Assuming Kill is the right guy...

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tato2001

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...what should I be looking for this year, and should I have seen any of it already?

I'm assuming 'improvement', but what does that mean because it clearly isn't showing in the scores or stats nearly halfway through the season. Is there something else I can look at to see evidence of a team that is better run than those of the Brewster era?

Serious question, because I admit I'm not an X's and O's expert, but I am concerned that to the casual fan this team looks like it not only lacks talent, but doesn't give a crap. With whom does that buck stop?

One thing I've started to wonder is if many players on this team just ain't that bright. Add to that the confusion of different coaches and approaches to the game and they just don't have a clue what they are doing.
 

If Kill doesn't win, there's something bigger wrong. We can't keep firing coaches.
 

tato2001 said:
...what should I be looking for this year, and should I have seen any of it already?

I'm assuming 'improvement', but what does that mean because it clearly isn't showing in the scores or stats nearly halfway through the season. Is there something else I can look at to see evidence of a team that is better run than those of the Brewster era?

Serious question, because I admit I'm not an X's and O's expert, but I am concerned that to the casual fan this team looks like it not only lacks talent, but doesn't give a crap. With whom does that buck stop?

One thing I've started to wonder is if many players on this team just ain't that bright. Add to that the confusion of different coaches and approaches to the game and they just don't have a clue what they are doing.
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I don't know the answer, but I don't think we'll find any clues this year.
 

Like a lot of you I was expecting to at least see better fundamentals and discipline this year. We are obviously a poor team. You can't change coaches every year so we have no choice but to give Kill time and see what happens. I'm still optimistic that he's the right guy but it is sure painful to wait.
 

tato2001 said:
...what should I be looking for this year, and should I have seen any of it already?

I'm assuming 'improvement', but what does that mean because it clearly isn't showing in the scores or stats nearly halfway through the season. Is there something else I can look at to see evidence of a team that is better run than those of the Brewster era?

Serious question, because I admit I'm not an X's and O's expert, but I am concerned that to the casual fan this team looks like it not only lacks talent, but doesn't give a crap. With whom does that buck stop?

One thing I've started to wonder is if many players on this team just ain't that bright. Add to that the confusion of different coaches and approaches to the game and they just don't have a clue what they are doing.
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It's a little like the definition of porn, you'll know it when you see it. I haven't seen it yet. But as others have said, we have no choice but to give it time and hope. The firing of Mason is more painful all the time. It was nice when we at least had a chance in these games.
 


Right now, I'm wishing we had a "Tubby Smith type" hire. Happy to eat those words in the coming years, but honestly,is this better than Brewster?
 

It's days like today when you want to go to sleep for 3 years and wake-up when the corner has been turned.
 

saintpaulguy said:
Right now, I'm wishing we had a "Tubby Smith type" hire. Happy to eat those words in the coming years, but honestly,is this better than Brewster?
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Hell yes. He coached Northern Illinois to a ranking. Coach Kill has proved himself as a coach. The jury is out on the football program and whether it belongs in the Big Ten.
 

Joe Salem and Jim Wacker were also proven coaches at South Dakota and North Dakota State, respectively, and failures at Minnesota. This is why I wanted the "Tubby Smith type" hire. We've done the gem at the lower level hire. For whatever reason, it doesn't work here. I don't doubt Mr. Kill isn't a great coach. Or Mr. Salem, or Mr. Wacker. But this idea that we are going to elevate someone to the next level and change the program has not worked. At least Mason was a D-1 coach. Brewster was a D-0 coach. Why do we continue to shop at Wal-Mart?
 



Honestly, I know this is a rebuilding process and all that, but I swear to God I'd fire the special teams coach as soon as the final whistle sounded. Completely pathetic.
 

goldengophers said:
It's days like today when you want to go to sleep for 3 years and wake-up when the corner has been turned.
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Without a doubt, this! You just hope that the corner has been turned at that point. I have my doubts right now.
 

saintpaulguy said:
Joe Salem and Jim Wacker were also proven coaches at South Dakota and North Dakota State, respectively, and failures at Minnesota. This is why I wanted the "Tubby Smith type" hire. We've done the gem at the lower level hire. For whatever reason, it doesn't work here. I don't doubt Mr. Kill isn't a great coach. Or Mr. Salem, or Mr. Wacker. But this idea that we are going to elevate someone to the next level and change the program has not worked. At least Mason was a D-1 coach. Brewster was a D-0 coach. Why do we continue to shop at Wal-Mart?
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Because no proven coach will touch this situation. Kill finished ranked in final polls last season. He's more accomplished than Wacker and Salem. If hadn't gotten him, Pitt or someone else would have hired Jerry Kill.
 

I think that the our AD, who shouldn't be in the job, and the Lame Duck president situation, caused the U to dig deeper than they wanted to. Seriously, this hasn't been a plum job in my lifetime, and I'm 44, but it has been better than it was today.
 



Coach Kill got NIU to the point they could beat the lower Big 10 teams. He'll do well in Minnesota. I believe this. Today, however, was a disappointment. Both lines were an embarrasment. Penalties guaranteed the shutout.

It was very interesting watching him on the sidelines today. He never lost his cool. He had some serious learning sessions with some players but was never screaming at them. He looked like a man still comfident with where he is heading.

Certainly Shortell looke like a deer in the headlights, today and demonstrated how tough it to start as a true frosh in a major confernce. My guess is that Gray's return will be sans a cry for Shortell.
 

He never lost his cool. He had some serious learning sessions with some players but was never screaming at them. He looked like a man still comfident with where he is heading.

Thank you very much. I agree we have a football coach. Let him coach and see where we are 3 years from now.
 

So, I just listened to Kill's postgame conference, and I'm convinced that you can see what's going on from his comments, and I actually feel a little better about him. No, I'm not drinking the Kill koolaid, but I don't sense he's making excuses, but rather very being matter of fact about the dismal state of the program. Furthermore, I get the sense that this is probably the same message he's conveying to the players. Basically, I suspect he's telling them they haven't been a good football team, and they need to all pull in the same direction and buy into his coaching style. If they aren't on board with him, he's basically saying, 'to hell with you'.

Now the bad part of this is that he's probably forever lost a bunch of the Brewster-type players who, as someone else put it so well, liked the 'style over substance'. And since he's probably lost those players (which probably represent a good part of the team's limited experience) this team will absolutely STINK (as we've seen). He mentioned in the post-game about putting in the players who have the mental capability. I think he's referring to those that can take the challenge he offers.

So, I guess I'm kind of glad that he isn't coddling them. He's got his own style of management and the sooner he implements it the better. Time will tell if he is successful, but I suspect his willingness to tell players what he thinks of them is a large part of why the team looks so dreadful right now. A certain number of the players are probably responding poorly to this (i.e. feeling sorry for themselves). And if that's the way they respond, I say to hell with them too.

I didn't pay much attention before, but I'm starting to think that other thread "who will Kill run out of the program" is very appropriate.
 

Good managers manage the people that they have. We've all had new bosses, and you know, they figure out how do deal with the talent they have until they can hire their own. No pass
 

tato2001 - you are exactly right. I think this was what he talked about the other day at Senser's and some of the decisions he was making on the way back from Rochester. If you listen to his comments - it's all there. You're either with Coach Kill, or you're not. And there are WAY too many people on this team right now that are not with him.
 

Didn't Coach Kill comment once that he probably would never have taken the job knowing what he saw after he arrived.

We suck.
 

One big problem he faces is that it is tough to compete with Fr., RS Fr. and sophs. he played alot today. But if they have the right attitude and will learn, I would rather lose with them gaining experience and trying than whats playing now.
 

littlebigboy said:
One big problem he faces is that it is tough to compete with Fr., RS Fr. and sophs. he played alot today. But if they have the right attitude and will learn, I would rather lose with them gaining experience and trying than whats playing now.
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YUP.
 

Didn't Coach Kill comment once that he probably would never have taken the job knowing what he saw after he arrived.
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To my knowledge, he's never made this statement. The only person I've ever heard speculate on this is Sid, who has basically stated that he believes that this is the case, but Kill himself has never publicly said anything close to this that I am aware of.
 

Ok let's do what so many people want and fire Kill. Who would even dare take the job? I doubt we could even get a HS coach willing to take the job. Give the man a chance and see what happens by the end of his contract.
 

Oh nooooo! No good coach has only won 1 game his first year with a team.

Barry Alvarez, 1990: 1-10
Kirk Ferentz, 1999: 1-10

Others have struggled...

Jim Harbaugh, 2007: 4-8

There are others who have had great first years with a program like Urban Meyer--- but I'm not ready to take a fat girl home yet.
 

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