The Gophers will be better THIS YEAR if and when...
(1). Gray gets more comfortable with being back at quaterback and the new playbook so he finally stops thinking and just plays. When the game slows down for him, we could see the star quaterback we've been hoping for.
(2). Just as with Gray, the Gophers will be better when the "light goes on" for any and all of the young, inexperienced players.
(3). When the coaches finally get a handle on what the players can and cannot do.
(4). When the players reach the level of understanding where the coaches can add in more of the offensive and defensive plays they want to run.
(5). When the coaches discover which players have truly "bought in" and which ones are talking the talk but aren't truly committed to paying the price or playing with toughness and intensity.
(6). When the players get enough reps and coaching that they don't fall back into old, bad habits during the heat of the game.
(7). When the players start seeing enough signs of progress that they start playing with confidence.
(8). When Kill's health stops being a distraction.
These are obvious, "duh" type factors that are part of the natural process necessary for the team to improve. Any and/or all of them could happen to varying degrees throughout the remainder of the season. Being mad at the coaches and players because the process has thus far been slow and very ugly is understable, but it will not help the process - and it won't make it any more fun either.
(1). Gray gets more comfortable with being back at quaterback and the new playbook so he finally stops thinking and just plays. When the game slows down for him, we could see the star quaterback we've been hoping for.
(2). Just as with Gray, the Gophers will be better when the "light goes on" for any and all of the young, inexperienced players.
(3). When the coaches finally get a handle on what the players can and cannot do.
(4). When the players reach the level of understanding where the coaches can add in more of the offensive and defensive plays they want to run.
(5). When the coaches discover which players have truly "bought in" and which ones are talking the talk but aren't truly committed to paying the price or playing with toughness and intensity.
(6). When the players get enough reps and coaching that they don't fall back into old, bad habits during the heat of the game.
(7). When the players start seeing enough signs of progress that they start playing with confidence.
(8). When Kill's health stops being a distraction.
These are obvious, "duh" type factors that are part of the natural process necessary for the team to improve. Any and/or all of them could happen to varying degrees throughout the remainder of the season. Being mad at the coaches and players because the process has thus far been slow and very ugly is understable, but it will not help the process - and it won't make it any more fun either.