BleedGopher
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"Jerry Kill will rebuild Minnesota — slowly
Hiring a coach with a badass name couldn’t be a bad start, right? After former head coach Tim Brewster failed to live up to the lofty campaign promises he laid out upon being hired in 2007, Jerry Kill was brought in after three seasons at Northern Illinois (his position was filled by former Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren). Kill is tasked with rebuilding a program that was not bowl-eligible last year, has not won more than seven games since 2003 and also has not won a conference championship in more than 40 years.
Matt Limegrover is the Gophers’ fifth offensive coordinator in six years, and he will be responsible for a unit that returns just five starters from 2010. MarQueis Gray, a former wide receiver, is all but certain to start at quarterback, barring injury. Gray caught 42 passes for 587 yards last season, and his top receiving option in 2011 will be senior Da’Jon McKnight, a preseason Biletnikoff Award candidate. At running back, the Gophers have several candidates but no standout leader for the spot that senior DeLeon Eskridge won by default in 2010.
On defense, Minnesota also returns five starters, three of which come on the defensive line. That’s not necessarily a positive, though, as the Gophers recorded an NCAA-low eight sacks last season and the Big Ten’s worst rushing defense (191.4 yards allowed per game). The other two returning starters on the defense are linebackers Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley, leaving a secondary led by former wideout Troy Stoudermire with a glaring lack of experience.
Minnesota begins the season with a trip west to face Southern California, meaning it could be rough early for the Gophers. But Kill has already done a good job of boosting morale around the team, as his track record of turning around weak programs and his straight-talking attitude have gone a long way in helping to erase the nightmares of Brewster’s tenure. It won’t be hugely successful, but the 2011 season will be a step in the right direction for Kill and the Gophers."
http://badgerherald.com/sports/2011/07/18/big_ten_preview_dont.php
Go Gophers!!
Hiring a coach with a badass name couldn’t be a bad start, right? After former head coach Tim Brewster failed to live up to the lofty campaign promises he laid out upon being hired in 2007, Jerry Kill was brought in after three seasons at Northern Illinois (his position was filled by former Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren). Kill is tasked with rebuilding a program that was not bowl-eligible last year, has not won more than seven games since 2003 and also has not won a conference championship in more than 40 years.
Matt Limegrover is the Gophers’ fifth offensive coordinator in six years, and he will be responsible for a unit that returns just five starters from 2010. MarQueis Gray, a former wide receiver, is all but certain to start at quarterback, barring injury. Gray caught 42 passes for 587 yards last season, and his top receiving option in 2011 will be senior Da’Jon McKnight, a preseason Biletnikoff Award candidate. At running back, the Gophers have several candidates but no standout leader for the spot that senior DeLeon Eskridge won by default in 2010.
On defense, Minnesota also returns five starters, three of which come on the defensive line. That’s not necessarily a positive, though, as the Gophers recorded an NCAA-low eight sacks last season and the Big Ten’s worst rushing defense (191.4 yards allowed per game). The other two returning starters on the defense are linebackers Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley, leaving a secondary led by former wideout Troy Stoudermire with a glaring lack of experience.
Minnesota begins the season with a trip west to face Southern California, meaning it could be rough early for the Gophers. But Kill has already done a good job of boosting morale around the team, as his track record of turning around weak programs and his straight-talking attitude have gone a long way in helping to erase the nightmares of Brewster’s tenure. It won’t be hugely successful, but the 2011 season will be a step in the right direction for Kill and the Gophers."
http://badgerherald.com/sports/2011/07/18/big_ten_preview_dont.php
Go Gophers!!
