2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers Preview

The first season of a new era for Minnesota football was, in a word, a nightmare. The Gophers, under first-year coach Tim Brewster, finished 1–11 overall, winless in the Big Ten and owners of one of the worst defenses in recent NCAA history. Only one way to go from there, right? That is the hope of Gophers fans who found some reason for optimism this offseason when Brewster brought in a national Top 20 recruiting class.

Two Minute Drill

A Quick Look at the Gophers

It’s hard to imagine the Gophers finishing worse than 1–11, but their reliance on a large group of young players again might make for another rough season. The offense should be more efficient in Year 2 of offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar’s spread attack. Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber set a number of school records in his first season as the starter and should make big improvement this season. The Gophers are thin at running back and young at wide receiver. They also need to develop an identity and chemistry along the line. Junior wide receiver Eric Decker is a bona fide star and could be one of the Big Ten’s top receivers. The offense will put up points, but the Gophers need to run the ball better to chew up clock and keep the defense off the field. Speaking of the defense, it won’t be surprising to see seven new starters under first-year coordinator Ted Roof. The defense was an absolute disaster last season, so it’s hard to know how much better this unit can become in one season. The secondary could feature four new starters. The Gophers have an easy non-conference schedule, but real progress will be determined by how they fare in the Big Ten after finishing 0–8 last season.

Help is on the way, but Brewster and his staff still must prove that they can turn better talent into more victories. That infusion of youth likely means another rough season lies ahead. The Gophers are excited about the development of sophomore quarterback Adam Weber, who set a host of school records in his first season as the starter. Weber also threw 19 interceptions, but he should make fewer mistakes with a year of experience under his belt.

The Gophers added some playmakers at wide receiver, but they have question marks at running back and on the offensive line.

As usual, the biggest concern rests on the other side of the ball. Former Duke head coach Ted Roof takes over as defensive coordinator, replacing Everett Withers, who took the same position at North Carolina after one disastrous season.

Minnesota was so bad defensively in 2007 that it’s hard to know where to start. The Gophers finished last in Division I-A in total defense and were completely overmatched in just about every game. The defense not only has a new coordinator, but it might also feature seven or eight new starters, including four new faces in the secondary. No job is safe. The coaching staff hit the junior college ranks hard hoping to find immediate help.

Brewster’s second team will look completely different from the first in terms of personnel, but it remains to be seen if the results are any better.

“For us seniors it’s do or die,” linebacker Steve Davis says. “Last year was bad. We don’t want to go out like that.”

Quarterbacks

Weber is the returning starter after setting a host of school records in 2007. Weber set single-season records for passing yards (2,895), completions (258), touchdown passes (24) and total offense (3,512). He also led the team in rushing with 617 yards and added five touchdowns on the ground. On the downside, Weber also threw 19 interceptions. Offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar believes quarterbacks often make their biggest improvement in their second season, and the coaching staff is confident Weber will do likewise. The best competition might be for the backup job. Senior Tony Mortensen, redshirt freshman Clint Brewster (son of the head coach), true freshman MarQueis Gray and junior college transfer David Pittman will compete for the No. 2 spot.

Running backs

The Gophers are extremely thin at this position. Their only returning backs with any meaningful experience are Jay Thomas, who is coming off his second ACL surgery, and sophomore Duane Bennett, who showed flashes of his talent as a true freshman in 2007. Thomas has tremendous speed, but it remains to be seen how effective he will be after his second major knee surgery. Bennett rushed for 442 yards and three touchdowns, but he tired physically at the end of the season. Thomas and Bennett must stay healthy for the Gophers to have any running game. The Gophers also are counting on some incoming freshmen to provide depth. Kevin Whaley and DeLeon Eskridge look like the best candidates.

Receivers

Other than Eric Decker, this unit is one of the biggest unknowns. Decker is not a bad place to start, however. The junior set a single-season school record for catches (67) in 2007 while also finishing with 909 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Decker is a gifted athlete who should be one of the Big Ten’s premier receivers this season. The Gophers need to get production from guys around him to take some of the pressure off. Ernie Wheelwright’s graduation opens the door for playing time. The Gophers believe several newcomers will have a big impact right away, including Chicago product Brandon Green, who brings a deep threat. Senior tight end Jack Simmons is healthy after battling a foot injury last season. He gives the offense another receiving option and is a reliable target over the middle.

Offensive linemen

The Gophers have traditionally been strong upfront, but the line looks like a major question mark heading into the season. Minnesota must replace its two best linemen — center Tony Brinkhaus and left tackle Steve Shidell. Key backup tackle Matt DeGeest also decided not to play his senior year. The Gophers must identify their center and then develop some chemistry with this unit. Sophomore Dominic Alford, who the coaches believe can become a star, moved from right to left tackle. The line could have a new right side with junior guard Otis Hudson and redshirt freshman Chris Bunders.

Defensive linemen

The Gophers absolutely need better play from this unit this season. They managed only 11 sacks last season, which ranked 116th nationally. They also were overmatched physically against the run. Senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg had a disappointing 2007 season after suffering a broken wrist prior to the opener. VanDeSteeg posted 10 sacks as a sophomore, so he has the ability to get pressure off the edge. The Gophers need to solidify their tackles. Eric Small is up to about 300 pounds, about 25 more than last season. Junior college transfers Tim McGee and Cedric McKinley could become starters.

Linebackers

Long-time contributors Mike Sherels and John Shevlin graduated, and middle linebacker Deon Hightower missed most of spring drills after having shoulder surgery. Local product Sam Maresh was a candidate to start at middle linebacker as a true freshman until a heart condition put his future on the field in jeopardy. Davis had a rocky transition from rush defensive end to outside linebacker last season. He had some bright moments but struggled to become a consistent playmaker. Hightower blossomed as a junior, finishing second in tackles with 70. Junior college transfer Rex Sharpe is expected to push for a starting spot, too. The coaching staff wants more speed at this position with eight of the 11 Big Ten teams operating out of a spread offense.

Defensive backs

It will not be surprising to see four new starters in the defensive backfield. A combination of factors forced the coaching staff to start three true freshmen last season, and the result was not good. Brewster’s staff hit the junior college ranks for immediate help. Transfers Traye Simmons, Simoni Lawrence and Tramaine Brock are candidates to start, as is true freshman Tim Dandridge. The coaching staff loves Brock’s speed and competitiveness at free safety. The Gophers also signed talented Dallas safety prospect Keanon Cooper, who switched his commitment from Texas Tech at the last minute. Vince Hill played wide receiver in prep school, but he asked the coaches to allow him to play defensive back. The Gophers collected only seven interceptions last season, so they need more playmakers on the back end.

Specialists

For once, the Gophers feel good about their kicking game. Senior punter Justin Kucek is one of the best in the Big Ten, if not the entire nation. He averaged 42.7 yards per punt last season and placed 21 punts inside the 20 with 14 fair catches. Placekicker Joel Monroe was solid after taking over early in the season. He made 7-of-9 field goals and was perfect on extra points. Junior college transfer David Pittman be  counted on in the return game, following the dismissal of Harold Howell.

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