everybody knows my name

The Gophers beat Illinois and Iowa last year and you're predicting they lose to those two teams and everybody else in the B1G this year. So you think they're getting worse? Neutral observers from the Big Ten Network don't agree. I'd settle for 3 wins OOC and 2-3 wins in conference, which means 5 or 6. I think the big jump to contention is still a year or two away, but if you look at coach Kill's record, it's coming. It's always been in year 2 or 3 of his tenure, wherever he has coached.

The Gophers are going to be the most improved team in the Big Ten this year. Don't take my word for it - read up on Gerry DiNardo, Howard Griffith, and Tom Dienhart. Seven wins is very doable. http://btn.com/2012/...ractice-tweets/ Jerry Kill is a real football coach, and he's building this program the right way. Fans up here are taking notice. The O-Line is going to be the most improved unit on the most improved team. Each man has gained 15 pounds of good weight in the off-season, and 2012 will be the first season in the last six years that we've had the same offensive system that we played the year before. Think about that - six years! Gray is going to have more time in the pocket and better running lanes. Scary, huh? One of our weakest units last year was our receiving corps. This year that group has seen a huge improvement in quality. Young speedsters like Devin Crawford-Tufts, Marcus Jones, and Isaac Fruechte are going to complement skilled pass catchers like freshmen Andre McDonald and Jamel Harbeson. I wish I could tell you which guys are going to end up stars, but can do you tell which chocolate chip is the best one in the bag? Our TEs are good again this year, like they always are. Our best kicker didn't miss a field goal last year, and even had a rushing TD. Our kick returner holds the Big Ten all-time record for return yards. Our LBs are the most veteran unit on the team. Our D-line is going to double their sack total from last year. We brought in a tailback (Gillum) that the coaching staff has been drooling over since they were at Northern Illinois - strong, fast, tough, and smart. And BTW, the season ticket sales thing is actually a bogus non-story. Marcus Fuller of the St Paul Pioneer Press checked the numbers, and we're actually at 92% of last year's total from the same date. (http://blogs.twincit...e-to-2011-pace/) Furthermore, a win in the season opener at UNLV (road game) will be a boost to student ticket sales. They just want to know the team won't suck again before they buy. Bottom line: this team is really improved, and will continue to improve. We're developing the horses and teaching them to do the work. Coach Kill isn't one to hype his team (just look at his preseason comments from last year!) but he's really talking up not only Marqueis Gray, who we already knew was a physical specimen, but also unsung guys like Ra'Shede Hageman and Thieren Cockran.

Gophers fans are confident, the kid will regret it.

They'll win 5 or 6. Why not? They did last year. Do you have some reason to think the Gophers will get worse instead of better?

I know the vadgers don't like Minnesota, but it's just wrong to leave us out of the rankings! Did you take the hint that you put Iowa on this list twice?