Marion Barber III is part of a one-two running-back punch with junior Thomas Tapeh. He had a breakout season last year and was a freshman all-American. Photo by Greg Ellis

After a year of ups and downs, the 2002 Gopher football team has a new watchword: consistency. "We have to bring it all together," says head coach Glen Mason. "Our defense should have fewer mental mistakes because, although we’re still young, we’ve gained a year of experience. [On offense] we need to solidify our line, establish a running game, and become a consistent passing team. [And] we’ve got to get that kicking game to the top of the Big Ten."

Several Big Ten rivals replace longtime quarterbacks and defensive stars this year. "I don’t think there are any clear-cut one or two teams that should dominate the league," Mason says. "Is that good? It’s good for us; it’s probably good for the league."

Here is a closer look at the 2002 football Gophers.

Offense: The Gophers have to replace three offensive linemen and create a unit that works together. "We don’t have many guys back, but they have an unbelievable attitude, they’ve worked hard, they’ve improved, and I’m confident that by the time we line up in fall we’ll be OK," Mason says. The sole returning starters are senior tackles Jeremiah Carter of St. Paul and Jake Kuppe of Minnetonka, Minnesota. The sixth "lineman," junior tight end Ben Utecht of Hastings, Minnesota, earned second-team all-conference honors in 2001.

The Gophers’ quest for consistency will get a boost from having a clear-cut starting quarterback for the first time in three years. Junior Asad Abdul-Khaliq of Elizabeth, New Jersey, started the last seven games of 2001 and played better each week.

A one-two punch at running back will mean more two-back formations than in Mason’s five previous seasons at Minnesota. Sophomore Marion Barber III of Plymouth, Minnesota, was a freshman all-American, and junior Thomas Tapeh of St. Paul counters Barber’s speed with punishing strength.

A pair of senior wide receivers leads a group with "more guys with the ability to help us than we’ve had in any other year," Mason says. Senior Antoine Burns of Milwaukee had 30 catches in 2001, while senior Jermaine Mays of Miami returns from a redshirt year with the speed to be a game-breaking receiver.

Defense: A young defense returns 11 players who started at least one game last year. "They hung tough last year, which is the best thing about them," Mason says of a unit that returned only two starters in 2001. "The bottom never fell out, they kept scrapping."

Senior co-captain Mike Lehan of Hopkins, Minnesota, anchors the defense at cornerback. Four other defensive backs were at least part-time starters. Linebackers Phil Archer, a junior from St. Paul, and sophomore Bradley Vance of Calumet City, Illinois, a 2001 freshman all-American, were full-time starters last year. Junior Dan Kwapinski of Fort Ransom, North Dakota, and sophomore Darrell Reid of Farmingdale, New Jersey, started every game in the middle of the defensive line.

A big improvement is needed, however, in the defensive front. "The biggest drop off we had last year was that we didn’t put enough pressure on the other quarterback," Mason says. "We need to do that."

Special teams: Mason expects a big step up in special teams play in 2002. "We have an experienced punter, an experienced placekicker back; almost all the guys on the teams are back," Mason says. "We’ve got to be good there and consistent there." Senior placekicker Dan Nystrom of New Hope, Minnesota, faltered early last year before making his last six in a row. Senior punter Preston Gruening of Schofield, Wisconsin, was a preseason all-American but ended up in the middle of the Big Ten in kicking average.

Outlook: The Gophers have two "should-win" games before hosting the team that got them off to a terrible start in 2001: the Toledo Rockets, who beat Minnesota 38–7. "I’m going to take the Toledo game personally," says Abdul-Khaliq. "That game was just ugly."

The Big Ten schedule is difficult, with all six of last year’s bowl teams in the lineup. But prognosticators have called this the most wide-open year in recent memory, with as many as eight teams having a chance at winning the conference. Minnesota’s hopes rest on building on the team’s 2001 finish. The Gophers rallied to split their final six games, including a 42–31 win over Wisconsin in the finale. "Winning the last game of the year is so important," Mason says. "The guys hung tough, and I think that was reflected in the last game."

A balanced offense, solid defense, and top-notch kicking game would be just the formula to get back on the winning track and to a third bowl game in four years. "I don’t make predictions, but that’s got to be a minimum goal," Mason says.

Chris Coughlan-Smith is senior editor for Minnesota.