Gophers' Wheelwright can't coast

COLLEGEVILLE, MINN. - Practice had been over for 15 minutes, but Gophers senior wide receiver Ernie Wheelwright was still on the field, working on a pass-catching drill with true freshman Damien White as teammates trickled into the locker room.

Wheelwright's willingness to stay late to work on his game while also helping a young player had to be a welcome sight for Gophers coaches. That's because no player has been in coach Tim Brewster's crosshairs more than the talented but enigmatic Wheelwright.

If that wasn't obvious during the spring, it became apparent again moments into the start of fall camp when Brewster yelled at Wheelwright for not finishing a play. Down to his final season and with razor-thin depth at his position, Wheelwright has one last chance to finally live up to his potential, and Brewster is determined for that to happen.

"I'm going to stay on Ernie," Brewster said. "I'm going to be one of Ernie's guys that prods him each and every day because it's my responsibility to get that kid to see his talent. He has talent, and we're going to force him to be a player."

Sound familiar? It has been a common refrain in Wheelwright's career. A starter since his freshman season in 2004, Wheelwright has spanned the spectrum. He's been good, bad and indifferent. He's been a star, a mystery and a tease. His first three career receptions went for touchdowns, and he's dropped more balls than anybody this side of Troy Williamson.

Despite the roller-coaster ride, Wheelwright has a chance to finish his career among the school's all-time leaders in several receiving categories. Asked to evaluate is career so far, Wheelwright paused and said, "Good but not great."

Wheelwright also understands time is ticking and he is out of "next years."I feel like an old man," he said. "It feels like the game is really slowing down for me. I look at these young freshmen out here, and it's like they have jitters because everything is moving so fast. That was me a thousand years ago. But it's like everything has slowed down for me now."

Wheelwright said he is in a better frame of mind after a disappointing and perplexing junior season. He followed two relatively productive seasons with one that he described as "weird." He finished with only 26 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns and was essentially a nonfactor for much of the season.

"It was a tough year," he said. "There were a lot of things that I wish I could have done differently."

Wheelwright declined to give specifics, saying only there were "little inside things." It was obvious the previous coaching staff had lost confidence in him because of his mistakes and dropped passes. Wheelwright said he still has respect and admiration for the previous staff, but he said this feels like a new beginning for him.

"This year just feels so much better," he said. "Maybe it's the new surrounding. Maybe that's what I needed. It's just a new start. I love it."

He still has to produce and do it on a consistent basis. At 6-5 and 218 pounds, Wheelwright is a big, strong target who runs decent routes and commands attention from opposing defenses. Lapses in focus have been his undoing. That's why the coaching staff is scrutinizing every little mistake. Nothing is ignored or left uncorrected.

"I think we're pushing him harder than he's ever been pushed," wide receivers coach George McDonald said. "I expect big things from Ernie, and I think he's going to come through with a big year because he has the talent."

Wheelwright wasn't even guaranteed this season. A nonqualifier academically out of high school, Wheelwright had to sit out the 2003 season. According to NCAA rules, he had to be 85 percent toward earning his degree this summer in order to be granted his final season of eligibility. The academic side hasn't been easy, but Wheelwright said he hopes to graduate in December.

"There were people that didn't think I would make it, even some of the coaching staff," he said. "But I said I'm going to stick around and get my degree. It was hard. I had to sit out that first year, and it was the worst year of my life. So for me to make it this far, I feel like I'm blessed."

Chip Scoggins • ascoggins@startribune.com