Gopher Football
There are several college football previews out. So far a composite of the predications have the Gophers finishing 7th in the Big Ten which would put them on the edge of a minor bowl berth. The consensus predictions for the each of the last two years had the Gophers 9th in the conference. In ’96 the Gophers were expected to finish 11th. Bottom line: the Gophers are moving up and a bowl bid for the first time since 1986 is realistic.
The Gopher Hole Prediction: The Gophers will be stronger than ever on defense with seven starters returning from a solid unit lead by Tyrone Carter. The offense will improve with better line play. The wildcard is in the backfield. The quarterback job is still up for grabs, and we still don’t know if freshman running back Thomas Tapeh will be able to contribute this season. The fullback position is also a question mark. The Gophers do have excellent receivers in Luke Leverson, Ron Johnson, and Jermaine Mays. On special teams Tyrone Carter will provide some thrills, and redshirt freshman Preston Gruening could take over the kicking and/or punting duties. With a soft non-conference schedule and a more favorable conference schedule (Michigan and Michigan State are off being replaced by Illinois and Northwestern), expect 7-4 season and a big bowl win.
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