.

Like I said before, I would rather back a failure striving for greatness than pull for a guy who couldn't/wouldn't get past average.

[Down to Earth]

If Northwestern can make it to the Rose Bowl, there should be no reason the Gophers not to. Give Brewster a couple years and I think he will be doing ok for himself and the school.

[LMITOUT]

 Originally Posted By: PierBridge

"mace" would not have made a bowl game if he was the coach last year.

We'll never know will we..........

[Pointer_Pride]

Mason was a good coach, but i don't think he would have gone to a bowl with last years team. Mason traditionally had bad defenses and was able to win by running the ball for 350 yards and keeping the D off the field. You take his already bad defenses and take away the best player plus two starters and I don't think he coud have fixed it.

As far as Walker Ashley, I think it is pretty safe to say that you are more likely to find him flipping burgers than on a football field.

[gopher_nation]

Fishyguy hit it. He had some great talent on offense and couldn't get past average. Going to the Music City Bowl is nothing to be proud of, especially with the talent them teams had. It's going to take Brewster a few years but he will have a team that can compete in the Big Ten. The tougher non-conference schedule he wants is only going to help them in the big games like Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State. Masons confidence booster non-conference schedule only resulted in wake-up calls when they played tough opponents.

[joewibro14]

Lawdog - If Illinois can make it to the Rose Bowl this year, then Minnesota is definately on the right track right now to achieving that level of play! All Illinois had was a great back in Mendenhall, an athletic quarterback who was inconsistant in the passing game, and a leader on defense in Lehman.

Pasadena in 2010 is a good prediction with the type of defensive and offensive talent we have coming in this year. With the recruiting connections Brewster has accross the nation, we will continue to lure bigtime prospects and the talent pool will only improve at the U.

At this point we need to get a good running back and watch as a big ten champion team develops!

[HUNT&FISH]

Right on Joe14, already Brewster has a grat class comming into 08-09, considering a 1-11 season last year. The team did make some close games happen. Look forward too the new and improved defense, and the offense, hopefully lead by Weber.(kid showed some serious potential)!!

[PierBridge]

How do we know the incoming class is any good?

I guess miracles do happen but at this point the Rose-bowl is a pipe dream in the foreseeable future IMO.

[bassNspear]

 Originally Posted By: PierBridge

I guess miracles do happen but at this point the Rose-bowl is a pipe dream in the foreseeable future IMO.

You might be right, but i can tell you this, it cant getting any worse then last year. There going to step it up. The best thing is bringing it up year after year, and make something happen

[HUNT&FISH]

I was rating the class that another HSOforum ranked recruiting classes