Phil Steele

swingman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
3,143
Reaction score
2,022
Points
113
Expects Gophers to be contender in the West.

Says if a new coach gets off to a good start, team confidence builds and team becomes dangerous.

Notes excellent chance for 7-0 start.

Says no unwinnable games in final 5.

Has Steve Richardson, Emmit Carpenter, Rodney Smith, Ryan Santoso, Rashad Still and Jonathan Celestin among best in conference.

Thinks QB unit should have improved production. Calls RB unit among deepest in conf. says Lingen back would really help Receiving units. Says oline due to stay healthy after injuries in last two years. Notes starters returning on oline and Ed Warriner as a top ol coach.

Notes dline returns three with starting experience, and has steadily improved in past years. Rates Lb unit among tops in conf. Feels Dbs may be a notch below last year's. K/p he thinks among best in conference.
 

Phil Steele is a hater and wants the Gophers to fail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Gotta have confidence in Coach Fleck.
 

Is that really much of a prediction, being a contender in the West... we are that.
 


Expects Gophers to be contender in the West.

Says if a new coach gets off to a good start, team confidence builds and team becomes dangerous.

Notes excellent chance for 7-0 start.

Says no unwinnable games in final 5.

Has Steve Richardson, Emmit Carpenter, Rodney Smith, Ryan Santoso, Rashad Still and Jonathan Celestin among best in conference.

Thinks QB unit should have improved production. Calls RB unit among deepest in conf. says Lingen back would really help Receiving units. Says oline due to stay healthy after injuries in last two years. Notes starters returning on oline and Ed Warriner as a top ol coach.

Notes dline returns three with starting experience, and has steadily improved in past years. Rates Lb unit among tops in conf. Feels Dbs may be a notch below last year's. K/p he thinks among best in conference.

I love Still's potential, and admittedly have not studied up on every team's WRs, but that is kind of preposterous. Everything else in there is fairly believable, though. I'm trying my best not to get excited...but, honestly, I'm failing.
 


I love Still's potential, and admittedly have not studied up on every team's WRs, but that is kind of preposterous. Everything else in there is fairly believable, though. I'm trying my best not to get excited...but, honestly, I'm failing.

He lists a top 12 for WRs.

Still is number 10 in returning yards. Was 33rd in 2016, but LOT of guys graduated, went early to NFL. Carr, Godwin, Yancey, Samuel, Darboh, Woli, Jones, Shelton, Paige, Westerkamp, McCarron, Chesson, Wheelwright, Reilly, Moore, Posey are names you won't hear this year.

Steele doesn't just blindly look at the returning stats numbers, though..guys with stats behind Still ranked well...he has the Guy who grad transferred from Oregon to NW in top 12, Dudek coming off injury at IL in top 12, Injured Rutgers guy not in top 12, Pierson El coming off not best stats year in top 12. Cobb at IN coming off injury in top 12. Young studs Johnson and Campbell at PSU and OSU who weren't top 33 last year are in Steele top 12.

QB this year for Gophs may have better arm than Leidner. Fleck, Ciarrocca, Simon have GREAT track record with WRs at WMU. With four returning oline starters, all returning TEs and RBs, Gopher running game will have to be respected, helping WRs to shine. Fleck called Still a freak...took special interest in him all Spring, says he just needs to let them mold him.
 

He lists a top 12 for WRs.

Still is number 10 in returning yards. Was 33rd in 2016, but LOT of guys graduated, went early to NFL. Carr, Godwin, Yancey, Samuel, Darboh, Woli, Jones, Shelton, Paige, Westerkamp, McCarron, Chesson, Wheelwright, Reilly, Moore, Posey are names you won't hear this year.

Steele doesn't just blindly look at the returning stats numbers, though..guys with stats behind Still ranked well...he has the Guy who grad transferred from Oregon to NW in top 12, Dudek coming off injury at IL in top 12, Injured Rutgers guy not in top 12, Pierson El coming off not best stats year in top 12. Cobb at IN coming off injury in top 12. Young studs Johnson and Campbell at PSU and OSU who weren't top 33 last year are in Steele top 12.

QB this year for Gophs may have better arm than Leidner. Fleck, Ciarrocca, Simon have GREAT track record with WRs at WMU. With four returning oline starters, all returning TEs and RBs, Gopher running game will have to be respected, helping WRs to shine. Fleck called Still a freak...took special interest in him all Spring, says he just needs to let them mold him.

All of your comments are proven facts, but I will be shocked (and pleasantly surprised) if Still is in the top 20 in the conference in yards in 2017.
 



All of your comments are proven facts, but I will be shocked (and pleasantly surprised) if Still is in the top 20 in the conference in yards in 2017.

Top 20 in terms of total yards requires around 500. We had two receivers hit that in 2015 so yes, I fully expect a more effective scheme, a more balanced scheme, and better offensive coaches to get two starters over the 500 yard mark. It's probably fair to question which receivers those will be but obviously Fleck want Still to get better and be a major part of the offense. Could be any one of Johnson, Still, Carter, Autman-Bell, Holland, or one of the walk-ons could emerge like Geary or Morse. I have no idea what will happen but Fleck wants guys that go get the ball and make plays. I can see several scenarios playing out.
 

Top 20 in terms of total yards requires around 500. We had two receivers hit that in 2015 so yes, I fully expect a more effective scheme, a more balanced scheme, and better offensive coaches to get two starters over the 500 yard mark. It's probably fair to question which receivers those will be but obviously Fleck want Still to get better and be a major part of the offense. Could be any one of Johnson, Still, Carter, Autman-Bell, Holland, or one of the walk-ons could emerge like Geary or Morse. I have no idea what will happen but Fleck wants guys that go get the ball and make plays. I can see several scenarios playing out.

I may have overshot a bit. Still should probably get about 500 yards in 2017 - my bad. I still don't think I would claim he is one of the best receivers in the conference, though.
 

I may have overshot a bit. Still should probably get about 500 yards in 2017 - my bad. I still don't think I would claim he is one of the best receivers in the conference, though.

It's not at all preposterous to think Still could be one of the top 12 WRs. Wolitarsky was one of the best, why can't Still fill his shoes? I think you greatly over estimate the wrs in this conference.
 

I think a lot of people have high expectations for Still because he so much looks the part of an elite wide receiver more so than his actual talent. I honestly believe this. Going up in traffic and getting the ball is not his strength to say the least. He had several examples of this in Madison last year and seems to mistime his jump quite a bit. I want him to break out as much as anyone but I'm not convinced it's in him. I really hope it is.
 



I'm to the point that I wouldn't count on Lingen. Not his fault by any means, but some guys are just injury prone. If he plays all season and is healthy, that's a big bonus, but if you're counting on him, I think you're being foolish.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I'm to the point that I wouldn't count on Lingen. Not his fault by any means, but some guys are just injury prone. If he plays all season and is healthy, that's a big bonus, but if you're counting on him, I think you're being foolish.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1
 

I think a lot of people have high expectations for Still because he so much looks the part of an elite wide receiver more so than his actual talent. I honestly believe this. Going up in traffic and getting the ball is not his strength to say the least. He had several examples of this in Madison last year and seems to mistime his jump quite a bit. I want him to break out as much as anyone but I'm not convinced it's in him. I really hope it is.

I totally get everything you are saying. Your observations are spot on. However, I do think it is in him. RS88 was an elite rebounder in HS. He has the ability to time, out jump, and win 50/50 balls. Why hasn't he for the Gophers? Great question. Confidence? Coaching? Or, is it just too different in football to translate? I guess we find out this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Expects Gophers to be contender in the West.

Says if a new coach gets off to a good start, team confidence builds and team becomes dangerous.

Notes excellent chance for 7-0 start.

Says no unwinnable games in final 5.

Has Steve Richardson, Emmit Carpenter, Rodney Smith, Ryan Santoso, Rashad Still and Jonathan Celestin among best in conference.

Thinks QB unit should have improved production. Calls RB unit among deepest in conf. says Lingen back would really help Receiving units. Says oline due to stay healthy after injuries in last two years. Notes starters returning on oline and Ed Warriner as a top ol coach.

Notes dline returns three with starting experience, and has steadily improved in past years. Rates Lb unit among tops in conf. Feels Dbs may be a notch below last year's. K/p he thinks among best in conference.

Thanks for the summary. Do you know, how does what he says this year compare to what he said last year going into the 2016 season?
 

Just got my mag on Saturday. His bowl prediction is the Pinstripe Bowl against BC. I think lots of people would be satisfied with that in year one.
 


Just got my mag on Saturday. His bowl prediction is the Pinstripe Bowl against BC. I think lots of people would be satisfied with that in year one.

So he thinks Gophs have a good chance to start 7-0, but slots them in a bowl that perennially has match-ups of 6/7 win teams?
 


So he thinks Gophs have a good chance to start 7-0, but slots them in a bowl that perennially has match-ups of 6/7 win teams?

That would be a major disappointment, starting 7 - 0 and finishing in the Pinstripe Bowl. Means we didn't win a single game after that.
 


That would be a major disappointment, starting 7 - 0 and finishing in the Pinstripe Bowl. Means we didn't win a single game after that.

My thoughts exactly...especially puzzling if he also said the are no unwinnable games in the last five.
 

My thoughts exactly...especially puzzling if he also said the are no unwinnable games in the last five.

He seems to play both sides of the fence. He's saying that there are no guaranteed losses in the final five, but calls those last five games "killer". Whatever. It's just fun to speculate.
 

A lot will depend on QB development, last year many times the third check down was wide open, but Mitch would try and throw to first or second check down even when covered.
 

That would be a major disappointment, starting 7 - 0 and finishing in the Pinstripe Bowl. Means we didn't win a single game after that.

Basically sounds like a typical Gopher football season...not bad for year one of a regime.
 


And yet it's still only a chance.

Yes, as PMW said. You are the only one who used the word guarantee. What are you even arguing against?

So he thinks Gophs have a good <b>chance </b>to start 7-0, but slots them in a bowl that perennially has match-ups of 6/7 win teams?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 




Top Bottom