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University of Minnesota Athletics
Coach Mason Quotes From Big Ten Media Day in Chicago
8/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Audio from Big Ten Media Day
On outlook for upcoming season:
"Statistically, we finished in the top of the Big Ten in most categories, and we look to return that entire offensive football team. Yes, our quarterback is gone... There was a big question mark going into spring practice... I thought Bryan Cupito performed very, very well at spring practice and he is the type of quarterback that is a very accurate passer. On the other hand, does he have the same body strength and movement as Asad Abdul-Khaliq? No, but Abdul- Khaliq is not as accurate a passer as Bryan Cupito."
On projected offensive strength:
"Our offensive line, we return five or six of those guys. You cannot rush the football like we did unless you have an outstanding offensive line. And with another year, the returnees will be bigger, faster and stronger. It is a good line, the best offensive line with which I have been involved in all of my years of coaching and I have been a line coach for many years. We have the best center in college football and most people who play against us will single him out, which is unusual for that position."
On depth:
"We have the depth, the size and the speed that we had and we have wide receiver Jared Ellerson, who is the most underrated receiver in the Big Ten. We have two good running backs in Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney. Both rushed for over 1,100 yards last year and they are back."
On defense:
"In defense, I think that it fits our team, in that it is the best defense that I have been associated with in my tenure at Minnesota. We have a bunch of young guys who have now grown up, gotten a little bigger, a little faster. We have moved some guys around.
