Another Bad Break For Gopher Football

I'm sure you've heard the old phrase "If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all."  Anyone that's been a fan of Minnesota Gophers football has to have thought this at some time during their life.

Squandering big leads, failing to take the next step, last second desperation passes all have been the norm up here in Minnesota for the better part of the past 50 years or so.

One of these years, things are going to turn around.  One of these years, everything's going to go right for the Gophers.  It has to.  They are due.

As the Spring Game approaches, it's easy for football fans to be filled with optimism about their squad.  Enough time has passed to get over the disappointments of the previous year's campaign.  It's time to move on and look for hope on the horizon.

Another offseason filled with disappointment, injuries and the questionable behavior of some of the teams's student athletes has tempered my enthusiasm, to say the least.

I could go back further, but the team's trials and tribulations began just hours after the Gophers fell by a point to a very beatable Iowa State team in the Insight Bowl.

Following their defeat, some members of the squad decided head out into the Arizona night and enjoy the town.  Among them was running back Kevin Whaley.  Before the night was through Whaley would find himself in trouble with the law.

Whaley had been arrested in Minneapolis in 2008, following a disturbance outside a nightclub.  The more things change...

Whaley was arrested again following the loss in Tempe and charged with assault.  The Gophers and Whaley agreed to part ways shortly thereafter.

Offensive lineman Ryan Wynn also got himself into a little trouble down in the desert as well, and came home with a minor consumption ticket.

Proving that these youthful indiscretions aren't just a Gopher problem, star Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd got in trouble with the law while back in Minneapolis early in January.

Of course, his friend and former high school teammate Shady Salamon of the Gophers was with him and also was issued a minor consumption citation.

Starting safety Kyle Theret was arrested at the end of March and charged with DUI.

Last week, redshirt linebacker Sam Maresh racked up his second ticket for alcohol consumption by a minor in a two week span.

Speedy Gophers punt returner Bryant Allen fractured his ankle during last Saturday's scrimmage.  Allen had shown flashes of explosiveness returning punts last season and was expected to take on an increased role in the offense in 2010.

Allen should be ready to go in a couple of months, but his speed and elusiveness could be greatly affected by the chipped bone in his ankle.

Finally, in the classic University of Minnesota "bad to worse" scenario, safety Kim Royston broke his leg during a seven-on-seven drill on Tuesday.

Royston was one of only two defensive starters returning this season.  Coach Brewster is hopeful that Royston can return in time for September, but a compound fracture like the one Royston suffered will take plenty of time to heal.

After everything that's happened, Gopher fans can't help but wonder what challenges the team is going to encounter before the 2010 season officially gets underway.

They say it's always darkest before the dawn.  Right now, things look pretty dark for the University of Minnesota's football team.