How 'bout those Gophers!?

[JackJD]

Very entertaining game: Minnesota Gophers 27, Iowa Hawkeyes 24.

The "experts" had said Brewster had great recruiting classes and if that's true, then Brewster deserved to have been fired weeks earlier. The interim coach, Horton, is 2-3 (corrected later - I believe he's actually 2-3 since taking over as interim).

Will Horton make the short list for new head coach? Maturi, the AD, has said they'll bring in a "name" coach.

I listened to the first three quarters on the radio and watched the final quarter on TV. The Minnesota players were playing with confidence and a certain looseness....they actually looked pretty good and you have to credit the interim coach. Personally, it's nice to see such a beaten-down team rise up and win a couple games.

[Prairiehaas]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Nice to see the Gophers win a couple.

I question the reasoning behind bringing in a "name" coach. The last three "name" coaches at MN had 7 winning seasons out of 17 and never finished above 4th in the Big 10. The issue doesn't appear to be the name of the coach.

[bigticket1]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Nice to see the Gophers win a couple.

I question the reasoning behind bringing in a "name" coach. The last three "name" coaches at MN had 7 winning seasons out of 17 and never finished above 4th in the Big 10. The issue doesn't appear to be the name of the coach.

Not sure they have brought in a "name" coach since Holtz. Glen Mason maybe would qualify - he might still be around,but he got lazy in recruiting after he didn't get his "dream" job (Ohio State). I'm sure they give thanks every day that they hired Tressel over him.

[Prairiehaas]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

I was thinking of Holtz, Whacker and Mason. Holtz was a proven commodity but left the UofM for greener pastures. Whacker and Mason were both "names" in college FB but neither came to the Gophers with winning records in D1.

My point though is that there is more to the Gophers' inability to compete than can be fixed with just a "name" coach. The program, for whatever reason, seems to perform below capability. Bringing in a "name" won't automatically cure that issue. And IMO no coaching staff will be given the time it will take to bring Gopher FB back to relevance in the Big 10.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

San Diego sports writer is pissed because Maturi went and talked to the San Diego State Univ head coach right before the Aztecs last game about the Gopher job

[Prairiehaas]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Well Brady Hoke does have a name. Does this mean he is a name coach

[CatchEmAll]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Well Brady Hoke does have a name. Does this mean he is a name coach

Within FBS coaching ranks Brady Hoke is a hot name. He'll move somewhere else this year. Will it be the Gophers? Who knows, but at least they are already talking to him.

[Prairiehaas]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Brady Hoke is a good coach. He took Ball St from terrible to competitive and seems to be pulling San Diego St together.

Could he do that at MN, who knows? Part of the job in MN will be to bring interest to a losing program that plays second fiddle to the Vikings for football fans and a second fiddle to Gopher hockey for college fans. Another part will be recruiting athletes to a cold weather city in a state that sends the best players to other programs.

[Nidaros]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

I was thinking of Holtz, Whacker and Mason. Holtz was a proven commodity but left the UofM for greener pastures. Whacker and Mason were both "names" in college FB but neither came to the Gophers with winning records in D1.

My point though is that there is more to the Gophers' inability to compete than can be fixed with just a "name" coach. The program, for whatever reason, seems to perform below capability. Bringing in a "name" won't automatically cure that issue. And IMO no coaching staff will be given the time it will take to bring Gopher FB back to relevance in the Big 10.

If you are thinking Jim Wacker former NDSU coach as well as at Texas State and TCU, you are about seven years late. Jim passed away in 2003.

http://gofrogs.cstv.com/sports/m-foo...082603aaa.html

[Prairiehaas]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Yes. He retired from coaching after leaving the University of MN in '96. I believe he spent time as AD at what is now TX St and that the FB field there is named after coach Whacker.

[RodentiaX1]

Re: How 'bout those Gophers!?

Holtz was the only real "name" coach that Minnesota had hired since Warmath was fired in the early 70's. Cal Stoll was 15-17 with Wake Forest before coming to Minnesota. Joe Salem had a good D-II record, but no experience in D-I. Gutekunst had just two years as a DC, both of them under Holtz at Minnesota. Wacker had a good record in D-II, but his record as a D-I coach was not good, he had a 40-58-2 record with TCU. Mason had a 59-64-1 record as a head coach. Brewster of course had no head coach or coordinator experience.

So, aside from Holtz, the Gophers hadn't really tried going the big name route.