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2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Additional Information

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus

Additional Information




Coaching Staff

Head Coach:
Official School Bio - Tim Brewster

Assistant Coaches:
Official School Bios - Assistant Coaches
Mike Dunbar - Assistant Head Coach-Offensive Coordinator
Everett Withers - Defensive Coordinator
John Butler - Assistant Coach - Linebackers/Special Teams
Tim Cross - Assistant Coach-Defensive Line
Thomas Hammock - Assistant Coach-Running Backs
Ronnie Lee - Assistant Coach - Defensive Backs
Derek Lewis - Assistant Coach-Tight Ends
George McDonald - Assistant Coach-Wide Receivers
Phil Meyer - Assistant Coach - Offensive Live
Clint Cosgrove - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Jim Jackson - Offensive Graduate Assistant
Jordan Gigli - Defensive Quality Control
Greg Roskos - Offensive Quality Control Assistant
Randy Taylor - Director of Football Operations
Daniel Berezowitz - Recruiting Coordinator
Mark Hill - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
Will Peoples - Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Ed Lochrie - Head Football Trainer
Chris Ashton - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Andy Mutnam - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Darin Kerns - Director of Equipment Operations
Meghan Potter - Assistant to the Head Coach
Mary Jo Brandt - Secretary to Assistant Coaches
Mike Schaaf - Director of Video Services
Greg Davis - Assistant Video Coordinator​




Recruiting
Starters Returning: 17 (Offense 6, Defense 9, Special Teams 2)
Letterman Returning: 45 (Offense 18, Defense 23, Special Teams 4)
Notable Returners:
C Tony Brinkhaus, OG Ned Tavale, OT Steve Shidell, TE Jack Simmons, WR Ernie Wheelwright, RB Amir Pinnix, DE Willie VanDeSteeg, DT Todd Meisel, DT Neel Allen, DE Steve Davis, LB Mike Sherels, LB Deon Hightower, CB Dominic Jones, CB Jamal Harris, K Jason Giannini, P Justin Kucek

Starters Lost: 7 (Offense 5, Defense 2, Special Teams 0)
Letterman Lost: 12 (Offense 7, Defense 5, Special Teams 0)
Notable Losses:
OG Tyson Swaggert, OT Joe Ainslie, TE Matt Spaeth, WR Logan Payne, QB Bryan Cupito, LB Mario Reese, CB Trumaine Banks


Incoming Recruits:
Minnesota Golden Gophers Past Recruiting Classes

2004 Recruiting Class
P Justin Kucek (Canfield HS) Canfield, OH 6-0/180
**S Brody Grandas (Cretin Derham Hall) St. Paul, MN 6-0/175
**DT Nhemie Theodore (Irvington HS) Irvington, NJ 6-1.5/285
K Jason Giannini (GlenOak HS) Canton, OH 5-10/180
**CB Hussain Shakir (Woodrow Wilson HS) Camden, NJ 6-0/190
**RB Gary Russell (Walnut Ridge HS) Columbus, OH 5-11/210
**QB Adam Ernst (Mt. San Antonio JC) Walnut, CA 6-1/210
LB Deon Hightower (Mansfield HS) Mansfield, TX 6-3/190
**WR Johnny Sampy (Galena Park HS) Galena Park, TX 6-3/225
**TE Sam Scroggins (McCluer North HS) Florissant, MO 6-4/225
DE William Brody (Benedictine HS) Cleveland, OH 6-4/215
**QB Andre Sloan El (Roman Catholic HS) Philadelphia, PA 6-3/190
**LB Leland Jones (Douglass HS) Atlanta, GA 6-1/212
**QB David Wess (Whitehall Yearling HS) Whitehall, OH 6-2/195
**TE Everette Pedescleaux (Robbinsdale Armstrong Sr.) Plymouth, MN 6-6/240
DE Willie VanDeSteeg (Glencoe-Silver Lake SHS) Glencoe, MN 6-4/245
LB Steve Moore (Blaine SHS) Blaine, MN 6-2/230
**LB Tommy Leavitt (Washburn SHS) Minneapolis, MN 6-4/215
QB Mike Maciejowski (Upper Arlington HS) Upper Arlington, OH 6-3/210
QB Tony Mortensen (Hutchinson SHS) Hutchinson, MN 6-4/210
RB Dominique Barber (Wayzata SHS) Plymouth, MN 6-0/189
TE Jack Simmons (Carmel HS) Mundelein, IL 6-6/210
DE Matt DeGeest (Harrisburg HS) Harrisburg, SD 6-6/260
QB John Carlson (Hopkins SHS) Minnetonka, MN 6-3/210

** No longer with team

Fun Facts:
Minnesota's class of 2004 was ranked 58th in the country by both Scout.com and Rivals.com. Both rankings were good enough for 9th place in the Big-10 ...

The class was headlined by 3* prospects Jack Simmons, John Carlson, Dominique Barber, and Nhemie Theodore. Simmons was tabbed as the 28th best TE in the nation by Scout.com. Carlson was ranked as the 19th best Dual-Threat QB by Rivals.com ...

Dominique Barber is the younger brother of former Gopher All-American and current Dallas Cowboy RB Marion Barber III ...

Barber was also a teammate of Buckeye LB James Laurinaitis at Wayzata HS ...

William Brody was 1st team All-Ohio in Division II his senior season ...

Mike Maciejowski's father, Ron, played football for Ohio St. and the Chicago Bears ...

2005 Recruiting Class
S Michael McKelton (Royal Palm Beach HS) Royal Palm Beach, FL 5-11/172
OL Otis Hudson (Barrington HS) Barrington, IL 6-5/295
DE Matt Stommes (Eden Valley Sec.) Eden Valley, MN 6-7/235
OL Nedward Tavale (Cretin Derham Hall) St. Paul, MN 6-2/301
**CB Boyd Coleman (Wheeler HS) Marietta, GA 5-10.5/170
**S Alex Daniels (Brookhaven HS) Columbus, OH 6-2/225
DE Steve Davis (McCluer North HS) Florissant, MO 6-2.5/215
TE Chris Mensen (Solon Jr.-Sr. HS) Solon, IA 6-6/240
**CB Dominic Jones (Brookhaven HS) Columbus, OH 5-9/185
**WR Keith Massey (Brookhaven HS) Columbus, OH 6-1/192
OL Ryan Ruckdashel (Eastview SHS) Apple Valley, MN 6-6/265
**OL Jason Sekinger (Westland HS) Galloway, OH 6-10/310
RB Jay Thomas (Tartan SHS) Oakdale, MI 6-0/180
TE Troy Reilly (Stevens Point Area HS) Stevens Point, WI 6-7/235
WR Eric Decker (Rocori SHS) Cold Spring, MN 6-3/185
LB Nate Triplett (Delano SHS) Delano, MN 6-3/225
**QB Marcel Jones (Simley HS) Inver Grove Heights, MN 6-3/210
WR Mike Chambers (Walsh Jesuit HS) Cuyahoga Falls, OH 6-1/185

Fun Facts:
The Golden Gopher class of 2005 garnered a ranking of 55th from Rivals.com and 56th from Scout.com. Both were good for 10th in the conference ...

The class was headlined by 4* prospect Alex Daniels and 3*'s Nate Triplett, Troy Reilly, Ryan Ruckdashel, Steve Davis, and Nedward Tavale ...

2006 Recruiting Class
S Duran Cooley (Reedley JC) Reedley, CA 6-0/215
**S E.J. Jones (Edwardsville HS) Edwardsville, IL 5-11/185
**DE Robert McField (Normandy HS) St. Louis, MO 6-5.5/235
**CB Josh Robertson (Lackawanna JC) Scranton, PA 5-11/175
**LB Lee Campbell (Gulf Coash HS) Naples, FL 6-3/220
DT Garrett Brown (Fairfield College Prep) Fairfield, CT 6-2/295
**LB Mike Wey (Oak Creek HS) Oak Creek, WI 6-3/230
**RB Brylee Callender (Feather River JC) Quincy, CA 6-1/189
LB Tommy Becker (Wayzata SHS) Plymouth, MN 6-3/230
DE Sean McWhirter (Orono SHS) Long Lake, MI 6-4/245
**WR Ben Fischer (East HS) Wausau, WI 6-2/180
DE Willie Dyson (Kirkwood SHS) Kirkwood, MO 6-3/225
OL Dominic Alford (Shaker Heights HS) Shaker Heights, OH 6-3/310
K Eric Ellestad (Robbinsdale Armstrong SHS) Plymouth, MN 6-3/175
OL D.J. Burris (Kenton HS) Kenton, OH 6-3/275
**RB Terrence Sherrer (Colerain HS) Cincinnati, OH 5-10/190
RB R.J. Buckner (Harves Christian Academy) Watauga, TX 5-11/185
QB Adam Weber (Mounds View SHS) Arden Hills, MN 6-2/205
OL Andy Brinkhaus (Jefferson SHS) Bloomington, MN 6-3/257
OL Justin Jenson (Elk River SHS) Elk River, MN 6-7/338

Fun Facts:
The class of 2006 landed the Gophers a ranking of 62nd in the nation by both Scout.com and Rivals.com. Both rankings were good for 9th place in the Big-10 ...

The class was headlined by 3* prospects Adam Weber, Brylee Callender, Sean McWhirter, and Willie Dyson. Weber was tabbed as Scout.com's 32nd best QB prospect in the country ...

Tommy Becker was a HS teammate of Buckeye LB James Laurinaitis ...

Andy Brinkhaus's brother Tony is the starting Center for the Golden Gophers ...

R.J. Buckner's high school coach was former Alabama and Dallas Cowboy S George Teague ...

2007 Recruiting Class
WR Damien White (Culver City SHS) Culver, City CA 6-0/170
WR Tray Herndon (The Bolles School) Jacksonville, FL 6-0/175
CB Harold Howell (Mandarin HS) Jacksonville, FL 5-8/160
QB Clint Brewster (Mullen HS) Denver, CO 6-1/195
**S Curtis Thomas (Aldine HS) Houston, TX 6-1/190
S Kyle Theret (Mullen HS) Denver, CO 5-11/185
**WR Jimmy Thompson (Hayward HS) Hayward, WI 6-1/180
**DT Serge Elizee (College of the Sequoias) Visalia, CA
LB Logan Uu (Laney JC) Oakland, CA 5-11/230
CB Justin Chatman (Horn HS) Mesquite, TX 5-11/169
WR Mark Cheatham (Laney JC) Oakland, CA 6-2/210
DE Eric Small (Joliet JC) Joliet, IL 6-2/275
**CB Durrell Clark-James (CC of San Francisco) San Francisco, CA 6-0/195
RB Duane Bennett (O'Fallon HS) O'Fallon, IL 5-10/197
CB Ryan Collado (Cincinnati Hills Christian Acad.) Cincinnati, OH 5-9/165
OL Chris Bunders (Osseo SHS) Osseo, MN 6-3/302
OL Ryan Orton (Eden Prairie SHS) Eden Prairie, MN 6-4/260
DT Trey Davis (Farmington SHS) Farmington, MN 6-2/280
TE Collin McGarry (Stillwater SHS) Stillwater, MN 6-4/230
OL Ryan Wynn (Maple Grove SHS) Maple Grove, MN 6-5/245
WR Shane Potter (Becker SHS) Becker, MN 6-1/185
RB Andre Tate (Henry Sibley SHS) Mendota Heights, MN 6-1/206
DE Anthony Jacobs (Northfield SHS) Northfield, MN

Fun Facts:

New Gopher coach Tim Brewster's first recruiting class on the job netted rankings of 57th in the country from Rivals.com and 59th by Scout.com. Both were good for 9th in the conference ...

The class was headlined by 4* prospect Clint Brewster and 3* prospects Curtis Thomas, Serge Elizee, Logan Uu, Justin Chatman, Durrell Clark-James, Trey Davis, and Andre Tate. Brewster was ranked as the nation's 24th best QB by Scout.com ...

Brewster is the son of Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster ...​




Behind the Numbers

Four Down, Eight to Go

With 1/3 of the season already in the rear-view mirror, we are starting to get a feel for what kind of team the Buckeyes have this season. The numbers don't really tell the story, at least not on the surface. Early season struggles of a young team still weigh heavily on the season averages after only four games. But behind the numbers is a picture of a potentially powerful offense and a dominating defense.

The crystallizing picture of the 2007 edition of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is not quite as pretty. They have been inconsistent and mistake-prone on offense and garden-variety awful on defense. But there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Offenses

Minnesota ranks just behind conference leader Purdue and above Ohio State in most offensive categories, including total offense (15th to 52nd) and 3rd down conversions (5th vs. 19th). The raw numbers are mostly in the Gophers' favor. But we don't just look at raw numbers here, we look behind them.

Jim Bollman's troops have improved dramatically over the last 3 weeks. This is most clearly seen when comparing OSU's scoring over that span to the opponents' average points given up to the other teams they've played:

  • vs. Akron: 25 ppg vs. others // 20 vs. OSU
  • @ Washington: 22 ppg vs. others // 33 vs. OSU
  • vs. Northwestern: 17 ppg vs. others // 58 vs. OSU

While the "ppg vs. others" looks better for Northwestern than for the other teams, this is a function of the weakness of their schedule before last Saturday. Clearly OSU played well against the Wildcats; but considering Washington's tougher schedule, the 2nd half performance in Seattle may have been the Bucks' best of the year so far.

Minnesota has shown steady offensive improvement since the beginning of the season as well. Here are there opponents, the scoring defense vs. other teams for their opponents, and the offensive output that the Gophers managed against each team:

  • vs. Bowling Green: 31.5 ppg vs. others // 31 vs. Minn.
  • vs. Miami (Ohio): 34 ppg vs. others // 41 vs. Minn.
  • vs. Fla (Atlantic): 25.3 ppg vs. others // 39 vs. Minn.
  • vs. Purdue: 17.3 ppg vs. others // 31 vs. Minn.

While the last two games both show a differential of 13.67 points, the Gophers total vs. the Boilermakers was the most points given up by the opponent for the first and only time of the season so far. It also should be noted that the first two games reflect 4 periods of overtime. Clearly Minnesota has improved, but not as much as OSU.

Although ranked above Ohio State in many offensive categories, the Gophers have scored fewer points than the Buckeyes because of poor ball security. At 16 turn overs, split evenly between fumbles and interceptions, Minnesota is tied with the Oregon State Beavers as the most turnover prone offenses in the nation.

So in spite of being ranked ahead of the Buckeyes in most categories, and in spite of the fact that both teams appear to be improving; OSU's more dramatic improvement in the last 6 quarters and Minnesota's propensity for coughing up the ball combine with OSU's untapped potential to give a clear edge in offensive firepower to the Buckeyes.

There are several reasons why Ohio State has untapped potential on the offensive side of the ball. One of those reasons is that they have not found it necessary to score to the limit of their potential every week. The number one reason for that is the Buckeye Defense.

Defenses

While trying to downplay Ohio State's superiority on the offensive side of the ball was simply the right thing to do, doing so for the stop troops would probably come across as condescending. There's really no way to sugar coat it, the Buckeyes are just better.

And it's not just through the air that Minnesota gives up their yards. While Minnesota trails Purdue in many of the offensive metrics, including yards per carry; it is only the Boilermakers who trail the Gophers in yards per carry defense. If the Bucks try to chew up yardage on the ground, it is likely that they will be successful.

And while we're on the subject of Minnesota's most recent opponent; about the nicest thing you can say about the Minnesota defense is that they played better against Purdue than they had against any of their other opponents. They held Purdue to the Boilers' lowest rushing yardage of the year. They didn't hold any other opponent to their lowest rushing for the year, so last week may have been their best effort on the ground. They also held Purdue almost 20 points below their average passing efficiency, while on the season their opponents' aerial efficiency has been 30.51 points higher vs. the Gophers (151.86) than against the rest of their competition (121.35). Clearly it was a better effort all the way around. They tied Central Michigan for the fewest points given up against Purdue (45), and they came within 16 yards of tying Toledo for the fewest yards surrendered to the Boilermakers (488 vs. 504).

The Buckeyes on the the other hand have held every opponent to their lowest point total of the year, have held 3 of the 4 opponents to their lowest rushing total of the year, and have been stronger in air defense than a squadron of F-22 fighters.

While the Gophers allowed passing efficiency of more than 30 points over their opponents' average, the Buckeyes have held their opponents to 46.27 points below their efficiency against other teams (126.19 to 79.92). You might as well try to make it through a no-fly zone in a hot-air balloon.

The Buckeyes defensive supremacy is all the more daunting when you consider that most defensive stats they've surrendered this year have been in garbage time. The Gophers on the other hand have yet to see garbage time this year. With all due respect, they will probably have a full quarter of it on Saturday. It's too bad they won't enjoy it.​




The Lighter Side

How bad is Northestern. Just as DaddyBigBucks predicted, Northwestern did indeed suffer a "brutal pounding," 58 - 7. It could have been worse. Boeckman nearly hit Robo for another TD (came after a turnover), but Hartline for some reason ran his man right to the ball and it was picked off. Likewise, a kick return for six should never happen against the Buckeyes. But, it did, and as Jaxbuck correctly noted, Tressel "quietly put a little something extra on NU's ass" Yes, since the loss in Evanston in 2004, the Buckeyes have crushed the Purple Clad Smarties a combined 160 - 24, or an average of 53.3 to 8. Somewhere, wrestlerone, as quoted by Best Buckeye, sits in his horned rimmed specs trying to calculate what went wrong.

Oh, but I'm sure once we meet Northwestern again, all logic will be tossed out the window, and the Mildcat faithful will embrace the magic the fruit of delusion provides and go back to running their mouths as if they're a serious competitor. Until then, little buddies. Stay bitter. God love ya.

Lord, I might finally let Notre Dame's pure suckitude go, but it's just too damn fun to mention and doing so actually provides a great segue for this piece. Notre Dame, like prior opponent Northwestern, is never short on delusional fans and Notre Dame, like upcoming [SIZE=-1]Vinko "The Agony of Defeat" Bogataj impersonator Minnesota both have had occasion to refer to [/SIZE]Lou Holtz as "Head Coach." Hats off to Notre Dame for finally completing a game with better than negative rushing yardage and for scoring your first TD of the year. I'm certain that Holtz will be singing your praises come next Saturday, where he'll no doubt insist you'll run the table the rest of the year. Come to think of it, I think I'd rather talk about Holtz a little bit, instead of the Domers ... Lou, I would think, needs a bit of a pep talk.

There's got to be a reason why I'd seek to help old hurricane mouth, right?

Zen. That's why. I believe we should always try to help out others when we can as good deeds done, bring about good deeds to be done. And Lou needs a good deal of help, I think. It's been a tough year.

See, I've noticed that Lou is oh for three with his pep talks. You'll recall, after suffering a defeat to Appalachian State (who lost last weekend), Lou pepped Michigan in to a staggering home defeat to the Oregon Ducks. 0 - 1. Next, Lou offered a saliva fest to Nebraska which took the words of encouragement and turned it in to a sound beating from USC - which, as I just learned by trying it, was correctly noted by Lou as being easier to spell than UCLA. 0 - 2. Well, of course, this past week, Lou decided his words of wisdom would be needed to inspire the mighty Nittany's who then proceeded to lay an egg against the Michigan defense. 0 - 3. So, I figure Lou is a bit down, and could use a pep talk from me.

"Uncle!" Lou, you should just say "Uncle!" and regroup. It's been a tough year for you, and everyone knows it. From pre-season inanity like taking Henne for Heisman, saying Notre Dame was a 10 win team, and declaring Iowa as Big Ten favorite, your pep talks have done nothing but inspired failure to the team you're trying to motivate. But, the problem is easy to remedy. Lou, you haven't been working hard, and much like your beloved Domers, you too need to treat this week as training camp. Do some work. Do some research. You used to be a decent coach, Lou, and part of the reason was because you worked at it. Get off the in-studio beanbag chair and acquaint yourself with 2007.

Capture the magic that you must have had to convince a network to hire you, a man with a severe speech problem, to talk for a living. Look inside yourself, Lou. Do you want people to remember you as a crazy old coot? Of course not. You want respect. You want professional success. And, you can have it if you would at least give a passing glance at the reality that surrounds you every once in a while. I know you can, Lou. You've got strengths. ESPN is a lot harder to spell than ABC, yet you've got it down. Now go out there and show us why scheduling ESPN was a mistake. I know that last remark doesn't make a lick of sense, Lou ... hell, I'm not sure if any of this does. But the point is this, you're a winner Lou and now its time to go out there and win!"

Keeping the focus of the lighter side off of Minnesota is a bit by design. As I mentioned last year, I have a soft spot for the Gophers and I don't feel right going at them too hard. Especially when they are, as they are, just plain awful. I fully expect Ohio State to go up to the land of 10,000 lakes and destroy Tim Brewster's re-incarnation of the Jim Wacker loss express without breaking much of a sweat. While I have a soft spot for you, Gophers, make no mistake, I will enjoy every minute of the beat down you are about to suffer.

So, Buckeye fans, enjoy this week's ever so slight bend in the path of least resistance road to 8 - 0. For the third straight week you'll be able to watch your Buckeyes on the television and you can do so for free! That's got to be some kind of record.​




Traditions & Opponent Perspective
Minnosota fans are hiding in their Gopher holes, and rightfully so. Their season has, sadly, not lived up to fan expectations. One fan agonized, "we have a tradition of always thinking IT COULD BE WORSE." And their fans expect a lot, like most Big Ten fans, since their school is so rich with history and tradition - including a tradition of winning. After all, the Golden Gopher football team has been crowned national champions six times, ranking them seventh all-time in recognized football national championships. Also, to date, the Minnesota Gophers are the only football team to win three consecutive national championships (1934, 1935, and 1936). Although the past few years have been rough on Gopher fans, Buckeye fans feel a natural connection with the U of M team. After all, 10 Gophers on the current roster hail from the Buckeye State.

  • Why Maroon and Gold? In 1880, the University of Minnesota was preparing for spring graduation, and for the previous 29 years, different graduation colors were used every ceremony. In the spring of 1880, President Folwell began a tradition of common school colors at the University. He asked an English instructor, Mrs. Augusta Smith, to select proper colors to use for graduation ribbons and other occasions. She chose maroon and gold, which made a favorable impression on the students and faculty in 1880. As the years passed and without any kind of formal action, maroon and gold became the official school colors.
  • Ski-U-Mah! This famous Minnesota phrase, pronounced SKY-YOU-MAH, is more than 115 years old. In 1884, two Minnesota rugby players tried to think of a fitting team yell. They used the word "Ski", a Sioux battle cry meaning "victory," and combined it with "U-Mah" (representing the University of Minnesota and rhyming with "rah-rah-rah") to create a team cheer. The phrase stuck and was incorporated into both official school songs, "Hail Minnesota" and more commonly in the "Minnesota Rouser."
  • The "Minnesota Rouser" is one of two official school songs at the University of Minnesota. It was written in 1909 by Floyd M. Hutsell in response to a contest sponsored by the Minneapolis Tribune. The contest was judged by University President and Governor of Minnesota, with the winner receiving $100. (One fan noted that one of the losing songs was later rewritten and became "On Wisconsin." We have not verified this, but that's hilarious if true!) The rouser is sung at Gopher sporting events, along with the other official University song, "Hail Minnesota."
Minnesota, Hats off to thee!
To thy colors, true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah! Rah! Rah! for Ski-U-Mah,
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah for the U of M.
[Repeat]
M - I - N - N - E - S - O - T - A!
Minnesota!
Minnesota!
Yeaaaaaaah Gophers!​

  • The Gopher mascot is a tradition as old as the state. Minnesota was tabbed the "Gopher State" in 1857 after a satirizing cartoon, depicting nine Gophers with the heads of local politicians pulling a locomotive, was published. The story was over legislative action for a $5 million railroad proposal in western Minnesota. Later, the University picked up the nickname. The "Golden" adjective has not always been a part of the Gopher nickname. During the 1930s, the Gophers wore gold jerseys and pants. Legendary KSTP-AM radio announcer Halsey Hall coined the term "Golden Gophers" in reference to the team's all-gold attire on the field. From 1932 through 1941, Minnesota compiled an impressive record, losing only 12 games and winning seven Big Ten titles and five national championships. A true Goldy began his illustrious career as U of M mascot in the 1940s, but the story of the famed gopher begins almost a century earlier.
  • Chosen to be Minnesota's official animal in 1857, Goldy's ancestors were the first of their kind to receive such an honor. That same year, Minnesota was declared the Gopher State. Taking advantage of the natural connection, Clarence Spears, U of M football coach, named his team the Gophers in 1926. Several years later, Bernie Bierman's champion football team was coined the "golden swarm," a reference to their gold-colored jerseys, and the team soon became the "Golden Gophers."
goldy_1.gif
(1857)
goldy_b.gif
(1940s)
goldy_d.gif
(1970s)
goldy_6.gif
(1986)​

U of M's trophy games are:
  • The Little Brown Jug - Oldest of college football's 57 trophy-game traditions, Michigan and Minnesota play for it each year. The tradition started in 1903 when Michigan coach, Fielding Yost left his jug in Minneapolis following a tie in which the fans rushed the field, and Minnesota made him win it back. The five-gallon jug is painted with the victories of the two teams.
  • Floyd of Rosedale - Since 1935 the Gophers and the Iowa Hawkeyes have fought to win this bronze pig.
  • Paul Bunyan's Axe - Minnesota and the Wisconsin Badgers have passed this trophy back and forth since 1948, although it records the two teams' encounters since 1890. The first game in the series, a 63-0 Gopher victory in 1890, is printed on the handle near the axe's head. The results of every successive game line the handle in red ink.
  • Governor's Victory Bell - The newest of the four trophies, the bell was created to commemorate the 1993 entrance of Penn State's Nittany Lions into the Big Ten.

  • A tradition at the University of Minnesota since 1914, Homecoming features annual events, such as student sports and philanthropy competitions, lip sync performances, a bonfire, pep fest and parade, the traditional Gopher homecoming football game, and more.
  • The University of Minnesota Marching Band was founded in 1892 as the University Cadet Band, with 29 members. In 1910, the first formations and halftime show were presented during the Gopher football season. Included in the formations was the first "Block M". The current Block M is now a symbol of the University. With more than 300 members, the "Pride of Minnesota" performs at all home football games and at an annual indoor concert at Northrop Auditorium.
  • Jim Mitchell, a former drum major, was the first black drum major in the history of the Big Ten.
  • Another band tradition: the Swinging Gates, a staple of the pregame show. The colors are marched down the field as the band "swings" around.
  • According to Gopher fans, playing in the Metrodome has taken away much of the atmosphere/traditions. The band used to march down University Avenue past the frat houses to Memorial Stadium, and that tradition might be picked up again when the new stadium opens on campus in 2009. As of now, they march a couple of blocks from Washington Avenue to the Dome and perform on the plaza outside the stadium before games. Postgame is on the field now, and is very likely to stay there in the new stadium too.
  • One fan noted that "nobody can match what Minnesota has going on on the sidelines during football games." Their dance team has won four straight national championships, and Goldy annually finishes in the top 5 among college mascots.
  • When the Gophers get a first down, the PA announcer will say "And that's another Golden Gopher ..." with the fans finishing it off by yelling "first down!" and doing the arm motion. One fan groaned, "of course, you might not see Gopher fans do it more than a couple of times against the tOSU defense on Saturday."
  • They also have a mini-cannon that is set off after touchdowns.
  • After every score, the band plays a Superman-type song and Goldy wearing a U of M flag cape gets lifted on a large platform above the male cheerleaders. He then leads everyone in clap where he does a pushup for every point they have scored.
  • The student section will often chant "Spin Your Head" to Goldy at random points in the game and Goldy then "loosens" his head and spins it in a complete 360. According to one Gopher fan, "It sounds kind of lame on paper, but the students go crazy for it."
  • The fans hold up their shoes in the air before the team kicks any extra points or field goals.
  • Cheerleading is a Gopher tradition, especially because they invented it in 1898.
  • One fan noted that "overall, if you want traditions, hockey rules all here, as you might have seen in the 2 losses your Buckeyes got handed this weekend." Ouch.

Hopefully we will make up for those hockey losses on the football field on Saturday!​




Historical Data

University of Minnesota: Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) Founded 1851
Football 1st Season: 1882
Stadium: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minneapolis, MN). Minnesota is early in the process of building a stadium on the campus. Groundbreaking was September 30, 2006 and estimates for completion are for fall of 2009.
Constructed: 1982
Seating Capacity: 64,172
Playing Surface: FieldTurf
Conference: Independent from 1882-1895, Big Ten Conference since 1896
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Mascot: Gopher (Goldy)
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 16 Big Ten Titles: 1900*, 1903*, 1904*, 1906*, 1909, 1910*, 1911, 1915*, 1934, 1935*, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1960*, 1967* (*=Co-Champions)
Consensus All-Americans: 32 (27 different players as of 2005)
College Hall-of-Famers: 20
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 6 (Bobby Bell, Carl Eller, Bud Grant, Bronko Nagurski, Leo Nomellini, Charlie Sanders)
Award Winners: 1 AFCA COY, 1 Eddie Robinson COY, 1 Bear Bryant COY, 1 Heisman, 3 Outlands, 1 Rimington, 1 Mackey, 1 Socrates and 1 Thorpe Award
National Championships: 6 Recognized National Titles (1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960), 5 unrecognized titles.
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-14 years, Coaches-9 years​




Records

All Time: 627-440-44 (.584)
Bowl Games: 5-7-0 (.417) Most recently a 44 to 41 overtime loss to Texas Tech in the 2006 Insight Bowl. Texas Tech erased a 31 point deficit with 7:47 left to play in the 3rd quarter to mount the greatest comeback in Bowl game history. Two days later, head coach Glenn Mason was fired.
All Time vs the BigTen: 316-333-28 (.487) versus teams with conference membership at time of game.
All Time vs the Ohio State Buckeyes: 7-39-0 (.152) Most recently a 44-0 loss to the Buckeyes in 2006 in Columbus.
Coach's Reord: Tim Brewster, 2007, 0-0-0 (.000)

2006 Season: 4-8-0 (.333)
Aug 31 - W at Kent State, 44-0
Sep 9 - L at California, 17-42
Sep 16 - W vs. Temple, 62-0
Sep 23 - L at Purdue, 21-27
Sep 30 - L vs. Michigan, 14-28
Oct 7 - L vs. Penn State, 27-28 OT
Oct 14 - L at Wisconsin, 12-48
Oct 21 - W vs. North Dakota St, 10-9
Oct 28 - L at Ohio State, 0-44
Nov 4 - W vs. Indiana, 63-26
Nov 11 - W at Michigan State, 31-18
Nov 18 - W vs. Iowa, 34-24
Dec 29 - L vs. Texas Tech, 41-44 OT

2007 Schedule
Sep 1 - vs. Bowling Green, 8:00 PM
Sep 8 - vs. Miami-Ohio, 12:00 PM
Sep 15 - at Fla Atlantic, 1:00 PM
Sep 22 - vs. Purdue, 9:00 PM
Sep 29 - vs. Ohio State, 8:00 PM
Oct 6 - at Indiana, TBA
Oct 13 - at Northwestern, 12:00 PM
Oct 20 - vs. North Dakota St, TBA
Oct 27 - at Michigan, TBA
Nov 3 - vs. Illinois, 8:00 PM
Nov 10 - at Iowa, TBA
Nov 17 - vs. Wisconsin, TBA​






Links

Official Sites:
Official School Site - University of Minnesota
Official Alumni Site - University of Minnesota Alumni Association
Student Newspaper - The Minnesota Daily
Official Athletic Site - Gopher Sports
Official Conference Site - Big Ten Conference

Message Boards & Team Pages:
Message Boards - Gopher Sports (Scout)
Message Boards - Gopher Illustrated (Rivals)
Message Boards - Gopher Hole (Independent)
Blog - CP Balls
Blog - Where I Stand
Blog - MNSG Sports - Gophers
Blog - Minnesota Sports Track
Blog - Paging Jim Shikenjanski
Blog - Gopher Nation
Blog - Minnesota Golden Gophers
Blog - Gopher the Roses
Blog - Gopher Sports Blog
Team Page - NCAA
Team Page - ESPN
Team Page - USA Today
Team Page - Fox Sports
Team Page - CNN/SI
Team Page - CBS Sportsline
Team Page - Yahoo Sports
Team Page - Sporting News
Team Page - AOL
Team Page - CSTV
Team Page - ATSH2H
Team Page - Covers

Local News Sources:
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Local News
Twin Cities (Pioneer Press) - Local News

Team Previews and Breakdowns:
2007 Spring Guide (PDF) - GopherSports
2007 Media Guide (links to PDF files) - GopherSports
2007 Team Breakdown (PDF) - GopherSports
2007 Schedule/Results - GopherSports
2007 Spring Roster - GopherSports
2007 Spring Prospectus (PDF) - GopherSports
2007 Spring Game Results - GopherSports
2006 Overall Stats (PDF) - GopherSports
2006 Conference Stats (PDF) - GopherSports
News Releases - GopherSports
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - CFN
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Offense - CFN
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Defense - CFN
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Depth Chart - CFN
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Recruiting - CFN
2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - CFN
Minnesota Team Report - CSTV/Sports Xchange (Links to previous reports)
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Athlon
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - CNN/SI
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - The Ozone
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Sports Network
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Dispatch/Buckeye Extra
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - College Football Poll
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Maddux Sports
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - BigTen Fans.com
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - Madison Capital Times
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - WNUR
2007 Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Preview - UMN Alumni Association



B10 Conference Previews and Breakdowns:
2007 BigTen Prospectus (PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Team Breakdowns (PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Media Info(PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Composite Schedule (PDF) - BigTen
2006 BigTen Season in Review (PDF) - BigTen
2006 BigTen Overall Stats (PDF) - BigTen
2006 BigTen Conference Stats (PDF) - BigTen
2007 CFN Big Ten Preview - CFN
2007 CFN Preseason All-Big Ten Team - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Preseason Lookaheads - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Schedules & Predictions - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Team Capsules - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Unit Rankings - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Ultimate Schedule - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Recruiting - What It All Means - CFN
2007 CFN Spring Preview - Analyzing the Big Ten - CFN
2007 CFN Big Ten Spring Lookaheads - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Composite Schedule - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Team-by-Team Schedules - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Spring Games Wrapup - CFN
ASK CFN (6/22) ... The Big Ten Network - CFN
2007 Big Ten - CSTV
2007 All-Big Ten Teams - Athlon
2007 BigTen Inside Slant - USA Today
2007 Big Ten Preview - College Football Poll

Travel:
Metrodome Fan Guide - GopherSports




Preseason Rankings

#46 CFN
#66 CCR
#72 Chicago Tribune (Teddy Greenstein)
#78 Athlon​




Preseason Watch Lists

Amir Pinnix - Doak Walker​




Big Ten Conference Players of the Week

Sept. 1, 2007 (Week 1)
CO-OFFENSE: RB - Jehuu Caulcrick, Michigan State & QB - Tyler Donovan, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: LB - Sean Lee, Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS: WR - Dorien Bryant, Purdue

Sept. 8, 2007 (Week 2)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Adam Weber, Minnesota and QB - Curtis Painter, Purdue
DEFENSE: LB - Dan Connor, Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS: DE - Kenny Iwebema, Iowa

Sept. 15, 2007 (Week 3)
OFFENSE: QB - Kellen Lewis, Indiana
CO-DEFENSE: DE - Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State & LB - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR/KR - David Gilreath, Wisconsin

Sept. 22, 2007 (Week 4)
OFFENSE: RB - Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
CO-DEFENSE: DE - Will Davis, Illinois & S - Jamar Adams, Michigan
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin

Sept. 29, 2007 (Week 5)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Oct. 6, 2007 (Week 6)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Oct. 13, 2007 (Week 7)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Oct. 20, 2007 (Week 8)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Oct. 27, 2007 (Week 9)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Nov. 3, 2007 (Week 10)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Nov. 10, 2007 (Week 11)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Nov. 17, 2007 (Week 12)
CO-OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:




Preseason Accolades

BigTen Preseason Media Poll
1. Michigan
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year - Mike Hart - Michigan

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year - James Laurinaitis - Ohio State








Note: Statistical data was complied using a variety of sources, including:
Stassen (Chris Stassen) - Data
College Football Data Warehouse - Data
American College Football-RSFC (Dave Wilson) - Data
D1A Football (Formerly WALJ 10 College Football) - Data
National Champs.net - Data
Hickok Sports - Data

 
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