College football writers aren’t infusing much sis boom bah into the hearts and minds of Gophers fans these days. The summer time experts are forecasting a dreary fall for the Gophers following last year’s 2-6 Big Ten finish, one spot ahead of last place Indiana, 1-7.
Athlon Sports predicts Minnesota will be 1-7 this year, finish last in the Legends Division and have a 4-8 overall record. Athlon does identify Gophers quarterback MarQueis Gray as one of “three sleepers” to watch in the conference. The publication also includes Minnesota’s Troy Stoudermire on its all-conference first team as the kick returner. Tight end Eric Lair, offensive lineman Ed Olson and linebacker Gary Tinsley are third team choices.
Athlon, Sporting News College Football Magazine, Lindy’s and Phil Steele all share the same view on the Gophers for 2011. Lindy’s sums up the pessimism by observing if the Big Ten had expanded to 14 teams instead of 12, “They (the Gophers) would be sitting two spots lower.”
Lindy’s ranks Minnesota a lowly No. 86 in the nation. The July 4 issue of Sporting News Magazine checked the Gophers in at a more respectable No. 77, at least placing Minnesota ahead of No. 90 Indiana among Big Ten teams.
After four years of the Tim Brewster coaching era, the talent is too minimal at Minnesota to play winning football this fall, the writers claim. But the arrival of new coach Jerry Kill offers promise, according to both the national and local views.
An anonymous opposing coach is quoted by Athlon as saying Kill is “phenomenal” and preferred that the Gophers new coach stayed at Northern Illinois. In the July 4 Sporting News former Gopher Karl Mecklenburg predicts Kill will have Minnesota playing hard and this season will be “the start of a steady climb back to national prominence for the maroon and gold.”