gophers/ncaa

Curtis Thomas' college career did not start the way he envisioned it.

On the fourth play of the Gophers season opener, Thomas, a true freshman safety, took a bad angle in man coverage and Bowling Green's Eric Ransom turned a short catch into a 53-yard touchdown.

Several teammates greeted Thomas as he returned to the sideline and offered words of encouragement. So did defensive coordinator Everett Withers and secondary coach Ronnie Lee.

"They always say you have to forget and keep going," Thomas said. "It was more of a mental thing. I took the wrong angle on him, and he surprised me. It happens. I just had to learn from it."

He will get plenty of opportunities. Thomas and two other freshman defensive backs, Ryan Collado and Kyle Theret, will have to do their learning on the field this season. A lack of depth and of veteran talent in the secondary has opened the door for three freshmen, all of whom will see significant action today against Miami (Ohio) and as the season progresses.

Collado replaced senior Desi Steib as the starter at right cornerback. Theret is the backup strong safety and starter in the nickel package. Thomas is No. 2 at free safety.

It's not an ideal situation, but the Gophers have little choice but to rely on their freshmen at this point.

"We've got to start getting them in the game and letting them play," Withers said, "knowing that they're going to make some mistakes."

The freshmen have different strengths and areas of concern. They all agree that the speed of the game requires the biggest adjustment. That doesn't happen overnight, or after one game.

"When you're out there, you try not to think too much because that will slow you down," Theret said. "You try and play as fast as possible. At this level, everybody is a good athlete. You can't think at all. You have to know what you're doing."

Collado, who played at Hills Christian High in Cincinnati, has good speed and footwork. But he's small (5-9, 170 pounds) and needs to become more physical, especially as a tackler.

Withers and head coach Tim Brewster realize that receivers are going to make plays, but they stress the importance of limiting the damage.

"It's OK if they catch the ball in front of you," Brewster said. "What we have to be able to do is lock them down and tackle them right there for a 6- or 8-yard gain as opposed to a catch and run that ends up as an explosive play."

That happened to Thomas on the opening drive. Thomas is a physically gifted safety from Aldine, Texas. He has the size (6-1, 200 pounds), speed and talent that coaches crave. But like many freshmen, everything is still happening fast, causing him at times to think more than react.

"He's going to be a good football player," Withers said. "The talent is there but the game is fast. The game hasn't slowed down for those guys. The game speed is so much different than practice, even though we try to practice fast. They have to get accustomed to seeing things and reacting a lot quicker."

Theret didn't look overmatched in his first game. Theret is not particularly big (5-11, 185 pounds) or fast, but he has good football IQ, understands angles and has a bulldog mentality. That became clear when he barked at a senior captain after a heated exchange early in fall camp.

"I'm going to tell you that guy is a young warrior," Brewster said. "He steps in and he's going after people and making hits. He's just a really good football player, which is something I've known."

Theret was a high school teammate of Brewster's son, Clint, in Denver. Tim Brewster said he watched those two play 28 games the past two seasons. Theret said J.K. Mullen High lost only three games during that time.