Gopher football

The badgers aren’t an elite team , but as I said in an earlier post , year in and year out they are a solid top 20 team that flirts with the top 10 then gets beat back down , usually by Ohio state . The big 10 west still goes through Wisconsin most years . Ohio state is the only elite team in the conference , either division . The gophers had a great year and the border battle should mean something in years to come , looking forward to it

So who has converted to be a fan of “Row the boat” this season that didn’t like it the last 2 years?

Ed wrote:

So who has converted to be a fan of “Row the boat” this season that didn’t like it the last 2 years?

I was super skeptical of PJ originally, and considered him Brewster 2.0. Last year when he let the DC go, and they showed significant improvement I changed my tune.

I agree that Wisconsin or Penn St. aren’t elite programs but there still exists a ton of daylight between them and the Gophers.

Will Minnesota have a single All American this year, no. Will Wisconsin, most definitely. Maybe 2. If the Gophers can sustain a decade of success then they are on the cusp of being elite. It’s been a fun ride with PJ but he’ll be coaching Michigan or Notre Dame in three years and the Gophers will remain a regional program.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

Will Minnesota have a single All American this year, no.

Antoine Winfield Jr was named to First Team on the PFF All-American team just a few days ago. All Big Ten Defensive Back yesterday.
Rashod Bateman was named to Second Team and Tyler Johnson Honorable mention PFF All-American Team as well.

I was going to respond about that too that many outlets have Winfield as an all-American with the others in consideration as well. Thanks CaptainMusky for responding with facts.

I can’t argue with the results on the field. It was a solid season and I hope to see many more like it. 3-4 seasons like this in a row and he’ll be a huge success.

I still turn off the radio whenever PJ comes on. He still sounds like a preacher. Academic, athletic, social and spiritual, blah, blah, blah. Stop trying to sell me on what a great job you’re doing and let your work speak for itself. The only thing I want to hear from PJ right now is “I’m proud of the team and the program we’re building here. We made big strides this year but we have a long way to go.”

I recall most people early on in season saying they had a soft schedule, so does that negate the record just a little bit?

And then when in big spot to go somewhere big they got folded up pretty harshly?

Idk, this outsider’s opinion looking in sees a good season, not great, and as mentioned a slight upward trend. Nothing as deserving as some of the koolaid being served in these threads.

Penn State fold up… only the BIGGEST game in over 40 years… soft schedule or not, when you beat soft opponents by 30+ points, its all relative. Some have kool-aid & some wear blinders. I say keep your eyes open and drink it up !!! 10-2

big_g wrote:

Penn State fold up… only the BIGGEST game in over 40 years… soft schedule or not, when you beat soft opponents by 30+ points, its all relative. Some have kool-aid & some wear blinders. I say keep your eyes open and drink it up !!! 10-2

Exactly! For every “stat” that says the Gophers had a weak schedule there are stats that show teams in the SEC had a weaker schedule yet no one blames them for their records. Besides LSU and Auburn who has Alabama played and they lost to both of those teams.
The Gophers hadnt won 10 regular season games since what 1905?
For those that “turn the channel when PJ speaks” its pretty damn hard to hear him say the things you “want to hear from him right now”. He HAS said those very things and gone on to say there is more work to be done.

Well regarding the soft schedule… that may have been the reason for the freefall in the CFP rankings this past week. I am a firm believer that you are not the team now that you were earlier in the season… because you’re seasoned!!! IMHO, there was growth in this team during the year and some damn fine talent as evidenced by the All-American status of Winfield and the pundits saying that both Johnson and Bateman were Sunday players!!! I also believe that had the big right tackle not been hurt in the first half, there may have been a different outcome as well or at least a closer outcome. PJ said we had six guys ready to go and did not offer any excuses after that either.

As far as being elite in the B1G football, I think all of can agree that OSU is the gold standard in the league. In terms of the rest of the 14 teams and their ability to gain 4 and 5 star talent, both MI and PSU fit in that category and for what ever reason Harbaugh can’t get them over the hump, I can’t quite put my finger on it. Is it the fact that he made the changes this year to his coaching staff that set him back and he didn’t quite catch up???

PSU was elite until that knucklehead put the entire program on the skids (as should have happened) for his travesties against the youth of college. I am amazed at their rebound, never thought it would happen as fast, but they are pushing their status back towards elite.

The Badgers, well my home team as most of you would know… IMHO are trying to get there… they are trying to schedule the right teams in the front of the season, playing the rest of them in fine fashion and as mentioned before are a perennial top 20 team pushing toward the top ten. Are they elite, I’d say no, but they are getting closer.

Back to MN, I was really excited for them hiring PJ, mostly cause his Western MI team played us in the Cotton Bowl those years ago and it was a pretty good game. And for all of his rah, rah… there are a lot of great things he is saying and doing as the leader of that program to the kids!!! And really they are the only ones that matter until the outcome is final, right??? We’re past THE game, Row The Boat, Ski Uh Mah!!!

Mark

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ed wrote:</div>
So who has converted to be a fan of “Row the boat” this season that didn’t like it the last 2 years?

I was super skeptical of PJ originally, and considered him Brewster 2.0. Last year when he let the DC go, and they showed significant improvement I changed my tune.

I’m gladly rowing the boat now because I was too stupid to form my own opinion and listened to the rubes here and on the radio proclaiming him as Brewster 2.0.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Drizzy Musky wrote:</div>
Will Minnesota have a single All American this year, no.

Antoine Winfield Jr was named to First Team on the PFF All-American team just a few days ago. All Big Ten Defensive Back yesterday.
Rashod Bateman was named to Second Team and Tyler Johnson Honorable mention PFF All-American Team as well.

When an outlet that is actually part of the official All American selection picks him then I will recognize it. See attachment, sorry for responding with facts.

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Drizzy Musky wrote:

When an outlet that is actually part of the official All American selection picks him then I will recognize it. See attachment, sorry for responding with facts.

Any other disclaimers or but..but…buts you want to include? I want to make sure they are all out there for when he is included so we dont have a turnabout again with your “facts”. You said “All American” and the facts state he is so tuck your tail and run.

Winfield is a heck of a player but he’s not even the best safety in the conference, that would be Jordan Fuller.

Sorry but PFF isn’t considered by the NCAA when they publish AA teams. Holds about the same weight as the IDO College Football AA team.

A few thoughts.

1) How many games has Coach Fleck actually coached like Minnesota-Wisconsin for the Big Ten West title? I think maybe he had a chance to learn a lot from this year too. Experience matters and now he has some.

2) Very encouraging to see Gopher players rewarded and recognized for their play. There was a point not so long ago when North Dakota had more players in the NFL than the Gophers. Now we have some All Americans. Good stuff.

3) I wonder if whether Coach Fleck can recruit enough players to really compete at the top level. We have had Gopher teams with great running backs (like Maroney), this year we had a great passing game. But there obviously were some big holes in the program as well. The question is can you recruit good players for all positions to a school where the stadium is small, the weather sucks, and there hasn’t been a national title team since 1492? (OK, 1961). I think Wisconsin and to some extent Michigan have the same problem.

S.R.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

Winfield is a heck of a player but he’s not even the best safety in the conference, that would be Jordan Fuller.

So the BigTen Defensive Back of the year isnt the best safety? You do know these awards are for individual seasons not what they have done in the past right?
You said “Will Minnesota have a single All American this year, no.” So, you are wrong.

Steve Root wrote:

A few thoughts.
3) I wonder if whether Coach Fleck can recruit enough players to really compete at the top level. We have had Gopher teams with great running backs (like Maroney), this year we had a great passing game. But there obviously were some big holes in the program as well. The question is can you recruit good players for all positions to a school where the stadium is small, the weather sucks, and there hasn’t been a national title team since 1492? (OK, 1961). I think Wisconsin and to some extent Michigan have the same problem.

Very valid point. We have to remember that Johnson, Winfield, Smith, etc all were recruited under Kill so Fleck only gets credit for further developing them.
Fleck does get credit for the beast O Line guys he has gotten, Tanner Morgan, Annexstad (who was the #1 QB but lost all year), Bateman, and a host of other incoming WRs and QBs. If you go by the recruiting rankings he is doing quite well and actually over the last few days has had a few guys commit that were previously committed elsewhere including a RB that was going to Ole Miss I believe. If these players develop as they are ranked he is doing really well, but where the real results will be are the guys that develop into something no one saw coming. That will be a fun ride to watch.
Next year will not be as easy as this year, that is for sure, but last year the youngest roster in the country was a lot more experienced this year and there arent many seniors so they will have young experience coming back.

He’s voted AA by a publication that the NCAA doesn’t recognize, how are you this dense. Until one of the 5 organizations that actually determine AA teams recognizes Winfield he isn’t one.

Winfield had a good year, and yes I know how awards work. It’s subjective.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

He’s voted AA by a publication that the NCAA doesn’t recognize, how are you this dense. Until one of the 5 organizations that actually determine AA teams recognizes Winfield he isn’t one.

Winfield had a good year, and yes I know how awards work. It’s subjective.

You NEVER said NCAA All American in your first post, how are YOU THAT DENSE? Only after I replied that he was you clarified. Go to bed drizzy, you are dizzy.

Buddy, I think it’s more than assumed that NCAA is meant considering that’s the league they are in. Thats the governing body. And again NCAA AA status is based on making the team in one or all of the five publications recognized. PFF AA carries as much weight as IDO AA.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

PFF AA carries as much weight as IDO AA.

As does your opinion as to whether you look like a donkey because you neglected to clarify that and were subsequently made look like a fool. Good backtrack. Happy trails.
Its funny I looked at the stats of the guy YOU said was the best safety and nowhere near the numbers that Winfield had this year. Only thing he had going for him was he plays for OSU who will have a shot at a National Title and Winfield will not. Just so there is nothing left to ASSume. By National Title I mean NCAA College Football Playoff National Title.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

Will Minnesota have a single All American this year, no. Will Wisconsin, most definitely. Maybe 2.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

Until one of the 5 organizations that actually determine AA teams recognizes Winfield he isn’t one.

If that’s where your going with this the Wisconsin has 0.

I guess Tyler Biadasz wasn’t named by PFF as AA center. Actually he was, and will likely be named AA by most of the NCAA recognized publications. Do you actually think Winfield is better at his position than Taylor is at RB or Biadasz is at Center? The only reason Taylor might not make AA is because Dobbins is better, but again hardly played four quarters.

Fuller’s numbers aren’t what Winfields are because he rarely played 4 quarters of a regular season game, because he’s an elite talent at an elite program that blew out pedestrian opponents. Makes me wish Gophs didn’t choke against Iowa or Bucky so you’d get to see them both play….but then again Fuller wouldn’t play four quarters against the Gophs, and Morgan likely wouldn’t have enough time in the pocket to push the ball downfield.

I get it, you are homers and your little team had a decent season.

Drizzy Musky wrote:

I get it, you are homers and your little team had a decent season.

What’s it called when you accuse someone of something when you are guilty of it yourself?

What team do you think I cheer for?

According to MY publication, WISCONSIN is the National Champion. I don’t give a rats arse what the polls say.

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Drizzy Musky wrote:</div>
I get it, you are homers and your little team had a decent season.

What’s it called when you accuse someone of something when you are guilty of it yourself?

Reply for the win!!! LOL

Will be nice for a change to wake up on New Years Day and watch some GOPHER football!

Outback Bowl vs. Auburn. Jan. 1 from Tampa.