kapooncha
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I don't think Minny would have beaten Rutgers today which is really saying something.
Illinois Football Thread
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I don't think Minny would have beaten Rutgers today which is really saying something.
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The entire first half was a comedy of errors by both teams. Credit Illinois for coming out and throat stepping Minny. Lovie needed this.
Fleck is still a quality CFB headcoach. His team didn't want to be there today. 2019 and 2020 will be the real tests of his recruiting and program. We'll see.
Fleck is still a quality CFB headcoach. His team didn't want to be there today. 2019 and 2020 will be the real tests of his recruiting and program. We'll see.
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Fleck inherited a 9-4 team...the opposite of Lovie Smith and Smith just kicked his ass. LOL at "quality CFB head coach". Not so far in the B1G.
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LOL. The over/under for wins on the season was 3.5 wins. They are 4-8 (edit: 4-5 with 3 to go). I didn't say I was ready to give him another season. It's the reality. His buyout is $12 mil this year. You obviously aren't very well connected to UIUC, if you think they are going to pay that out and pay big money for an incoming staff, too.
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The Boletarian
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I checked the score of yesterday's game earlier today and couldn't believe it. Man Minnesota must suck bad. Anyone think the Illini will win another game this season?
The Boletarian
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Why would you replace Lovie already? You can't completely rebuild a program as bad as Illinois was from the ground up and expect it to be a quick turnaround. Anyone that didn't think this would take a minimum of 4 years to start being competitive was dreaming.
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Minnesota just fired their DC. I doubt anyone can say with confidence Illinois will win another game. The offense is decent. It's hard to know what to expect with the D. Will Lovie calling the plays make that much of a difference for a second week in a row?
kapooncha
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The problem (and main problem) is that his recruiting is total shit. If there was some talent coming in that we thought could elevate the program, then I'd be more patient with Lovie. But that doesn't appear to be the case.
So say we keep him another season, what is it that you think is going to happen without good recruits?
kapooncha
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Imagine if Lovie wins 2 of the final 3 games. People will build the man a statue.
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No, Fleck inherited a team two years removed from Jerry Kill leaving. Not sure how much you follow Minnesota football(my guess would be "not at all") but Minnesota knew a down turn was coming with the de-stabilization around Kill/Claeys. Fleck has a decently long leash here. 2018 has been worse than expected but the eye was always on 2019, especially once Fleck went with Annexstad as the starter entering the season.
Fleck has done a really good job OL recruiting and Annexstad is Fleck's "chosen one" for the offense, he's gotten some really good skill position guys as well. 2019 will be interesting for them. Annexstad has flashed some this year prior to the injury and people around the program are really optimistic for next year. Fleck was basically brought in to reboot the program with 4-5 years in mind. Minnesota wasn't going to bring him if the program was in the "we expect 9 wins every year now" frame of mind because Fleck would have been gone in 2-3 seasons for a bigger P5 job.
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Minnesota's defense is/was abhorrent. The run fits were terrible.
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I feel like Fleck has recruited Illinois better than Lovie.
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Fleck wasn't 2 years removed from Kill. He was perhaps a season and a 1/2 from Kill. Kill was 4-3 before Claeys took over for health reasons (2-4) IN 2015. Claeys was 9-4 IN 2016. Fleck inherited a 9-4 program. That is a fact. You can think Fleck is going to be dynamic for Gophers football, but it doesn't change that the natives are already restless. There isn't as much patience in Minny for Fleck, as you claim. Minnesota canned Glen Mason for going to 7 bowls in 9 seasons as HC. Since the 90's Minnesota has traditionally been a better program than Illinois and in two years time, Fleck has turned it into such a great program, he got pantsed by Lovie and an Illinois football squad that is the youngest in D1 FBS. (Yes, even more youthful than Minnesota and supposedly Minnesota has had higher recruiting class rankings.)
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Lovie needed to show progress this season. While he didn't have to go bowling, the team needed to go at least 4-8 (double the team wins from previous season) and look competitive. While they were ahead of PSU in the 3rd quarter, the meltdown in the 4th was awful. Purdue was a big loss and Maryland was pitiful. That can't happen in year 3, but now he beat Minnesota in a game Minnesota was favored by 9.5. They should have won my a lot more, but between an overturned call that shouldn't have been overturned providing a 10 point swing and the walk-ons/backups in the defensive backfield giving up a couple of touchdowns late, the D stats look worse than what happened on the field when it mattered. So, it would make sense, if this season was about progress as the AD and higher Admin have suggested, then these last 3 games are going to indicate whether or not this team is making progress. If they lose all three, they had better look competent or I could see them losing at least one of their top recruits to another program. Year 4 has to include a bowl.
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:aj: at this distinction
Not sure how much you follow Minnesota football(my guess would be "not at all")
Claeys was the Ast. HC as far back as I believe 2014. By the last year or so of Kill's tenure Claeys was basically the acting HC in terms of day to day interaction with staff and players. Kill was more of a CEO in terms of manifesting the strategic vision while Claeys was tactically executing it as a HC due to Kill's health issues.
In either case...you're wrong.
You're 100% wrong about this. He got a contract extension last year in the midst of losing four of his last 5 games. Minny has made a long term investment here. I never claimed Fleck would be "dynamic" for Minnesota. You're making shit up. Again. Secondly, the natives will be restless if 2019 resembles 2018. As of now, while 2018 is slightly disappointing in comparison to what people thought it would be a year ago, there's no real panic given the timeline established when Fleck came on board.
Fleck is an interesting guy. I know him dating back to his NIU days on staff there. He's a little "out there"(even beyond the row the boat shit) and has some personal shit in his past that rubs some people the wrong way. He could have a short shelf life at a lot of places just based on that alone. His on the field stuff at Minnesota isn't really an issue..yet. Check back in 2019.
Yeah, the loss to Illinois a bad/terrible one for Minnesota and Fleck. Not sure your point here. 2019 will be nut cutting time for Fleck..as it was always designed to be. This Illinois loss was very much off script and really indefensible.
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You're full of crap and assumptious, as usual. I know damn well what was going on with Kill and his seizures. PJ needs to do better in 2019, or he will be gone. The same with Lovie. If Brohm doesn't go anywhere after this season, the Big Ten West isn't getting any easier.
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And for kicks and giggles to humor the OP, look up Lance Leipold at Buffalo. He and his staff have won everywhere they have went.
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Whats assumptious? Sounds delicious.
No you don't.
No shit. I've repeatedly said that. From the start. Hence 2019 being the test....I love how I prove you wrong, then you use something I said to try and use it as a point against me. You're insane.
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A lot of confidence here. Already assuming the next three losses.
