3 THINGS THE GOPHERS LEARNED
The Junior college linemen can play
The offensive line became a glaring weakness last year, but junior college transfers Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun look like huge additions at left tackle and right guard, respectively.
The running back stable is deeper *
Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith looked terrific all spring. Jonathan Femi-Cole has upside, and James Johannesson was the most improved player on offense, coach Tracy Claeys said.
Defensive tackle is now a strength
Another JUCO transfer, Merrick Jackson, blew up several plays Saturday the way Steven Richardson does. Scott Ekpe, Andrew Stelter, Gary Moore and Yoshoub Timms add impressive depth.
3 QUESTIONS THAT STILL REMAIN
Can they replace the hole left by KJ Maye?
Receivers dropped several passes Saturday, and they were clearly missing Maye's playmaking ability in third-down situations.