If Fleck doesn't fire Robb Smith...

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watertown 1987 guy n said:
You’re insinuating, just man up and say what’s on your mind.
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Am I? I have read thread after thread blaming RS for the defense. I am wondering why no complaints about PJ based on the D’s performance.

As for “manning up” - sorry, I like to keep my views of PJ hidden.


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Don't we have a new nutritionist this year?

Are they getting hydrated properly before long flights?
 

Gopher football hit rock bottom today...worst than the Brewster teams. Get rid of these coaches they do not know what they are doing.
 

Spoofin said:
Does PJ deserve any of the blame for the D performance?


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Of course PJ deserves blame for this terrible defense. His stated vision is to grow the team from within which could potentially be stronger in the long term, instead of recruiting JUCOs to fill holes and get immediate but short term results. Kill (and Brohm at Purdue) went the JUCO route. Right here and now, Fleck's decision looks really bad and risky especially with the key injuries incurred. Fleck deserves the blame now, but he'll hopefully deserve the credit in a couple of years if his gamble works out. Regardless, my apathy is growing quickly as this year appears hopeless.
 


hungan1 said:
I am still perplexed why he hired Smith when he had a dismal record everywhere except the first season at Arkansas. Did he get Bret Bilema fired?
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Nobody else wanted to work with him.
 

Haven't seen the game yet. Listened to 4th quarter and post game on my way home. Grim said in the post game that this season we have two of our top 7 worst defensive performances in the history of the program, by giving up 646 today and 659 at Nebraska. So we have that going for us.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
Go back to Wisconsin troll.
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Just a hint, the Wisconsin fans I know are on your side, they hope that Fleck hangs around as long as possible. The thing they fear is a team that can play competitive football. So watertown, go away Wisconsin troll.
 

Flecknation said:
i'll believe it when i see it. wouldn't be surprised if Fleck keeped him. I mean when even hire him just look at his stats... What was Fleck thinking.
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How many beers have you had?


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Panthadad2 said:
Of course PJ deserves blame for this terrible defense. His stated vision is to grow the team from within which could potentially be stronger in the long term, instead of recruiting JUCOs to fill holes and get immediate but short term results. Kill (and Brohm at Purdue) went the JUCO route. Right here and now, Fleck's decision looks really bad and risky especially with the key injuries incurred. Fleck deserves the blame now, but he'll hopefully deserve the credit in a couple of years if his gamble works out. Regardless, my apathy is growing quickly as this year appears hopeless.
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I felt this way for a while, too. However, I then realized that he has brought in JUCOs and transfers. They just haven't been very good. OJ Smith and Royal Silver are contributing. JUCO QB? Gone after three months. Two JUCO OL? Not contributing. Williamson? Not playing much. Two highly regarded safeties brought in as freshmen who could be contrubuting this year are gone. Many teams backed off Benny Sapp, but we took him and he's playing on special teams but not at safety, his position and a glaring area of need.

My fear is he doesn't evaluate very well. But he still has time to bring in a JUCO safety for next year. If he doesn't, then what?

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hungan1 said:
I am still perplexed why he hired Smith when he had a dismal record everywhere except the first season at Arkansas. Did he get Bret Bilema fired?
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Because he coached with him in the past.
 

Face The Facts said:
The offense is doing fine and trending upwards and has a stronger future for the next couple years.
Scoring 30 points a game is pretty solid.


Issue I have is what is a new DC going to do? He's going to make our DB's faster to tackle guys who break past DL and LB's?
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It is easier to put up offense when always behind...by a lot.
 

I just can't imagine that Fleck is that tied to Smith to cut his own throat. Smith has demonstrated at every stop his defenses have gotten worse every year. I don't know who in their right mind would want this guy? PJ needs to just stop the bleeding, get rid of him now or later. I disagree with those that say later, it sends a message that you are not willing to do what it takes to fix it. Getting rid of him now sends a message, sends a message to the fans, admin and players that he will do what it takes to make the program succeed. Will it make much difference? Probably not. Recruiting concerns? Who cares! This is a project no matter how you slice it and who you bring in. Even the biggest PJ supporters (GWG, FTF) probably know that Smith has to go. Even those that are most against PJ know that it's going to be a haul. I just say to hell with it. We've waited this long, give PJ another 3 years to right the ship and if not we wash, rinse and repeat. Don't have a choice. You just never know who is going to turn the corner on this program and it's only year 2 of what's a long process. I hope it turns around. Days like today though don't make me optimistic. My god it takes a special kind of misery to be a fan of this program!
 

3rd and 1, we have no one right over the slot receiver. LB was split between the slot and OT. QB gets that snap, throws it immediately to the slot guy who gets an easy 3 yards and a first down.

Before a play, I told my wife Illinois is going to get a big gain if they run the ball. We had just 5 in the box with a LB playing close to the slot receiver. It was obvious we were out manned from the start. Luckily Coughlin made a shoe string tackle or it’s probably another 70+ run.

The talent isn’t great on defense but it’s obvious to me there’s a big issue with scheme. Today was beyond embarrassing. Smith has to go.
 


When Glen friggin Mason, from his cushy BTN broadcasting skybox, is telling the TV audience that "Boy I don't, but there's just something wrong with your defense. It ain't working" ..... that means you absolutely SUCK at defense.

I mean, they SUCK.


That doesn't mean Robb Smith will get fired. Nor do I think him getting fired would help anything. It's way too late in the season ... whatever it is that they've been taught to do, is too far ingrained. You can't just hit the reset button, that easily.

Now at the end of the season, then maybe he will be fired. Maybe.


Why can't Smith just tell Fleck the same thing he tells all of us?? "We're too young, I don't have the players" etc?
 


There’s no way the Gophers were playing 11 at a time on defense, were they? Had to be nine or 10.
 

I think Robb needs to go but changing him out might help but I don't think it solves the issue.

Asking a team to keep a single other Big Ten team under 30 points for a game shouldn't be impossible however.
 

harley_gopher said:
Gopher football hit rock bottom today...worst than the Brewster teams. Get rid of these coaches they do not know what they are doing.
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This ain't even close to rock bottom. Getting creamed by NDSU in 2011 was kinda of near rock bottom. However, losing to South Dakota Coyotes under Brewster that was really what rock bottom was truly like. Today's game was line when Wacker teams for the Gophers used to get rolled like by 50 points by Michigan. Instead we saw the Gophers get rolled by Illinois.

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There is absolutely night and day difference between the way Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys teach disciplined defensive fundamentals. It doesn't appear that Robb Smith has that in him, or know how to make adjustments in the second half.

There are so many instances of players taking wrong angles, poor form tackling, playing out of position or losing discipline by trying to do too much. That is on Robb Smith.

It is like the Gophers situation flipped. Kill/Claeys had a well develop defense. PJ Fleck has emphasize the passing game, but completely fell off the map on his defense. You don't hire someone to be your defensive coordinator because you coached together at Rutgers or some foresaken place. He should have known Robb Smith's record and that he is not a good teacher.

Now, the Gopher has to suffer for his teaching mistakes long after he is fired.

What a total disappointment. This is on PJ Fleck.

This is the Big Ten. You don't make a coaching hire blunder like this without risking your own job.
 
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gopherdudepart2 said:
This ain't even close to rock bottom. Getting creamed by NDSU in 2011 was kinda of neat rock bottom, but losing to South Dakota Coyotes under Brewster that was really what rock bottom was truly like. Today's game was line when Wacker teams for the Gophers used to get rolled like by 50 points by Michigan. Instead we saw the Gophers get rolled by Illinois.

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I'll never forget that USD game, their coach didn't wear a headset and basically talked to no one else on the sideline
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
This ain't even close to rock bottom. Getting creamed by NDSU in 2011 was kinda of near rock bottom. However, losing to South Dakota Coyotes under Brewster that was really what rock bottom was truly like. Today's game was line when Wacker teams for the Gophers used to get rolled like by 50 points by Michigan. Instead we saw the Gophers get rolled by Illinois.
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Well, what about 2007? I mean don't get me wrong, we lost to NDSU that year too ...
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
This ain't even close to rock bottom. Getting creamed by NDSU in 2011 was kinda of neat rock bottom, but losing to South Dakota Coyotes under Brewster that was really what rock bottom was truly like. Today's game was line when Wacker teams for the Gophers used to get rolled like by 50 points by Michigan. Instead we saw the Gophers get rolled by Illinois.

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This game closely matches our 2015 loss at home vs Nebraska 48-25. Nebraska was a little better than Illinois, but we were playing at home in the game.
 


The difference between Smith and Fleck is that Fleck blathers some silly catch phrases that a small percentage of Gopher fans think are just awesome. Otherwise they bear the same responsibility for this disaster. Smith will get sacrificed though to explain this, just as last years seniors got served up for last season. Next year it will be Ciarrocca, then we will finally get to the real problem. We just have to be patient.
 

WoodburyTim said:
The difference between Smith and Fleck is that Fleck blathers some silly catch phrases that a small percentage of Gopher fans think are just awesome. Otherwise they bear the same responsibility for this disaster. Smith will get sacrificed though to explain this, just as last years seniors got served up for last season. Next year it will be Ciarrocca, then we will finally get to the real problem. We just have to be patient.
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I'm glad you're deciding to be patient.
 

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