While most observers will have Minnesota pegged for the bottom half of the Big Ten -- maybe even close to the cellar -- I'm here to tell you that coach Glen Mason's squad could prove to be a dangerous foe for unsuspecting opponents. The Golden Gophers would be easy to take lightly, considering that they finished the 2001 season with a 4-7 record while allowing 31-plus points in six games.

However, upon closer inspection you will find that Mason's squad was competitive much of the way after being blasted in the '01 season opener against Toledo. The Golden Gophers came up short but had opportunities in losses against Purdue (35-28 in overtime), Northwestern (23-17), Ohio State (31-28) and eventual Big Ten champion Illinois (25-14). On the plus side, they defeated Michigan and Wisconsin (42-31 in the regular-season finale).

	Minnesota junior TE Ben Utecht has All-American potential.

OFFENSE
This season, Minnesota has a chance to turn things around and vie for a postseason bowl. The reason for the optimism is the impressive late-season performance of junior QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq.

Over the final five games last season, Abdul-Khaliq was intercepted just twice; in the final two games, he tossed six TDs. For the year, he completed a respectable 57 percent of his passes, although there were instances where he missed open receivers.

If Abdul-Khaliq can be more accurate and consistent, the Golden Gopher offense will have a chance to really click.

Despite the early exit of RB Tellis Redmon -- who rushed for 1,091 yards last season, averaged 5.9 yards per carry and scored six TDs -- the Golden Gophers are well-fortified in the backfield with sophomore Marion Barber III and former blue-chip recruit Thomas Tapeh.

At wide receiver, the return of Jermaine Mays -- who sat out last year because of an NCAA eligibility issue -- provides a major upgrade. He's the true burner they need to stretch things. Opposite Mays will be fellow senior Antoine Burns, with junior Tony Patterson providing excellent size (6-foot-3, 200) as the third option. Keep an eye on freshman Jakan Wallace, a diminutive speedster (5-8, 160) who could push his way onto the field as Mays' backup.

No team in the Big Ten is as strong at tight end as the Golden Gophers. Junior Ben Utecht is an All-American-caliber performer, while senior Scooter Baugus provides the offense with the flexibility to incorporate lots of double-TE sets.

The major question on offense is the interior of the O-line, where senior Jeremiah Carter is shifting from left guard to left tackle. The only offensive lineman returning to his position from last year is huge, battle-tested senior Jake Kuppe (6-6, 350). The pressure is on RG Joe Quinn, LG Rian Melander and center Mike Nicholson to ensure that things don't collapse in the middle of the move-'em-out gang. One reason for optimism is the fact that Quinn earned one start last year and Nicholson is regarded as a potential standout.

DEFENSE
With Greg White's graduation loss at defensive end and the linebacking corps taking on a completely new look, the strength of the Golden Gophers' defense is the secondary. Senior Michael Lehan has the chance to be a shut-down corner. Junior FS Eli Ward was leading the Big Ten in tackles last season until he went down with a knee injury in the eighth game (against Ohio State).

With White moving on, two redshirt freshmen (Mark Losli and Charlton Keith) will seek to provide pass pressure off the edge. Minnesota had problems at defensive tackle going into last season, but this spot now appears to be in good shape, with strong starters and quality depth. Junior Dan Kwapinski, an emerging standout, will team with senior Ryan Domin and sophomores Darrell Reid and Brandon Harston.

Linebacker is the most interesting position on defense. All three starters from a year ago -- sophomore Justin Fraley, junior Phil Archer and sophomore Bradley Vance -- have been pushed to second-team status heading into fall practice. Moving into starting roles on the outside are redshirt freshmen Terrance Campbell and Junior Eugene, with junior Ben West penciled in at middle linebacker. While undersized at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Campbell has speed and athleticism. Keep in mind that Archer finished as the team's second-leading tackler last year (113 stops) and Vance was viewed as a solid freshman performer (two interceptions, third-best 76 stops). Based on this, I wouldn't count either out of the equation -- but it demonstrates the depth developed at linebacker.

The kicking game returns intact with a pair of seniors, punter Preston Gruening and kicker Dan Nystrom. Last season, Gruening averaged 41.5 yards per punt while dropping 18 inside the 20-yard line. Nystrom connected on just 3-of-8 field-goal attempts to start the season but was 6-of-7 the rest of the way. He was a perfect 37-of-37 on PATs.

OVERVIEW
Minnesota has a winnable early schedule -- including an opportunity for revenge against Toledo at the Metrodome -- and a 4-0 record is conceivable before the Big Ten season begins at Purdue on Sept. 28. How the Golden Gophers fare in the Big Ten boils down to whether QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq builds on the momentum of late last season and whether the restructured offensive line proves to be a solid unit. The return of WR Jermaine Mays is a big plus, while TE Ben Utecht has few (if any) peers. With his size and natural pass-receiving skills, Utecht reminds me of former Miami Hurricane standout Jeremy Shockey, who is now with the New York Giants.

The defensive dynamic has really changed compared to last year. This time last season, Mason had brought in four new defensive coaches and was dealing with the loss of eight defensive starters. That's just too much of a changeover. If significant improvement is to be expected, the young DEs have to be up to the task and the competition at LB must provide an upgrade. With CB Michael Lehan and FS Eli Ward, the secondary should hold up well if they receive any assistance at all from the front seven.