The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Minnesota – INSIDE SLANT
Coach Jerry Kill believes his team is making progress.
It’s too early to say if that progress will translate into a better record than the 3-9 mark the Golden Gophers have turned in the last two seasons, but Kill thinks the chance for improvement exists.
“We’ve had a good spring,” he said. “I think our kids have worked very hard, and I think we found out a lot about our kids throughout the spring.”
In a game dominated by a lack of offense, the Maroon team beat the Gold 3-0 in the annual spring scrimmage. Kill knows a lot of questions, particularly at wide receiver and on defense, must be answered by the time the season opens at UNLV on Aug. 30.
However, Kill believes there will be time to make those improvements in fall camp as he starts his second season at Minnesota.
“I think any time you break up all the kids and split them up, certainly for receivers and quarterbacks you lose timing,” he said. “I think it was more important for us to look at how young people run routes, how we block, how we tackle, and get a chance to see young players play. We got to play everybody and we got a chance to see everybody on the field, and we got out of it healthy. So that’s the biggest thing.”
Kill thinks the Gophers will be better on defense, which allowed an average of 31.7 points a game last season.
“If I saw anything out of (the spring game), we’ve got some guys in the secondary that can run, and we’re a little bigger in the secondary, which we needed to continue to do,” he said. “I can tell you just physically watching, that was better.”
The players also had to deal with the death of former teammate Gary Tinsley, who passed away on April 6. Tinsley, who completed his eligibility last fall, started every game at linebacker the last two seasons. He was second on the team in total tackles with 87 in 2011 and was a few weeks away from receiving his degree in business and marketing education.
“We’ve gone through a lot,” Kill said. “We really have. You know, Gary passing away, and all the things that have gone on mentally. None of us understand, really, what the kids have gone through, and I think they’ve handled things very well, as well as they can.”
Quarterback MarQueis Gray, who showed flashes of brilliance in his first full season at the position in 2011, will lead the offense. The production of running back Duane Bennett and wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight must be replaced. The return of cornerback Troy Stoudermire, who was granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing the last seven games in 2011 because of a fractured left wrist, will help the defense.
“We’ve got a lot of kids that have stepped up and gotten better,” Kill said. “They’ve stayed focused and practiced hard.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Minnesota – NOTES, QUOTES
–Moses Alipate’s transition from quarterback to tight end drew a lot of attention in spring ball. When Alipate joined the program three years ago, it was assumed he would eventually take over at quarterback, a position he starred at in high school. However, the coaching staff decided to move MarQueis Gray from receiver to quarterback and highly touted recruit Max Shortell was brought in. Those moves left Alipate buried on the depth chart. The coaching staff approached him last season about changing positions, but he initially resisted. After a season on the bench, Alipate, now a redshirt junior, reconsidered and played tight end exclusively in spring drills. He is 6-foot-5 and bulked up to 290 pounds.
–Other players who have changed positions include James Manuel (safety to linebacker), Lamonte Edwards (running back to linebacker), Kendall Gregory-McGhee (defensive end to tight end), Ernie Heifort (tight end to offensive tackle), Brock Vereen (cornerback to safety) and Derrick Wells (cornerback to safety). Vereen missed spring practice after having knee surgery.
–Starting linebackers Mike Rallis and Keanon Cooper missed the spring game because of injuries. Rallis, who had a pulled hamstring, was third on the team with 83 tackles last season. Cooper, who has a wrist injury, had 77 tackles last season, good for fourth on the team.
SPRING MOVERS:
QB MarQueis Gray — While Gray will never have perfect throwing form, he has the ability to make a big play on every snap. He continued to show progress with his technique and ability to stand in the pocket in spring practice. Gray completed 4-of-8 passes for 62 yards in the spring game. He accounted for 14 touchdowns (eight passing and six rushing) in his first full season at quarterback as a junior in 2011.
S Cedric Thompson — The sophomore recorded the most tackles in the spring game with eight. He had 16 tackles in seven games last season. One of the coaching staff’s top goals is to improve the speed and athleticism in the secondary. Thompson could be the answer to both issues.
DE Michael Amaefula — The sophomore could give the Gophers the boost they’ve been looking for on the defensive line. He recorded four tackles, including two sacks, in the spring game. Amaefula had 17 tackles, including 1 1/2 sacks, as a freshman.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Growing as a leader, taking charge in the huddle, and just realizing that I’m the starter going into this fall camp and being the best leader I can be.” — Quarterback MarQueis Gray, on his goals for the 2012 season.
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NCAAF Team Report – Minnesota – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
2012 OUTLOOK: The Gophers have a legitimate chance at going into Big Ten play with a winning record. The season begins with a road game against UNLV, but Minnesota returns home for games against Western Michigan, New Hampshire and Syracuse. All four games are winnable. It’s essential the Gophers get off to a good start and avoid bad losses at home, as was the case last season when they were defeated by New Mexico State and North Dakota State. The conference schedule will be imposing as usual with games against Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska and Michigan State. While the Gophers can’t expect to make a big move in the standings, some improvement needs to be made in coach Jerry Kill’s second season.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: More consistent play from everyone will be expected. Quarterback MarQueis Gray should be better in all phases in his second full season under center. Donnell Kirkwood, penciled in to be the No. 1 running back, missed time early in spring camp when he re-injured his hamstring. He returned and saw action in the spring game. JoJuan Harper and Cole Banham showed progress in spring ball as the coaches look to replace Duane Bennett. Replacing Da’Jon McKnight, last season’s leading receiver, is a top priority. Devin Crawford-Tufts, Malcolm Moulton, A.J. Barker, Drew Goodger and John Rabe are among the candidates.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Coach Jerry Kill knows the Gophers need to make significant improvement on this side of the ball before they can compete in the Big Ten. The defense was bad in 2010 and wasn’t much better last season. As is usually the case, it all begins up front. The defense was dominated at the line of scrimmage in 2011. The Gophers couldn’t stop the run — allowing an average of 186.4 rushing yards a game — and couldn’t get to the quarterback — recording only 22 sacks. It’s no surprise that Minnesota allowed an average of 31.7 points a game and gave up 40 or more points four times. Kill thinks the defense’s overall speed has improved, but the Gophers need to stop getting pushed around at the line of scrimmage.
SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: With an offense that’s still lacking enough play-makers and a defense that is in need of more talent, it’s essential the Gophers win on special teams in every game. Punter Dan Orseske, who averaged 37 yards a kick last season, needs to improve. Chris Hawthorne made 6-of-9 field goal attempts with a long kick of 47 yards, but missed the last five games because of a sore quad muscle. Wettstein, a walk-on, made all six of his field goal tries, including a 51-yarder against Illinois in the season finale. Marcus Jones and Troy Stoudermire are expected to return from injuries to handle the kickoff and punt return duties.
TOP NEWCOMERS:
CB Martez Shabazz — A transfer from Trinity Valley Community College (Texas), Shabazz has already made a good impression with the coaching staff. He had two tackles and broke up pass in the spring game. No one will be surprised if Shabbaz is in the starting lineup for the season opener at UNLV on Aug. 30.
CB Jeremy Baltazar — Baltazar, a transfer from Blinn College (Texas), could also be a starter when the season opens. He will add much-needed speed in the secondary and impressed the coaching staff in spring drills with his coverage skills and his ability to support the run defense.
RB James Gillum — The Gophers need someone to replace Duane Bennett and Gillum, the only healthy running back in spring practice, could be the man. A transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Gillum showed the coaches enough to be a candidate for the No. 1 running back job going into fall practice.
ROSTER REPORT
–WR Marcus Jones, who missed the final five games last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, saw limited action in spring practice. He showed the ability to make big plays in his freshman season. Jones had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and caught nine passes for a 20.3-yard average.
–RB’s Devon Wright (hamstring) and David Cobb (knee) were unable to play in the spring game.
–OT Jimmy Gjere is still recovering from concussion symptoms from last season that forced him to miss the final seven games.
–DE Quinn Bauducco is recovering from back surgery and didn’t participate in spring practice.
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