In hindsight, it is clear now that NUs culture and team mindset was very, very bad after the 2017 season. It is improving, but compared to Minny's situation, we were behind behind them and still are. Confidence, hope, a feeling of 'we are getting better', we are close to winning the conference, etc., is huge for a team to work hard off season, spend time in video sessions, and put in time doing other things to improve. A feeling of 'we are stuck', we are are not going to win (either number of wins or a significant game, like a bowl game or conference championship game), we are still behind other teams, etc., leaves players giving less during their off season. In this, Minny is ahead of us and it's easy to see why. They won a significant bowl against a top opponent. They had 11 wins, and were in the West Division race. If we see this next season, we will be caught up with Minny. This affects recruiting. Beating a significant opponent next season will go a long ways to adjusting our culture on a upward trajectory AND help recruiting.
Good post! Agreed. To go off the subject of your post for a bit, what concerns me is this China virus. If we either have no season, or have a very partial season, it will, IMO, delay us a full year to getting back to some sort of degree. Anyone who has read my posts have seen me say (even before the China virus) that, IMO, we will start resembling what we want to be in 2021. Though we are loaded at OL, QB (finally!), TE, and do have talented though very young WR's and RB's, ( I will just say it now, for the 1st time, I doubt Spielman comes back), the schedule is absolute killer and if we don't play any schedule, it will set us back a full year. Now, it may not be until 2022, again, JMO. A silver linings is that if there isn't a season this year, and, for some reason the NCAA says "sorry, Jr's and below, you do NOT get a season back (assuming Sr's would like Spring sports Sr's did) we have some talented players who would have a redshirt available to make up for that lost year. (AM, Wan'Dale, others)
To get back on subject of your post, Minnesota lost a ton of defensive players, specifically their D backfield. Their recruiting classes were "meh" the last decade and beyond (they obviously are doing real good this year, for the 1st time in years). So they are now going to plug holes with players who were considered mostly mid/low 3*'s and lower (with he occasional high 3*/4*), aka as "meh" players. I know, they won 11 last year with those same "meh" players. But our advantage is we definitely have some talented players to fill our gaps. But maybe, like Riley's staff, our staff sucks at coaching up players? I don't know. I just know we ALWAYS have had higher ranked classes than Wisconsin and they boat race us almost every year, both with Riley, (Bo to a degree, he got the one win, I was there) and Frost so far. So maybe it is as simple as our past 3 coaching staffs can't coach. I again don't know, though I am very optimistic on Frost and his staff. I loved Bo and his staff but he was a short fused piece of dynamite who couldn't control his temper and it made for some problems. If Bo had Frost's demeanor, he would still be coach, IMO. So, everything this year is a crap shoot for NU. No bowl game practices and no spring practices, and maybe no fall practices.......everyone is in the same shoes but, IMO, it really hurts us.
