Football
Big Ten Countdown- No. 8, Minnesota
By Tony Gerdeman
Predicted Finish
6-6 (3-5)
Two-Cent Overview
The Gophers return nearly everybody who has ever worn a letterman’s jacket, but will do so while breaking in a new offensive philosophy, two new defensive coordinators and two new kicking specialists.
Schedule
Sept. 5 at Syracuse (W)
Sept. 12 Air Force (W)
Sept. 19 California (L)
Sept. 26 at Northwestern (L)
Oct. 3 Wisconsin (W)
Oct. 10 Purdue (W)
Oct. 17 at Penn State (L)
Oct. 24 at Ohio State (L)
Oct. 31 Michigan State (L)
Nov. 7 Illinois (W)
Nov. 14 South Dakota State (W)
Nov. 21 at Iowa (L)Goal
The Rose Bowl! Tim Brewster refuses to step down from this ideal, so he should be held up to it. Glen Mason was fired for meeting his goals. Brewster will eventually be fired for NOT meeting his goals.
Team Motto
“Win one for the Twitter!”
Five Questions Looking For Answers
1. Is there personnel on this team that suits the power running game that Brewster has gone to?
2. Will the potential of this offensive line be reached?
3. Is there a pass-rusher on the team who can replace departed Willie VanDeSteeg’s 10.5 sacks?
4. Who is going to be the third linebacker with Lee Campbell and Simoni Lawrence?
5. How much will losing starting safety Tramaine Brock to academics hurt this defense?Something To Look For
The new offensive system. After two years of the Spreadcoast Offense, Tim Brewster decided to take his team in a radical new direction: a pro-style offense with a power running game. A power running game in Minnesota? Can that possibly work? Well it worked pretty well for Glen Mason when he was doing it. But we’ll see how good Brewster is at it, especially with a team full of smaller running backs who seem better suited for a spread running game. In other words, I’m not sure there’s much power for the power running game this year.
Returning Starters
Nine on offense, eight on defense.
Best Player
Quarterback Adam Weber. Weber is a two-time captain and a team leader. If this team is going to do anything this year, it will be because Weber is taking them there. Now that he can focus more on the passing game and less on the running game, he should get a chance to flourish as a passer. And even though his number will be called less on the run, it doesn’t mean he loses any of his athletic ability. He’s still going to be tough to track down on scrambles.
Second-Best Player
Wide Receiver Eric Decker. Decker had 73 catches in his first nine games last season, but the workload and injury took its toll. He missed the Wisconsin game due to injury and in Minnesota’s final three regular season games, he had three catches for 30 yards. It’s no surprise that they went 0-3 in those three games. With more weapons to choose from and a less-demanding passing attack, Decker should have no problem making it all the way through the season, which means he’ll also be making plays well into November.
Best Chance For a Big Loss
At Ohio State. Bringing in a power running game with undersized running backs probably isn’t a very good idea. And blitzing Terrelle Pryor like the Gophers are going to do will only force him out of the pocket where he’s at his most dangerous. And this game just happens to fall one week after Minnesota’s trip to Happy Valley, so they might be a bit beat up.
Most Important Game
California. This is going to be the first BIG game in TCF Bank Stadium. We will get to see what kind of home field advantage the crowd gives the Gophers against a team that most expect them to lose to. If they can beat Cal, it could propel them to a 6-0 start before they run into eventual doom with Penn State and Ohio State.
Best Road Game To Pack Up The Family Truckster And Travel To
At Penn State. It was ten years ago that Minnesota went into Happy Valley and came away with a last second victory over the second-ranked Nittany Lions. Don’t you want to take your kids and show them the stadium where it happened? And then you can leave at halftime so as to shield your children from this year’s carnage.
Game On The Schedule That Joe Paterno Would Deny Having Any Knowledge Of Scheduling
South Dakota State. He would say something like, “How could we have scheduled South Dakota State when South Dakota isn’t even part of the Union?” And then he would ask if they had to worry about Injuns.
Game They Shouldn't Lose, But Could
Air Force. It’s never fun preparing for a triple-option offense, especially when that same type of offense has given you some trouble over the last couple of years. And with California the following week, you have to wonder if any of the players will be overlooking Air Force. The one thing you can’t do against option teams is check out mentally. And given that this is the opening game in TCF Bank Stadium, you have to wonder what happens when emotions are depleted.
Best Reason They Won't Be Undefeated
Road Schedule. There aren’t many surer bets out there than Minnesota not going undefeated at Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa. About the only surer bet is that a Hawkeye will be arrested this season and Kirk Ferentz will get a two-year contract extension for it.
Best Reason They Will Be Undefeated
They went back to Glen Mason’s offense. Of course, since Glen Mason’s offense never went undefeated, this isn’t actually a very good reason. But then, “Best” is a relative term, isn’t it?
Player People Are Expecting Too Much From
Left Tackle Matt Stommes. Spent his first three years, including a redshirt year, as a defensive tackle. He was moved to offensive line last season and only played in three games, but did start at right tackle in the Insight Bowl. Brewster loves Stommes’ potential, but there is a reason he has only seen three games of action on the offensive line in four prior seasons.
Player People Will Be Pleasantly Surprised By
Linebacker Simoni Lawrence. Lawrence was one of a slew of JUCO transfers a year ago for the Gophers. He ended up starting five games and finished fifth on the team with 66 tackles. His four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss were good enough for second on the team. This year he is a known commodity and his coaches understand how best to use him. He’s not the biggest linebacker (6’1” 218), but he is plenty fast and very good in coverage. Expect a big year out of Lawrence now that he’s going to be utilized from the get-go.
Best Newcomer
Wide Receiver Hayo Carpenter. Carpenter (5’11” 185) comes to Minnesota via the College of the Canyons junior college where he was an All American and amassed over 3,000 yards receiving and 28 touchdowns in two seasons. Carpenter could instantly become the Gophers’ top playmaker and prove a valuable complement to workhorse Eric Decker. (This is all assuming Carpenter adjusts much better than last year’s JUCO All American David Pittman did.)
Something They Do Well
Build a new stadium. The Gophers finally open up TCF Bank Stadium this year and so far it appears that the stadium was worth the wait. Dubbed “The Vault” by some, there are not many better looking venues in the conference. The key to a home field advantage, however, may be to make it much less inviting than it initially appears.
Something They Don't Do So Well
Finish the season. Minnesota hasn’t won a game in November since November 18, 2006. In Brewster’s two seasons, his teams are 0-7 in November. That record should improve this year with South Dakota State coming to town on November 14, but if it doesn’t, something obviously isn’t working.
What's Improved?
Experience. According to Phil Steele, and more math than I care to understand, Minnesota is the nation’s most experienced team. And perhaps even more important than the experience is the depth. There are a few who started last season who will be backups this year. That’s usually a sign that your team is more talented than it was a year ago. Although sometimes it’s just a sign that you’re simply looking for somebody, anybody to help you.
What's Gotten Worse?
Minnesota’s identity. With the change in the offensive philosophy, the Minnesota coaching staff has to work with running backs who aren’t exactly designed for this type of running game. Duane Bennett looks to be the best fit with this offense, but he’s coming off of an ACL tear last season, so it’s too soon to know if he can be counted on. The receivers will adapt because the Gophers have all different types of receivers to choose from. But the offensive line will be counted on more than ever. Passes will take longer to develop this year as Weber will utilize the play-action more than in the past.
Anything Else We Should Know About?
Adam Weber’s timing has changed, as has his delivery. Almost exclusively a spread quarterback in his first two seasons at Minnesota, Weber will now be under center, which changes his timing and the way he reads a defense. In addition to the new look offense, Weber will also have a new look delivery. He has gone from an overhand delivery to more of a three-quarters release. It remains to be seen how this is going to affect him or his completion percentages, but any time you try to change what a veteran quarterback does, problems can be expected.
Anything Else?
According to Brewster, he wants competition everywhere but quarterback this year. This is 95% in reference to freshman quarterback Marqueis Gray, who has been called Vince Young II by the very people who are trying to keep him from creating the uproar that they themselves are beginning to stir up. Rest assured, Gray is going to play and if the new offense struggles with Adam Weber, don’t be surprised if you see something similar to what we saw in Columbus last year with Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman. Remember, this is a new offensive line and a new system--there are going to be issues.
Brad Pitt Role Or Movie That This Team Resembles
Fight Club. It starts out promising, but the façade soon fades and we find out most of what’s going on is just a figment of Tim Brewster’s imagination.
One Prediction
There is a quarterback controversy a’brewin’.
Return to the-OZone Front Page
(c) 2009 The O-Zone, O-Zone Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, rebroadcast,rewritten, or redistributed.