Gopher The Roses

Gopher Football News

Articles from August 27, 2007:

Five to mull asks five questions regarding the defense. Anyone who says they have an answer is lying. And only five? There is more than that.

Speaking of, Defensive Coordinator Everett Whithers is featured in this article Hot seat, meet cool customer. He has a young group to work with and I am a little concerned that when the defense looked good during fall practice it was more because the offense was not hitting on all cylinders. I hope I am wrong. Regardless, I want to see how the players respond to a coach with NFL experience:

Withers left the NFL to become the Gophers defensive coordinator because he saw potential, not the past.

Besides, Withers said he is too consumed with the present to get sidetracked by anything else. He has installed an entirely new defense, one that is based on multiple schemes and an aggressive, attacking mentality. He wants to strike first, not engage in rope-a-dope defense.

Chip Scoggins from the Star Tribune has been writing an occasional blog post as well as his daily beat of Gopher football. I like his blog posts better.

From It’s game week:

To me, this is the best time of the college football season. Even better than bowl week.

Everyone is undefeated and has high hopes. Even the bad teams think they have a chance to be good. That’s what makes this week special for this college football fan.

I call it a tie between the excitement of the first week (games are not usually that good) and Bowl Week.

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Everett Withers

Gopher Football News

Articles from August 26, 2007:

Gophers' extreme schemer on Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Mike Dunbar and the “spread coast offense”. And that many years ago he was actually a defensive coordinator:

Coach Tim Brewster knew he wanted to run the spread offense when he became a first-time head coach, and Dunbar's name kept coming up in conversations with other coaches, including Texas' Mack Brown, Florida's Urban Meyer and West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez.

"The biggest thing about Mike Dunbar to me is that he's just a sage old veteran," Brewster said. "His calmness at calling plays and preparing an offense is really going to allow me a sense of calmness in what I'm trying to do."

A ROSY FUTURE? has many questions to ask and finishes with:

Bottom line

Brewster has his team believing in itself. But what happens when the Gophers suffer that first blowout defeat or heartbreaking loss? Brewster can do only so much, and he talks about the need for his 16 seniors to provide leadership. The schedule looks favorable, but Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and Florida Atlantic will face a Big Ten team that appears vulnerable and is filled with questions. How will the new QB look? Are there enough wide receivers to run the spread? Is the defense better? Will life after Mason be better? Or worse?

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Spread Coast Offense, Mike Dunbar

Coach Tim Brewster On Sports Huddle

Coach Brewster talks with Sid Hartman and Dave Mona every Sunday morning during football season. Click Sports Huddle With Sid and Dave (audio may be slow to load) for the 30 minute conversation with Coach Tim Brewster and 3 players live from the Minnesota State Fair.

Technorati Tags: Coach Tim Brewster, Minnesota Golden Gopher Football

Gopher Football News

No cell phones, no computers, no TV’s, 19 practices, two a days, and something called the Oklahoma Drill (scroll to #7) that caused a few fights between players during fall practice at St John’s University have prepared the Gopher football team for the 2007 season.

Time to get the season started.

Gophers break camp feeling good about their progress

Brewster said his entire team is "light years" ahead of where it was when the Gophers opened camp at St. John's on Aug. 6.

U's Brewster praises team's conditioning

Brewster has challenged his players to become the best conditioned team in the Big Ten Conference. He didn't schedule a day off for nearly three weeks, and the Gophers went into two-a-day practices banged up. But they finished a lot healthier.

No starters were in red jerseys Friday. There were also no serious injuries going into next week as they make preparations to open the season Sept. 1 against Bowling Green.

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Oklahoma Drill

Drop The Minnesota Football Program? Nonsense

So there is this article this “commentary” in the Star Tribune, Jay Weiner: It's time for 'U' to drop the ball. Weiner is an advocate of shutting down the Gopher football team using a 1939 decision by the University of Chicago President Robert Maynard Hutchins to pull the plug on their team.

   

I know quite a few academics at the U of M who believe that big time sports should not be as important as they are. A few are upset about coach’s salaries and athletic department budgets.

   

Most of them still follow the teams and cheer on their school.

   

Weiner uses these statistics:

Chicago is ranked ninth among all universities in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report; Minnesota is ranked 67th. Chicago, a private school, has an endowment of more than $4 billion, 13th largest in the nation. Alums still seem to be giving.

If I wanted to spend any more time on this I would start with this, comparing Chicago to Minnesota is like comparing red apples and watermelon. Both share a color and a member of the fruit family and that is about it.

   

Maybe Weiner could spend some time analyzing the endowments of traditional football schools and recent powerhouses. I am sure he would see that more dollars come in when the ala mater teams are doing well.

A Big Update Is Coming Tonight

I have been writing entries the past few days but did not have a chance to get them posted. With the “breaking news” from ESPN regarding the hiring of Tim Brewster I will still post what I had written.

   

Besides it could be possible that this is inaccurate, university spokesman Kyle Coughlin said, "No one has been offered the job."

Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Coach Glen Mason Has Been Fired

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

"Lets Go Gophers" Posted August 23 2005

What do “Gophers” have to with a blog written by a MN Headhunter? Well for me, everything. Being a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a football season ticket holder I get excited this time of year.

   

See I believe every year around this time we are going to the Rose Bowl. Yes we are. Completely convinced. In fact this year I am shooting even higher because the Rose Bowl is home to the National Championship game. OK, so maybe this year not the Rose Bowl but still the Big Ten championship.

   

I heard, but have not read, that ESPN.com picks the Gophers tied for 7^th in the Big Ten. Bah, Humbug. What the heck do they know anyway?

   

In the coming days I will be talking a little more Gopher football. I ask that my recruiting friends, candidates, and general readers that are expecting recruiting news from the MN Headhunter RSS feed to have some patience with me.

Ski-U-Mah