non-con opponent next two years...Former Cal coach Jeff Tedford has turned team around in his first year from 1-11 last year (3-9 in 2015, 6-8 in 2014) to 8-3 with nice win over Wyoming yesterday...he had non-con losses to Bama and Washington, both top 6 teams. Offensive coordinator is Milbank, SD native Kalen DeBoer, who had a nice run as coach at University of Sioux Falls. Hope they look less impressive vs Boise State or in Bowl game.

that there will be a new QB under center next year... and it's a loud whisper...

Press release:



For the third straight week, Minnesota junior forward Jordan Murphy has been selected the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday.



Murphy is the first player since Evan Turner of Ohio State to earn the award in three consecutive weeks. Turner did so in 2009, also in the first three weeks of the season. He is just the second Gopher to ever win the award three times in a single season, joining Quincy Lewis in the 1998-99 season.



Murphy continued his streak of double-doubles in three victories last week, extending it to seven. The San Antonio, Texas native is tied with Duke’s Marvin Bagley III for the nation’s lead in double-doubles.



On Tuesday against Alabama A&M, Murphy connected for 20 points and 10 rebounds on 9-of-10 field goal shooting, adding four steals, two assists and a block in 22 minutes of action against the Bulldogs. In Brooklyn, N.Y., in the opening game of the Barclays Center Classic, Murphy contributed 16 points, 11 rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist in a 69-51 victory over UMass. The next day, he followed it up with a first-half double-double en route to 19 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the 89-84 win over 25th-ranked Alabama.



For his efforts in Brooklyn, Murphy was selected as the Barclays Center Classic tournament most valuable player.



Murphy averaged 18.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.7 blocks and one assist per game in the Gophers’ three wins last week, helping power Minnesota into a 7-0 start. He currently ranks fifth nationally with 12 rebounds per game and 22nd in scoring and atop the Big Ten averaging 22.5 points per game.



The 12th-ranked Gophers return to action on Wednesday at home, hosting No. 10 Miami in a battle of top-15 teams in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. on ESPN2.

Link: Okonji ready to take Minnesota to the next level

Any chance they think Armstrong is the guy?

They will probably pick up two qb's now. We think we know the first one, who would be the second one?

"A handful of Tennessee politicians, including at least three state representatives and four Republican gubernatorial candidates, issued statements on Twitter, criticizing the potential hiring of Schiano.

Some of them might have had legitimate concerns about Schiano's behavior at Penn State, but others likely didn't want him coaching the Volunteers. Tennessee's administration had planned on announcing Schiano's hiring on Sunday night. Instead, it backed out of a memorandum of understanding it had reached with Schiano in Columbus, Ohio, earlier in the day.

If we've learned anything in the first couple of weeks of the coaching carousel, it's that many schools and their fans have unrealistic expectations of how good their football programs are and should be. A large percentage of Florida fans probably weren't happy that the Gators settled on Mullen, who is considered a safe hire, but is far less sexy than Chip Kelly and UCF's Scott Frost, who were the Gators' top choices. Ole Miss fans probably aren't thrilled that the Rebels promoted interim coach Matt Luke, who guided his team to a 6-6 record this past season after former coach Hugh Freeze abruptly resigned in July. But with more NCAA sanctions possibly looming, Ole Miss officials decided to reward their homegrown interim coach, who always wanted to coach the Rebels and is very popular with his players.

As for the Volunteers, for weeks, many fans had grand (and false) illusions of hiring another former Buccaneers coach: current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden. Of course, Gruden was never coming, and he sure as hell isn't going to Rocky Top now...

The Volunteers aren't the only FBS program with an inflated ego. Arizona State fired coach Todd Graham on Sunday morning, one day after the Sun Devils beat rival Arizona 42-30 to finish 7-5. Graham went 46-31 in six seasons...

"Everybody thinks making a change is the best thing, and now with this early signing period, everybody wants to get rid of their guy early," Alabama's Nick Saban said. "They feel like it won't affect them in recruiting as much. The players should be able to finish the year with the coaches they have and not go through all these changes during the season. I think that's hard on the players, but I think it's going to stay that way."...

"My question about all this stuff is: Who do you hire?" Saban said. "You basically start all over. You keep starting all over."

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ch-takes-bizarre-turn-backs-away-greg-schiano

Link: Ahanotu is ready to be elite

Animal!! Per twitter

Isn't Zack Annexstad going to be a POW? Did not see his name on the Eligibility Tracker. I watched his film, looks like there is some ability. He plays at IMG, must be some decent competition.

Watched his senior highlight tape and thought, "man, I love his closing speed at linebacker. Reminds me of Blake Cashman."

I thought he was being recruited as a running back, but I see on the commitment page he's listed as a linebacker. I think that's a good spot for him. With Rush, Oliver and Marin, we're getting linebackers that can run!

Mods?

Really hoping for a bat signal on this kid ASAP.

As I sit in SoCal trying to be an honest, devoted Gopher Football fan, I am stunned at the separation of the two sides when discussing PJ. I do not understand the vitriol and malice towards him from those who do not care for him.

I remember my first year at any job and it was never pretty. Then factor in that he has no QB, injuries are everywhere and we all know the culture was in dire need of change. While I am not naive to our fringe bowl status or lack of positive support from any media outlet, I am truly stunned at the way so many Minnesotans view him. My Uncle, who is a 45 year ticket holder compared him to Trump and my best friend for three decades thinks we are a one loss team with Claeys. I am honestly baffled.

We are a bad team with bad skill players. Only the mediocrity of our opponents has kept us in games. I follow the recruiting and it is better than anything since Holtz. Former Players (more than 3 years removed), fans and media from every other B1G programs and national sports outlets all think he is going to succeed, but a large representation of the passive-aggressive midwesterners are angry and vocal about their unhappiness.

What am I missing? When Brew and Kill arrived, they both got “three years to prove it with their players.” Brew was exposed early, but a few recruits kept him relevant until he was too much. Kill and Claeys left this current roster void of anything resembling a QB, DE or TE, but yet were difference makers? We all know how I feel about JK as a person and am forever appreciative of what he did for myself and wife during her fight, but he was not the long term solution.

I would like an open discussion about why PJ has already failed to his detractors. Why are we already sure that he is not what he was at his former program? Is Claeys more missed by that crowd or Sawvel? Why are anti-Fleck fans so angry?

Both USC and UCLA want PJ on their short list, so why are they wrong?

According to Chris Fowler . . .

http://www.ketv.com/article/espns-c...and-scott-frost-deal-done-for-awhile/13929541

Confirmed with a couple people that Demry Croft was not at the end of season banquet today. I'll keep you posted if I hear more.

Pretty balanced review of the 2017 season from Shama. His conclusions:

- It's too early to judge Fleck in any comprehensive way
- He inherited massive problems at QB & WR, nothing he could materially do about that in season one (year zero)
- 9-4 was unrealistic - but 5-7 to 7-5 was.
- Fleck's recruiting is the hope - he's good at it and could have one of the best classes in the B1G West when the 2018 rankings settle.
- Shama believes that Fleck and Co did not get the most out of the 2017 team. Close losses to Maryland, Iowa, and Purdue could/should have been wins.
- Execution was poor at times and the team also lacked focus and effort at times (Maryland & NW come to mind)
- Fleck is unfazed by negativity - he stays positive.
- Fans should think twice about piling on - recruiters will use that against us.
- Shama looks to the Pitino arc as a pathway forward for Fleck, featuring, you guessed it, recruiting.

Pretty solid summary, our fan base will again be asked for patience. I walked out of TCF as the Badgers paraded around with the axe, and I had no idea if we are at the beginning of something special or whether it is the familiar rinse/repeat cycle of our fringe bowl program. None of us know for sure, it will be interesting to see how we play in 2018.

Sagarin's USA Today power ratings are out after the last games of the regular season. In order of strength-of-schedule player, listed below are the teams, SOS, win-loss record and rank:
Maryland (1) 4-8 and (80)--that's right, MD played the toughest schedule in the nation.
Iowa (4) 7-5 (22)
Nebraska (6) 4-8 (73)
Michigan State (9) 9-3 (26)--MSU won two more games than IA and beat them head-to-head, yet ranked lower. Go figure.
Purdue (28) 6-6 (35)
Rutgers (29) 4-8 (4-8)
Michigan (21) 8-4 (21)
Illinois (35) 2-10 (125)
Indiana (39) 5-7 (52)
Ohio State (42) 10-2 (6)
Penn State (45) 10-2 (4)
Northwestern (49) 9-3 ((19)
Minnesota (56) 5-7 (61)
Wisconsin (61) 12-0 (5)

http://www.twincities.com/2017/11/2...four-more-on-senior-day-versus-wisconsin/amp/

I can confirm Greder's report that Everett Williams, Melvin Holland Jr., Will Reger, and Logan McElfresh will all walk today.

Thank you to all of them for their time in Minnesota!

That also frees up two scholarships for the 2018 class (class is still projected to add three more, that doesn't change).

Glad our new HC wears sparkly clothes and doesn't wear a sweatshirt like Chryst does and Claeys did

Confirmed that Rashad Still is no longer with the team.

I hope this guy is in Fleck's sites. Forty-six touchdowns, over two thousand yards. He doesn't run; he glides. Weighs around 220, still fast. He's only a junior, though. He scored five rushing touchdowns yesterday and another one on a kickoff return that was supposed to be a pooch kick. He made Elk River look bad; they're actually pretty good.

leads the Toronto Argo(naut)s to a CFL Championship in the 105th Grey Cup game today. This is his 3rd Grey Cup as head coach. Led the Argos from worse to first.

Looking for updated lists. Still won't be back, neither is Croft.

Will probably lose a few more of our current players, usually backups.

Will probably have some recruits struggle with grades/admissions.

So does that mean our staff is aggressively recruiting another 8 to 10 players?

I am still wondering why Moorehead at Penn State and Brent Venables at Clemson are not being pursued more publically as assistants for head coaching opportunities. Maybe both have already said they arent interested in leaving their present positions, I dont know.... Heck, Moorehead had a successful run for a few years as head coach at Fordham...Venables is from Kansas originally so I thought he may be at a point in his career that he wants a head coaching job back in the plains or even in the SEC. Turned down numerous head coaching opportunities in the past and may be satisfied to work the rest of his career as a top flight assistant..

I heard that if the Mississippi jobs opened up that geographically, it would make sense to get Mike Norvell from Memphis, which is on the Mississippi border..Or maybe former Memphis coach, Justin Fuente who is at Virginia Tech.. Gus Malzahn has a team that has a great chance at making the college football playoffs at Auburn since they have beaten Alabama yet he may want to go home to Arkansas in the same conference... Kinda strange to me, really to go from a school that potentially can win the national championship to a rebuild but it is "home"... Neal Brown at Troy has to be foaming at the mouth as I am sure he would be under consideration to move up to the Auburn job if Malzahn leaves. Brown was OC at Kentucky and has had decent offenses at Troy, which is in Alabama. I have even heard from a person who I dont think has much credibility that Bielema could go to Iowa State if Matt Campbell takes on a bigger job..One thing I am pretty sure is that Nebraska will be the only Big Ten team to change head coaches this off season. Schiano and Mullen are good hires at Tennessee and Florida, in my opinion. McElwain will probably go back out west somewhere, at some point..Butch Jones may end up at a smaller school, perhaps a MAC school. These 2 big hires in the SEC should start the dominoes falling, so this is going to be quite a ride to sort out wild rumors and actual hires.

Cryptic post on twitter. @Littlefinger. Maybe you could post it. Not sure technology wise how to. Doubt he comes here but worth talking about