Salem redux? Or maybe not?

[Great Plains Gopher]

Joe Salem did well his first three years with Stoll's players: 4 wins first year, 5 second, 6 third (including a big one over Ohio State); then, in his fourth year, with mostly his own players, he fell to 3-8, then collapsed into 1-10 and was fired. Yet the Gophers this year could conceivably beat N. Illinois, Northwestern (homecoming), Penn State (low scoring team), Purdue, Illinois, or even Iowa if it's a win-one-for-the coach game.

Just got back from first two games in Mpls - spectacular stadium and college football scenes (bands, crowds in Gopher gear, campus feel, etc.). Meanwhile, back here, Nebraska is building into a team that might make the final four this year.

 

[metrolax]

Good ol Smokey Joe never really had a chance. He got terrible support from the U, and continually
lost promising asst. coaches as a result. In the end, because of poor support, their
weight & conditioning program, or lack thereof, would rear its head late each season.

In the end, the bottom fell out and he ran out of players and depth. Just another
good guy who gave it his best at the U.

I understand some of your parallels, though.