http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/134425/take-two-minnesotas-win-total-in-2016
Over/Under 6.5 wins for Minnesota
Brian Bennett=Over
BB has been covering this league for several years now. He's gotten better and better the past few years after a shaky start to his tenure. Bennett thinks the Gophers were crushed by injuries and a tough schedule last year (he's correct). BB believes the Gophers will ride the running game, D, and Mitch to late season contention for west division.
Moyer=Under
Moyer thinks Minnesota won't be as good due to a worse D and bad receivers. Dude is the ultimate Penn State homer. Guy has predicted that Penn State would win 9+ games for 3 years in a row. Moyer spent an entire year coming up with excuses for when the Gophers hammered Penn State in 2014.
I honestly cannot wait to see what he writes after Minnesota rides into Happy Valley & leaves with a 2 score victory. The funniest part is when Moyer writes off Mitch Leidner by saying the new offense is 'better suited to the backups'. I mean, why research Leidner when you can throw out something that sounds plausible?
full text below:
BB:
The Gophers are my sleeper pick in the Big Ten West. Remember that they went 5-7 in the regular season last year despite a rash of injuries and a brutal schedule that included games against TCU, Ohio State and Michigan, plus a road trip to Iowa. A little better fortune on the health front should help a great deal. Also helpful: a nonconference slate featuring Oregon State, Indiana State and Colorado State, all at home, and no crossovers against the Buckeyes, Wolverines or Michigan State. Minnesota enters the season with a fifth-year senior at quarterback (Mitch Leidner), a solid running game that should see a boost under new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and another talented secondary led byJalen Myrick and Damarius Travis. They'll win at least seven games and should be a factor in the division race.
ESPN blogger and future 'To Catch a Predator' arrestee, Josh Moyer:
I'm not quite as bullish on the Gophers this season. Don't get me wrong; I still think they'll win six games and head to a bowl. But they're still a notch below the West's best. Leidner may return, but the new offense appears to be a better fit for his backups. And the lack of playmakers at receiver is a big issue moving forward; all the drops in the spring game only reinforced that. Minnesota's secondary is almost certainly going to take a step back, and the pass-rush (or lack thereof) is a real concern. On top of all that, Minnesota's third-down defense was atrocious last season and, even with the nation's No. 13 pass defense, it still allowed more passing first downs there than all but two B1G teams (Indiana, Nebraska). I think this team is likely to win between six and eight games but, because of those question marks, I'm sticking with the "under" for now.
Over/Under 6.5 wins for Minnesota
Brian Bennett=Over
BB has been covering this league for several years now. He's gotten better and better the past few years after a shaky start to his tenure. Bennett thinks the Gophers were crushed by injuries and a tough schedule last year (he's correct). BB believes the Gophers will ride the running game, D, and Mitch to late season contention for west division.
Moyer=Under
Moyer thinks Minnesota won't be as good due to a worse D and bad receivers. Dude is the ultimate Penn State homer. Guy has predicted that Penn State would win 9+ games for 3 years in a row. Moyer spent an entire year coming up with excuses for when the Gophers hammered Penn State in 2014.
I honestly cannot wait to see what he writes after Minnesota rides into Happy Valley & leaves with a 2 score victory. The funniest part is when Moyer writes off Mitch Leidner by saying the new offense is 'better suited to the backups'. I mean, why research Leidner when you can throw out something that sounds plausible?
full text below:
BB:
The Gophers are my sleeper pick in the Big Ten West. Remember that they went 5-7 in the regular season last year despite a rash of injuries and a brutal schedule that included games against TCU, Ohio State and Michigan, plus a road trip to Iowa. A little better fortune on the health front should help a great deal. Also helpful: a nonconference slate featuring Oregon State, Indiana State and Colorado State, all at home, and no crossovers against the Buckeyes, Wolverines or Michigan State. Minnesota enters the season with a fifth-year senior at quarterback (Mitch Leidner), a solid running game that should see a boost under new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and another talented secondary led byJalen Myrick and Damarius Travis. They'll win at least seven games and should be a factor in the division race.
ESPN blogger and future 'To Catch a Predator' arrestee, Josh Moyer:
I'm not quite as bullish on the Gophers this season. Don't get me wrong; I still think they'll win six games and head to a bowl. But they're still a notch below the West's best. Leidner may return, but the new offense appears to be a better fit for his backups. And the lack of playmakers at receiver is a big issue moving forward; all the drops in the spring game only reinforced that. Minnesota's secondary is almost certainly going to take a step back, and the pass-rush (or lack thereof) is a real concern. On top of all that, Minnesota's third-down defense was atrocious last season and, even with the nation's No. 13 pass defense, it still allowed more passing first downs there than all but two B1G teams (Indiana, Nebraska). I think this team is likely to win between six and eight games but, because of those question marks, I'm sticking with the "under" for now.
