Hotspotoutdoors

Tiller was a great coach. He just looked tough with that mustache!

Back on topic, one thing that concerns me is the lack of pass rush for the Gophers. It's time for someone step up, especially the DE's. Or Cosgrove needs to do more disguised blitzes with the LB's on obvious passing downs.

That's fantastic. Two days and two similar answers. "Hey, doesn't matter if it's wrong, they did it, so it's acceptable if we do it too!"

No matter how badly you want to spin it, any time a student athlete winds up in trouble it's always a reflection of the athletic program and coach. There are definitely lack of discipline and personal accountability issues going on with the football program and all fingers point at Brewster.

Apparently he hasn't taught his players the art of the silver tongue and utilizing used car salesmen magic to get themselves out of trouble, otherwise that fabulous freshman recruit of his wouldn't have needed a tazer pointed at his chest to get him to submit to the police.

WOW...and to think the Gopher program is the only one in the nation having 18-19 year olds getting in a little trouble on a Friday or Saturday night. That's amazing news there LMITOUT!!! Get real.

You are an NDSU grad correct? I spent 5 years playing football there during the late 80's early 90's. Couple of National championships/great program etc. blah blah blah...and guess what...half the team smoked the hootch and a late night weekend "bail-out" was the norm...even expected. Please get off your high horse and go lay by your dish.

The public seems to ignore those things when you actually win something meaningful or are a successful program such as NDSU.

Have the Gophs done anything meaningful or successful in recent memory? Not so much.

Sounds like some NDSU players were limiting out last spring.

Garrett Johnson couldn’t help but get into a scuffle during the first practice for North Dakota State’s football team.

“I’m one of those guys who likes to mix it up a little bit,” Johnson said. “First day of practice, I want to show the incoming freshmen that I’m not scared. You’ve got to take them down a little bit.”

Johnson was sending a message last Wednesday – less than four hours after Bison head coach Craig Bohl delivered even stronger messages to Johnson, Jose Mohler and Shamen Washington.

All three Bison players were arrested last spring for driving under the influence. All three sat out of spring practices.

Bohl’s message last week: a one-game suspension for Washington and two-game suspensions for Johnson and Mohler.

“It was a huge mistake,” said Johnson, a backup defensive end who was arrested last March for DUI and minor in possession. “After going through all the police and school officials, it’s just not worth it. I have a full ride and they could throw everything out the window. It has been a real eye opener.”

The suspensions couldn’t have come at a worse time for Washington and Mohler.

Washington, after being awarded a medical hardship after last season’s knee injury, gets one more season to play. But he has to sit out the Sept. 3 opener against Iowa State.

Last April, Washington and Mohler were arrested for DUIs on the same night, about a half hour apart.

“I’m very sorry for what happened,” said Washington, a

23-year-old senior wide receiver and return specialist from St. Petersburg, Fla. “I apologized to the team, the coaches, my family and my friends. I’m just going to learn from it.”

Mohler entered last spring’s practices as the No. 2 quarterback. But he only got in two practices before the suspension and will miss the Iowa State and Sam Houston State games next month.

According to Bohl, he has a lot of work to do to make a bid for the starting spot.

“That really took me down a lot,” Mohler said of missing spring practices. “I messed up. I had to pay my dues.”

These three suspensions weren’t nearly as severe as the punishment handed to backup quarterback Troy Jackson and wide receiver Jordan Schultenhover.

Jackson was arrested for marijuana possession last February. Schultenhover was charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.

Both were dismissed from the team.

These arrests prompted NDSU officials to unveil – earlier than expected – a plan to curb campus alcohol and drug use. The $50,000-per-year plan includes a new online education course for all incoming freshmen to more dry, late-night campus events.

The plan also includes two new educational programs for athletes, starting this fall.

Bohl likes the proactive approach, strongly disagreeing with those who felt the suspensions for Johnson, Mohler and Washington should have been more severe.

“The easy thing to do, and I know everybody wants blood and meat, is to throw down a bunch of hard suspensions,” Bohl said. “If you talk to any person who is involved with students across campus, and around the nation, they’ll say that formula simply does not work.

“So all the people who are somewhat experts out there who think that’s how you handle youth, I think they need to wake up and smell the coffee. Quite frankly, all the research we’ve been given from people who have been trained in this area, they say that’s not what works.”

While given another chance, Johnson, Mohler and Washington say Bohl’s message to make smart decisions off the field is louder than ever.

Mohler, a 19-year-old sophomore from Cardiff, Calif., already has two minor in possession charges that he admits put Bohl in a tough situation.

“Everybody doesn’t take it lightly now,” Mohler said. “You look in the coach’s eyes and he has a deep look in his eyes … like he isn’t joking about things. It’s all business.”

Johnson, a 20-year-old sophomore from Chaska, Minn., said he doesn’t party anymore.

“I’m not even close to alcohol or anything,” Johnson said. “And if I see a player that’s doing it, I’m going to be there for him if he needs help. It’s not even a question for me right now. It’s not worth it.”

By Kevin Schnepf
Fargo Forum

Every coach in the country (at every level) deals with these same things all the time. I'm sure all those who have experienced their own kids actions from the ages of 18-22 go through the same thing too. It's all part of growing up.

Yep, and the coach stepped up and took care of it. Great article. Thanks for posting what a good coach does.

One and two game suspensions lol.

Just google any team then freshman arrested and you will find every team in the big ten has some. Big Ten leader Iowa has supposedly had 18 arrests the last two years. Coaches son was even arrested.

Back to the topic. I think Brewster needs to beat the Illini and make a game of it at Iowa. 0 for every trophy game and no big wins just doesn't cut it.

He is still playing with some of Mason's kids...I'd at least give him two years of his own seniors before you let him go. There is something to be said about stability in a program and letting his recruits grow up. We really don't know what all these recruits can do quite yet and it'll be a few years before we do.

Brewster should, however, be held responsible for bringing that stability to the program. Right now he's failing tremendously at this. STOP changing coordinators and offensive philosophies every year for starters.

He could not get his son to come here. And the one who did dumped the U after one year. I would give him two more years and if nothing changes show him the door. And then get a coach with a past winning history at a major school.

You can't fault a kid like Nolan Brewster who chooses a national powerhouse program like Texas over a lesser-known, less-proven program. He's a heck of a player and is starting as a true freshman for Texas. Plus I think it would be tough to play for your dad as a coach, especially at the college level or higher. Clint Brewster wasn't as talented of a player. Clint and his dad both knew that he would never see the field with Weber's improvement and the addition of MarQueis a year later. Clint isn't even starting for Tennessee Tech.

It was no loss losing Clint. He didn't have enough talent and wasn't athletic enough to be switched to another position.

Well, cross Illinois off that list.....he can't even beat them.

Gophs program suffers 3rd arrest in last 30 days: Coach Brew handcuffed, booked for impersonating Div. I football coach.

-Dan Barrierro

Iowa lost to Northwestern today. The Hawkeyes must be BELOW mediocrity according to LMITOUT's great football mind!

Gophers have more national titles that Bucky does, do-dah, do-dah... We might as well change the name from Dinkytown to "Titletown"!!!

The Gophers defensive front four has not done a thing all year. They cannot rush the passer to save their lives. And Jeff Wills is too slow for the Division 1 game! He was burned so many times today, that Weber started looking like Aaron Rogers on his back against the Vikings. It's time for Wills to be benched.

Instead of pointing fingers at Iowa how about fixing the problems at home? Pointing fingers seem to be the M.O. for Minnesotans rather than realizing their own faults and correcting them. How about this....Fire Brewster and fire Maturi. That'd be a good start instead of deflecting the horrible play of the home squad at another team leading the Big 10, don't you think?

What an embarrassment for the Gophers, at home at that. It's obvious Brewster has got to go and this talk of extending his contract is laughable at best. Those pandering for this fool have to realize they're rearranging chairs on a sinking ship.

What's even more laughable is that the first thing mentioned is the Iowa loss. Apparently the only hope the Gophers have is that the other teams lose their games because they can't win their own.

What a joke.

Go Jackrabbits!!!!!!!

Gophers lost to the last place team with their backup quarterback! I'm not gonna blame any 1 particular player because the entire team was equally terrible! The team did not look ready to play at all...and that is the coaches' fault! This is brewster's 3rd season and there has been no signs of improvement...infact, the team is getting worse! Unfortunately he won't be fired, they'll just let his contract expire, so we get to have 2 more seasons of this [PoorWordUsage]!!!

He'll be fired or extended...and they'll do it at the end of this year. Other schools and recruiters would kill us if he's still here and not extended.

Bad loss today...can't comment on the game because I didn't see it but definately a step backwards.

I'm still in favor of extending him...I think he's got a long way to go as a coach but all the reports say he IS bringing in top notch players...not an easy thing to do here in Minnesota. Let it play out...he seems to be winning half the battle...let's hope the other half follows.

not at Navy or Army. you mess up,, and your gone from the team and the school.
Even more reasons to like Navy beating ND.

What's funny is that I wasn't actually pointing fingers at Iowa. My point is that every team loses games that they should win, even Iowa, even Penn State, even Notre Dame like yesterday. One loss doesn't make a team mediocre or below.

I asked our positive "pro staffer" to reply to the following questions before, but he didn't have an answer. Just more negativity. I'd be interested in other people's responses

1) If you were the head coach of the Gopher football team, how or what would you do to improve the team?
2) If Brewster is not the answer, then who would you have picked for a coach instead of him? Also, if he was to be canned after this year, who would you suggest as his replacement?
3) What would you do differently to bring in high caliber recruits?

Boy am I glad to be a Bama fan! Roll Tide!

I give brewster little to no credit on the recruiting...most of the credit goes to the new stadium. Mason couldn't get the best guys because none of them wanted to play in an off campus dome (can you blame them?), so he did the best he could with what he got.

These supposed 3 and 4 star recruits aren't showing much so far anyway, which doesn't matter anyway because a team can only be so good with a poor coach.

Weber looked terrible yesterday! Can anyone tell me why he wears a glove on his throwing hand? He was over throwing wide open receivers by a mile...it's ok if you do that once every so often, but when you do it 7 or 8 times in a game! COME ON! He's a good backup QB at best.

Also, I've been to 3 games so far this year (including yesterday), and I am getting sick of seeing the student section empty! They need to open that up to the general public. The U is missing out on lot's of money by letting those seats go to waste.

I think Brewster needs to step up as head coach and bench a few players after their performances this weekend. It starts with the offensive line. 50 yards rushing. 50! That's unacceptable, even with our running backs. Weber was also sacked seven times and most of those were because of the o-line getting beat. O-line coach Davis has said he prefers BIG lineman and touts his motto "Mass moves a__(backsides)". Well this o-line may be big but they are not moving anyone. We need o-lineman that are athletic, not just big. Brewster and Fisch also need to recognize when Weber is struggling and put the ball into Gray's hands more often. Gray's two or three fumbles aren't helping his chances, but Weber isn't getting it done. They coaches have only let Gray throw like two or three times this year. Only once in this weekend's game, and it was a completion. Defensively, Cosgrove needs to start rotating or trying out a couple more DE's or d-linemen. Only one sack this weekend, and that was because of a blitz.