Gophers' offense hopes to pick up the pieces

This year was supposed to be different.

A Gophers offense that got stymied by good defenses late last season had more playmakers, more experience and better chemistry, they said.

But its first big test came last week at TCU, and the results were humiliating. The offense committed five turnovers — its highest total since their 2009 loss to Ohio State — in a 30-7 loss that didn't seem that close.

So the Gophers could sure use a springboard win Saturday, at home against San Jose State, before the Big Ten schedule starts next week, at Michigan. But it won't be easy, as quarterback Mitch Leidner and standout tight end Maxx Williams are among 13 players questionable or out with injuries.

"We're hungry," junior wide receiver KJ Maye said. "We've got some things we need to prove, so people know we're still good."

The Gophers (2-1) met San Jose State in their final nonconference game last year and withstood an aerial assault from then-senior David Fales, rolling to a 43-24 win.

With Fales and two top receivers gone, the Spartans (1-1) are trying to establish their own footing. They have had two weeks to recover from their last game, a 59-13 loss at Auburn.

"I watched film on them a little bit, and I don't think they're as good as they were last year, so this will be a good game for us," Maye said. "That's the kind of game we need."

But Maye is part of that extensive injury report. He is listed as questionable, along with Leidner, Williams and left guard Zac Epping.

The Gophers list two players as out for this game (but not out for the season): Alex Keith and Logan Hutton. Six others are done for the season: Scott Ekpe, Duke Anyanwu, Nick Rallis, Isaiah Gentry, Alex Mayes and Jared Weyler. That list doesn't include linebacker Cody Poock, who tore an ACL in March and likely won't play until 2015.

"Some days you don't have any turnovers, you have no injuries, things just go your way," coach Jerry Kill said. "Sometimes the teams that are challenged the most end up being pretty darn good. Our kids were challenged a year ago because of me and ended up being pretty good."

Last year, Kill suffered a seizure at halftime against Western Illinois and missed the trip to Michigan because of another seizure before taking a two-week leave. But the Gophers still recovered from a loss in Ann Arbor, Mich., and reeled off their first four-game Big Ten winning streak since 1973, and finished 8-5.

Any hope they have of matching that success will hinge largely on their offense, which is why the TCU game was so deflating.

"It's a wake-up call," running back David Cobb said. "As a team, I don't think we did a very good job of matching their intensity and matching their skill level. We got back in the film room, and guys are ready to get the taste out of their mouths."

After being limited in practice with a sprained ankle last week, Cobb managed just 41 yards on 15 carries at TCU and lost a rare fumble. This week, he felt better in practice, and that's good news for the Gophers, who could have Chris Streveler making his first start at quarterback.

Leidner strained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Sept. 6 and added a turf toe injury at TCU, where he lost a fumble and threw three interceptions.

The Gophers kept Leidner, Epping (high-ankle sprain) and Williams (unspecified injury) out of practice Wednesday. That's a sign they could play Saturday without their starting quarterback, a senior lineman with 37 consecutive starts and their primary pass-catching threat, respectively.

"We don't have any excuses," Cobb said. "We're ready to play."

Cobb rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns in last year's win over San Jose State. With Philip Nelson injured that day, the Gophers streamlined their offense for Leidner. He completed just five of 12 passes but rushed 24 times for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Look for the Gophers to do the same thing for the speedy Streveler, if he plays.

In three games in relief of Leidner, he has thrown just four passes, completing three, but has rushed 13 times for 56 yards.

"I'm going to come in and prepare like I always do, and whatever the team needs me to do, I'll do it," Streveler said.

Almost exactly one year ago, Leidner gave the Gophers a big lift against San Jose State in his first career start. Saturday the Gophers might need Streveler to do the same.