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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 2:20:51 AM

SoMnFan

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And then .,..
eventually

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 2:48:54 AM

SoMnFan

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Lets hope ....
"what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 6:27:47 AM

SoMnFan

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Congrats Coach Kill on your first Gopher road win
Like how he doesn't sugarcoat things.
Talks about getting a lot better.

The result was a 30-27 victory over UNLV, the first road win in Jerry Kill's short career as Gophers coach, and a great lesson in his football team's ability to correct mistakes.
"I told the kids, that's fighting back," Kill said after he won a season opener for the first time since 2007, when he was coaching Southern Illinois. "Didn't go your way, fought back, and good things happen."
Good things did, but only after lots of bad things.
The Gophers dominated the game statistically, gaining 478 yards of offense to 275 for the Rebels while holding UNLV to only 48 yards on its first six possessions of the second half. Even the Gophers' fans had a great night, their gold shirts practically outnumbering Rebels fans among the tiny 16,031-person "crowd" at Sam Boyd Stadium.
But all the positives were overwhelmed by the Gophers' own errors for much of the night. Gray was off-target on most of his throws down the field; the Gophers committed 11 penalties for 86 yards; and their special teams had a horrible night. The Gophers punted away six possessions but averaged only 33 yards per punt; watched senior returner Troy Stoudermire fumble away a punt that helped lead to a Rebels go-ahead touchdown; and misfired on Wettstein's short field-goal try shortly before halftime.
"I'm happy with the win, but I know we've got to get better with execution," Kill said. "There were a lot of young kids that played, but there's no excuse for that. I think we're better than that, and I think we will improve. No question about that."

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 8:33:34 AM

Dave E

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Made it into the second half last night before I couldn't handle it anymore.

Want to find some positives here. Defense looked better, I guess?

Encouraging that we won the statistical battle decisively?

Help me out here.

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 9:39:40 AM

Corleone

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Made it into the second half last night before I couldn't handle it anymore.

Want to find some positives here. Defense looked better, I guess?

Encouraging that we won the statistical battle decisively?

Help me out here.

I guess you could say the D looked better, although they were facing a freshman QB and an offense which no one will use the word "juggernaut" to describe. Wells was all over the field and Hageman was a beast on the D-line. On offense, I thought Kirkland looked good running the ball and a few of the young WR's flashed some ability. As I also mentioned upthread, I thought the new unis were pretty sweet.

Lot of negatives, though. Gray missed a bunch of easy throws, a few of which would've been walk-in TD's. I thought they were extremely sloppy on both sides of the ball, way too many stupid mistakes and penalties (including a few that should've been called that weren't). Stoudemire was a train wreck in the secondary and gifted UNLV their only regulation TD by muffing a punt. Play-calling on offense was ultra conservative late in the game, it was pretty obvious that they didn't want Gray to lose the game for them.

I'll give them this much - they perservered and won the football game, something this program has had a history of not doing. But if they want to get to a bowl game, they're going to have to improve significantly in a lot of areas.

today....

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 11:14:28 AM

Steve Lentz

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I expected to see Gray develop more. It's only 1 game and I'll keep watching.

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 11:45:07 AM

panndder

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Gray was a different person later in the game than early on. That's a good sign going forward.

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 11:50:20 AM

Jeff Jesser

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That's because they stopped letting him throw it over 10 yards. Dude is a train wreck. He was tossing 6 yards passes and missing by 8.

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 1:26:31 PM

Jim Frenette

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I also like the new uniforms especially the flat paint helmets. Makes them look tougher.

Gray needs to learn to use some touch on long passes. He has fast WR and still over throws them.

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RE: Gopher Football - 8/31/2012 2:16:29 PM

Mr. Ed

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quote:

I also like the new uniforms especially the flat paint helmets.

I do as well.

Have some work to do. Kill not satisfied. All good at this point.

Better than pulling a Brew and losing.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/3/2012 10:34:35 AM

Karl Juhnke

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Back from Vegas. Great trip.

First the non-game stuff. At the football stadium they have a huge grass tail-gating field, several acres in size. It was packed with Gopher fans. The alumni Association had a circus sized canopy set up in one corner and it was overflowing with people. And many other small groups, including ours. The crowd was close to 50/50. I'd give UNLV the edge because their side was a little more full and the fans on the end were mostly UNLV. I heard later the crowd was only 16,000. It seemed more than that, but it's not a large stadium. Only 30,000 something capacity I think. So I'd say at least 6,000 were Gopher fans, maybe 7,000. On the strip there were people in Maroon and Gold UM gear everywhere.

Then the game. Well...like everyone else has said, never turn up your nose at a win. There were a lot of positives from the game:

Defense. Looked great for most of regulation. The only TD that they gave up was after a fumbled punt game UNLV good field position. They knocked around UNLV's young QB pretty good. Only a couple of sacks but he was hit repeatedly. In the Las Vegas newspaper account of the game he said it had an effect. the hits wore him down.

Gray was a mixed bag. Yes he's taking heat for the overthrows. And he should. Everyone was getting frustrated with them. But he did some good things too. His running was great as normal. And he I thought he showed great overall presence and leadership. He made good decisions...he just threw the ball over the guy's head! Even he acknowledged he was too jacked up and that caused it. Well, fine. But a senior QB is supposed to have that figured out by now. But for all the other positives with him, I'm not giving up on him.

The RB's seemed serviceable. Jury still out there. Anyway Gray is going to be the leading rusher. So that minimizes their impact somewhat.

Receivers showed flashes of potential. I was at first worried that Gray had to throw to unproven targets. Now it sems the targets did fine. Now Gray just has to deliver the ball to them.

Uniforms. Didn't like the uniforms when they were first shown. Didn't like the font of the numbers, among other things. After seeing them in action though, I like them. best they've had in several years.

< Message edited by Karl Juhnke -- 9/3/2012 10:36:19 AM >

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/3/2012 10:43:11 AM

Karl Juhnke

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Oh, one other humorous note. Of course in Vegas you have to put money on the game, right? I got the Gophers at 9 points, so that didn't come through. But what was more interesting was the over/under bet which was 52. I didn't bet that, but my friend who I was with took the over (On my advice). Another friend who was out there but not sitting with us took the under. The whole damn game, under seemed like a lock. nobody could get in the end zone. The 'under' friend sent my 'over' friend a text ridiculing his bet and rubbing it in. Then Overtime. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, FG. 57 points. Over wins. Too perfect. He sent back a text with "Where's your messiah now?"

< Message edited by Karl Juhnke -- 9/3/2012 12:42:23 PM >

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/3/2012 11:35:30 AM

Jim Frenette

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Thanks for your eye witness report Karl

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/3/2012 4:26:11 PM

Karl Juhnke

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On the Gopher Football facebook page there is a photo album of the scene around and in the stadium at Vegas.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151142161552943.473362.6129582942&type=1

I'm not in any of them. But the second picture is the people we were sharing our tailgating spot with... With our red rental car in the back.

It was a fantastic time. If the Gophers play UNLV on the road again in the near future, don't even think about it. Just go.

< Message edited by Karl Juhnke -- 9/3/2012 4:28:54 PM >

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/4/2012 12:01:49 PM

Karl H

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

Then the game. Well...like everyone else has said, never turn up your nose at a win. There were a lot of positives from the game:

Defense. Looked great for most of regulation. The only TD that they gave up was after a fumbled punt game UNLV good field position. They knocked around UNLV's young QB pretty good. Only a couple of sacks but he was hit repeatedly. In the Las Vegas newspaper account of the game he said it had an effect. the hits wore him down.

Gray was a mixed bag. Yes he's taking heat for the overthrows. And he should. Everyone was getting frustrated with them. But he did some good things too. His running was great as normal. And he I thought he showed great overall presence and leadership. He made good decisions...he just threw the ball over the guy's head! Even he acknowledged he was too jacked up and that caused it. Well, fine. But a senior QB is supposed to have that figured out by now. But for all the other positives with him, I'm not giving up on him.

The RB's seemed serviceable. Jury still out there. Anyway Gray is going to be the leading rusher. So that minimizes their impact somewhat.

Receivers showed flashes of potential. I was at first worried that Gray had to throw to unproven targets. Now it sems the targets did fine. Now Gray just has to deliver the ball to them.

Uniforms. Didn't like the uniforms when they were first shown. Didn't like the font of the numbers, among other things. After seeing them in action though, I like them. best they've had in several years.

Pretty much how I saw it also. We'll take the ugly win. We barely survived....similar to Iowa & Northwestern (even Wisky to a lesser degree). Penn State did not.
I thought we handled the LOS real well for about 3 1/2 quarters...then it got more even. The pass blocking was outstanding. Gray usually had all day. OTOH, we knocked their kid down like 15 times. Give him credit for getting up 15 times. 'Shede with 1.5 TFL and a sack. Probably the best I've ever seen Wilhite play. I'm thinking Cornett had about 70 yard thru 3 1/2 but then busted loose on us to end with well over 100.

I didn't understand playing all the new WR's if we were going to use Barker & Engle. I think Barker ended up with the most stats. Most of those guys have not redshirted and we still use 9 WR's?? However, I guess Moulton didn't play & will miss at least one more game. That's still 8 guys. Now Harbison is gone for the year. Never wish for an injury but it may be blessing as he will get a medical redshirt waiver.

The bad news as I saw it: Too many penalties, too many mistakes, punting continues to be awful, and Gray has not improved anywhere near what I expected. Yes, it's just game one. But he needs to play MUCH better if we want to hang with the big dogs of the B1G.

On to New Hampshire.....

< Message edited by Karl H -- 9/4/2012 12:05:10 PM >

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/4/2012 1:12:25 PM

Karl Juhnke

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Yes the penalties were killers.

It got to the point where every 3rd and 3 you were expecting to turn into 3rd and 8 by some stupid penalty. Special teams were a flop too. All around. Fumbled punt return. Poor punts, poor returns, a missed FG.

These were the things that prevented them from winning easy because they dominated in total yards.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/6/2012 8:39:06 AM

Karl H

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A short New Hampshire scouting report...

They appear to be one of the better FCS teams, currently ranked #12. We are the only FBS game on their schedule. Last week they beat Holy Cross by about 3 TD's. Their offense looks like it's a bit better than the defense. They have a redshirt freshman QB who looked pretty good last week, Their RB's and offensive line are decent. The WR's are probably their strongest area on offense.

Defensivley, they run a 4-2-5. They have a DT who apparently got a Senior bowl invite this year. Linebacker is probably their strongest area, as they return last years Buck Buchanaan award winner (best defensive player in the FCS). DB's nothing special.

They have beaten some mid major FBS schools over the past few years, but lost to Toledo last year and Pitt the year before that. Certainly a game we should win, but it may not be a gimme. I'll take Minnesota 34- 24.

11:00 a.m. kickoff at TCF stadium. TV: Big Ten network

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/6/2012 2:39:25 PM

twinsfan

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How can a Big 10 team not pursue a decent kicker or punter during recruiting?

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/6/2012 3:19:31 PM

Jim Frenette

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

How can a Big 10 team not pursue a decent kicker or punter during recruiting?

There really not that many around. HS teams will go for 2 often instead of kick because of lack of good kicker. They need to be developed

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/6/2012 4:29:07 PM

Karl H

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim Frenette

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

How can a Big 10 team not pursue a decent kicker or punter during recruiting?

There really not that many around. HS teams will go for 2 often instead of kick because of lack of good kicker. They need to be developed

Yeah, I believe most schools, including us, typically recruit them as walk-ons. Although we have punter Orseske and kicker Hawthorne both on scholarship. And neither start.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/8/2012 8:42:06 AM

Karl Juhnke

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Game day. This should be an interesting game. No, I'm not suggesting that a Big 10 team shouldn't be expected to handle New Hampshire easily. They absolutely have to. But if you go beyond just looking at the name on the schedule, and saying cream puff, you realize that this can be one of those pesky games that occasionally bite FBS teams in the ass.

New Hampshire was a very good football team last year. They were 8-4 and scored a ton of points in the process. They were narrowly defeated in the playoffs by a blocked extra point.

Cream puff? Yes. But these are also 'real' football games and you'd better be ready for them.

< Message edited by Karl Juhnke -- 9/8/2012 8:43:11 AM >

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/8/2012 10:23:58 AM

Jeff Jesser

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This team can't handle SD at times. They are fools if they go in to this with a "lock" mentality.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/8/2012 11:12:21 AM

twinsfan

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The Gophers haven't played a lock game (in their favor) since the middle of the Mason era.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/8/2012 11:16:59 AM

panndder

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

The Gophers haven't played a lock game (in their favor) since the middle of the Mason era.

In Mason's final season, they beat Kent State 44-0 and Temple 62-0.

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RE: Gopher Football - 9/8/2012 11:18:29 AM

twinsfan

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Good throw, Gray! Thing of beauty so far.

Not sure why NH got the penalty on the kick return. Looked like the Gopher return guy should have been penalized for a stiff-arm to the facemask of a NH player.

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