Optimism

There's a far amount of optimism on this board. I don't know if it's wishful thinking or is it just that we're the most tuned in fans. I would like to hear from the pessimistic fans. I want to hear some arguments for a possible 2-10 season. You know, just to balance things out. My reason for trepidation is the lack of depth on defense, the ineptitude of the offense last year, and the unknown quantity that is Jeff Horton's play calling. We're all excited about the potential of guys like Hagaman and Da'jon McKnight, but they're are not, for lack of a better term, completely battle tested.

This might be hard to come by. Most Gopher Haters shy away from predicting specific doom for fear of being proved wrong. If you want pessimism, just wait for the first loss or incomplete pass.

Tis the season for optimism!

Caution should come from experience. The coaches are all trying to instill confidence in the guys. They want them to be mentally strong going into the first game. You will not be hearing anything cautionary from them or the players. Our guys are also playing against our guys. So who is going to say anything negative based on quotes out of the camp? As Allan Iverson once said, "it's practice, we are talking practice here." As is the case every season, injuries will kill us or they won't. Is it good or bad that we have no obvious Decker type player to get injured this year?

Well if you want negativism just consider the fact that the Gophers will be favored in a total of two games this year, those being the home games against South Dakota and Northern Illinois. Personally I think the Gophers win at MTSU, home against USD and N.Ill; no trophies again this year but the Gophs will win the 'Battle of the Hot Seat Coaches' at Illinois, Zook gets the boot and Brew gets another year with a 4-7 record.

I would not be the least surprised if they beat Purdue and Northwestern to go 6-5 and I sure hope they do. Brew's teams so far have not pulled an upset on anyone and I don't see them doing it this year either but I would not call beating PU and NW upsets.

Hate to say it so early but 'Wait 'til next year' is already on my mind. I've upgraded my seats into the Donation section and am prepared to hunker down for this year, I'd like to see Brewster make it to next year.

I don't know if they ar going 2-10 but I will give you me point of view why this might only be a 4 win season.

The offense was awful last year and the best player is now in the NFL. Many on this board think another new OC will help everything. Where are the playmakers? Questions at every unit/position on the offensive side of the ball.

9 new starters on defense. Are these new guys better? Will they be better right away? Some of them have shown some flashes but that was in a limited role.

"We are stronger, faster and more athletic." What are they suppose to say? "We are weaker, slower, and less athletic." Every team in the country is saying the same thing this time of year. And the whole chip on the shoulder theme being played about around here another example of what all other teams that think the media isn't giving them the credit they deserve are saying and "we are going to shock people".

I am not a pessimistic just a trying to be realisitic about the teams chances this year. In fact things could be moving in the right direction and I like the direction the defense is going but optimism doesn't change the fact there are many questions heading into the season.

ok, you asked for it. Now personally I think we're gonna fall in the 6-8 win area....BBBUUUT the argument the pessimist in me is making is that 1. we're replacing 9 starters on D (few teams get better w/ less experience) and have limited depth at key positions, 2. another change in O.C. not a lot of coaching consistency 3. Same o-line as last year=scary. They said the same stuff their saying this year about this group last year (and they were not good last year) 4. tough as* schedule OSU,PSU,USC,Wisky,Iowa...if we manage to beat one of these teams i'll be overjoyed 5. loss of production from last year on both sides. If three or four guys don't step up big we're fu**ed. 6. Running game!! because of # 3 this looks lik it could be similar to last year. Same RB's (besides a totally unproven true-freshman) same o-line, same play book (though simplified) = similar running game to last year. Do we really believe this same o-line is gonna come out looking lik complete studs this fall goin up against some of the best defensive fronts in the country. What have they shown us to warrant that expectation?

There we go now please don't lynch me. I could counter argue each point I made as well.

I will be betting that we do not cover vs. MTSU. I would not mind losing the $, but will of course be pissed if we lose, yet cover. I'll believe that we can stop a mobile, talented QB when I see it. I also want to see the O move the ball and score when we really need to, again, please show me Gophers.

You are asking a loaded question here. If anyone does have concerns about this program, typically, this board is not very open to concerns that the team probably is going to be in the bottom two or three in the conference. I have watched McCarthy type allegations of "traitor, lack of loyalty" charges leveled against anyone bucking the current accepted standard train of thought. But, I will run the risk of drawing the ire of the keepers of the loyalty oath. Why? Because I have a few major concerns.

The offensive line is my first concern. Without excellent offensive line play, it will be very hard to finish above the final three slots in the conference standings. No offense is effective unless the offensive line can open holes for the running game.

The running game is my second concern. Who will pick up the ball, follow his blockers, never go down on first contact and hang on to the ball? Who will be a durable running back? Which back will also be able to pick up blitzers and do a decent job of pass blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield as well as running the ball for positive yards after contact?

Which wide receivers will learn to run good routes, hang on to the ball AND block?

Will the qb have faith in his coordinator, his offensive line, his running game and his receivers in addition to reading the defense and making good decisions with the ball. When to throw? When to throw away? When to run? When to take what the defense will give?

The young defensive players have got a whole new speed and intensity to learn once Big Ten ball starts. Tough...which of the defensive linemen have the ability to fight off blocks and rush the passer as well as to submarine and stay extremely low to stuff the run when it's 3rd and short? Which linebackers are fast enough, tough enough, quick enough, strong enough and smart enough to do it all?

Team discipline: will we continue to see so many needless penalties on both the offensive and defensive units?

Dedication to the team? Do we really have the team unity so that the blocking will be there no matter who is playing running back? No matter who is playing quarterback? No matter who is playing any position? Will the tail wag the dog or will the dog wag the tail all of the time?

I believe the offensive coordinator and the defensive coordinator both are Big Ten guys now who really do realize that the two components of Big Ten Football are to run the ball and to stop the run. That is really a positive thing. The players need to execute though.

As always, the depth is not great. Being lucky. Avoiding serious injury to key players is a must.

And, this team really does need to start beating a Wisconsin, an Iowa or a PSU type of team this season for them to gain some confidence, a swagger and the knowlege that they really do belong in the Big Ten. The coaching staff has got to have the Gophers more prepared than the Badgers, the Hawkeyes or the Nittnay Lions. The players on this team need that signature win. They need something to hang their hats on.

So far, the head coach and coaching staffs that have been in place have not been able to have their players ready to "be there" at the end of the game to beg, borrow, steal or finish off a border-battle foe or a top-shelf Big Ten opponent. So far, that is missing. I will believe it is possible for this staff to have their team ready for such an opportunity only when I have seen it happen. Beating Illinois, NU, MSU or Purdue might be nice, but, you have to beat the big boys to know that you belong in the Big Ten.

These things, imho are all roadblocks for the 2010 Big Ten season. I hope the Gophers can come crashing through all the roadblocks so that they can rise to the level that only a signature victory can give them. They need to experience that signature victory to know that they do belong and that they CAN compete in the Big Ten Conference.

Beat Iowa! Beat Wisky! Beat PSU! That is the key. Beat 'em all, or even just one of them. It will make a world of difference. No one can give that to the team or the coaches. They have to go out and TAKE that signature win. It won't be a gift. It must be earned. It really is the ONLY way to begin to arrive as a competetive football team. The Gophers have GOT to take the game away from the Badgers, the Hawkeyes or the Nittnay Lions. It will NEVER be handed to them. They must take charge and take control and flat-out beat the snot out of one of those levels of teams. And then just watch what might happen!

I haven't seen a lot of optimism. I've seen a lot of posts proclaiming that 6-6 would somehow be a good season. In fact, I don't think I've seen one poster predict as much as a 9 win season.

The optimism I see is more of an expectation of an improving team. The result of consistency of coaching staff and improved coaching (Horton/Watson) and more athleticism on the team. Still, in light of where we were and what are schedule is most are in the 4-7 wins category. Heck, even Brew is talking different.

imthewalrus said:

You are asking a loaded question here. If anyone does have concerns about this program, typically, this board is not very open to concerns that the team probably is going to be in the bottom two or three in the conference. I have watched McCarthy type allegations of "traitor, lack of loyalty" charges leveled against anyone bucking the current accepted standard train of thought. But, I will run the risk of drawing the ire of the keepers of the loyalty oath.

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You must be reading some other board. On this board, if you show any optimism at all, you get dismissed as drinking the Kool-aid. Perhaps there is a McCarthy like Gopher board out there, but it is not this one.

You could very well be correct. I hope I can contribute what I see happening. I am a very long-time Gopher fan who just wants to see the Gophers be competetive in Big Ten play for the sake of the players and the fans. If the Gophers are going to be in the Big Ten Conference, they need to be competetive and beat the Iowa, Wisconsin and PSU type teams about as often as they lose to them. That is saying a lot, because PSU has been very good for a very long time. We need to compete in Big Ten play. That is my hope and my dream!