With only nine seniors on the roster, and coming off a 7-5 season, the Gophers are certainly not generating conversation about a top 25 year and BCS invitation. Yet Minnesota is regarded as a possible surprise team in the Big Ten Conference, capable of winning six or seven games and making it to a bowl game. 

Although the Gophers no longer have three super star players from last season, linemen Greg Eslinger and Mark Setterstrom, and running back Laurence Maroney, coach Mason is optimistic about his offense.  “We have enough pieces to the puzzle that I really think we will be good,” he said earlier this month. 

The program has reached elite status with its offensive system.  Minnesota is the only school in the country to both rush and pass for over 2,000 yards each season for the last seven years.   The Gophers have been in the top 20 nationally in rushing yards per game since 2001 and top five the last three seasons.  Last season the Gophers were third nationally in rushing at 273.1 yards per game.  The Gophers are the first school in college football history to have two 1,000 yard rushers three consecutive seasons. 

 Cuptio’s career improvement has been impressive and Mason said his quarterback may have a “great” season.  Cupito’s development, and the presence of outstanding receivers like Ernie Wheelright and Matt Spaeth, plus the loss of Maroney and Gary Russell as runners, means the Gophers are likely to pass more than in the past. 

An intriguing development for the running game was the transfer a few weeks ago of sophomore Alex Daniels from linebacker to tailback.  Daniels, 6 foot 3, 255, intrigued Mason with his athleticism in high school where he saw him run track and likened him to the race horse Seabiscuit.   Daniels high school experience included tailback and Mason said the Ohio native has “all the potential in the world.” 

The defense?  “Defense is the whole story, I think,” Mason said.  Prior to starting practice Mason said he was “confident” the defense will be better. Last week he said it again while admitting past defensive shortcomings included being “terrible” in third down situations where repeatedly the Gophers could not make stop the opposition. The Gophers gave up 29.0 points per game last season and four teams passed for over 300 yards against them. 

Playmakers on defense probably include stocky safety Dominic Jones (5 foot 8, 190), hard-charging linebacker John Shevlin and sophomore end Steve Davis who Mason said “played remarkably well as a freshman.”

Brad Johnson has a career NFL completion percentage of 61.9%, ranking behind Steve Young at 64.3%, Peyton Manning at 63.9% and Joe Montana at 63.2%.  Johnson has completed at least 60% of his passes for 10 consecutive seasons.   After helping Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl in 2003, Johnson appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  Johnson’s brother-in-law is University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt. 

Rookie pitching sensation Francisco Liriano likes the Twins organization and the city.  “I will do whatever it takes to stay here my whole career,” he said. 

Twins trivia:  Torrii Hunter was the last Twins player to hit an inside -the -park home run (July 26, 2001 at Oakland). 

Former Green Bay and Gopher running back Darrell Thompson talking about the 2006 Packer outlook:  “I think the Packers are going to be better. … Those linebackers they have signed are outstanding.  (Abdul) Hodge and (A.J.) Hawk are fabulous linebackers. … I think they could win eight or nine games.” 

Gopher quarterback Tony Mortensen talking about former Hutchinson High School teammate Lydon Murtha competing for a starting offensive tackle spot at Nebraska:  “They want him to put his head on straight and be the man.  They’re going to give him a shot at it and hopefully it will work out for him.”   

University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi, 61, jogs three to five miles daily. 

Bill Kuross, one of the state’s all-time great tennis players and former football coach at Minneapolis Washburn, made a hole-in-one recently when his 150-yard six-iron shot went in the cup on the fly while playing No. 16 at Island View Golf Club in Waconia.   He is the former tennis pro at Minikahda Club and started the Minikahda Tennis Invitational that for 34 years attracted outstanding pros including a young Andre Agassi to Minneapolis.

A long time ago Ted Williams, major league baseball’s last .400 hitter, played in Minneapolis for the AAA Millers.  Now Joe Mauer plays in Minneapolis and, at age 23, in his third major league, there’s talk that some day he, too, may join the sacred .400 club, stirring memories of Williams hitting .406 in 1941. 

Earlier in the summer Mauer’s batting average had climbed to .392.   He still leads the American League in hitting but his average has come down to the .360s and perhaps by season end he will hit .350 or better. There is no whining about that, particularly when logic suggests the Twins’ sweet swinging hitter, on track to become the first catcher to lead the league in hitting, may sniff and even inhale the .400 level as he approaches and enjoys his peak years ahead.

Grandpa Jake Mauer used to watch Williams, his idol, play here in 1938.    He marveled at the fluid swing.  He’s been watching Joe since his grandson was an infant.  He insisted Joe be a left handed hitter (just like Williams, the “Splendid Splinter”) and he knew when Joe was swinging a bat at eight months his grandson was “special.”    

Jake told the Twins when they signed Joe that one day the young man will hit .400.  Grandpa is not backing off that prediction.  “I don’t think he will do it one time,” Jake said. “I think he will do it a couple times and the reason why (is) he takes care of his body. If he stays healthy there is no limit to what he can do.  You will probably see the best baseball player, hitter, catcher there has ever been in the American League.”

Tony Oliva, who won three American League batting titles and now works with Twins hitters, said it’s almost “impossible” to hit .400.  He believes hitting 60 or 70 home runs in one season is easier than batting .400.   

An interviewer initially made no mention of Mauer to Oliva when asking about the possibility of another .400 hitter.  Oliva speculated that Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki, with his exceptional speed and hitting, might have a “chance” at it.  Then he thought of Mauer.

“The way I see Joe Mauer is hitting this year, you never know,” Oliva said.  “He is only 22 (23) years old.  He is going to get better yet.  I don’t know how better he will get because right now he is a great hitter.” 

Mauer said he has not thought much about .400.  He agrees with Oliva that joining the .400 club is more difficult than achieving the once sacred level of hitting 60 or more home runs.  “I just try to keep getting better and better and we’ll se what happens,” Mauer said.