#21 Minnesota Golden Gophers

Head Coach: Glen Mason
2003 Record: 10-3

2004 Preview By JJ Pesavento
football.com

Team MVP: Junior running back Marion Barber III was the center of attention from the second summer camp began at Minnesota for more than one reason. Barber suffered a sprained knee during the spring game, and the Gophers need him to be healthy come opening day. Once the season gets underway, the offense will need Barber, who rushed for over 1,200 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 2003.

Quarterback: Sophomore Brian Cupito will try and fill the shoes of Asad Abdul-Khaliq at quarterback. Cupito may be a better pure passer, but he will have to prove that he can lead the team and make plays the way the previous quarterback did. Junior Adam Ernst will be the backup to Cupito. He has a strong arm, but did not show the same accuracy this past spring.

Running Back: Marion Barber III put up some major numbers rushing in 2003, and there is little reason to think he cannot do the same in 2004. The only concern is the knee he sprained in the spring game. His teammate, sophomore Laurence Maroney, rushed for over 1,100 yards to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. The duo of Barber and Maroney give Minnesota what many feel is the best tandem of backs in the nation. The person that must be replaced is fullback Thomas Tapeh. Redshirt freshman Justin Valentine appears to have the inside track on the job after spring drills. If Valentine has troubles, sophomore Jason Lamers will get a shot.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: Junior Jared Ellerson is the only returning starter at receiver, and he represents the best weapon the Gophers have in the passing attack. An honorable mention Big Ten selection, Ellerson averaged over 20 yards per reception. Senior Paris Hamilton and sophomore Logan Payne will also be in the mix at receiver. Payne will be the possession receiver of the group. Sophomore Matt Spaeth will try to take the place of departed All-American Ben Utecht at tight end.

Offensive Line: The Gophers return four starters on the offensive line including junior center Greg Eslinger, who has been named to preseason Rimington watch list. Senior Rian Melander and sophomore Joe Ainslie are both returning starters and will hold down the tackles.Junior Mark Setterstrom returns at one guard spot after earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Senior Brandon Harston will be the only new starter on the line, but he will also be the biggest. This is likely the best line in the conference and one of the best in the nation. The only question will be depth.

Defensive Line: The line returns two starters and will be led by senior defensive end Darrell Reid, who led the team in sacks (5.5) and earned all conference honors in 2003. Junior tackle Mark Losli is the only other returning starter on the line. Junior tackle Anthony Montgomery represents the biggest body on the line for Minnesota at 315 pounds. Sophomore Eric Clark appears to be tabbed as the starter at the other end opposite Reid. Depth on the line could be an issue.

Linebacker: Juniors Kyle McKenzie and Terrance Campbell are returning starters. Both are athletic and bring a great deal of range and speed to the table. Sophomore Mario Reese fits into the same mold as his teammates do in terms of athleticism and speed. He will fill the hole left by Ben West. This group has some seasoned depth for reserves in seniors Brian Smith and Dominique Sims.

Secondary: Both starting cornerbacks returns in senior Ukee Dozier and sophomore Trumaine Banks. Banks is the top cover man of the secondary while Dozier was among the team leaders in tackles. Senior Justin Fraley and junior John Pawielski are new starters for Minnesota and may be pushed for playing time by the reserves.

Special Teams: Junior Rhys Lloyd will likely handle both placekicking and punting chores. Lloyd is better than average as a kicker, but could use to improve as a punter. The Gophers have two proven weapons with Maroney and Barber III as return specialists.

Final Thoughts: Minnesota has a solid offensive line and two of the best backs in the nation. Taking those factors into account, there is no reason the Gophers cannot pound the ball as well as they did in 2003. The big question will be how well Cupito can perform. He has experienced receivers, but he will have to play well enough in the passing game to keep defenses from loading up against the run. The defense is rather small in the front seven, which has given the Gophers problems against the bigger teams in the Big Ten (Iowa, Michigan). While they are quick and athletic, the power teams may once again be reason for concern. The corners are solid, but the safeties are lacking. Minnesota has a tendency to start off hot, then fall apart once they face the better Big Ten teams. The Gophers have a cupcake non-conference schedule which will help them get off to a fast start. But to make to the next level, they have to beat teams like Iowa and Michigan.

-- JJ Pesavento