Will Minnesota Football Rise Up In 2024?

Will Minnesota Bounce Back In 2024 are PJ Fleck and his staff's investments in Minnesota football going to pay off significant dividends in 2024 or will it be another quote unquote rebuilding year despite a high amount of returning production and key starters coming back what are the payoffs going to be of keeping Darius Taylor who in the era of name image and likeness and now soon to be direct and honest and transparent pay for play could have gone to other schools and started got into a bigger Spotlight and paid more money but he stayed at Minnesota he stayed and he's a great player a star player same with wide receiver Daniel Jackson same with offensive tackle arante Ace same with cornerback Justin wall same with defensive lineman J Joiner and bringing in Max brosmer from the transfer port how will his addition pan out how much better will he be than Athan kak Manis will he be better at all now that cak Manis is off to ruter that'll be an interesting comparison to see how brosmer does with the Gophers compared to how cak Manis does with the Scarlet Knights with former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Shaka being the offensive coordinator and QB coach for the Scarlet Knights under Greg shano but that's a topic for a different day ruter and the fact that I'm very high on them I've actually been high on Minnesota over the previous three seasons I've predicted PJ Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers to do better in 21 22 and last year in 23 than they actually performed and last season the warning signs were written on the wall in Black Ink with a yellow outline in bold text the Gophers were toward the bottom of the country in returning production they lost several key starters both in the trenches on defense and in the skill positions you can name quarterback Tanner Morgan running back Muhammad Ibrahim Center John Michael schmidtz safety Jordan Howen and many other players they lost key starters they lost overall a ton of depth and production and statistics and they lost some coaches this year entering this year they have a new defensive coordinator whereas entering last season Minnesota had a new offensive coordinator but they retain a lot more production in fact they're inside of the top 20 in returning production floating near the top of college football and PJ Fleck in 2019 2021 and 2022 found ways to win with a roster that according to recruiting rankings should never be good so we know there's something there with PJ Fleck and his staff at least we can think that and returning production and other indicators say that this team should be better than last year's team but I want to investigate that further here on this episode of college football with Sam before we continue please like the video as it helps us get into the algorithm it helps us to reach more viewers get to more college football die hards and bring them in to the best Big 10 football community on YouTube and if you want to join the community I invite you to it's very easy all you have to do is click that big red subscribe button and also hit the notification Bell so that you can help us get closer to 20,000 subscribers where I will be doing a giveaway also if any of my videos that I've published in 2024 to preview the 2024 season get to 1,000 likes I will be doing a giveaway for the college football 25 game so there are two potential giveaways that we can reach very soon with your help and hitting the notification Bell helps you to get notified when I release any college football content whether it relates to the Big 10 my own opinions about college football as a whole whether all Americans or conference predictions or whether I'm talking about a team like Minnesota or Michigan or Ohio State or ruter or UCLA and USC you won't want to not subscribe subcribe to the channel Analyzing Minnesota's Defense And 2023 Disappointment you'll be missing out now let's get back to talking about Minnesota and what do you do when you want to figure out if a team is going to succeed particularly in the Big 10 well you typically want to look at defense first now Oregon Washington USC and UCLA join the Big 10 and those schools are not known to be defensive Schools they're known to focus on the offensive side of the ball particularly Oregon USC and UCLA and Washington have been this way too but they have new coaches at least we know that Oregon and USC will probably have more consistency to them but Minnesota doesn't play a schedule that is a murders row out of the schools coming from the Pack 12 they play USC at home UCLA on the road back to back on October fifth for the Trojans 12th for the Bruins respectively and out of opponents that are ranked by ESPN not fbii but just looking at fbschedules.com which ranks teams in the preseason before the AP or coaches polls are released they rank teams based off of ESPN writers top 25 they only play Michigan and Penn State Michigan on the road September 28th Penn State at home November 23rd the schedule is not extremely tough it doesn't look to be as hard as last season schedule where they played Drake May and North Carolina on the road and played a Michigan and Ohio State team that were probably top two at the very minimum top three or four teams in all of college football with Michigan being the national champions and Minnesota's defense last year was not good it was very bad especially as we got to the middle and later portion of the season from the beginning you felt that something was off with Minnesota when they couldn't do anything against Nebraska and then Nebraska they threw up all over themselves and game and gave the game away in in typical memeable Nebraska fashion but that won't happen forever it can't happen forever and in order for Minnesota to be a team that at least looked good last year they had to rely on opponents constantly throwing up all over themselves well instead it was Minnesota who did that for the remainder of the season they lost to a North Carolina team that regressed in many ways despite bringing back Drake may they choked to Northwestern on the road the following week September 23rd they struggled against Louisiana the Raging cun Michigan blew them out off the buy they had their most impressive win of the the year at Iowa off of an actual controversial play Cooper dein's fair catch play where I understood why the referees ruled it a fair catch because Dee made the signal at least a half attempt at it but it was sketchy Dee had an awesome return you can't take that away from him and then after that win at Iowa Minnesota beat Michigan State for their final win of the regular season like Nebraska they entered November with a 5 and3 record and a chance to win out outside of their road trip to Ohio State and potentially reach Indie but they went 0 and4 in the month of November finishing 5- s and because of their academic progress rate they went to the Quick Lane Bowl where they gave up 24 points to a Max School in Bowling Green they gave up 28 to Wisconsin who had an awful offense they did a respectable job against Ohio State only allowing I think 10 points in the first half but Ohio state was probably looking ahead to Michigan anyway and Ohio State hung 37 on them Purdue blew out the Gophers 49 to3 Illinois was able to pass all over that secondary and Michigan State the fact that the Spartans were able to score over 10 points on the Gophers is pretty bad given how atrocious Michigan State's offense was the defense for the Gophers was really last year the most disappointing unit by a mile yes kak Manis was pretty bad but entering 2023 I didn't think that he would be that good I didn't expect him to be as bad as he was but I thought that mainly he would be a quarterback that would be helped by the fact that Minnesota did have at least in my mind a good to Great Wide Receiver room turned out they only had one great wide receiver his name being Daniel Jackson I thought the tight end room would be better the running back room would be better that the offensive line would be better and that they would help kak Manis to at least do well as long as he's stuck to the system he didn't and the offense was a disappointment but the defense they brought back Justin wall who's a good Big 10 Corner they brought back Tyler Newman who's an all big 10 caliber safety and yet they just couldn't produce the defensive line improved in getting pressure of the quarterback and yet Minnesota's defense could not stop as Josh P would say molasses in December they just couldn't do it the good news is despite Joe rosi leaving for Michigan State the Gophers will improve on defense most likely in probably nine out of 10 simulations of the season they will improve on defense if not 10 out of 10 in some way because they bring back nine starters and 74% of their 2023 production the defensive line will be the strength of new defensive coordinator Cory Heather's unit there's a lot of Youth in the defensive back room but you have a proven player like cornerback Justin Wally I think the secondary will be the most interesting unit on defense the most interesting positional unit on defense to watch at linebacker Cody lindenberg comes back he's a redirt senior Maverick baronowski redirt sophomore is projected to start at middle linebacker and on the defensive line all starters are red shirt Juniors or older and three of them all defensive line starters except for Devin Eastern are red shirt seniors this includes Danny strigo Jaylen Logan reading J Joiner and then again Devin Eastern being one of their defensive tackles a red Jr in the secondary Ethan Robinson a transfer incoming is expected to start Corner along with Justin wall Aiden gby Coleman Bryson and Jack Henderson are projected to start at the other defensive back spots strong safety free safety and Nickelback this is a very interesting unit as the secondary again struggled mightily last year and how do you know that because they let Purdue and Illinois pass all over them they let Louisiana pass on them Northwestern pass on them and the Big 10 outside of JJ McCarthy at Michigan and at times Kyle mcord and maybe but very rarely Drew Aller and don't forget tagaloa either who is probably closer in terms of sealing and explosiveness and being in a good system to mcord than Aller those are really the only four semi-competent quarterbacks in the entire big 10 Ben Bryant maybe Hudson card were the best in the Big 10 West maybe John ptic by the way rest in peace to the the Big 10 West um from 2014 to 2023 which was its date of expiration and Illinois and Purdue passed all over them a Michigan State with Sam L it had a decent game against Minnesota's defense I know that I think on the first draw Iowa had a good passing Series against this secondary the defense last year was abnormally bad and the statistics show that in all likelihood it will drastically improve before we can continue with this video I have to shout out my patreon page as my 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Athan kak Manis it's hard to get excited about Daniel Jackson unless he's catching the football he had an amazing game against Iowa by the way Daniel Jackson he was basically the only receiver that did anything and he torched that secondary at one point because Minnesota was well doing what Minnesota does when they have any success in offense with Fleck they just chew clock and they run and kak Manis had a really nice I think play action I don't know if it was a seam pass or what route it was but he hit Daniel Jackson fairly deep and that was the play when I watched that game live where I thought I think Minnesota may come out on top against Iowa for the first time in flex's career as head coach with the Gophers but anyway that's why Daniel Jackson's up on screen because he's probably one of my favorite if not my favorite players or player on Minnesota's offense Max brosmer I think is going to be the biggest determining Factor on how good the offense can be well no duh uh he's the quarterback well in in most cases that is an obvious fact but you can look at other offenses where they're just so good in all other positions that the quarterback May matter in some games but in terms of overall success maybe it's the offensive line or running back or even receiver I know last year Kyle McCord for example and I've defended Kyle McCord saying that some people have been underrating him or over hating on him because of he had two picks against Michigan and at other times especially earlier in the season looked quite mediocre Kyle McCord even while I'm saying all that and while I think he's a good to Great quarterback in some cases he was even near Elite he did get bailed out by an awesome receiver unit when AA uko was healthy last year he was good and Marvin Harrison Jr I mean talk about in other drafts he could have been the number one overall pick that's how good of a player he was and Cade Stover one of the tougher players and a really good tight end last season and he'll make a great tight end in college football in the NFL rather I think this coming pro professional season but it at Minnesota there are questions at receiver outside of Daniel Jackson with brevan span for leaving I have no clue how tight end will look Nick karup from what I understand is primarily a blocking tight end not a receiving tight end Darius Taylor he's going to be good look Darius Taylor had 799 rushing yards and he only played in five games like really in five games I think he played in six because he had one Rush against Nebraska for like two three four five yards in five games where he started he ran for nearly 800 yards he is a bulldozzer he's good but there needed to be depth there and Minnesota and Greg Harbo and Matt Simon they went to the portal and they found a few running backs in SE Ben gura and Marcus major adding to Jordan nuban and also jiren mangam from Michigan State to build a running back room that does have I think high quality depth and if the offensive line is better than last year and especially the interior if projected starting center Greg Johnson if he steps up has a big season I think Minnesota can once again like in 2021 and 2022 and 2019 have a very powerful threatening rushing offense but with some limits that they have at receiver questions at tight end it's going to be ever more important for them to have a quarterback who can play the system but also make plays and make great throws to compensate for some of the limitations at tight end at wide receiver and I think the wide receiver room has a lot of potential they're very underrated I mean Elijah Spencer transferring in had a great career at Charlotte Tyler Williams is a he's a fourstar commit committed to Georgia transferred to Minnesota a Christian driver similar story transferred from Penn State where he was a fourstar I believe and Daniel Jackson last year was really good and lame Brockington has received praise before so this room does have some potential and talent but outside of Daniel Jackson they're unproven at Minnesota so having Max brosmer who last year he he's a graduate this year this is his final year transferred here to play one season he had 29 touchdowns six interceptions 3,459 passing yards last season at New Hampshire with a Quinn Carroll and Tyler Cooper that's huge bringing back three starters on the offensive line and Minnesota has done an extremely good job of developing offensive linemen they have um combined the current projected starting receivers had 12 receiving touchdowns and 969 receiving yards last year most of that was Daniel Jackson so the offense does have questions I think it's more interesting to look at than the defense because there's more transfers who have an impact just immediately than the defense and the offense has been questionable under Fleck outside of that 2019 season meanwhile the defense in 1921 and 23 was anywhere from great to one of the better Key Questions Entering 2024 defensive units in the country so Minnesota does have critical questions they have a lot of areas that are sketchy and they added 13 transfer portal players which given how Minnesota under Fleck especially has preached culture and togetherness and in staying to achieve your goals and being patient and being developed shows they want to win and also that they do have some questions and they want to sh up some weaknesses they added 13 again transfer portal players two quarterbacks three running backs three wide receivers an offensive tackle two defensive ends and two cornerbacks how will they fit in the system we'll have to see how all of them pan out and the offense especially is focused on Improvement because the defense I think was more of a disappointment last year just given the expectations the history and and the fact that the defense last year was bringing more back than the offense but the defense looking at it from a depth perspective and the experience on that side of the ball and I think that I think that Joe rosi is a great defensive mind and a great defensive coordinator I think he'll succeed at Michigan State I just think that last year was a little bit of a fluke year and the fact that when you don't I mean I think recruiting is overrated but I also think it's very important and when you recruit outside of the top 50 every year you're not going to be able unless you are one of the best and the best in iow in Phil Parker at Iowa for example you're not going to be able to churn out Elite or even great units year after year after year and I just think that last year happened to be a down year happened to be a trough in what would be typically a cycle of great Minnesota defenses with a bad year every so often which Minnesota's defense had that in 2020 as well under Rossy and Then followed up that year with two defenses that statistically were some of the nation's best in 21 and 22 but at offense running back and wide receiver depth has improved the question is will that trans trans late into good starting production and performance the pass rush last year to switch back to the defense improved but overall was still average I mean Joe Rosy's defenses were not known for getting pressure on quarterbacks they were known for stopping the run and having great secondary play will those things be brought back will the run defense be better will the secondary coverage not be disastrous like it was last year and or maybe it's an or will the pass rush step up and really help a secondary that does have some questions those are just some areas of not really concern but not really praise either areas where we're just going to have to wait and see but that is it for this video on Minnesota football and just talking about things that they have to face what they've done to address some issues they have and I want to leave really the question of will it work up to you guys I'm more optimistic about Minnesota than let's say their win total which thinks they'll go 5- seven 6 and six if I remember correctly but then again I mean just being optimistic about Minnesota compared to last season's performance of their win total could still just project them to go 500 so what do you think tell me what you think Minnesota will achieve this season and thanks to crash 2488 and brascar Rascal for sponsoring this video and channel as Heisman members on patreon thanks to Chris Lane Conor o and ismar for sponsoring this video and channel as All American members and thanks to John Lynn roaming gnome Matthew sale Austin Christmas and Janisha cochrell for sponsoring this video and channel as all conference patreons have a great day guys and I will see you all very soon bye-bye