Last year, Minnesota tried to accomplish a first in school history -- qualify for a third straight bowl. Instead, the Golden Gophers started out 1-4 and never got back on track, derailing what had been a successful two-year ride.

The high note in coach Glen Mason’s five years was the school’s first victory at his alma mater, Ohio State, in 51 years. But since that win in October 2000, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say the Minnesota program has been on a downward spiral. The win at OSU gave the Gophers a 5-2 record; they proceeded to lose their next three -- including a blown 21-point lead at home against Northwestern -- and only qualified for a bowl after a 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter at home against Iowa. Then, in the MicronPC.com Bowl, Minnesota blew a 24-0 lead and lost to North Carolina State.

Mason has taken heat in the local media for his flirtations with other schools after pushing the Minnesota program toward moderate success in his first few years. He has also been criticized for his confidence -- bordering on cockiness -- despite his team’s modest accomplishments. One example frequently cited was Mason taking off his headset and slapping players and coaches on the back in the Purdue game at the start of that pivotal, somewhat miraculous game-tying drive.

Gopher fans were burned by Lou Holtz’s brief but glorious stint in Minneapolis, and many feared that Mason would pull another Music Man act, yanking the rug out from under the program the first time he had a chance to jump to another school.

But Mason insists his days of looking elsewhere are over. When he wasn’t offered the job at Ohio State, Mason said he committed himself to Minnesota, and he is slowly rebuilding the confidence of Gopher fans.

A return to a bowl seems possible this year, with a soft four-game non-conference schedule (the Gophers get Toledo at home in a payback affair), and a competitive Big Ten schedule that doesn’t include improving Penn State. If Mason can get the Gophers back to the postseason, his image in Minnesota will be rehabilitated, and the fans will finally start to forget the monumental collapses of the past.

The Gophers have run a two-headed attack behind center the past two years, but with Travis Cole graduated, the quarterback position is now the sole property of junior Asad Abdul-Khaliq (6-0, 201).

The New Jersey native came to Minneapolis as a highly touted prep school player, coming off a record-breaking season at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy and a prep All-America career in Elizabeth, N.J. After a red-shirt year he started the first four games of his freshman season, but then gave way to Cole, with whom he split the quarterback duties for the balance of the season and all of 2001.

Second on the depth chart is junior Benji Kamrath (6-3, 204), who didn’t see action last season but led the reserves to a triple-overtime victory in Minnesota’s spring game this year. He has a strong arm but obviously lacks experience. Providing additional depth are freshmen Jarod Posthumus (6-4, 215) and Robert Grandas (6-2, 210).

The Gophers have to replace their leading rusher, but they had already done that by the end of last season anyway. Junior Tellis Redmon ran for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns last year, but Mason had planned on shifting him to wide receiver in the off-season to take advantage of the young talent emerging in the backfield. Redmon, who had rushed for 246 yards in the 2000 MicronPC.com Bowl, saw his future in the pros as a running back and elected to enter the NFL draft a year early. He was not drafted, but signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent.

Meanwhile, the Gophers should be set with a pair of talented young running backs who made a name for themselves last season. Leading the way at tailback will be sophomore Marion Barber III (5-11, 195), the son of former Gopher great and NFL veteran Marion Barber. Last year as a freshman, Barber exploded onto the scene in his second game, gaining 173 yards and scoring twice against Louisiana-Lafayette. He also rumbled for 158 yards and two scores on just 15 carries in Minnesota’s homecoming victory over Michigan State.

Clearing the way for Barber and also taking the load off with his share of carries will be junior fullback Thomas Tapeh (6-1, 228). The native of Liberia, who moved to the U.S. when he was nine, is one of the strongest players on the team, with a bench press of more than 450 pounds. He has battled injuries the past two years, and a bum foot has kept him from matching his performance in the second game of his freshman year, when he ran for 183 yards on 32 carries at Baylor.

Tapeh got rolling with 71 yards on 12 carries against Murray State in late October last year, and finished the year leveling defenders with devastating lead blocks ahead of the shifty Barber. The coaching staff is expecting big things from its offensive backfield.

Other backs looking to get into the mix are sophomore Terry Jackson II (5-11, 185) and junior Zack Kartak (5-9, 174) at tailback, and senior Renato Fitzpatrick (6-0, 201), sophomore Justin Waltron (6-1, 216) and freshman Brandon Hagen (6-0, 215) at fullback.

The departed Ron Johnson leaves Minneapolis with just about every school receiving record imaginable, including catches (198), yards (3,039), and touchdowns (31). Those are big numbers to replace, but the Gophers get an experienced receiver back from a red-shirt season to help fill the void.

Senior Jermaine Mays (6-0, 190), who started six games in 2000, sat out last season but is back to bolster the Minnesota wide receiving corps. Mays has game-breaking speed and is a constant deep threat, plus he’s a standout special teams player. He helped clinch a bowl berth for the Gophers in his standout 2000 season with an 81-yard touchdown against Iowa, a 100-yard kickoff return at Indiana, and a blocked punt that set up a touchdown in Minnesota’s upset win at Ohio State.

Lining up on the other sideline will be senior Antione Burns (6-1, 193), who started seven games last year and caught 30 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns in earning his first letter at Minnesota.

In a three-wideout set, the Gophers will add junior Tony Patterson (6-3, 201) to the lineup. The rangy receiver caught 14 passes last year and uses his size to gain an advantage on most defensive backs.

Other returning lettermen include sophomores Keith Matthews (6-2, 194) and Demetrus Johnson (5-9, 174). And freshman Jakari Wallace (1-8, 170) could push for playing time after challenging for a spot last year. Another red-shirt freshman, Jared Ellerson (6-2, 181), provides depth at the position.

The Gophers have one of the Big Ten’s best tight ends in junior Ben Utecht ( 6-6, 244). A preseason All-Big Ten pick by many publications, Utecht is coming off a season in which his potential turned to results as he gained experience. The converted wide receiver continues to bulk up and improve his blocking, but hasn’t lost a step of his sub-4.7 speed and has excellent hands.

Utecht caught 20 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns last year, including 59-yard and 38-yard scoring strikes from Abdul-Khaliq in the season-ending victory over Wisconsin. He started all 11 games and was a second-team all-conference selection by Big Ten coaches.

One of Minnesota’s chief concerns has to be replacing three starting offensive linemen, including guard Akeem Akinwale, center Derek Burns (who was an honorable mention all-conference selection) and tackle Matt Anderle. In addition, Ryan Roth graduated, but played in only two games last year because of injuries and is petitioning the NCAA for a medical waiver and a sixth year of eligibility.

The Gophers will build around senior tackle Jake Kuppe (6-7, 352), who has started 22 of the last 23 games for Minnesota. He is a massive left tackle who moved over from the right side last year and helped lead the conference’s second-best rushing attack. Kuppe is listed as the biggest player in the Big Ten, but his quickness allows him to be effective on both running and passing plays.

The other returning starter is senior tackle Jeremiah Carter (6-7, 291), who started nine games at right guard last year and one game at left tackle, which appears to be his home this season. He recovered after missing his entire sophomore season with a knee injury and earned his first letter.

The backups at the tackle slot are sophomore Rian Melander (6-6, 240), junior Matt McIntosh (6-8, 295) and freshman Lance Sannes (6-8, 330).

The Gophers will lean on a freshman to anchor the line at center, which isn’t entirely unheard of in Minneapolis. The last freshman to start at center was Ben Hamilton, who turned into an All-America selection and is now playing for the Denver Broncos. This year’s freshman center will be Mike Nicholson (6-5, 285), who red-shirted last year after coming to Minnesota from nearby River Falls, Wisc.

As of spring practice, it looked like the new starting guards would be sophomore Mark McElroy (6-5, 291) and junior Joe Quinn (6-4, 292), although they will be pushed by freshmen Rob Kraemer (6-4, 285) and Trevor McCulloch (6-4, 300) and junior Morgan Kirkland (6-2, 280).

The Gophers thought they had no worries about their kicking game, but last year was a disappointing one for senior Dan Nystrom (5-11, 200). The two-time finalist for the Lou Groza Award has been the No. 1 kicker since his first day on campus, but last year was his least productive season by far.

He started out by missing six of his first 10 attempts before closing the year with five straight makes, but his 9-for-15 season represented the fewest field goals made and attempted in his career. He did connect on all 37 of his extra points, his first perfect season in that department.

Nystrom is on pace to break all of Minnesota’s kicking records -- he needs just six field goals to surpass Chip Lohmiller’s career mark of 56 -- and will be the school’s all-time leading scorer with just four points this season. His career long of 52 gives Minnesota coaches confidence in his leg strength. His backup this year will be sophomore Ryan Duffy (6-1, 203).

After returning just two starters last year, the Gophers gained experience on defense and bring back eight starters, including both defensive tackles. Consider that the Gophers ranked ninth in the Big Ten against the run and in overall and scoring defense, and their prospects can’t help but improve.

The line will be led by junior nose tackle Dan Kwapinski (6-5, 278), who started all 11 games last year and made 23 tackles, including six against Big Ten champion Illinois. Kwapinski is a two-year letterman who started his career at defensive end. He will be joined in the middle by sophomore Darrell Reid (6-3, 238), who moved up from linebacker to start all 11 games as a red-shirt freshman last year. Reid made the All-Big Ten freshman squad selected by The Sporting News as he racked up 28 tackles, and although he is a bit undersized, he has been lauded for his quickness off the ball.

Sophomore Brandon Harston (6-2, 307) rotated in regularly for both players last year and looks to fill a similar role this year.

On the end, only junior Tony Dupree (6-2, 248) returns with game experience -- he made one start last year and finished the season with 19 tackles. He is among a number of candidates to replace Greg White, who made 58 tackles and led the team with five sacks last year, and Astein Osei.

Other hopefuls at defensive end are freshmen Damian Haye (6-2, 245), Charlton Keith (6-5, 220), Mark Losli (6-7, 240) and Tony Oyewo (6-0, 215), and sophomore Eric Stenzel (6-4, 253).

Experience is everywhere in the Gopher linebacker corps, where all three starters return from last year’s squad. The budding star among the group could be sophomore Bradley Vance (6-1, 211), who moved into the lineup in his second game and became a permanent fixture. He finished third on the team in tackles with 76, including six for losses and three sacks. He also picked off two passes and recovered a fumble, and took a team-high 808 snaps -- not bad for a freshman.

Vance earned Freshman All-America honors for his play last season, notching a season-high 11 tackles against Louisiana-Lafayette and returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown against Murray State. In conference play he racked up 10 tackles in a win over Michigan State, and his three sacks all came on the road -- two at Northwestern and one at Iowa.

"Bradley came on the scene in 2001 and started as a true freshman," Mason said. "He has excellent speed and strength and should develop into a top-notch Big Ten linebacker."

Another linebacker who made 10 starts last year and will be expected to lead the defense this season is junior Phil Archer (6-2, 223). His 113 tackles were second on the team and fifth among Big Ten linebackers, and he chipped in three tackles for loss, two sacks and three forced fumbles.

In back-to-back games against Purdue and at Illinois, Archer posted a total of 36 tackles, including 21 solo stops, and he also came up big at Michigan with 16 tackles. He sat out the Iowa game with an ankle injury, but made it back to contribute to the Gophers’ season-ending win over rival Wisconsin. This year he has been selected to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the award named for the former Minnesota legend and given to the nation’s top defensive player.

The other starting linebacker will be sophomore Justin Fraley (6-0, 196), who moved up from cornerback to make six starts last season. He is hoping to add bulk to allow his body to stand up to the rigors of playing linebacker in a physical conference, but he managed to finish seventh on the team in tackles last year with 47.

The secondary will be another position of strength for Minnesota -- or, at least, a position of experience, as all four projected starters played key roles last season. Of course, they will have a tough time replacing free safety Jack Brewer, who was the media’s selection for the All-Big Ten first team and won the Carl Eller Award as the team’s outstanding defensive player. But a mix of veteran players and talented newcomers should help form a strong secondary this fall.

The leader of the defensive backs will be senior cornerback Michael Lehan (6-0, 184), who started all 11 games last year and 10-of-12 as a sophomore. The co-captain runs a 4.39 40 and switched from his high school position of running back as a freshman. He has been a valuable member of the Gopher special teams as well, but his chief contributions come in the secondary. Last year Lehan made 44 tackles, picked off two passes and broke up 18 others.

The other cornerback will be sophomore Ukee Dozier (6-1, 180), who started the last seven games in 2001 after Fraley moved from corner to linebacker. Dozier clinched the Michigan State victory with an acrobatic interception in the fourth quarter, and also broke up three passes and made five tackles in that game. He finished the season with 31 tackles, including three for a loss, and had one sack.

Returning but moving from strong safety to free safety will be junior Eli Ward (6-0, 199), who finished fourth on the team in tackles with 65 despite missing the final three and a half games with a knee injury suffered against Ohio State. He notched 14 tackles in back-to-back games against Northwestern and Michigan State, including 10 solo stops in each game. He is expected to make a full recovery from his injury and should be the glue to the secondary this year, filling Brewer’s slot at free safety.

The new strong safety will be junior Justin Isom (5-8, 174), a versatile player who saw action at linebacker and nickel back last year, in addition to special teams.

Senior Preston Gruening (5-10, 201) returns for his third year as the team’s starting punter. Like Nystrom, expectations were high for Gruening last year, but the preseason All-America selection had a difficult season. His average dipped to 41.4, just sixth in the Big Ten and three yards off the mark he posted as a sophomore. Worse, he had four punts blocked last year, as consistent breakdowns on the line foiled his chances.

However, Gruening did rebound with four strong games to close out the season, and was voted Big Ten special teams Player of the Week in the final game when he keyed a victory over Wisconsin with five punts for a 45.0-yard average, including a 64-yarder.

The Gophers will be looking to improve their special teams play this fall. Not only did Nystrom and Gruening have disappointing seasons, but the kickoff coverage team ranked 10th in the conference and the punt coverage team finished ninth.

The return game was a middle-of-the-pack venture last year, and the loss of Redmon means the Gophers will need to find a new punt and kickoff returner. Burns and Demetrus Johnson are the top candidates to fill those roles.

Holder Gruening and junior long snapper Peter Prudden (6-5, 240) return, lending continuity to the place-kicking unit and further setting the state for a strong year from the kicking teams.

Mason continues to emphasize closing the borders, and he signed eight Minnesota players, highlighted by offensive lineman Joe Ainsle (6-7, 310) from Hopkins, Minn., the state’s No. 1 recruit according to many national ranking systems.

The biggest name in the class might be Shaker Heights, Ohio, running back Greg Pruitt Jr. (5-10, 190), an All-America pick and the son of the former Pro Bowler. Other standouts are defensive back Trumaine Banks (6-0, 175) of Columbus, Ohio, rated a Redzone "Top 50 Players in the Nation" list member; quarterback Bryan Cupito (6-3, 170) of Cincinnati; running back Mo Davis (6-0, 190) of Belleville, Ill.; and Michigan all-state linebacker Stephon Hopkins (6-2, 230) of Detroit.

But despite the national scope of Minnesota’s recruiting -- the class includes players from 10 states and every region of the country -- Mason knows where his bread is buttered.

Minnesota has put a focus on offense since the days of Jim Wacker, and even though Mason is more of an in-your-face style of coach, he still likes to see the numbers spin on the scoreboard. With Abdul-Khaliq no longer looking over his shoulder, and the solid 1-2 punch of Barber and Tapeh, the Gophers should have a strong balance between running and passing.

On defense, look for the secondary and linebackers to shine, but they won’t be good enough to beat a good team on their own. The young defensive ends will have to find a way to put pressure on the quarterback, or the secondary will get picked apart by the better quarterbacks in the conference.

Given the weak non-conference schedule, and the fact that Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa are at home this year, a bowl berth looks likely, but the Golden Gophers are probably a year away from having a chance at challenging for the Big Ten title.