Football

On Tuesday, Minnesota football coach Glen Mason discussed the two-headed monster of his defense last year - playing well early and struggling down the stretch before coming up big in the Music City Bowl versus Arkansas.

"Will the real Gophers defense please stand up?" he joked.

On Saturday night, his defense put on its good head and stood up the Troy State offense in a 48-7 victory.

It's been a long and winding road for coach Larry Blakeney and Troy State's football team the past two years - literally.

Since making the jump to Division I-A competition prior to the 2001 season, the Trojans have played eight of 24 games in their home stadium.

"It's been tough," Blakeney said. "I'd be less than truthful if I didn't say that. But who we're playing is what's important."

The first time Rhys Lloyd kicked a football will always make him crack a smile. Lucky for Lloyd, Eastview High School football coach Kelly Sherwin noticed how the kick cracked the wall in the process.

Before then, Sherwin had been Lloyd's track and field coach. But when the sophomore damaged Disney's Wide World of Sports NFL exhibit during spring break in Florida, Sherwin saw a football player.

"They had a fake wall set up," Lloyd said. "I hit the wall and busted one of the heads of the (fake) guys. I put a little bit of effort into it."

Ben Utecht has been showcasing his talent in the Gophers' passing game for years. But Saturday night the tight end, named a 2003 preseason All-American by Athlon and College Football News, displayed his versatility and talent by contributing elsewhere on the football field.

For the first time in his collegiate career, Utecht now doubles as the starting tight end on offense and first-string punter on Minnesota's special teams.

In Saturday's season opener against Tulsa, Utecht hauled in two passes for 51 yards and punted three times.

Minnesota football wide receiver Paris Hamilton underwent his second knee surgery in 45 days Wednesday and will miss his entire junior season.

"He couldn't function at the position," Gophers coach Glen Mason said Aug. 26. "But now he has lots of time to rehabilitate and get ready for his final year."

The No. 1-rated junior college wideout was projected to step into a starting role before injuring his left knee during summer workouts.

Tulsa head football coach Steve Kragthorpe was fortunate enough to have a front-row seat for the rushing exhibition put on by Minnesota on Saturday night at the Metrodome.

Although Kragthorpe probably would have enjoyed the show more standing on the opposite sideline, it was a performance he quickly discovered was as good as advertised.

Sparked by three touchdowns from a healthy Marion Barber III, the Gophers racked up 254 rushing yards against Tulsa, 172 in the first half alone.

Fans at the Metrodome on Saturday night got their first taste of Minnesota football's much-hyped, three-pronged running attack. But it was the Gophers' least conspicuous offensive starter that put on the biggest show.

Sophomore wide receiver Jared Ellerson accumulated 156 yards receiving and two touchdowns in Minnesota's (1-0) 49-10 walloping of Tulsa (0-1), in front of an announced crowd of 36,623.

Beginning this season, the Big Ten will experiment with a behind-the-scenes instant replay system to test the consequences replay might have on the college game and its officiating, Big Ten Commissioner, Jim Delany announced Thursday.

The decision was essentially the result of a comprehensive review of conference officiating, spurred by Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and athletics director Tim Curley after several controversial calls against the Lions last season.

TBy Brett Angel

he image is still fresh in his mind.

Minnesota football coach Glen Mason watched in practice as a young place kicker struggled to split the uprights even from the three-yard line.

"I remember thinking we've got to stop this thing," Mason said. "It was embarrassing. The kid couldn't make an extra point."

Seven months have passed since Minnesota's football team concluded its 2002 season with a 29-14 victory over Arkansas in the Music City Bowl.

In that time, countless references have been made to the fact that this year's team might have the most potential of any in coach Glen Mason's seven years with the Gophers.

Well aware of the hype surrounding the team, Minnesota co-offensive coordinator Mitch Browning made perhaps the boldest statement yet last week at the Big Ten's annual football media day.