This football program is doomed

[frozengopher]

Can anything not go wrong at Minnesota? We finally get a head football coach who wants to invest in the program, we get the administration to invest in the program, and then we absolutely fall apart. WHY??? Comments from our resident AD (Who I think has been a space cadet in the way he's been making spontaneous statements about Brewster's status that have no business being put on public record) are alarming, Brewster's silence is bothering me, and the alltogether lukewarm attitude of the public just sucks.

I've been 100% supportive of Brewster on this site, no matter on how poorly we played or unprepareed we looked. Honestly, though, for the sake of our frigging program's already fragile future, just can the guy or extend him. This inaction is going to screw us over again for four more years, and for all intents and purposes, this team and this sport are the only things I really look forward to all year long.

I can handle poor losses and squeaker wins against terrible opponents. What I cannot handle is the complete lack of management of public relations. Brewster brought some stability to the program from a recruiting standpoint, and our defense actually looks like it has the potential to be absolutely outstanding for the next few years. I have what a lot of you would call an asinine belief that the offense will come together with some simplicity next year. My hopes overall are fading fast, however, because anyone with a pulse who reads anything that has been said over the last week about Brew's status would have second, third, and fourth thoughts about coming here.

Please, someone take me out of this funk.

 

[MBAGuy]

+1. I'm in exactly the same position as you, dude. Only I also look forward to the English National Team's participation in the World Cup; a tournament they haven't won since 1966. I'm starting to believe I should find some new teams to support.

Sorry. No words of encouragement available here.

 

[frozengopher]

We're even a publicized joke now:

http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2009/12/09/curious-index-1292009-2/

"Fine. I’ll just be here waiting with a pot of scalding grits. Minnesota’s AD says he doesn’t know when Tim Brewster is coming home, or where he is, or who he’s with, and frankly he’s done caring because he knows how this goes. Let him die in a ditch for all he cares. (Things indeed do sound awesomely together at the Minnesota athletic department.)"

 

[MRJ]

Can anything not go wrong at Minnesota? We finally get a head football coach who wants to invest in the program, we get the administration to invest in the program, and then we absolutely fall apart. WHY??? Comments from our resident AD (Who I think has been a space cadet in the way he's been making spontaneous statements about Brewster's status that have no business being put on public record) are alarming, Brewster's silence is bothering me, and the alltogether lukewarm attitude of the public just sucks.

I've been 100% supportive of Brewster on this site, no matter on how poorly we played or unprepareed we looked. Honestly, though, for the sake of our frigging program's already fragile future, just can the guy or extend him. This inaction is going to screw us over again for four more years, and for all intents and purposes, this team and this sport are the only things I really look forward to all year long.

I can handle poor losses and squeaker wins against terrible opponents. What I cannot handle is the complete lack of management of public relations. Brewster brought some stability to the program from a recruiting standpoint, and our defense actually looks like it has the potential to be absolutely outstanding for the next few years. I have what a lot of you would call an asinine belief that the offense will come together with some simplicity next year. My hopes overall are fading fast, however, because anyone with a pulse who reads anything that has been said over the last week about Brew's status would have second, third, and fourth thoughts about coming here.

Please, someone take me out of this funk.

The only thing I can say to this point is to advise against worrying too much about the future. It may sound a little too philosophical at this moment, but I prefer to take things as they come. It's hard in this circumstance for several reasons, but no one can predict what will happen, so the future is up in the air. For now, I'll be content to sit back and let events unfold. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it, just like we always do.

 

[50PoundHead]

+2.

I wish I could bring you out of this funk, but I've been in a Gopher football funk since they got rid of Murray Warmath. We've had flashes of success over the past 38 years, but the program has been losing pizzazz and fans since that point. More reasons than just who is coaching for that problem (like the idiotic move to the Metrodome), but thank goodness I'm old enough to not lose sleep over this stuff.

Cal Stoll replaced Warmath. Stoll was a great guy and a good coach, but the M Club got him his job and somehow after 7 seasons they got rid of him for another M Club member in "Smoldering" Joe Salem and the descent was on. The Holtz diversion was interesting, but after he left, Bobby Ross was ready to take the job until there was a player's revolt and Gutekunst ended up as head coach. Nothing against Gutekunst, who is one of the nicest guys involved in high-level coaching that I've ever met, but he wasn't a big-time coach. We then move to Wacker's "basketball on grass" concept and a sub-.300 winning percentage over five seasons. Then comes Mason, who gives us stability along with lowered expectations (which we should be happy to have in his estimation). And now Brewster, who brings energy and recruiting acumen, but a kind of bi-polar approach that is grating to a segment of the Minnesota population.

I agree that Maturi has to do something and I think the thing he will do is let him go. I'm not for that. After all, we gave Wacker five years and Jim, who was another great guy, was never really up to the job. Brewster has a lot more going for him that Wacker did and to pull the plug now would be unfortunate. I think it would set the program back more than a little bit.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If Brewster isn't allowed to run through a team fully comprised of his recruits, we are going to become the University of Indiana football program in the eyes of every coaching candidate in the nation. We will officially become a dead-end job that has a shiny new, half-filled stadium for every home game along with a host of media outlets ready to pounce on every mistake, real or imagined.

In other words, Bruce Smith, Paul Giel, and just about every other Gopher stalwart in the great beyond are rolling in their graves. How did we fall this far? Good question, but it was a team effort.

 

[MBAGuy]

Man, I am going to have to hit the bourbon hard after work today....

 

[50PoundHead]

Man, I am going to have to hit the bourbon hard after work today....

I'm in a quandry. I quit drinking 25 years ago (somehow Bullwinkle's has remained in business). I guess I'll have to head to Wal-Mart and see if I can get in that wallet scam thing Dr. Don told me about.

 

[MBAGuy]

I'm in a quandry. I quit drinking 25 years ago (somehow Bullwinkle's has remained in business). I guess I'll have to head to Wal-Mart and see if I can get in that wallet scam thing Dr. Don told me about.

I'll carry the load for you, brother. Go enjoy your Wal-Mart shopping extravanganza.

 

[STThomasGopherPhan]

Are we really going to allow the media to destroy the football program. The likes of dog pile doogie, old man hartman, mini hartman, racist ruesse, hair plugs shaver, or Paul Allen (i suck Wilfys testicles) need to step aside and let real men do their jobs.

 

[caliGopher]

Are we really going to allow the media to destroy the football program. The likes of dog pile doogie, old man hartman, mini hartman, racist ruesse, hair plugs shaver, or Paul Allen (i suck Wilfys testicles) need to step aside and let real men do their jobs.

In all fairness, if the rumors about Brewster starting the Kansas talk are true, he's doing a great job of submarining himself.

While not a fan, I have been on the give him an extension kick for awhile for one reason, its the right thing for the program at this point.

The way this is playing out, there is one immediate action the U needs to make -- either fire or demote Maturi. I get that he's done a lot in the administration of the program, but he has been killing the football program from the day he fired Mason. His comments, quotes in the press, and lack of preparedness to deal with hiring a replacement hurt us. His comments in the press regarding Brewster the last two days have been unfortunate at best, and plain incompetent at worst.

If Brewster is truly playing chicken with Maturi, he should also be fired for that. Not surprising to me, but perhaps to others, he's put himself above the program.

If this is a misunderstanding, knock of the bull*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# and extend him for two year as numerous people have suggested and I agree with.

If these two can't stop acting like two year olds nothing they do will move the program forward.

 

[minibeaver]

Can anything not go wrong at Minnesota? We finally get a head football coach who wants to invest in the program, we get the administration to invest in the program, and then we absolutely fall apart. WHY??? Comments from our resident AD (Who I think has been a space cadet in the way he's been making spontaneous statements about Brewster's status that have no business being put on public record) are alarming, Brewster's silence is bothering me, and the alltogether lukewarm attitude of the public just sucks.

I've been 100% supportive of Brewster on this site, no matter on how poorly we played or unprepareed we looked. Honestly, though, for the sake of our frigging program's already fragile future, just can the guy or extend him. This inaction is going to screw us over again for four more years, and for all intents and purposes, this team and this sport are the only things I really look forward to all year long.

I can handle poor losses and squeaker wins against terrible opponents. What I cannot handle is the complete lack of management of public relations. Brewster brought some stability to the program from a recruiting standpoint, and our defense actually looks like it has the potential to be absolutely outstanding for the next few years. I have what a lot of you would call an asinine belief that the offense will come together with some simplicity next year. My hopes overall are fading fast, however, because anyone with a pulse who reads anything that has been said over the last week about Brew's status would have second, third, and fourth thoughts about coming here.

Please, someone take me out of this funk.

I would love to be able to help you out but I completely agree with everything you mentioned. Thank god I don't live up there and have to listen to the media tear my program and coach apart. The only thing I hate more than the negative media up there are the people (gopher football fans) that allow it happen and worse, buy into it.

 

[HutHut]

I don't know if it helps you, but something really jumped out at me. On the fence for a couple of weeks now on how I feel about Brew as a coach here - but someone just mentioned how you can't cut him this short - or there will be NO other big time coach (or a big time coach's referral) to come here. So in my opinion - I can NOT sacrifice another 15 yrs of mediocrity over the next 2. If Brew leaves, that's one thing, but Maturi can't cut him right now.

Also - as I hope these bad days pass us by quickly (and they will) - another point I agree with that you thought was asanine, I completely agree with. If Fisch can get this offense more simplified on the reads (much like Roof did here for the defense) - the athletes will take care of it themselves. The playbook was WWAAYYY to complex for Adam apparantly - and a lot of people said that's why Gray hardly hit the field. Way to handcuff your talent there Jedd (can you tell I'm NOT a fan of his???). Get it simpler to understand, get the line in the weight room, and we'll be much better next year.

 

[eker0016]

Totally agree. This is what caused us to totally waste Brewster's first year -- we hired him 2 weeks before signing day. Give Brewster next season -- you should be able to make a judgment by midseason on if he should be retained, and if not, then you have time to look for a replacement by the end of the season. Give him the job at the end of the regular season and give him time to coach the bowl game and recruit players.

For the record, I would prefer to keep Brewster for sure next year, and for year 5 if we see some progress (win at least one game we aren't supposed to win). I just don't think firing him right now would be a wise move at all.