Minnesotas Grayte Hope

Gophers' Gray hopes to take next step at QB

Minnesota's MarQueis Gray hopes the lessons he learned last year at quarterback translate to greater success as a senior in 2012. (Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE)

Many of his passes sailed over receivers' heads. He had trouble reading defenses. Often times, he panicked in the pocket.

That was the old MarQueis Gray. That was the MarQueis Gray that was thrust into the starting quarterback role for the University of Minnesota after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons as a wide receiver.

The new MarQueis Gray is more confident, more composed. He now has a year of experience as a starter under his belt, and he's hoping that can carry over into his senior season this year with the Gophers.

"I wasn't having confidence in myself (early last year). I'm just now getting back to the quarterback mode," Gray said Thursday, Minnesota's first day of spring football practices. "I hadn't played since senior year in high school. I just felt nervous back there. As the season went on, I just got more and more comfortable and I just stayed in the backfield a little more."

Gray finished the 2011 season with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions as he threw for 1,495 yards. He did more damage with his feet, rushing for a team-high 966 yards and six touchdowns on 199 carries.

But Gray insists he wants to be more of a pocket passer than he was last season and not rely so much on the run. He also set a goal for himself for 2012: complete 60 percent of his passes. That would be quite the uptick from his 50.7 percent completion rate last year, which ranked him dead last among Big Ten quarterbacks and 111th in college football.

"I believe I can do that," Gray said of being a 60 percent passer. "It's going to take the reps before practice, during practice and off the practice field. That's my main thing is just get the throwing down and the timing down with my receivers."

Gray had his bright spots last season. He rushed for 171 yards, a school record for quarterbacks, in a 29-23 win over Miami (Ohio). He completed 19 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns on the road against Michigan State — albeit in a loss.

But when asked Thursday what his top memory was from the Gophers' 3-9 season in 2011, Gray's answer was team-oriented. It had nothing to do with his personal achievements — perhaps a sign of his maturity.

"That Illinois game, I came to the sidelines and saw a lot more confidence through all the players," Gray said of Minnesota's 27-7 season finale win over the Illini. "Even our training staff had the juice that we needed. We've got to have a lot more swagger and have fun on game days as well as in practice."

In that game, Gray was just 7-of-14 for 85 yards and a touchdown, but he also ran for 167 yards and two scores on the ground. As much as Minnesota is hoping that win carries into 2012, the Gophers hope Gray's confidence he exuded at the end of the season will continue to grow now that he's had a full year as the starting quarterback.

"I just think it's the comfort level back there. He's a lot more at ease," offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said. "… I don't think MarQueis has ever doubted his ability to play. I think he feels more comfortable that everyone else now knows that he can play. That's a big part of the process."

Gray said he's entering spring ball with the expectation that he's the team's starting quarterback, but he knows there will always be plenty of competition behind him. Sophomore Max Shortell filled in several times as a freshman last year when Gray was injured, and played the entire game against Michigan — a 58-0 Gophers loss.

Also in camp this spring is a pair of highly-touted high school quarterbacks from the state of Minnesota in Philip Nelson and Mitch Leidner. Both have enrolled early in order to get a head start in spring. Nelson was the top-ranked high school quarterback in the state during his senior season at Mankato West. Leidner also had an impressive senior campaign at Lakeville South.

As a team leader and a senior, Gray said he knows it's up to him to show the younger quarterbacks the ropes. But he knows they'll be waiting in the wings if he falters.

"There's competition because first of all, you don't know what's going to happen. You never want anybody to get comfortable," said Gophers head coach Jerry Kill. "If you're working with anybody at your job and you've got somebody comfortable, then you're going to get fired. I don't believe in (comfort). I believe in keeping people going the uphill direction. Now, is he our starting quarterback? You bet. But if there's three guys back there and somebody out performs them, then you're going to play the best player."