Hopes for the Remainder of the Season

Go Gophers Rah

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Half of the season is now in the books. While most of us knew it would be a building year, nobody thought it would be this bad. My thinking is that we're not quite as bad as the last two games would appear because Kill is using these games as an audition (including Shortell). On the other hand, I can't explain away the NMSU and NDSU losses.

I do think that Kill could be the right guy in the long run, but what worries me now is that the losses will really hamper recruiting. With a weak recruiting class this year, we would extend the "rebuilding" phase by another year and - ultimately - it may start a negative feedback loop that leads to more poor seasons, worse recruits, etc.

So I would like to have some hope for the remainder of the season. Here is what I'd like to see:

1) A healthy team and coach.

Getting Stoudermire back on the field would really help the secondary and he is a better tackler than many on D right now. Hopefully, the off-week will give Marquis' turf toe some time to heal. And finally, Kill having a seizure-free remainder of the season will help the coaching staff maintain some rhythm and will reduce some of the distractions this team has had.

2) Kill settling on his players.

We had starters yesterday that I had never hear of in August - guys like Amaefula and Haviland. I presume that they were not getting the kind of reps at practice that a starter would expect in August and September, so this is kind of like their September 1 game playing against October 7 opponents. I hope that Kill has now decided on the guys that will/can play and lets this team practice as a squad and develop some chemistry.

3) A few offensive players stepping up their game.

I am more disappointed in McKnight than any other player. His half-hearted play has kept points off the scoreboard. A guy like Du'ane Bennett is playing his hardest with less natural talent than many other players. I'd like to see 2 or 3 players really step up their game. Marquis, one of the receivers (McKnight, Green, Moulton, somebody) and for Kirkwood to keep the ball in his hands.

4) Better defensive game planning.

We have given up 28, 38 and 31 points respectively in the first half of the last 3 games. The players shoulder much of the blame and so does the offense for its frequent 3 and outs, but I have to believe that the defense just didn't have the right game plan for those opponents.

5) a little luck.

A fumble bouncing our way, a call going our way, the sun in the other guy's eyes, whatever. We could sure use a little good luck.

If some of these things happen, maybe we can show some overall improvement, give the fans (and more importantly - the recruits) a little hope for the future and maybe even pull off an upset.

Go Gophers!
 


Nice post, and I also agree with "5) a little luck." At some point a little luck would certainly be nice. How many fumbles do the Gophers make that bounce right into the hands of the defense, and how many fumbles does the other team make that....bounce right into their own hands or out of bounds (including the NDSU return at the end of the half)? How many wrong-positive calls have we got from the refs this year? Any? Yet there were at least 5 wrong-negative calls that assisted Purdue yesterday - during a blowout - including two important pass "catches" that were clearly traps. And did we really commit 6 fully deserved penalties on kick returns against Michigan or were the refs just looking to blow the whistle for their own enjoyment for over half of those? Things like these certainly don't help.
 

#6 Not give up triple digit scores to Neb and Wisc.

#7 Hold above teams to less than 1000 yards each.

#8 Not get shut out in the remaining games

#9 Warm weather so I can drink more in the tailgating lots to ease pain of watching this dreadful squad.

#10 Kahler FIRES Badger Joel, the moron who hired Tim Brewster and started this descent into hell!!!
 

I don't really think defensive scheming is the real problem. When you lose containment on the end the play is going for big yardage. It really looks like inexperience is really hurting. Kill is going to play the guys that put out the most effort regardless of talent.

On a more possitive note, they finished the game much better against Purdue. Many of the players looked like they quite at Michigan (maybe that is why we had so many changes in who is playing?) the O line started to knock some people around and they moved the ball with more power. It looks like the Olson brothers can open up a whole!

At this point it is baby steps to build the right amount of effort and confidence that is needed to play at this level. The coaching change and expectations have had more of an impact on the team than I thought they would. Too many of the older players seem not to be meeting what the coach expects from them and are they are finding themselves not playing. That has also hindered the game planning, they are playing games with half a roster and no experience. And with recuiting rules, it will take a few years to build back up the roster. Give Kill some time, he is manning up to take on a very difficult situation. It has always looked ugly the first few years when ever a real coach has come in and had to clean up and rebuild a real program. We have been gripping for decades that the U should be able to compete and when we finally get someone who is going to fix it, we tear him apart when he loses some games with half a roster of high schoolers!

The coach Kill train has left the station and the players had better get on board or get out of the way. He is in charge and things will be done his way, no exceptions.
 


Play at least one game like the Iowa/Illinois games last year (meaning also winning it); don't let any opponent score more than 49 points; establish a passing game (which should help to establish a running game).
 

be competative in games. eliminate dumb penalties. play hard. better tackling. better blocking. play hard.

pretty simple.
 




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