Jeremy: Indeed These Things Worry Me

I made a conscious decision this year to not bash Glen Mason. Looking at the guy's track record as the head coach of the Gophers, I have to admit that he has done some good things with this program. At least he's brought the team to a point where other Big 10 teams can't look past them anymore. They have had one of the most prolific offenses in the country for the last two years. They are not the doormat of the Big 10 any longer. I felt like all of these were good reasons to stay off of Mason's case.
My hiatus from Mason bashing is officially over.
The boys just were not ready to face Michigan State yesterday. As a team, especially defensively, the Gophs have a problem with starting out slow. Yesterday they got behind the proverbial 8-ball early and often, and the Spartans absolutely rolled. They were not prepared for this game, and it is the job of the coach to get the team ready. How can we blame anyone but Mason for this? He's got the most talented running backs in the entire country. He's got the most accurate and composed quarterback that he's ever had. He's got a more mature and physically larger defense than he's ever had. There is talent at virtually every position on this football team and yet we can't win the big game (Michigan) or even a marginally talented team with nothing but underclassmen and an inexperienced quarterback (Michigan St.). I could have taken a loss to Michigan State on their homecoming in the cold weather if we had played with even an ounce of competency. But that did not happen. My uncle said it best: we got out-coached.
And the bigger problem is that it's not just this game. The Gophers talent has allowed them to bail Mason out 5 times this year, but they always start out so slowly that you can't look past the fact that they just do not look ready. The Gophers have given up a touchdown on the opposition's opening drive in 5 out of the last 7 games.
We have now gone from being a favorite in the Big 10 to trying to avoid another trip to El Paso. Ouch.
Mason has done a good job of getting this program to a respectable level and he has done a good job of recruiting, but I honestly believe it's time to look at bringing somebody in who can win the big games.
So, yes, Glen, hang your head. Despite all of the talk of taking us to the Rose Bowl, you have not given us, or yourself, much reason to look up.