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2016 Opponent Previews: Minnesota


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CollegeFootballNews.com: Can Tracy Claeys make the Gophers this year’s Iowa?

Minnesota was able to get to four straight bowl games with a good, sound, hard-nosed style, disciplined play, and tremendous coaching.

 

And almost no talent.

 

There might have been a David Cobb here, a Maxx Williams there, and a Ra’Shede Hagemen to gum things up, but the Gophers had just eight players selected over the last three drafts and haven’t had the depth, recruiting classes, or margin for error that most good Big Ten teams have. Even so, the program has created a decent niche. Now it has to break through that.

 

Preview Part 1: http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/minnesota-gophers-football-tracy-claeys

Preview Part 2: http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/minnesota-golden-gophers-football-preview-2016

Top Players: http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/preview-2016-top-10-minnesota-football-players

 

 

SBNation: Minnesota's boring hire could win immediately

 

When Minnesota replaced Jerry Kill with Tracy Claeys, then, it was easy to be underwhelmed. Over the last four years, Minnesota has gone 28-24. That's clear improvement over the 20-42 record the Gophers had pulled off over the five previous years, but is it enough improvement, enough sure quality, for UM to simply give the job to Kill's right-hand man upon Kill's sudden retirement? And beyond the "who," the Gophers rushed to make this hire. They didn't check out the marketplace or weigh other names or take stock. They just gave the job to Claeys.

 

2016 projected wins: 7.5

Projected S&P+ ranking: 42 (8 in Big Ten)

5-year recruiting ranking: 58 (12 in Big Ten)

Biggest strength: The secondary's dealing with some turnover but should still be one of the Big Ten's best.

Biggest question mark: Mitch Leidner's a projected first-rounder, huh, Todd McShay? Let's see how the improving but mistake-prone QB handles hype.

Biggest 2016 game: Iowa (Oct. 8). Win this, and an 8-1 start goes from conceivable to probable.

Summary: Tracy Claeys wasn't the most creative hire Minnesota could have made, but he's attempting to raise the Gophers' recruiting ceiling, and his 2016 squad has enough experience (and a favorable schedule) to contend in a crowded Big Ten West.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/7/20/12216352/minnesota-gophers-football-2016-preview-schedule-roster

 

 

More to come...

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