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m i n n e s o i a 2012 RESULTS ( c o n t i n u e d ) (6-7 overall, 2-6 Legends, T-5th Legends) DateOpponent Results 8/30 at UNLV . . . . . . W, 30-27 (3OT) 9/8 NEW HAMPSHIRE . . . . W, 44-7 9/15 WESTERN MICHIGAN W, 28-23 9/22SYRACUSE . . . . . . . . W, 17-10 9/29 at Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . L, 13-31 10/13NORTHWESTERN . . . . L, 13-21 10/20 at Wisconsin . . . . . . . . L, 13-38 10/27PURDUE . . . . . . . . . . W, 44-28 11/3MICHIGAN . . . . . . . . . . L, 13-35 11/10 at Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . W, 17-3 11/17 at Nebraska . . . . . . . . . L, 14-38 11/24 MICHIGAN STATE . . . . L, 10-26 12/28 vs. Texas Tech* . . . . . . L, 31-34 * Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas 2013 SCHEDULE diate dividends at linebacker. DateGame 8/29UNLV 9/7 at New Mexico St, 9/14 W. ILLINOIS 9/21 SAN JOSE STATE 9/28IOWA 10/5 at Michigan 10/19 at Northwestern 10/26NEBRASKA 11/2 at Indiana 11/9 PENN STATE 11/23WISCONSIN 11/30 at Michigan State Who's in Charge? Defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman, perhaps the Big Ten's best interior defensive lineman, is a strong foundation, though. Minnesota may not have a dominant defense by any means, but the key to its season is obviously an offense that managed only 17.1 points per game in Big Ten play in 2012. Kill said in the spring, "but I'm glad Nelson's needed progress is one we did because of the experience thing. A need for receivers to emerge he gained. It made him much more is another. Top target A.J. Barker left prepared for spring ball and a much the Gophers in a huff during the seabetter quarterback in general." son last year and Minnesota has no The Gophers will need Nelson to proven fill-ins. be better if they're going to take anThe offensive line needs to just other step forward after reaching a stay in one piece after being wracked bowl game last season but doing so by injuries last year. with just a 2-6 Big Ten record. "It might have been a blessing in "The next step is for Minnesota to disguise for 2013," Johnson said, "beseparate itself a little bit from some cause now they might have eight or of the teams toward the bottom of the nine guys with some experience." Big Ten and get up there with the midThat O-line group also welcomes dle of the conference," Johnson said. Ohio State transfer Brian Bobek. That will be much more of a chalMinnesota needs to improve its oflenge than reaching the six-win mini- fensive potency to achieve more this mum for bowl eligibility, which should season than it did last, when it lost in be expected thanks to another weak the Meineke Car Care Bowl to Texas four-game non-conference slate that Tech in a game the Gophers probably should send the Gophers into their should have won. Big Ten opener against Iowa unbeatNow that Minnesota has reached en. a postseason level, the goal is to stay Defensively, Minnesota wasn't there. bad last season, finishing fifth in "If they don't get back to a bowl the league in total defense, but it game this year, with the way things will miss lineman D.L. Wilhite's 8.5 shake out in the future in the Big sacks and will need junior college Ten," Johnson said, "it will transfers to pay immebe interesting to see how the Jerry Kill Era plays out." innesota 4 points M it had — Brian Neubert te The 4 ost th Of Naost Purdue were 99e3.mThat point ag in ng ce 1 put up series sin hers' season scori red in the op sco eG doubled th total also 2.1). average (2 GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com COACH JERRY KILL Record at Minnesota: 9-16 (two seasons) Record vs. Purdue: 2-1 (Northern Illinois and Minnesota) Bottom Line: Minnesota used a 4-0 mark against a soft non-conference schedule to vault itself into the postseason, an important step in the program's development under Kill. This is a key year, though, because the Gophers obviously won't want to take a step backward. Third Time's A Charm? Jerry Kill in his second/third years coaching at a school: 2nd year average wins 5.8 3rd year average wins 9.0 Schools: Saginaw Valley State, Emporia State, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 113