Thursday update
Posted on December 18th, 2008 – 1:37 PMBy Kent Youngblood
Junior College offensive tackle Jeff Wills, who verbally committed to the Gophers over the weekend, officially signed his letter of intent Thursday. The mid-year signing period began Wednesday.
wills is the latest — and biggest (6-7, 350) — addition to the Gophers offensive line. It is an area where coach Tim Brewster and his staff have recruited hard. Other O-linemen who have committed to the Gophers are Josh Campion, Brooks Michel and Ed Olson. Matt Caufel, a transfer from Notre Dame, will also be eligible next year, so there should be a lot of competition along the line.
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157 Responses to "Thursday update"
Thanks for the update Kent. It looks like we have new bookends for the offensive line (Carufel at LT & Wills at RT). Now the 10 guys that played in our 2 deep and 3 freshman (that will probably redshirt) can compete over 3 starting jobs in the interior of the line and 5 backup roles. It sounds like a good first step toward improving the line. To me, the most interesting part about the offseason will be to see what Davis can do during the 15 bowl practices + 15 spring practices & training camp to improve the line. That is the most crucial part of improving the offense next season.
If the signing period started yesterday, why do we have only one signing out of all the verbal commits?
I think we will all be surprised by the time the 1st game rolls around next fall. More strength, less fat, good competition, and quite a bit of experience and a building of confidence should be nothing but good. Then all of a sudden a good running game and people will say where were these RB last yr.
YUP birdy, a kool aid drinker. You might even be drinking it by next fall!!!
Birdie drank it that fateful day in Guyana 20 years and one month ago.
Obie,
A lot of Juco’s graduate in December so they have an earlier signing period than the HS kids. The day for the HS’ers to sign their letter of intent isn’t until the first week of February.
Obie … And this lets jucos start school in January and be part of spring practice.
grunkiejr,
My bad on the other post. Traye Simmons is trying to get his old teammate, Anthony Leon, to commit to the Gophs. I know he played safety at College of Sequoias but it looks like Leon would actually have the size (6′4″, 225) to play LB in D1, any thoughts?
I also hope we get a commit from Taikwon Paige, he appears to be a very solid cornerback.
Thanks again for the updates. Let us know if you hear any more.
Bryant Allen commits to the Gophs. Loon will REALLY like him — runs a 4.30 40 yard dash.
He also a three-star point guard.
I am going to travel immediately to sit down with Bryant Allen and let him know what to expect in Minnesota.
Loon and Wren have created a permanent crime wave here. I hope a kid with 4.30 speed will still come to Minnesota after he knows what Buffloonatic and Spendbawls are doing around town.
grunkiejr…
“new bookends for the offensive line” ??? Carufel has been taking reps at right guard all year !!!
GL–Really? I know he played guard at ND but the talk on the Gopher sites has been that Carufel had moved from guard over LT. Considering your accuracy on the players leaving I’ll definitely believe you over the internet poster. Thanks for the heads up.
Bisker–Leon looks absolutely sick on his film. This link is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq-rq5olhNY
Make sure you check out the blocked FG attempt at the 4 minute mark.
Leon’s cousin is Sean Taylor and he plays a lot like him. He has the size to convert to WLB (like Lawrence) but he moves like a safety. I think if they get him you’ll see Brock & Leon starting at Safety next season and Theret, Royston, and Dandridge backing them up. Obviously, he has to win that job in fall training camp but regardless of who wins the Gophers will be a better team because of the competition and the depth. Otherwise, he could take over the spot vacated by Hightower but all indications are that they are recruiting him to play safety.
Allen looks pretty sick in his video too. He is like Troy Stoudermire but only faster and more agile; I absolutely love Stoudermire so for me to say that says an awful lot. Like Stoudermire he is sized more like a CB than WR but he is so dynamic with the ball in his hands we’ll find ways to make him in to a poor man’s Percy Harvin. I think he’ll play in the slot for the most part.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VatZlvcvS9k&feature=related
The first minute or two is actually a little slow because it is mostly deep balls. It is more entertaining to watch him on bubble screens and there is play at the 3:09 mark that reminds me of Barry Sanders.
Between Hayo Carpenter and Bryant Allen we will have a new punt returner next season.
Later…got to get to bed. Time got away from me watching these videos.
grunky … Why a poor man’s Harvin? Why not as good or better?
Next year this team should be much better again. Obviously it will be up to the coaches on how this team does.
I think people are forgetting two things about the team next year in why we should be a lot better.
1. Impact of new players - Not since Mason’s class of Maroney, Llyod, ect., did we have a recruiting class where a lot of players contributed right away like they did this year. Next year guys like Allen, Willis, Maresh, and especially Hayo will make a big difference.
2. Experience - Players are naturally going to get better year after year. The team was much improved in 08 and there is no reason why this team shouldn’t be much improved again in 09. Van is the only loss this year that I’m worried about.
I see a lot of the Masonites and Brewsterites saying we’ll be lucky to win 6 games next year. I see know reason why we shouldn’t win at least 8 games. Go Gophers.
Gold.
I prefer to wait another 9 months prior to evaluating the 09 squad. All we can go by is what we currently have.
The last 4 games told us a lot about this team. The Gophers were probably the #10 BT and that’s giving IU little credit. Getting outscored 36-14 and allowing the opposition to hold the ball 34 minutes are tell tale signs of major needs. And ranking near the bottom in many BT stats.
Returning a lot players can be a good thing but is no guarantee of more wins. I never count on much help from true frosh. More from the RSFr and maybe a JUCO or two that are better than we have returnig. If we see the same starters next year across the board, then don’t expect much.
We need upgrades in size, experience ans strength in the OL and Wills amd Carufel may provide that. But…… Weber needs a chance to execute the offense.
Same on D as we need the talent and experience to hold BT teams around 18 ppg or less to make some noise in the BT. A lot of the blame goes to the offense but a good team has a solid 11 and depth on D that can keep the score close unlike what happened the last half of the BT season.
Maybe we will see some improvement against KU and I look forward to that but the real work is offseason.
Bayfieldgopher,
I disagree on 2 points.
I do not think the last 4 games were indicitive of this team. I think injuries had a big part in those game and we will see a much different team in the bowl game. Especially with the addition of Davis to help jump start the running attack.
Second, being the number 10 team in the BT? I would say probably 5 or 6 instead. I would put them above IU, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, and even Michigan. I realize they lost to Michigan & Wisconsin but I don’t believe those teams were better this year (any given game).
I do agree with two things. I think we will see some improvement in the bowl game but like you said I think the real improvement will come with off season work outs and spring practice.
We have guys that do not even know what positions our players are playing and sit up until midnight watching high light films of recruits. We went through this last year with how great Pittman was going to be and many others. I am sure we beat the world on this Willis guy, but if you think that he can walk in here and set the Big Ten on fire you are sadly mistaken. He will not have seen anything at the Jr. college level like what he is going to see next year. Part of the problem with this recruiting is the highlite films. Anyone can make a play here or there. It is how they play the game from start to finish and some of the talent these wize bangs are going against could not play DIII ball. When a receiver from 3A in MN plays an entire season and has 2 TD’s you have to wonder. We pulled Rocks scholly and it was just in time because he did not even start for Wayzata most of the season. Soon our football team is going to look like a 6 foot and under BB team.
Somewhere between Gold’s pie in the sky and Bud’s doomsday scenario lies the truth.
TX, I have said it before there is no doom in my forecast. As long as you have family and your health life is good. We have a coach and we have our team. Nothing that has been done in the past by some other coach effects what is taking place right now. Throw the players under the bus, throw the previous coaches under the bus. It is all an excuse for what is taking place right now in the program. We will know more next year then we know today but I can tell you this it does not look like a program on the rise. Some would like to think you can just recruit your way out of the problem but, look at Zook. Year four with all of his players and he went from Rose Bowl to no bowl. How do you explain that with the top recruiting classes that ILL. has had. It is much more than recruiting and playing all the star players. I think that Bayfield had it about right with his #10 in the Big Ten. We can not count on Mich. being down forever and Whisky had issues at QB. Ferentz did a great job with all the distractions of getting his team to the top half of the Big Ten. NW NEVER has a top ranked recruiting class and they finished 6-6 last year and 8-4 this year. We have sold about 1500 tickets out of our office for the Insight bowl. If that number does not go up it will be the poorest showing for a bowl game in our history. These are just some of the things that we face at the University that others wise to look the other way on. I see Lewan decided to fly right over MN and attend Michigan. Maybe his dad did learn something while he played here at MN.
Tex, if it were a scale between 1-100, Bud being 1 & Gold being 100, I would say it would land on about 95. Bud seems to think, along with others, that you can’t improve a team by bringing in better talent. Which, of course, the rest of us, including other major football programs (see: Oklahoma was the other school to recruit Wills), know that is the only way to build a program.
I think Gold’s prediction of at least 8 wins next year (and 10 being attainable) is definitely within the realm of possibility. Even with the stronger schedule, it stands to reason that this team should be markedly improved. I, for one, am very optimistic.
This is what I mean by the stupidity of some of those who post on this board. Do you really think Bisker if Oklahoma really wanted Willis that he would be coming to the U. These players get letters from all the major schools and then the schools sort through the players later. In the mean time Rivals puts down that a player is being recruited by the school. I do not think that we should recruit a lesser player. I think we should not let the recruiting services decided which players we should recruit. To be quite honest with you I do not see an NFL player in the bunch that have already played for MN. With the exception of Decker/Weber and Willie. We all know how many stars those players had. We had players play this year because of a lack of depth. We had depth but some of the players decided to transfer out. Just because a player played this year does not make him a star. He played because we had no one else. We will have 7 RB’s on scholarship next year. Does anyone else think that this is a little high for one position? There are other examples on the team. It seems as if our coaching staff just keeps running around trying to patch holes. Where is the plain. I have a feeling that if the coach had a chance to leave after a good season he would be gone in a heart beat. Just my opinion but I do not think I am far off.
Another example of no plan. Some thought that we should have recruited a couple of o-lineman in the last class but we where told that we had a great group already in place. OK then we go out and recruit 4 freshman but also a JC lineman. What does that tell you about the plan? We signed 31 guys last year but only 23 made it in in the class. We surly could have put one or two of those wasted signings toward a couple of o-lineman.
Bud says—Nothing that has been done in the past by some other coach effects what is taking place right now.
That is so wrong it is ridiculous. You want to talk about “stupidity”–your statement is a perfect example.
“I, for one, am very optimistic.”
Yikes, you somehow missed the end of the season.
Bisker, are you sure you are not one of the guys in the “Messing With Sasquatch” commercials?
Bud–Wills had an offer from Alabama. It got pulled when Bama received an acceptance from another Juco. The Tide only wanted to bring in one Juco lineman. As you may recall, the new o-line coach was at Bama until a month ago and he was already familiar with him.
And on your comment that only 23 of 31 players got in to school–we were only permitted to bring in 28 players and the NCAA allows oversigning by 3 making it 31 on LOI day. Of the 31 players, 25 players–not 23–were on the team this last fall. Rallis was #32 out of 31 scholarship offers had a scholarship the first day he stepped on campus too. Add to that Gray, Reeves, and Maresh that will all be here in January and we have 28 (29 with Rallis) from that class.
Roszell Gayden was the ony lineman in that class and he is a Juco now. Looking back on it, I wish they would have taken a lineman too but we needed defensive help so badly last year (we ranked last in the NCAA) I can’t blame them for targetting that side of the ball. They knew they had academic risks in the class so they oversigned by 3 but nobody knows for sure what academic risks will make it in and which ones won’t.
“Do you really think Bisker if Oklahoma really wanted Willis that he would be coming to the U.”
Bud, yes I do. There are many factors which decide where a players chooses to go. Among them are the coaching staff & chances of getting immediate playing time. OU has an outstanding O-line right now so Wills chance of getting playing time is better with the Gophers. Also, coach Davis has a proven track record of working with & developing NFL caliber linemen.
Thank goodness the present coaching staff, or any coaching staff for that matter, doesn’t share your short sightedness.
Gold–I callled Bryant Allen a poor man’s Percy Harvin because Harvin was the #1 rated WR and #1 rated overall player in the class of 2006. I would say Harvin has delivered on that ranking.
Allen has as much speed and agility as Harvin but he lacks ideal size which is why he is a high 3* “Athlete and not a 5* #1 overall WR like Harvin.
Compare:
Harvin: 6′1″ 188 lbs 4.4 40 yd dash
Allen: claims 6′0″ 160 lbs but he looks more like 5′9″ or 5′10″ 150-160 lbs. 4.3 40 yd dash
Harvin’s a stud. To me, calling a recruit a poor man’s Percy Harvin is not a knock. Just having his name in the same sentence is a compliment.
Loon–I like the sasquatch comment.
I do have one question for you. If we win the bowl game and the offense line looks much better, will you be optimistic going in to next season?
Loon,
Who wouldn’t want to mess with Sasquatch? I think I can take him.
82nd Airbourne, baby!
Death from Above!!
Tex takes note:
“Somewhere between Gold’s pie in the sky and Bud’s doomsday scenario lies the truth.”
________________
Yes, but does Gold even realize our entire team is now way under 6 feet, according to Bud? Heck, I think with the addition of Wills our average team height is about 5′5 (according to Bud).
Bud looks at the Minnesota Gophers and sees all guys at 5′5, 135 pounds, and slow. What a way to look at life.
Here are three more young Minnesota Gophers who Bud says stink and only got playing time because the team is so pathetic:
“Gophers running back DeLeon Eskridge, offensive lineman Ryan Orton and kick returner Troy Stoudermire were all selected by Rivals.com as All-Big Ten freshmen honorees Thursday.”
Bisker
The Gophers and Indiana both finished 0-4. Illini & Michigan 1-3, Purdue 2-2 and Wisky 3-1. How anyone can rate Minnesota ahead of Michigan and Wisky is beyond me as we lost to both at the end of the season.
Everyone has injuries and that’s a part of the game. How a team plays through them is the key. So is a lack of quality players and inadequate depth.
I hope the team can regroup and give KU a game. In the meantime, its a long time until Sept 09.
bayfield,
I agree about giving final prediction before season starts, a lot can happen between now and then. I always remind people that I can change prediction right until opening game kickoff.
I did that two years ago when I predicted that Mase should win 10 games. Then MN practically lost their entire defense in rape scandal and JC players leaving. I also knew we’d struggle with new system under Brewster. I then said 4 or 5 wins. I was off but closer then anyone else predicted. Wren and Art always got mad about the change. They felt if you lost your entire defense it shouldn’t affect your teams play.
This brewster was the coach presiding over that drunken player scandal afair and he had been those players coach for quite a while. This brewster had NO control over that program the first four or five months he was in charge. He was cashing his pay checks, that all went on him. He got from the program (1-11 and 0-8) what he gave to the program in 2007. That record is part of his lifetime coaching record. He richly deserved THAT kind of start! The wins you get is equal to the coaching that you do coach brew!
You people are now going to get from this maturi what you have been asking for…a contract extension for this brewster. You wanted it and NOW you shall have it. Now, no matter what happens from this moment forward…this brewster will be it.
I’m thinking that 2009 might be as good as 6-6…most likely will be 5-7 and could be as bad as 4-8. Do they do bowl games at 6-6?
Well, with a 8-16 current record…3-13 in Big Ten play you have gotten what you have wanted brew-crew apologists. We are really cooking with gas on this “expectations” thing now.
But, what happens if players keep leaving for what ever reasons? What does success in the class room have to do with anything any way? That was pretty much d_a_c’s take on things. Let’s let the NCAA start taking away scholarships! So what?
The University of Minneosta is stuck with football now because of the new stadium. Perhaps it’s too bad that they built it to seat 50,000. That might be a stretch a few seasons down the road if things start going to pot with this brewster. But, the stinking administrations at the University of Minnesota are stuck with that stadium now! Those checks from the Big Ten will keep arriving even IF this brewster never wins another Big Ten game. The trick is to avoid the death peanlty in football! It would be a bear to have to pay for that stadium but not have ANY revenue from games for five years if it all goes to hell.
So, the outcome of this bowl game against Kansas really doesn’t matter. Should we DEMAND a win? Naw…just that this brewster has the team at the stadium on the right date and the right time. We don’t care if it’s a close game and we win, a close game and we lose, a 21 point loss or EVEN a 55-0 blow out loss. It’s all good. This maturi is really quite a guy…He IS “the University of Minnesota…” And this prexy b can always just borrow millions from the General Fund to buy out a contract extension mistake! It’s all good.
My only prayer is that this brewster will go 11-1 in 2009 go to the Rosebowl and then bolt for greener pastures! Now THAT would be a great thing! That may be the only way he will ever leave Minnesota! If he WINS his way out. Because, if he keeps on with the 3-13 types of records in Big Ten play (20% winning percentage or so) he will NEVER leave and he will coach here until the day he dies. We now have what this program deserves, I guess. A contract extension for a lifetime achievement of 8-16 (33% winning percentage against the sistes of the poor and a weak Big Ten schedule.) “…we ARE Minnesota…”
The Stupid Comment of 2008 goes to ….
Wrenbawls. Who else?
Wren says,
“My only prayer is that this brewster will go 11-1 in 2009 go to the Rosebowl and then bolt for greener pastures! Now THAT would be a great thing! That may be the only way he will ever leave Minnesota! If he WINS his way out.”
So from Wren’s point of view if you have a coach that wins 11 games and goes to the Rose Bowl, the real objective is to get rid of him as fast as possible so you can quickly rehire Mase to collect a pay check and let NDSU get the best kids from Minnesota.
After all, who in their right mind would want to keep a coach who is winning 11 games and the Big Ten?
Makes a lot of sense.
Bayfieldgopher,
If you’re implying that a 1-3 record (Michigan & Illinois), is vastly superior to ours, then I think you may need to seek help. By the way, didn’t we beat Illinois in their house? And Wisconsin’s last game was oh so impressive. Who did they beat, St. Margaret’s school for girls (36-35)? It certainly wasn’t a Big Ten team. Also, I believe we beat Purdue at their homecoming.
I will give you this, they did not perform well against Michigan or Iowa, but other than those 2 games they had their chances in the others.
Derek,
All I can say is you were right.
Wren,
You said Brewster won’t last very long because not enough wins. Now he’s getting a contract extension. What happened?
You even said that Brewster would not get enough wins to last the 2008 season.
By the way Wren, don’t accuse me of the contract extension, I think we should wait one more year.
It is not a mystery where we ranked in the Big Ten. You can look at the standings. We are tied for 6th.
We beat three Big Ten teams, two on the road. We showed two years in a row we are about dead even with a good Northwestern team. We had a good chance to beat Whisky on the road.
Overall, we went from 1-11 to 7-5 and a bowl game. That is good improvement with only one recruiting class. Next year will see more improvement in the overall play of the team, especially on the offensive line and running game.
Wren says, “This brewster was the coach presiding over that drunken player scandal afair and he had been those players coach for quite a while.”
Yeah, almost three months. Since McField was involved, I am surprised you didn’t try and pin his multiple armed robbery convictions on Brewster as well.
Dac,
I agree about improvement on Oline and running game. We will also see the differnece explosive backs like Limpscomb, Whaley, and 4 star back will makes. This year we lacked backs having that extra burst of speed.
poke … You know very well Fields would never have committed armed robberies in St. Louis a year earlier if he had not been tipped off Brewster was coming to Minnesota.
If you don’t believe me you could just ask this Wrenbabbler or that Buffloonatic.
I agree with Wren. Brewster has won very little Big Ten games. We are the ones to blame about his contract extension. I do actually agree with you Wren. Thanks for you insight.
gold … Of course we will have more depth at running back next year, especially if Bennett is back to normal form.
But I think Eskridge did a very credible job this year given the very few decent holes he had to run through. He was not a world beater but he wasn’t bad considering. He ended up with nearly 700 yards.
And don’t forget the burst of speed he showed when he got a hole at Illinois and outran possibly the fastest secondary in the conference for a 43-yard score at a critical moment.
I have no idea where TDeLeon will be on the depth chart next fall because we have not seen Whaley or Lipscomb and we have no idea how Bennett will respond. Even Jay Thomas could start cutting better and be in the picture.
And, let’s give Shady some credit too. He was not bad in spots and he could see a lot of action against Kansas.
But the bottom line is that all of these running backs might look pretty good in 2009 if the offensive line improves the way I think it will.
I do think Shady will get most of the carries in this bowl game and Jay will finally get some touches. Eskridge will also see some action. It will be interesting to see how much the running game improves against Kansas. I still think it won’t be until next year when we finally seeing a running game that really needs to be respected.
I think the expensive extension to Maturi was a huge mistake. The record he has put together re Monson, Mason and Brewster has been one of constant lack of clear communication, false moves, confusion and a real lack of leadership. The Tubby Smith situation has been a very lucky and favorable apple that fell into our labs and was correctly handled by Maturi.
Not surprised at all with the decision to extend Brewster. He is Maturi’s signature hire and a Flim Flam man of Maturi’s heart.
He, Maturi has clearly decided from a PR point of view that he wanted to get this out into the press before the Kansas game.
The door is still wide open for Maturi to be ’shocked’ should a scandal go public. I have long believed now that Maturi likes to put forward a public face of management knowledge but with a firm wall of “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil”.
My only real disgust in the article is the idea that he, Maturi, likes the coaches hired. Who hired Withers and Dunbar?
The extension itself is probably one year too soon but it IS what Maturi wants with this coach and what he so tragically failed to do with Mason five years ago.
If next year turns out to be a 5-7 season, I doubt Maturi will have the guts to do the next right thing. But, hey, as a season ticket holder I have no doubt that I am just one of the dumb butt males who pays the bills for the Gopher Rowing Team. What we THINK regarding anythin is irrelevant and ignored as long as we continue to pay those bills.
I agree with you Loon!
Wren … Post under your own name only. Do not post under mine.
Thank you.
It is quite interesting that when I post under my alias it comes up in black type. When Wren posts under my alias it comes up in blue type.
I do agree with Loon to the extent we should wait another year for a contract extension. I think next year will show us really which way Brewster is taking this program. It’s going to be one way or another.
We are going to have that breakthrough season and win 10, 11 games or we will be dissappointed and only win 4 or 5. I don’t think there will be any inbetween. 2009 will be a HUGE suprise or a HUGE dissappointment.
If it turns out to be a huge dissappointment, Maturi only has Brewster’s contract to eat and not his assistant coaches. If it is a huge suprise then give Brewster his extension.
I’m still predicting the suprise season, but in 2009 there will be no inbetween, it will be one way or another.
Dac,
It was me. I was just having a little fun. Your info just appeared on my screen. The bowl game running backs was an accident. According to your Website I didn’t know your name is Clint Brewster.
Wren says “Because, if he keeps on with the 3-13 types of records in Big Ten play (20% winning percentage or so) he will NEVER leave and he will coach here until the day he dies.”
Kind of like how you will continue to leave worthless repetitive jibberish on this blog until the day you die, right This Wren? Isn’t it time to come up with some new material? Why do you continue to copy and paste all of your postings? At least Loon mixes it up occasionally. Oh wait, this just in, for the 850th time Loon wants everyone to know that the 55-0 loss to Iowa was unexceptable. Thanks for stating the obvious, genius.
d_a_c: I don’t do that kind of crap. That is YOUR kind of thing. You are THAT kind of dude/dudette, which ever the case many be.
d_a_c: the sarcastic comment about hoping that this brewster could go 11-1 so that he would ditch this darn maturi character and the U of M football program was merely contrast to my stronger point that with low expectations coming from the administration that we will NEVER get rid of this brewster regardless of how FEW Big Ten games he wins as long as this maturi is the ad. This maturi is not a football guy and he doesn’t get it. He knows that as long as he has a football program in the Big Ten, he will collect the check from the Big Ten for the football tv contract with the Big Ten Network and other deals the Big Ten works out that currently is paying each Big Ten program about 12 million per year. It really doesn’t matter IF Minnesota wins ANY Big Ten games…they will get their check. That can then be sent over to the title Ix programs and the non-revenue sport programs.
This prexy b showed me how totally incompetent he was when he extended this maturi’s contract.
Thsi prexy b needs to be held accountable and he can NOT continue to go to the State Legislators for more money for the University of Minnesota. He is not managing the money he has in the General Fund very well. He spent MILLIONS from that General Fund to buy out the contract of the former coach who he had extended just the year before.
Now this maturi wants to extend this brewster’s contract when he has three years left on the contract. Granted, it would have to be extended within the next year or two…IF he wants to allow this brewster to recruit…however, he should be waiting until the completion of the 2009 season to see just what this brewster does with a more difficult schedule and see how people feel about him should he put a 5-7 or 4-8 record on the table during the first year of TCF BANK STADIUM.
j NELSON 32: You mean that you don’t like the truth? 3-13 in Big Ten play: that is this brewster’s record. Cany argue that point? Don’t you like that point? Personally, I think that this brewster’s record needs to be BETTER than a .1875 % winning record in Big Ten play for him to be extended. Don’t you????? Or, do you have NO expectations for this brewster and think that this recruiting crap is just all SO much more important than the number of Big Ten wins vs the number of Big Ten losses????? Are3 you one of those kinds of dudes or dudettes, which ever the case may be j NELSON 32?????
New commit for the Gophs (de-committed from South Carolina) Brent Singleton:
Clearly this wrenblathers is correct. Brewster has no right to recruit until he wins at least seven Big Ten games in a season. Until then it makes no sense at all to participate in this fantasy recruiting Jonestown koolaid.
Win first; recruit second. That is the sensible way to build a football program if you listen to this wrenbawl and that buffloonatic. And Brewster darn well better listen to them.
Yes, the naysayers are truly boring to the Nth degree, and since they say the same stupid stuff ~ ten different ways, I will just repost my last thread’s thoughts. Why put any more effort when the naysayer lameness here is nothing more than intellectualy laziness? And how about Tubby, what another terrible hire ;O)
Last blog:
Loon, so how did those last years at Memorial stadium work out for the Gophers? Never saw you comment on that one? We are returning to the outdoor setting, so I want to know how great it will be! Were we 90-30 in the 1970’s?
And on the last blog, I thought Renegade was going to try kiss another blogger, where do these oddballs come from?
It is almost scary the internet gives a voice to some of these deranged people.
I hope Brewster has a bodyguard because these people (ie Renegade) creep me out, I cant imagine the angst the coaches must feel.
Thanks for proving my point about repeating yourself, Captain Clueless. I’m not happy about a 3-13 BT conference record, either. But, I’m realistic and want to give Brewster the proper time to incorporate his system and his recruits. Fans have to be patient in college football and give a coach 4-5 years. If it doesn’t work out then unfortunately you move in another direction. Mason was given more than ample time to get this program to the next level and he did-to mid-level in the BT. It was obvious that was going to be as good as it was going to get with him. I don’t know why you get so worked up about this, Wren. Brewster is going to get 4-5 years to try and take this program to the next level. Just except it.
People like this andover joe are such control freaks…talk about wierding people out. Thsi andover joe is a real control freak…you know…the kind of dude or dudette who goes postal…engages in road rage and climbs up into a bell tower to do bad things.
You are losing your grip andover joe. Go ahead and kiss this brewster’s butt…I won’t do it. He needs to start winning some Big Ten football games. I think I’ll hire a body guard to keep the andover joe control freaks in line…Talk about a creepy dude or dudette…that andover joe takes the cake.
Wrenagain says,
“Rule No. 1 in college football is win first and recruit second. No coach should be allowed to recruit talent until he proves he can win with the previous coaches lack of talent and lack of depth.
Prove yourself first, then you will be allowed to recruit. Not before.”
That is wren’s rule.
IF you take a job as a Big Ten coach, first figure out how to win with the players you have. You OWE it to them! Then, recruit as the recruiting periods come around. NEVER…NEVER…NEVER think you have a “throw away season” like this brewster thought he had in 3007. Even if this maturi gives him a contract extension now…that 111, 0-8 2007 season is going to haunt this brewster until the day he is run out of the University of Minnesota on a rail. 2009 is going to be a rough season. Ditch this dunbar. Fire this maturi. Put this brewster on NOTICE that he had best start winning some large quantities of Big Ten Football Games.
Time is wasting. Time waits for NO coach. Big Ten coaches NEED to win lots of Big Ten games…not lose to teams like iowa by scores of 55 to nothing.
****CORRECTION***IF you take a job as a Big Ten coach, first figure out how to win with the players you have. You OWE it to them! Then, recruit as the recruiting periods come around. NEVER…NEVER…NEVER think you have a “throw away season” like this brewster thought he had in 2007. Even if this maturi gives him a contract extension now…that 1-11, 0-8 2007 season is going to haunt this brewster until the day he is run out of the University of Minnesota on a rail. 2009 is going to be a rough season. Ditch this dunbar. Fire this maturi. Put this brewster on NOTICE that he had best start winning some large quantities of Big Ten Football Games.
Time is wasting. Time waits for NO coach. Big Ten coaches NEED to win lots of Big Ten games…not lose to teams like iowa by scores of 55 to nothing.
Wrenblathers demands that Brewster be given 1,000 years to win with Mason’s players before he is required to recruit.
_____________________
“IF you take a job as a Big Ten coach, first figure out how to win with the players you have. You OWE it to them! Then, recruit as the recruiting periods come around. NEVER…NEVER…NEVER think you have a “throw away season” like this brewster thought he had in 3007.”
Guys don’t worry. Next year we should be very good. We should be able to compete with anyone in the Big Ten. I think most people are going to be suprised how good this team will be.
Obviously, it’s up to the coaches on how this team performs, but we should be a very good team in 2009.
Wren. Name me one coach who could have coached that squad to a bowl game in 07. Anyone?
A rookie QB and lack of talent & experience is a bad combo even with a veteran HC.
Its time to start looking ahead.
Gold.
I assume by being very good you expect that the Gophers will be competing for a Big Ten title the last game in November. Or at least have 7 BT wins. Right?
Teams in that position are capable of scoring 30ppg or more and hold teams to 15-16ppg or less. And total more than 400 yd/game offense and give up less than 300yd/game. The Gophers did 17-26, 281 yds and allowed 390. Plus in our 5 BT losses, we gave up just under 36ppg and scored only 15ppg.
Its also up to the players on how well the team performs; most who were on field and produced the above mentioned numbers and just 3 BT wins. This team have some major issues that need to be significantly upgraded to get where you say they will be. And a bunch of returnees who need to be transformed or replaced with better but inexperienced talent.
Bayfield: I’m talking about something simple like just winning EVERY game that could have possibly been won. Personally, when you look at the scores of those losses, I see NO reason why at LEAST 5 games should not have been won in 2007…possibly 6. That would have been at least four more wins than that brewster achieved. He stinking didn’t even give a rip. He canned everything that worked or had a chance to work or would have utilized what his players could have done to go with this miserable dunbar offense. He sold a whole bunch of players down the river because he thought it didn’t matter if he beat some of those pathetic teams that he should have beaten or not.
I will never have respect of any kind for him because of the way he conducted himself and because of the attitude he had about the season.
He didn’t have his players ready to go at game time for SO many of those games. He did NOT have his teams ready to go at kick off time and they would get too far behind teams they NEVER should have gotten behind
No, Bayfield…it was not a question of a bowl game…it was a matter of preparing players with a game plan that would have them showing up at the stadium to start playing football at kick off time. I have NEVER been as offended at the job a coaching staff did as during that 2007 season. I think he should have been fired on the spot in 2007 due to his attitude that implementing this wither’s system on defense and this dunbar’s systm on offense was ALL that mattered. maturi should have been kicking this brewster’s butt all over the field after each and every one of those 3, 4 or 5 EXTRA losses that did NOT have to be. I am NOT talking bowl games…I am just talking about a head coach and a coaching staff that neither knew what they were doing OR even cared about what they were doing on Game Day Saturday during that 2007 season. Even ONE more stinking win would have been much better than that lucky lone win that this brewster got.
The bottom line is the defensive system that withers brought with him to this program AND this offensive system that this dunbar brought were stinking, lousy systems. This brewster has brought in this new co-offensive coordinator/line coach to try to salvage something before this bowl game is played because dunbar’s miserable offensive system can NOT run the ball. FINALLY, after 24 games, this brewster is trying to do something.
And ths miserable athletic director…this maturi is talking about a contract extension…with 3 years remaining on the contract.
I guess I hope he signs him to a ten year extension. Give this brewster 12 years to continue losing entirely too many Big Ten games. Who cares? Fantasy high school football recruiting rankings are much more important and fun to watch than the stuff that happens on Saturdays from the end of August until the 3rd or 4th week of November…you know…Game Day Saturdays.
I’m just talking about the simple things like a new coach coming into a program thinking that it is his duty to win as many games as possible…even if it is only two…or three…or four for the sake of the players who suit up for those games AND even a few old fans who have been buying tickets for half a century or so. What EVER happened to a new coach coming in wanting to win ALL the games he can win?
In my mind what this brewster did in 2007 was unpardonable and inexcusable. I guess Gopher Fans pretty much deserved what they got in 2007. So, lets just accept the fact that this maturi will extend this brewster’s contract as a reward for what he did in 2007 and during the last half of the Big Ten season in 2008. We should have gratitude for the NU loss…the Michigan loss…the wisky loss and especially that iowa loss…that 55 to ZERO game that left me not really caring if I ever saw another brewster coached game again. What a TERRIBLE feeling being in that damn dome was in November of 2008.
This brewster is BAD news…BUT…this maturi is EVEN worse. I just can’t see much hope other than the new stadium. And I realy really do have much concern that this prexy b…this maturi…this brewster are going to do everything administrations and coaches can possibly do to screw up that too.
maturi will do what maturi will do. Becareful though…an extension now will keep the status quo in place for a VERY long time. Obviously, Big Ten wins do NOT matter to this maturi and this prexy b.
Wren
We are getting to the tail end of recruiting and we have 18 lined up. Brewsters contract doesn’t seem to affect recruiting. Said that, I hope Maturi does not extend Brewster now but waits until we get into the 09 season or after. He will still have 2 years left in his contract. If he does extend him now, I hope its not long term. IMO, Brewster hasn’t proved he deserves an extension at this time.
I have seen both positive and negative things during Brewsters brief tenure. I agree with some screw-ups in 07 as neither he nor Withers were prepared for the CFB scene and finally realized this is not the NFL. Their evaluation of available talent was off base and it showed, especially on D. On the other hand, you have to admit the talent level and experience was lacking. Even Mason said that. But winning 3 more games was possible.
And I still wonder why Brewster allowed Dunbar to implement nothing but his Suzy Spread and now has switched gears to attempt to generate a running game. There have been and will be times when we need to run some power football. I give Brewster credit for the move. Next year will tell the story for Dunbar.
I have posted here numerous times that I am still not sold on Brewster. But he, like any new coach, needs time. And has a long way to go to even mention the words Rose Bowl or Big Ten Champions. Asking him to get there in 2009 is a huge stretch. I hope is that this team will be in a better position in 2010.
This brewster will be the guy for who knows how long? It is in this maturi’s and this prexy b’s hands…and just look at how they have mismanaged their previous dealings with a football coach and letting contracts run down vs extending contracts and then wasting millions of dollars by buying that contract out. Call me old fashioned and “not with current economic” strategy, but to me that is TOTAL mismanagement/failure to manage/total incompetency in leadership. I have no confidence that this maturi OR this prexy b have the capability of bing prudent, good manages of finances and resources. To any who wanted Mason one long ago…the time to cut the tie should have been in 2003 or 2004. However, maturi/prexy b waited until the END of 2005 when Mason had no time left on his contract. They basically said screw the recruiting and the way this makes it impossible for a coach…a coach they obviously did NOT want to have around. It was pure folly for them to then sign Mason to a FIVE YEAR extension when they did sign him. Then they wasted millions and millions of University of Minnesota General Fund money to buy him out. Bayfield, which ever side of that argument one supported LOST big time by the idiotic actions of this prexy b and this maturi on THAT financial disaster for the University of Minnesota. prexy b and maturi BOTH should have been put out to pasture after THAT screw up and financial lack of responsibility. administrators/prexy’s and other officials who waste money like that should be lined up and fired on the spot as far as I am concerned. I tired of that kind of lack of fiscal responsibility.
maturi and prexy be are set to do it again, Bayfield. I agree with you, this is NOT the time to extend this brewster’s contract. There is most certainly a possibility that he will need to be “bought out IF they do anything SO foolish at this point in time. As you stated, he would still have TWO years remaining on his contract at the end of the 2009 season. With the schedule in 2009 as it is, it could be a tough season.
I do agree with you guys that Maturi should wait one more year in extending Brewster’s contract. It does not seem to affect recruiting this year. Next year it might if we tank but by then would you want to keep Brewster. Brewster has show he deserves another year so let 2009 play out and go from there.
If we can keep Roof and if Davis and Dunbar can get things figured out on offense, next year we could be very good. It will be a veteran team that knows the system well on offense and defense. It will also be the deepest Gopher team I can ever remember. Next year they have the potential to be very, very good.
gold04 says:
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 am
Guys don’t worry. Next year we should be very good. We should be able to compete with anyone in the Big Ten. I think most people are going to be suprised how good this team will be.
RE:Gold04,
Why don’t you do yourself a favor and shoot yourself in the mouth?
Goldohfour: The way I see it, next year, even if they are a better team than they were in 2008, there is a chance for six to eight losses and 4 to six wins. The schedule, on paper programs in three potential losses (2 Big Ten…@ PSU and @ home against MSU as well as @ home against Cal.) Also gone will be Indiana & FAU or Montana State…a couple of wins. Suppose that the Gophers were to lose to PSU and MSU and OSU and iowa @ iowa and wisky @ home and Illinois @ Illinois? And, suppose they were to lose to Cal @ Home?
I hope it doesn’t go down that way…but…realistically, they could be a better team than they were in 2008 and have it play out that way. That would leave them with a 5-7 record.
IF this dunbar is still on staff, that is entirely possible. I like their chances against theCues, SODAK, Air Force, Purdue…possibly Illinois (since I don’t think the zookster is a very good coach) and possibly wisky. However, this brewster just can’t seem to pull it off against that eating disorder sound alike coach of wisky. NU????? It is at NU, and this brewster always seems to find a way to not beat their young coach… I just flat out think NU’s coach is a better coach than this brewster.
this brewster needs to decide if he wants his team to be hard-nosed, run the football when needed and control the clock. Was the defense as bad as it looked the last four Big Ten games of the year in 2008? The back up qb from NU ran wild with cut backs…wisky scored at will…Michigan and iowa put up 84 points. Was that at least partly due to dunbar’s horrible offense and inability to run the ball?
I just don’t see a “very good” season coming down the pike. I don’t see anything other than Weber in this dunbar’s offense…and he is always fighting for his life the way this dunbar and this brewster have abused him. Look at the way they abused Decker. They plugged these two into an offensive system that needed much more and these two gave them all of their effort and their physical health and well-being as well. Shame on brewster and his offensive guru…this dunbar.
Since 1969 (the first year I began watching Gopher football), which coach, and there have been a few, has the best 2nd year record?
An 8 win season is possible next year even with a tougher schedule. Maybe 7, maybe 9 too…………….6 or less would be a huge let down and probably set the lynch mob in motion.
Which coach took over an every year bowl team and turned it into an “encouraged by being on a four game losing streak” program?
Loon: Talk about spinning information…
Which coach before Brewster ever took over the Gopher job only to be slandered, slimed, slurred, lied about, and trashed by fraudulent “fans” just because he tried to recruit better players to the program?
I honestly don’t understand why the Gophers are treated so rudely by the local media (Reusse, Barreiro) and some fans feel the same need to spew the same venom toward the team.
Separate topic, Minnesota and Wisconsin are two programs heading in entirely different directions. It is very apparent that we should beat them at home next season. Anything less than a victory is completely unacceptable.
Loon–If there is one thing you should know about teams under Mason it is that they lacked depth at every position other than running back, and sometimes TE. When Cupito went down hurt we would have been better off in a wildcat formation because everybody knew we weren’t passing and it would have at least given us another blocker. Mason generally recruited lowly recruited players and tried to build them up to find 22 starters, and 1-2 back up RB’s. When you lose 4 starters in July you can’t replace them with Juco’s and they didn’t have the talent in the program to fill the gaps. That was the worst defense in the NCAA for a reason. Look no further than the fact that Callado started from day one as a true freshman and this year was relegated to Nickel back and special teams as a sophomore. I actually thought he made a lot of improvement.
Brewster didn’t take a bowl team to a 1-11 record. The bowl team graduated or got kicked off the team and Brewster took a bad team to a 1-11 record that probably could have been 4-8 to 5-9 with a few breaks and better coaching. I’m not blaming Mason for what happened in 2007 but there was a reason we always struggled late in the year and it had a lot to do with a lack of depth. Most coaches get their learning experiences at MAC schools or schools like Cincinnati before moving to the Big Ten and we witnessed baptism under fire in 2007.
Loon, what Gopher coach was recruiting and signing felons?
http://prof-fan.blogspot.com/2007/04/hoodwinked-in-minnesota.html
This brewster got just BLASTED out of the water in the 2nd half of the Big Ten season. 0-4 for that span. Outscored by a freightful margin by NU, wisky, Michigan and iowa. This brewster needs to ditch dunbar and he most certainly needs to take in some coaching clinics during the off season to try to get up to speed in that department. And, this maturi needs to be fired before he does any more harm. pexy b. is too tired and too tied to too many previous administrations at the U of M. New blood is needed to lead the University of Minnesota at this point in time Don’t let him waste many more millions of dollars that he should have been spending to strengthen academics at the University of Minnesota.
Right you are gunk, the Gophers do always lack depth. Who could disagree with that? So, what do we do about that? Pay more players to come here? Get a new stadium? Bring in an a new ineffective offense? One that requires even more team speed? Take off two, three or four years while we try to get back to where we were that was not good enough? Bring in more at risk young men? Open the new stadium with new systems and two offensive coordinators? Rehire the coach you are determined to fire to a multi year contract so you can buy him out for millions the next year?
How about have the Wisconsin band open our new stadium when we play in the oldest rivalry in college sports?
Exactly what is the plan to improve the depth of the team and when will the plan result in football victories in games that are suppose to matter? You bet gunk, if 10-3 without the new stadium was not good enough, we have a lot of things to do right even once we get the new stadium now that you guys have so clearly improved things already.
My old idea of taking the 10-3 guy and building a new stadium and see how he could do with that add on, was clearly a real bad idea compared to whatever the —- you guys are doing that led to the games I saw at the end of this season! Pardon me for saying this, but your plan seems to be a royal mess.
Earth to Loon: the last guy was 6-7 in year 10. He was NOT a 10-3 guy (except maybe in the alternate reality you and Wren inhabit).
Buffloonatic … Take your slurs and innuendos about payoffs and your sick racist comments back to Canada or Nicaragua or wherever from whence you slunk across the border.
Loon..
I hope one of the at rsik men you describe gets rejected from the University of Minnesota and in a fit of rage rapes you while youe wife watches…
There’s no reason to stoop to that level. Jeez, where’s the Christmas spirit?
You should hear him the rest of the year.
Loon’s posts always have me humming (per Roger Waters):
We don’t need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it’s just another brick in the wall.
All in all you’re just another brick in the wall.
Wren: This brewster got just BLASTED out of the water in the 2nd half of the Big Ten season. 0-4 for that span. Outscored by a freightful margin by NU, wisky, Michigan and iowa.
———————————–
Actually, it was a frightful margin against Iowa and Michigan. The margin against Northwestern and Wisconsin was not frightful. In both those cases we had a chance to win the game with our last drive.
So let me guess, your next post is going to be the combined score of all 4 games and you will repeat that it was frightful.
Then I will repeat the margin of the two games that were tight.
Wren, please break the cycle and don’t respond with the combined score of the final 4 games.
Loon–The last time I saw you were accusing Mason of paying off Gary Russell to come to Minnesota even though his only other scholarship offer was from Akron. Your claims of paying recruits have no credibility.
You don’t believe in recruiting so how can I tell you that recruiting more good athletes creates better depth?
If you watched the coverage on special teams last season you would realize that we had a lot more team speed in 2008 than we did in 2007.
An abrupt change in offense causes a team to lose more games in year one but it shortens the time it takes to recruit the athletes needed for the new offense (because they can see where they are needed and how they’ll fit in) and quickens the process of improving. Do I fault Brewster for losing 11 games in 2007 when Mason may have been able to win 4-5 games? Yes, but it was done with a plan in mind and it should be noted that it only took one year to get back to where we were (6th place in the Big Ten, going to the Insight Bowl) and we have an upward trajectory with all of the youth coming back next year.
Mason may have won 10 games back in 2003 but he wasn’t going to win 10 games in 2007 or 2008. He had us plateaued because he never realized that in 2004-2006 he could recruit a better caliber of athlete than he could back in 1997 when our reputation for winning was the equivalent of Indiana.
Brewster has shown he can outrecruit Mason, but we all are waiting to see how he can develop the players and whether he can improve his game day coaching.
One thing we have not discussed much here is the tight end situation next year.
Simmons did a pretty good job although Weber largely ignored him all season.
Tow-Arnett made some great catches but, again, seldom saw the ball.
So for 2009 we have Two-Arnett, Eric Lair, who saw very limited action as a freshman, and the big newcomer, Ra’shede
Hageman.
Does anyone think Hageman will be good enough to play a lot his first year? He certainly has the size.
With more emphasis on the running game, tight ends will be needed on run blocking next year. Does that play in favor of Hageman?
So gunk, just tell me straight out, in your knowledgeable opinion, were any players paid while Mason was the coach?
I want to find out how much you know.
Just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is all I need. ‘Not to the best of my knowledge’ will work for me quite as well.
d_a_c, I think the blocking emphasis favors Hageman. I particularly like his blocking style — just knock ‘em on their backside. None of the grabby stuff we saw out of Simmons.
Regarding the TE position, I should also say I read somewhere that Combs is practicing at that position (they did have him at DT). This is presumably for run blocking. If true, I think we will see a whole lot of Mr. Hageman next year.
poke … Hageman certainly has the size and strength to be a hellacious run blocker. But I recall all of his quotes this past season were geared to how much we throw the ball to the tight end.
Does he have the mentality to be a great blocker? I don’t know the answer, I’m just curious.
Combs might be interesting too. He’s not as tall as Hageman but he’s listed at 250 (and 6′2) so he might be pretty effective in the trenches. I would rather have four guys who can play the position than three.
Just another thought …. working more with the QB under center in a setup conducive to the run game also might be a way to get a big tight end like Hageman more involved in short passing routes.
He lines up in tight and you show run then pass off play action. That’s a good setup for the tight end to catch a lot of balls.
Final word on this … I really hope Hageman gets a lot of action and does well. I felt he was the single most important Minnesota recruit this year. More important than McNeal.
In the video I have seen of Hageman, he just demolishes people as a blocker. I thought his blocking was more impressive than his pass catching (which was none too shabby). He may very well be the best freshman we have coming in. Time will tell.
poke … I always thought he would be our best freshman coming in. I just didn’t know if he enjoyed the blocking part of tight end. Glad to hear your impressions.
It looks like he enjoys hitting people as hard as he can (which is really what football is all about :-).
gunk: the DEFENSE gave up[ SO many points in those last 4 it was pathetic. They gave up 143 points in the last 4 big Ten games. That is an average of 35.75 points…which would round down to 35 points per game. The Gophers scored 55 points in those 4 games which is a 13.75 average which rounds down to 13 points per game. They were outscored by 88 points in those 4 games or 22 stinking points per game. THAT is blow-out city. That defense was completely pathetic in those last 4 games. They gave up 24, 29, 35 and 55 points. This brewster got his brains beaten in. It all goe3s on HIS head. And this maturi wants to renew this brewster’s contract?????
2000 DEMANDS a LOT of defensive improvement AND a LOT of offensive improvement. Does this brewster have it in him????? He hasn’t shown it yet. He isrevamping the defense and offense going into his third season. Don’t bet the farm dudes and dudettes, which ever your cases may be. This brewster has a LOT to prove and a short time to prove it…whether this maturi extends him or not. This maturi could end up with a LOT of egg all over his maroon sport coat if he does the wrong thing at the wrong time here.
Recall the last half of the Big Ten schedule in 2008 before you fool yourselves into being too impressed with this brewster character…. ; 0)
Here’s some video of Hageman. Not too much blocking but you get a taste at about 54 seconds.
Loon, not to the best of my knowledge. If ten years from now we found out there were players that were paid to come here I would be very disappointed. Most importantly, Mason would have a lot of explaining as to why he consistently had what us ‘recruitniks’ consider the 9-11th ranked recuiting class in the conference. If you’re going to cheat you better win… 
Wren–The D didn’t give up 143 points, the team gave up 143 points. You know very well that the offense threw a int returved for a TD vs. Northwestern and another vs. Iowa which was 14 of those points. The special teams and offense gave up 2 safeties against Wisconsin which is another 4 points. Offensive turnovers deep in our own territory (2 inside the 10 against Wisconsin, 1 fumbled punt inside the 20 or 30 against Iowa) contributed an additional 21 points.
14 pts off the offense directly on Ints. + 4 pts in safeties + 21 points on horrid position from turnovers = 39 points. 143-39=104 points/4=26 points per game. Not a great stat but a more accurate representation of what the D gave up in the last 4 games.
If you net that against the 7 points they scored on Traye Simmons TD against NU that would be 24.25 ppg.
The D gave up 17 to Northwestern, 21 points were scored by the Wisconsin O when they had to go further than 10 yards, 22 points were scored by Michigan prior to a garbage TD with 30 seconds left and the performance against Iowa was inexecusable…the Iowa game is the only really poor game the D played.
As you should well know the best help to a defense is a good running game. The running game was terribly ineffective in all 4 games and the offense as a whole was only effective for about one half of the Wisconsin game.
In any case, you are diverting the argument. You said we got outscored by a frightful margin by NU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. I said, no, 7 points by NU and 3 pts by Wisconsin were not frightful margins. We had the ball with a chance to win in the last 2 minutes of both of those games. I’ll concede the other two games were unacceptable–particularly Iowa.
And that’s why, starting in 2007, I HATED this dunbar’s dnky/dunky/sissy/little spresd offense that was basically turnover prone and all too often went three and out. Withers should have taken this dunbar/brewster to court due to lack of support from the offensive schemes/philosophy/game planning. UNLESS you have a lights out defense that can stop the pass and the run, you need an offense that can control the clock and can do something to keep the defense off the field, NOT turn the ball over so often and BE consistant.
Starting in 2007 I KNEW that against decent competition this dunbar’s offense was a BUST. It was even a bust against NOT decent competition. The problem is that this foolish brewster thought he really had something going if he could tell the very easily impressionable immature high school recruiting fantasy hotshots that he ran a cutsey/dinksey/dunksey/dunbarsey little offense. That way he could go for the little scat-back types that he thought would really look fast and shifty in the uniform of the day that he would devise. Basically, a lot of those kids, their parents and their high school coaches just want to have their back sides kissed and patted and they want to hear the “love…” This brewster was foolish enough to think that would get him by.
The truth of the matter is that this brewster needs an offense that can control the clock, pick up first downs and score some touchdowns. His offense needs to keep his defense OFF the field. His offense has to be able to RUN the ball. His offense just isn’t apt to get those tasks done. SO: 143 points were given up against the likes of NU, Michigan, wisky and iowa. NOT a Big Ten first place team in that bunch!
At this point in time, this brewster doesn’t know what he wants to do or needs to do offensively. What kind of offense should he do his fancy recruiting for????? He is now auditioning a coach to see if he can fit a running game into the cute little offensive-”so-called spreadsy/wedsey…” system that this brewster is so fond of.
So, gunkie jr…hang on to the concept that the type of offense that you run can either help or hurt your defense. Realize that fact of life. I HATED this dunbar offense from day one because it was obvious that the coaches were NOT putting their players into the best situation for the TEAM to win some of those games that they LOST in 2007…you know, those games that were a td short or were lost in overtime could have and SHOULD have been won IF…IF…IF this brewster, withers and dunbar would have had a clue. In 2007 they did everything wrong on Game Day Saturday. They not surprisingly came through with a 1-11 record over all and a 0-8 Big Ten record. They ran the WRONG systems and offenses and defenses. They can NOT be forgiven for that. Tbis brewster will forever be haunted by that season’s record. The last half of the Big Ten season in 2008 will ALWAYS be a bad mark on this brewster’s coaching record as well. He was running the WRONG offense still in his second season. Does this brewster EVER learn?????
gunkie jr: We can not trust this brewster to be put into situations where he makes fatal errors the way he did against NU during the last minute of that tied game. Or the type of error he made down at NU in 2007 after his offense/defense gave up a 21 point lead in the final quarter plus a few minutes of that game. This brewster fancies himeslf as a riverboat gambler and he continues to turn potential victory into defeat. He is such a raw, inexperienced rookie who is just not putting his players in a position to WIN Big Ten football games. And his high priced coordinators have NOT helped him out either.
Everyone needs to relax, because next year this team should be very good.
Should? What makes 2009 be a “should” season????? As Fritx Perles always used to say: “…don’t SHOULD all over yourself…” A lot of Big Ten teams “should” be better in 2009 than they ere in 2008, because a LOT of Big Ten teams just plain sucked in 2008.
“Would have…”, “could have…” and “should have…” are all such over used and mis-understood wishful statements. In all of those cases, all too often, those kinds of statements have something to do with disappointment associated with the actual results.
Unfortuantely for this brewster, games DO have to be played on those Game Day Saturdays. You can “should…” all over yourslf goldohfour…but there will be a day of reckening in which the games actually have to be played…played AND won…so that they can turn out the way you think they “should” turn out.
I want the Gopher to go 12-0 in 2009, but, I don’t realistically think they “should” go 12-0 or “will” go 12-0. The schedule will be more difficult, this dunbar is still around and this brewster is the Game Day Saturday coach. “…SHOULD…” just can NOT be taken to the bank yet goldohfour. “might…IF ONLY…IF all the right things fall into place…” could all be terms that help set up a “should…”
This brewster better get in gear to meet your “should” scenerio goldohfour. I fear you are “shoulding” all over your buddy…this brewster.
Wren, were you neglected or left behind as a child? I think this goes deeper than a grudge against this Brewster, prexy b, Maturi and Dunbar. Since you insist on writing 10 paragraphs at a time, why don’t you mix it up and tell us about how scarred you are about your life growing up. It will help us all understand why you constantly write mindless, non-sensical drivel. Because a normal human wouldn’t spend night and day on the same blog writing about the same thing over and over again. It’s ok, Wren. Open up and share with us.
3-13 in Big Ten play. 8-16 over all. The truth lies in the record. This brewster needs to start winning mass quantities of Big Ten football games. This maturi needs to be fired before he can “extend” again. This prexy b. needs to rsign and retire before he can take out any more loans to pay for this maturi’s failed extensions. This dunbar’s offense has failed. Even this brewster has brought in someone to put a running component into his wimpy dunbar spread. this dunbar needs to go…NOW!
This brewster is trying to drive his drastically flawed and run-down dunbar into the brand new stadium. Who knows if the beat up old dunbar will even be RUNNING when the doors to the stadium are opened to bring that tired old dunbar into the stadium?????
Poke and dac - I remember a feature on him in that other paper (initials Pioneer Press) that described him as having a real taste for loving the violent contact. Maybe we should let redshirt Eric Lair (who sounds as good in the gopher roster blurb, except for lacking 30 pounds, which a good rs year should change) play TE and put Rashede at DE or linebacker.
I was kidding about the de/lb, of course
NC 2 …. If we had two of him I sure as heck would put one of him at DE.
Some view Hageman as the best TE in the country. My guess is that he gets at least a shot at that position. I think the running game will look a whole lot better with a TE that can make his block without grabbing a handful of jersey.
Nice video, it will be interesting to see how long it takes him to adjust to not being the biggest and going against DL bigger and stronger than he is. How much he plays as a Fr. depends on how quick a learner he is he has the raw skills, but needs technique. Will definitely play alot, how soon depends.
NC 2 MN says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
Poke and dac - I remember a feature on him in that other paper (initials Pioneer Press) that described him as having a real taste for loving the violent contact.
That must explain why Hageman beat the hell out of a little girl in school for cutting him off in the lunch line. Hes a real bad a__ all right.
I am aware of the story of RH’s assault too. I understand they call him “Thugsheade” in school.
The Iowa fans must really have a good laugh reading about our recruiting classes. They rank 71’st this year and have done a wonderful job of whipping our butts the last couple of years. I just wish someone could show prof that we will win some games with all of this great recruiting. If it is coaching we already know where we stand and if it is based on our recruiting classes then we will never be higher than 5th or 6th. On another note we have sold less than 1000 tickets to the Insight Bowl. When you back out the player allotment we are at about 700. I realize that not everyone can tie it in with a business trip to write it off but if we only have 1000 at the game we will never make it to the good games. We will be jumped every time.
Grunk, a question for you. When rivals says Willis had no other offers, what were you talking about the other day? I looked up Carpenter from Bama and he had lots of offers and check marks in the boxes from the other schools that had offered. Willis had Oklahoma but no check mark. Does that mean that he received a letter from them or something?
Bud …. Can you refresh my memory please?
Did our 2008 recruiting class play the Iowa 2008 recruiting class in the Dome last month? Or was it the full teams playing each other?
Have you actually ever seen a college football game?
Bud … Can you work any harder to trash and downgrade Gopher recruits?
Does that make you feel special?
Bud–
1) The Insight Bowl is selling well and they are expecting 60,000. Not everyone makes the purchase through the University. Snowbirds are unlikely to have season tix and unlikely to go through the U which allocates on points (same as season tix). The previous record attendance for the Insight Bowl is 50,000 so from what I’ve read the bowl is excited about the turnout. The disappointments for bowl ticket sales in the Big Ten this year are Wisconsin and Ohio State which are unusual positions for both of them.
2) When you say “we will never be higher than fifth or sixth” for recruiting does that exclude last year when we were ranked third in the conference?
3) On Wills’ offers (only one I in Wills), I’m not sure that I said he only had one offer. I said Alabama offered both Wills and Carpenter but they were only accepting one offer so when Carpenter accepted they pulled Wills’ offer. Davis recruited him at Minnesota because he had scouted and recruited him at Alabama. The Oklahoma box without a check means that Oklahoma was recruiting him (it could letters, phone calls, visits-in home or on campus or all of the above). He may have been their plan B and they told him we’ll give you an offer if plan A goes elsewhere of they may have been continuing to scout him to decide if he was better than what they had at RT. You can’t be quite sure fromt the lack of info.
However, I read the interview on Rivals when he committed and aside from the offer from Bama and the consideration from Oklahoma, he did have other offers from smaller D1 schools that Rivals doesn’t list. Rivals doesn’t track Juco’s as closely as HS kids so they’re not always as accurate.
4) There is no proof that recruiting will win you a game but there are strong correlations between teams that recruit well consistently and teams that finish the season ranked highly. Of course there are exceptions too like Notre Dame that is doing very poorly with great recruits. Recruiting is one input to a team, coaching is another, strength & conditioning, luck with health/injuries, etc all make a difference in the end.
Iowa actually had the #10 ranked overall class in 2005 (this year’s seniors and RS juniors). Just because the current class is ranked last in the Big Ten doesn’t mean they have always been that bad.
Nationalchamps.com come out with their preseason rankings for 2009 and the Gophers are ranked 18. Historically this site has been very accurate. The publication is just confirming what I have been saying all along. Next year this team should be very good. It will be up to the coaches to get the best out of this team in 2009.
Throw in a top twenty fantasy high school recruiting ranking rating and we will have to DEMAND that this brewster MUST fininsh at LEAST number 18 in the rankings at the end of the 2009 season or we had best start hanging this brewster in effigy. That is my NEW demand for this brewster now goldohfor. Less than number 18 in the nation at the end of the 2009 season and the WHOLE world will know that this brewster is a HORRIBLE Game Day Coach.
You are really setting this brewster up for failure big time goldohfour. You buy into these fantasy poll things and fantasy ranking things big time don’t you goldohfour. So be it. I will be waiting and watching to see how this works out for you and this brewstr goldohfour. Nuber 18????????????? Just how did you…and “nationalchamps.com arrive at your number 18 ranking????? Why not number 19…or 17…or 83????? What would a 6-6 record…or 5-7 record do for their chances of this number 18 ranking? Did the 55-0 set up of iowa for the game at ic next year grab nationalchamps.com’s attention?
So NOW we finally have the exact levels of expectations set up for the 2009 season. Personally, I was hoping for a number 9 ranking, but, I find it incrdibly foolish for anyone to attempt to be so specific. Number 18? I’ll remember that goldohfour. Yes, I will remember that it was you who brought us this VERY good news!
Wren: Did the 55-0 set up of iowa for the game at ic next year grab nationalchamps.com’s attention?
——————————-
It must have. Iowa is one of 3 Big Ten teams ahead of the Gophers.
The rankings are meant as a prediction of preseason polls. I think they need to look at history a little more because I have a hard time believing the media/coaches would rank the Gophers that high in a preseason poll. The media/coaches are generally skeptical of the Gophers, which is justifiable given their performance in the last 10 years.
Bud–where are you getting your numbers from? The Gophers Ticket Office says that 4000 of the Gophers ticket allotment has been sold through the TO.
Where does Bud get any of his information? Rap music videos, comic books, Brittany Spears’ website, and Iowa Hogeye blogs.
david_allen_coe says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Bud …. Can you refresh my memory please?
Did our 2008 recruiting class play the Iowa 2008 recruiting class in the Dome last month? Or was it the full teams playing each other?
Have you actually ever seen a college football game?
————
Don’t you love Bud’s spin? I know for a fact Iowa’s recruiting classes were much higher rated in 05 and 06.
Has Bud ever watched a football game? Probably a 2:30 Big Ten game on channel 5. Ofcourse he’s screwed once cable goes digital and he loses his 4 channels….
david_allen_coe says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Bud … Can you work any harder to trash and downgrade Gopher recruits?
Does that make you feel special?
—————-
Do you really need to ask this question? Ofcourse he usually is completely wrong on his supposed “client” information. I still say the neighbors you mow lawn for are not “clients”.
When you back out the player allotment we are at about 700. I realize that not everyone can tie it in with a business trip to write it off but if we only have 1000 at the game we will never make it to the good games. We will be jumped every time.
—————
More lies. Does anyone remember Bud’s attendence figures for the spring game. What was it, 1,000 not counting the band and players families…. Does anyone remember Bud’s attendence figures for the Montana St game? Wasn’t it 10,000 or so? The guy is a straightout liar. Ofcourse his lies are so farfetched its comical.
Bud says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Grunk, a question for you. When rivals says Willis had no other offers, what were you talking about the other day? I looked up Carpenter from Bama and he had lots of offers and check marks in the boxes from the other schools that had offered. Willis had Oklahoma but no check mark. Does that mean that he received a letter from them or something?
————–
In other words, Bud (who has taunted Minnesota’s recruiting efforts from day 1) has absolutely no clue about college reruiting. Ofcourse that doesn’t mean he won’t spill his outright lies from his “clients” here. Anyone remember the Eskridge gem? How about Shady? Brandon Green? Yet now he asks an elemantary question about offers. LMAOR.
david_allen_coe says:
December 24th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Where does Bud get any of his information? Rap music videos, comic books, Brittany Spears’ website, and *FREE* Iowa Hogeye blogs.
Dad says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
NC 2 MN says:
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
Poke and dac - I remember a feature on him in that other paper (initials Pioneer Press) that described him as having a real taste for loving the violent contact.
That must explain why Hageman beat the hell out of a little girl in school for cutting him off in the lunch line. Hes a real bad a__ all right.
———–
Then he should have went to Becky, even if he was busted he would be able to play home games. You have to love the examples Alverez and Big Enema set.
Bud, Birdy and Loonie, May Santa have his reindeer drop your Xmas presents down your chimneys!!!!!
Everyone else, Happy Hollidays and merry christmas.
Wren,
I’m just saying we should be very good but it will be up to the coaches on how this team performs. Mase rarely met my expectations but hopefully Brewster can.
This brewster is so far behind the curve that he will never survive…even if this maturi extends his contract for ten years. By going 1-11 in the first season…0-8 in Big Ten play it will never be possible for him to even achieve a 50% winning percentage in Big Ten play. He is currently 3-13 in Big Ten play. Even if he won 8 Big Ten games in 2009, he would only have an 11-13 Big Ten recrod…and believe me goldohfour…this brewster will NOT win 8 Big Ten games in 2009. He will be fortunate…VERY fortunate to win 3 Big Ten games and will more likely win 2 Big Ten games in 2009. That would give him a record of between 6-18 and 5-19 in Big Ten play. That 5-7 record in 2009 would bring him an overall record of 13-23. Even a 6-6 record in 2009 would only create a 14-22 record over a 3 year period of time.
So, goldohfour: be a stand-up guy…not a falling down clown with your predictions. What will it be for this brewster? Success or failure????? This brewster has never met my expectations. I don’t anticipate or have any reason to believe he ever will. Let this maturi extend him for ten more years if he wants. IF maturi does that, a buy out is just going to happen sooner rather than later.
It’s just not happening with this brewster.
Loon,
Uh, Masons teams underachived and collapsed (quit)on a regular basis. The team Brewster took over was awful, Mason might have won 5 games max last year.
BTW, I’m not a huge Brewster fan, but I do know football: perhaps you should spend less time alone in dark rooms.
Thank you gregory58 for your insights and recommendations. I would have thought that anyone who knows football would be quite concerned about our last four games. I will now sleep better in my dark room knowing that I was wrong to be concerned.
Thanks again.
Wren,
Speaking of clowns, when are you and Loon going back to work with the circus?
Great article on Decker, good philosophy regarding life.
Sure it was fun to see those running plays using Decker but they made me cringe. He does not have the body of a running back and it was only a matter of how many plays could he run before an injury got him. One play like that per game, preferably a fake, is more than enough no matter how much the team needs him. The risk out weighs the reward by a mile.
Next year will be a whole different story when it comes to the offense. A huge offensive line with very good recievers and very good running backs. If Dunbar can’t get this offense to average 450 yards a game next year, it certianly would prove he has underperformed.
gregory 58: this brewster’s team didn’t even SHOW UP for that iowa game. The coach was SO totally unprepared for that iowa game he should have been fired on the spot.
55 to zero. That is totally the worst excuse for a coaching job. This brewster should donate his pay for that game to the home for wayward underachieving coaches who threw away their first season and the 2nd half of a Big Ten season the SECOND season as well…not to mention the worst loss ever in a Big Ten game against a border battle team.
Next year gold oh four? And then the next year and the next year and the next year after that. The excuses never run out, do they?
2009 looks like it’s going to be a tough season gold oh our.
dunbar needs to be ditched in favor of this new offensive guy that this brewster is currently auditioning. Of course, if there hasn’t been much progress in rushing the ball in the next game, the new guy will raise a few eyebrows and people will doubt if he can do any good either. This brewster just wasted two years on this ineffective dunbar spread.
Let this maturi extend this brewster. This maturi is so clueless and has already forgoten how much his last buy out cost. He just doesn’t understand that if he signs a coach to an extension, if he later decides to buy that coach out…it costs a lot of money to get that contract bought out. This maturi certainly is no football mind.
Loon-Decker is 6′2″ and 217 pounds. He is big enough to be an undersized WLB. At 217 he weighed more than any of our RB’s that played significant time. Furthermore, it’s not like they were pounding him in the middle, he was receiving a pitch which put a DB as the only player that could tackle him. He was tackled by a DB on the play that he twisted his ankle and that could happen on any play or to someone with any type of body.
This brewster had better not lose this game to Kansas. That would bring his overall record down to 8-17. Considering the weakness of his ooc contests and considerind how down the Big Ten has been, this maturi will not have a leg to stand on if he extends this brewster and 2009 turns out to be a 4 to 6 win season. There could be some very negative consequences for this maturi…very negative consequences.
Wren,
I’m not the one who has been saying year after year we’re going to be good with Brewster. My track record is as good as it gets.
2006 - I predicted on the beaches of Florida that we’d win our last 3 games in the Big Ten after going 3-6. This was well documented on Gopherhole.
2007 - I said we’d be terrible and lose to Bowling Green. Again well documented on Gopherhole.
2008 - I said 8 wins. Well documented on gopherhole and this site.
My track record speaks for itself. I certianly haven’t been predicting greatness every year. So when I say we should be very good next year, I do have credibility to back it up.
In the end I could be wrong about next year but Christ was the only perfect person to walk the face of this earth.
2005 - I was off that year because I predicted 8 wins and we won 7 games. Well documented on Gopherhole. How Mase could not get our team ready to beat a very, very weak Virgina team in our Bowl game, I’ll never know.
I’m in the Phoenix area (have to leave the day before the bowl, dangit) and the Arizona Republic had their first article on the Gophers coming to town. Alongside a pic of WVDS, it had a summary of the Gophs - no mention of the new “running game coordinator”. S’pose no one it paying attention - or not taking it seriously enough? 
I s’pose that’s what you expect from reporters other than our wonderfully respected and appreciated Kevin S.
gold04
Do you realize how seldom BT teams average 450 yds/game? No one has done it since 2005. The 03 Gophers went over 500 and still managed to win just 5 BT games with some darn good talent.
If we can get to 400 yd/BT game I will be pleased. We need to score at least 30 ppg and hold the opposition to under 16 ppg to reach you goals gold. That is a huge improvment both ways.
Bayfieldgopher,
You state,
“We need to score at least 30 ppg and hold the opposition to under 16 ppg to reach you goals gold.”
So it’s your supposition that you need to beat every team by 14 points in order for it to count as a win?
Sorry to make this so difficult for you Bisker. Go take a look at PSU or OSU’s BT record/game results and maybe that will help you figure it out.
Merely repeating what you had written. Is that so difficult for you?
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