2021 Gopher Football - The what if season

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

looking at Bowling Greens season…and the other loses where PJ would not pull underperforming players, it makes me sad.

We dont know what the guys behind the starters will play like, but we wont be this loaded next season.

it could have been a special year, but PJ valued his culture vs winning in my opinion.

various games where Morgan should have been pulled, situations where he stuck with what wasnt working until it was too late.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Damn it! I fckn love that we won but still.

 

[West Fargo Gopher Fan]

This goes both ways. A few wrong bounces and were .500

Second guessing means nothing. Just enjoy it

 

[btowngopher]

looking at Bowling Greens season…and the other loses where PJ would not pull underperforming players, it makes me sad.

We dont know what the guys behind the starters will play like, but we wont be this loaded next season.

it could have been a special year, but PJ valued his culture vs winning in my opinion.

various games where Morgan should have been pulled, situations where he stuck with what wasnt working until it was too late.

We could very well be better next year, just enjoy the win, and realize the program is trending the right way.

 

[GringaGopher]

Having the axe back cures a few of the misses we had this season.

 

[cncmin]

Having the axe back cures a few of the misses we had this season.

If you ask me before the season starts, will you take a loss to Bowling Green for a win against the Badgers, of course I take that one.

 

[Zugester]

Yea, I think your title captures this year perfectly…up til today! Now the rest don’t matter! Love on all our guys! Very proud of them and the coaching staff! Thank you!!!

 

[hello-world]

Yea, I think your title captures this year perfectly…up til today! Now the rest don’t matter! Love on all our guys! Very proud of them and the coaching staff! Thank you!!!

Some of the losses this year will absolutely matter when people look back at this season but agree that UMN should enjoy the win tonight.

As long as Fleck keeps the games with Iowa and Wisconsin competitive, he will have a job at Minnesota.

 

[Mulligan]

looking at Bowling Greens season…and the other loses where PJ would not pull underperforming players, it makes me sad.

We dont know what the guys behind the starters will play like, but we wont be this loaded next season.

it could have been a special year, but PJ valued his culture vs winning in my opinion.

various games where Morgan should have been pulled, situations where he stuck with what wasnt working until it was too late.

And maybe giving up on Morgan means we wouldn't have won today. The defense was great, but Morgan deserves a hell of a lot of credit for the win today.

Just enjoy it for the day instead of immediately bitching. The biggest "What if?" of the season is Mo getting hurt.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Agreed. Basking in this moment as much as I can.
I think its fair to say the rivalry is now a rivalry again w WI.

just need to get over the IA hump, get rid of Sanford and we could be close to starting a dynasty…

 

[Some guy]

Gophers lose 8 of top 10 skill players for multiple games and go 8-4 (6-3) and beat wisconsin

But the program hasn’t progressed

 

[Dano564]

Agreed. Basking in this moment as much as I can.
I think its fair to say the rivalry is now a rivalry again w WI.

just need to get over the IA hump, get rid of Sanford and we could be close to starting a dynasty…

We'll get over the Iowa bump.
Iowa knows it. They know they were fortunate to get that W this year, and they just watched us beat Wisconsin, something they have troubles doing.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Such a Minnesota defeatist thread. Enjoy them beating Wilson own for only the 2nd bleeping time in like 18 years.

the lose to bowling green is impossible to explain. The lose to Illinois meant this game was not gonna be for the big ten west.

 

[fair]

The Illinois loss matters FAR more than the BG loss. That being said, I don’t care right now. AXE BABY

 

[GridironGus]

Here's the preseason AP Rankings of some teams and their present record. None have more than 8 wins (as of this minute). Even with all of the 'should have been' wins, it is not a bad season for the Gophers like some make it out to be.

2. Clemson 8-3
5. Iowa State 7-5
7. Texas A&M 8-3
11. LSU 5-6
12. Miami FL 7-5
14. North Carolina 6-6
16. Indiana 2-10
17. Florida 6-6
18. Texas 5-7
21. Penn State 7-5
22. Washington 4-8
23. Arizona State 8-4
24. USC 4-6

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

What if Mo hadn't been hurt? We're 10-2, maybe even 11-1.

 

[hello-world]

Here's the preseason AP Rankings of some teams and their present record. None have more than 8 wins (as of this minute). Even with all of the 'should have been' wins, it is not a bad season for the Gophers like some make it out to be.

Think we need to keep in mind that Minnesota is losing its entire offensive line next season and came in with a senior QB. The reason that people were so disappointed with this season is the most experienced and oldest teams that Minnesota has had and they still couldn't win the B1G West.

Next year has potential to be pretty rough.

 

[Dano564]

This is college football.

The Big Ten West was competitive top through #6 as evidenced by Nebraska (#6) being favored against the eventual West Champion.

To be disappointed in second place in this division with that is just a lack of reality on how far this program has come in a very short time.

Taking second in the division is never something to be disappointed about in this day and age of the Big Ten.

 

[maroonfive]

Think we need to keep in mind that Minnesota is losing its entire offensive line next season and came in with a senior QB. The reason that people were so disappointed with this season is the most experienced and oldest teams that Minnesota has had and they still couldn't win the B1G West.

Next year has potential to be pretty rough.

Hmm, I don't see that at all. I must be looking at a different roster.

 

[hello-world]

Hmm, I don't see that at all. I must be looking at a different roster.

I mean, the Gophers are losing Sam, Conner, John Michael, Blaise, and Daniel. Next year is likely not going to start well.

Losing Conner alone would be tough to swallow. Losing all five of the offensive lineman will be painful.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Gophers lose 8 of top 10 skill players for multiple games and go 8-4 (6-3) and beat wisconsin

But the program hasn’t progressed

13-5 in last two full Big Ten Seasons.

Can play the what if game till you're blue in the face and find reasons to be bummed about what could have been. Or can just enjoy the fact that we kicked Wisconsin's butt today and took back the Axe for the second time in Fleck's 5 years. Team is moving in the right direction. Might not be as fast as some want but there is no denying progress is being made.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I mean, the Gophers are losing Sam, Conner, John Michael, Blaise, and Daniel. Next year is likely not going to start well.

Losing Conner alone would be tough to swallow. Losing all five of the offensive lineman will be painful.

It'll be interesting to see how the OL shakes out.

I think there is a good chance 2 of these three return (JMS, Blais Andries, Axel Ruschmayer). Nathan Boe has played a ton this year and JJ Guedet started getting some run.

I agree that our OL will obviously lose a ton, but we'll likely return a lot of "snaps". Depth could be a concern (Depending upon the transfer market). So a lot of this depends upon who returns and potential transfers in/out, but we return a lot of players.

 

[FormerFatOL]

Agreed. Basking in this moment as much as I can.
I think its fair to say the rivalry is now a rivalry again w WI.

just need to get over the IA hump, get rid of Sanford and we could be close to starting a dynasty…

I don't know if that will happen. As much as I hated some of the early predictable/stubborn play calling earlier in the season, the offensive game plans improved starting with the Iowa game.

 

[hello-world]

I don't know if that will happen. As much as I hated some of the early predictable/stubborn play calling earlier in the season, the offensive game plans improved starting with the Iowa game.

I'm afraid you might be right which is super unfortunate because they were still calling those ridiculous super late-developing routes again today. Only thing they changed was not calling them on third down (granted, big improvement).

 

[Marooned]

I don't know if that will happen. As much as I hated some of the early predictable/stubborn play calling earlier in the season, the offensive game plans improved starting with the Iowa game.

Either Simon was given more actual OC duties or Sanford really improved towards the end of the year. If Simon was actually taking on more responsibility, Sanford is gone. If not, Sanford stays. We’ll know soon enough.

 

[Ope3]

Such a Minnesota defeatist thread. Enjoy them beating Wilson own for only the 2nd bleeping time in like 18 years.

the lose to bowling green is impossible to explain. The lose to Illinois meant this game was not gonna be for the big ten west.

That's not entirely correct, had the Gophers run the table after the Illinois game, they would have been 7-2 and won the West outright.

Had they beat the Illini but still lost to the Hawkeyes, Iowa would still be going to Indy having the tiebreaker. In my mind that would make them the Champs, but Minnesota would have been able to claim a "Co-Camp" banner.

As stated in your first sentence, let's just enjoy the win. Hadn't happened at The Bank EVER. Since the last win at Home, Alvarez retired and came back to coach TWICE.

I enjoyed it so damn much, I just finished rewatching the game that I just attended, at 2am for cripes sake.

 

[Ope3]

Either Simon was given more actual OC duties or Sanford really improved towards the end of the year. If Simon was actually taking on more responsibility, Sanford is gone. If not, Sanford stays. We’ll know soon enough.

Perhaps Fleck just loosened the reigns?

Isn't it possible that the change in game planning was a result of a change in emphasis by the HC or maybe Sanford was able to convince him they needed to make adjustments?

Time will tell. Maybe.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Either Simon was given more actual OC duties or Sanford really improved towards the end of the year. If Simon was actually taking on more responsibility, Sanford is gone. If not, Sanford stays. We’ll know soon enough.

Agree, the offense changed in the last few games. The frantic pre-snap running around went away for the most part and they looked way more composed. One check with the sideline and then run the play for the most part and don't always take the play clock down to 1 second.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

That's not entirely correct, had the Gophers run the table after the Illinois game, they would have been 7-2 and won the West outright.

Had they beat the Illini but still lost to the Hawkeyes, Iowa would still be going to Indy having the tiebreaker. In my mind that would make them the Champs, but Minnesota would have been able to claim a "Co-Camp" banner.

As stated in your first sentence, let's just enjoy the win. Hadn't happened at The Bank EVER. Since the last win at Home, Alvarez retired and came back to coach TWICE.

I enjoyed it so damn much, I just finished rewatching the game that I just attended, at 2am for cripes sake.

There are no co-champs either you’re the champ or you ain’t. Just like all the co players of the week and what not. Pick a player of the week and give them the honor.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Think we need to keep in mind that Minnesota is losing its entire offensive line next season and came in with a senior QB. The reason that people were so disappointed with this season is the most experienced and oldest teams that Minnesota has had and they still couldn't win the B1G West.

Next year has potential to be pretty rough.

Schedule is easier and some of the lineman may be back again who the heck knows. If Morgan is coming back maybe he can talk others into one more run. If you’re going into the pro’s you should go buy if you’re simply starting a 9-5 job why not come back and enjoy one last run.