How do you know when the Gophers' offense is executing properly? When the quarterback and center are this close to taking a swing at each other.
"There are moments where there will be some miscommunication, and we'll butt heads a little bit. Other guys will have to calm us down because we'll get worked up," Adam Weber said of his rapport with D.J. Burris, the Gophers' center for much of the pair's four seasons together. "You want that, though. You want guys who expect a lot from themselves and the team, and will stand up for what needs to be done."
That's been Burris' contribution to Minnesota's offense for awhile, a leadership position along the line that Weber describes as the offense's second quarterback. The pair arrived together in 2006, sat out a season as redshirts, then prepared for their first collegiate action just as the coach who recruited them, Glen Mason, was fired.
"Spring ball that first year was very, very hard. I felt completely lost," Weber said. But by the fall, he had won the quarterback job, and Burris had been installed at right guard, where he would earn freshman all-conference honors. Soon Burris was installed at center, and he and Weber began squabbling -- and working together.
Now their careers are just four games away from complete, and the triggers' to the Gophers' offense are having a hard time comprehending that.
"It doesn't seem possible. It seems like, four more games, then get ready for the season after that," Burris said. "I definitely want to put a little something extra on these last practices and games, because this is it for the rest of my life."
This weekend's opponent is one that Burris always looks forward to, since he grew up in Kenton, Ohio, only a hour's drive from Columbus, and always rooted for the Buckeyes. He's a longtime friend (and opponent) of Ohio State linebacker Ross Homan, who he's competed against since they were freshmen in high school.
"I would definitely say it's more meaningful. There's some guys on their team I've played against all my life," Burris said. "That kind of gives me something a little extra to work towards this week."
His Ohio friends are pretty cocky about playing Minnesota, since the Buckeyes have won seven straight meetings, but "we like how everybody counts us out," Burris said. "Hopefully they come in here thinking they can walk all over us, because that can work to our advantage. We have nothing to lose. We're not going to a bowl game, so we're just out there proving stuff to ourselves. ... And we believe we can win."
