Link: Dimitri Moore breaks down official visit schedule

that cost them the game. I expected more out of a 5th year senior. Tough loss. I can already predict the responses to this thread. Oooh delicious.

Freuchte back on the MN practice squad. He takes Willie Beavers spot who was promoted to the 53 man to take Kalil's spot.

It seems like the consensus is LBs are struggling.
Mike sherels embodies all that is great about Minnesota. He should be our lb coach for the forseeable future but if he can't go how should coach Claeys proceed with replacing the linebacker coach? Hopefully the u is taking care of mike and his family. Is the answer to keep acting linebacker coach Keith Jordan?

Claeys has proven he will shake things up if they aren't working. could the answer be to bring in a guy like Tim Tibesar and make him co defensive coordinator with sawvel. He's a St. Paul native. Standout player at UND, coached at KsU, Purdue, with Trestman in Montreal of the CFL and now doing well with Wisconsin. He has been exceptional at every level and some thought would replace Aranda as D.C at UW which did not happen. He can focus on LB and Sawvel the DBs.

Matt Entz- NDSU d coordinator once was at Winona. A chance for power 5?

Not that we love Athlon but here's their take on top LB units for 2016. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-50-linebacker-units-2016

Do we know Mike Sherels outlook? How should TC proceed?

I absolutely despise the Democrat Party, their so called leaders and YES the POTUS ! They want Americans to surrender every right we ever had to our gov't, UN and the rest of the misfits in this world. The Democrat Party could well be the worst thing to happen to this country other than Pearl Harbor and 9/11. USA INTERNET SURRENDER DAYS AWAY...

Gophers are #1 coming off a win over Purdue on ESPN2.

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Link: Mason talks Gopher interest

Has anyone heard any updates on how he's doing down at Mayo? I have him and his family in my prayers every night.
We could use his fire on the sidelines helping our LB's

Find your best players and play them the bulk of the time.

why do we have wholesale subs on defense all game? Elite teams find their best 11 and play them with an occoaaional sub. Injury or an occasional blow and that's it. Nothing wholesale.

Case in point.
Jack Lynn didn't play much yesterday. I bet he played half the snaps on defense. Why?
Match-ups? Strategy? Packages? He's our best linebacker if you ask me. Why isn't he out there the whole game as a senior leading this defense, barking in the huddle. Providing leadership on the field.

Elite tactics in all sports, says find your best players and go with it. Subs are used to keep guys fresh....not as chess pieces.
When you sub constantly there is always a drop off in talent. (Safety burned constantly) Show me an elite defense that subs as much as we do and 55 will shut up.

Claeys worked it much better than Sawvel. But we've lost our DB coach and linebacker coach and it shows. Our defense was so bad under Mason we've loved this staff's improvement. But we are not elite.

I've said it under Kill and Claeys obviously buys in. We will never be elite until we have elite tactics. These coaches think they are the ones who make the difference. (Kill culture)

As talented as Michigan, Alabama and Ohio State are, they don't rotate nearly as much as we do? They have the horses on the sideline right? They are elite so you compete for your starting job and it's yours until you lose it. They are elite because they execute elite tactics.

Offense.....
As good as our running game is, I'd draw up and instruct my QB to throw at least 5 bombs a game. The threat would loosen up the box and improve our running game and make our offense much more explosive. And if we threw 5 a game, we'd get better at it and connect on a few, get penalties on a few and create the threat in the opponent. Then, they'd have to worry about the run and our deep threat.

Again....elite teams play their best players, are aggressive and aren't predictable. We aren't elite (yet) because we don't employ elite tactics.

I hate to say it....but Wisconsin does. And that is the difference between us and them. Only difference.

Was a positive from yesterday, 7 catches for over 100 yards. Got himself open in the end zone of the INT. Seems like a good 2nd receiving option for Mitch. Appears to have good hands and strong with the ball.

I was just thinking. It seems like we clash on everything LOL. Not often like I do with some....but always, no matter what. You predict the FB team to go 6-6....yet you rip my stance on Claeys and recruiting, saying I'm a non-fan and an idiot. You rip me as a non-BB fan for rooting against Duke and Tyus against WI (and of course we disagree on Pitino). You claim to be a Republican, and it's obvious I am too....but you tear-me-a-new-one on the feminist issues.

It's all in good fun of course.

But why is this??

I thought: good schedule, senior QB, revamped OLine, the D we've come to expect from Tracy Claeys---all the pieces are in place for a historic season and a Big 10 West division title.

I repeated the same mantra throughout the offseason: Since March I've said that this whole year comes down to 2 games: penn state and Iowa--for the simple reason that the next 4 games are *very* winnable.

I said the key to having a historic season was to get off in the right foot beating penn state and Iowa to start conference play.

And despite outplaying penn state for 3 quarters, the Gophers somehow lost. Well, I feel numb.

Our shot at a historic season no longer looks so easy--in fact it looks like a pipe dream.

I really like TC. I like his aggressive attitude when it comes to coaching--a profession where most men are cautious to the point of idiocy.

But I'm pissed and sad. That was an enormous game and there was no excuse to come out after half and lay an egg like that. It was so...Mason-esque.

This sucks. This season is just gonna be another year.

My poor Dad. The last time the Gophers won the Big 10 he was a teenager. Now he's retired. That's bull$#^%.

I haven't felt this low since the end of the Brew regime.

I'm betting the Euro fans at the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris will be brutal towards the Americans. Lots of heckling towards the Euros this year will fester for the next two years and then look out!!

B1G West that is.

Wiscy - Two top 10 wins is damn impressive, especially with the fact they've already made a QB change.
Nebraska - Appears that they have elevated their level of play since last year. Haven't seen them play yet, what's your take so far?
Iowa - I would not count them out even though they've probably hit bottom right now. Could be wrong, but I think they will bounce back.
Minnesota - jury is still out in my opinion. I don't care how bad PSU is, if they can go out to Happy Valley and snag a W, our boys need to be a part of the conversation for a division run.
Illinois - no idea where they stand at this point.
Purdue - See Illinois.
Northwestern - See Purdue.

What you say elite football minds, how do you see things at this point?

From:
Sunday Night OT recap
Alex Carlson | The Gopher Report

Per TC:
General thoughts on game yesterday...
"Any time you have an OT game on the road it’s tough. We took the third quarter off basically. You can’t go on the road and win in a tough place like that when you get outscored 17-0 in the 3rd. It happens sometimes where you lose momentum and the other team gets it. They did fight and we fought back and they made a play to get the game to overtime and they finished it off. Obviously disappointed, we had our opportunity, at the same time it was the first trip for some guys and we have eight conference games to go, so we’ll be fine."

............
Excuse us TC...Minny won't be fine if you allow your warriors to take a quarter off. Yes, they had a dominating 1H, but taking a quarter off in the BIG is simply unacceptable for engaged coaches in a conference were teams are too evenly matched to allow that to happen.

Taking a quarter off just doesn't "happen" out of the blue...it's the result of lack of intensity, focus and drive over the entire 60-minutes of the contest. That's a failure of leadership from the top: both coaches and upper classmen.

Many here have commented that Claeys looked very detached emotionally during the game and content to let his staff run the game while he functioned in some type of general managerial role.

Just from TV observation, TC didn't seem to express any real distress to his staff and team as the 3Q meltdown unfolded. TV shots panned to Claeys during the meltdown and he didn't seem to express any real concern to anyone on the sideline...coaches or players.

Perhaps others have information that contradicts this TV view of his demeanor, but it didn't seem like he took any animated steps to get his guys motivated to turn the situation around.

Is TC just too cerebral and generally passive in personality to get the most out of this BIG opportunity for his coaching career?

Is he too "laid back" and Minnesota Nice to make BIG things happen?

Can this coaching style work at Minny when it took a very intense, hard-driving, hands-on and dominating style from Kill just to get the program turned around to its current state?

Is it reality we have no one that can even run 40 yards from the wr position and have a chance for a catch? we never throw down field still? leidner does have a weak arm so maybe he can't throw the ball that far?

Weren't Gentry, Holland and maybe someone else higher ranked recruits who were suppose to be good? Where are they? Tyler Johnson dropped a ball and never played for 2 quarters basically.

I am surprised no one mentioned the absolutely atrocious officials today. Very poor spots of the ball constantly not to mention many other crap calls.

It is very difficult to win when your only and I mean only big play threat is a running play. A jet sweep today would have seemed to work well since they had 8 or 9 in the box the whole day.

I think the offense has zero creativity. After watching numerous games today, this is very evident. Our offense is very predictable.

I just can't believe thelse are the best playmakers we can recruit in the last 5 years (wr/db) specifically.

if anyone can answer the many questions I have, I appreciate it.

The talent is obvious, but Dominik London and Grant Ryerse struggled in the Raptors victory.

https://minnesota.rivals.com/news/up-and-down-game-for-london-and-ryerse

It's only one game. We all know this is a historically inept PSU team without it's entire starting LB unit. Squeak by a bad Iowa team at home next week and all is well. Please list all the positives ITT. We will be fine. Still well positioned for a Pizza Bowl and a new HC.

For Pete's sake, too many of you give up too damn easy.

I wanted us to win as much as the rest of you, but this game does NOT define our season. It's not time to panic and jump off the bridge.

Lose to Herky and you can panic and so will I. We still have everything we want in front of us. Calm your tits.

I will be shocked if Herman is still in Houston next year... The Texas job or the LSU job would seem like a natural progression for his career.. I have read about the rumblings in Austin.

What could we do to get Herman to come here????

1. Lots of lakes to fish and woods to hunt
2. Leftsa and lutefisk capital, if that is his thing.
3. Tons of 'knowledgable' advice from TGR.
4. Self loathing fans so it will be refreshing when the opponents' fans congratulate him on a job well done.
5. A lifetime supply of free cereal from General Mills.
6. Some scandal in other University sports programs, guaranteed yearly, to deflect the attention off the football team.
7. AAD and OPD as well as STP to give Herman enough TEXAS BROTHERHOOD to smooth over the transition.

I am having trouble thinking of others but gosh AFTER ONE LOSS, there is no other option than to make a change!!

Link: Sunday Night OT recap

The Gopher won 3 ooc games. That was pretty much what was expected of the team. The Gopher played all 3 of those non-conference games in TCF BANK STADIUM. Which team of those 3 teams was the best team? So, to date, nothing had been proved about how good a B1G team the GOPHER was.

Everyone was wondering what would happen when the B1G Season started. Also: what would happen when the Gopher left the friendly confines of TCF BANK STADIUM? Now THAT is always an "X-Factor..." B1G teams are generally better than Oregon State, Indiana State and Colorado State. Playing on the road any where is a challenge...but...playing a B1G team in a hostile B1G Stadium adds still another dimension of difficulty...but...is also a much better test of character, talent, poise and the ability to make the plays necessary to be competitive and to win in the B1G Conference.

The results of the first B1G Road Test were not what we all were hoping for. It was close...but not good enough to go into that huge stadium in State College, PA and come away with a victory. Granted, those of you who give any credence to that "fantasy high school recruiting star ranking system..." have been saying for the past few years that PSU has been recruiting well...at a much higher "star ranking rating" than Coach Kill...and now Coach TC has been. The Gophers are a relatively young team and it was the first road trip and baptism playing in a stadium that holds over 100, 000 enemy fans. The final score was 29 to 26 with PSU beating the Gopher in over time. The Gopher does not appear to be the very BEST team in the B1G Conference. They lost to a PSU team that is now 1-1 in B1G play.

The Gopher will next play a home game against a border rival B1G Conference member at home in TCF BAMK STATIUM. Iowa is currently 1-1 in B1G play and will be playing their 2nd B1G road game. What does 0-1 in B1G Play translate to in terms of telling fans how good...how bad...and what the future holds for the GOPHER in B1G play?
I would guess it says that the Gopher is most likely not as good as 2-0 Michigan or the OSU Buckeyes also sitting at 2-0 in B1G play. How about the 1-1badger, 1-1 Hoosier, 2-0 Maryland, 0-2 Illinois, 1-1 NU Wildcat, 2-0 Husker, 0-2 Rutgers, 0-2 Boilermaker, 0-2 Spartan, or any other team I may have forgotten?

We will know what this test against PSU will tell us about the GOPHER...the players...the coaches...the program as a B1G program.

For now: I firmly believe that PSU was the best...the toughest...the most challenging team and stadium that the Gopher has played in through this current date during this 2016 Football Season. The team is 3-1 overall, and 0-1 in B1G Play with 8 B1G games still to be played.. We will learn more as the Conference games are completed. So, the GOPHER has defeated 3 teams at home that are not as good, as well coached, as well recruited as PSU was in State College, PA today. That is all we know right now. PSU was 3 points better in their stadium than the GOPHER Team today. It is NOT the end of the world. I kind of like to see how things progress from week to week once B1G Conference play commences. The won/loss record will tell us each week just exactly where the GOPHER Program stands compared to the teams that the GOPHER plays at home...and on the road in this little B1G Conference the GOPHER is a charter member of.

1 down...8 to go. In my mind, it is too early to tell how this will all play out. But, rest assured: the Gopher B1G won/loss record will tell us all precisely where the GOPHER stands compared to the other B1G Teams by the end of November, 2016.

Like I said last week, all these penalties are on coaching. You can't keep giving the other team all these free yards. We really need to clean them up.
And was Limey calling the plays for us again? Penn St put 7 or 8 in the box and we run the ball play after play. Throw the ball down field like they were doing. We weren't giving them any yards running it so they threw the ball down field and took a chance.
The 3 plays we run in OT were just terrible! If we play like this, the loses will start piling up. You have to play to win, not tie.

Bring on the Hogeyes and a certain Gopher W. Floyd in our midst will make us happy Gophers!

Mark it down.