Preview Golden Gophers Defense!

This season the Golden Gophers will have co-defensive coordinators in  Kevin Cosgrove and former db coach Ronnie Lee.  Cosgrove has tremendous experience having been the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin and more recently at Nebraska.  The Gophers defense was vastly improved last season giving up 24.8 points a game in contrast to 2007 where they gave up a whopping  36.7 a game.  This season they hope to get that average under 20 points a game.  On the line they lose their defensive ends but they bring back both tackles.  Eric Small (Sr). and Garrett Brown (Sr.) both way over 295 plus, and should clog the middle of the running game.  They will need the ends to step up and make up for the lost of 10 sacks from last season's star player, defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg.  The line backing unit should be stronger if Simoni Lawrence can have breakout senior year.  Lee Campbell will start in the middle and redshirt freshmen Keanon Cooper will take over probably at the outside linebacker spot opposite Lawrence.  The strength of the Gopher defense will be in the secondary as Seniors, Marcus Sherels and Traye Simmons will lead the way.   Simmons is being picked in many publications as first-team all Big Ten at cornerback.  While Sherels punt returning skills has him as a pre-season first or second team specialists.  Wisconsin transfer Kim Royston could push for a starting roll.  Safety Kyle Theret will start but Tim Dandridge is pushing his way into position.  Tramaine Brock probably won't be back after taking time off to improve his grades.  Overall this is a strong group of experience players in the secondary.

If  Coach Cosgrove can find some ways to get to the opposing quarterback then the Gophers can improve.  But the non-conference games will be much harder than last season, plus having to play at Penn St. and Ohio State.

Predictions next week!

Date of Article: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:26 pm