StarTribune.com

Spring game thoughts

Posted on April 25th, 2008 – 8:47 PM
By Chip Scoggins

To say the Gophers have a lot of work to do between now and the Aug. 30 opener is a major understatement.

I know the team was without a handful of key players tonight, but their performance was less than stellar, to put it kindly.

The offense was not good at all. Not having Eric Decker, Jack Simmons and Jay Thomas obviously hurts. But the players were clearly not happy with their performance.

Tim Brewster praised his defense, but it’s hard to get any kind of accurate gauge at this point. I still think six recruits who are not yet on campus will end up starting.

– I think Marcus Sherels will play in the secondary and can be a valuable special teams player as a gunner and kick returner.

– Kicker Joel Monroe missed three field-goal attempts (38, 38, 52 yards), but Brewster said the line had some breakdowns in protection.

– Here was the first-team offensive line from left to right (Dom Alford, Ned Tavale, Jeff Tow-Arnett, Ryan Wynn and Jason Meinke.) Brewster said the line remains in a work in progress and could change by the opener.

– QB Clint Brewster did some nice things with his feet late in the game, but Tim Brewster said the competition for No. 2 spot is ongoing.

– I focused my game story tomorrow on Adam Weber, who has become more of a vocal leader, according to coaches and teammates. Weber completed 10 of 14 passes for 65 yards and accounted for both TDs.

– Incoming recruits at the game: Simoni Lawrence, Sam Maresh, MarQueis Gray, John Nance, Shady Salamon.

– DT Eric Small played fullback in goal-line situation.

That’s it for now.

259 Responses to "Spring game thoughts"

Jimbo says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:01 am

I thought the spring game didn’t show much of anything. Pretty sloppy, not very exciting. I think everybody had a good time, though. It seemed like the kids there had lots of fun.

NYC Gopher Fan says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:23 am

Hey Jimbo, thanks for the update. How many people do you think were there?

gopherguy06 says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:49 am

I would have to say there was between 8000-10000 people there. It was a decent crowd and more than last year for sure!

I agree very sloppy on both sides and doesn’t mean a whole lot, as many of the recruits coming in will be fighting for starting spots.

Sherels was impressive and the defense did look stronger and bigger.

BigGuy says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:53 am

I watched the webcast and if they want it to take off more they should wear game uniforms. The huge sloppy practice uniforms make it look like an inmate game.

Weber looked good, but there were a couple times the DE would have killed him and just ran by and he completed a pass.

Defense should be better, but I still think a consistent offense that can stay on the field and score will help the defense the most.

Derek says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:54 am

I’d say there was 9-10k there.

It was the spring game, so my opinion of guy is not going to change too much.

Sherrels was the MVP of the game. Nice kick returns, nice job on the coverage team. 2 FR’s.

Weber looked solid, but all they did was throw 5 yard outs. The coaches clearly kept just about everything back. Brewster had his moments, Mort still looks overmatched. I see no reason for him to ever see the field again for the Gophers.

Bennett ran hard, but he put the ball on the ground. Buckner could play some this year, but I didn’t see anything too exciting.

The LB’s look bigger and faster than I’ve seen them in Maroon and Gold for awhile now. Sharpe looks good, Tate is a very interesting prospect. The kid is ripped.

I thought Brock looked excellent at safety. He also ran by everyone on the coverage team. Sherrels could play some DB this year although it would be in nickel situations I would think. Collado looks alot bigger and tackled well. We do have to temper things as they were playing against some WO’s and didn’t see Decker, Pittman or Simmons at all.

The Dline got some pressure, DO looked solid. We’ll see if they are that much improved or if our Oline is struggling.

Kucek was mediore on the punts. I’m not worried about him though. Monroe was terrible on fg’s. Missed 2 38 yarders and his 52 yarders landed about 3 yards into the end zone. Atleast he makes XP’s and I think he’ll be alright inside the 40 during the year.

Wyatt says:

April 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

1) Official gate attendance was 7,204.

2) Minnesota will announce later today that Mike Sherels has signed with the Vikings, Wheelwright with the Ravens and Valentine with the Jets.

Wyatt says:

April 28th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

Also, Tony Mortensen did that majority of the long-snapping. Interesting development…

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

Thanks for the reports, guys, especially Derek who had some detail. Jumbo, I assume you are saving up some insights to ration out to me.

From the Strib, I would have only known Weber played and five guys on the O line. Sherels was the only guy who suited up on defense, according to the Strib. And if Clint was moving at all it could have been in the popcorn line as far as one could learn from the paper.

Rescooter says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

Wow. It’s good to have the board back. I was going on football withdrawal.

Derek, BigGuy, and gopherguy06, thanks for the rundown. Jimbo, we know you saw more than sloppy football and kids having fun. That kind of describes our Thanksgiving Day at our house. Perhaps you were trying to get away from the 250lb. daughter of LakesBison. She is one seriously scary gal.

I saw some film on the game and it looked like our defense was much faster this year. I liked the way they got off the ball quickly. It looks like we still have some holes in the secondary, but the reaction time is much better. I also saw that the defense is tackling with their heads up and following through.

I liked the play of Weber….especially on the touchdown to Spry. He looked to the left and through right. It was a well designed and well executed play.

The offensive line did not get the push on the defense that I was hoping to see. I sure hope they bulk up a bit over the summer.

I liked a few things I saw, but they still have a ways to go. It’s spring football, so a lot can happen between now and then.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

It sounds a little like having Decker and Pittman out and a shortage of available running backs made the offense look pretty weak.

That should all change by fall when Decker is back, Pittman is healthy, and several great freshman wide receivers arrive along with a couple of freshman running backs who might not be bad.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

This is from Gopherfan blog:

“For me, on the field, the highlight of the night came at toward the end of the second quarter. Clint Brewster was under center, took the snap, dropped back to pass, got flushed out of the pocket to his left. It looked like he had nothing so he began running and it looked like he was taking off down-field. Then, running full speed strait ahead, he cocked his arm and fired an absolute bullet to an open man about 10 yards dead in front of him. It was a very difficult and absolutely impressive throw and showed exactly why Clint was so highly rated coming out of high school. I don’t recall ever seeing a Gopher quarterback make that type of throw.”
_____________

Did anyone actually see that play? Did Clint actually play? Is it true he can move his feet and throw the ball?

I have been waiting a year and a half for the Strib to mention anything like that.

OK, OK … I know Weber has been officially annointed the 4-year starter and we are fighting all over the country for bigtime quarterbacks like Grey and Alipate and Clint because they look good standing with clipboards but ……. It’s going to look pretty funny in a couple of years when the hottest competition on the team is for long snapper.

GOPHER1 says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

Thanks for the update everyone.

GOPHER1 says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

From all that I have heard and read the Spring Game sounded just like it is supposed to be, a glorified practice.

Rescooter says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:38 pm

By the way; Derek wins the Fan of the Month award for his excellent game synopsis. Good reading regarding Weber, LBs, and the lines.

You also get extra points for giving us a Brock update. Kudos!!

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm

The crowd estimates here are two to three times as large as I have been reading other places. Why is that?

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 4:47 pm

Eyebawls … Because over in St. Paul you are reading crowd estimates provided by Louie Neeteck and yourself. All BS.

The Loon says:

April 28th, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Kool Aid, the drink of imaginary Rose Bowl fans.

I would like to post that all the hollow hype will stop once the ball is kicked off on Aug. 30th. However, that will not be true.

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

I can not believe that there was anyone at that game that thinks there was more the 3500 fans. If you take out the band and family members from the crowd you might have had 1700. I was at the game and the victory walk. Maybe 200 at the walk. As for the game lets start with the turnovers and go from there. Each RB had 1 fumble lost. We had a fumbled punt and the mighty Clint threw 1 int. and had the next pass go right threw the DB’s hands. Our short yardage offense stunk, we had the ball 3 times inside the 5 yard line first and goal. On the first drive we had to run a naked keep with Weber after gaining 3 yards on 3 carries. The second try we had throw a pass on third down and the third try was fumbled by the QB on fourth down after running the ball 3 times for 2 yards and attempting a QB sneak on fourth down. More to come DAC

Rescooter says:

April 28th, 2008 at 7:15 pm

For the haters who think they’re fans: This is what Matt Spaeth had to say regarding the Wrens and Loons of the world:

“When I was a player, I never read it, because one moment you could have somebody saying good things about you and your team, and the next moment you’ve got someone tearing you down. As a player, you don’t want that.”

In other words Loon & Wren, not only are you wasting our time, but you’re discouraging our players.

Jimbo says:

April 28th, 2008 at 7:28 pm

Sorry about the brevity, guys, but I’m on the road again this week. Couldn’t get into the site until today, but now I’m pretty strapped for time. I’ll try to get at it tomorrow.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:09 pm

Bud … It’s hilarious to think you could have watched any of the game while counting the fans in the stands.

It’s also a stitch to imagine you on the “victory walk”. For what? So you could bash the Gopher team afterwards?

Go to your Hogeye game, Bud. That’s where you belong.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

Scooter says,

“In other words Loon & Wren, not only are you wasting our time, but you’re discouraging our players.”
___________

Discouraging the players, fans, and potential recruits is the whole reason Loon, Wren, and especially Bud are posting here. That is their reason for being.

They are all despicable people.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:13 pm

Jumbo … Don’t worry about it. Put the bread on the table. That is the highest calling.

But I am sure you will give us some honest insight to counter this canned negativity that Bud, Wrenbawls, and Lou Neetik had prepared long before the spring game even started.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:14 pm

Scooter … Was there ever any explanation as to why this site was unavailable for three days or so?

The Loon says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:32 pm

I have never heard Eye disparage any player. And I sure know that I am not one of the guys waiting with held breath for “the real players” to arrive in the fall. You can’t have it both ways “true fans”, either you respect the efforts of our players over the years or you do as you guys do every day with your “Brewster can’t win ANY games here given the garbage players he was left with.”

I thought we had the players last year to win games. What we didn’t have last year was a coach who could adjust his “dream formations” to the talent available, on either O or D. You know, what good coaches do in every sport.

If these coaches are so good, maybe they will consider winning a Big Ten game or even two this year or next. If they can’t win any this year (AGAIN(, maybe the fault won’t be entirely with the players.

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:59 pm

DAC, you want Chip to print lies and spin the company line. He has to much respect for that line of journalisium . He did not write much about the game because there was not much to write. Weber threw most of his passes to a walk-on WR’s Kuznia. The offense could not move the ball with any consistancy. We all know how poorly our defense has been and we are waiting for the boat load of new players to arrive to save the day. If you wish to waste your time and watch the game it is posted on the Big Ten web site. That spring game crowd was the fewest fans sense pre-Whacker days. Chip was at the game and that is why he reported a projected crowd of about 5000. He knows just like anyone else at the game that the crowd was well below 5000. You call it negativity DAC, but what you really mean to say is stop telling the truth. I felt last year that we would not win a Big Ten game but I was hoping I was wrong. This years spring game gave me know hope for the upcoming season. We had better have some players in the incoming group that can play at the Big Ten level or we are in for another long year. The coaching has not improved much on offense hence the fumbles and penalties. The defensive players seemed to know where they should be in the defense called so they made some plays. That is what makes it so unbelievable, we know our defense is not up to Big Ten standards yet they shut the offense down in the game Friday night.

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:05 pm

Re, Spaeth said he never read it. Why would you say that players are being riped apart here. There are a few of you guys who say nothing good about the Gopher players that Brewster inheritated and slam the ones that left the team for their own reasons. Yet you welcome the same players that left the state back with open arms when they leave whatever program they are coming from. You make know sense what so ever.

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:07 pm

DAC, the reason why the site was down for 4 days is the bet was you could not last 4 days without posting. Well I guess you fooled them.

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:20 pm

I spent decades totally supporting the coaches and players. I still support the players, but I will NOT support a coach who I believe is headed in totally the wrong direction with this program. He sure as heck gave me nothing to believe in him about during the 2007 season.

You people were the ones constantly r4unning everything down in years past. So, turn about is fair play! I will call it like I see it about the coach and his staff and the administration. I NEVER put any blame on the players the way you do d_a_c.

But, until brewster starts winning Big Ten games in good numbers, I will be telling it like I see it.

I believe this ad and this coach are headed in totally the wrong direction. I find nothing to believe in about the leadership.

Until the record improves drastically from the 1-11 and 0-8 Big Ten record of 2007, I see nothing to celebrate here. I have many concerns for the near term future of the Golden Gopher Football Program.

There have to be lots of Big Ten wins for this coach to prove anything. It is up to him to get the wins. It is up to me to tell it like I see it.

I’m not buying the company line of the booster club. Not when I see a zero for eight Big Ten season. That is NOT acceptable…

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:31 pm

Bud … Are you an idiot?

Sorry, of course we know the answer.

Chip’s job is not to spin any line whether it be the Gopher’s coaching staff line or the moronic Reusse hate-America hate-the-Gophers line.

All I want from the Strib beat reporter is to know who played, who contributed, who made some tackles, who blocked, who ran, who passed, and who caught the ball. What I got was the expected “Weber is our hero on the pedestall and nobody else bothered to suit up”.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:32 pm

Bud … Either learn to spell at a minimum 4th grade level or STFU. Your stupidity is very boring.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 9:35 pm

Eyebawlbaby … I call it as I see it. You are a pathetic whining child who lost his football coach and you hate the new one so much you will do anything in your power to undermine the Gopher program and knife our players in the back.

You are joined by the other two pathetic cowards Lounietick and Budbaby.

All sniveling crybabies.

Gold04 says:

April 28th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

It will be interesting to see how things turn out this season. I do think this year we’ll turn out to be a lot better team. Brewster seems to have the ability to improve on things significantly.

Just look at the impovement Brewster made at recruiting. Wren made a great point that Brewster has had two recruiting classes. His first class was ranked 67th in the nation, his second was 17th. No coach in the history of college football has improved his recruiting classes so much. Brewster made history in improving his recruiting class and that gives me hope we will improve significantly in other aspects of his coaching.

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 10:15 pm

Goldy … While I understand completely you are just ridiculing the idiotic eyebawlbaby by agreeing with him that this is Brewster’s second class, anybody past 5th grade knows this is actually Brewster’s first recruiting class as a head coach.

He had all of two weeks to fill out Mason’s class last year. He was able to bring in his son and Theret and a couple of other guys.

The truth is something that just drives the haters like Budthebaby, Eyebawlbaby, and Jim Crowe crazy and that is the fact Brewster probably recruited the best class of any coach in history in his first real recruiting season.

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 10:44 pm

0-8 in the Big Ten in 2007. When will the first Big Ten win come?

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 10:48 pm

Note to Chip: Do we have to put up with this abuse from david_allen_coe? What would you suggest? I really don’t want to see this site revert to what it had become a few days ago.

Please give some direction about this problem.

Thanks!

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Eyebawlbaby … Nobody is being abused here other than backstabbers and liars like you, Lou Neetick, and Sniveling Bud.

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 11:20 pm

Chip: This d_a_c character has no shame. Are you going to let someone do this to your site?

Certainly, I can ignor this, but it is just a matter of time until the other attackers and morally bankrupt dirty tricks people from gi/gh run your site into the ground. That is their goal, you do realize, don’t you?

Is this what the strib wants for this site? I can’t believe that it is.

What happened to that registration idea you talked about? Unfortunately, there are some people who can’t be civilized around here. What do you think Chip?

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 6:35 am

Hey guys—quit crying, running to chip like a spoiled brat, or spreading rumors/innuendos. Talk football or go elsewhere. My top concern at the moment is a very thin running back corps. That puts too much pressure on the QB who has an inexperienced OL at the moment. I wish we had one stud RB freshman coming in. I haven’t heard about one.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 7:45 am

This dunbar easty/westy/dinky/dunky/spreadsy/coasty little offense doesn’t think it needs a power running attack of any kind. I suppose that is why the lack of emphasis on the running game. dunbar will have the qb rush for 20 plus times a game. At least that is what he did last year on his way to contributing to a 1-11 overall record and a 0-8 Big Ten record. He didn’t help the defenso out at all with his high risk, often times 3 and out offensive sets. Withers should have sued dunbar for non-support, even though withers was trying to blitz his way to prosperity, especially during the early games.

So, offensive line and running back have not been a priority for recruiting by this bunch of coaches. They are going to speed/finess/and fool the opposition by taking them into “space”…or, so they think.

So, now tex: do you come down in favor of the name-calling and vile trash-filled posts that d_a_c and that panther hawk subscribe to? Personally, if I have a concern, I state that concern. What do you think tex?

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:12 am

I just stated my concern. We were 4 deep at RB last year and this year looks extremely thin. Weber will not hold up physically to running the ball 15-20 per game. I am actually more concerned about the Offensive side of the ball. The FG kicker gives me heart palpitations everytime he lines up also. Wren, I agree that Dunbar needs to take more time off the clock.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:33 am

That was my concern all of last season. I thought dunbar was going to get Weber hurt last season. I also felt that the offensive coordinator was putting the team into too many 3 and outs. The games were close enough so that had the offense controlled the ball a bit more, that team could have won about six games last season. I have always felt that dunbar is the biggest liability Brewster has on his staff.

IF dunbar runs Weber into the ground and he sustains a serious injury this year, the season will in essence be over.

The team still doesn’t have spread-coast players at all positions. In fact, I question whether this team is any closer to having the speed, quickness and ability to play a Texas-Tech or any other spread type of game on offense. I think that offensively, Weber is a great competetor, has lots of heart and will find some way to move the chains, especially against the weaker competition. However, last season, the coaches didn’t have the team ready to go in the first quarter all too often. They would make a run in part of the second and third quarters and get back in the game, but, just as with basketball, you expend so much in climbing back into a game that it is tough to seal the deal and/or hang on at the end of the game.

I question whether this coach will ever be able to recruit enough of the top spread players to Minnesota to run a truely effective spread-coast offense. I also question whether they will be able to put together a ball control offense to hang on to leads and to slow down the offenses of the other teams they play.

Minnesota high school ball just does not produce enough spread-coast style players to form a base for this offense.

Just remember what happened in Oregon and how tough it was when their hot-shot qb went down in the middle of the season last year.

It was so hard to watch the games last season when the schemes did not fit the players the team had. I fear that dynamic remains in place for the 2008 season. I fault the coaches…NOT…the players.

Put the players in a position so that they have a chance to compete and win in the Big Ten. The schedule in 2008 with iowa, Indidan and NU coming into the dome will not be as conducive to home Big Ten wins again for a very long time.

Give the kids a chance to win those games. Control the clock more. It is up to the coaches to come up with a running game that will help keep their qb healthy AND keep the other team’s offense off the field.

GOPHER1 says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am

New day, same old boring/worn out arguments. Yawn!

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:55 am

And, unless there is a lot of change by the coaches it will be a new year with the same old 0-8 Big Ten record.

The problems remain the same. So, of course those same old problems must be addressed and discussed. Yawn!

hopeforthebest says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:11 am

A LOT of what ifs.

I would guess they are looking at top seven receiving options next year as Decker, Green, Jack Simmons (or Lair), Smith or Hill and Pittman.

Not ONE of them was on the field for the spring game. So, the good news is maybe the offense will look a lot better come August.

The bad news is who knows if Decker even comes back from baseball. Green, Lair, Smith and Hill might not even make it into school and who knows how good they will actually turn out to be. Simmons is hurt and Pittman is an unknown as a wr.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:13 am

I was at the game and unfortunately I would have to agree that there couldn’t have been more than 5,000 fans (people who aren’t associated with the U).

As for the game itself it was pretty hard to watch. The defense looked good but that is in part because the offense was so inept. DAC you wonder why Chip didn’t write about other players, that is because there wasn’t much to write about. The Gophers didn’t run the ball much but I think there were a few reasons for that. One they didn’t want Weber running much because the defense wasn’t supposed to hit him. Two they have some injuries in the backfield already and they don’t want to get Bennett hurt.

At WR they looked a little slow and small. Ben Kuznia probably caught the most passes in the first half 4-5 but they none were over 5 yards. Jimmy Thompson had a few grabs as well. Nobody made any spectacular plays except for Sherels on his kickoff return. He was very impressive. I only stayed for a half since I had my 2 year old son with me so I can’t say how the second half went.

One more thing Brock looks like the real deal. Fast, strong, and good instincts. He should step in well for the departed Barber.

I would have been nice to see Pittman but he was hurt.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:18 am

Wren,

You and a few others keep pointing out that Minnesota doesn’t produce the right kids for the spread offense. While that might be true can’t the same be said for states such as Kansas, Idaho, Hawaii? Last I checked teams in those states have faired pretty well over the last few years.

You point out what happened in Oregon to support your argument, before its QB went down Oregon was one of the top teams in the nation. I’m sorry but I am willing to take the risk of being ranked #3 even if it means your team will suck if your QB gets hurt. Most teams that are really good have a few top players, if those top players get hurt they struggle. It doesn’t matter what style of offense they play.

hopeforthebest says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am

Does Minnesota have the talent base to field a spread team?

A 4 wr set of Decker, Gilbreath, Floyd and McNeal with the Hageman kid as a tight end is something that could have been on the field for 2009.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:37 am

Kansas and Idaho are a lot closer to California than Minnesota is. The distance factor in recruiting is rather important. Minnesota doesn’t recruit California very often or very well. Minnesota is surrounded by North Dakota, South Dakota, Canada, iowa and wisky. Three of those players don’t turn out so many D-I football players who are spread-type players. iowa and wisky have home-state Big Ten programs…and they don’t turn out very many spread type players either.

Oregon is right there next to California.

Move Minnesota a LOT closer to California and things would be on the upswing as far as insuring enough spread type players within a 500 mile radius.

Personally, I like Minnesota and where it is located. But, I don’t htink a lot of spread type football players might agree with my love for the four seasons. In fact, I hear all kinds of native Minnesotan’s who can’t wait to escape to California, Florida, Texas or Arizona from the end of October until the month of May. Some people call them “snowbirds…” They wouldn’t have made very good spread type players either.

hopeforthebest says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:41 am

Brandon Robinson from Breck, who had over 1000 yards receiving and returning for a very good Boston College team, is another Minnesota high schooler who would look good in the spread.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:53 am

You need more than one here and one there though. You need big-time numbers. You need depth. You need a sure 10 every year who are Big Ten capable players. They have to take the pounding of the Big Ten season so there have to be big numbers of reserves and back-ups who can come in and not miss a beat. One has to have the same speed and quickness that the guy ahead of him on the depth chart has.

Perhaps you can bring in enough for your 1 deeps…but your 2 and 3 deeps? For every one that gets away there are dozens who just aren’t built for the spread coast. Minnesota high school coaches just don’t turn out very many spread-coast players here in Minnesota, nor do high school coaches in North Dakota, Canada, South Dakota, iowa or wisky. They do in California, Florida, the Carolina area, in Texas and a couple of other higher population areas. It’s, in part, a numbers thing…and a distance thing…and, it would appear a climate thing. Some of the four season states who turn out a lot of football talent just plain have a numbers/population thing going. PA, Ohio, New Jersey the greater Chicago area. It’s just tough going for spread players here in Minnesota. It takes a whole lot of numbers.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:01 am

Wren,
I see your point on location. I think you are probably right to a certain extent although Brewster has already proved that he has the ability to pull some kids in from Texas and Florida. Time will tell if these kids have the talent to make this team a top team. I personally am willing to give it a try for a few years. If you look at last year over half of the teams in the top 10 run some variation of the spread offense and many of those that don’t run a high powered pro style offense featuring big plays. Not many of the teams are a midwest grind it out style that many here in Minnesota want to run. Ohio State being the main exception althought that is about to change with its new QB recruit it got this year.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:03 am

What incredible nonsense this little whiny Obama girl keeps putting up on this board.

The amount of football talent available in Minnesota is based on the state’s population. Period. The amount of speed and spread offense-type talent is likewise based on population.

The reason that we and all other midwest universities recruit from Texas, Ohio, Florida, Illinois and a few other big states is because they have the largest talent pools and are high school football hotbeds. National championships are routinely won by schools with no California kids on the roster.

Quit whining about the spread offense. That is what the coaches have committed themselves to running at Minnesota. In fact it is a much easier offense to execute successfully than a grind out running game that needs a superior O line and excellent, durable running backs.

No matter what our stats were with Barber and Maroney and the All-Americans in the line, the good teams in the Big Ten were still able to stack the box with defenders and beat us.

You can’t stack one area of the field against the spread as long as there is a QB who can pass accurately.

hopeforthebest says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:04 am

Isaac Anderson, who’s Dad Melvin was a Gopher, went to Blake. He has a good chance to start at Wisconsin next year with Gilreath.

The Carlson kid from Litchfield who Holmgren just drafted and the Swift kid from Hutchinson who has played well for Nebraska are two more examples of kids who would fill out that eight to ten deep.

Plus, if you don’t run a spread, there is no chance a kid like Gray ever skips by Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and Wisconsin to come here. Same with Green.

I think you hope for the best. I think there is more athletic talent here than you realize (Larry Fitzgerald, Utecht)
and an exciting offense that has some success will attract the occasional kid from Indy (Gray), Chicago (Green), St. Louis (Maroney) or points elsewhere.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:11 am

Tex … Where do you get that we were four deep at running back last year? We had Pinnix, Thomas, and Bennett. Pinnix got hurt the second game with turf toe and got progressively worse as the season progressed. Jay tore out his knee early in the year and was lost. For more than half the season Bennett was the only healthy RB although Pinnix continued to hobble in and out once in awhile.

This year we start with Bennett, Thomas, Pittman, Buckner, and two freshmen, one of whom is recovering from a gunshot to the leg but is expected to be ready. While this is still iffy with Thomas and Whaley recovering, it is certainly no worse than last year and potentially a much stronger group.

And as I have said before, the smart thing to have done this spring would have been to experiment with Weber at running back behind Pittman or Clint. That would help the depth at RB and put another good football player on the field.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:16 am

Whiny baby says,

“This dunbar easty/westy/dinky/dunky/spreadsy/coasty little offense doesn’t think it needs a power running attack of any kind.”
_________

What a pathetic joke. Do you remember the running backs Cal had when Dunbar was there? Does the name Marshawn Lynch ring any bells in the emptyness?

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:19 am

Jimmy says,

“DAC you wonder why Chip didn’t write about other players, that is because there wasn’t much to write about.”
_________

LOL … try telling that to a real editor at a real newspaper.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:28 am

Weber is not a running back. Line him up behind the qb and he would look a lot like Daniels did. Weber can run when he is rolling out in the pocket, pulls the ball down and takes the lanes they give him during play action stuff.

Pittman already is questionable because he has hammy problems. Sometimes they can be troublesome. Recall how MBIII had hammy problems during his playing years at the U of M. Recall him going down on about the 3rd play of the game down at Iowa City a number of years ago and never making it back into the game, as Maroney fumbled crossing the goal line and couldn’t run through the defenders the way MBIII would have been able to do. Bennett takes a physical pounding too often…at least last season he did.

Weber is the offense. It would have been foolish to run him at running back in the spring this year. You people who always bashed Weber last seson as the reason for brewster losses were totally blaming the player for the coache’s faults. Weber is worth the price of the season ticket. You have got to admire what that youngster did last season. You have to wonder what the heck dunbar was doing letting him run so often. dunbar was the guy who could have put the kabosh on the 20 carry games in 2007 and he just kept sending Weber up the gut on the qb draw all too often. Weber is a warrior though!

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:36 am

d_a_c: Tedford didn’t see eye to eye with dunbar during the season dunbar was there. Cal had so much talent and dunbar did more to screw it up than anything…that is until the head coach there had it more his own way.

dunbar is pretty much a joke. The problem is that brewster wants to turn that end of the program over to him because brewster himself doesn’t believe that he can coach…or even wants to be the coach. He wants to be the general manager/recruiting freak.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:46 am

DAC instead of insulting Chip and others that are posting maybe you should have gone to the game. Then you could formulate your own opinions about how the team performed and what Chip should or should not have reported on. I thought Chip did a good job reporting on the highlights.

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:06 am

Jimmy: DAC is recovering from surgery, so he couldn’t make it. I do agree that insulting Chip is not helping. Bringing politics into the discussion (using “Obama girl” as an insult) is beneath anyone reasonable.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:34 am

my apologies to DAC, I hope the surgery and recovering are going well.

I still stand by my comment that not much happened that was worth reporting during the spring game.
DAC wanted a report on who was making tackles the problem with that is that one of the QBs would have had to complete some passes in order for there to be a WR to tackle. It was a very sloppy game on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully in the fall with some healthy RBs and Decker, Simmons and Freshmen WRs in they will look much better.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:44 am

Wyatt says:

April 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

1) Official gate attendance was 7,204.

2) Minnesota will announce later today that Mike Sherels has signed with the Vikings, Wheelwright with the Ravens and Valentine with the Jets.
============

I guess I was alittle high on the attendence.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:46 am

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

This is from Gopherfan blog:

“For me, on the field, the highlight of the night came at toward the end of the second quarter. Clint Brewster was under center, took the snap, dropped back to pass, got flushed out of the pocket to his left. It looked like he had nothing so he began running and it looked like he was taking off down-field. Then, running full speed strait ahead, he cocked his arm and fired an absolute bullet to an open man about 10 yards dead in front of him. It was a very difficult and absolutely impressive throw and showed exactly why Clint was so highly rated coming out of high school. I don’t recall ever seeing a Gopher quarterback make that type of throw.”
_____________

Did anyone actually see that play? Did Clint actually play? Is it true he can move his feet and throw the ball?

I have been waiting a year and a half for the Strib to mention anything like that.

OK, OK … I know Weber has been officially annointed the 4-year starter and we are fighting all over the country for bigtime quarterbacks like Grey and Alipate and Clint because they look good standing with clipboards but ……. It’s going to look pretty funny in a couple of years when the hottest competition on the team is for long snapper.
==============

Brewster didn’t look good in the pocket. He threw a pick and threw a couple others passes behind receivers. When he rolled out and was on the run, he looked like a different QB.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:47 am

Rescooter says:

April 28th, 2008 at 3:38 pm

By the way; Derek wins the Fan of the Month award for his excellent game synopsis. Good reading regarding Weber, LBs, and the lines.

You also get extra points for giving us a Brock update. Kudos!!
=================

Gracias! I was afraid it was too much of a Renegade Rambler/Wrendahl, eyeinthesky post.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:50 am

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:12 am

I just stated my concern. We were 4 deep at RB last year and this year looks extremely thin. Weber will not hold up physically to running the ball 15-20 per game. I am actually more concerned about the Offensive side of the ball. The FG kicker gives me heart palpitations everytime he lines up also.
=============

I agree and I think the staff does as well. We’re in on some good power type backs this year.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:54 am

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

I can not believe that there was anyone at that game that thinks there was more the 3500 fans. If you take out the band and family members from the crowd you might have had 1700. I was at the game and the victory walk. Maybe 200 at the walk. As for the game lets start with the turnovers and go from there. Each RB had 1 fumble lost. We had a fumbled punt and the mighty Clint threw 1 int. and had the next pass go right threw the DB’s hands. Our short yardage offense stunk, we had the ball 3 times inside the 5 yard line first and goal. On the first drive we had to run a naked keep with Weber after gaining 3 yards on 3 carries. The second try we had throw a pass on third down and the third try was fumbled by the QB on fourth down after running the ball 3 times for 2 yards and attempting a QB sneak on fourth down. More to come DAC
==================

Well I don’t disagree much with the game comments, but your comments on the crowd is far off and I certainly question your integrity. There wasn’t a full band there to begin with. The crowd was from goaline to goaline on the lower level not counting the band and say 100 more fans scattered. If one side of the lower level is full, thats about 1/3 of the toal lower level or 1/6th of the stadium. If the metrodome holds about 21,000 people at capacity you may be correct. We both know however, you are not.

Rescooter says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:56 am

“When he rolled out and was on the run, he looked like a different QB.”

I saw some game film of that - he had nice touch on the ball.

The problem with a drop back passer against a quick defense is the D can see his eyes and react. That’s why Weber needs to look off his receivers rather than lock in. It sounds like Brewster needs to get used to the “speed of the game”. That’s an experience issue.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 11:56 am

david_allen_coe says:

April 28th, 2008 at 8:14 pm

Scooter … Was there ever any explanation as to why this site was unavailable for three days or so?
===============

I think they want to find a way to clean this blog up. It would be nice to talk football without racist remarks, lies of cheating, and lies about Brewster himself.

Derek says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:13 am

I was at the game and unfortunately I would have to agree that there couldn’t have been more than 5,000 fans (people who aren’t associated with the U).

As for the game itself it was pretty hard to watch. The defense looked good but that is in part because the offense was so inept. DAC you wonder why Chip didn’t write about other players, that is because there wasn’t much to write about. The Gophers didn’t run the ball much but I think there were a few reasons for that. One they didn’t want Weber running much because the defense wasn’t supposed to hit him. Two they have some injuries in the backfield already and they don’t want to get Bennett hurt.

At WR they looked a little slow and small. Ben Kuznia probably caught the most passes in the first half 4-5 but they none were over 5 yards. Jimmy Thompson had a few grabs as well. Nobody made any spectacular plays except for Sherels on his kickoff return. He was very impressive. I only stayed for a half since I had my 2 year old son with me so I can’t say how the second half went.

One more thing Brock looks like the real deal. Fast, strong, and good instincts. He should step in well for the departed Barber.

I would have been nice to see Pittman but he was hurt.
================

I agree, it was hard to watch. I just haven’t decided if the Oline was that bad, or if the Dline is improving.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Jimmy … Your apology is accepted. I am five weeks out from brain surgery and in no condition to be walking around the Dome.

I was not insulting Chip. I was critiquing his performance as we all have a right to do. (Anybody unaware of how Sid is critiqued?) A puff piece on Weber’s leadership is just that, not a report on the spring game. And what responsible person would not insult the Strib? It is one of a handful of the worst newspapers in America as evidenced by a yearly drop in circulation of nearly 10%, right up there with the DNC Times and Wapost.

I can assure you there are many, many football towns in America where if there were no details reported on the university’s spring game there would be serious hell to pay.

People want the full and unvarnished story. If the offense did not look good, tell us why? Poor blocking, sloppy execution by the QB, RBs fumbling and not running hard? QB not on target? Tell us.

Rescooter says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

The D line was quick….real quick. We will average more than 1 or 2 sacks per game this year.

The flip side, we may get burned on a well executed screen.

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

DAC–there is no way we are in better or equal shape with our RB’s compared to last year. We started last year with Pinnix, Thomas, Valentine, and Bennett all healthy. It is ok to be skeptical/nervous/concerned about the Gophers. I won’t question your loyalty. BTW, Weber has no future at RB. Here is hoping the guys coming in will live up to the fanfare.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Derek says,

“Brewster didn’t look good in the pocket. He threw a pick and threw a couple others passes behind receivers. When he rolled out and was on the run, he looked like a different QB.”
_________

Thanks, Derek. That is the first substantive comment on Clint Brewster I have ever seen in the Star Tribune. That is valuable to know and I really appreciate it.

If Brewster is faster than Weber, as I have heard on other platforms, and throws well while on the roll, doesn’t that sound like a spread QB?

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

It would be nice to talk without all the name calling, filth, and other trash that the d_a_c, derek, nyc, pantherhawk element constant brought to this board. Also the trash aimed at family members…wives, children…you get the drift, don’t you derek. You people needed to be censured and you need to realize that your dirty tricks don’t cut it. The gh/gi elements around here did not succeed in shutting this site down though. That is a good thing!

The strib has the potential to run the best site around IF they will make people register, ban the use of certain themes and offensive language and tactics used against family members, children, coming from the chief offenders derek. They also need to outlaw the random use of individuals monikers by people faking posts from other people.

In other words: the rule of common sense.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

I only saw Clint in the first half and he wasn’t very impressive. I heard he led a nice drive in the second half. In the first half he threw on pick that should never have been thrown and he had another pass bounce off a DB straight into the air, luckily it was caught by his WR and not a DB. That was actually the longest pass play I saw, I think the play gained about 15 yards. He has a very strong arm, much stronger than Weber’s but his accuracy seemed to be lacking. All the QBs would probably have looked better had Decker, Simmons and Co been playing. It didn’t look like the WRs were getting a lot of seperation.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Derek says to Bud:

“Well I don’t disagree much with the game comments, but your comments on the crowd is far off and I certainly question your integrity.”
_________

There has never been a serious question of his integrity. He has none, plain and simple. He will say anything to bash Gopher football and undermine our program whether it has any element of truth or not.

A perfect Obama girl.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

Derek says,

“I agree, it was hard to watch. I just haven’t decided if the Oline was that bad, or if the Dline is improving.”
______________

And that is my point entirely. Would it be unreasonable to expect the Strib’s game report might have at least a comment on who played in the D line? Who put pressure on the QB? Any sacks? Who was the run stoppper? Did the two juco transfers stand out? Did Sharpe stand out at LB?

But all that information was left in a dark hole.

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Knock it off with the Obama crap. Loser

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Scooter says,

“The D line was quick….real quick. We will average more than 1 or 2 sacks per game this year.

The flip side, we may get burned on a well executed screen.”
_____________

You are helping me, friend, but keep it coming. Names, please. Who looked real quick in the Dline? How about the two jucos McGee and McKinley? Are they Big Ten players? How did Willie look? Back to normal?

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm

Oh, and Scooter … I agree that a well executed screen called at the right time can certainly negate the rush and kill a defense.

Just go back to the Michigan game at home after Tapeh scored to give us a 21-point lead in the 4th. Michigan ran about ten straight screens and Mason could do nothing to react. Just stood there like a deer in headlights.

But the other side of that coin is the screen can be defended and defeated with well coached, great athletes. I like our chances there with Phil Roof, Simoni Lawrence, Tramaine Brock, Keanon Cooper, Deon Hightower, Rex Sharpe, and Sherrels.

Remember, football defense is a little like the Eastern martial arts. You use the other guys strength and momentum to leverage into your own advantage.

Michigan used the screen over and over to score four TDs in the 4th against us for two reasons. First, they had knowledge and insight that the Gopher coaching staff didn’t know how to stop it or didn’t have the personnel to stop it; and, second, it was working so they kept going with it until we proved we could stop it (still waiting on that).

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Tex … Sorry I forgot Valentine. While used exclusively by Mason as a full back, he was a top running back coming out of Ohio. He could have been handed the ball last year to save Bennett.

But I respectfully disagree with your analysis. We looked good on paper entering last season. But the reality was totally different given the injuries suffered by Pinnix and Thomas. Of course, nobody can predict injuries then or this year but I will stand by my assertion that we are in better shape now.

Bennett is a proven Big Ten calibre back who should get nothing but better. Pittman may be an exciting RB if used properly. If Jay Thomas is himself — a big question mark — he could be a premier back. Let’s cross our fingers and wish him the best both for his personal sake and for the team.

R.J. Buckner had some reputation coming out of Texas. Maybe this is the year he will step up and provide some help. And both Eskridge and Whaley are valued recruits coming in. That makes us six deep on paper. I say that is better than last year given what we know happened last year and, admittedly, expecting less loss from injury this year.

Weber is not a RB? And you know that how, Tex? Oh, you say because Brewster has annointed him permanent QB? I can’t argue with that or with my head coach. He’s the boss.

I’m just saying that if I had two quicker QBs who can throw better than Weber, I would definitely look at a very tough kid of 6′2, 215 with average speed but quick feet as a possible running back.

Rescooter says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:48 pm

D-Line quick off the ball:
Onwuichi and Brown and some Willie VDS doing his share. I watched a re-run of the game on the Big Ten network.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

NYC … I see you still have plenty of your employer’s time and money to waste monitoring message boards to defend lying politicians. Good work.

Jeff says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

I suppose that is why the lack of emphasis on the running game.
=============================

Minnesota rushed for more yards per game in 2007 than 2006 (161.8 to 154.4).

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Jeff,
good stats. It is a complete misnomer that the spread offense automatically means you have no running game. Another interesting stat

2007 avg time of possession: 28:27
2006 avg time of possession: 28:53

So the argument that the spread offense leaves the defense on the field much more than a power running game is true…by 26 seconds!!

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:12 pm

DAC–I hope your optimism pans out. For now, I will be worried about our backfield. I do not see Weber as a RB based on his carries last year. I like the kid’s toughness and competiveness, but I don’t remember him making one defenseman miss him. The guy took some unbelievable shots last year. I’ve said it before, but unless he learns to protect himself, he will not make it through the season in one piece.

Jimmy says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

slow day at work.
More stats, arguably the most important stats

2007 pts per game 26.3
2007 pts allowed per game 36.7

2006 pts per game 28.9
2006 pts allowed per game 26.0

sorry if this has already been discussed. I was just looking at stats and thought this was noteworthy. Hopefully the Gophers improve on that this year.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

Jeff says,

“Minnesota rushed for more yards per game in 2007 than 2006 (161.8 to 154.4).”
___________

Facts can be so inconvenient, especially for the three stooges trying night and day to undermine our football team.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

“So the argument that the spread offense leaves the defense on the field much more than a power running game is true…by 26 seconds!!”
_______________________

Yeah, and that’s a full two seconds plus per game. Wren stands by his argument.

The Loon says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

Bud, the dacs, dereks, etc., are used to the GI, GH kind of web sites where it is ALL about money, shekels, coin. To keep the masses happy, they will vote off the island anyone who does not toe the line of the moment. Keep the paying customers happy. Just bitch about anyone who does not toe the party line and they will be thrown out.

Thus, here, it is endlessly frustrating to them that they can not just rant off anyone they disagree with. Thus far.

My guess is that Chip does not want to censor well reasoned debate.

PS dac, the population of the state is virtually irrelevant if all we are going to do is recruit “speed, speed, speed”. What is relevant to the triple speed debate is where are the speed genes located. Three a year from Minnesota will not build a Rose Bowl team without recruiting a lot more in the South were the gene pool is faster. Thus, our Foreign Legion.

An open

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

Tex … I am nothing if not an optimist. Even when I could could barely see and was in early recovery, I went through the stack and found my Gopher ticket renewal and signed up for the 31st consecutive year.

I don’t want to beat the Weber RB scenario to death. It is obvious I am the only one who holds the view that he would be another option worth looking at.

Here are my big ifs, and they are all ifs because I am not at practice and I don’t know who can do what. But, if Pittman and Clinton are faster and more elusive and if one or the other is more accurate, he should be given every chance to run the team from the QB spot.

If that were to happen, my next concern is what to do with Weber because he is a winner and a kid you want on the field. I want to find a combination where we get the best players on the field at the same time and still have a prepared backup at QB.

My opinion watching Weber is that he is not fast enough to be a true dual threat QB which you want in the spread. At RB he would not be a breakaway threat but he is strong, tough, and has quick feet and the spread offense when executed offers space for a running back.

Remember, the main idea of the spread is to run and pass for 4-6 yards at a time. That keeps the drive going and scores points.

The spread does not rely on a Henne to Manningham bomb once a quarter or on a Maroney sprint for 60 yards. If you get that once in awhile it is a bonus but the essense of the offense is really to peck the defense apart in space with relatively short gains.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:38 pm

Jimmy … Very telling stats. And to think, some backstabbers and liars here criticized Brewster for recruiting great defensive players. What morons.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

Loon …. Here’s a fact for you. I have never posted even one time at GH, GI, St. Paul, or any other site concerning Gopher football. Not once. In fact, I do not go to those sites and do not read them.

The population of the state is all that is relevant. We have the same pool of speed athletes in our high schools as anywhere else, just in smaller numbers.

Nobody sane has ever suggested we could field a competitive Big Ten football team with only Minnesota players no matter what system of offense and defense is being run. Mason couldn’t do that and the coaches before him in the last four decades couldn’t do it either.

There are only a handful of Division 1 schools that get most of their scholarship athletes from in-state. Even Michigan, with a large population and tremendous high school football, gets plenty of players from outside the state.

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm

Top Concerns (in order from greatest to least):
1) running backs
2) placekicker
3) D-line (getting pressure on QB)

If 1,2 and 3 can perform to an average/satisfactory level, we have a shot at a bowl game. I just bought a new 40inch TV and looking forward to the first “U” win I watch on it.

GOPHER1 says:

April 29th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

Personally I could give a hoot about where the players come from as long as they finally reach the Rose Bowl.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

Tex … Based on all recent history and comparable stats from 2006 to 2007, I think your order of concerns is topsy turvy.

You cannot watch Gopher football without putting the order of concern as,

1) Defense;
2) Defense;
3) Defense.

Now you can read that as defensive line, linebacking, and secondary or in any other order of concern. But there is no way our running back situation matches any aspect of the defense in terms of the need for improvement.

Can you get the Big Ten network via satellite down there? Hope so. I believe we are going to be very competitive in most games this year.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Tex … But I do agree that finding a field goal kicker is an urgent requirement and the difference maker in winning big games.

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm

The 2006 Gopher Football team did not control the ball as well as did the teams for the previous five seasons. Also, when Maroney and Barber were carving up the opposition’s defense with outlandish stats, all too often they scored too quickly. Still, I am sure you would find the time of possession for the previous five years to be a bit more one sided than the 2006 record was.

I’ll stand by what I have observed over the past decade in Gopher Football.

The Loon says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

Here is a question for you Wren. Do you think the Brew Crew will actually accept any responsibility for any loss until the last Mason recruit has been gone from the U for more than two seasons? I do not.

They say “wait until next year”, but that is not this year and it will not be next year when we get to next year or the year after that. Between “bad luck”, “new coaches”, “Mason’s lack of recruiting”, Dunbar’s dismisal in 2009, the Legion being “too young this year” the new AD in 2010, etc. This is going to be another three years plus.

Jeff says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

Well then did Mason put less emphasis on the running game in 2006? Rushing yards went from 273 per game to 154 per game. Time of possession went from 31 plus in 2005 to 28 plus in 2006.

Maybe, just maybe….it had something to do with talent? How we go from Maroney and Russell to Pinnix and Alex Daniels might have had a bit of an impact? Do you think Maroney would’ve been able to rush for a few yards in 2007?

Texas Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

DAC–I forecast a much improved linebacker and DB unit this year. That is why they did not make my top 3 (of course in year’s past that was a different story).
Loon–you are wrong on Brewster making excuses. He has taken the “high road” and not blamed others e.g. Mason, bad luck, etc. Your quotation marks I doubt could be supported by actual statements Brewster made. Give the guy a break—-he and his staff are busting their butts trying to put a winning football team on the field.

GOPHER1 says:

April 29th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

Everyone, I have an admission to make. I am personally responsible for the Gophers record last year, I think I have heard it was 1-11 but I could be wrong on that. I support the coaches and team that are in place and believe they have a plan that will take the Gophs to new heights. I believe the coaches and players made mistakes last season and have some growing to do but should be allowed the chance to set the plan in motion. Please forgive me for supporting a horrible coaching regime that talks about glory instead of how hard it is to coach at the U.

Again, I take full responsibility for supporting this coach, the previous coach, the coach that will follow the current coach and the coach to follow him. My bad.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

ROTFLMAO … More from the football “expert”,

“Also, when Maroney and Barber were carving up the opposition’s defense with outlandish stats, all too often they scored too quickly.”
__________

Oh my goodness, the bane of all football teams .. scoring too quickly and too often. Boy, Wren, if you could figure out a way to stop that from happening you could write a book and make millions.

Wait, Mason did figure it out — quit recruiting. But let’s keep that a secret and see if you and Loonietik can become consultants to bigtime coaches and school them into ways to quit scoring. Brilliant.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

“Give the guy a break—-he and his staff are busting their butts trying to put a winning football team on the field.”
__________

Tex, you are missing the point. The three stooges have one goal and one goal only and that is to tear this program down.

Until Brewster is gone and they are allowed to appoint a moron who thinks like they do, they will stab this team in the back at every opportunity.

Remember how smart these clowns are, Tex. Wren just told us the biggest problem the Gophers have ever had is scoring too quickly and too often. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Memo from the Stooge to all college football coaches:

“The thing you must guard against most is scoring too quickly. And guard equally vigilantly against scoring too often. Better yet, teach your team never to score.”

Brilliant, just brilliant. The three stooges sure know their football.

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 3:26 pm

DAC: Have the day off.

As to defending a lying politician…that would pertain to all 3, don’t you think? I apologize for stating you are a loser, not my style. This is a football blog, there’s no place for politics.

GOPHER1 says:

April 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

Please can anyone forgive me?

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:08 pm

NYC …. OK, then help us out here. Tex thinks we are weaker at RB this year than last and I think the opposite. Where do you come down?

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm

Gopher1 … You might possibly be temporarily forgiven so long as you remember the Stooges’ Golden Rule — do not score too quickly or too often, or, preferably even at all.

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:32 pm

Given that I don’t know that much about football, I would say we’re about the same as last year. Pinnix was hurt most of the year, and they didn’t seem to utilize Valentine.

Bennett seems promising. I only get my information from the StarTribune and this blog. I believe only 2 games were on ESPN last year, so I don’t get to see much. As a back up to Bennett, not sure what Thomas’ injury is and how that will hamper him and Chip mentioned Damola Ogundipe, R.J. Buckner and Tyler Johnson, none of whom I’ve heard of. I was hoping that maybe on some “trick” play they might utilize David Pittman in the backfield.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm

NYC … If Pittman is as good, fast, nifty, and elusive as advertised the trick play ought to be “get the ball in his hands as many times a game as possible from as many positions”.

Play him at running back. Play him at receiver. Throw him RB or wide receiver screens. Throw him slants. Hand him the ball on reverses. Let him play QB and throw. Let him play QB and run options or draws. Just use him.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Oh, and NYC … Bennett is a lot more than promising. As an 18-year-old he proved in the crunch he is a Big Ten running back. My guess is he will get better and better.

The nice thing is he has a lot of speed but is very compact. He is the type of back who normally is pretty durable. Of course this does not mean he will not get hurt but just looking at him and seeing him be the workhorse last year indicates a lot of durability.

Jimbo says:

April 29th, 2008 at 4:48 pm

Sorry about all the travel I do; I need to keep Mrs. Jimbo clad in jewels and furs.

OK, so my impression of the spring game was not a lot different than previous posters. I think there were 4-5 thousand people there, max.

Sherrels was a one-man show. Weber looked mediocre. Brewster looked better, in my opinion. The kicking game (i.e. field goals) scares the bejeezus out of me. I think Eric Ellestad deserves a hard look. I was disappointed that Pittman couldn’t play. Mortenson looked OK as long snapper. All in all, I’d have to say is the game didn’t tell me much of anything, other than the fact they need Decker and all the guys that weren’t there, and a LOT more practice. Somebody got it right when they said it was nothing more than a glorified practice. It was great to see the boys back on the field, if nothing else.

d_a(sp)_c, you’re letting the three stooges get to you. They are inconsequential and idiotic. They are not true fans, and we can only hope that they get angry enough to just go away.

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 5:11 pm

So what’s wrong with Jay Thomas? Who else is back up to Bennett?

Little Daisy Rendahl says:

April 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Poppa, what happened to taking it one game at a time? Why don’t you and Mister Loon like the spread?

Jimbo says:

April 29th, 2008 at 5:32 pm

Jay Thomas is coming off his 2nd ACL surgery (one on each knee.) We’re all hoping he can play, play well, and play all year. We certainly need to have other options, though. Hopefully, Buckner (and others) will rise to the occasion if need be.

The Loon says:

April 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm

If the O line is not better than it has seemed thus far, we will have a weak O, running or passing.

Brewster was not be quoted by me, the Brew Crew types on this site were being quoted by me. I have no doubt whatsoever that they will continue to make excuses for every loss, no matter what. They get so juiced over recruiting service “stars”, that the fall season is of only secondary importance to them.

I think and fear we are looking at two more “throw away” seasons at the minimum.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 29th, 2008 at 7:20 pm

I agree with Loon that the OL is suspect and will probably be the weak link this Fall. As the OL goes, so goes the offense. Plus I am not sold on Dunbar’s schemes and the liklihood that his offense can demonstrate a reasonable of amount of ball control and time of possession. In spite of it all, I believe the O will show up in 09 as will the D.

However, I refuse to believe this team would be any better with Masonball still around nor would they have won more than 4 games in 07. The talent pool was very thin and we had a rookie QB, which is problematic for most BT teams, and a highly suspect D to boot.

Plus I highly doubt whether Mason would have been able to entice Brewsters type “stars” to come to Minny and we would have a typical Mason class of two and three star MAC type players coming in.

So what are we throwing away Loon?

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:23 pm

Chip: When will the people you are working with start to make this a safe place? Once again some sad, sick sucker tries to use a child with my last nave as some sort of sad sick threat or penalty for me because I say what I think.

Will you start protecting people from the ssad sick suckers Chip? Is this what you want to have happen around here?

Get the sad, sick suckers registered and control them before someone does something really sad and sick to some innocent people.

Where are you at with that registration system Chip? This is going to get out of hand if you don’t do something right now! At least take those posts off the board and track down derek, d_a_C or who ever is doing it.

I guess I had better arrange for some extra security…

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:35 pm

Loon: I think that no matter how hard the brew crew tries to blame everything that has gone wrong on the players and on Mason, there is still no way that they can get away from that 0-8 Big Ten record that the overmatched brewster achieved in 2007. No matter what they try…they have all of that 0-8 egg all over their collective faces.

I have never seen anything wuite so pathetic…

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

Yes, Loon: it may be another three years of throw away seasons followed by the whimper of brewster packing his bags and heading out the door…after having achieved the lowest total of Big Ten victories for a comprable period in the history of Golden Gopher Football.

Bloomington, IN used to be the hopeless football program. Then brewster came along as maturi’s second football coach hire.

Little Daisy Rendahl says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:14 pm

Poppa, do you want the Gophers to fail because you love mason and hate maturi??

thewrenagain says:

April 29th, 2008 at 9:37 pm

Bayfield: those high school players won’t be ready for the 2009 season either. Every recruiting class consists of projects…long-term projects.

The schedule in 2009 will be tougher than the schedules in 2007 and 2008. The recruiting class of February. 2008 might start contributing to things significantly in 2011 and especially in 2012. That will most likely be entirely too late for brewster and his excuse makers to survive. Seventy five percent of the jucos won’t amount to too much. brewster screwd up by not coming up with a system that would have better fit the players that he did have in 2007 and 2008. Throw away seasons really have a way of haunting the coach who threw those seasons away.

How many wins will brewster get in 2008 Bayfield? How many ooc wins? (ooc wins don’t count for anything any more though.) How many Big Ten wins in 2008?

Little Daisy Rendahl says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:04 pm

Poppa, stop being a jerk. You are a disgrace…you are not a Gopher fan. I wish momma woulda smacked those wiskers off your face like she said she should have!

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

Bayfield says,

“I agree with Loon that the OL is suspect and will probably be the weak link this Fall.”
________________

Let me offer a contrary idea for your consideration, Bayfield. I think the case can be made that a team needs a much stronger offensive line for a power running game such as Mason employed than is required for the spread.

The power running game depends on power up front … blocking in close quarters and actually moving a defensive man to one side or another. It requires pulling guards and even a pulling center (Greg E.) to actually flatten guys on the edge.

The spread, on the other hand, is designed to make the defense occupy and defend more space. In that environment a successful block might just mean interfering with a guy’s path to the ball rather than winning a pit battle in full engagement.

Another key is a wide receiver corp that is tough and can block for each other. There are a lot of slants run by the receivers and other guys can almost set picks like basketball (not legal, of course, but done in a fashion routinely) and create the quick opening for the receiver.

What I am saying is that it is a different type of blocking that relies more on smarts and quickness than power and strength. I’m guessing if you draw ten offensive linemen out of a hat, more will adapt to spread blocking than the power running game blocking.

david_allen_coe says:

April 29th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

Wren … Do not EVER use my name in association with the posts you are talking about, you sick mental patient.

I post under one name, Mister. Period.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:42 am

Geez Wren, I go on vacation for 10 days and you change your logo again? Kinda like your position on Gopher football. Being an old fart is one thing but being like a fart in the wind is another!!

You wrote the book on the “one game at a time” approach when Masonball was around, stay the course, support the coach no matter who he is, mediocrity is OK, bleed maroon & gold, etc.

I know you would have been perfectly content watching the Gophers go 2-10, 3-9 or even 4-8 if Masonball was around in 2007 and would have continued to spew the above rehetoric in defense of Mase and the program.

I try to be optimistic and supportive and even hung with Mason for 7 years. I will remain the same with Brewster as he is the coach and go with the one game at a time and one season at a time. I have even kept my logo intact and remain supportive, unlike others.

Who are you anyway? And don’t trust farts at your age.

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:43 am

Good to see all is back to “normal” here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:51 am

Thanks for the lesson dac. I don’t really need the info as much as others as I have a pretty good knowledge of the game.

My opinion remains that the OL will be the weak link on this team. And the team is one season away from being a decent squad.

Do you agree?

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:53 am

thewrenagain says:

April 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm

The crowd estimates here are two to three times as large as I have been reading other places. Why is that?
================
Its call [HIS] or HomerIdioStupidity……kinda like saying the offense sucked with Pittman! DAC? Based on what????

Crowd was 3 to 4 thousand.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:53 am

d_a_c: Why the heck should I believe anything you try to say????? You are right there with all of those sad, sick suckers.

You creeps and jerks try to crucify me because I stick to the ONLY facts that we currently know. brewster led the program to a 1-11 record in 2007. He was ZERO for eight in Big Ten play. He was a zero for coaching as far as I am concerned. IF and WHEN he EVER starts winning Big Ten games in quantity and quality, I will give him credit. One or two Big Ten wins in a season will only show how inept he really is. In 2008 he needs 3 Big Ten wins to get back to “zero” on the meter of being a respectable coach. In other years it will take four or five Big Ten wins just for him to become less than zero on the respectability meter

Until he does something, I will give him credit for nothing. That is the REAL world. He doesn’t get my respect for losing.

I think he is headed in completely the wrong direction. Maybe I am wrong…but…maybe I am right. In the mean while, I will stick strictly to the documented facts that only his won/loss record can provide.

Recruits are NOTHING except young kids until they PROVE themselves by winning Big Ten Football Games for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Right now the ones who are not on campus are merely over-hyped high school kids.

They are going to need ALL the coaching they can get. Even with that, many other factors may come into play. So don’t try to impress anyone with some imaginary ranking of some high school kids from who cares where. It is Big Ten wins alone that will save the hide of the totally inexperienced head coach of the University of Minnesota Football Program.

He can peddle his hype and his sales talk to you people…but…I’m not buying until he starts winning a LOT of Big Ten Football Games. Nothing else matters for a Big Ten Program. It is the Big Ten WINS, stupid….

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 7:04 am

nyc gopher fan says:

April 29th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Knock it off with the Obama crap. Loser
=======================
F=U man, obamo is a liar and a loser just like you!

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 7:07 am

Why isn’t anyone talking about punky’s EXLAX move of telling Rock to sign now or hit the bricks? Of all the bone-headed moves!!!!! This guy has a screw loose, there is no doubt of that!!!

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 7:09 am

So, Bayfield: one ooc win in 2007 was better than what? 0-8 in the Big Ten was a great confidence builder for you?

I got bashed by the baStards SO long, that they showed me the light of day. I will NEVER give a coach a blank check. If the coach is losing, I will use the reality of the situation to point out just exactly what is happening: that the coach is losing. I will advocate for change. My expectation is that either the coach starts winning Big Ten Football Games, or he needs to be run out of town on a rail. To hell with it. I can see right through the hype and will cut to the chase. If the coach is zero for eight in Big Ten play…I will bitch about it and call for drastic change. I will call it like I see it. I will tell it the way it really is. The only thing we know for certain is what has actually happened. The administrations at the U of M have run out of time with what they have provided for the football program and I am going to call them on it. If the administration is making horribkle fiscal blunders and wasting millions and millions of dollars, I will put the blame where it bolongs: directly on the administration.

So, Bayfield, I have had it mobbed and bashed out of me. I will tell it the way it is. I will not live on hype and hope watiing for the football program todo something. Either the football program will do it…or it will not do it. Either brewster wins lots of Big Ten games…or he does not win lots of Big Ten games.

I am dealing in the here and now. I am dealing with the reality of the situation. Where the hell are you, Bayfield?

Texas Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 7:57 am

NYC asks: “So what’s wrong with Jay Thomas? Who else is back up to Bennett?”

NYC, if Thomas plays and contributes again on the playing field, it will be a medical miracle. I don’t think people realize the severity of his injuries. Unfortunately, he can not be counted upon. I hope I am wrong.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 8:20 am

Bayfield … I know you understand the game. You are one of the most knowledgeable guys here.

I don’t disagree that the offensive line will be young, in development, and not dominant this year. It might even turn out to be the weakest unit on our team as you suggest.

But the point I was making is that a somewhat weaker O line can get by in the spread whereas it would be killed if we were operating the old power running game where our guys up front are overmatched by Big Ten defenses.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 8:29 am

Wins and losses in the Big Ten games are the ONLY measure of success or failure. You can NOT “…get by…” in the Big Ten with a weak offensive line no matter what fly-by-night offense you are trying to pretend that you are playing. You will have the “…cheap substitute…” margerine or generic spread of what ever kind and that is all you will have by trying to “…get by…”

It’s all about the total number of Big Ten wins…

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 8:31 am

Wren … I post under one name. If I want to say something to you or about you I do it under this name. I think I have demonstrated that by now.

I have no interest in your family. I have no personal interest in you either because you are unworthy of a passing thought.

You are far too ignorant to understand that every football team in America that won games in 2007 did it with kids recruited in earlier years.

The recruiting rankings are not mythical and they are not over-hyped. Their rankings are based upon in-depth reviews, scouting, film, and coaching assessments.

No coach can win a football game. Not Brewster, not Pete Carroll, and not Tony Dungy. You win with players. When you have substandard talent as we have had at the University of Minnesota, you either upgrade the talent as Brewster is doing or you continue to lose forever.

Gopher football is on the right track. You are on the wrong track.

Jeff says:

April 30th, 2008 at 8:41 am

Either the football program will do it…or it will not do it.
======================

So it’s about Big Ten wins? Thanks wren…I wish you would’ve just cut to the chase…oh about five months ago.

If it comes down to doing it or not doing it, why waste paragraph after paragraph after paragraph after paragraph after paragraph saying the same thing.

Tune in August 30 and see if they do it or not do it.

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 8:45 am

Where are you at with that registration system Chip? This is going to get out of hand if you don’t do something right now!
========================
Spoken by someone banned from two different Gopher message boards. Oh the irony.

PantherHawk says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:07 am

goofers to allow dirty little rapist back on FB team:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/18385209.html

pitifull!

PantherHawk says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:13 am

goofer FB players at it again:

http://www.startribune.com/local/18321709.html

Jimbo says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:13 am

Pantherhogeyepigboy, where in that article does it say he’ll be let back on the team? Obviously, you don’know how to read. It’s that great Iowa education, apparently.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:14 am

Wren. Were you ready and willing to dismiss Mason after one Big Ten win and going 2-2 against very weak NC teams with a combined .25 winning percentage in 1997?

Remember this weak OL that we both mention is basically made of Mason recruits/walk-ons. Evidence that the talent level is not there nor was it there in 2007.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:18 am

dac. At this point, it appears that the OL is not ready to be a formidable unit running the spread or the traditional I, etc.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:20 am

Jimmy, the only stats that matter are scoring offense and scoring defense. You pointed both of those out from 2006 to 2007. The only other stat that determines winning or losing a game is the turnover ratio. If you want to look that stat up between 2006 and 2007 you will see that it is a huge difference. I will say that our leading rusher last year was our QB. Thats not going to cut it in the future. Also a good deal of those yards came because the other teams were just playing soft defense due to their lead in the game. The games when we had to get it done, we did not get it done.

Pierre Pierce says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:22 am

Good point pantherhawk, if I can get a second chance after being convicted. He should get one for never being charged.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:23 am

Jumbo … A better question is, where in the article does it say he raped her or participated later in the actions that lead to criminal charges?

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:28 am

DAC, you go off half cocked and start saying things but after several post here what I stated on Monday ends up being fact. The crowd size, the performance by the offense, and a general lack of enthusiasm by the football team and the fans.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:28 am

strut with your fellow club members hosea! Yeah, I got kicked off gh/gi because I wouldn’t fall in line and kow tow to the company line. I consider that to be a tribute to my spirit of contrasting the bashers and mobbers of those sites.

It is the loss of those sites…not a loss for me.

They only want to allow people who will kiss the booster club’s behinds…and help push the agenda of the the booster club.

They liked me until they didn’t like me any longer. Once again, their loss!

Well, I still contrast. But, I’m not obnoxious and chicken sh.t the way those gh/gi people who come here and make comments about kids & wives, use my last name, and try to intimidate me in that way. To hell with them.

At least I stand up and say what I think.

I tell the truth about brewster’s record. He is 0-8 in Big Ten play. IF he ever starts winning lots of Big Ten games, I will give him credit. However he HAS to start winning Big Ten games before I will give him diddly squat.

Jimbo says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:29 am

You’re right, d_a(sp)_c. Unfortunately, it seems this kid is being wrongfully punished. But considering the situation, I don’t think there’s any chance of him playing here again.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:31 am

Bayfield says,

“At this point, it appears that the OL is not ready to be a formidable unit running the spread or the traditional I, etc.”
_____________

I see no clear evidence of that. I agree the O line will be young and developing this fall. It will likely not be considered a formidable unit. It will certainly be better the following year with Carufel.

What is clear to me is that the spread offense is better suited to a less-than-formidable line than would be the power running game.

My bottom line is that all things considered this line has a chance to be serviceable and good enough to win some football games. The big, big IF is defense. You cannot win football games with the worst defense in Division 1. That was proved last year even at times when the offense performed fairly well.

As has been pointed out here by several guys who deal in facts, the difference in offensive output (points, TOP etc) from 2006 to 2007 was very slight. We lost 11 games primarily because of defense, not the offensive line.

Any chance to dramatically improve this year rests primarily on the defensive side of the ball.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:34 am

Bud … I agree turnover ratio is normally a very good indicator of a team’s success. Yet how do we explain the excellent TO ratio in 2006 by the 106th worst defense in Division 1?

I think it is safe to say the defense we put on the field this fall, with a lot of better athletes than the recent past, will show a big improvement in turnover ratio from last year.

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:34 am

It is the loss of those sites…not a loss for me.
==================

I don’t know how those sites have survived.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:36 am

Bayfield: the only evidence that is present is the fact that brewster went 0-8 in the big Ten in 2007. There is enough misuse of players and talent to suggest that he decided he was going to run an offense that his kids were not suited to play. brewster has been in charge for 15 stinking months and he has failed to develope talent that he has been in charge of. In 15 months time, the old staff always used to put together decent offensive lines.

brewster is responsible for developing talent each and every month he is in charge fo this football program. He sucks at doing that, obviously He didn’t even freaking offer scholarships to offensive linemen during the past 12 month recruiting period. He obviously thought he was “set” at the offensive line positions. He and his people screwd up. That’s pretty much the way it is Bayfield The guy is NOT an experienced head coach. He has pretty much sucked so far.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:36 am

Bayfield, so you believe as does DAC that you just have to go out and get a bunch of 4 stars and throw them out on the field and they will win for us? When does coaching ever enter into the equation? Now you are justifying the poor o-line because they are Masons recruits? We are in a lot of trouble then because we did not take one o-line recruit in this class.

BigAl67 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:39 am

Wayne, I find it funny now that you and Loon are now the “bitchers and the bashers” of Coach Brewster and the football team. You are doing damage to the program, either get on the train or buzz off! Go GOphers!!

Jimbo says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:39 am

I, too, am more concerned about the defense than I am about the offense. I think if they find an effective way to use Pittman, and Bennett stays healthy, etc., they’ll put points on the board. The defense CAN’T be worse than last year, though. That would be impossible.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:40 am

DAC, the difference was not in the take aways it was in the give aways. You can not blame that on the deffense.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:41 am

And Bayfield: I have told you, I no longer give a blank check to any coach. You bashers and mobbers won. You have got your new god in place now, so continue to kow-tow, genuflect and bow down to the mighty brewboy, wonder inexperienced coach. Have faith in those bogus fantasy recruiting rankings and just wait for another 7 years to see what happens.

I’m living in today and we know only what we know today. So far, brewster is 0-8 in Big Ten games he has coached in. That is the only thing that is real.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:43 am

Bud says,

“DAC, you go off half cocked and start saying things but after several post here what I stated on Monday ends up being fact. The crowd size, the performance by the offense, and a general lack of enthusiasm by the football team and the fans.”
__________

Nothing you have posted ended up being fact. Fact is truth, not what you believe or want to sell in your efforts to stab the team in the back.

The official crowd count was over 7,200. Note the word ‘official’ which is not the same as ‘the lies Bud wants to sell’. Totally different.

I never disputed anyone’s description of the offense as being poor or sloppy. That probably indicates Weber is no better this year than last and that will be an enormous problem.

Crowd and team enthusiasm is unknown to me. I wasn’t there. I feel totally safe in assuming your take on it is a calculated lie to undermine the program.

There is a big difference in the enthusiasm of a genuine Gopher fan and a petty detractor whose entire life is centered around getting a football coach fired.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:44 am

Jimbo, I do not think that we will ever know all the details of that night. I place my trust in the University to do the right thing. I do not believe that EJ is being dealt with unfairly. There must be more to it than his side and I place my trust in the individuals that know the whole story.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am

Jumbo … I agree there is no chance he will play here again.

But if the facts are as presented in Chip’s piece today, and I certainly have no reason to believe otherwise, he was unfairly dismissed by the team and my respect for both Brewster and Maturi is lessened because of it.

Jeff says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:50 am

Also a good deal of those yards came because the other teams were just playing soft defense due to their lead in the game.
========================

Sorry to throw stats into the equation.

In games decided by less than 10, Weber had 92 carries for 474 yards and 5.2 yards per carry.

In games decided by more than 10 when they were “just playing soft defense due to their lead in the game”, he had 54 carries for 133 yards and 2.5 yards per carry.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:50 am

DAC, you must think that one person could get a coach fired? Now I know you live in lala land. At least 4 posters on this site have stated that the crowd size was somewhere between 4 and 5 thousand. Now if you want to stick your head in the sand go right ahead and do so. You need to open up your eyes and see the light of day and just where this program is headed if we do not win some games next year. Lets just wait until August for the rest of the story.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:51 am

Prove to me that you are Big Al…you bogus moniker. I like you al…the REAL Al,that is, but I will NEVER follow blindly. Remember all the stuff the REAL Big Al used to talk about? The real Big Al couldn’t possibly be so incredibly two faced and such a blind kool-aid sales man. At least he would understand that a person who believes in what he says does not just abandon all that he has believed.

brewster has only shown me 0-8 in the Big Ten. The boosters can change on a dime…so can I. I will praise brewster only when he starts winning a lot of Big Ten games

Now: get the heck out of here fake Big Al. The real Big Al knows that I say what I mean. If things have changed, so be it. The real Big Al knows that I will not be bullied by boosters and that I will kow-tow to no one. I always have said what I think. I will continue to do that whether you are the fake Big Al or the real Big Al. I really have no reason to believe that you are anyone other than another one of the fake posters that this site fosters.

GOPHER1 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:52 am

Bud, why should fans get excited over a practice? That is all the “Spring Game” is. Please help me understand why I should be excited about a practice.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:52 am

Wren … Could you tell us in detail what offense inexperienced freshman and sophomore offensive linemen would have been suited to play?

What offense would a redshirt freshman quarterback with no experience have been better suited to play?

What offense would an 18-year-old true freshman running back have been suited to play?

Details, please.

The only guy on the offense that I can safely say would have benefited from a different offense last year was the center. He could not snap the ball in the air five yards to the QB in shotgun.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:53 am

bayfield: you somehow say it is ok for brewster ball to throw away seasons somehow based upon something Mason did or did not do and claim that Mason left brewster with an empty rooster. Then you go on to say that any new coach will totally change the system and can not be expected to win until he gets “his” players in place. Then, you try to tell us his first recruiting class doesn’t coiunt towards getting his guys. Se, as we approach the second season you claim that brewster just finished his first recruiting season. Therefore the 2008 season is going to be another horrible Big Ten season according to you. you set it up for no more than 1 Big Ten win. That would give brewster a 1-15 Big Ten Mark at the end of his second season.

I contend that there is NOTHING to do with Mason. He has been gone since 2006. brewster was going to scrap everything in the first season any way. He threw that season away. You want to not come down hard on him for that. I say: he was the coach, he called the shots and HE is going to LIVE with the record HE created. His career will live by that 2007 record or in part die by that damage that 2007 record did to him. The 2008 season is perhaps his MOST vital seson.

There will most likely NEVER again be a ten season University of Minnesota Football Coach. There will now be coaches replaced every three to five years. There is NO room for a zero Big Ten win season during the cycle of a coach as Minnesota marched towards challenging for the “Graveyard of College Football Coaches” reputation it so JUSTLY deserves. The cry of “…fire the ba$%ard…” will echo from TCF BANK STADIUM across the East Bank Campus concrete canyons , mall spaces and bounce off dorm buildings. Yes, the “luxury” of receiving invitations to crappy bowl games is at least on temporary hold. How many…or how few Big Ten wins brewster manages to achieve in 2008 will play a very large role in determining the course of the next 3 year plan…or 5 year plan…you know…the kind that Russia made so famous during the former “cold war era…”

So, bury Mason. He has ridden off with the bundles of cash that prexy b and mac-turi for one reason or another were so compelled to force him to take after that TT game in 2006. They literally MADE him take their millions and millions of dollars to kind of go away…to distance himself from them.

brewster has only himself to blame for 1) taking this job. 2)Running his mouth about Rose Bowls while he KNEW he would sacrifice the entire season to bring in HIS system. 3)Losing all 8 Big Ten games that he has coached. To stand a reasonable chance of surviving at Minnesota, brewster needs to win three Big Ten games in 2008. The LOGICAL wins should come against iowa, Indiana and NU…ALL at the dome.

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:57 am

Jeff, are you a little bit off. Of course the games with more than 10 Weber would have had fewer yards. We were trying to score by way of pass. Break it down with the total running game. The Top running back on our team last year was Weber, CORRECT. When your QB is your top rusher you are not going to win many games. Plus if you knew anything about stats, in college the sacks come off the rushing totals. Unlike the NFL where the sacks come off the passing yardage. Go back to your stats book Jeff and try to dig up something else to justify Brewster first year.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am

hosea: those sites are doing just exactly what they want to do and I am also sure they are doing fine. I am also doing fine. Here you are, writing to me. Life is great.

You write as though it is my loss to have been banned on those sites. Believe me, it is not my loss at all. That is what I am saying.

In fact, I am proud that I stood my ground against those mobbers and bashers when I did. I have no regrets. I’m sure none of you people have regrets either. Perhaps we are ALL better off with the way things happened.

That’s fine with me. I may be one of the luckiest individual out there. I hope every one feels that way about their own situation.

If brewster ever starts winning a LOT of Big Ten football games, I’ll be happy to say he did a great job. Until then, though, he has got to show me something. The ONLY way he can do that is by winning LOTS of Big Ten football games, graduating ever increasing numbers of players and running a good, clean program.

So: there you have it hosea!

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:01 am

Bud says stupidly,

“Bayfield, so you believe as does DAC that you just have to go out and get a bunch of 4 stars and throw them out on the field and they will win for us?”
___________

Whoever said something like that, backstabber? The only thing true in your stupid statement is the fact a bunch of four stars will when a lot quicker than a Mason class of two stars.

When you hire a new coach for a very poor football program, you measure his progress as follows:

50% based on recruiting;

30% based on player development;

20% based on schemes, game prep, and game day coaching.

That means there are many coaches who can teach schemes, make game prep, and coach on Saturday.

There are fewer who can develop players from one year to the next.

There are a tiny handful who can recruit quality talent to a down program.

Minnesota made the only move that could possibly turn the program around. We hired a guy who can recruit, sell a vision and a dream, and ignite enthusiasm for the program.

Go ahead, genius, and name somebody else who could do that at Minnesota.

Studwell55 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:03 am

wren (Rover):

What is CTR “training?”

http://www.cjns.com/gaf/profiles.html

See you Friday when I come pick-up my lil hottie!

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:06 am

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 9:57 am

Jeff, are you a little bit off. Of course the games with more than 10 Weber would have had fewer yards. We were trying to score by way of pass. Break it down with the total running game. The Top running back on our team last year was Weber, CORRECT. When your QB is your top rusher you are not going to win many games. Plus if you knew anything about stats, in college the sacks come off the rushing totals. Unlike the NFL where the sacks come off the passing yardage. Go back to your stats book Jeff and try to dig up something else to justify Brewster first year
=================
Hell, they have already justifed 2008 as well, but boy are we going to win in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:07 am

“I do not believe that EJ is being dealt with unfairly. There must be more to it than his side and I place my trust in the individuals that know the whole story.”
_________________

Do you place any trust in the public prosecutors and investigators who decided there was no reason to charge him with a crime? Do you place any trust in Chip who interviewed people and got the known facts for inclusion in his story today?

Do you think the prosecutors “know the whole story” but decided to suppress it? Do you think Chip decided not to include “the whole story” in his report today?

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:01 am

Bud says stupidly,

“Bayfield, so you believe as does DAC that you just have to go out and get a bunch of 4 stars and throw them out on the field and they will win for us?”
___________

Whoever said something like that, backstabber? The only thing true in your stupid statement is the fact a bunch of four stars will when a lot quicker than a Mason class of two stars.

When you hire a new coach for a very poor football program, you measure his progress as follows:

50% based on recruiting;

30% based on player development;

20% based on schemes, game prep, and game day coaching.

That means there are many coaches who can teach schemes, make game prep, and coach on Saturday.

There are fewer who can develop players from one year to the next.

There are a tiny handful who can recruit quality talent to a down program.

Minnesota made the only move that could possibly turn the program around. We hired a guy who can recruit, sell a vision and a dream, and ignite enthusiasm for the program.

Go ahead, genius, and name somebody else who could do that at Minnesota.
====================
Well, we do know there is only one person who could go 1-11 at MN after projecting a Rose Bowl!!!!!!!

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:10 am

G1, if you went to the game thinking it was going to be a practice then I guess you would not be excited. I went to see for myself if what I had felt during the offseason was just some of my own distrust of who is running the program. I went to the victory walk. Not many people there. The week leading up to the game we heard crowd sizes that were going to break the record. Which by the way I do not know what the record is but I have been to every spring game sense 1988 and this was no record. In my opinion it was the smallest crowd sense 1991. So Gopher1 it all depends what you were expecting when you got in your car on that rather cold evening and were expecting to see. I know what I am seeing. That is a Gopher fan base that is starting to step back and say, lets wait and see about this guy. We had better win some games or the only thing the fans are going to be looking forward to is the new stadium and not the team that is playing in it.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Bud says,

“At least 4 posters on this site have stated that the crowd size was somewhere between 4 and 5 thousand.”
__________

How did they count each one? The official count was more than 7200 and I assume the official “count” means somebody through some mechanism actually counted. That is different from a propaganda estimate.

The fact is, I don’t really care how many people were there. Anything less than 50,000 is a disappointment for me. That should be the target as we turn the program around and start winning with upgraded talent.

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:14 am

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:10 am

G1, if you went to the game thinking it was going to be a practice then I guess you would not be excited. I went to see for myself if what I had felt during the offseason was just some of my own distrust of who is running the program. I went to the victory walk. Not many people there. The week leading up to the game we heard crowd sizes that were going to break the record. Which by the way I do not know what the record is but I have been to every spring game sense 1988 and this was no record. In my opinion it was the smallest crowd sense 1991. So Gopher1 it all depends what you were expecting when you got in your car on that rather cold evening and were expecting to see. I know what I am seeing. That is a Gopher fan base that is starting to step back and say, lets wait and see about this guy. We had better win some games or the only thing the fans are going to be looking forward to is the new stadium and not the team that is playing in it.
================
I don’t see how PSU got 80,000+ to come to their spring game when that have not have the wonder punk pimping their program for the last 18 months???? After all, its just a spring game and doesn’t mean a thing?!!!!!!!!

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:22 am

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Bud says,

“At least 4 posters on this site have stated that the crowd size was somewhere between 4 and 5 thousand.”
__________

How did they count each one? The official count was more than 7200 and I assume the official “count” means somebody through some mechanism actually counted. That is different from a propaganda estimate.
=======================
Dude, are fricking Bagdad Bob or some shit????? lol An M-1 could roll over your stupid toes and you would still claim the cowardly Americans are not coming? Wake up you idiot!! Please link any “solid” data on the 7200!!!! It was 3000, i was there while you were down at the 90’s for happy hour and boa night! No one counted each person there, but it is easy to estimate when you know the capacity and what the sections hold.

GOPHER1 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:22 am

I ask again, why do 80,000 people show up to watch a practice? It doesn’t mean anything.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:25 am

dac. I’ve posted this in the past. My keys to an improved season are:
#1: DL
#2: OL
#3: QB

This will be an interesting year and it will be fun to watch this very young and inexperienced team develop and mature.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:26 am

studwell55 you cowardly creep: you are now trying to trash me because I spent 4 years of my life serving in the military?

If that is all you can do coach brewster (and I KNOW it is you coach brewster) why haven’t you put any time in serving your country?

I am going to have to take chip to court to obtain the registration records of posters on this blog so I can get court orders against all of you who so cowardly attempt to attack me.

Chip, what is going on with this site?

Now: brewster or studwell, you coward, get out there and join the military if you are man enough to do it.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:27 am

Chip, you had better look at the mess you are supporting here. What gives Chip?????

BigAl67 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:31 am

Wayne, I did not mean to sound too harsh but Granny Gopher and I have moved on. Mase did a great job and brought the program back from wilderness. I am excited to see the football team finally get the financial support they so deserved under Mase. Hopefully you will stop by the Gold GLC lot this fall and say hi. It’s time to move forward and support the team. Hope all is well with you and your lovely bride! Go GOphers!!

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:39 am

GOPHER1 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:22 am

I ask again, why do 80,000 people show up to watch a practice? It doesn’t mean anything.
============================
Its a shame this type of stupidity can’t be bottled! If it “doesn’t mean anything,” why DID 80,000 people show up?????????????? Dumbass! lol

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:49 am

Al, I support the team. I have no confidence in the coach. However, as you can see: there currently is no room for anything but a “pro” brewster stance. A 1-11 record (0-8 record in Big Ten play) does not justify blind loyalty as far as I am concerned.

I also totally dislike the wasteful manner in which maturi and prexy b signed Mason to a 5 year extension and then wasted the millions and millions of dollars buying out his contract one year later. That totally turned me against this administration. IF they have millions and millions of dollars to waste, why are they still asking me to support scholarship funds?

Just look at the way the booster people treat me here. Just because I am not in their hip pocket, they attack me, my family and this studwell creep talks about unspeakable things with underaged children. How can you associate with people like that Al? This makes me realize that a lot of Gopher supporters are sad, sick individuals. Do you support the way these supposed Gopher supporters are attacking me an trying to hurt my family, Al?

I support the kids on the team, but some of the boosters are even trying to blame Weber for brewster’s woeful season in 20-07.

Al, I would love to see you and Trudy again some day, but, I doubt if your fellow Gopher booster friends would approve of you for that. They way they attack me, attempt to publish all kinds of my personal information and make threats, including phone calls to me, I don’t think I had better run into them without lots of protection.

I hate the way that the administrators at the U of M have conducted their business. Am I supposed to blindly support what I consider to be mismanagement on their part?

I hope you and Granny Gopher had a great winter and have a safe trip back home.

I also hope that there is room in the world for someone who asks questions and wants to be shown how a hire such as brewster can make the program better. I ask questions…and…I need to have brewster demonstrate that he is capable of winning a lot of Big Ten games by acutally winning a lot of Big Ten games.

You know Al, there are different ways of supporting the program. Sometimes it involves speaking one’s mind and wanting to see proof of the program heading in the right direction.

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:53 am

What’s 3-41 Wren? The combined first year records of Alvarez, Ferentz, Holtz (SC) and Mac Brown at NC.

I have said here in the past that the jury is still out on Brewster. But he is our guy and I am behind him. And I am sure Brewster has broad enough shoulders to take the blame for the 07 record. He also has stated that we need more talent athletes and coach them better and is working hard to make it happen.

One BT win in 08? I never have said that. I happen to agree with your analysis of 3 BT wins but its not mandatory for Brewster to keep his job. I also have said that 5 years is a reasonable time to make hay or adios.

In spite of your insistance that Mason is past history, he still has an impact on the program. Just take a look at the current roster and the lack of Seniors good enough to be first team BT or All-American candidates.

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:56 am

Bayfield Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:53 am

What’s 3-41 Wren? The combined first year records of Alvarez, Ferentz, Holtz (SC) and Mac Brown at NC.
=========
unblievable……..

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:59 am

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:49 am

Al, I would love to see you and Trudy again some day, but, I doubt if your fellow Gopher booster friends would approve of you for that. They way they attack me, attempt to publish all kinds of my personal information and make threats, including phone calls to me, I don’t think I had better run into them without lots of protection.
======
Protection for you or them, Mr President?

GOPHER1 says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am

Recruiting, the athletic departments across the country have all admitted the spring game is a way to make some extra money and nothing else. Recruits admit the spring game has no bearing on whether they will commit or not. The team is scrimaging against themselves, which doesn’t really show anything to anyone…as everyone on here has pointed out, has the Gophs d-line gotten that much better or has the o-line gotten that much worse. You can’t tell it by scrimaging against yourselves. The team is missing roughly 1/3 of the team which will not arrive on campus until the fall. The offense and defense essentially play nothing but base plays which shows us nothing. So again, I ask you what is the point of going to watch this glorified practice? I’m serious, help me understand what is so important about the “Spring Game”?

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:07 am

GOPHER1 = IDIOT

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:37 am

Crude PantherHogeye says,

“I don’t see how PSU got 80,000+ to come to their spring game … ”
___________

You don’t? Wow, you are quite a stupid fellow, hoggarbage.

Ever been to Happy Valley to see all the entertainment competing with the Nitany Lions? Do you know that most folks within a couple hundred miles radius have Penn State football as the centerpiece of their lives? Have you seen Penn States record the past 40 years?

No, of course you don’t know.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:38 am

PS Trudy

Do you still honk the yogert snake like you used to? Maybe you and eye can meet in the john somewhere like old times? I’m not with loon any more because he dumped me for some 17 year old leather boy. :”(

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:40 am

Crude Pornographer … Please detail how your count is more accurate than the official count. And don’t give me your normal formula for counting hogs in the yard. We know you can do that, mostly based on your close personal relationship with each one.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:47 am

Bayfield … No argument with your keys to improvement. I would only break it down further and say that the linebacking and secondary must also be greatly improved.

Defense is usually the key to winning. But, that said, the quarterback performance needs to be far better than last year or the offense will drag us down. Either Weber has improved a lot or one of the others needs to have a shot at the job. Another year of 2007 Weber will be a disaster.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:50 am

My goodness, eyebawls … how delusional, stupid, drunk, or drug addled do you need to be to believe the football coach has time to post here and hassle you?

You truly are a mental patient.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:55 am

Crude Hog Pornographer … Wow, just think, if stupidity could be bottled and sold you would have more money to destroy America than Soros.

Derek says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:56 am

Interesting how this was thread was a good football discussion until Bud, Wayne Wrendahl, and Loon showed up again. Ah well, it happens at every site they try to destroy.

Chip- As far as Wren’s comment’s about “being safe” remember this is the same hack who called my house to threaten me.

littlebigboy says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:56 am

Wren don’t your fingers ever get tired. Our eyes do just reading the same old crap every day! There is no way EJ will ever play here with the IDIOT MATURI here. He wouldn’t let Tubby hire Jimmy Williams after 32 yrs.with a clean record and an excellent reputation in the coaching field.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:58 am

Wren blathers,

” IF they have millions and millions of dollars to waste, why are they still asking me to support scholarship funds?”
____________

No university in America that knew you and what you stand for would want to be tarnished by your financial support.

Derek says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Bud says,

“At least 4 posters on this site have stated that the crowd size was somewhere between 4 and 5 thousand.”
__________

How did they count each one? The official count was more than 7200 and I assume the official “count” means somebody through some mechanism actually counted. That is different from a propaganda estimate.

The fact is, I don’t really care how many people were there. Anything less than 50,000 is a disappointment for me. That should be the target as we turn the program around and start winning with upgraded talent.
====================

Funny how all those who state there were 3-4 thousand there: 1. Rip Brewster and Minnesota in every post, 2. Weren’t at the game.

Ya think they have an axe to grind? I do.

thewrenagain says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

Derrick,

You have such a sexy and submissive phone voice I pudded all over the floor when i called you.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

“I also hope that there is room in the world for someone who asks questions and wants to be shown how a hire such as brewster can make the program better.”
______________

1) Brewster made restoring the dignity of Gopher football a higher priority than cashing his next paycheck or getting his next job offer.

2) Brewster engaged the Minnsota high school coaching fraternity.

3) Brewster dared to have a dream and vision beyond Mason Mediocrity. He is good enough to sell the vision to talented recruits from all over the country.

4) Brewster is a proven excellent recruiter, not a lazy elitist who says pay me now and pay me later even though I don’t care about recruiting.

5) Brewster has a much better staff around him than Mason ever had. They all recruit successfully, a notion as foreign to Mason as truth is to you.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

“In spite of your insistance that Mason is past history, he still has an impact on the program. Just take a look at the current roster and the lack of Seniors good enough to be first team BT or All-American candidates.”
_____________________

Or even good enough to start for the Gophers.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

“Interesting how this was thread was a good football discussion until Bud, Wayne Wrendahl, and Loon showed up again.”
_______________

Just take the three ignorant stooges for their entertainment value.

Texas Gopher says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

I can’t believe they shot down a 4 team playoff to determine a national champion. Ridiculous. Makes no sense to me. Can anyone explain why the “powers that be” would not want one??

DAC'S Shrink says:

April 30th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

I told you to get a life, sir.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Tex … One thought that comes to mind is that limiting it to four teams probably creates more arguments in some years than it solves.

You really need an eight-team tourney to make sure the best team (at the time) is included and has a chance to win. Then you run into the issue of how many additional weeks of football those kids will have. That seems to be the problem for school Presidents.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Wren … Nice post, but I have never had a shrink. Never even met one accept socially.

But if I had one I’m sure he or she would call me ’sir’. How does it feel to you as a mental patient to always be referred to as “hey you” or “yo, nutcase” or by your patient number?

Jimbo says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Regarding the crowd at the spring game: Chip reported the crowd at “around 5,000,” which, in my opinion, is pretty close to accurate. I’m not sure there can be an “official” number, since admission was free and people didn’t enter through any devices that would count them. So I’m satisfied with 5,000.

One thing will say about the crowd, and the various people I spoke with at the game, is that most everyone there is a die-hard Gopher fan, and supports the direction the program appears to be heading. So if eye (aka Wren), Looney Toons or Bud were there, I didn’t talk to them.

I couldn’t make it downtown in time to be at the victory walk, but it was so cold, I’m not sure I would have attended it anyway. Undoubtedly, the weather had a major impact on the number of people who showed up for it.

Jeff says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Regarding the crowd at the spring game: Chip reported the crowd at “around 5,000,” which, in my opinion, is pretty close to accurate.
======================

Chip must be part of the Brew Crew. He’s so biased.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

Jumbo … I readily accept Chip’s estimate and your own eyeballing of the stadium.

My point is that it doesn’t matter if there were 100 people there or 100,000, Bud would try to minimize it and marginalize the success as a way of stabbing the Gophers in the back. That is simply what he does here. Nothing more.

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Hey Jumbo … Somebody a couple of days ago posted about an “official” crowd count of 7,200. I just assumed that meant the U made some method to count.

Did you walk through the turnstiles even though there were no ticket takers? Maybe that is how they counted.

My last comment on this subject is, there may or may not have been an accurate official count, there were lots of good faith, honest crowd estimates such as provided by Chip and yourself, and then there are dishonest liars like Wren, Lou Neetik, and Bud trying to undermine the program.

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

65 of the 215 posts in this thread are from DAC-off. That is 27%……..27%. Is there any better way to say fricking, internet, shut-in, no life loser?!!!!!!!!!!! lol What a joke!!!

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

Cruding … Some would say a sick pornographer is more of a joke, especially one dumb enough to sit around all day counting somebody else’s posts.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!! What a moron.

PantherHawk says:

April 30th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

Listen up, fags, this is a ND insider talking about carufel:

“Well, I figured since i get lip every time i post information about a mutual recruit, this time would be no different. As long as henderson is not looking to have a job handed to him and doesn’t get thrown to the ground by a backup tight end and called a p***** then i have no reason to think that he would be moving on.”

The Henderson he is referring to is the freak OL from Cretin. Kinda sounds like punky is going to lose the top rock to ND again!!! LMFAO!!!!!!!!

Jeff says:

April 30th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

65 of the 215 posts in this thread are from DAC-off. That is 27%……..27%. Is there any better way to say fricking, internet, shut-in, no life loser?!!!!!!!!!!! lol What a joke!!!
============================

The one making all the posts or the one counting all the posts? Tough call.

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Quite the life you’ve made for yourself Recruiting

That’s 1 post by DAC, 2 posts by DAC, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…21, 22, 23…..36, 37……49, 50….ahhchooooo….damn….that’s 1 post by DAC, 2 posts by DAC, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Quite the life you’ve made for yourself Recruiting

That’s 1 post by DAC, 2 posts by DAC, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…21, 22, 23…..36, 37……49, 50….ahhchooooo….damn….that’s 1 post by DAC, 2 posts by DAC, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
==============
Homosay, it took you longer to write that post than it did for me to count the number of numbnut’s posts! Say “i recruiting’s bitch”, punk!!!!

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

What’s worse? Bitch or punk?

PantherHawk says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:25 pm

The only thing I love more than the Hawkeyes is the North American Man/Boy Love Association!

Go Hawks!!

Go NAMBLA!!

david_allen_coe says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:14 pm

Cruding Pornographer … What exactly is the difference between the Hogeyes and NAMBLA?

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:36 pm

Gopher1, I do not know where you picked up your facts about spring games not making a difference in recruiting. Jump on the husker web site and see how they picked up four big time commitments after having 82,000 at their spring game Making a liitle money off the spring game? Neb SOLD tickets for 8,10,&15 dollars. The Estimated take from the game with parking and concessions was about 3 mill. Thats why schools have a spring game. Not many of them are expecting 1/3 of their incoming class to be starting in the fall. Only the Gophers are counting on that. Check out the Florida and Alabama web sites to see the recruits they picked up after their spring game. And don’t kid yourself if we would have had a decent crowd we would have never heard the end of it.

Recruiting says:

May 1st, 2008 at 6:26 am

Hosea says:

April 30th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

What’s worse? Bitch or punk?
===========
Whats the point? You are both!

Recruiting says:

May 1st, 2008 at 6:29 am

Bud says:

April 30th, 2008 at 10:36 pm

Gopher1, I do not know where you picked up your facts about spring games not making a difference in recruiting. Jump on the husker web site and see how they picked up four big time commitments after having 82,000 at their spring game Making a liitle money off the spring game? Neb SOLD tickets for 8,10,&15 dollars. The Estimated take from the game with parking and concessions was about 3 mill. Thats why schools have a spring game. Not many of them are expecting 1/3 of their incoming class to be starting in the fall. Only the Gophers are counting on that. Check out the Florida and Alabama web sites to see the recruits they picked up after their spring game. And don’t kid yourself if we would have had a decent crowd we would have never heard the end of it.
=================
Tickets to Kneebraska’s spring game were being scalped for over $100. Just think if they had had the the WonderPunk stirring them up for 18 months will big talk of championships and ROSE BOWL, ROSE BOWL, ROSE BOWL?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am

Chip: you have now officially become a laughing stock and a joke. You put your name on this blog and look at what you allow to happen. People continue to post filthy trash under other people’s monikers. You are wrecking your journalistic career because you allow this to happen. I don’t think your editors who have done nothing are your friends. I think they are very much willing enough for your name and reputation to be trashed just for the hits that these sick individuals provide.

You have become a pathetic victim in this outrage of a blog Chip. Why6 don’t you stand up and put a stop to the nonsense. Either fix the problems or shut this damn thing down.
Chip,

gold04 says:

May 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am

Wren,

A good start in taking care of the problem is giving you the boot!

Rescooter says:

May 1st, 2008 at 7:37 am

My goodness eyeWRENski!

Just when I thought you couldn’t get anymore boring, you break out your whiney posts appealing to Chip. I never thought I’d long for the days when you cut and pasted your Brewster rants about our Big10 record.

You are an extremely boring person and I can see why you have no life outside of the message blogs. Sheesh!

Jimbo says:

May 1st, 2008 at 7:41 am

wren/eye/moron/miscreant:

You saying someone is a laughing stock is truly an example of “the pot calling the kettle black.”

Get a life, idiot. Quit reading it and posting to it if you don’t like it, moron.

Rescooter says:

May 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am

Jimbo - Good to see that despite your workload, you still have a feisty side.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 8:03 am

With every loss that brewster coaches, the damage will increase. And…it will be self-inflicted damage that brewster brings to this program.

golohfour, jimbo, dac, pantherhawk, derek,rescooter, et al: you sucm bag tactics just won’t work. brewster is driving himself into the ground and any and every loss that he adds to his staggering loss total will be more ammunition for people who see the reality of the situation. maturi has put the U of M football program into a no-win situation with his choice of coaches and his incompetence.

You pathetic sucmbags can do what ever you wnat to this site. You can make Chip out to be a laughing stock individual and IF he lets you: he deserves to be considered a laughing stock individual.

Co Chip: it is up to you. either let the filth and chaos and unprofessional handling of this blog continue or take charge and DO something to make this a civil site. It will take you down to it’s level if you don’t do something about it. Continue at your own risk, Chip…Your image in journalism will fall like a rock if this crap continues.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am

Chip: all of this filth and trash that is perpetrated by the gh/gi crowd, you know jimbo, dac, derek, goldohfour, pantherhawk (yes, panther hawk is a gopher dirty tricks invention probably done by kelly leaks or someone over at gh), rescooter and the booster club) is directed directly at you and is a reflection of how much respect, or lack of respect they have for you.

It is up to you to either stand up to them, or be trashed by them, Chip. It is, in essence, all about YOU on this blog site. You sign your name to the blog. You allow the blog to happen. This blog is YOU, Chip. It is how you are seen. It is an example of YOUR input and YOUR work.

Are you happy with your image today Chip?

Either fix it or cave into the bastards and shut it down. They have no sense of right and wrong and you are only a tool for their acting out and filth perpetration.

This blog is you Chip. Please realize that sad, hard, cold truth.

Jeff says:

May 1st, 2008 at 8:36 am

Wren, you should be more concerned with the person putting a gun to your head forcing you to visit (and continually post on) this blog.

Jimbo says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:02 am

Scooter, I’m up to my a** in alligators, but still feel the need to respond to wren/eye/moron’s idiotic posts.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:04 am

So jeff: you are tying to tell me that all these ba$tards are trashing this blog because I write common sense posts here. You are saying that they are so vested in getting me to stop posting the reality of what brewster has done on the football field on Game Day Saturdays that they will destroy Chip and his blog in the process?

Well, then, I guess that tells me that what I have to say needs to be heard and that the dirty tricks people and filth mongorers are working full time to try to counter me? You are saying they will sacrifice Chip and his blog to try to take me out?

Jeff: you people are SO pathetic.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:06 am

Chip: It sounds as though they are willing to screw you and your career up to try to eleminate me.

The other question I have for you Chip is this: would you want your children and loved ones to read what the filth peddlers are using your site and your good name to publish?

Jeff says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:17 am

So jeff: you are tying to tell me that all these ba$tards are trashing this blog because I write common sense posts here.
=================

NO I’M SAYING…DON’T POST HERE THEN IF YOU FEEL THREATENED. PROBLEM SOLVED.

You’re like the kid who gets beat every day at the playground, but decides to go back to that playground day after day after day. Here’s an idea….find a new playground.

Jimbo says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am

It sounds like wren/eye/moron has some kind of persecution complex. He’s blaming Chip for all his troubles. Perhaps he should get some help, and lay off the booze.

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:57 am

Jumbo says,

“It sounds like wren/eye/moron has some kind of persecution complex.”
_________

Persecution complex? Nope, it’s real. Everybody is out to get poor Wren. Why, just the other day Tim Brewster was posting here against him. Wren even said so.

Last night the Pope, GWB, Zhou Enlai, Robert Mugabe, Keith Richards, Nolan Ryan, and PeeWee Herman all signed a letter to Chip pointing out what a reprehensible whiny coward Wren has been on this board.

When stuff like that starts flying around it is a persecution complex, it’s the real deal.

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am

Maybe Wren’s right. If Chip can’t fix it so that only Wren, Lou Neetick, Bud, and the pornographer can post here and spread lies about Brewster and the Gophers, maybe he should just shut it down.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:23 am

Recruiting says:

April 30th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

65 of the 215 posts in this thread are from DAC-off. That is 27%……..27%. Is there any better way to say fricking, internet, shut-in, no life loser?!!!!!!!!!!! lol What a joke!!!
============

Except you spent the time to figure out he wrote 27%, which makes you the king loser. PH, tell everyone why you don’t post on the Iowa boards any longer. I know you were kicked off of them as well. LMAO.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am

Jimbo says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am

It sounds like wren/eye/moron has some kind of persecution complex. He’s blaming Chip for all his troubles. Perhaps he should get some help, and lay off the booze.
=============

Thats only if you think the booze is the problem.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am

Chip: all of this filth and trash that is perpetrated by the gh/gi crowd, you know jimbo, dac, derek, goldohfour, pantherhawk (yes, panther hawk is a gopher dirty tricks invention probably done by kelly leaks or someone over at gh), rescooter and the booster club) is directed directly at you and is a reflection of how much respect, or lack of respect they have for you.

It is up to you to either stand up to them, or be trashed by them, Chip. It is, in essence, all about YOU on this blog site. You sign your name to the blog. You allow the blog to happen. This blog is YOU, Chip. It is how you are seen. It is an example of YOUR input and YOUR work.

Are you happy with your image today Chip?

Either fix it or cave into the bastards and shut it down. They have no sense of right and wrong and you are only a tool for their acting out and filth perpetration.

This blog is you Chip. Please realize that sad, hard, cold truth.
===================

Show me where I’ve ever ripped into Chip. Maybe the rest of us would like this to be a Gophers board not a board about your personal problem or Loon’s racist remarks. All Chip has to do is check all the boards where you’ve been banned to see how they have changed 100%. You know d@mn well you start insulting and belitting people and then cry wolf. Just like you cry wolf after you and Loons lies about the program are ridiculed. Grow up.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:39 am

Bud says:

April 28th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

I can not believe that there was anyone at that game that thinks there was more the 3500 fans. If you take out the band and family members from the crowd you might have had 1700. I was at the game and the victory walk. Maybe 200 at the walk. As for the game lets start with the turnovers and go from there. Each RB had 1 fumble lost. We had a fumbled punt and the mighty Clint threw 1 int. and had the next pass go right threw the DB’s hands. Our short yardage offense stunk, we had the ball 3 times inside the 5 yard line first and goal. On the first drive we had to run a naked keep with Weber after gaining 3 yards on 3 carries. The second try we had throw a pass on third down and the third try was fumbled by the QB on fourth down after running the ball 3 times for 2 yards and attempting a QB sneak on fourth down.

=====================Just because this post makes me laugh so d@mn hard I had to revisit it.

Just for a second let’s say 3,500 isn’t a bold faced lie. According to Bud’s logic, 1,800 of those 3,500 are band members or family members. The whole band wasn’t there, anyone who witnessed the game (Bud claims he did) would know this. Just for argument sake lets say there were 100 band members at the game. That leaves 1,700 family members for the 54 players dressed. Or about 32 family members per player! LMAO. Add in the 6 guys who didn’t participate and its 28 family members per player. Does this sound reasonable to any logical person out there? The average player having 30 people fly in the watcha glorified practice? Does Bud acctually think people buy this crap? What’s more pathetic is, does Bud buy his own garbage?

1,700 people there that were purely Gophers fans? Try more like 6-6.5k. Bud, you could say it was a poor turnout and myself and others would agree. But you just had to throw out the false numbers. LMAOR at Bud.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am

BTW, Kyle Kessel2 told me some interesting thinks about Kelly Leaks if he is around here.

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am

things*

Derek says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:43 am

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am

Maybe Wren’s right. If Chip can’t fix it so that only Wren, Lou Neetick, Bud, and the pornographer can post here and spread lies about Brewster and the Gophers, maybe he should just shut it down.
==========

I thought homersota was created for people like recruiting, bud, wayne rendahl, and loon?

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:47 am

Wrenbawls says to Chip,

“You must close this blog. It is ruining your life.”

Chip responds,

“Now that spring ball is finished I’ll be on vacation for a few weeks … ”

Boy, Wrenbawls, he sounds pretty worried. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 12:05 pm

“I thought homersota was created for people like recruiting, bud, wayne rendahl, and loon?”
________

Don’t know about homersota but IMFALA and several mental institutions were.

littlebigboy says:

May 1st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Wern check out your own post for naughty words and insults. OH are you the one polluting the board! Are you instigating more trash?? Go away!

BigAl67 says:

May 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Chip’s blog is much appreciated by real Golden Gopher fans and I can tell you they do not want him to stop his blog. There are a few nuts on this board that ruin any rationale discussion and I stress RATIONALE…wink, wink. Keep up the good work chip and don’t let a few nuts ruin it for everyone else.

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 2:14 pm

An Essay by Whiyne Wrenbawllls

Life is so unfair. My football coach was wrongly fired after barely having a chance to show what he could do. After only ten short years he was not even allowed a rebuilding period.

I hate with a passion that these monkeys have hired a new coach who dares talk about winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl. We don’t need that nonsense here in Minnesota.

What was wrong with lower-level mediocrity? That is my comfort zone. If the lowest rung of mediocrity and lower is good enough for me in my personal life, what right do others have to dream about our football team reaching higher? I hate that.

This blog stinks. It should be reserved for those of us who hate achievement and detest this coach who wants to reach higher. It should be reserved for our racial bigotry and our lies and backstabbing of the Gophers.

I have warned Chip that this blog will ruin his career if people are allowed to post positive things about a team and coach who are not my team and coach. It is intolerable.

I know Chip will listen to me. I have never achieved anything in my life so he knows I know what I’m talking about. In fact, he is so worried about this blog ruining his career that he left today for a couple of months vacation.

Jimbo says:

May 1st, 2008 at 3:02 pm

d_a(sp)_c, that was priceless. I’m thinking you’re feeling better.

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm

Jumbo … Believe it or not, ridiculing these liars, racists, and morons is actually good therapy.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:47 pm

One and stinking eleven and zero for eight. That’s all that this brewclown has achieved. He can talk all he wants to talk, but until he wins a Big Ten football game all his talk is hot air and gas and sounds like a used car salesman’s talk.

He needs to win a LOT of big Ten games in 2008 or his used car sales talk will sound even MORE out to lunch.

I’ll back him IF he wins. Otherwise, he is just an overmatched, overhyped, overpaidfailure of a football coach.

I’m being extremely easy on him when I expect that he will at least beat iowa, NU and Indidan at the dome in Big Ten play.

Any ooc games he wins will count for nothing. Those are the rules of the game now that the bashers, mobbers and trashers have the upper hand. OOC games can only hurt a coach…can’t help at all. Only big Ten wins count for anything. And one Big Ten win here and one there just makes it even worse on a coach.

Those are the rules of the game. And if brewster ever blows a lead, the way he did against NU in 2007, it’s time to really crucify him…nail him to the tree and never stop nailing him!

An 0-8 record in the Big Ten will take a coach down fast…unless he starts winning lots of Big Ten games in year number two.

It’s going to be so much fun watching the Big Ten Games this fall! The ooc games are all such cupcakes that they can only hurt brewster unless he wins big enough…and even then, they can’t help him. ONLY Big Ten games matter.

thewrenagain says:

May 1st, 2008 at 9:49 pm

BigAL67: wink wink…

Derek says:

May 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm

david_allen_coe says:

May 1st, 2008 at 2:14 pm

An Essay by Whiyne Wrenbawllls

Life is so unfair. My football coach was wrongly fired after barely having a chance to show what he could do. After only ten short years he was not even allowed a rebuilding period.

I hate with a passion that these monkeys have hired a new coach who dares talk about winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl. We don’t need that nonsense here in Minnesota.

What was wrong with lower-level mediocrity? That is my comfort zone. If the lowest rung of mediocrity and lower is good enough for me in my personal life, what right do others have to dream about our football team reaching higher? I hate that.

This blog stinks. It should be reserved for those of us who hate achievement and detest this coach who wants to reach higher. It should be reserved for our racial bigotry and our lies and backstabbing of the Gophers.

I have warned Chip that this blog will ruin his career if people are allowed to post positive things about a team and coach who are not my team and coach. It is intolerable.

I know Chip will listen to me. I have never achieved anything in my life so he knows I know what I’m talking about. In fact, he is so worried about this blog ruining his career that he left today for a couple of months vacation.
===============

Well played. I see Wayne is now using a different sign on again.