“The scariest thing” to Jerry Kill as he anticipates the start of spring practice on March 22 is the defensive tackles positions. Last season’s starting tackles, Brandon Kirksey and Anthony Jacobs, were both seniors.
“Somebody is going to have to step up there and that’s why we recruited the junior college kid,” Kill told Sports Headliners. “Then we (also) recruited…freshmen in there to see what would happen.”
Kill is intrigued by defensive tackle Roland Johnson, a South Carolina native via Butler Community College in Kansas, who will have two seasons of eligibility playing for the Gophers. Kill said the 6-1, 295-pound Johnson will come in as a “tremendous” junior college player.
Kill also referenced Michigan State’s Anthony Rashad White when talking about Johnson. He said White was the “best d-tackle” in the Big Ten Conference last season and White played for Fort Scott Junior College, a Butler rival. “Very similar, 6-foot, maybe 6-1, 300 pounds and can run,” Kill said.
Johnson won’t be in school until summer but Scott Epke, a freshman defensive tackle from Lewisville, Texas is here and will participate in spring practice. Epke is only 17 and Kill said the young lineman has already increased his weight from 255 to 268. “Somebody is going to have to step up in the defensive line to fill the gaps there,” Kill said. “Just don’t know who that’s going to be.”
After consecutive 3-9 seasons, it’s obvious the Gophers have plenty of personnel needs. Kill and his staff have been recruiting for improvement in overall team speed including in the defensive backfield.
Kill will have junior college defensive backs Jeremy Baltazar, Briean Boddy and Martez Shabazz available for spring practice and a key secondary returnee is senior Troy Stoudermire. “That group of guys, athletically, I feel good about but now they (the newcomers) gotta learn what to do,” Kill said.
On offense the Gophers have plenty of sorting out to do, too, but Kill is encouraged by the weight training program and many of his linemen have added 20 pounds each. Junior Ed Olson, for example, has increased his weight from 290 to 310.
Asked if the Gophers may finally have a difference maker at running back, the coach mentioned junior college transfer James Gillum and freshman Rodrick Williams, describing both as physical runners. “James Gillum’s got a chance. You don’t bring a kid in (from junior college) unless you think he can play. …He’s here (enrolled) already. ”
Williams will arrive in the summer. “Iowa recruited him hard,” Kill said describing Williams as a “strong downhill runner” similar to Hawkeye Marcus Coker.”
There’s quiet anticipation that facing a so-so nonconference schedule the Gophers could win three or four games, then add a couple wins in the Big Ten Conference to finish with a 6-6 record and qualify for the school’s first bowl game since 2009. If so, it seems almost certain the athletically gifted but sometimes challenged senior quarterback MarQueis Gray must save his last season for his best.
Gray led the Gophers to Big Ten wins over Iowa and Illinois. He played some of his best football in the season ending 27-7 Illinois victory. He will never be a Sunday quarterback but if he can avoid too many interceptions and other mistakes, his leadership and running could help the Gophers steal an extra win or two.
“The whole thing about him is, is that it’s really up to him,” Kill said. “Right now he’s bigger and faster than he was. Spring’s gonna be really important for him. He’s gotta leave off where he left at Illinoisand keep building.”
Whatever the Gophers record in 2012, this will be only Kill’s second season as coach. “We’re far from finishing this thing,” he said. “This is an overhaul situation here. Hopefully we’ll move it forward. I don’t know about wins and losses. I know we’re different (than last year). I feel like athletically we’re getting better. We’re certainly not Ohio State, or anything, by any means.”
Fans can come to all spring practices and make their own judgments about the team. They can also attend the April 21 spring game starting at 11 a.m. at TCF Bank Stadium.