Leistikow: Predicting every Big Ten team's record for the 2023 season (MN: 7-5, 5-4)

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Leistikow:

4. Minnesota​

Crossovers: Michigan (home), Purdue (road), Ohio State (road)

Why No. 4?​

The nothing-burger story on Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s unique culture shouldn’t be much of a distraction, but it could serve as a tipping point for team chemistry one way or another. On the field, the Gophers have the only non-transfer quarterback in the West in likely starter Athan Kaliakmanis, who was very average last season (54% passing) after taking over for Tanner Morgan. Gone is bell cow running back Mo Ibrahim, and the Gophers are professing a more balanced offensive approach. Minnesota catches Nebraska (in a Thursday night home opener) at a good time.

Potential issues​

Drawing the Michigan/Ohio State double on the schedule is a challenge. The loss of top center John Michael-Schmitz and both guards will be felt on the offensive line. Fleck’s defense, which ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring, must replace some key pieces but does return a potential all-American safety in Tyler Nubin. Is this the year Fleck finally wins Floyd of Rosedale? He's 0-3 in Kinnick with defeats by 7, 4 and 5 points.

Leistikow’s record prediction​

7-5, 5-4


Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Per Leistikow:

4. Minnesota​

Crossovers: Michigan (home), Purdue (road), Ohio State (road)

Why No. 4?​

The nothing-burger story on Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s unique culture shouldn’t be much of a distraction, but it could serve as a tipping point for team chemistry one way or another. On the field, the Gophers have the only non-transfer quarterback in the West in likely starter Athan Kaliakmanis, who was very average last season (54% passing) after taking over for Tanner Morgan. Gone is bell cow running back Mo Ibrahim, and the Gophers are professing a more balanced offensive approach. Minnesota catches Nebraska (in a Thursday night home opener) at a good time.

Potential issues​

Drawing the Michigan/Ohio State double on the schedule is a challenge. The loss of top center John Michael-Schmitz and both guards will be felt on the offensive line. Fleck’s defense, which ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring, must replace some key pieces but does return a potential all-American safety in Tyler Nubin. Is this the year Fleck finally wins Floyd of Rosedale? He's 0-3 in Kinnick with defeats by 7, 4 and 5 points.

Leistikow’s record prediction​

7-5, 5-4


Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Gosh Darnitt broke the Dink-O-Meter...

1691294275850.png
 



Wow, I guess it hadn't really sunk in that the 3 losses at Kinnick were all by a touchdown or less. Hopefully this is the year we get over the hump.
 





It is not the record I will argue with, it is the slant of the journalism. He immediately slams "the culture" without adding any substance to what he writes. Then he calls Athan average (which his stats suggest without any context such as how much he improved in those 3 games) and points out we did not bring in a transfer (not sure what that has to do with anything). He manages to bring together four or five points in one paragraph all to say he think we will struggle. Iowa journalism at its finest I am sure. He will probably work for WCCO or the Tribune, next year
 



Is that correct - Athan is the only QB in the West who is not a transfer? That's interesting, if accurate.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Is that correct - Athan is the only QB in the West who is not a transfer? That's interesting, if accurate.
Click to expand...
It is accurate. Every other team in the West looks to be starting a transfer QB, though that could certainly change by the beginning of the season. Athan might stand alone in the West as a in-house developed QB.
 

Taji34 said:
Wow, I guess it hadn't really sunk in that the 3 losses at Kinnick were all by a touchdown or less. Hopefully this is the year we get over the hump.
Click to expand...
It really sinks in when you went to 3 games
 

I get these type of messages on Facebook. Sometimes they strike a chord, especially at this time of year. Got this one today and Shakespeare may have been right (I have since read that it may be mis-attribution). Anyway, there is some truth in there.

“Expectation is the root of all heartache.”​

 



I was quite disappointed in the lack of depth of Leistikow's analysis, from the proximity of Des Moines.

Yes, it would help regional perceptions of Fleck's program if, one of these years, we deliver a major butt-kicking to the Hawkeyes. I do think the perception of Fleck has gradually changed over in Badger-land with his run of success against Becky.
 

Leistikow is in general a fairly good writer, at least by today's standards. These start-of-year prognoses are a little annoying, at least to me, because in general writers don't get a lot of time to pull them together. "Let's see, I have three lines to fill about Minnesota. (1) Hawkeye Record. (2) Row the Boat. (3) Morgan and Ibrahim gone....." No one who follows Minnesota football closely would even reference the hit piece on Fleck as having any negative impact at all.

There was one kind've cool preseason one, I think it was either the Topeka or the Wichita paper, in looking at the Big Ten, where the writer stated "Has anyone out there noticed that Minnesota has won it's last SIX Bowl Games, in a row? Pretty fair indication of program success right there....."
 

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