Three Daily reporters are in Tempe, Ariz., where they will be providing coverage leading up to and during Iowa State’s face-off with Minnesota in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 31. Stay tuned to iowastatedaily.net for updates.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In four seasons, Minnesota senior Eric Decker transformed himself into one of the top wide receivers in the country.

Decker etched his name at the top of the Gopher football record books, becoming Minnesota’s career receiving yards leader and the first Gopher to collect more than 3,000 yards in a career (3,119).

But while running a route during Minnesota’s eighth game of the season this year against Ohio State, Decker tore several ligaments in his left foot. The injury not only ended his season, but also his career.

Minnesota, who will take on Iowa State on Thursday in the Insight Bowl, has had to adjust quickly to life after Decker.

“He’s going to go down as one of the greatest of all time at the University of Minnesota,” Gopher junior quarterback Adam Weber said this week during Minnesota’s preparation for Thursday’s game. “Without him, it will hurt. But we still have young guys that have stepped up and shown what they can do.”

The struggles the Gophers have had in Decker’s absence have been easily visible.

Minnesota scored only one passing touchdown in its last three games this season and did not score an offensive touchdown in its last two, including a 12–0 loss to Iowa in the regular season finale.

The offense’s woes aside, Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said his quarterback Weber, who amassed only 247 yards in the last two games, has responded positively to the loss of his number one target.

“I think he is very comfortable,” Brewster said after the Gophers’ practice Tuesday. “We’re striving to be more consistent. Today, we had an excellent practice throwing and catching the football. I think Adam is going to play well and those around him are going to play well.”

With one month to let the disappointment from the last two games fester, the Gopher offense feels it has something to prove when it takes the field against the Cyclones.

“We have had a lot of time to sit back and look at what we got to change and get going and just build the momentum up and come out there and have a strong offensive performance,” Gopher tight end Nick Tow-Arnett said during Wednesday’s news conference.

Although his college playing career reached an untimely end, Decker has remained with the team and has worked to be a positive assistant for the Gophers.

“He’s a very settling influence,” Brewster said. “He’s a veteran guy. He’s a heck of a kid. Him being in the room and be around the guys hopefully is a plus.”

Dual threat at quarterback

Weber, Minnesota’s career leader in pass completions and total yards, remains the Gopher’s starting quarterback. But the Gophers have continued to give freshman MarQueis Gray time under center.

Gray has appeared in all 12 games this season, with his playing time varying. While his passing game still leaves room for improvement — he collected only 51 yards through the air this year — Gray’s defining characteristic is his mobility. Gray compiled 231 rushing yards in his debut season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry on 44 attempts.

Brewster said the Gophers will actively use Gray during the Insight Bowl.

The possibility of having two quarterbacks with different styles on the field in the same game presents a difficult test for the ISU defense.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” ISU senior defensive lineman Nate Frere said at Wednesday’s news conference. “One likes to throw. One likes to run. It is something we have seen before. It is something we’ve had a month to prepare for, and it is something we will be ready for.”

During the Cyclones’ near month of preparation for the Gophers, Iowa State has used several players in the scout team at quarterback in order to be ready for the different styles and plays the team will see from Weber and Gray leading the offense.

When asked who was simulating Gray in the Cyclone scout team, Iowa State’s 333-pound center Reggie Stephens replied that he had taken a few snaps at quarterback.

“No, Reggie didn’t play that part,” Frere laughed back.

Tempe familiar site for Gophers

While Iowa State is making its first bowl appearance since 2005, Tempe, Ariz., has become a second home for Minnesota during bowl season.

The Gophers’ appearance in Thursday’s Insight Bowl will be the third time playing in the bowl game in the last four years.

Minnesota’s familiarity with the game and the experience that surrounds bowl week has given the team an added level of comfort going into its showdown with the Cyclones.

“It gives us an excellent advantage,” said Gopher linebacker Lee Campbell. “We have been past that ‘wow’ factor. Just from the standpoint of most of the seniors on this team and the leadership, we mean business.”

A win Thursday would be a first for Minnesota in Tempe.

The Gophers have fallen in both of their previous Insight Bowl appearances, losing to Texas Tech 44–41 after blowing a 35–7 lead in 2006, and Kansas 42–21 last season.

Iowa State, however, is undeterred by Minnesota’s perceived experience advantage.

“I don’t believe anything has caught our team off-guard this week in what they have to do,” Rhoads said at Wednesday’s news conference. “I think we will roll into tomorrow night’s game ready for kickoff just like we have for the previous 12 games this season.”