2011 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview

After recruiting fairly well, but struggling to ever put all of the talented pieces together and have a successful season, Minnesota parted ways with Tim Brewster. Much like Michigan with the transition to Brady Hoke, Minnesota hired a head coach more committed to playing a traditional Big Ten style of football that is better suited to the regional talent base and the climate in Minnesota when it hired Jerry Kill. Kill had a successful three year tenure as head coach at Northern Illinois and hopes to bring his success with him to Minnesota. The Gophers have talent on hand that was just never harnessed under Brewster. If Kill can accomplish that, the Gophers could be a much improved team in 2011.

Kill’s first task is to get the most possible out of dual-threat quarterback MarQueis Gray. Last year, Brewster decided to leave Gray as a wide receiver and utilize the passing ability of Adam Weber. Weber is now gone, and Kill is determined to make the most out of Gray’s abilities at quarterback. At Northern Illinois, Kill often utilized a mobile quarterback as an option in the offense and with a quarterback the size of Gray (6’4, 230 pounds), he would be wise to do so in Minnesota as well. Gray is a dangerous runner and a competent passer. The passing game should be helped by the return of three of the four leading receivers from 2010 and senior tight end Eric Lair. Lair caught 39 passes last season and is a dependable security blanket for a quarterback learning a new system.

The Gophers deepest position will be running back, where three viable backs will share duties. DeLeon Eskridge and Duane Bennett led the team in rushing last year combining for over 1,200 yards on the ground between them. The coaches are excited about the addition of redshirt freshman Lamonte Edwards as well. These three should make for a solid running back corps and when you factor in the staff’s decision to use Gray at quarterback to harness some of his running ability, the ground game for the Gophers should be solid. The only challenge will be to find three new starters along the offensive line. The left side of the offensive line returns intact, so at least Gray’s blindside will be protected.

Eight starters return from a defense that was abysmal at times in 2010. The low point came in allowing 41 points to FCS school South Dakota in an embarrassing home loss; a game in which the Gophers were 29 point favorites. Up front, three of four defensive line starters are back, led by senior tackler Brandon Kirksey and Anthony Jacobs. DL Wilhite returns at defensive end. This is the unit on the defense that must improve the most if the Gophers hope to field a better defense. The line was incapable of stopping good rushing attacks, and no one on the team recorded more than two sacks in 2010. That must improve if Kill wants to return the Gophers to the postseason.

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The strength of the defense should come in the back seven where there is talent. Gary Tinsley is back at outside linebacker after leading the team in tackles in 2010. He’ll be joined in the middle by former blue chip recruit and Florida transfer Brendan Beal. Beal is a big, physical middle linebacker (6’3, 245) and were it not for a knee injury as a freshman, likely would be the Gators’ starting middle linebacker today. Keanon Cooper started every game at the other outside linebacker spot in 2010. These three give the Gophers a solid, experienced linebacking corps. Michael Carter and Troy Stoudermire are a dependable pair of cover corners that started multiple games in 2010. Carter led the team with three interceptions in 2010. As many as five other defensive backs that saw playing time in 2010 return, so there is experienced depth across the secondary.

The Gophers’ schedule will be demanding, but not impossible. The season opener at USC should be quite difficult, but Kill will have a chance to get three straight wins with home games against New Mexico State, Miami (OH), and North Dakota State. In Big Ten play they open with road tests at Michigan and Purdue before having a week off. If the Gophers can get to the bye week at 4-2, they could squeeze into a bowl game because the second half of the schedule is tough. In the final seven weeks of the season they host Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois and travel to Michigan State and Northwestern.