The Daily Gopher Mailbag - #AskTDG Begs Your Forgiveness Again

Did anyone else get up to watch The Open Championship today? Was that not a completely nutso back nine by Phil? Seriously, the Vikings better play in London again next year (and I better plant a money tree) so I can go over there to watch them play before ALL OF THE GOLF. Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, the mailbag answers I was supposed to post on Friday...

As an FYI, I'm toying with moving the mailbag answers to Sunday because Job A requires me to do actual things. My only hesitation with this is that doing so probably screws up some of your questions during the season (as I bet at least some of them pertain to the upcoming game). If you have opinions or thoughts on this possibility make sure to share them.

Anyway, a reminder on how this whole things works:

There are three ways to contact the The Daily Gopher staff with your questions. You can post them in the comments of the "Calling All Questions" post on Monday, you can tweet them at us on Twitter using the hashtag #AskTDG (please use it because then we can search on it and everything becomes easier) or you can email them to DailyGopher (at) gmail.com. If you email it to us we'll use your first name unless you request otherwise, for Twitter/comments we'll use your respective handle or moniker.

So without further delay, ANSWERS!

Why does grass need to be mowed?

FFXVIKE

Matt: Fines from the city are pretty unchill bro.

GoAUpher: Because if you don't your kind but possibly OCD neighbor will do it to help out and you'll go through the rest of the summer feeling both guilty and a little bit weirded out by the whole thing. At least, that's what I think would happen. Yea, think would happen...

Who will be the starting three wide receivers in 2013 for our Golden Gophers and what former U of M or former or current NFL players would you compare them to?

Matt via email

Matt: By the end of the year, I think it'll be Derrick Engel, Andre McDonald and Jamel Harbison. I'd also expect Isaac Fruechte and DCT to be heavily involved, as will one of the two incoming freshmen -- Drew Wolitarsky and Eric Carter. Shit, both of them may be needed.

GoAUpher: In an ideal world, Engel, McDonald, and DCT light it up with Mankato Jesus, thereby giving Harbison plenty of time to get his knee back to 100%. I don't think any of the guys have done enough to merit NFL comparisons though.

Who is the best recruit the Gophers came in second for over the last five years? Would they have won us a single additional game? Is it possible we get to wrapped up in these recruiting battles?

Matt via email

Matt: LaMichael James and Taylor Lewan are the two biggest that come to mind. Even though we love Kirkland and Eddie Olson is capable, I can't imagine how much better the running game would have been with those two.

GoAUpher: LaMichael James, though you know Brew would have found a way to waste his talents.

Do you think our our conference takeaway/giveaway ratio be a positive or negative in conference play in 2013?

skhamlin

GoAUpher: Um...well, if we're 6-6 or worse then I would bet heavily that the TO ratio will be negative. 7-5 will mean closer to even IMO. There's no way we win 8 games with a negative TO ratio IMO.

Matt: Good question. Last year we were -8 in turnovers during B1G play, which is terrible. Even worse? We were -9... through the first three games. Keep in mind that 4 TO game against the Squawks where things spiraled out of control and that -3 game two weeks later against Northwestern, a contest decided by only 8 points. GRRRRRRR. Anyway, I think it'll be closer to zero than as lopsided it was last year. Nelson has those seven starts under his belt and he generally made good decisions during that three week stretch from Purdue to Illinois.

Better odds for a Gopher victory? Home vs. San Jose State University or home vs. Iowa for Floyd of Rosedale?

Wacker Era Survivor

Matt: Floyd. Until proven otherwise, Greg Davis is still a GERG who runs a horizontal offense, AIRBHG is still smite-y and Ferentz still hasn't won at TCF Bank Stadium. This is a rivalry where the home team generally prevails.

GoAUpher: Personally, I think they Gophers have good chances for both. The QB for SJSU is a stud, but I think that team will struggle under a new coach. If pushed, I'd have to agree with Matt that Greg Davis is horrible and that I don't see the Gophers having a quarter long collapse like they did in Iowa City last year. So I'll say Iowa by a hair.

Where are my pants? I woke up, and they’re nowhere to be found!

bewilder2

GoAUpher: Did you find them yet? I certainly hope you weren't waiting for our answer before you started searching. If you did...well, I hope you own classy boxers and received compliments about them. I would suggest looking on the floor by your bed, in the washing machine, or in a neighbor's tree.