Gophers’ football coach Tim Brewster has been impressed with quarterback Adam Weber this summer. Because of Weber’s playing position and skills, he might be the most important player on the team as Minnesota tries to improve on last year’s 7-6 record after being 1-11 in 2007.
“He’s what I call a totally invested athlete,” Brewster said. “He’s worked so hard this summer. He’s doing a great job coaching our offense. He’s leading our captain’s sessions with the team. He’s poised to be one of the outstanding quarterbacks in the country.”
The Gophers are about six weeks away from their opening game at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. A week later, September 12, the Gophers make history playing in the first game ever at TCF Bank Stadium against Air force. Then comes another home nonconference game versus nationally ranked California. The Big Ten schedule follows and it includes adding Penn State and Michigan State, both of whom figure to be better than the two schools dropping from the schedule, Michigan and Indiana.
The total schedule looks more formidable than any in memory but Brewster’s expectations are for his program to continue improvement. One of the elements to having what Brewster describes as an “ascending” program is being led by an exceptional quarterback. “That guy is the guy,” he said. “You’ve got to have a bell cow.”
Weber was a freshman team All-American in 2007 and was second team All-Big Ten last year. He set school records while showing a moxie to lead and make big plays with his arm and legs. Among his stats were completion percentages of 57.5 in 2007 and 62.2 last year.
Brewster prefers a quarterback whose completion percentage will be in the “high 60s” or better. He thinks that’s when a quarterback will be dong “great.”
Whether Weber can move closer to 70 percent will be an important storyline for the coming season. He will be among the Big Ten Conference’s most experienced quarterbacks. That will help and so, too, will off season shoulder surgery.
Brewster described the 6-3, 225 pound Weber as a “new man” and not just because of the surgery. Brewster said Weber has been dedicated in his conditioning and improved his physical strength. “He is in a tremendous frame of mind,” Brewster said.