PJ Fleck enters his 10th year as head coach of the Golden Gophers and will look to build on an 8-5 campaign a year ago. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh returns, with QB Drake Lindsey coming off his freshman season. Top running back Darius Taylor returns, along with AJ Turner, Grant Washington, and Xavier Ford, who played limited action last year. The Gophers should have a deeper running back room this year. Last year’s top receiver Le’Meke Brockington is now with the Falcons, but the Gophers do return 3 of their top 5 pass catchers from a season ago. The offensive line returns three starters from last year.

Defensive coordinator Danny Collins has seven of the top eleven tacklers returning from a season ago, including leading tackler Maverick Baranowski. The Golden Gophers have talent on the defensive line that can get after the quarterback, led by Anthony Smith with 19.5 career sacks. The secondary returns John Nestor and Kerry Brown and adds Michigan State transfer Aydan West on the opposite side of Nestor.

Daniel Da Prato enters his first season as special teams coordinator with the task of replacing return man Koi Perich, who transferred to Oregon. The Golden Gophers will also be working in a new place kicker and punter. Minnesota has the talent to compete and could make some noise in the Big 10, especially if they get their special teams unit together.