Lifelong Gopher fan here. I'm too cheap to pay for a forum so I like to peruse the free boards and this thread caught my eye. A few opinions from someone who has obsessively followed college football in general and Gopher football in particular for decades (the latter not an easy thing to do, if you think about it!)
Fleck did not in any way inherit a "solid" program. Kill & Claeys were solid coaches but the talent level of the Gopher roster was atrocious. The scandal that Claeys completely mismanaged (insubordinate and rightly fired IMHO) basically eliminated the entire D backfield in one shot. For Fleck's first spring practice, there were only 4 OL on the entire roster who could participate. So, no actual 11 on 11 work that spring. Plus, they were shockingly inept at recruiting and developing QBs. The first thing Fleck did was to literally BEG a graduated walk-on practice QB (a Div III kid) to be our starting QB for 2017. Still can't believe they won 5 that first year.
As much turnover as Nebby has had on the roster it is silly to say that MN has more talent -- and likely never will. The cold hard reality is that Fleck would trade his roster for Nebby's sight unseen. Other than our QB, 2 WRs and an All American DB, you guys have far, far more size, speed and athleticism to work with at every other position. To argue otherwise is ridiculous.
I was convinced Fleck was a failure after the Illinois game last year but an amazing thing happened. He fired his buddy the DC and they are 14-3 since that game with only one bad loss in the 3 (Wisky this year). They aren't great on D but good enough to stay in nearly any game.
I personally think both MN and Nebby will finish about 7-5 next year. We lose too much on D not to take a step back and the schedule is tougher. Nebby's schedule is brutal but you're gradually improving. MHO though...
I have never seen a coach throw his own players under the bus like Frost. The hoodie thing was ridiculous but his statement at the end of the season that he "interited a team lacking in confidence" blew my mind. Isn't it the job of the head coach to give his team confidence? He's being paid $5 million per year to inspire and lead 100+ kids to achieve something they couldn't do on his own. 2 years and $10 million later he's still blaming his predecessor for his team lacking confidence??? Wow, that takes some balls and I personally would not like it if I was a player.
Also, Frost needs to can that D coordinator. Look at the scores people put on you under Frost. 33, 24, 56, 42, 41, 34, 28, 9, 36, 35, 6, 31, 21, 34, 8, 38, 48, 10, 34, 38, 31, 37, 7, 27. Doesn't matter what you do on offense, you're not going to compete for the division when you give up 30+ points 15 out of 24 games. (And banish the word "blackshirt" from your vocabulary while you're at it. The rest of the nation just laughs when they hear that. Seriously.)
Lastly, for the people who hate Fleck, I get it (he is annoying) but he is definitely NOT a phony. He really is a combination of the Energizer Bunny, Lou Holtz and Norman Vincent Peale. All positivity all the time. He is also quietly doing amazing things in the background, from the mandatory "chivalry" classes he has for the team (teaching the guys how to treat women with respect, open doors for them, etc.) to the fact that the entire team regularly writes individual thank-you notes to the custodians who clean the locker rooms, the day laborers who shovel snow out of the stadium, the Outback committee that invited them to the bowl, etc. Also, watch what a Gopher player does with the ball at the end of a play; they always hand it to the referee, never toss it on the ground.
Long story short (too late), I personally have no doubt that Nebby will get better under Frost simply because of the talent you are able to bring in. Your classes are solidly 4th in the BIG every year, so you should be able to be a mid-pack team. However, I also see a living example of the Peter Principle. Frost strikes me as a guy who's a bit over his head and he needs to make some tough decisions with coaches and schemes if he wants to compete with the top teams in the conference. Right now, no one in the conference is getting less out of more talent.
