Minnesota Gophers Football: Big Ten Schedule Winners & Losers + In Joe Joe Rossi We Trust!

the Big Ten scheduling has officially been confirmed we're gonna talk about who got the short end of the stick and also why Gophers fans need to appreciate Rossi well we got him okay what we're gonna do here we're just gonna keep rowing your daily podcast on the Minnesota Golden Gopher Returns part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day we're just gonna keep rolling keep rowing and keep rowing [Music] you are listening to lockdown Golden Gophers part of the lockdown podcast Network your team every day my name is Kane rap host of the podcast former Collegiate football video coordinator and recruiting assistant here to talk Golden Gophers with you each and every day of the week Monday through Friday but now in the off season right now in the month of June maybe a little bit of early July as well we are going Tuesday Thursday Saturday had to be sure we jumped in today on this beautiful Saturday and let you know thoughts on this new Big Ten scheduling because it's here and it is out there we're definitely going to have some things to talk about here be sure to follow the podcast wherever you get your podcast Spotify Stitcher Apple pods you name it leave a five star review while you're there and don't forget to subscribe over on YouTube but let's talk about the Big Ten scheduling because it is officially official and no I'm not talking about the official visits the Gophers are having going on this weekend I am talking about the new Big Ten schedule for 22 24 and 2025 with the new editions of UCLA and USC There's No Going backs folks it's happening it's going to be here before we know it now immediate thoughts and observations that's what we're going to kick this thing off with and you know what the first thought that pops in my head when looking at the Big Ten scheduling is none other than the fact of looking at the okay so there's rivalries folks and if you haven't dove into it dove in deep yet there's protected rivalries and then there's like basically two-year rivalries that can rotate and not every team has the same amount of protected rivalries now what does a protected rivalry mean it means you're going to continue to play those schools each and every year now the committee got it right with the Gophers on this one because they have two protected rivals in Wisconsin and Iowa if we lost either one of those rivalries and not playing those teams every single year year in and year out I'm telling you right now that Big Ten building probably would not be standing anymore because gopher spins Badgers bins I will fans General football fans would have burned that place to the ground in riots so I am absolutely happy they got that part right the Gophers have played the fourth most Big Ten matchups between two Series against Iowa and the number one most played matchup between two teams in the Big Ten is none other than Wisconsin and Minnesota you had to keep those bad boys going and they got it right there but I am a little bit surprised that Minnesota didn't draw a third rivalry now like I said this new flex protect uh scheduling form is basically you're gonna have three Rivals every two years and some of those Rivals are going to be locked in each and every year those are each and every year those are your protected Rivals Minnesota's got two other schools some have one some have zero some have three and I was the only school that has three but with that if you don't have a protected rival you're still going to have three rivals in the two-year span after those two years somebody else can rotate into that slot for the next two years so like I said Minnesota has their two Rivals they got that part right but I was slightly surprised by the lack of Michigan Penn State or Nebraska as a third locked in and loaded rival and that was solely due to the trophy games and the the budding rivalries of sorts but knowing there will be at least one two-play rival in each of the two years makes sense because you can rotate all of those schools you can get Nebraska in there which is the two-year rival for 2024 and 25 for the Gophers so you got that budding rivalry happening then after two years go by maybe you're throwing a Michigan in there and you're gonna see that battle for The Jug played each and every year for two straight years maybe after that you rotate in Penn State with the victory bell and all that maybe there's new budding rivalries that you can start to rotate in and that is is why I kind of like the flex protect model as I get more into the thoughts and get to think on it more because what if more rivalry stem more the Big Ten could get bigger we could get an organ in here we could get a Washington in here we can get a Notre Dame in here who knows you know only time will tell but this flexible scheduling model allows you to say if During certain years maybe two these next two years 24 and 25 Minnesota plays USC and it is down to the wire they'll play them in 2025. it's down to the wire it's Scrappy there's little feuds going on and it just it Sparks something well maybe the committee will look at that heading into 26 and 27 and put USC as that rotating rivalry for the next two years because something is sparking and they see the intensity they see the fire they see the passion between the two fan bases between the two teams on a field between the two programs well maybe just maybe because they haven't ruled nothing has been stated that I've seen that says you can never have a new protected rivalry so maybe be just maybe that can possibly turn into a protected rivalry for teams moving forward maybe after they add new additions to the Big Ten in years to come they'll have to reevaluate who are the protected rivalries so there's a little bit of flexibility there and it doesn't have to get stuck in stagnation beyond the historic long-standing rivalries like a Minnesota Wisconsin like a Michigan Ohio State and things of that nature so that was one thing that stood out to me when it came to this new Big Ten scheduling but another thing absolutely popped off the page to me was Penn State does not have a single protected rivalry and I think that's pretty late I think that's pretty dumb I think why what is the point you want to establish rivalries you want to establish teams that you're going to be playing and have those heated fan bases those moments of of fire between fan bases why would you take one of the best programs in the conference and not give them a single Bible I mean they've played Ohio State for the past 30 years now they've had 38 matchups it seems like there is a little bit of a rivalry budding there in fact there were some Ohio State fans that were happening on the Twitter comments on the big tens initial post saying how could you get rid of Ohio State and Penn State but keep Minnesota in Iowa now let's back that up a little bit uh Minnesota and Iowa absolutely should be capped again fourth most uh played series of any of the Big Ten matchups so that's not the comparison you want in there but I don't necessarily disagree with you that Ohio State and Penn State could have been a good one to keep going and you add that to the fact that another observation in there is Ohio State they really teed up Ohio State to have a less challenging seasons in these next couple seasons in my opinion now Ohio state has their locked in rivalry protected rivalry with Michigan you absolutely had to with the history of it and all that but they don't have any other protected rivals in fact they have two rotating two-year Rivals and that is Illinois in Northwestern let me say that again for you the two rotating Rivals for Ohio State in the next two years is Illinois and North Western I mean where's the challenge and all that it was baffling to me I literally saw that and I kind of lost my mind a little bit because you're talking about with so many eyes turning to the Big Ten huge TV network deals all the dollars with one of the biggest conferences in the Collegiate football space and Ohio State's going to play Northwestern in Illinois back to back years because that's what the people want to see make it make sense you're telling me Ohio State only has to play USC once in the next two years from 24 and 25. we have to pay Penn State once Wisconsin wants Iowa once you UCLA once Nebraska once those are the matchups people want to see for the TV dollars but we're gonna make them play Illinois in Northwestern not to mention the fact that other people are gonna have to go through gauntlets other programs the Big Ten is getting stronger better faster and all that and you team them up with this like could you make it a little less obvious who you want to do well in this new Big Ten that was baffling to me another thing that stood out now shifting gears a little bit talking about the LA schools UCLA could struggle very much in my opinion in year one of Big Ten play now I thought this could be the case in general I feel like the current Big Ten in the landscape of it and all that they were built to handle more of the play style and the system of a UCLA but then you add in the travel factors of the 2024 season the first year that UCLA will play in the Big Ten and they are traveling 23 708 miles in that season twenty three thousand seven hundred eight let's just round it up and call it twenty four thousand miles your team your program for football is traveling 24 000 miles in that season they're gonna have a tough year not only because of their non-conference they're playing Hawaii we'll see what happens there Fresno State who can always put up a challenge and SEC Powerhouse LSU as their non-conference games then you're moving into the Big Ten for the first time and you could get a toss-up between a toss-up matchup or maybe a easy loss when you're playing Iowa Michigan Ohio State Minnesota Nebraska USC I wouldn't be shocked if UCLA dropped five to seven games in year one of the Big Ten now that could be a little preemptive of me but I'm just saying it now putting it on record here on June 10th of 2023 I would not be surprised if UCLA struggles in Year One now another thing that you you move over and you want to talk about with the schedule the last observation before we move to more Minnesota focus of this new scheduling is honestly I think USC may have gotten the toughest draw when it came to the protected rivalries and two-year rivalries rotating in and out because UCLA or USC mind you has to play UCLA twice you've got that deep-seated rivalry like the history of Ohio State Michigan Minnesota and Wisconsin USC and UCLA have that type of Feud that type of rivalry that type of passion between fan bases and programs and what have you those type of games can always go either way even when the team is winning two games in their programs year that year they're having a down year that one game you can absolutely bet they will be in the fight that's just the type of rivalry that is so you've got them twice like you expected but then there are other teams they're rotating Rivals are Penn State twice which typically is a top program that has NFL caliber Talent all over the roster the offense defense special teams you name it you got them twice you got UCLA twice and then you've got Wisconsin twice Wisconsin has always been a pesky program they've always been a program that finds a way to get wins last year they struggled of course but in the history of the Wisconsin Badgers especially in the last couple decades they get it done they get it done they win games they get double digit Seasons they get to Rose Bowl I'll give them their credit where credit is due you might as well snip this and cut it now Badgers fans if you're listening because that's probably the last time I'm going to compliment you in the next 52 weeks but that said Wisconsin is a pesky program they have a tradition of winning high and they're on the rise with a coach who some many media analysts out there are considering a top 10 coach in the nation now I'm not ready to put them in that that tier that top Echelon yet personally I think long term he is a great higher for the program but that being said again in the next two years so he gets his first year in 2023 then he gets to head into 24 and 25 years two and three with Coach Luke fickle USC will have to play them in both of those years they're gonna have to play Penn State in both of these years and UCLA in both those years mind you they'll still have to pay Michigan ones Ohio State once and on and on I think USC probably got the hardest draw of this new Big Ten scheduling but let's let's dive into the Minnesota part the thing we really care about which is the hometown team Minnesota in Dinkytown we're going to talk about the actual schedule for Minnesota the number one thought for 2024 the number one five for 25 and how those non-conferences look for the Gophers coming up next first I gotta talk to you about our friends over at bird 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over at birddogs.com lock um College now go over twins again thank you so much for listening to lockdown Golden Gophers making us your first listen when it comes to go first daily Sports and we got top 10 Tuesday coming up on this Tuesday I gotta know what you guys want to hear when it comes to top 10 Tuesday topics now the next one like I said we're going to talk about the most important top 10 most important players on the Gophers football roster heading into 2023 so you're not going to want to miss that and if you have any thoughts on who should be in the top 10 feel free to drop those in on the comments over on YouTube but let's talk about the Gopher schedule moving forward in 24 and 25 because we'll we'll start with 2024. the number one thought from me on that schedule when looking at it is the season shouldn't be any more daunting than this upcoming 2023 season maybe even less so if enough Clicks in the 23 season and chemistry builds from key players now like we know the Gophers have a younger roster heading into 2023 so hopefully you're finding some chemistry moments you're finding some some gels some Staples in the program to carry forward into 2024 you're probably going to need it because you still got some tough opponents you've got Michigan again you've got Ohio State again uh the toughest and most difficult matchups in the 2024 season in my opinion you're at home against Ohio State it's still going to be tough It's Ohio State away on the road at Michigan that's absolutely going to be tough then you got away at UCLA going to California for the first time playing in the Rose Bowl Stadium you know could be could be big time could be a lot of pressure but we'll see what happens in how UCLA adjusts again like I said they could have some struggles in year one and then away versus Wisconsin it's always tough to go on the road against your number one rival so those are the four most difficult matchups in my opinion when it comes to 2024 but let's talk about the non-conference okay because we've got UNC again which you could look as a tough matchup for the Gophers you've got Las Vegas Reno and then you've got Rhode Island Rhode Island should be easy dub Las Vegas Reno they should be an easy dub you talk about North Carolina again it kind of depends because Drake May is anticipated to be a top two quarterback pick in the NFL draft of 2024 if that's the case that means this UNC team you're going to take on in 2024 it's going to be very very different very different losing a Heisman quality quarterback that takes a little sting out of that matchup it takes a little fear out of that matchup and that's why 2023 still is more difficult in my opinion and it should help tee you up for more success in 2024 maybe you pull off some more uh games that they won't think that you should win that you'll come out with more of those but that tees us up into 2025 and the number one thought in my opinion on that for the Gophers number one thought for the 2025 schedule is Minnesota's best shot at the conference in the next three years is 2025. 25 25 season the Minnesota Gophers could find themselves competing for a Big Ten Championship now I'm not trying to get ahead of myself I'm not trying to set any on uh any crazy expectations let's go with that but you talk about the non-conference in that 2025 season you're playing Buffalo should be a locked in win Bowling Green now I would say that should be a locked in win but we know how that went just not too long ago it still hurts a little bit it still Cuts deep but we're gonna call that Redemption Row the Gophers are not dropping that one I'm speaking it out 20 25 three years down the line Gophers are coming away with that one and then California is the other non-conference they haven't really been up to Snuff when it comes to power five opponents so it's not a daunting non-conference and then you look at the Gophers matchups in general the hardest games are going to be your rivalries that you're used to seeing each and every year in Iowa and Wisconsin if those are some of your hardest games they're going to be your hardest games each year that's again how the rivalries work the only games on that schedule of 2025 that really make you go hmm we're really gonna have to show up for these ones our Penn State and USC after that you're playing your typical Rivals you're playing the teams you've been seeing in the west you're playing an easier non-conference schedule and you're talking about at first glance this should be the year that Minnesota pushes all the chips in and calls this one look we gotta get it we gotta go do it this is the time Ethan Kelly McManus possibly in his final year as the quarterback with the Gophers Darius Taylor Zach Evans will be Juniors at that point hopefully we'll have known what that tandem is going to do maybe you've got Marquis Williams also showing out for the Gophers at that point who knows but I think that those those Staples those guys have shown a lot of Promise in the spring sessions already will be leaders veterans on that 2025 roster then you're talking about offensive linemen in this 23 class in the 22 class and hopefully as we maybe add an Emerson Emerson Mandel or things like that in this 24 class the offensive lineman high level prospects should start to be coming into their own at that point in time in 2025 as well possibly being cemented into more leadership positions you're talking about the prize defensive prospects of 2023 class in this upcoming 2024 class that should be elevating into leadership positions 2025 seems to be the year where we could go crazy we could take this thing we could make a serious run at it now that might seem like man that is so far away but it gives you the perfect test with 2023 being a hard schedule the second hardest schedule in college football getting battle tested with a young core then going back at it in 2024 seeing a lot of those same teams but being ready to take on the challenge and hopefully get some wins that maybe you dropped in 2023 and then you head into 2025 on a mission ready to take this whole thing down I am excited I think top uh 2025 is going to be a very exciting year for the Gophers a promising year for the fans and hopefully even in between that 23 and 24 we can continue this trend of success 8 9 10 win seasons for the Golden Gophers up until then now Minnesota will have be coming off of battle-tested grueling seasons and 2025 should be teed up to have a great season I would think that should be if a year that Gophers fans look forward to while also enjoying them clawing their way out these next two seasons but to wrap this show up we're going to talk about Joe Rossi because everybody in Gophers Nation loves them some Joe Rossi could he be here for the Long Haul will he get snatched up by a power five program I want to talk about all the possibilities to wrap this one up coming up next all right go first man so we're gonna keep this last segment pretty brief but let's talk about Joe Rossi he's a top five defensive coordinator in my mind you look at what he has done and what he has churned out over the last few seasons with the the supposed Talent level the the prospects you're talking about you don't have all the high star guys whoa whoop do you do again we don't always star watch here at lockdown Golden Gophers but when you're talking about the general consensus of talent he's not turning out five and four star guys because they're not coming our way right now now hopefully in the future that changes but alas as we look at it right now that's not the case but he's still getting that level of production we're still getting that level of Player Development and turning out guys two NFL prospects because they're buying in they're playing to their strengths Joe Rossi always builds the defense to his personnel and their strengths and that is why Gophers fans have been on edge after these last two seasons they're holding their breath every off-season because we're like is he gonna stay or is he gonna get snatched step for head coaching opportunity and I think that is a great question I think it's an honest question and it's probably something we're going to continue to worry about until it happens now like I said on top of all that he builds it to his player Personnel but he also brings in great coaching connections Nick swag daddy Monroe I love the addition the chemistry there you've seen the development already happening with a young very young room very small room in the spring sessions you see these guys that he's been recruiting that love the connection with him that love the the the general connection or the relationship that's just the word I was looking for that they've built with Coach Nick Monroe you look at the success he had over at Syracuse as well and in his career so far look great talent you talk about Coach Debo who loves Coach Joe Rossi aspires to be like Coach Joe Rossi someday wants to build his self into that light and is one of The Inspirations for him look at that talent coming through you look at Coach Collins who started as a graduate assistant and has built his way through the program with Coach Joe Rossi there and learning from him and growing from him and learning the system Coach Joe Rossi is huge for this team and like I said there's fears of that leaving and he very likely will be a head coach in the next maybe three years in within the next three by the time we're done with that 2025 season I would be absolutely shocked if Coach Joe Rossi is not a head coach somewhere but let's talk about some of the imaginary wild scenarios that could maybe play out I think there's two of them and again these are imaginary and wild they could be completely off base but the first one is if coach Fleck decides I want to build somewhere else I want a shot at something big I want a shot at an SEC Elite School somehow something comes up where it's like Jimbo's gone and they could their Texas a M's like we want coach black and Coach Black's like I'll consider it what's the money what's it's sec I'm getting five stars down there maybe he thinks about that now again this is all imaginary Wild and I wouldn't I wouldn't take that too much to heart because I truly do think coach Fleck wants to be here for the Long Haul in Minnesota but we're running with some imaginary scenarios here so don't don't come at me in the comments don't come after me with this we're just we're just spiff on here if coach Fleck were to want to go and take a shot at like a Texas A M we're just throwing that one out there because I think Jimbo Fisher is whacking we're gonna go there if coach Fleck took that shot could Coach Joe Rossi stay here at the helm as the head coach in Minnesota I think Minnesota fans would welcome that and I think we'd be intrigued by that we've seen the Player Development we've seen the culture and we've seen what has been building the family atmosphere I think overspans would love that and I think it would be in consideration if something wild like that were to happen or you flip it to the other side if coach Rossi were to take a power five head coaching position and I think that's what it would be I don't think he's gonna just go out there and take any head coaching position that comes his way I think he knows that he can be rather particular he's set up well and in a good position here he's got a healthy staff here he's got a great family life here a foundation here so unless it is a a home run hit offer a power five offer where he can go out there and do his thing and he'll have a little bit of leeway a little bit of a leash time to get himself built up in his classes I don't think he's leaving unless it's something like that will you talk about in the next two years I wouldn't be surprised if something like that came across the table and if he goes and he takes an offer like that I wouldn't be surprised to see coach Debo that's right the youngest coach on the staff one of the youngest coaches probably in the nation when it comes to positional coaches I would not be surprised to see him step up into that mantle now that could be very early it could be a little bit too early and if it was too early then I wouldn't be surprised if maybe they put him as a code defensive coordinator with swag daddy and maybe you let that old versus new and the chemistry that they build over these next coming Seasons you let that play together and they help take on the continued development of this Gophers defense I would not be shocked by that but the reason I think coach Debo is going to set himself up to be a defensive coordinator sooner rather than later and I'm not saying next year I'm not saying even the year after that but maybe when we're talking that 2025 after 2025 season heading into 2026 I wouldn't be surprised to see coach Debo getting some love and some consideration as a defensive coordinator S1 we know coach Fleck loves to keep the the tree internal we know he likes to build his staff from within and let them keep leveling up and getting better and taking on promotions from within and whatnot I would not be surprised to see it because he's got that Charisma he's got that energy coach Fleck has talked about he thinks he's levels above what coaches are at his age and that he's going to be an amazing coach he said that on record in these pressers now you talk about the Charisma you talk about the energy you talk about the recruiting connectivity look at the class of 2024 right now and all of these guys these defensive linemen that are like I want to come here to Minnesota you look at the guys that stayed here like Devin Eastern and others who are like look getting opportunities and thriving in in Spring practices and whatnot and taking their game to the next level coach Debo is special for this Gophers group and I think that is why I wouldn't be surprised to see that type of movement if coach Rossi was poached for power five offer so regardless of all of that regardless of these wild imaginary scenarios like take a step back don't stress about it we have to enjoy the ride with Coach Rossi and the Gophers defense it's been Elite it's been great and I would keep on encouraging you to enjoy it while it is here before the future takes anything from us whether it be coaching whether it be recruits whatever whatever it is enjoy the ride it's going to be a fun one the schedule is changing but the Gophers will remain this is Kane Rob signing off I hope you subscribe to the podcast I appreciate you listening brother go Gophers we'll see you on top 10 Tuesday [Music] thank you