Predictions for 2017

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Iceland12

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Gopher Predictions for 2017

South Point LV: opens Gophers total wins 7.5

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...uth-Point-LV-opens-Gophers-total-wins-7-5-110

Phil Steele: Says they could go 7-0 to start and there are no "unwinnable games in the final 5. Finish 4th in the West. Then said they will play the Pinstripe Bowl.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?76584-Phil-Steele

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...0124190/good-luck-beating-ohio-state-buckeyes

Athlon: Ranks them 50th out of 130.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...ll-130-College-Football-Teams-(-50-Minnesota)

Then Athlon: picks them to play in the Armed Forces Bowl

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...ll-130-College-Football-Teams-(-50-Minnesota)

The Comeback: Minnesota 5th in the West. No record predicted.

http://thecomeback.com/ncaa/2017-college-football-predictions-big-ten.html

Vegas Win Total: 7.5

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?76906-Vegas-win-total-7-5

CBS Sports: Over/Under 7.5 wins

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...ege-Wins-Over-Under-44-Days-Before-the-Opener

Athlon: Gopher/Badger Matchup Could be for the West Title. (Yeah, I know :confused::D )

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...e-could-very-well-be-a-division-title-on-line

USA Today: 4-8

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...ords-of-all-130-FBS-teams-(Minnesota-4-8-2-7)

Bovada: Over/Under 7.5 wins

http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/college-football-season-win-totals

Boyd's Bets: 7.5 wins

https://www.boydsbets.com/college-football-season-win-totals/

Vegas Insider: Odds to win Big Ten Championship Minnesota 28 to1

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/futures/

And a number of places have Minnesota -26 over Buffalo

ESPN has them at 7.5 wins or 6.4. It's confusing
 

Athlon: Ranks them 50th out of 130.

Then Athlon: picks them to play in the Armed Forces Bowl

Athlon: Gopher/Badger Matchup Could be for the West Title.

Sounds like a politician...
 


West Fargo Gopher Fan said:
Athlon: Ranks them 50th out of 130.

Then Athlon: picks them to play in the Armed Forces Bowl

Athlon: Gopher/Badger Matchup Could be for the West Title.

Sounds like a politician...
Click to expand...

Got a kick out of that myself.
 





Lancaster online predicts we'll go 8-5, 5-4:

Outlook: Unless you’re one of the perennially national elite, you don’t change coaches after 9-4. Unless, presumably, you can get Fleck, a turbocharged personality who took long-dormant Western Michigan from zero to the Cotton Bowl over the past four years.

Fleck was the first man up - in a maroon-and-gold plaid sportcoat and socks decorated with little outlines of Minnesota - on the big stage at Big Ten Media Days last month and opened with, “I'm not sure if this was by design to make me go first by waking everybody up,’’

Then he said hi to his wife and kids. Then he told his son to, “stop hitting your sister.’’

Fleck’s catch phrase is “Row the boat.’’ It is now trademarked. He co-owns it with the University of Minnesota, and any money he makes from it will go to the Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

He also has a Big Ten Network reality show, “Being P.J. Fleck.’’

“I have not seen the show,’’ he said. “I've lived life, so I kinda know what that's like. I don't know if this is going to be like the Kardashians or they're going to spin it that way or it's going to be a little bit tamer.’’

Fleck’s football team returns 12 starters, seven on offense. Lots of solid players and some depth, but no superstars. It looked like quarterback-by-committee as camp opened.

The strange schedule might be a good thing. The Gophers play Thursday, Aug. 31, then have nine days off, then have off the week of Sept. 23. They could be 6-1, maybe even 7-0 into late October, before it gets tough. By then Fleck might be governor.

Prediction: 8-4, 5-4.

http://lancasteronline.com/sports/f...cle_5e6a85c2-7c66-11e7-b84e-9f6e15bef826.html

Go Gophers!!
 

(Iowa) Hawk Central:

4. Minnesota

Crossovers: Maryland (home), Michigan State (home), Michigan (road)

Why No. 4?

With all the bluster surrounding P.J. Fleck – and this was a home-run hire for the Gophers – the “Row the Boat” coach arrives to a program that is trying to move past a sexual-misconduct scandal involving 10 players. Five of those players are gone. A running game that includes the return of juniors Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks (combined 1,808 rushing yards and 21 TDs) gives Fleck a decent starting point. With 14 returning starters there’s reason to believe this team will be competitive — and certainly interesting — on a weekly basis.

Potential issues

Like Iowa, the Gophers have an uncertain quarterback situation with a battle between career backup Conor Rhoda and sophomore Demry Croft. The soft schedule of 2016 gets tougher in 2017. It's tough to find more than one win in the final five games: at Iowa, at Michigan, vs. Nebraska, at Northwestern, vs. Wisconsin.

Leistikow’s prediction

6-6, 4-5

 




I think a lot of posters (and a poll) on here agree with the 6-8 wins. 4 seems awfully low. That would be disappointing.
 

It's really tough to know but with an over/under at 7.5 I truly believe that 'under' is the smart bet. We could certainly win 8+ games, but I bet if you played out this season 100 times we would wind up with 6 or 7 wins about 75% of the time. As per usual, I think depth is the issue...it's not too hard to envision 3-4 injuries at key spots that could derail the entire season. I know every team suffers injuries, but I just don't think we have as many quality players not starting as some of our peers (linebacker probably being the exception).
 

When I first hovered over the thread title I thought the first line read:

South Point LV: opens Gophers total wins 7.5 -11.0

I was thinking that was a pretty bold range.
 



4-8 wins is quite the margin to predict

I think 8 wins is pretty fair. I think it could be 9. That last stretch of 5 games is brutal but if there is some stability at the QB position and the team is playing well I don't see why all 5 of those are unwinnable. This is kind of a bridge year I think, not a rebuilding year but I don't anticipate them being a team that is hanging with the B1G elite in 2017
 



P.J. Fleck’s first Minnesota team is a Big Ten West wildcard. This will be fun. - SB

The fired-up coach’s Gophers could contend right away:Bill Connelly SB Nation 6.6 wins

"Sometimes the projections are dead on. My early-2016 projections had Minnesota finishing 8-4 with a No. 42 S&P+ ranking, and the Gophers went 9-4 with a No. 42 S&P+ ranking. First-year head coach Tracy Claeys hit the mark set for previous head coach Jerry Kill, and his 2016 signing class was a little better than what Kill tended to sign.

It’s hard to hope for more than that out of the gates, isn’t it? Claeys was seen as an uninspired hire, but as I wrote in last year’s Minnesota preview, a lack of creativity doesn’t automatically correlate to a lack of quality.

Fleck has a schtick. He might be the most outwardly energetic coach in football. It’s not for everybody, and depending on whom you talk to, it might have prevented him from a more marquee job. But in recruiting, motivation, tactics, and buy-in, he proved about as much as he possibly could’ve in Kalamazoo. The results were there. And while the Minnesota roster thinned, “countless transfers” did not occur.

The BIg Ten West race has an interesting shape this offseason. There’s a clear leader, two clear bottom teams, and who-the-hell-knows in between. Take Athlon, for instance: its preview ranks Wisconsin 10th, Purdue and Illinois deep into the 80s, and the four other teams between 41st and 54th.

My own projections are similar: Wisconsin 11th, Illinois 85th, Purdue 87th, and the other four between 37th and 48th. Three clear tiers. Northwestern’s experience could make the Wildcats a top-30 team, Nebraska has more upside than its rivals but is replacing two-thirds of last year’s offense, and Fleck’s culture change makes Minnesota a high-variability team within that cluster.

In recent years, Minnesota and WMU were increasingly similar in quality, but their positive traits were reversed. WMU ranked in the Off. S&P+ in each of the last two years but was dragged down by its defense; Minnesota hasn’t cracked the Off. S&P+ top 50 since 2007 but ranked in the Def. S&P+ top 25 in each of the last two years.

Fleck acknowledged the disparity by bringing offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca from Kalamazoo, but attempting a defensive upgrade; former Rutgers and Arkansas coordinator Robb Smith takes over on that side.

Fleck was a dynamic recruiter at WMU, and while that hasn’t immediately translated in Minneapolis — his 2018 class currently ranks 23rd per 247, but that’s mainly because he’s already gotten 19 commits; the per-recruit average is barely ahead of last year’s pace — odds are good there will be an uptick. He won’t have to strip this house to its studs. If this transfusion of energy translates, Minnesota could become the No. 1 contender to Wisconsin’s crown.

Or we might find out that only Fleck’s recruits truly respond to Fleck’s coaching, and the house gets stripped down. That option is still on the table.


Offense

Ciarrocca should like what he has inherited at Minnesota. His WMU offense was pretty straight-forward: run the ball on standard downs (67 percent of the time, 24th in the country), play it safe on rare passing downs (35 percent PD run rate, 45th), force teams to gang tackle, and operate with decent tempo. A lot of Fleck’s best recruits at WMU were running backs, and Ciarrocca used them. Granted, he also deployed star Corey Davis effectively in play-action, but the run was the heart of the attack.

It was the same for Minnesota, only with a slower tempo and even more passing-downs rushes. The Gophers wanted to grind away and set a table for their defense, but with two sophomore running backs, one reliable receiver, and a line so banged up and shuffled around that not a single player started all 13 games, that wasn’t always possible.

Inconsistent personnel meant inconsistent production: Minnesota scored 29 or more points eight times but scored 17 or fewer on four occasions. And after an October surge (37 points per game against Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, and Purdue), the well dried up (20 points per game over the last four games).

The combination of stability and experience could be helpful. Those sophomore backs are now juniors, and both Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks had their moments last year; during that 37 PPG run, Smith averaged 6 yards per carry and 127 yards per game, while Brooks averaged 6.9 against Colorado State and Penn State.

Of the eight linemen who started at least one game last year, only four return, but let’s just say Minnesota won’t lack for girth. Not only are all four of those players now upperclassmen (two juniors, two seniors), but they also average 6’5, 325 pounds. And they’re now led by Ed Warinner, Ohio State’s former line coach and one of the best in the business.

That Ohio State’s line grew a little glitchier when Warinner took on coordinator duties in Columbus probably isn’t a coincidence, but in theory he can focus on his biggest strength. And Minnesota’s run game could get awfully mean, awfully quickly.

Of course, that will only matter so much if the Gophers can’t throw. And the passing game is a total mystery. Longtime starter Mitch Leidner is gone; senior-to-be Conor Rhoda went 7-for-15 while filling in for an injured Leidner against Maryland last year ... and that’s basically the extent of Minnesota’s QB experience.

If Rhoda isn’t the starter this fall, it will probably be mid-three-star sophomore Demry Croft, who maybe eked ahead this spring. The main job will be to stick the ball into Smith’s and Brooks’ bellies and hope that the run works well enough that they can throw over the top to Rashad Still. Still is a 6’5 target who caught 19 of 39 balls last year but averaged 18.3 yards per catch.

The loss of steady Drew Wolitarsky will hurt; he was one of the most-targeted No. 1 receivers in the country — he had 102 targets, 63 more than No. 2 target Still, and he was the only guy with a success rate over 50 percent. There will be a lot of pressure on someone like sophomore Tyler Johnson to provide a possession threat.

The return of tight end Brandon Lingen will help in this regard, at least. He caught 33 balls in 2015 but missed the last 10 games of 2016 with injury.

Defense

Smith’s track record at Arkansas was a bit confusing. His first Hog defense surged from 78th to seventh in Def. S&P+ in 2014. Arkansas was all sorts of disruptive up front, but once those pieces departed, he couldn’t find the same rhythm. His last two defenses ranked 65th and 64th, nearly equal to WMU’s No. 69 ranking in 2016.

If he requires disruption up front to succeed, though, he should find things to like about Minnesota. Tackle Steven Richardson is one of the most active interior guys in the conference; he recorded 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks last year, and opponents distracted by Richardson and Andrew Stelter allowed linebackers Jonathan Celestin and Blake Cashman (combined: 17.5 TFLs, 10 sacks, four breakups, three forced fumbles) to make plays as well.

Granted, in terms of known quantities, it gets thin up front after these four; the next leading tackler on the line (sophomore end Winston DeLattiboudere) made just 10.5 tackles last year.

Still, having four upperclassman play-makers is a good place to start. And for what it’s worth, both DeLattiboudere and Tai'yon Devers, another sophomore end, flashed major play-making potential in minimal time — they had just 15 tackles in 2016, but 6.5 of them came behind the line. And a third sophomore, former blue-chip linebacker Carter Coughlin, moved to rush end this spring as well. The potential is massive.

Depth on the line will remain a concern until proven otherwise, but there could be even bigger issues in the back. Due to injury and suspensions, Minnesota had to do a lot of shuffling in the secondary — only two regulars played in all 13 games — and the fact that the Gophers finished 24th in Passing S&P+ was an accomplishment.

The return of safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Duke McGhee gives the Gophers steadiness despite the loss of Damarius Travis, but if either gets hurt, Minnesota could find itself relying on freshmen. Though corners Antonio Shenault, Adekunle Ayinde, and Coney Durr saw decent playing time, the best play-makers at CB (Jalen Myrick and KiAnte Hardin, who combined for 18 passes defensed) are gone. Redshirt freshman Kiondre Thomas had a nice spring and could be counted on sooner than later. Like, in Week 1.

Depth issues are a funny thing — you never know in advance if they’re going to bite you. If some sophomore ends and a couple of young defensive backs come through, Minnesota’s starting 11 could have all the activity up front and steadiness in the back that Smith requires. But the Gophers could also be a couple of poorly placed injuries away from a build toward 2018.

Special Teams

The Minnesota offense was inefficient, and the defense was thin enough to have its shaky moments. But the Gophers could count on special teams. They ranked sixth in Special Teams S&P+, powered by brilliant place-kicking from Emmit Carpenter (10-for-10 on field goals longer than 40 yards), tremendous returns from Jalen Myrick and KiAnte Hardin, and solid coverage units.

Carpenter’s return alone will likely keep this unit pretty high in the rankings. He’s brilliant, and punter Ryan Santoso isn’t too bad in his own right. But Minnesota will be starting over in the returns department, which could be worth at least a small slide in the rankings.

2017 outlook
2017 Schedule & Projection Factors
Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability
31-Aug Buffalo 128 27.0 94%
9-Sep at Oregon State 54 -1.8 46%
16-Sep Middle Tennessee 89 13.7 79%
30-Sep Maryland 72 8.3 68%
7-Oct at Purdue 87 8.5 69%
14-Oct Michigan State 44 1.8 54%
21-Oct Illinois 85 12.8 77%
28-Oct at Iowa 48 -2.5 44%
4-Nov at Michigan 10 -18.0 15%
11-Nov Nebraska 42 1.3 53%
18-Nov at Northwestern 37 -4.7 39%
25-Nov Wisconsin 11 -11.7 25%
Projected S&P+ Rk 47
Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 89 / 21
Projected wins 6.6
Five-Year S&P+ Rk 4.0 (49)
2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 52 / 55
2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 8 / 7.2
2016 TO Luck/Game +0.3
Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 57% (45%, 68%)
2016 Second-order wins (difference) 8.7 (0.3)

Even though Claeys did a good job in his lone season, Minnesota did well in bringing Fleck to town, and I’m doubting he’ll end up in a Year Zero situation the way he did at WMU.

But this could end up a significant change in culture, and it’s hard to know how that will play out. Either it provides a bolt of energy, or it leads to a rebuilding year or two.

Of the Big Ten West’s middle four teams, Minnesota’s ceiling might be higher than anybody’s outside of Nebraska, but its floor for 2017 is probably the lowest, too. And a fascinating schedule features five games with S&P+ win probabilities between 39 and 54 percent each. There are few guaranteed wins and few guaranteed losses. A small number of injuries could make the difference between West contention and a 4-8 record.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...gophers-football-2017-preview-schedule-roster
 

Know thy Opponent : Minnesota Golden Gophers - Hammer & Rails (Purdue) (USA Today?)

Hammer & Rails: anywhere from 9-3 to 4-8;)

It wasn’t long ago that Purdue was running roughshod over Minnesota. The two programs are often very similar in that they should be middle of the pack Big Ten teams that occasionally challenge for the conference title. Drew Brees made Glen Mason’s Gophers his personal whipping boy. Joe Tiller had a mastery over Minnesota. Now that we are in the same division, when Purdue and Minnesota play it is one of those games that feels like a tipping point for bowl eligibility.

The gophers have won four straight over Purdue, however. Three years ago Purdue nearly got a breakthrough win for the Hazell era in Minneapolis, but lost 39-38 after a dumb penalty set up a long field goal for the win. The last meeting in West Lafayette was an atrocity as the Gophers won 41-13 and it wasn’t even that close. Last year a completely done Purdue team went to Minneapolis with an interim coach, led at halftime, and had the ball down a single score late before a turnover led to a clinching touchdown.

Minnesota is one of those teams we should be able to compete with every year. Now both teams are under a new head coach and this game is at home. If Purdue is going to surprise people and somehow get to 6 wins, this could be one of those wins..

t is still not an automatic win, however. Fleck is a good coach, but there are a lot of questions facing Minnesota. They really are a bit of a wild card that could go anywhere from 9-3 to 4-8. Still, if a broken down Purdue under and interim coach can give them a game last year surely a competent staff under Brohm can be competitive at home.

https://www.hammerandrails.com/2017/6/30/15900590/2017-minnesota-golden-gophers-football-preview
 

Purdue blogger better check his blood sugar because he definitely is drinking the Purdue-flavored Kool Aid.


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2017 Big Ten Championship Game Predictions - Illini SB Nation

With the 2017 college football season right around the corner, The Champaign Room’s staff have made a series of predictions. Today, in the series’ first edition, TCR’s staff predicted the 2017 Big Ten Championship game, which will be played Dec. 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Game Predictions:

Stephen Cohn — Ohio State over Minnesota

Everyone else is mentioning OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett, so I’ll put in my two cents about him and then walk away, but am I the only one that feels like J.T. Barrett has been at Ohio State FOREVER?? Just seems to me like Barrett was there when Urban Meyer was still winning BCS titles with Timmy Tebow in Gainesville. As for Barrett, he’s too good and polished to lose to any Big Ten West team. The team he’ll be demolishing in Indianapolis is first-year head coach P.J. Fleck and his Golden Gophers. Minnesota QB Demry Croft is big, athletic and can read a defense, all of which should help him lead his team to a division crow

https://www.thechampaignroom.com/20...-state-michigan-wisconsin-penn-state-illinois
 

A week-to-week guide for the entire 2017 season - NCAA.com

Now this writer is ambitious! Gophers are only mentioned once, at least at first glance.

Upset alert: Wisconsin at Minnesota

The Badgers have dominated the rivalry, winning 13 straight. P.J. Fleck hopes to start a new era by disrupting Wisconsin's Big Ten title hopes.

http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/a...e-football-week-week-guide-entire-2017-season
 

Hollinsanity said:
Purdue blogger better check his blood sugar because he definitely is drinking the Purdue-flavored Kool Aid.


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Click to expand...

He must want Purdue to fail - do you think they have the same dumb arguments that we do over here?
 

Michigan State Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017 - Spartan Avenue

MINNESOTA GOPHERS Oct. 14, Minneapolis, Minn.

There was a time when Minnesota could be chalked up as a win for Michigan State, but that’s not the case anymore, especially with P.J. Fleck as head coach. The Gophers return enough talent that a major drop off won’t be likely from last year’s 9-4 campaign. The key for Minnesota’s season will be getting something out of a new quarterback, whether it’s Demry Croft or Conor Rhoda.

Minnesota’s hope is that four returning offensive linemen will be enough to keep the new QB upright, as well as give Rodney Smith (1,158 yards, 16 TDs) and Shannon Brooks plenty of room to run. Playing in back-to-back road games, it’s going to be extremely tough for MSU to contain Smith.

RELATED STORY: MSU Recruiting: Top 7 priority 2019 football targets
To steal this one on the road, Minnesota’s quarterback will have to turn it over, while Brian Lewerke will need to take advantage of a mostly inexperienced secondary that has a lot of questions. LJ Scott and the ground game will only go so far against the Gophers, especially if Minnesota is controlling the clock with its rushing attack.

This is the type of game that will be difficult for the Spartans with the path to victory falling on Lewerke’s shoulders.

Score Prediction: Minnesota 28, Michigan State 24 (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten)
 

Gophers vs. Notre Dame ??

Another thread talks about the WI vs. Notre Dame series. Here CFN predicts the Gophers playing the Fighting Irish in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Yep, sounds like a huge long shot. It would be the first time they played since 1938.

"New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

– It’s not official, but the bowl would prefer to have eight different teams in eight years, so no Northwestern, Penn State or Indiana if possible."

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=77331
 

Outrageous College Football Predictions for the Big Ten in 2017 - Athlon

For better or worse, it's time once again for some OUTRAGEOUS* college football predictions heading into the 2017 slate.

Continuing on with our series of preseason outrageousness, it's time to take a look at the Big Ten. The nation's oldest conference had four teams right in the thick of the College Football Playoff discussion for much of the 2016 season. That won't be the case this year, as a wild Big Ten West race will leave too many teams with too many losses to contend. In the East, the defending conference champs are positioned to make it a one-team race...

Minnesota starts 8-0 and wins the Big Ten West (go 10-2)

P.J. Fleck will be rowing the boat all the way to Indianapolis in his first season at the helm in the Twin Cities. The players are buying into his attitude and energy – not to mention the fact that the guy can flat out coach. The Gophers will likely be favored in their first seven games. Confidence will snowball with each win right up until the trip to Iowa City on Oct. 28. On that day, look for defensive tackle Steven Richardson to dominate in the trenches, disrupting the Hawkeyes' rushing attack and any would-be timing in the passing game. Minnesota will split its last four games, and that'll still be good enough to punch a ticket to meet Penn State for all the B1G marbles.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/outrageous-college-football-prediction-big-ten-2017
 

Big Ten preview: West Division teams at a glance - Chicago Tribune

Minnesota

2016: 9-4, 5-4 Big Ten, tied for fourth in West.

Reason to believe: Western Michigan played hard for coach P.J. Fleck. So will the Gophers. They all appear to be rowing the boat in the same direction. And don't forget: This team went 9-4 last season, albeit with a soft schedule (no Ohio State or Michigan).

Reason for doubt: The Gophers could be emotionally drained. Jerry Kill resigned in 2015 for health reasons. Successor Tracy Claeys got fired after supporting an ill-fated boycott. Ten players were suspended for the bowl game after allegations of sexual assault. And in comes a hyper and hyper-demanding coach using unfamiliar terminology.

Big hole to fill: Drew Wolitarsky, who made third-team All-Big Ten, had great value as a receiver. Gophers quarterbacks targeted him 102 times, 63 more than anyone else.

Breakout player: Tai'Yon Devers had some highs as a freshman (three forced fumbles) but finished the season with just five tackles. Expect him to be a menace at defensive end.

Season is a success if … The Gophers make a run at the Big Ten West title. Don't be shocked if they start 7-0 after facing Buffalo, Oregon State, Middle Tennessee, Maryland, Purdue, Michigan State and Illinois.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...st-team-previews-spt-0821-20170820-story.html
 

Pac-12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2017 - Athlon

Oregon State

“I respect the way they’re trying to build it. It’s kind of the Utah model where they want to be big and physical up front and establish their identity from the line of scrimmage out. They’re hitting their niches in recruiting with some jucos and Polynesian kids. The talent level has gotten better, but it doesn’t happen overnight. The hard part for those guys is everybody else on our side (of the league) is getting better, and Oregon won’t stay down for long so it’s hard to make up ground."

"They were OK on defense. They’ll rotate in a bunch of guys up front and they’ve got a 330-pound tackle you’ve got to block (Elu Aydon), but they don’t have anybody who really stood out as a pass rusher."

"Offensively, it’s all about No. 34 (Ryan Nall). He’s a big weapon. I know every team they played came into the game saying the first, second and third job for their defense was to stop the running back, and he was still productive even though they couldn’t throw it at all. He’s just a big, strong kid that can get you dirty yards but has enough wiggle to get outside on you."

"It’s tough to be consistent on offense when you struggle at quarterback.”

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/pac-12-coaches-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2017
 

There's talk about losing a lot from last year and I don't see it. I think Kiante Hardin and Leidner were the biggest losses. Beyond that, Jack Lynn and Tyler Moore. Demarius Travis?

I think our D has just as good, if not better personnel. Only question is the secondary, and Hardin missed half the year. The defensive coaches might be the biggest loss, but this D should be just as good imo, if not better.

On the O side, all we've talked about for the last 6 years is the lack of O! I think Tyler Moore is a big loss. Obviously Wolitarsky was exceptional. And with Mitch we lose experience. But the WR group should be better as a group. And I think the coaching will be better. Certainly the O line coach. Lot of O lineman back, some another year to mature, and excellent RB's return. Lingen back.

My only question is will the D coaches be as good? QB's lack experience so obviously that's a concern, but early schedule is favorable. How much drop off from Leidner? I don't think offense will be worse. It will be equal or better. My concern is maintaining that very good defense.

I guess we'll see. Last years team won 8 regular season games. People seem to think it was 9 regular season games. This team will be on par with last years regular season win total.


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College football rankings: Minnesota Golden Gophers - Orlando Sentinel

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are No. 44 in the Orlando Sentinel 2017 preseason college football rankings. New coach P.J. Fleck inherits a talented offense that needs to get off to a hot start in order to help secure a bowl bid.

Our ranking: No. 44

Coach: P.J. Fleck (0-0, entering first season; 30-22 overall)

2016 record: 9-4, 5-4 in the Big Ten Conference, tied for fourth in West Division

Look back: Tracy Claeys led the program to its first nine-win season since 2003, but he was fired a few weeks after the team’s appearance in the Holiday Bowl. Claeys threw his support behind a team-led protest following the school’s decision to suspend 10 players during a sexual assault investigation. New athletics director Mark Croyle brought in one of the most sought-after coaching names in the business in P.J. Fleck to run the program.

Offensive starters returning: 7

Offensive starters lost: 4

Defensive starters returning: 6

Defensive starters lost: 5

Key losses: QB Mitch Leidner, OL Matt Leidner, OL Connor Mayes, OL Jonah Pirsig, DE Hendrick Ekpe, DT Scott Ekpe, LB Jack Lynn, CB Jalen Myrick, CB Coney Durr

Top returnees: RB Rodney Smith, RB Shannon Brooks, WR Rashad Still, TE Nate Wozniak, DT Steven Richardson, LB Jonathan Celestin, LB Blake Cashman, S Duke McGhee

Strengths: Rodney Smith is one of six tailbacks in the Big Ten returning this season after rushing for at least 1,000 yards in 2016. Smith finished with career highs in attempts (240), rushing yards (1,158) and rushing touchdowns (16). While Smith will get the majority of the carries in 2017, he’ll share the duties with fellow junior Shannon Brooks (650 yards).

The Gophers pair a strong rushing attack with a formidable offensive line, which returns four starters but must deal with the loss of longtime center Tyler Moore. The group allowed just 17 sacks in 2016 — the second lowest amount in the Big Ten — and the lowest total for the program since 2010.

Minnesota featured the best kicking game in the conference with the team connecting on nearly 92 percent of its field goals last season. K Emmit Carpenter, a first team All-Big Ten selection, hit 22 of 24 kicks, including a season-long 53-yarder.

Weaknesses: The majority of the starters on offense are back in 2017 except at the quarterback position, where Fleck and his staff will have to find a replacement for Mitch Leidner. Senior Conor Rhoda saw limited playing time as Leidner’s backup last season (23 total plays) and was reportedly considering transferring before the coaching change. Redshirt sophomore Demry Croft was impressive in spring and could slide into the starting role ahead of Rhoda with a strong summer. Whoever wins the job will work with new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. He helped direct Western Michigan’s offense, which was the top scoring offense in the Mid-American Conference in 2016.

The Golden Gophers made huge strides on the defensive side of the football last season, ranking No. 14 in the nation in rushing defense. Much of that success, however, was due to strong defensive line and linebackers units, which suffered mass defections in the offseason. LB Jonathan Celestin (80) is the top returning tackler on the team, with DB Duke McGhee back to lead the secondary.

Outlook: Fleck worked miracles at Western Michigan, getting the Broncos and their fans to buy into his “Row the Boat” mantra as they pushed for success. However, it took some time to win big, with the team claiming just one victory during his first season. Luckily for Fleck, Minnesota returns a lot of talent, especially on the offensive side of the football, and features depth at several spots on the defense. A fast start will help determine the Gophers’ postseason fate.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...e-football-rankings-minnesota-0712-story.html
 

9 upset picks for college football’s Week 1, ranked by plausibility - SB Nation

2. Wyoming over Iowa (-12.5)

You’ll read a lot of words this year about Wyoming QB Josh Allen, who could be coach Craig Bohl’s second top-two pick from the position. (His first was Carson Wentz, from when Bohl coached at FCS power North Dakota State.)

Iowa lost last year at home to the FCS team that Bohl left for Wyoming, which is in the level above FCS.

Saturday, noon ET, BTN, at Iowa

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...9570/college-football-upset-picks-week-1-2017
 

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