Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said this spring practice was the most physical he's ever been associated with, but it remains to be seen if that will lead to better results on the field.

The Gophers have only one way to go after finishing 1-11 last season, including 0-8 in the Big Ten. Brewster insists his team made progress this spring. But the team again will rely heavily on a large number of incoming freshmen and junior college transfers, and many are not on campus yet.

The Gophers installed a new defense under first-year coordinator Ted Roof and worked extensively on tackling after finishing last nationally in total defense. The defense also found a leader in free safety Tramaine Brock, a junior college transfer who made a big impression this spring with his speed, athleticism and competitiveness.

But position competitions on defense will pick up considerably when the incoming class arrives this summer and fall. The defense could feature seven or eight new starters from that class, including four in the secondary.

The offense also has several big question marks, but Brewster was mostly pleased with this unit this spring. Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber, who set a host of school records last season, looked more comfortable and confident in directing the spread offense. Brewster said Weber also showed more vocal leadership.

A lack of depth at wide receiver and running back is a cause for concern, however. The Gophers definitely will need meaningful contributions from a handful of incoming recruits at those two spots, too.

The Gophers should have better speed and more athleticism overall this season, but with so many new faces in key positions it's hard to predict a significant jump in wins.

--Sophomore Adam Weber said he feels like a completely different quarterback this spring. He knows the spread offense much better and has become a more vocal leader. Weber set a number of school records as a freshman, including passing yards, completions and touchdown passes. His 19 interceptions still gnaw at him, but the Gophers believe Weber will make dramatic improvement in his second season as the starter.

--Junior wide receiver Eric Decker had a productive spring but not on the football field. Decker joined the baseball team and became the starting left fielder and No. 2 hitter in the order.

Decker set a school record with 67 catches last season and should be one of the Big Ten's top receivers this season. But Minnesota's baseball coaches and several major league scouts said Decker also has a chance to get drafted in baseball.

SPRING MOVERS:

FS Tramaine Brock -- Hardly a day went by that Gophers coach Tim Brewster didn't rave about this junior college transfer. The coaching staff fell in love with Brock's speed, athleticism and leadership. An All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Brock should bring a play-making presence to the secondary that was sorely lacking last season.

QB Adam Weber -- Brewster began spring practice by saying the quarterback job was open, even though Weber set a number of school records in a 1-11 season. But Weber showed he's clearly the best guy for the job and made great strides in his leadership. Weber is more confident and comfortable with the offense, which resulted in better decision-making. He is a gifted athlete who should thrive in this offense for years to come.

DE Willie VanDeSteeg -- The senior appears to have returned to form after a broken wrist derailed his 2007 season. VanDeSteeg had 10 sacks in 2006 and can provide a strong pass rush on the edge when healthy. He basically played with one arm last season and his production plummeted.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I want to be a hard-nosed physical football team. That's how we've practiced all spring. Anybody who has been out to see us practice has seen a hard-nosed physical team. I think we've taken the proper steps this spring to improve next fall." -- Gophers coach Tim Brewster on the attitude this spring.

2008 OUTLOOK: The Gophers will continue to rank at the bottom of the Big Ten until they fix their myriad defensive problems. The Gophers welcome another new coordinator in former Duke head coach Ted Roof, who hopes to improve a unit that finished last nationally in total defense in 2007. The defense will have seven or eight new starters, almost all of them freshmen or junior college transfers who were part of a Top 20 recruiting class. Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber and the offense should move the ball and put up points, but the Gophers are dangerously thin at running back and inexperienced at wide receiver. Minnesota won only one game in Tim Brewster's debut season as coach so it's hard to imagine 2008 being that bad again. But a bowl game trip might also be out of reach, too.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber again will carry a heavy burden in offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar's spread attack. Weber set a host of school passing records last season and also led the Gophers in rushing. His primary focus this season is to eliminate mental mistakes, which contributed to his 19 interceptions. Junior Eric Decker is one of the top wide receivers in the Big Ten, but he needs help. The offensive line could feature three new starters so that group needs to develop some chemistry. Depth at running back is a major concern. Sophomore Duane Bennett and junior Jay Thomas, who is returning from his second ACL surgery, are the only returning tailbacks with any experience.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Things can't get any worse than they were last season, right? Minnesota finished last nationally in total defense and had one of the worst defenses statistically in recent NCAA history. The defense has a new coordinator in Ted Roof (former Duke head coach) and could feature as many as eight new starters, including a brand new secondary. Seniors Deon Hightower and Steve Davis return at linebacker, but coach Tim Brewster said they will have to compete for their jobs with several newcomers. Junior college transfers Tim McGee and Cedric McKinley should bring size and speed to the line, which failed to get any pass rush last season and was overpowered against the run.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: The Gophers expect to be solid in the kicking game with punter Justin Kucek and place-kicker Joel Monroe. Kucek should be an All-America and Ray Guy Award candidate after averaging 42.7 yards per punt with 21 punts pinned inside the 20-yard line last season. Monroe made 7 of 9 field goals and was solid on kickoffs after taking over early in the season. Junior college transfer David Pittman will likely return punts. Sophomore Harold Howell received a lot of hype from Brewster coming out of high school but was too inconsistent last season. The coaching staff still believes he can be a dangerous kickoff returner.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Junior running back Jay Thomas had ACL surgery on his right knee last winter and is expected to be ready by fall camp. Thomas has ACL surgery on his left knee as a freshman. Thomas did some individual work during spring practice and said his rehab is ahead of schedule.

--Backup wide receiver Marcus Sherels moved to cornerback with two weeks left in spring workouts and could provide depth at that position, according to Brewster. Sherels caught only three passes as a sophomore but averaged 21.4 yards on kickoff returns.

--Tight end Jack Simmons (foot) and linebacker Deon Hightower (shoulder) had their workload scaled back this spring while recovering from offseason surgeries, but both are expected to be ready for fall camp.

Previous Report: 03/29/2008