Eric Atherton: Last chance Fleck's Gophers to create hope

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per Atherton:

P.J. Fleck's tenure at the U is in its infancy, but it's not too soon for Gophers fans to be asking what they've got in Fleck, whose squad has been less-than-memorable en route to a bad record in a very mediocre Big 10.

In terms of "signature wins," the best the Gophers can claim this year is their home trouncing of a Nebraska team that might well be the worst Cornhuskers squad in 50 years. As for bad losses, the home defeat to Maryland in the Big 10 opener now looks even worse than it did seven weeks ago. The Terps are dreadful, with their only other conference win coming against perennial doormat Indiana.

The Gophers were competitive against Iowa, but never really threatened to bring home the bronze pig. They put a late scare into Michigan State but couldn't close the deal, and Minnesota didn't show up in road losses to Michigan and Purdue.

And there's no way to sugarcoat Saturday's blowout loss at Northwestern. That was as bad a performance as we've seen from a Gophers team in a long, long time.

The problem for Fleck — and any other coach in the Big 10 West — is that in any given year there are few opportunities for a team to distinguish itself. Minnesota needs more fans in the stands at TCF Bank Stadium, but home wins over Illinois, Middle Tennessee and Buffalo won't sell season tickets for next year.

That's why Saturday's game against Wisconsin is so huge for Fleck. With 11 games under his belt, it's time for him and his players to give Gophers fans at least a dash of hope for next year. A great coach will get his players to rise up, to play above their physical abilities at home against a superior team that aspires to win a national championship.

I'm not saying that Minnesota should reclaim Paul Bunyan's Axe, but playing at home on Senior Day, the Gophers must compete. They can't get run over the way they did against Michigan and Northwestern.

This is Minnesota's bowl game. The stadium should be full or nearly so (with Wisconsin fans filling most seats), and this is Fleck's last chance to impress recruits who are getting offers from schools like Iowa, Wisconsin, Iowa State and Michigan State.

http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/...cle_984f5a68-15f0-5865-af67-78cba86fc777.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Impossible to underestimate what a Wisconsin win would mean for fans and the program. It could happen, but probably won't. The Gophers' most impressive wins were against the weakest teams, Oregon State (1-10) and Nebraska (4-7). They were outcoached by Maryland and Purdue, outplayed by Michigan State, and outcoached AND outplayed by Michigan and Northwestern. The Nebraska game was the coaching bright spot, a perfect exercise in Xs&Os, fully utilizing the talent at hand. Injuries have been devastating on both sides of the ball. A Wisconsin win would mean a bowl game and a big step toward a better season next fall and would help season ticket sales. A blowout loss would do the opposite. A heroic loss would offer at least some hope.
 

Here's how you create and keep hope. You step back and realize the the current year has nothing to do with last year and nothing to do with next year.

There is not free agency to cut corners. It's about recruiting and developing.

Look at Purdue for example. They are 4th this year in scoring defense and last year they were 13th. However they start 7 seniors this year on defense. They had guys that had played a lot of football that were able to adapt to a new system. Will Brohm recruit as well on defense as offense? We'll see.

Wisconsin will lose a minimum of 6 starters from the defense that 10 of 11 players were in there 4-5 year in development. Recruit and develop.

Go down the line and you can make similar assumptions for every team and that is why there will be hope even with a loss on Saturday.

Right now it's Wisconsin and the rest of the West and four teams in the East.
 

If we would have competed against Northwestern, there'd be so much more hope going into this game thinking we were one play away from being on a nice winning streak.

Fact is, we've had two horrible games sandwiching a Nebraska win so the rule right now seems to be losing badly, with the exception to the rule, being a horrible Nebraska team.
 

Here's how you create and keep hope. You step back and realize the the current year has nothing to do with last year and nothing to do with next year.

There is not free agency to cut corners. It's about recruiting and developing.

Look at Purdue for example. They are 4th this year in scoring defense and last year they were 13th. However they start 7 seniors this year on defense. They had guys that had played a lot of football that were able to adapt to a new system. Will Brohm recruit as well on defense as offense? We'll see.

Wisconsin will lose a minimum of 6 starters from the defense that 10 of 11 players were in there 4-5 year in development. Recruit and develop.

Go down the line and you can make similar assumptions for every team and that is why there will be hope even with a loss on Saturday.

Right now it's Wisconsin and the rest of the West and four teams in the East.

You don't think coaching performance and results from a year affect future recruiting?


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You don't think coaching performance and results from a year affect future recruiting?


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Not for one specific year but if you have continued success or failure it will affect recruiting.
 

Not for one specific year but if you have continued success or failure it will affect recruiting.

What he said. Fleck did this at his last stop, so it’s not going to affect early recruiting.
 

Irrelevant article. Trying to make something out of nothing. Save the drama for your Mama Atherton. Fleck has zero worries regardless of the outcome of this game.


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