Gophers end 2011 campaign on a high note

MINNEAPOLIS It was just the third winof the season for the University of Minnesota football team, but Saturday's 27-7 victory over Illinois perhaps carried the most weight of the three.It ended the Gophers' season on a high note as head coach Jerry Kill's first season came to an end. While Minnesota finished with an identical 3-9 record in 2011 as it did in 2010, Saturday's victory is an indication that perhaps Kill has the program going in the right direction.And, for the second year in a row, Minnesota's seniors were sent off with a win. Last year, the Gophers defeated rival Iowa in the team's final game of the season, a 27-24 win over the Hawkeyes. While not a rivalry game, the win against Illinois means the senior class will leave with a victory."I think the big thing for me is I couldn't be happier for the senior group that's walking out of here," Kill said. "They've been through so many things through their years here at the University of Minnesota. They've been great hanging in there through this year and just working to get better. I'm so happy for them. They've set the tone for us going forward."Last spring, Gophers safety Kim Royston shattered his leg during Minnesota's practice leading up to what would have been his senior year. On Saturday, the sixth-year senior from Minneapolis ended his career with a much more positive finish, sacking Illinois quarterback Reilly O'Toole late in the fourth quarter to help his Gophers seal the win."I'm just extremely happy for my last play to be a sack instead of my last play being a broken leg," said Royston, who also had 13 tackles in the game. "It's definitely a bittersweet feeling, but I can't have any complaints. I was very blessed to get a rare sixth year. I could have been working in a cubicle right now, but I'm out here with my guys that I love, playing the great game of football. I have no regrets."Senior linebacker Gary Tinsley echoed the sentiment of Royston, also saying he felt blessed to be a Minnesota Gopher despite what the team's record was during his time on campus."Coach called it the Senior Bowl. That's how we played tonight, like we were at a bowl game," said Tinsley, who also recorded a sack Saturday. "I'm happy where I'm at right now. I feel blessed and I can't complain about nothing."While the Gophers bid farewell to their seniors, the hard work continues. Less than an hour after his first season as coach came to an end, Kill was already antsy to get back on the practice field.In Kill's eyes, the 2012 begins now."We'll go back to work on Monday. We know we're not strong enough and fast enough yet," Kill said. "We'll keep moving our program forward. I said all along we'd take baby steps. We'd have some good times and some bad times. It's pretty much where we're at. We're just going to keep moving forward."Senior running back Duane Bennett won't be with the team when they resume practices. The fifth-year senior from St. Louis had 60 rushing yards on 23 carries Saturday, his final game as a Gopher. As he leaves his team behind, Bennett is confident in the direction the program is headed."It was a great way to go out," he said of the win. "The seniors came out and led the way."Not being at practice next week, however, will be something Bennett and the rest of the Gophers seniors will have to adjust to."Being accustomed to waking up and going and lifting and seeing these guys on a regular (basis), it'll be a little different coming out of class and realizing I don't have anything to do," Bennett said. "It'll be something I'll have to get adjusted to and cope with a little bit, but I think I'll keep myself pretty busy.""He should make ya'll come," joked quarterback MarQueis Gray. "Scholarships are a year long, right?"The Gophers are also hoping the progression Gray made throughout the season can carry into the 2012 season. Saturday marked the end of Gray's first season as Minnesota's starting quarterback after playing his first two seasons at wide receiver. His 2011 campaign was rocky at times, to say the least, but he finished on a strong note.Against Illinois, Gray rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns, and threw for another score. He came four yards shy of tying the school record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback a record he set earlier this season."He made some awful good decisions today," Kill said. "I'm certainly pleased with his progress."Progress. It's what Kill has said will come with patience and hard work. One year into Kill's tenure, the Gophers showed signs of progress Saturday with an impressive win. Now, the Gophers' offseason work begins shortly as they continue their climb."Our whole football team's got to get fundamentally better at every phase of the game," Kill said. "That comes through repetition. They know what to expect now. We still have a lot of learning to do."