Are the staff doing what you expected this year?

[Oneoldgopher]

If there was a person on the staff that you would swap out for a better coordinator or assistant, who would it be and why? I'll sit back and watch in silence.

 

[dpodoll68]

Is the teachers teaching you the proper subject-verb agreement? I'll sit back and watch in silence.

 

[Killjoy]

Oneoldgopher

If there was a person on the staff that you would swap out for a better coordinator or assistant, who would it be and why? I'll sit back and watch in silence.

Is this a trick question or it is designed to see what kind of reaction it will get? Most rational people here would say we have tried that it doesn't work. My question to you is how about we don't make any changes and see what happens.

 

[Oneoldgopher]

Is the teachers teaching you the proper subject-verb agreement? I'll sit back and watch in silence.

Are the teachers....

Thanks for the demonstration. This is casual writing. Others get by without a word from you. But, since I have earned special target status, I'll accept the criticism for today.

 

[50PoundHead]

I've been a bit disappointed in both co-ordinators, but I think their problems had more to do with trying to get a handle on the strengths of the guys that they had and in that process, I felt they have tried to push too many square pegs into too many round holes. I have seen improvement since they have pared back the playbook on both offense and defense and seemingly have fashioned schemes and plays to the guys on hand instead of being "system fundamentalists."

 

[Oneoldgopher]

Is this a trick question or it is designed to see what kind of reaction it will get? Most rational people here would say we have tried that it doesn't work. My question to you is how about we don't make any changes and see what happens.

Seriously, "most rational people"? Ted Roof had a better defense. He was here a year. Could it be that it worked and we couldn't keep him? Just saying it did work and you are ignoring history.

 

[Parski1]

Special teams has been really weak. I'm not even sure who that coach is?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Ted Roof did a nice job while he was here but there is a litany of other reasons why our defense improved under Roof. Withers has done a nice job at North Carolina, so it's doubtful that he just improved as a coach.

That said, I think this is a fari question in a couple of years. Right now? I think it's too early. If our defense is still god awful in 2013, it might be time to look that way. Right now, it's almost impossible to judge a coach. I will say that I think Limegrover has worked magic with our OL, I like the improvement in our DL's ability to rush the passer.

 

[Gopher Gold]

Special teams has been really weak. I'm not even sure who that coach is?

Agree and disagree. Kicking the ball specifically has been poor. But kick coverage has been decent to good, the onside kick, fake field goal TD, punt block TD, and kick-off return TD have all been great to see.

 

[BarnBoy]

I am reserving judgement until mid-season next year and beyond.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Agree and disagree. Kicking the ball specifically has been poor. But kick coverage has been decent to good, the onside kick, fake field goal TD, punt block TD, and kick-off return TD have all been great to see.

Generally, kick coverage has been good, but last week it killed us.

Our FG kicking has been decent:
(I might have this wrong because ESPN's stats are a little iffy)
10/13 FGs
8/8 under 40
2/5 over 40

That's solid.

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Orseske must have demons floating around in his head. In the pre-game warmups at TCF he absolutely crushes the ball. He gets in the game and it is the deer in the headlight syndrome. I feel bad for the kid. It is like having the yips with the putter.

 

[RodentRampage]

I took a look at the worst Gophers defenses in terms of points given up per game.

No surprise, the worst was the 1983 team, with 518 points, an average of 47.1 points per game.
In second place, there is the 2007 team, with 440 points, an average of 36.7 points per game.
In third place, the 2008 team, with 440 points, an average of 33.8 points per game.
In fourth place, the 1995 team, with 368 points, an average of 33.5 points per game.
In fifth place, the 2010 team with 396 points, an average of 33 points per game.

Over the last four years, the Gophers have had three of the five worst defenses in terms of points given up per game. If this defense holds Illinois under 26 points, this year's defense won't make the top five worst. Given that the defense has been this bad, not just in the past year, but over the last four years, is it so surprising that the defense is bad in year one?

 

[Killjoy]

Who is ignoring history?

Seriously, "most rational people"? Ted Roof had a better defense. He was here a year. Could it be that it worked and we couldn't keep him? Just saying it did work and you are ignoring history.

You totally missed my point. You may feel that Ted Roof has a better defense and it is even possible you may be right, but what this program needs is stability, not a new system. That is why Kaler gave Kill a seven year contract. There are many different philosophies and beliefs but without stability the players are never going to learn to play as a team with confidence.

Kill has said it many times that he knows what works from experience and he is going to stick with it. That how you turn a program around. He is not going to change it because you like Ted Roof.

Based on Kill's record of turning program I trust him over you to turn this program around. He understands how all the pieces must fit together. One of these pieces is stability.

 

[RedPoo]

I've been a bit disappointed in both co-ordinators, but I think their problems had more to do with trying to get a handle on the strengths of the guys that they had and in that process, I felt they have tried to push too many square pegs into too many round holes. I have seen improvement since they have pared back the playbook on both offense and defense and seemingly have fashioned schemes and plays to the guys on hand instead of being "system fundamentalists."

+1

It makes a certain kind of sense that they're doing it, and we should have expected it given Kill's comments about how he intended to build this program, but I have some minor issues with this as well. I have faith that this staff will eventually turn the team around, but I feel like a good coach can install his system and have success with it, but a great coach will also maximize the talent he has in the short term until he can get the guys for the system he eventually wants to run. (See: RichRod v. Hoke at Michigan.)
Specifically, I feel like the offense relies on the read-option plays when it's obvious they don't have the personnel for it, and they put Gray in space, where he seems more comfortable, less than they could. It also seems like they utilize the TEs less than they could as pass catchers, though I suspect a lot of that has to do with the specific players/system buy-in, etc.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Even bringing up the topic of switching assistants after one year is pointless because Kill is very loyal to his staff and he wouldn't make a change unless there were multiple years of failure.

I had a post a few weeks ago saying it will be interesting to see how Kill handles his coordinators if they prove unable to compete on the Big Ten level scheme wise. But we won't know that until the end of next season at the earliest. Overall I am more concerned about the defensive coaching staff then the offensive coaching staff but only time will tell if they will be unable to cut it.

Over the next few years we will find out if Kill an his staff are ready for prime time or more suited for the mid major level. Here's hoping they prove up to the task of turning around a BCS school.

 

[NateDawgUM]

I think we should switch Offensive Coordinators and tinker with Gray's throwing motion.

 

[gophmeister]

The team has taken some steps forward and some back. When you consider the circumstance (injuries, coaching change), I think it's a foolish proposition to think anyone or anything a failure right now. Granted things haven't gone the way we hoped, but there were a lot of question marks going into this season. The team has improved as the season progressed, which is encouraging. If they win Saturday they basically match last year's team's performance albeit with a new staff, qb and a ton of young guys starting.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I took a look at the worst Gophers defenses in terms of points given up per game.

No surprise, the worst was the 1983 team, with 518 points, an average of 47.1 points per game.
In second place, there is the 2007 team, with 440 points, an average of 36.7 points per game.
In third place, the 2008 team, with 440 points, an average of 33.8 points per game.
In fourth place, the 1995 team, with 368 points, an average of 33.5 points per game.
In fifth place, the 2010 team with 396 points, an average of 33 points per game.

Over the last four years, the Gophers have had three of the five worst defenses in terms of points given up per game. If this defense holds Illinois under 26 points, this year's defense won't make the top five worst. Given that the defense has been this bad, not just in the past year, but over the last four years, is it so surprising that the defense is bad in year one?

I agree with your general sentiment, but we did bring back a lot of depth to this team.
Royston, Kirksey, Jacobs, Tinsley, Lewis, Henderson, Stoudermire (at the time) were all SRs with experience.

I do like Claeys, but I think the 2007 and 2010 had less talent.

 

[John Galt]

No, I think we've underachieved. The first half of the year was alarming, and the second half of the year has been encouraging. I still don't understand how we lost to NMSU and NDSU, but I'm confident if we played them now we'd win. The team has gotten better, but I thought they'd be stronger out of the gate.

 

[nsmike]

I wouldn't change anything on the staff. As the year progressed I can see the what the Coordinators have in mind. I believe it's a system that will work as we get the players that fit. I know someone will say that you should change the system to fit the players, but that kind of thinking is what Coach Kill is referring too when he talks about "building on sand". If Kill can find the pieces to shore up the secondary, I think we'll greatly exceed expectations, next year. One thing I keep coming back too is, that Coach Kill once said that, it takes a year to really know the kids and get them to really buy into the system. That thought keeps coming back to me and I think of where were at and where were going.

 

[EG#9]

I'll go in a different direction, and say that I would replace a position coach or two with coaches who have experience and connections to recruit BCS level athletes. We have only one guy on the current staff who has recruited to a BCS school before arriving at Minnesota in Coach Miller.

 

[zambam]

I'll go in a different direction, and say that I would replace a position coach or two with coaches who have experience and connections to recruit BCS level athletes. We have only one guy on the current staff who has recruited to a BCS school before arriving at Minnesota in Coach Miller.

I understand the reasoning here but I think a big part of the continuity in Kill's staff is with the position coaches as well. They understand exactly what the coordinators are trying to do and can teach accordingly.

 

[BHgrappler]

The fact is that this staff, as a whole, has proven to be a winner throughout their past history with other programs. Their success has been built on two foundations that have repeatedly worked for them -- their system and their stability as a coaching staff. I believe we just need to give the situation a couple of more years, and you will see markedly improved results for our program. IMO, continuity at the college level is paramount to long-term success. As has been mentioned, we've done the let's switch coordinators/coaches deal before, and the results have been less than inspiring. Go Gophers!

 

[Oneoldgopher]

The fact is that this staff, as a whole, has proven to be a winner throughout their past history with other programs. Their success has been built on two foundations that have repeatedly worked for them -- their system and their stability as a coaching staff. I believe we just need to give the situation a couple of more years, and you will see markedly improved results for our program. IMO, continuity at the college level is paramount to long-term success. As has been mentioned, we've done the let's switch coordinators/coaches deal before, and the results have been less than inspiring. Go Gophers!

Is it not possible to find an up and coming guy who has shown success at all levels and has a passion to help build our program join the Kill staff?

Here is what I find interesting. The hold pat crowd will hold pat even if given a chance to upgrade the junior ranks of the coaches. The loyalty card is all encompassing.
Jerry Kill - safe
Tracey Claeys - safe
Matt Limegrover - safe
Bill Miller - safe

Brian Anderson
Jeff Phelps
Pat Poore
Rob Reeves
Jay Sawvel
Jim Zebrowski
Dan O'Brien
Eric Klein
Chad Pearson
Adam Clark

 

[RodentRampage]

What the football team needs is stability. Your proposal just provides instability. There's no need to fire coaches. Still think you're in any position to provide counseling?

 

[MNVCGUY]

The only way this coaching staff will look any different when the season starts next season will be if any of them decided to move on, on their own. Kill will not get rid of any of them nor should he at this point. The people associated with the program that Kill wanted to kick to the curb have already been kicked there.

 

[Oneoldgopher]

What the football team needs is stability. Your proposal just provides instability. There's no need to fire coaches. Still think you're in any position to provide counseling?

In all seriousness, of course (laughter ensues).

I suppose you would ascribe to the position that you have agency over lesser mortals, and therefore can proscribe any moral position you deem responsible, even if it runs afoul of other narratives, including discussion outside your comfort zone.

The assumption of a required stability is an unproven one. Especially, where the question itself is the replacement of one individual, excluding Kill. The question is not who might get fired, it is who should get hired as well. I really don't understand why the need to be tribal and resist any infusion of foreign blood to the registry. Be that as it may.

 

[Killjoy]

Read my lips!

In all seriousness, of course (laughter ensues).

I suppose you would ascribe to the position that you have agency over lesser mortals, and therefore can proscribe any moral position you deem responsible, even if it runs afoul of other narratives, including discussion outside your comfort zone.

The assumption of a required stability is an unproven one. Especially, where the question itself is the replacement of one individual, excluding Kill. The question is not who might get fired, it is who should get hired as well. I really don't understand why the need to be tribal and resist any infusion of foreign blood to the registry. Be that as it may.

Read my lips! "No new coaches." It doesn't make a hill of beans difference what any of us think about this because Kill is the ONE who makes the decision about coaches and everything he does and says indicates the chance of this happening is slim and none and slim has left the room. Of course if a coach decides to leave then a new coach would be hired. You might want to examine Kill's record when it comes to coaches if you still think this is a distinct possibility.

• Fact A - He is extremely loyal to his coaches
• Fact B - He values continuity greatly
• Fact C - He is working on long term contracts for his coaches to retain them.
• Fact D - He knows what works and what doesn't work and I am quite comfortable in saying that your idea of "infusion of foreign blood" when it comes to coaches is not part of his plan.

You certainly can continue to discuss this if you want but your idea is DOA.

 

[givetheballtodarrell]

I feel that we underachieved. Unfortunately, I believe Mason, Brewster, Horton, or anyone would have gotten two wins this season. I was very excited that the U had hired 'a staf'f - not necessarily 'a coach'. With 'a staff' in place we would be speaking about Brewster differently. I was disaapointed with the vanilla running game between the tackles and then throwing it up with a prayer. The offense is designed to allow the line to open a hole with a delayed draw rather than a quick hitter. The problem is that early on the line could not create an angle to open a hole. We never ran off tackle or threw a 7 yard slant. I was disappointed that the Head Coach personally took over special teams and then resulted in such a week performance. I knew we would be thin at Defense. Our ends early on could not contain the play and our D-backs play soft. All these kids played a high level of football in high school. The staff has not been together with the kids for 4+ years like at Houston but at some point the staff needs to pull up their big boy pants and coach up the players rether then playing the blame game.
With that said, I can't wait for the first game at UNLV. Our boys will win 6 games next year. Stroke the post. Go Gophers!