Just Ducky on Monday
Posted on December 1st, 2008 – 12:35 PMBy Kent Youngblood
Greetings.
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.
By now I hope you all have sent thank-you cards to Oregon for beating Oregon State last Saturday, which knocked OSU out of the Rose Bowl picture and increased the Gophers’ chances of playing a bowl game in a warm locale.
It now appears Ohio State will garner an at-large big to a BCS bowl. With Penn State going to the Rose Bowl that would leave the Big Ten with just five more eligible teams. That means the Motor City Bowl is out and the Gophers would be in line for either the Insight Bowl or Champs Sports Bowl.
There is talk out of Wisconsin that the Badgers — who have played often in Florida — would prefer to play in the Insight in Tempe. That could put the Gophers in Orlando on Dec. 27. The Insight Bowl is on Dec. 31. We’ll know for sure Sunday.
Meanwhile, over at Gophers headquarters, the players are lifting weights and doing some running. Head coach Tim Brewster is on the road recruiting this week. New assistant coach Tim Davis is on the job.
Pages: 1
47 Responses to "Just Ducky on Monday"
I’ve sent my thank you cards as well. I would have been to Detroit, but I’d much rather get some rays in FLA.
It will be interesting to see what Davis can do with only a month to work. Hopefully we’ll see some different sets, but I doubt it will be effective until the guys up front can make the plays.
Insight has some intrigue. Minnesota vs Kansas in the first “Mason Bowl”. Mason could be the grand marshall and do the coin toss. Then he can talk about how one can’t recruit at each school.
It would be interesting to play in the Champs Bowl against the projected Florida State too.
Either way, Forida or Arizona, it is great for the program. Good exposure, the guys will be working hard in preparing, a tough opponent, and nicer locale. Thanks Ducks!
I actually can’t believe that’s where the discussion has landed us: thanking Oregon for an upgrade from one bottom-tier bowl to another?
I guess Mr. Youngblood is just the messenger, but perhaps some perspective is in order before we jump up and down over getting a couple dozen fans the opportunity to fly South…we’re coming off a 55-0 spanking at home to Iowa. Do we really want to see this team play again this season?
I’m not being a hater…I’m being a realist…let’s hope the recruiting period goes well for Brew and not worry about what exhibition game we get to play in…2008 is over.
Jason … Wake up. Of course we want to see the team play again. Of course we want to go to a better bowl game in Florida. Of course we want our players to have a bowl experience. Of course we want the extra practice time. Of course we want the challenge of playing a good team from another conference.
Anybody ready to throw in the towel on a 7-5 team because of the Iowa game is just plain wrong.
Jason — tend to agree, but the only thing I’ll add is that the players themselves probably want to get back out there and play again to, hopefully, not end on such a sour note. I guess that was going to happen regardless of the OU vs. OSU result, though (motor city vs. upgraded site).
Lucky for us the at large team is the buckeyes, one of the biggest names in the sport, personally I think Boise is more deserving of that game, seeing how their ranked higher and are undefeated
I would imagine the players would like to get back out there again. They took the Iowa game off. And Michigan. And why all the railing about this bowl or that bowl. Until the Gophers can consistently beat Wisconsin and/or Iowa, and occasionally beat Michigan or Ohio State, any lower-tier bowl is as good as this program is ever going to get. Period.
While I consider myself a Gopher fan, I have to say I am having a hard time getting up for any of the bowl choices. Besides, its not just the Iowa game,the team also stunk it up against a really weak Michigan team and collapsed in the second half versus the Badgers. Realistically, we’ve progressed BACK to the point Mason was in his last 8 years with the program.
Obviously the players want to get back out there…that’s understandable. And another game is another game, no matter how miniscule; I get that too.
What I’m saying is the talking point should be on how to improve this group and not how lucky we are that the Oregon Ducks helped us fly South.
Take the University of Miami, for instance. That’s another program with a similar record which also ended its season in a much disappointing fashion to the point where it too has to play the third-tier bowl waiting game. Rumor has it Randy Shannon is more interested in preparing for 2009 in the coming weeks over gearing up the fan base for its consolation bowl. Check out his quote in the Miami Herald: ”These guys know this wasn’t a successful season,” Shannon said. ‘They’re not just satisfied with, `OK, we didn’t go to a bowl last year, we’re going to a bowl this year.’ That’s improvement. That’s not being successful.”
Could you ever imagine such a statement coming from a Gophers coach? That’s the difference between a college football school and a school that has college football.
What if Boise State played in a better conference? Does anyone think they would still be undefeated?
Use this time to vacate the failed dunbar…purge him from this program. He must be gone and if this brewster does not remove him now, this brewster will be rolled out of his position and into the hard, cold streetat the end of the 2010 season. The Big Ten will continue to be cruel to any version of this dunbar’s spread. Continued use of this dunbar’s ineffective spread will pave the way for the next coaching staff, offensive scheme and will notch another failed coach into the modern history of this program. This current prexy will retire from exhaustion, he will oversee no great success on the football field, only messes and leaving an outstanding loan from the General Fund not repaid…a new athletic director will attempt to clean up the mess this maturi has left and so it will go. The failed practice of “firing coaches to attempt to achieve prosperity…” will add another failed coach, this brewster, to it’s lengthy list of failed “saviours” of the program.
The inability to run the ball has haunted this dunbar’s failed offense. The most essential aspect of any college football offense has been totally ignored by this brewster for the first two seasons. Is there time for him to see the error of his ways, to repent, to attempt to try to establish a running attack with any kind of success? The next two seasons will provide the answer to this question. Time is wasting. Time is of essence. Time may be running out…or may haveexpired on this brewster unless this problem is addressed and fixed.
If he goes down hanging on to this dunbar, this brewster has only himself to blame.
Rev. Wayne, what do you think about Coach Dunbar?
I really hated to see this happen. For one, USC will kill Penn State, two, I like the idea of Fla over Mich, but I don’t know if the Gophs are ready for that good a team yet. I would rather they get the practice and play a lesser team, than go to a good bowl and get blown out. Hopefully that won’t happen but only time will tell. Birdy they are making progress whether you like it or not.
Personally, I’m excited to have a bowl game because I don’t want my last memory of this team to be that Iowa game. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
Unlike Wren, I can still be optimistic about what we have coming back but I had to watch the Iowa game a second time to pick the positives (and there were only a few of them–Anthony Jacobs got PT and played well, the D was solid holding Iowa to field goals early and then they got worn out and crashed) out of it before I could move on. I want a better feeling about this team as we move in to spring practice.
The Big Ten needs to come away with at least a 1-1 record in the BCS games, must be competitive in both, and must have a winning record in the bowls to earn back respect.
Ohio State really needs to win their bowl to get any national respect.
I think that Paul Johnson’s success at Georgia Tech, where he only completed one pass against Georgia yet won in Athens, shows how important a strong running game is. I think the spread is an over rated offense, and I do believe it will not work here in Minnesota. I think a running style offense, like Johnson’s wishbone would be much better. I think the Gophers could have had Johnson had they played their cards right.
I think either the Insight or Champs bowls offers the opportunity to match up against conferences tougher than the Big 10. The Motor City Bowl against a MAC team would’ve been a no-win situation for sure…..so, yes, thanks to Oregon.
While I am glad to have the chance to see the Gophers play in Orlando, I’d MUCH prefer to see the rivalry trophies reside in Minneapolis. If that can ever happen, we’d be playing on New Year’s Day.
I’m excited to see the Gophers in any bowl - they deserve it at 7-5. And I’m sure the players are as happy as I am that it doesn’t look like it’ll be in Detroit.
Speaking of Davis being on the job, let’s hope his first order of business will be going to Arizona to call on the 4-star OL Taylor Lewan. My first thought when Davis was hired was that it should improve our chances with this son of a former Gopher. He would be the 4th OL in this recruiting class and give the Goph’s a great start on building a BCS quality Offensive Line - something that would have made a big difference for Weber and Eskridge this year. I’m still not convinced Bennet would have been any better behind this OL than Eskridge has been.
Really happy for the young Gophers. Let’s end this season with a big win!
I would prefer the Insight Bowl. I have a condo in Arizona that I could rent out to a Minnesotan. That would pay for my ticket down there and I could stay with friends. Its all about the money.
Jason are you Mason’s brother? This team won 7 games and have given all Gophe fans a reason to go to either FL or AZ during our freezing December, for that I love them even more. This team starts 4 seniors and is the 2nd youngest team in FBS. Do you think that had any reason with their NW collapse? Or the Becky blunders? Or getting bushwacked by a senior laden Ioweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee team?
Give the kids credit, they battled hard and entertained us for most of the games this year. Better times are around the corner and I hope you are stuck flipping burgers during their Rose Bowl games in the future.
Wren,
Enought is enough! Your continued rants that follow the same nonsensical theme have completely turned me off. I vow that I will never read comments to a blog, AGAIN for fear that you have responded once or fifty times. Yes, you have completely turned me off. You need to get a life or at least a different hobby.
This brewster needs to learn the running game! He can start by running this dunbar off and finding a new offensive coordinator! I never let the brew-crew kool-aid pushers get me down! Run the ball and stop the run. THAT is how you play Big Ten Football!
“Run the ball and stop the run. THAT is how you play Big Ten Football!”
That is why the Big Ten sucks. Have you ever watched Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas Tech, USC? Hmmm….they all run some sort of spread offense which the Gophers are trying to do. I just hope they find a way to get better at it.
The BCS is a complete joke. The Gophers don’t belong in any bowl game. This year was a complete underachievement considering they were RANKED earlier this season. I don’t care if Decker’s hurt there is no excuse for them being this bad. At least we’re getting a stadium next year…
Rev. Wayne, bring it to the latest of Kent’s blogs…this one is old news you old fart!
stop the embarrassment, gophers stay home this yera!
I for one do not want to be an alumnus of a college football school - like Miami. The U is top 25 academically in virtually every program and it will remain that as long as we continue to be an outstanding university that plays football, and not a football factory that offers some academics.
I live near KY which has, of course, an excellent Basketball program. They brag about a few individual programs that are in the top 25. They bragged in print advertising that their MIS program was ranked 18th in the country. At MN, the Dean would be scrambling to figure out why the program was under-performing.
The point is, we’d all love to have a national champion, but I don’t want it at the expense of the school’s character. If we can have a winning record pretty much every year, win our share of the trophy games, and run a clean program, I’ll be happy.
It’s great for them to go to any bowl game. Yes, it’s a little reward. Yes, they can get rid of the bad taste of the Iowa game. Yes, they’ll get some exposure. Most importantly, they get an extra 3 weeks of practice time.
There are 34 bowl games and 68 teams get to participate if they’ve won at least 6 games. It means an additional month of practice and a chance to set up some things for the next season. It’s not about “pride” or BCS prestige or any of that stuff. Any team with a chance to play post season would be nuts to turn it down, if for no other reason than the developmental benefit.
Kelly Leaks asks,
“Rev. Wayne, what do you think about Coach Dunbar?”
_______________
Sorry, Kelly, but the “Reverend Whyne Renbawul” was only a Reverend at Jonestown. He convinced 1,000 people to drink the KoolAid, yet he did not have the guts to do it himself. He is the Exalted Reverend Whyne Gutless Rendawl. He knows nothing about football.
nc2mn …. Hey man, where you been?
You showed more in that single post than This WrenbawlbabyMoron and That BuffloonaticBorderCrosser have in two years. Come back again.
Glen … You need to wake up.
A football program with 85 kids on scholarship has nothing whatsover to do with the academic standing of a univerity with 50,000 students.
Do you understand?
TwinofWrenbawlsBlabbers says,
“While I consider myself a Gopher fan … ”
_____________
Think it through, Wrenfool. You are not a Gopher fan any more than the hate-filled Jonestown refugees WrenJonesKoolAid or the odious illegal alien Bufflooonaratic.
[…] Probably not headed to a bowl game. The Gopher Nation is likely venturing to either Tempe or Orlando to dance the jitterbug in jubilee for the JUCO […]
stlouisgopher: what a turn-off you are. Turn on…turn off, turn off…turn on. I don’t care what you do. Go ahead…turn, turn, turn turn. Take your turn. Turn until you are dizzy. You are responsible for yourself. I have nothing to do with you. So, turn your other cheek and it will all turn out ok. Take your turn. What a turn around story.
The one thing that needs to be said is that this dunbar’s offense has turned out to be a real bummer and a real turn off. This brewster needs to turn things around from the last 4 games of the Big Ten season in 2008. He needs to turn on a dime. This brewster turned the last half of the Big Ten season in 2008 into a real downer. Now that effort he directed against NU and wisky turned out to be the real down turns in the season that set up a complete collapse. The Michigan game and the iowa game turned out ALL wrong and indicate that this brewster turned a promising season into a real disaster. 55-0? 29-6? 84 to 6 combined? What a strange turn of events. It will never turn out for this brewster if he doesn’t turn on this dunbar and turn over his offensive coordinator position by giving him the boot!
So tune out and turn off if that’s what you want stlouisgopher. It matters not to me whether you turn off or how your situation may turn out. It’s your turn to try being responsible for yourself for a change.
Have a good day stlouisgopher! ;0)
The bottom line is that the Gophers have improved enough to garner a bowl bid. The focus now is to prepare for whichever bowl game the receive and to improve the team through continued practice and recruiting. Sounds to me that Coach Brew is doing both. I look forward to seeing what Coach Davis can bring to both aspects!
Good luck Gophs, wherever you end up playing and thanks for your efforts this season!!
running may be a B10 thing but let’s face it, you might be playing a Florida State team in a bowl and you better be running a spread to have a chance as tOSU has shown us in the last two embarassing failures of one yard and a cloud of astroturf doesn’t work.
The irritation of the Iowa game has subsided. Again, the idea is getting in more practices. It’s like your third season. Fall workouts, spring football and then this one…but I hope by next year, we have a different QB. I do not believe Adam Weber is your man.
I could care less who the Gophers play and am looking forward, like I have for the past 4 decades plus, to watching them play again. There are a ton of reasons to be excited about the next game.
I have zero time for those “fans” who don’t care to watch the Gophers because they could loose and got waxed their last game. Go watch the Queens instead as they are in first place.
Adam Weber is probably too good for some of you called brew-crew-tools. He has been put in an impossible situation for two full seasons by this brewster and this dunbar and you brewsteritis-sad-sacks want to try to run Weber into the ground some more.
Here is a clue, Weber has more heart and more smarts than anyone else the Gophers could throw out there. IF this gray was anyone to count on he would have been in uniform during the 2008 season. He was there for a day or two and then he was gone. Who could ever count on him? He has too much to learn. Maybe in two more years, if he stays in school, makes the minimun progression he has to make, is tough enough to take some POUNDING, is able to pick up the offense, is able to throw the ball at all, then maybe he will make it. I wish him well, but, he was MIA during the 2008 season.
You brew-crew-people don’t deserve a warrior like Weber.
I appreciate all that Weber has done during the past two years. He was the toughest, the most savy, the most dependable of the Gopher players during the past two seaasons and this “gopher nation” dude or udette (which ever the case may…or may not be) is quite typical of this brewster’s supporters, fantasy high school recruiting freaks and company line types.
I’ll be watching Mr. Weber run this team for the next two years.
As for this Gray: I wish him well, but ANY kid coming out of high school who has NEVER played a down, taken a snap, taken a HIT or proved his worth in ANY way has to earn some respect, as far as I am concerned. Maybe he will be great. Maybe he will be a bust. Maybe he will show up. Maybe he won’t show. Showing and really “being there” are two entirely different things.
I wish all Gopher Players the very best. But, Mr. Weber is a special player who has aid his dues, taken too many hits for this team and has been virtually abused by this brwster and this dunbar.
He has my utmost respect because he has BEEN there for the past two seasons in such a BIG way.
To heck with you “opher nation”… dude or dudette, which ever the case may or may not be.
Put Adam Weber behind a TT or PSU OL and lets see what he could do. Adam reminds me of Joe Kapp back in the glory days of Viking football. He needs that toughness just to survive doing much more than his part in trying to piece together an effective offense with Dunbars Sara Spread offense.
I hope coach Davis can manufacture some instant relief and protection for our QB. But I am not holding my breath but am anxious to see what Davis presence could look like in 09 and 10.
Will Weber be the QB the next two years? I would put my money on Weber for 09 and who knows what young Mr. Gray will bring to the program.
actually can’t believe that’s where the discussion has landed us: thanking Oregon for an upgrade from one bottom-tier bowl to another?
I guess Mr. Youngblood is just the messenger, but perhaps some perspective is in order before we jump up and down over getting a couple dozen fans the opportunity to fly South…we’re coming off a 55-0 spanking at home to Iowa. Do we really want to see this team play again this season?
I’m not being a hater…I’m being a realist…let’s hope the recruiting period goes well for Brew and not worry about what exhibition game we get to play in…2008 is over.
————
1. Some of us would rather attend the game in a nicer climate for a vacation and not in the dump known as Detroit.
2. Why would anyone want to end on 55-0? Do we need that as our last memoory all off season?
3. Mason had similar collapses at the end of the season, yet had some decent performances against Oregon and Arkansas.
nc2mn says:
December 1st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I’m excited to see the Gophers in any bowl - they deserve it at 7-5. And I’m sure the players are as happy as I am that it doesn’t look like it’ll be in Detroit.
Speaking of Davis being on the job, let’s hope his first order of business will be going to Arizona to call on the 4-star OL Taylor Lewan. My first thought when Davis was hired was that it should improve our chances with this son of a former Gopher. He would be the 4th OL in this recruiting class and give the Goph’s a great start on building a BCS quality Offensive Line - something that would have made a big difference for Weber and Eskridge this year. I’m still not convinced Bennet would have been any better behind this OL than Eskridge has been
——————-
I agree, I don’t think it really mattered much who was the RB. If it did matter, we may have seen more Jay Thomas or even Whaley. RB wasn’t the main issue here.
rediculous says:
December 1st, 2008 at 8:41 pm
The BCS is a complete joke. The Gophers don’t belong in any bowl game. This year was a complete underachievement considering they were RANKED earlier this season. I don’t care if Decker’s hurt there is no excuse for them being this bad. At least we’re getting a stadium next year…
———-
Where do we start? How about congrats on probably the most unimformed post ever! First- its RIDICULOUS. Second- The BCS and whatever Bowl game the Gophers go to are unrelated except for positioning. Third- Every expert out there picked us to finish 9-11 in the Big Ten and you say 7-5 is an underachievement? LMAOR.
Why do people consistly feel the need to discuss things they have no clue about? It’s mindboggling.
keepthisbrewsterhonest: contrast by THE RENEGADE says:
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
Adam Weber is probably too good for some of you called brew-crew-tools. He has been put in an impossible situation for two full seasons by this brewster and this dunbar and you brewsteritis-sad-sacks want to try to run Weber into the ground some more.
—————————-
Wren, that rant was actually the best thing I’ve read from you. I wouldn’t consider myself a Brewsterite but I think he deserves his chance. I like Weber and I think he is a tough QB. He is probably as good of a QB as Mason ever recruited. I still want to see more accuracy out of him (he actually had some time to throw against Iowa and kept sailing it high) and I want to see him learn to throw better on the run but I like him and I think he is the best passer we have had since Sauter.
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters