Minnesota Football: 2017 Gophers Preview and Prediction (50th nationally, 5th BTW)

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Athlon:

Final Analysis 

The Gophers went 9–4 and beat Washington State 17–12 in the Holiday Bowl last season, but this year’s squad could take a step back. Fleck’s team will face a harder schedule, as Michigan essentially replaces Rutgers on the slate.

There’s also uncertainty with a lack of experience at quarterback and a lack of depth along the offensive and defensive lines as well as in the secondary. If they can shore up those questions and can get past Oregon State in Corvallis on Sept. 9, a 5–0 mark is attainable heading into the home game against Michigan State on Oct. 14.

Fleck has a track record for taking teams to unforeseeable heights. He took Western Michigan from 1–11 in 2013 to back-to-back 8–5 campaigns before a breakthrough to 13–1 and a Cotton Bowl berth against Wisconsin in 2016.

National Ranking: 50
Big Ten West Prediction: 5

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...ll-2017-golden-gophers-preview-and-prediction

Go Gophers!!
 

So the "Fleckites" are accused of lowering expectations, yet the national media is predicting 5th place in the BTW.
 


I admit it's possible that I'm being too optimistic about this season. Maybe I'm over-rating the returning Talent. Maybe I'm over-estimating the impact that Fleck and his staff will have. Maybe the questions at QB and WR are too much for the offense to overcome. Maybe the losses at DL and DB will leave the defense vulnerable. maybe the returning players will not show the improvement that I'm hoping for.

Maybe all the pessimists are right, and this is going to be a down year for the Gophers. Maybe it will take 2 or 3 years of recruiting to improve the depth and give Fleck the players he needs to install his system.

And - maybe I'm 61 years old (62 in September), and I've spent most of my life watching under-achieving Gopher FB teams. Maybe I still have some crazy dreams of seeing the Gophers win a conference title, or win a Rose Bowl. And maybe I want to see that happen while I'm still alive.

Maybe I'm looking for some reason to hope - and maybe I'm getting tired of other Gopher Fans telling me not to hope - not to dream, and to just accept the fact the Gophers are going to be the same mediocre program they've been most of my life.

Maybe I should just give up, and start rooting for the Badgers like a lot of my relatives.

Maybe.
 

As Michigan essentially replaces Rutgers on the schedule? Incomplete homework at best for Athlon. Michigan State also replaces Penn State. Trading the defending Big Ten champs for a team that had a wretched season last year and has now dismissed three key players who have been charged with criminal sexual assault makes the road much easier.
 


MSU/PSU is pretty much a push if you take a running 3-year average (nice to have it at home, though). Although, I'm labeled as one of the 'pessimistics' it's not like I'm predicting disaster. I have often proclaimed any Gopher season that results in 6 wins to be a success - as that is what we are. Nothing has changed for this year...6 wins is a baseline for satisfaction. Win a couple more and I'll be pumped up (like 3 of the last 4 years) - win a couple less and I'll be disappointed and pay more attention to recruiting than on-field results. Rinse/Repeat. This is the life I have chosen. If I wanted to be in the championship conversation, I would have chosen a different team.
 

John Galt said:
So the "Fleckites" are accused of lowering expectations, yet the national media is predicting 5th place in the BTW.
Click to expand...

Same publication last year:

National: 60
BTW: 5
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I admit it's possible that I'm being too optimistic about this season. Maybe I'm over-rating the returning Talent. Maybe I'm over-estimating the impact that Fleck and his staff will have. Maybe the questions at QB and WR are too much for the offense to overcome. Maybe the losses at DL and DB will leave the defense vulnerable. maybe the returning players will not show the improvement that I'm hoping for.

Maybe all the pessimists are right, and this is going to be a down year for the Gophers. Maybe it will take 2 or 3 years of recruiting to improve the depth and give Fleck the players he needs to install his system.

And - maybe I'm 61 years old (62 in September), and I've spent most of my life watching under-achieving Gopher FB teams. Maybe I still have some crazy dreams of seeing the Gophers win a conference title, or win a Rose Bowl. And maybe I want to see that happen while I'm still alive.

Maybe I'm looking for some reason to hope - and maybe I'm getting tired of other Gopher Fans telling me not to hope - not to dream, and to just accept the fact the Gophers are going to be the same mediocre program they've been most of my life.

Maybe I should just give up, and start rooting for the Badgers like a lot of my relatives.

Maybe.
Click to expand...

Hang in there old timer, it's going to happen. (Thought you were about 67, 68,.... just kidding.) We can't switch teams now, we are too invested. I've hated Wisconsin since that $hit call back in the early 60's. Don't even joke about rooting for them. The worm will turn, my friend.
 

Please, put Athlons in the thread title so we can assign to the circular file.
 



John Galt said:
So the "Fleckites" are accused of lowering expectations, yet the national media is predicting 5th place in the BTW.
Click to expand...

FTR - you are endorsing Athlon as a legitimate & reliable source?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

We have an upgrade at quarterback and our receivers have a year more of experience. We should be better than last year's team in every aspect.
 

MennoSota said:
We have an upgrade at quarterback and our receivers have a year more of experience. We should be better than last year's team in every aspect.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 







MennoSota said:
We have an upgrade at quarterback and our receivers have a year more of experience. We should be better than last year's team in every aspect.
Click to expand...


Amazing, I didn't know Drew was coming back...
 

John Galt said:
Z

Thanks for validating my point. Despite finishing 9-4 last year, they see us taking a step back.
Click to expand...

They have us ten spots higher this year nationally and the same in BTW. So they expect us to maintain or improve.
 



PMWinSTP said:
They have us ten spots higher this year nationally and the same in BTW. So they expect us to maintain or improve.
Click to expand...

So you will be happy with 5th in the west? I won't be.
 


PMWinSTP said:
Wasn't a comment about their accuracy. It was a comparison of their year over year preseason predictions, sport. Try to keep up.
Click to expand...

Wow logic fail on your part as usual. I'm sure they disregarded last year's final results and just made this off of last year's preseason prediction. Makes total sense. :rolleyes:
 

MennoSota said:
We have an upgrade at quarterback and our receivers have a year more of experience. We should be better than last year's team in every aspect.
Click to expand...

Strange, I didn't realize QB and WR now equates to every aspect of the team....
 

It's borderline hilarious to see fans pointing out how bad they think we'll be (and using Athlons as evidence). The absurdity of these arguments has finally manifested in all it's glory.
 

joshvanklomp said:
Strange, I didn't realize QB and WR now equates to every aspect of the team....
Click to expand...
Those are the areas people claimed were the weak points. I say they are stronger this year than last year.
In the other areas we are equal to or better than last year's team. We should have an excellent season an push for the Western division championship. That should be our elite expectation.
 

Oh look,

Yet another Gopher hating athlon'sports' report....
 

In the past 50 years, how many times have the Gophers won more than 5 B10 games? And yet a publication pegs the Gophs as a middle of the road team. Shocked, I tell you! Shocked!
 

MennoSota said:
We should have an excellent season an push for the Western division championship. That should be our elite expectation.
Click to expand...

And if that doesn't happen?

I have no problem saying the offense will improve, after bringing in an offensive-minded staff. I do think it's a longshot though to expect the defense not to regress at all. There seems to be more personnel and schematic changes on that side, and Robb Smith doesn't have the reputation on that side that Kirk Ciarocca has on offense.
 

joshvanklomp said:
And if that doesn't happen?

I have no problem saying the offense will improve, after bringing in an offensive-minded staff. I do think it's a longshot though to expect the defense not to regress at all. There seems to be more personnel and schematic changes on that side, and Robb Smith doesn't have the reputation on that side that Kirk Ciarocca has on offense.
Click to expand...

Fire Fleck of course and bring back Claeys. :) There hasn't been much debate on that topic as of late.

With what the staff did at WMU, I too think we will be better on the offensive side of the ball. Defense may take a step back, but it shouldn't be a huge step back. THAT would be disappointing. Still of the belief that we can win 5 or more games in the first 7 and up to 3 of our last 5 games.
 

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