STrib: Gophers, Cornhuskers both desperate teams looking for a win

per Randy:

One team has a first-year coach implementing his new system, trying to point a program that hasn’t won a conference title in a half-century in the right direction.

The other team has an embattled coach who already has lost the safety net of the athletic director who hired him and is just trying to salvage bowl eligibility for a proud program.

Saturday morning when the Gophers play Nebraska at TCF Bank Stadium, two teams trying to dig their way out of sub-.500 seasons will meet with the prize of a stop-the-bleeding victory at stake.

The Gophers (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) are coming off their first blowout loss of the season — 33-10 at Michigan, in a game in which they gave up 366 rushing yards.

They have lost five of their past six games after a 3-0 nonconference start.

Coach P.J. Fleck doesn’t see a team that’s panicking, rather one that’s circling the wagons. Case in point was Sunday night’s team meeting.

“We got very real, very quickly,’’ he said.

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-cornhuskers-both-desperate-teams-looking-for-a-win/455996913/

Go Gophers!!

If the Gophers win, does the Mike Reilly era end? Or is he already on his way out?

He’s already done. New AD will want to hire his own football coach. That’s the only sport that matters at that school.

Riley is a West coast guy and has been almost his whole life. I still can’t imagine what on earth they were thinking in hiring the guy to Nebraska. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if he heads back to Oregon St. Looks like they made the job open in anticipation of him returning.

I'll be surprised if he returns. It isn't out of the realm of possibility, but it will be very surprising if he does.

If Riley leaves and they hire Scott Frost, the Big Ten gets a little more interesting.

MnplsGopher said:

He’s already done. New AD will want to hire his own football coach. That’s the only sport that matters at that school.

Riley is a West coast guy and has been almost his whole life. I still can’t imagine what on earth they were thinking in hiring the guy to Nebraska. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if he heads back to Oregon St. Looks like they made the job open in anticipation of him returning.

Click to expand...

Agreed. He's gone. And they'll want him gone and a new coach in place before the early signing period. Things are changing and it will really hurt Nebraska if that doesn't happen.