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Minnesota QB looks to rebound from rough opener

Published: September 5, 2012 Comment on this article

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The passes that didn't sail 10 feet over a wide-open receiver's head fluttered and wobbled out of MarQueis Gray's hand like he was a nervous freshman making his first collegiate start.

photo - FILE - This Aug. 30, 2012 file photo shows Minnesota's quarterback MarQueis Gray (5) looking for an open receiver during the first half of a college football game against UNLV at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. Minnesota coaches and players hailed Gray's improvement all summer long. But his debut against UNLV was a stinker. (AP Photo/David Becker, File)

FILE - This Aug. 30, 2012 file photo shows Minnesota's quarterback MarQueis Gray (5) looking for an open receiver during the first half of a college football game against UNLV at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. Minnesota coaches and players hailed Gray's improvement all summer long. But his debut against UNLV was a stinker. (AP Photo/David Becker, File)

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On a Minnesota offense full of fresh-faced youngsters, the senior quarterback looked shakier than any of them in the season opener against UNLV. If the Golden Gophers are going to improve in coach Jerry Kill's second year on the job, Gray knows it has to start with him.

The Gophers survived, 30-27 in triple overtime, thanks in large part to Gray settling down and throwing two big touchdown passes to John Rabe. He finished 17 of 30 for 269 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, solid numbers that belie the difficulty he had in regulation.

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