Glen Mason can make Minnesota history if he can get his GoldenGophers into a third consecutive bowl game.
Mason has produced four all-Americans in his four years, includingpunter Preston Gruening from last season's 6-6 team and defensiveback Tyrone Carter, now with the Minnesota Vikings.
Mason could use Carter this year as the Gophers return only threedefensive starters--free safety Jack Brewer, defensive end Greg Whiteand cornerback Michael Lehan--from last season. Brewer is returningto the defense after playing wide receiver in 2000. Minnesota seldomproduced exciting offensive stars, the exceptions being JohnMcGovern, Herb Joesting and Bruce Smith before World War II, and PaulGiel, Sandy Stephens Tony Dungy and Darrell Thompson after it.
The Gophers, though, could be explosive this year with 6-3quarterback Travis Cole throwing to 6-3 Fred Biletnikoff Awardcandidate Ron Johnson. Cole also has the option of handing off andthrowing short passes to Tillis Redmon.
"Our challenges are almost exactly opposite of what we facedentering last season," Mason said of a questionable offensesurprising itself with a school-record 429 yards a game while thedefense allowed 57 fewer points than its opponents. "I am hopefulthat our young players on defense this year will respond to thechallenge the way our offensive players did a year ago."
Mason has to meet a challenge, too. An Ohio State grad, heinterviewed for the Buckeyes' head-coaching job that went to JimTressel. He told his Gophers he would resign if they had a problemwith that. They didn't.
Mason's return satisfied Johnson, who should break most ofMinnesota's receiving records this season after deciding to returnwith good friends like White.
Johnson gained receiving tips from his father, Ron Johnson Sr.,who was an important part of the Pittsburgh Steelers' "Steel Curtain"defense as a defensive back.
But not before trying his hand at baseball.
"Dad coached baseball in Detroit when we were growing up, sothat's what I did--baseball," Ron Jr. said. "It was weird, really,because it wasn't until I grew six inches in one year that I decidedI wanted to play football, too. That's when I learned the most frommy dad. He never forced football on me.
"I remember hanging around when he was with the Steelers, andtalking before the game with guys like Franco Harris. I was too youngto know what was going on, but later on I watched home videos ofdad's games [1978-1986] and got some pointers that way. My dad'smodest. He doesn't even wear his [Super Bowl] rings, but I like tolook at them."
Johnson's challenge is to help the Gophers win while stillmanaging to gain the Biletnikoff Award for being the nation's bestreceiver. He is just 29 catches and 496 yards away from the schoolrecords of Tutu Atwell (1994-1997), and already he holds the mark forcareer TDs with 18. His streak of 35 consecutive games of making atleast one catch is the longest in Minnesota history and fifth-best inthe nation.
Johnson didn't seriously think of turning professional last seasonwhen he caught 61 balls for 18.4 yards a play and 11 TDs.
"I was told I'd go fairly high, but I felt I needed another yearof maturity," he said. "That, and I think we have a really good teamthis year. I want to be part of it."
The returnees also want to be part of making up for adisappointing 38-30 Micronpc.com Bowl loss to North Carolina Stateafter building a 24-0 lead. Redmon had a huge game that day, runningfor 246 yards, the fourth best game in Minnesota history.
Redmon had 2,024 all-purpose yards for the season while Cole's137.6 passing efficiency was 16th in the nation in just half aseason.
An experienced line is ready to get downfield for Redmon and dropback for Cole and fellow QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq. It averages 6-51/2 and306 pounds, including tackles Jake Kuppe 338 and Matt Anderle 316,plus center Derek Burns, who has to replace two-time all-American BenHamilton.
Enthusiasm and quickness will be strengths on defense whereexperience sorely is lacking.
"I felt a lot better after our spring practice," Mason said. "Thewhole unit had a great attitude and worked together as a team. I feelwe are headed in the right direction."
Brewer had something to do with that. Surrounded by freshmen andsophomores, last season's wideout-kick returner moves back to his1999 position of free safety while converted running back Lehananchors a cornerback spot. Strong safety Eli Ward is back afterstarting in the Micronpc.com Bowl.
White is so versatile as a pass rusher and linebacker that he willmove around depending on the situation. He will have to with as manyas four redshirt freshmen preparing to make contributions atlinebacker and on the defensive line.
Mason has weapons in punter Gruening and place-kicker Dan Nystrom.Gruening led the nation with 44.5 yards a kick last year whileNystrom, a Lou Groza Award candidate, tied Michigan's Remy Hamiltonin 1994 for Big Ten field goals with 25, including 14 in a row.
MINNESOTA
AT A GLANCE
Site: Minneapolis.
Coach: Glen Mason (22-25 in four seasons).
2000 record: 6-6 (lost 38-30 to North Carolina State inMicronpc.com Bowl), 4-4 Big Ten (tied for fifth).
Starters returning: 14 (nine offense, three defense, plus punterand place-kicker).
Players to watch: WR Ron Johnson, RB Tellis Redmon, S Jack Brewer,LB-DE Greg White, CB Michael Lehan, P Preston Gruening, PK DanNystrom.
It's good news if: Travis Cole makes a quarterback impact afterbacking up running QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq the first half of lastseason; Tellis Redmon, with 2,024 all-purpose yards, stays healthy;depleted defensive line adjusts; shift of key players to otherpositions works.
It's bad news if: Inexperienced defense doesn't jell by Sept. 29Big Ten opener against vaunted Purdue, which netted 531 yards againstthem last fall. Away games against offense-minded Illinois andNorthwestern follow Purdue game. And there is no let up in the restof its Big Ten schedule.
The bottom line: Where's Bronko Nagurski when you need him? TheGophers are counting on redshirt freshmen to step up on defense whereonly two starters return, not including Jack Brewer who is movingfrom offense.
Key games: The nonconference games look easy, but the Gophers areon alert for Aug. 30 opener at Toledo, a Mid-American Conferencepower that went 10-1 last season, including a win over Penn State.Sept. 29 vs. Purdue. Boilermakers think redshirt freshman BrandonHance will smoothly step into the shoes of Drew Brees, who threw for409 yards and ran for 88 more against Gophers last season. "MurderersRow" continues with NU, Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan.Final game Nov. 24 vs. Wisconsin could determine bowl.
MINNESOTA SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 at Toledo
Sept. 8 La.-Lafayette
Sept. 15 Baylor
Sept. 29 Purdue
Oct. 6 at Illinois
Oct. 13 at Northwestern
Oct. 20 Michigan State
Nov. 3 Ohio State
Nov. 10 at Michigan
Nov. 17 at Iowa
Nov. 24 Wisconsin
NEXT: IOWA
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