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Reputation:90
Level:All-Star
Since:Nov 12, 2007
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Hey just a curious buckeye fan here wanting to know more about the teams around the big ten. I am hoping for the big ten to re-establish itself as a true power. While I dont buy the crap that the big ten is weak I do know ive seen better days of football for our conference. I have read things saying that PSU, illinois, wisky, and MSU are bringing back pretty good teams and I know OSU is as well, as for michigan i def think they can crack the top 25 depending on how well RR builds the team this summer the talent is still there.. Just hoping for a little input from you all.
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Reputation:91
Level:All-Star
Since:Oct 26, 2007
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Anyone? U really want to leave this up to me?
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 28, 2007
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Many of the experts say we are bringing in the 3rd best recruiting class in the Big Ten this year (behind Ohio State and Michigan) and rank it around 15th - 20th in the nation. Quite a feat for Coach Brewster when one considers the Gophers are coming off one of the worst seasons, in terms of wins and losses, in the history of the program. I don't think their going to be contenders in the Big Ten this season, but look for a significantly improved team. As a Gophers fan I'll be rooting for bowl eligibility and at least 1 of the trophy games! New on-campus stadium for the maroon and gold next fall!
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 25, 2006
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It's all a question of how fast these incoming freshman can contribute. They all have a shot to start, which says a lot about how bad we were last year. I wouldn't expect much next year, as we'll be a VERY young team, but when these kids mature, look out. Many of these recruits were the kind of kids you Ohio State fans are used to seeing....certainly much better than the class PSU, MSU, or Wisconsin got. All it takes is stringing together a couple good classes and we're back in business. You need to look no further than Illinois to see our blueprint.
But the Big Ten will be weak this next year. I'd expect Michigan to fail miserably as they try to install a spread offense into a team that is built for the power running game. Hmmm....sounds familiar, huh Gopher fans? They do have more talented players to work with, but losing all those stars (Henne, Manningham, Arrington, Hart, Long) has got to hurt. If I were them, I'd be realistic and be happy with bowl eligibility. So without Michigan to butt heads with, I think the conference is yours again this year OSU. Illinois still isn't there yet. Maybe PSU comes in second, with Wisky nipping at their heels wondering again why nobody takes them seriously.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 28, 2007
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Yeh, they'll be a young team. I still fully expect 4 victories to start the season (Northern Illinois, @Bowling Green, Montana State, Florida Atlantic) They have no business losing any of those games (of course they shouldn't have last year either..  ). I also think they should be pretty competitive in all their B10 home games this season (Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan, Iowa). Winning one of the road games will be a challenge for them though (Ohio State, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin). I still think bowl eligibility isn't unrealistic this season, though in this day in age that doesn't always equate to a great season. But yeah, things are looking better long term than short term. Sounds like Brewster's got some pretty highly rated kids already for '09 as well.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 25, 2006
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Wow, tacobite, I hadn't realized how favorable our schedule actually is. We get the hardest teams on the road, where we might have lost anyways if we played them at home. This really does make the most of the home schedule. Iowa is also a crappy team, only marginally better than us last year, and they certainly didn't get any better this off-season. Indiana will struggle without Lewis and Hardy. Northwestern was the only team last year that actually was worse than us. I know they beat us in 2OT on their homecoming, but watching that whole game I really think we would've won 7 out of 10 times. This year we'll win that one easily. I already talked about Michigan being uncharacteristically weak this year, although I certainly won't count them out. I totally agree that those first 4 non-conference games are a must win and an expected win....even after last year, a betting man would still call the gophers favorites in these 4 games.
We could be looking at bowl elligibility here, folks. Against my better judgement as a cautious Minnesota fan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that we make a bowl game this year. Sure it'll be the Lysol Toilet Bowl, but I'm OK with that after last year. Importing talent like Sam Maresh, Bradon Green, Keenon Cooper, Spencer Reeves, and Jewhan Edwards should be enough to win those first 4 games even as freshman without any time to gel together.
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 3, 2007
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I am a hard-core gophers alum, but I cannot say good things in 2008-2009.
The defense ranked last in total yards in Division I and they are not going to be any better.
Offensively, the Gopher quarterback Adam Weber (sophomore) put up big numbers, but this is an anamoly - like when the VIkings were ranked #1 against the run because everybody passed on us. The Gophers trailed big in many games.
We were 1-11 last year with close losses at Northwestern (48-49) and Iowa (16-21). Both the Wildcats and Hawkeyes should be improved, so we may not improve our Big Ten record of no wins. We also played Wisconsin tough. losing 34-41, but the Badger game was more disheartening than heart-warming.
Of course, the two losses against NDSU (21-27) and Florida Atlantic (39-42) suggest we may need to move to a lesser divsion of football. We are in the Great football depression in the state of Minnesota, we will wait out the failed efforts of Coach Brewster, and then get a real name coach some day that could get us to 7 or 8 wins, and a third tier bowl game. Ski-U-mah.
Besided Weber, there is really no great talent retuning on the offense or defense. Eric Decker should have big numbers at receiver, but this is a gopher truism, throwing all the time gets big numbers for 1 or 2 receivers, that's it. Since Marion Barber and Lawrence Maroney left we have not had the balance necesary to compete against even the lesser teams in Division I.
Life sucks.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 28, 2007
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Well I'm not ready to throw Brewster under the bus just yet. Yeah last year was pretty tough as a Gopher fan, though it ain't like it was the first tough year as a Gopher fan  . But he's bringing in a group of kids this year that is better than any we've seen in a long time, particularly at DB and WR. Made all the more remarkable after the disaster that was last season. He's already got a commit from a highly rated RB in Hasan Lipscomb for '09 as well, when we will be watching football in a brand new on-campus stadium. I think good things are on the horizon for Gopher football. If he keeps bringing in recruiting classes like this Gopher fans may actually have something to root for besides another Mason toilet bowl (which I'll readilly admit, was better than nothing).
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2000
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They will be much better!There is alot of talent on that roster with one of the best recruiting classes ever coming in.Plus we are going to finaly have a stadium on campus in a year.In three years Rosebowl bound baby.
Life is good ...except gas prices and the fact I won't be able to afford to drive to games.
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Reputation:68
Level:Pro
Since:Apr 20, 2008
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Well fastazzws6 i think the gophers will be improved, Weber will have another year under his belt and we got some good junior college defensive players and really good freshman in our recruiting class, it may take Brewster a couple years but hopefully someday we will be able to challenge the buckeyes for the conference, i have always admired your program and have followed it, Tressel is a great coach, good luck this year, hope you guys compete for the national championship but i hope you know with a couple more recruiting years like this the gophers might catch up to you.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 25, 2006
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RollingHills, stop being such a downer. Not only that, you can't argue worth a crap.
You say that Weber's stats are skewed because we were trying to come back from huge deficits, but nothing could be further from the truth. We lost more close games (less than a TD) than any team in all of NCAA last year, with 3 OT games.
You say that Northwestern and Iowa will be improved....right, do you honestly think they are more improved than us??? The change in talent level favors us against EVERY team in the Big Ten except for Ohio State, because they had a better recruiting class and didn't lose much. We dramatically closed the talent gap, especially in terms of speed and athleticism. Dom Barber was excellent for us in stopping TDs, but he ran a 4.7 as a safety. Now we got Brock with his 4.4, and a couple other speed demons coming in. Speed kills. Just ask OSU how they faired against quicker Florida and LSU teams.
With the losses to NDSU and Florida Atlantic, you're really comparing apples to Oranges. You have small schools playing at their peak potential in a well-rehearsed system versus a big school playing disorganized in a new system. Watch Michigan suffer a non-conference loss this year with their new system....you won't be calling for them to step down to 1-AA.
In short, if you can't even muster up a little bit of optimism for your "beloved" Gophers, then move to Wisconsin. I'm sure you'd fit in better over there anyways.
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 3, 2007
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Gopher Alum,
your pills? I have been attending/watching the Gophers since Cal Stoll and Tony Dungy, Rick Upchurch. I have given much love to them.
I am a Gopher alumni, just one that is down about the state of Gopher football. But with your blind optimism you shouldn't fret that I guy who 'can't argue' and 'should move to Wisconsin' talks about us in difficult terms. Let me go.
We were 1-11 last year, 0-8 in the Big 10, we lost to NDSU. We lost to Florida Atlantic. I listened to and/or watched most games last year, we were ahead at times, but mostly playing from behind - easy to do in a 1-11 season.
Adam Weber connected for a lot of late tds and yards in games that were decided, and we resorted to flinging the ball. The defense was god-awful.
To attack me belies your own anger that you cannot bring yourself to point at the real problem - a bad program.
We are on the same team, just wearing different lens-colored glasses.
But I'm not trying to argue with you, I do not know how to do that.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 25, 2006
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Look, I'm glad you're a Gopher alum and fan, but I'm gonna set you straight no matter what color jersey you wear on Saturdays. It's not blind optimism....a nationally ranked recruiting class is legitimate cause for optimism. The REAL problem is half-assed fans like you. Minnesotans are reasonable people to a fault. They won't allow themselves to ever get too excited or optimistic about something for fear of getting let down and for understanding that it's all just a game, after all. I know this, but if you're gonna call yourself a fan and come on these message boards, then you gotta invite a little bit of hype and hope into the mix, otherwise you're a mere casual observer. We got too many bandwagon observers in this state and not enough fans. That's the REAL problem with the program.....not enough support from the fans. What'd we get 5000 for the spring game??? Even the students leave games early. It's pathetic. Stop being so Minnesotan all you "fans."
A lack of interest in the form of TV, internet sites, and ticket sales actually does affect the quality of coaches and recruits that come to Minnesota. It's a very gradual effect, and although a poor fan base isn't directly responsible for the 1-11 season, it's to blame for ever getting us in that position in the first place. Go back to the 60's if you need to. A program with 6 national championships should never need to settle for that long string of inept coaches, culminating in Glenn Mason. Brewster is gonna turn this thing around, after re-stocking the bare cupboard Mason left him.
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Jan 11, 2008
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A lack of interest in the form of TV, internet sites, and ticket sales actually does affect the quality of coaches and recruits that come to Minnesota.
I agree. It drive me nuts that are so hard to watch on TV. The Big10 Network may help down the road when more people have it.
New stadium will help big time as well.
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Reputation:89
Level:All-Star
Since:Apr 30, 2008
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We got too many bandwagon observers in this state and not enough fans. That's the REAL problem with the program.....not enough suppo | |
