Minnesota Headhunter

2012 Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Signing Class

It has been a long time since I posted anything about Gopher football here. Do not think that shows a lack of enthusiasm or that my support is wavering.

Quite the opposite but time has been in very short supply so while I have been attending and traveling to games my blogging has been absent.

My Tweets however have been in great supply. You can follow me on Twitter by clicking @Gophers

Today is National Signing Day for football and this evening I will be attending the University of Minnesota event at TCF Bank Stadium.

I look forward to seeing some old friends tonight and hearing from Coach Kill about this class.

Below is a press release from the athletic department on today’s announcements.

Go Gophers!!!

NOTE: The U of M athletic department has done an awesome job today. They have player bio's posted including video and I have added the link for each player below. For more information click Minnesota National Signing Day.

Legendary Gophers Football Coach Murray Warmath Dies

Taking a break from the usual stuff to drop in the sad news of the passing of Murray Warmath.

Here is a press release from the University of Minnesota:

Legendary University of Minnesota football coach Murray Warmath passed away Wednesday at age 98 in Bloomington, Minn. Warmath led the Golden Gophers to a national championship and went to two Rose Bowls in his 18-year tenure with Minnesota. 

Minnesota Golden Gophers 2011 National Signing Day Recap

It is always a good day when I can go over to the University of Minnesota campus and hang out with my Golden Gopher friends. A huge crowd turnout out for the Golden Gopher football national signing day event:

Emcee for the event was Gopher football alum Darrell Thompson who as part of the program interviewed four Gopher football alumni: Rickey Foggie, Chip Lohmiller, Marion Barber, Jr and Ray Hitchcock

Press Conference Transcript: Minnesota Golden Gophers Head Football Coach Jerry Kill

Below is the transcript from the December 6th, 2010 introduction of Jerry Kill as the next Head Coach of the University of Minnesota football team.

Coach Kill signed a 5 year, $5 million dollar contract with incentives.

Transcript:

JOEL MATURI: Good afternoon and welcome. This 51‑day search for a new football coach for the University of Minnesota has finally come to a conclusion, and it's a good conclusion.

Before I introduce Coach Kill, I want to take a minute to than Coach Jeff Horton for the tremendous job that he did as interim coach here at the University of Minnesota. Not only did we win our final two football games, including a trophy game, but the success he had in keeping the staff and players focused on football, the classrooms, and their jobs was remarkable. Really a debt of gratitude and thanks.

When we began this journey, we stated that we had some preferences as to the character, experience, and qualifications for the next football coach here at the University of Minnesota. We had some absolutes: No NCAA violations of significance, no social conduct issues, and a demonstrated commitment to academics.

Official Press Release: Jerry Kill Named Golden Gopher Football Head Coach

Jerry Kill has been named head coach of the University of Minnesota football program. Minnesota Director of Athletics Joel Maturi announced the signing of Kill to a five-year contract Sunday night.

Kill comes to Minnesota after spending the last three seasons on the sidelines at Northern Illinois University. Kill has led the Huskies to three consecutive bowl games during his tenure. He also coached NIU to a berth the Mid-American Conference Championship game this season. Kill put together a 23-16 record in his three seasons with the Huskies.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to be the head coach at the University of Minnesota,” Kill said. “It is a tremendous opportunity and -- I think -- great timing. I can promise all the people at the University of Minnesota and throughout the entire state that I am going to give them every single ounce that I can give them. I have done that on every job that I have taken. I was raised the old-school way by my father and mother to do my job to the very best of my ability. You go full speed at it and you don’t let anyone out-work you. I have lived by that motto my entire life and that is what I intend to do at the University of Minnesota.”

In three seasons, Kill coached two winners of the Mid-American Conference Vern Smith Leadership Award, given annually to the conference’s top football player. Defensive end Larry English won the award in 2008, Kill’s first season with the Huskies. Running back Chad Spann was honored as the conference’s top player this season. English went on to be the No. 16 overall choice in the 2009 NFL Draft and currently plays for the San Diego Chargers. Spann currently ranks No. 12 in the nation in scoring and No. 20 in rushing.

University Of Minnesota Gopher Football Coach 2010 Search Names

If the rumors of the past 24 hours are correct sometime today we will get word about who the next Head Coach is at the University of Minnesota.

I have been on Twitter a lot with my @Gophers account and have had TweetDeck fired up with a column dedicated to this by searching “gopher OR gophers” for about 3 weeks now.

Hats Off to Interim Head Coach Jeff Horton, the staff and the players for staying strong and finishing the year with two wins including bring the pig, Floyd Of Rosedale back to Minneapolis where he belongs.

See this blog post for my photos and video from the Iowa game --> Minnesota Golden Gophers Vs Iowa Hawkeyes 2010 Photos And Video

While we wait I am taking a stroll down memory lane (about 60 days now, has it been longer?) since Tim Brewster was relieved of his duties and the search for his replacement was started.

Below are some of the names that have been mentioned during this process. I am not going to sit here and tell you who was a legit candidate, who was interviewed or who was not.

Minnesota Golden Gophers Vs Iowa Hawkeyes 2010 Photos And Video

So I still have not figured out what to do with Gopher The Roses (Gopher Football Blog) and I have not posted any information here since the firing of Head Coach Tim Brewster.

Heck, come to think of it I have not posted any coaching news speculation and now things are getting really crazy with rumors.

Not because I have no interest but a lack of time.

But… last nights victory by the Minnesota Golden Gophers over the Iowa Hawkeyes that brings back Floyd Of Rosedale has me jacked up 24 hours later.

Here is a Floyd Of Rosedale photo:

University Of Minnesota Head Football Coach Tim Brewster Fired

I have not blogged here or at Gopher The Roses in a long time about Gopher football. I care and I have been attending, screaming my head off and supporting the team, just not had enough time to wrote about it.

This morning the following was sent out by the University of Minnesota:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                          Oct. 17, 2010

Contacts: Garry Bowman (612-875-0154) and Andy Seeley (612-269-2706)

Brewster Relieved of Head Coaching Duties

Athletics director Joel Maturi announced this morning that Tim Brewster has been relieved of his duties as head football coach and that his contract has been terminated. Brewster will be replaced on an interim basis by co-offensive coordinator Jeff Horton, according to Maturi.

“While I appreciate the passion and commitment that Coach Brewster has shown, it is clear that a change in the leadership of Gopher football is necessary,” Maturi said. “We have high aspirations for our football program and we are not satisfied with its current direction. The results so far this season have been unacceptable and the program has simply not shown enough improvement over the past three and a half years to continue with the status quo.”

Maturi said that he has had several discussions regarding the state of the program with university president Robert Bruininks in recent weeks and that the president was in complete agreement with the decision to remove Brewster as head coach. Maturi then told Brewster of his decision this morning.

Brewster, 50, was named Minnesota's 26th head football coach on Jan. 17, 2007. He signed a contract extension in January of 2010 and will be paid a buyout of $600,000 per that agreement.

Brewster coached a total of 45 games with the Gophers and compiled a 15-30 (.333) overall record, including a 6-21 (.222) mark in Big Ten games after yesterday’s 28-17 loss to Purdue.

During his three-plus years at the helm, Brewster guided the Gophers to a pair of Insight Bowl appearances, with his best season coming in 2008, when he guided Minnesota to a 7-6 record.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Director of athletics Joel Maturi, along with interim head coach Jeff Horton and a student-athlete will be available to the media at a news conference today at 1 pm. The news conference will be held in the home team interview room at TCF Bank Stadium. Media interested in attending the news conference should park in Sports Media Parking on either the northeast or northwest sides of Mariucci Arena. Additional sports media parking is available on the apron at Williams Arena. Please enter TCF Bank Stadium through the Dodge County entrance. Television outlets should park in the TV compound, where they can patch directly into the home team interview room.

-UM-

TCF Bank Stadium Tour Pictures

I am working on updating Gopher The Roses (Gopher football blog) in time for Saturday's kickoff but for the moment thought you might enjoy these photos.

Back on July 31st, 2009 I was invited to be part of a tour group of the new TCF Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team (marching band too).

Maybe I was included because of my involvement on the Tailgate Committee (a subcommittee of Gopher Game Day), my volunteer activities on and near campus, my 27 years years as a season ticket holder or maybe because the squeaky wheel made enough noise.

I was not shy about my wanting to get in on a tour and I want to thank my friends at the university and athletic department for including me.

Phil Esten, Associate Athletic Director, gave the tour and to be honest I remember very little of what he said. I was too jacked up, taking pictures and trying to take it all in. Someone said (and I agree) that I was the little kid in the group.

What follows are many of the 100+ photos I took that day:

Minnesota Golden Gopher Football And Head Coach Tim Brewster Using Social Media Sites Like Twitter And Facebook

Over the past year the University of Minnesota Athletic Department has done a wonderful job using social media and social networking sites to promote Gopher football and Head Coach Tim Brewster.

The main site or home for all things Gopher sports related is GopherSports.com

For Gopher football and Head Coach Tim Brewster the following sites have been created using social networking sites allowing for more access, news, photos and video:

Web Sites

• Play4Brew.com (official web site)
• Brew Crew Report (official blog)

Twitter:

• Head Coach Tim Brewster
• Gopher Football
• Gopher Athletics

YouTube

• Play4Brew

Facebook

• Play4Brew

TCF Bank Stadium: New Home For The University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Team

M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A

Minnesota

Minnesota

yyyyeeeeaaAAAAHHHH!!!!! Gophers

Rah!!!

OK, it has been a really long time since I posted anything about Minnesota Golden Gopher Football here. When I started this blog 4+ years ago Gopher football was a part of it but for some it was annoying. Especially after then Head Coach Glen Mason was fired and through the hiring of current Head Coach Tim Brewster.

I blogged more about the head coach job search than my day job.

MN Headhunter’s Gopher Football Blog Interview From October 2007

Newer visitors to MN Headhunter are unaware that until January of 2007 I was doing frequent posts about Minnesota Golden Gopher Football. Some of my Recruiter, HR, and Tech friends grew annoyed with my frequent posts about who would replace Glen Mason and then commentary on Coach Tim Brewster.

So I started a new blog Gopher The Roses and moved content over there. The problem was/is, it was a whole lot easier posting here than doing it there. Not sure why, maybe my attention span. Or maybe the thought of how much work two blogs would be.

I don’t know.

Anyway, another Gopher Football blogger and I were interviewed for the Tim Brewster Show in October of 2007.

Below is the post I just put up at Gopher The Roses...

As posted May 04, 2008 at Gopher The Roses:

Last season Jeremy Miller who writes Golden Gopher Football and I were interviewed about our Gopher football blogs. I still have not had a chance to meet Jeremy but have swapped some email over the months.

Below is the video of the replay on a TV. The quality is a little off but the audio is good and you will get the idea of the interview.

Jeremy is featured first. I get in at the 1:45 minute mark.

The funny looking dude at the end is my fraternity and pledge brother Jason who I travel with once or twice a year. The 2008 season is looking like we are on a plane to Ohio State (Columbus) and by car to Wisconsin (Madison).

Technorati Tags: Gopher Football

Tony Dungy To Speak At Annual Alumni Association Event

Indianapolis Colts Head Coach and University of Minnesota alum Tony Dungy is the keynote speaker at the University of Minnesota Alumni Association annual event on May 8.

   

Here is the link to the event, Super Bowl Winner Tony Dungy Headlines 2007 Annual Celebration. Tickets go on sale February 22.

   

This is open to the public. Scroll down their page to see ticket prices.

   

Coach Dungy had already been confirmed prior to the Super Bowl victory. He is a great speaker and I like many, many others are looking forward to this event.

Rocky Mountain News: Tim Brewster Expected To Be Announced Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach

I know I promised that I would refrain from posting any more Gopher football content here on the business blog but this may be the finale to a 16-day saga following the firing of Coach Glen Mason.

   

Go to my new blog Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com, for the link to the news story.

   

A reminder that all of the Gopher Football blog posts here on MN Headhunter have been moved over there with new content added frequently.

   

Go Gophers

Announcing New Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Blog

The past week I have been working on Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. All of the posts here have been migrated over there.

   

So for my friends who are reading MN Headhunter for business news, job search tips, ideas on recruiting, etc you will no longer have to scroll down past posts or read feeds that you have no interest in.

   

However, if you are interested in the Gopher football posts you find more in depth information than I did here. There is a RSS feed set up too.

   

Go Gophers

Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Search And Possible Candidates

On January 7, 2007 I created a blog specifically for Minnesota Golden Gopher football called Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. There you will find all of the posts from this site and more in depth coverage on all things Gopher football than I was able to do here on the business blog.

   

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Search And Possible Candidates

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers 41 and Texas Red Raiders 44, Review

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

Link for my reaction after the game Fire Coach Glen Mason?

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview

 

   

Original Post:

As I write this a little after midnight on January 2^nd and around 31 hours since the official announcement by Athletic Director Joel Maturi of the firing, I think the politically correct term may be dismissal, there have already been a number of names tossed out as potential candidates to replace former head coach Glen Mason.

   

As this process moves along I will continue to update the list. Some of these names are in my opinion not at all possible for the university and/or the coach but here goes and in no particular order:

   

-Tony Dungy. A former Gopher player. Why on earth would he leave the Colts?

-Lou Holtz. Coached here for two years between Arkansas and Notre Dame. Has sworn he has retired.

-Mike Grant. Some of Bud Grant. A local high school coach with a top program in the state.

-Marc Trestman. I lost track of where he is now. A MN native. 17+ years in the NFL.

-Dan McCarney. Recent Iowa State head coach.

-Craig Bohl. North Dakota State Head Coach. Division I-AA. Great coach. Good recruiter.

-Frank Solich. Ohio University Head Coach. Former Nebraska coach.

-Skip Holtz. East Carolina Head Coach. Lou's son.

-Joe Glynn. Wyoming Head Coach.

-Mitch Browning. Was the recent Gopher Offensive Coordinator.

-DeWayne Walker. UCLA Defensive Coordinator. A former Gopher Cornerback in the early 80's.

-Paul Chryst. Wisconsin Offensive Coordinator. Would have connections to A.D. Joel Maturi.

-Mike Tice. Former Vikings Head Coach and current Assistant Coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

-Mike Price. UTEP Head Coach.

Updated January 2^nd, 5:30 pm:

Take Tony Dungy off the list, Dungy passes on college job, assistant talking to Ariz..

   

Updated January 2^nd, 4:00 pm:

I am not a listener of talk radio but this afternoon I tuned in to KFAN, a popular Minnesota sports talk radio station, and caught the last part of an interview with Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi.

   

From what I heard:

-Search firms have been spoken with but no group has been retained yet.

-This could be a quick search and plans to have a coach hired in 3-4 weeks. (That does not seem quick to me.)

-He has not met with Glen Mason, their conversation was over the phone.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 41 and Texas Red Raiders 44, Review

On January 7, 2007 I created a blog specifically for Minnesota Golden Gopher football called Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. There you will find all of the posts from this site and more in depth coverage on all things Gopher football than I was able to do here on the business blog.

   

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Search And Possible Candidates

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers 41 and Texas Red Raiders 44, Review

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

Link for my reaction after the game Fire Coach Glen Mason?

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview

Original Post:

It has taken me a couple of days to get my thoughts together on the game. With the announcement of the Glen Mason firing I have been thinking about what’s next versus what was the other night.

   

Before getting started, in the previews of games I have included links to opposing team blogs. I found a couple of blogs but they had not been updated recently so I did not link to them.

   

On Saturday I came across Seth Jungman who writes the blog Double T Nation. He has a great look at the game from the Red Raider perspective. We have swapped a few email messages since the game. I wish I had found him before the game. We would have had some nice posts between us. He also has some information today on Bobby Knight getting his 880^th victory.

   

Over all I do not have much to say regarding the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Insight Bowl.

   

The prediction I made in the Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview was for the most part dead on. I think I must have been one of less than a hundred people who thought the Gophers could win.

   

For 2 ½ quarters they proved me right:

-Texas Tech is an inconsistent but highly explosive team.

-They are a good, talented team but they are not Ohio State, Michigan or Wisconsin. I should toss Cal in there too.

-Their defense is good but not great.

-Give any team 30+ days to prepare for a team that is great in one category of the game and you should be able to slow it down. If not, you suck. Both played out. We shut them down and then we sucked.

-We forced turnovers.

-We did better in third down situations.

-TE Jack Simmons did a great job replacing Matt Spaeth.

-On offense we were balanced.

   

For the next 1½ quarters the Gophers (and most importantly their coaches) went in the tank:

-We stopped rushing 4 and 5 guys and went with 3.

-Simmons missed some key blocks.

-The stiff zone pass defense became a soft zone and then a non-existent zone.

-With no timeouts Texas Tech needed to run pass patterns and step out of bounds. Apparently we did not understand that.

-The plays called by the offensives coordinator(s) became extremely conservative with an occasional high risk pass play.

   

There were a few plays that the referees blew. A non-call on a Gophers pass play when one of our receivers was mugged. A likely phantom call, remember Penn State, when a back judge called a Gopher defensive back for interference when the side judge, if there was a call to be made, did not make one.

   

The second to the last play of regulation a Texas Tech running back clearly had a false start. It would have made the field goal 57 yards instead of 52. I get that the Red Raider kicker let loose on a ball (to tie the game) that would have been good from 60+ yards but maybe it would have had an impact in his brain. Who knows but I doubt it.

   

But those three plays would not have mattered if we could have had one more first down at the end of the game.

   

I have no idea why we called a play that had Bryan Cupito run a naked bootleg on 3^rd and 8. I concede that if it had worked it would have been the biggest bowl game play thus far in any game. No one would have thought  we would do that. We would have held on and would run out the clock.

   

Instead Texas Tech ran a pass blitz bringing the defensive end inside with a linebacker looping around the end right where Cupito was running. Not Cupito’s fault.

   

In fact, I find little fault with the players. Sure there were a coupl of mistakes but that happens in every game by every team. That’s part of the game.

   

The players run the plays called by the coaches. The defense runs the schemes called by the coaches.

   

And now we get to my frustration of the game and really of the season, the coaching staff.

   

For 2 ½ quarters we played like the last three games of the season. With purpose, direction, aggressive, dominating, and playing to win.

   

The last 1 ½ quarters we played not to lose. Was as if the coaching staff thought we were up enough points that even with the high octane Texas Tech offense on afterburners there was no way they could come back 31 points.

   

I lay this at the feet of the coaches.

   

We made no adjustments. We did nothing to counter what Texas Tech did. If by chanced we did, they were not noticeable and they clearly did not work.

   

There were two moments in the game that annoyed me. The first, Glen Mason had that damn smirk he has grown famous for. It was near the end of the first half. Like he thought the game was done.

   

The second, after the Red Raiders tied it with the 52-yard field goal the only expression Coach Mason had was the raising of his eyebrows as if to say “Wow”. That’s it. No emotion. Nothing.

   

An appropriate finish to the Glen Mason era…

Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

On January 7, 2007 I created a blog specifically for Minnesota Golden Gopher football called Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. There you will find all of the posts from this site and more in depth coverage on all things Gopher football than I was able to do here on the business blog.

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Search And Possible Candidates

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers 41 and Texas Red Raiders 44, Review

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

Link for my reaction after the game Fire Coach Glen Mason?

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview

   

Updated January 1, 2007 at 1:00 pm

In the morning papers:

-Mason: 'I am not going to apologize', Sid Hartman column

-Maturi acts early in getting rid of smug Mason, Patrick Reusse column

-Up Next?, list of potential candidates

-Mason's firing brings out mixed feelings for him, a good like at who did and did not like him

-You're Fired ... And You ..., a list of the outgoing coaches and staff

-Glen Mason Timeline, all of the high points and a lack of low ones

-With Mason gone, Maturi cleans house, a look at the past few months in the athletic department

   

   

Updated December 31, 2006 at 7:00 pm

It is interesting to note that it was one year ago today that Glen Mason signed his 5-year extension after what was at best not a pleasant negotiation between the university and Glen Mason.

   

The buyout is $2.2 million plus $1.4 million in deferred compensation that was already earned.

   

GopherSports.com, home of the Gopher Athletic Department, has this report and a link to watch the press conference, Glen Mason Dismissed As Golden Gopher Head Football Coach.

   

Here are updated articles following the press conference:

-Gophers fire mason, St. Paul Pioneer Press

-U fires Mason after Insight debacle, St. Paul Pioneer Press

-Gophers football coach Mason fired, Star Tribune

-Jan. 1, 2006: Mason, U agree to 5-year contract, Star Tribune article announcing deal last year

-Minnesota dismisses head coach after 6-7 season, ESPN.com

   

   

Original post December 31, 2006 at 4 pm

Earlier this afternoon the University of Minnesota announced a 5 pm press conference. Sources have told the following that football coach Glen Mason has been fired:

   

-Pioneer Press, Gophers fire Mason

-Star Tribune, U fires football coach Mason

-ESPN, Sources: Minnesota dismisses Mason after 6-7 season

Fire Coach Glen Mason?

On January 7, 2007 I created a blog specifically for Minnesota Golden Gopher football called Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. There you will find all of the posts from this site and more in depth coverage on all things Gopher football than I was able to do here on the business blog.

Up until this evening I have stated time and again that I was not in favor of firing Glen Mason. Reasons included the running of a clean program, graduating players, zero issues with players getting into trouble, and the slow but steady progress of the program.

   

I may change my tune.

   

I am trying really hard to not blog angry. Frankly, I am still shocked at what happened. The Gophers were up 38-7 with 7:47 in the 3^rd quarter and fell apart.

   

My guess is that inside himself, Glen Mason is pretty tore up about this. My problem is that during the game there was no emotion shown by him. I am not asking for Urban Meyer or Steve Spurrier but some fire, some energy, some emotion would be nice.

   

After Texas Tech kicked the field goal to tie the game with no time left the most Coach Mason could muster was a brief raising of the eye brows as if to say, “Wow”.

   

I have issues with the ultra-conservative play calling. I have issues with the continued 3-man pass rush. I have issues with the soft zone defense. I have issues with doing the same thing on every offensive and defensive series in the second half.

   

IT WAS NOT WORKING ANYMORE.

   

YOU NEEDED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

   

This is the third major debacle under Coach Mason with the 2000 bowl game against North Carolina State, 2003 against Michigan, and this evening.

   

Yes a first down here, a naked bootleg there, a pass interference call not going for you, a pass interference call that went against you would likely have changed the game. It was that close.

   

But your team gave up 31 points in around 22 minutes of game time and you made no changes. You did nothing to help your players. Were you thinking there was no way they could come back with only a quarter and a half to play?

   

Coach Mason, you cannot blame this on booing fans, students who may or may not have had a beer or two, or the referees. You and your staff need to look in a mirror on this one.

   

Because you found this blog post you may be looking for sites that deal more with whether to fire Glen Mason or not.

   

Here you go:

   

-FireGlenMason.com

   

-Fire Glen Mason Blog

   

-FireMason.com 

   

-Gopher Sports Blog

   

As of midnight Friday none of the sites had an update but I am sure by morning the ranting will have started.

   

In the mean time you can look at my prediction for tonight’s game here, Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview. I called the game, the first half pretty well. I still believed. All the way until that 52 yard field goal that tied the game.

   

Later on Saturday evening I will do a more thorough recap of the game.

   

Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview

On January 7, 2007 I created a blog specifically for Minnesota Golden Gopher football called Gopher The Roses, www.gopherfootballblog.com. There you will find all of the posts from this site and more in depth coverage on all things Gopher football than I was able to do here on the business blog.

   

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Search And Possible Candidates

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers 41 and Texas Red Raiders 44, Review

Link for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

Link for my reaction after the game Fire Coach Glen Mason?

Link for Minnesota Golden Gophers And Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview

   

Original Post:

Here we go, the Minnesota Golden Gophers against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Insight Bowl.

If you go back about two months ago there were the dreamers, some would say insane people, who said the Gophers could close out with three victories and go to a bowl game. I was a little slow to go along with that but I did buy in after the Indiana game.

   

I think the Gophers are going to win tonight. Maybe I should say they can win tonight.

   

Things to know about the Texas Tech Red Raiders:

Yeah, yeah, yeah they pass the ball a lot. They average 363 passing yards a game. They are the #3 passing offense in the country.

   

QB Graham Harrell has thrown 562 passes, a 66.3 completion percentage, 4,110 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions.

   

9 of their wide receivers have 20 or more completions.

   

This is very impressive. Watching a Texas Tech game has been compared to watching a video game.

   

But they have issues. Texas Tech only put up 3 points on TCU and 6 on a crappy Colorado team.

   

They are not Ohio State, Michigan, or (cringe) Wisconsin who have balanced passing and rushing teams.

   

Their defense is not all that great.

   

There is hope Gopher fans…

   

Speaking of the Gophers, the defense ranks 115^th against the pass giving up 254 yards per game. Most of those yards were given up earlier in the season against a defense that had no identity. Giving up 300 passing yards in this game would like bring the Gophers a victory.

   

I grant that Indiana, Michigan State, and Iowa do not have the passing game of Texas Tech but in many aspects the teams as a whole are comparable.

    

We did well on defense forcing turnovers, making big plays, and a pass rush. Most of the entire defense became very physical in their play. They became confidant.

   

My main concern on defense is we suck on third down. We have a hard time getting off the field.

   

This is a test for the coaches as much as it is for the players. You have had a month to watch videotape. You have had a month to create a plan. You do not need to shut them down, just slow them down.

   

On offense we need a balanced attack like we had the last three games of the season.

   

Some comparison should be given between Harrell and Bryan Cupito. This season Cupito has thrown for 2,556 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a 60% completion rate. That’s not bad for a run first offense.

   

We have a couple of key injuries in TE Matt Spaeth (should surgery) and OL Steve Shidell (broken leg) but their replacements are adequate. The offensive line shifts around a bit and

Jack Simmons replaces Spaeth. Simmons has seen quite a bit of playing time and while not the same player as the NFL bound Spaeth he is a good tight end.

   

Just about every defense we have faced in the Big Ten is as good as Texas Tech. We should not see anything new.

   

Prediction:

We need to score first and it needs to take some time. Coach Mason, if we have a choice PLEASE go on offense first.

   

Our offense should do well. Our defense has had a month to prepare for the track meet. I am still drinking the Kool-Aid. I have my sweatshirt and lucky maroon and gold beads (the ones from Ann Arbor two years ago) with me. I will be at Joe Senser’s in Bloomington.

   

We will see a Gopher victory.

   

Minnesota over Texas Tech.