Minnesota
Golden Gophers
Preview 2007
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 UM Offense Preview |
2007 UM Defense Preview
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2007 UM Depth Chart
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2006 CFN Minnesota Preview
Had Texas Tech’s Alex Trlica missed a game-tying 52-yard field goal
as time ran out in the Insight Bowl, or had the Golden Gophers won
in overtime, Glen Mason likely would still be the Minnesota head
coach. The kick was good, the Red Raiders scored a touchdown in
overtime to answer the Gophers’ field goal, and the Tim Brewster era
is now underway in Minneapolis.
While many Gopher fans were ready for a coaching change and were
waiting with joyful hope for a big, program-lifting splash, Brewster
wasn’t the name-brand star expected to take over (that was left for
the basketball program). Even so, he might be exactly what Minnesota
needs to break out after years of being good, but not fantastic,
under Mason.
Head coach: Tim Brewster
1st year
Returning Lettermen
Off. 18, Def. 23., ST 4
Lettermen Lost: 12 |
Ten
Best UM Players
1. DE Willie VanDeSteeg, Jr.
2. RB Amir Pinnix, Sr.
3. SS Dominique Barber, Sr.
4. LB Mike Sherels, Sr.
5. WR Ernie Wheelwright, Sr.
6. CB.KR Dominic Jones, Jr.*
7. TE Jack Simmons, Jr.
8. C Tony Brinkhaus, Sr.
9. OT Dominic Alford, RFr.
10 OT Steve Shidell, Sr.
*Currently suspended from team |
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2007 Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
6-6 |
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Sept. 1 |
Bowling Green |
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Sept. 8 |
Miami University |
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Sept. 15 |
at Florida Atlantic |
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Sept. 22 |
Purdue |
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Sept. 29 |
Ohio
State |
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Oct.
6 |
at Indiana |
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Oct.
13 |
at
Northwestern |
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Oct.
20 |
North Dakota
St |
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Oct.
27 |
at
Michigan |
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Nov.
3 |
Illinois |
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Nov.
10 |
at
Iowa |
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Nov.
17 |
Wisconsin |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 5-7
2006 Record:
6-7
Preview
2006 predicted wins
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8/31 |
at Kent State
W 44-0 |
| 9/9 |
at California L 42-17 |
| 9/16 |
Temple
W 62-0 |
| 9/23 |
at Purdue L 27-21 |
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9/30 |
Michigan L 28-27 OT |
| 10/7 |
Penn State
L 28-27 OT |
| 10/14 |
at Wisconsin L 48-12 |
| 10/21 |
North Dakota St
W 10-9 |
| 10/28 |
at Ohio State L 44-0 |
| 11/4 |
Indiana
W 63-26 |
| 11/11 |
at Michigan St W 31-18 |
| 11/18 |
Iowa W 34-24 |
| 12/28 |
Insight Bowl
Texas Tech L 44-41 OT |
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Unlike
Mason, who came across as a corporate, CEO type of coach, Brewster is
more fire and brimstone. More rah-rah, more animated, and certainly
fired up to prove that he was the right hire. He’s also a fantastic
recruiter, making a name for himself among college football circles by
being a main force for some of Mack Brown’s better talent hauls at
Texas. While Mason seemed resigned to the belief that Minnesota couldn’t
bring in the top prospects, Brewster plans on thinking big. If nothing
else, Minnesota is undergoing a total change in attitude.
Of course, it’s going to take a few years for Brewster’s recruiting
classes, if they’re any good, to make a big difference, and it’s not
like Minnesota was horrible under Mason. The program isn’t starting from
scratch, so Brewster has to tread water for a year, start to improve in
2008, and hope to have things fully rocking by 2009 when the new
open-air, on-campus TCF Bank Stadium opens.
Brewster’s early goals have to be a bowl appearance (a must), a win over
at least one big-name team (something Mason pulled off occasionally,
suggesting the team could be doing a lot more), and to build
expectations for the future. Oh yeah, and don’t blow a 31-point lead in
a bowl game.
What to watch for on offense: Minnesota
has been a factory for cranking out great tight ends in recent years
(Ben Utecht, Matt Spaeth). Considering that Brewster was a tight ends
coach and helped make Antonio Gates a superstar, that trend should
continue with Jack Simmons and Troy Reilly. Offensively, don’t expect a
big overall change from the Mason era. Brewster wants to be physical and
run the ball, but he’ll do it with a spread offense that might take a
while to get rolling.
What to watch for on defense: With ten starters returning,
experience won’t be an issue. Being better in pass defense is job one
after getting carved up by everyone, but new defensive coordinator
Everett Withers has experience with the secondary after coaching
defensive backs for the Tennessee Titans. Expect several players from
both sides of the ball to offer to pitch in to make things better. The
coaching staff will be open to suggestions all season long.
The team will be far better if … it wins the close games.
2006 was supposed to be a bit of a down year leading up to a big 2007,
and this can be a tremendous season as long as the defense is a bit
better, the offense is a bit more consistent, and the team comes through
in the tight spots. Minnesota lost to Penn State thanks to a horrendous
pass interference call, dominated Purdue in a strange loss, and had a
perfect storm of bad things happen in the loss to Texas Tech. Basically,
the Gophers were three plays away from being 9-4.
The Schedule:
Minnesota is
taking it nice and easy with the non-conference slate, playing Bowling
Green, Miami University, at Florida Atlantic and North Dakota State.
Missing Penn State is always a break, but it’d be nice to have Michigan
State on their Big Ten schedule. There can’t be any complaining about
getting Indiana and Northwestern on the road in back-to-back games in
early October. Closing out at Michigan, Illinois, at Iowa and Wisconsin
will be tough.
Best Offensive Player: Senior RB Amir Pinnix. After biding his time for years
behind some terrific Gopher backs, Pinnix finally grabbed the torch in
2006, running for 1,272 yards and ten scores on 252 carries. Quicker
than he is fast, he’s a savvy member of the Minnesota system, who’ll
wait for his blocks to develop before exploding through a hole.
Best Defensive Player: Junior DE Willie VanDeSteeg. One of the
Big Ten’s top pass rushers, VanDeSteeg was consistently in the opposing
backfield making ten sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season. With
the coaching staff emphasizing aggressiveness, he should have even more
opportunities to make the big play.
Key player to a
successful season:
Junior QB Tony
Mortensen and/or redshirt freshman Adam Weber. One of these two has to
run the spread successfully. Unfortunately, each throws a good enough
bounce pass to get Tubby Smith interested. Mortensen looks the part of
the big gunslinger, but he’s mobile and has to work on his accuracy.
Weber’s a runner who fits the spread to a T. Now he needs experience.
The season will be a
success if
... the Gophers win eight games. Starting 3-0 is a near lock, and
playing North Dakota State, forgetting the issues of last year against
the Bison in a 10-9 win, makes it four almost-certain wins. The offense
will be strong enough to beat the lesser Big Ten teams, while the
experienced defense might be improved enough to beat teams like Purdue
and Iowa.
Key game:
Sept. 22 vs. Purdue.
The Gophers outplayed, out-gained, and out-executed the Boilermakers in
West Lafayette last year, only to lose 27-21. With Ohio State coming up
the following week, and a relatively easy three-game stretch to follow,
a win over Purdue could possibly mean a 7-1 start, if everything works
out well.
2006 Fun Stats:
- Rushing yards per game: Opponents 158.2; Minnesota 154.4
- Fumbles: Opponents 28 (lost 15); Minnesota 10 (lost 3)
- Fourth down conversions: Opponents 8 of 22 (36%); Minnesota 18 of 28
(64%)