Iceland12
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West Division
1. Wisconsin
2. Northwestern
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. Purdue
9. How will Minnesota benefit from the arrival of P.J. Fleck?
If the Land of 10,000 Lakes is seeming a little more energized to you these days, you can thank P.J. Fleck. A sensational hire by Minnesota brought in the Human Adrenaline Shot, and he’s already making everyone swoon with his catchphrases and high-octane personality and rowing of boats or canoes or whatever he’s rowing these days. He did a great job at Western Michigan, making them the most prominent Group of Five team in the country last season. What can he do in the Twin Cities?
Well, the big thing to note is that Fleck is not taking over some sunken ship that he has to crane out of one of those aforementioned 10,000 lakes. The Gophers won nine games last season and have 40 wins since the start of the 2011 season. They’re a perennial contender for a Big Ten West division title. But what Fleck can do is get everyone to know that. See, he’s a bit more of a brand than Jerry Kill or certainly Tracy Claeys was, and his personality mixed with a program on the rise could get Minnesota the respect they haven’t received in seasons past. (Fleck also has the quality of not being around for the sexual assault investigation/player strike that went down at the end of last season.)
While an advanced level of winning might have to wait a bit considering how Wisconsin keeps on cruising in the West each and every season, Minnesota also has itself a mighty favorable schedule, and it’s not difficult at all to see the Gophers heading into the battle for the Little Brown Jug on Nov. 4 with a perfect 8-0 record. That’s the start of a November gauntlet, though, featuring Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin in consecutive weeks.
Fleck is blessed with a formidable rushing attack that features a two-headed running back monster in Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks, and that should help take some pressure off the new starting quarterback. There are other important returning starters peppered throughout on both sides of the ball. But if Minnesota wins the games it’s supposed to — remember that its first three losses last season came by a combined 17 points — it will set up an exciting final month of the season. Like the Gophers need any more of an energy boost after Fleck rowed in.
http://www.csnchicago.com/big-ten/l...n-begins-2017-college-football-season-preview
1. Wisconsin
2. Northwestern
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. Purdue
9. How will Minnesota benefit from the arrival of P.J. Fleck?
If the Land of 10,000 Lakes is seeming a little more energized to you these days, you can thank P.J. Fleck. A sensational hire by Minnesota brought in the Human Adrenaline Shot, and he’s already making everyone swoon with his catchphrases and high-octane personality and rowing of boats or canoes or whatever he’s rowing these days. He did a great job at Western Michigan, making them the most prominent Group of Five team in the country last season. What can he do in the Twin Cities?
Well, the big thing to note is that Fleck is not taking over some sunken ship that he has to crane out of one of those aforementioned 10,000 lakes. The Gophers won nine games last season and have 40 wins since the start of the 2011 season. They’re a perennial contender for a Big Ten West division title. But what Fleck can do is get everyone to know that. See, he’s a bit more of a brand than Jerry Kill or certainly Tracy Claeys was, and his personality mixed with a program on the rise could get Minnesota the respect they haven’t received in seasons past. (Fleck also has the quality of not being around for the sexual assault investigation/player strike that went down at the end of last season.)
While an advanced level of winning might have to wait a bit considering how Wisconsin keeps on cruising in the West each and every season, Minnesota also has itself a mighty favorable schedule, and it’s not difficult at all to see the Gophers heading into the battle for the Little Brown Jug on Nov. 4 with a perfect 8-0 record. That’s the start of a November gauntlet, though, featuring Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin in consecutive weeks.
Fleck is blessed with a formidable rushing attack that features a two-headed running back monster in Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks, and that should help take some pressure off the new starting quarterback. There are other important returning starters peppered throughout on both sides of the ball. But if Minnesota wins the games it’s supposed to — remember that its first three losses last season came by a combined 17 points — it will set up an exciting final month of the season. Like the Gophers need any more of an energy boost after Fleck rowed in.
http://www.csnchicago.com/big-ten/l...n-begins-2017-college-football-season-preview
