Happy New Year. As we are at the beginning of a new year, it is reasonable to look at what we want to improve on before forgetting three weeks into the year and abandoning them. Our staff put together a list of resolutions for the football team that we hope they will not abandon.

Win the Axe

I speak for everyone on staff, and for that matter all right thinking people in the world, when I say that this is the only resolution that actually needs to come true. The axe has been tortured for far too long having to be in Madison, and needs to come back to its proper home. So too does the Slab of Bacon.

Free Floyd

Extra bonus here. When the Gophers win Floyd, Kirk Ferentz gets a 200k bonus. It’s a strange contract, but a deal is a deal.

Sign a Top 20 Recruiting Class

There are a few legacy recruits in the 2019 class that would look great in Maroon and Gold. For that matter, there are a large number of prospects in general that would look great in Maroon and Gold. PJ Fleck was hired in part because of his ability to upgrade the recruiting pipeline. We set our new year’s resolutions high and think that a top 20 class is feasible.

Win a Bowl Game

As fun as the early signing period is, the whole point of recruiting is to win games and make post-season bowls. Last year was a down year for the Gophers, and Fleck will not get the same leeway from the fanbase in year 2.

Finish .500 or better on the road

Minnesota has trips to Maryland, Ohio State, Nebraska, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Per resolution 1, Wisconsin should be a win, meaning that they need to go 2-2 against the rest of the schedule. Whether this is doable is unclear at this juncture.

Have a player make All-BIG First Team

How do you know that you have a talent upgrade? People start nominating your players for awards. Minnesota will have lots of youth on the roster next year, but part of building a program is developing the top recruits that are brought in.