Gophers Football

[FattCrapps]

Gophs put in a good effort against #2 TCU, ultimately coming up short by 6 points.  

 

Leidner looked awful, so many over/under throws to wide open receivers.  I was sure hoping to see some improvement in that department.

 

Still, I'm excited for the season.  They better get the axe this time. 

[TheLeviathan]

They played a really strong defensive game, very encouraging!

[twinsnorth49]

Ugh, Williams fumble out the back of the end zone,a yard away from scoring, so close. If the defense can keep building on that effort they will be a tough test for anyone, but geez Leidner has to get it together.

[Mike Sixel]

I have no faith that this team will beat good teams consistently, or win any bowl game. There just isn't evidence it is happening. Kill got them respectable again, I guess that's worth $2.5MM a year now. Another year where they beat up on the bad teams, but no cookie at the end.

[twinsnorth49]

 

I have no faith that this team will beat good teams consistently, or win any bowl game. There just isn't evidence it is happening. Kill got them respectable again, I guess that's worth $2.5MM a year now. Another year where they beat up on the bad teams, but no cookie at the end.

Yes there is, but when you only judge things through the b&w prism of wins and losses it's easy to believe that. 

TCU is the #2 ranked team in the country, the Gophers aren't even ranked, stop and think about that for a second.

 

 

[drjim]

Yes there is, but when you only judge things through the b&w prism of wins and losses it's easy to believe that.

TCU is the #2 ranked team in the country, the Gophers aren't even ranked, stop and think about that for a second.

And think about the previous 50 years.

 

Cleaning up and rebuilding a mess takes some time.

 

Kind of like a baseball gm.

[TheLeviathan]

 

I have no faith that this team will beat good teams consistently, or win any bowl game. There just isn't evidence it is happening. Kill got them respectable again, I guess that's worth $2.5MM a year now. Another year where they beat up on the bad teams, but no cookie at the end.

http://www.sundijo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Staying-Positive-in-the-Midst-of-Negativity.png

[drjim]

That should probable be mike's avatar by now.

[Mike Sixel]

I agree, it takes time....it is year 5....how many years until we can expect them to be one of the 2-3 best big # teams occasionally, not to lose bowl games they are favored in, and to win games against winning teams not just the dregs?

 

If we shouldn't judge a coach on Wins and Losses.....how should we? When he gets a QB, they will have a chance, but so far, there is no evidence he can get a QB, so far.

[TheLeviathan]

The team has been making steady strides every year, maybe it will plateau but Debbie-downing a close loss to the #2 team in the country is a bit much.

[biggentleben]

 

I agree, it takes time....it is year 5....how many years until we can expect them to be one of the 2-3 best big # teams occasionally, not to lose bowl games they are favored in, and to win games against winning teams not just the dregs?

 

If we shouldn't judge a coach on Wins and Losses.....how should we? When he gets a QB, they will have a chance, but so far, there is no evidence he can get a QB, so far.

 

There are 3-5 "good" QBs in college football on a yearly basis that are not complete garbage either the year before or year after. It's the biggest dearth of a position in college football. I think one of the reviews I saw of the Gophers was great. It said on Leidner, "Gopher fans hate him, Big 10 coaches talk highly of him, Kill loves him, and he's above average as a QB in college football."

 

Encouraging game last night, though I wish the Big 12 officials wouldn't have made it so obvious.

 

That said, the fumble through the end zone and the dropped INT that would have likely been a TD hurt. When you're playing an elite team and trying to pull off the upset, you need little breaks like that going your way, not the other way. See: Penn State and Ohio State back-to-back seasons taking down those two when they were rated #2 in the country - on the road, no less.

Edited September 4, 2015 by biggentleben

[biggentleben]

 

I agree, it takes time....it is year 5....how many years until we can expect them to be one of the 2-3 best big # teams occasionally, not to lose bowl games they are favored in, and to win games against winning teams not just the dregs?

 

If we shouldn't judge a coach on Wins and Losses.....how should we? When he gets a QB, they will have a chance, but so far, there is no evidence he can get a QB, so far.

 

On your last point, I don't think the emphasis on Kill's offense is QB, but his QB needs a very solid line in front of him to produce in that offense. Kill finally has "his guys" on the line after being there a few years.

[Mike Sixel]

 

The team has been making steady strides every year, maybe it will plateau but Debbie-downing a close loss to the #2 team in the country is a bit much.

 

This isn't about one game, I am asking when/if we can expect them to be more than the 5th best team, a team that beats the bad teams, but doesn't win the games against good team.....

 

It's too bad we can't talk about the gophers and what we want to see, and have to talk about me.....like Ben did. He actually talked about the team, and I appreciate that.

 

Ben, how much better do you expect the OL to be this year, I haven't had a chance to look at that at all yet?

[biggentleben]

 

Ben, how much better do you expect the OL to be this year, I haven't had a chance to look at that at all yet?

 

I still worry about the exterior of the line. The tackle situation was notably poor, yet TCU's pass defense couldn't put together a solid rush consistently. Whether that's the product of poor TCU front 7 or the product of better cohesion among the whole unit. That said, the tackles, when healthy, should be the centerpiece of the line. Josh Campion is a red shirt senior who was arguably the Gophers best lineman last year, but he was out with a concussion for Thursday's game. That put swing tackle Ben Lauer at left tackle, but he had offseason surgery on his knee, and he was not 100%, and it was clear in the first half. Jonah Pirsig might be the best lineman the Gophers have this year, but they had to move him from his comfortable right tackle spot to the left last night. Add in that I believe you'll see a pair of redshirt seniors eventually give way to two very talented Texan brothers at the guard spots, and the team could end up with two draftable tackles (probably 7th round draftable types, but still...) and two all-conference guards along with their redshirt senior center.

[stringer bell]

While the schedule is pretty tough and the Gophers won't sneak up on anybody, they look pretty good. I'm with Ben, win the axe and hold all the trophies.

[mikecgrimes]

 

Gophs put in a good effort against #2 TCU, ultimately coming up short by 6 points.  

 

Leidner looked awful, so many over/under throws to wide open receivers.  I was sure hoping to see some improvement in that department.

 

Still, I'm excited for the season.  They better get the axe this time. 

 

Unless they have a top 10 defense hold up on getting to excited, in 4 weeks theres probably a better chance TCU is outside of the top 25 then there is they remain in the top 5.  The Gopher offense isn't horrible but it's not good.  A true national title contender takes advantage of all the chances the Gophers gave them to put the game away.  

[TheLeviathan]

This isn't about one game, I am asking when/if we can expect them to be more than the 5th best team, a team that beats the bad teams, but doesn't win the games against good team.....

 

It's too bad we can't talk about the gophers and what we want to see, and have to talk about me.....like Ben did. He actually talked about the team, and I appreciate that.

Man, go back and read that first post you made. That wasn't a question, it was just silly, over the top sneering that was totally unwarranted.

 

I agree, let's talk football and not how much money Kill makes.

 

I'm more concerned about running back in this offense, I'm not sure Williams is good enough.

Edited September 5, 2015 by TheLeviathan

[biggentleben]

 

I'm more concerned about running back in this offense, I'm not sure Williams is good enough.

 

I don't think Williams alone is. I love Smith, but the guy to keep an eye on is true freshman Shannon Brooks from Georgia. It's rare for Kill to keep a true freshman skill guy, but even more so a true freshman, which is why I'm keeping an eye on Brooks and Rashad Still, the wide receiver who flashed some good stuff in the TCU game. I think the running back corps will be solid, even if there isn't a single stud in the group.

[FattCrapps]

 

Unless they have a top 10 defense hold up on getting to excited, in 4 weeks theres probably a better chance TCU is outside of the top 25 then there is they remain in the top 5.  The Gopher offense isn't horrible but it's not good.  A true national title contender takes advantage of all the chances the Gophers gave them to put the game away.  

 

Or maybe it was the first game of the season and TCU was still working out some kinks.  

 

[twinsnorth49]

Or maybe it was the first game of the season and TCU was still working out some kinks.

And the Gophers weren't? Surely it goes both ways?

[FattCrapps]

 

And the Gophers weren't? Surely it goes both ways?

?

 

I was disagreeing with the poster who claimed TCU would be out of the top 25.

 

I was excited about the way the Gophs played, except for Leidner's accuracy issues, which was my biggest concern from last season.  It's frustrating to see great play calls not executed because of a ball thrown at the receiver's feet.  

[twinsnorth49]

?

 

I was disagreeing with the poster who claimed TCU would be out of the top 25.

 

I was excited about the way the Gophs played, except for Leidner's accuracy issues, which was my biggest concern from last season. It's frustrating to see great play calls not executed because of a ball thrown at the receiver's feet.

Sorry, came across the wrong way, I was adding on to your comment, poorly.

[USAFChief]

I like Kill a lot, and he's improved the team, and talent, by a lot.

 

But I can't shake the feeling QB play is a big limiting factor, and unfortunately I don't think ML is ever going to throw the ball well enough to ever not be a limiting factor.

 

Still and all, way better overall than recent history team wise.

[Vanimal46]

Only 1 game so far, but the Defense looks like a 10 win team, and the offense looks like a 5 win team with Leidner leading the way. I think it will even out to be a 7-9 win team. A good result by any Gopher team in the last 20-30 years, but missing the QB needed to be Big 10 champion material. 

[DRizzo]

Has anybody read anything about why Jeff Jones didn't get in the game against TCU? The Gopher site said he was dressed for the game so I can't imagine he is still academically ineligible.

[twinsnorth49]

Has anybody read anything about why Jeff Jones didn't get in the game against TCU? The Gopher site said he was dressed for the game so I can't imagine he is still academically ineligible.

He did play, albeit very limited at wideout. Limegrover alluded to him not being quite up to speed yet. I expect we'll see him more against Colorado St. But my guess is as a wideout still, seems he has a bit to learn at RB with Kill. That being said, he just might be the Gophers best receiver.

[twinsnorth49]

I'm not a huge Leidner fan but he is better than a lot of people give him credit for, and he is a good fit for Kill's offense. He will be better this year I feel.

 

Gophers go 9-3 or 8-4, book it.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'm not a huge Leidner fan but he is better than a lot of people give him credit for, and he is a good fit for Kill's offense. He will be better this year I feel.

Gophers go 9-3 or 8-4, book it.

 

By what measure is he good, and not below average for a QB on a power campus? I am genuinely curious.

 

 

[twinsnorth49]

 

By what measure is he good, and not below average for a QB on a power campus? I am genuinely curious.

For the most part he's a winner, name another QB in the last 40 years to beat both Michigan and Iowa in the same year, and then name the one who also beat Nebraska that very same year?

 

Hint, both questions have the same answer.

 

Listen, I prefaced it by saying I'm not a big Leidner fan, I also didn't say he was good, as you've indicated. I said he's better than a lot of people give him credit for. I also don't believe he's reached his ceiling as a player, which is why I expect him to be better this year. Leidner needs to improve his passing game and lord knows that might be difficult without Williams and not a lot of experience to replace him. I think this is where Leidner steps up this year, statistically he's inconsistent but he has the ability to keep his team in games, with a bit more consistency (and some luck), wins over the likes of Wisconsin might not be too far away.

[drjim]

Leidner doesn't exactly have tons of weapons around him or an especially imaginative offense to run.

 

Can obviously upgrade there but that can probably be said about any position on the team.

 

He seems closer to middle of the pack in D1 but he is going to take far too much abuse this year.