Gophers' senior defensive back Troy Stoudermire will return for another season at the University of Minnesota. He was granted a medical hardship waiver, gaining one more year of eligibility by the Big Ten Conference. Stoudermire missed the majority of last season with a broken arm.

Trevor Mbakwe wants an NCAA waiver that would make him eligible to play another year of college basketball. He's not saying whether he'd actually use that extra year at the U of M, but says he'd like the option to come back. Mbakwe was leading the Gophers in scoring and rebounding when he blew out his knee during a November holiday tournament.

Legendary Vikings coach Bud Grant is 85-years-young.

Junior QB MarQueis Gray is battling turf toe but is not listed on the Gophers injury report. That means he could play Saturday at Purdue. However, starting right tackle Jimmy Gjere will be held out with a concussion. Senior cornerback Troy Stoudermire will miss his second straight game because of a broken arm.

Gophers senior linebacker Mike Rallis isn't selling his team short in 2012. Rallis, who led Minnesota in tackles last season, tells the Pioneer Press that a Big Ten title is possible if they "play good consistently every game." Spring practices begin Thursday.

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill knows his team has some talented players, but he points out that they're a young team, but "that's a good thing when you're building a program," Kill said. There are only ten seniors on the team this year.