Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Preview

While at Northern Illinois, Jerry Kill marveled over the athletic facilities at the University of Minnesota.

Now head coach of the Golden Gophers, he'll have the opportunity to wander around the myriad buildings at his leisure.

But his first task is making his team relevant again.

The third year in their beautiful outdoor stadium is another positive that helped Kill understand that everything is in place minus the scoreboard that keeps track of wins and losses. Recruiting the right players to fit a system and having them thrive under it is another thing though. 

Do They Have the Kill(er) Instincts?

Patience is the key word at U of M this season (er, not Miami). Development always takes time, so a bowl game is probably unrealistic in 2011.

Is it considered a disaster when you are arguably the worst program in the Big Ten? But Minnesota's counterpart, Washington State—a fellow basement dweller, but in the new Pac-12—is improving under quarterback Jeff Tuel. Perhaps the Golden Gophers can follow suit.

Well, Wazzou has not even sniffed a bowl game (however, they have the second-most Rose Bowl appearances, behind USC, of any Pac-12 team in the past 14 years), going 2-25 in the past three seasons.

Minnesota has done a far better job in the past five seasons, going to two bowl games, so there is hope they can return to relevancy.

I truly believe Jerry Kill will allow this team to grow into its own and they will find a way to upset at least one team in the Big Ten.

What are the chances they upset three or more teams in conference? That will be tough sledding. 

Kill does have an improving offense that has the athleticism to give Big Ten defenses some issues. They moved former wide receiver MarQueis Gray back to quarterback because ,as Kill put it, "It gives us the best chance to win."

Old Stomping Ground

The Golden Gophers backfield used to be one of the best in America under coach Glen Mason.

Minnesota produced a 1,000 yard rusher in each season from 1999-2006, and UM became the first school in NCAA history to have not one, but two backs to top the 1,000 mark in three straight seasons (’03-‘05).

In Mason’s final season, Amir Pinnix rushed for 1,272 yards but the following year in 2007, with Brewster as the coach, he got just 563 out of Pinnix.

True freshman Duane Bennett then came on the scene, adding 442 yards in 2007. In 2008, Bennett rushed for 92 in the opener but tore his ACL and missed the rest of the year. 

Last year Bennett was hurt again and Eskridge led the team with 698 yards and 7 TDs. Bennett only had a pedestrian 3 TDs and 529 yards.

Look for redshirt freshmen Lamonte Edwards, a 6’2”, 210-pound bruiser who was the Scout Team Player of the Year a season ago, to have a good year.

He was a highly-touted running back out of high school and may very well lead the team in rushing for the next few years.

Whoever starts or even sniffs the playing field needs to produce, because ranking 86th in America averaging only 135 yards per game makes former studs like Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney seem like they were running bonkers in the Big Ten 100 years ago. 

I'm Not Alright

I am going to keep it short and sweet about the defense. Ranking 98th against the run allowing 191 YPG is beyond atrocious and it is no surprise that every Big Ten ran for 145 yards or more outside of Iowa in the season finale last year.

Gary Tinsley at strong linebacker will be joined by Florida transfer Brendan Beal. This is one of the better units in the Big Ten and it the only hope that could give the Gophers a chance to become a solid defense.  

They added more speed to the front four and if they can find a way to improve in the sacks they will be just fine. Asking for them to improve is an easy way of saying that they were the worst in the nation lasts eason. Minnesota was dead last (120th) in sacks on defense with only 52 sacks or just .67 per game. 

Drama's Forecast

The schedule is tough and the non-conference is tougher (USC and Miami of Ohio). Their conference road tilts include Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Northwestern.

Their four home games will be even tougher with Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. The Gophers will attempt to reach their sixth bowl in eight seasons, but the inaugural season for Jerry Kill and those Gophers will be a struggle.

Predicted Finish: 4-8, 1-7

Predicted Bowl:  None

Predicted order of finish in Big Ten: Sixth in Legends, 11th Overall