Minnesota Preview

https://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1819778

http://mgoblog.com/content/preview-minnesota-2015#more

A longer video gives a better picture of what went on, before and after the part with Morris, in terms of Hoke, QB Bellomy, and others.  Early in the fourth quarter the game was over with Michigan losing 30-7.

Babble

Wiki makes it so easy.  Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys started out in the Saginaw Valley.  The whole area grew up around lumber and that is linked to GM and lots of other things.  Flint has often been the example of decay. The federal grant provides for demolition.  Detroit is bigger and…  It is just bigger.  Cars and single-family homes.

Compare it with say Denver.  It is so easy to look at the populations.  Saginaw, Flint, and Detroit have much higher younger and female populations.  Income is declining.  I did not know, or remember, that Detroit’s population was that large—close to 2 million—in the 50’s.  This is not counting suburbs and even growth in other areas:  from the ‘70s and ‘80’s the populations are approximately half.

What is the population of Minnesota and the Twin Cities?  There is just one team.  My experience is a lot of space, pine trees, and cold. 

Jerry Kill was a good coach and he built Minnesota into an upper-division team.  Brian Cook’s mgoblog preview describes a strong, unit-by-unit team.  They are built on running the ball and a stout defense and this, along with whatever other toughness/cowboy skills Kill brought, was enough to make the Gophers a team worth following for their fans.  How else can you put it?  A nice bowl in a warm place is realistically the goal.

Tracy Claeys is loyal and from Kansas and all that.  Maybe he has a few years to see if he can bring it on his own, in his own way, or he is toast.  A large toaster will be required, but all the same.

INSERT IMAGE OF TRACY CLAEYS AND BRADY HOKE TOGETHER.  WIDESCREEN NOT RECOMMENDED.

Both teams had a bye week.  Prior to, and even with, Kill’s announcement this night game is a big one for Minnesota.

Prediction?  Michigan gets back on track with a resounding win.  They are good enough, and Minnesota is vulnerable enough, for that to happen.  M 31-7.