Is it Gophers' time in the Big Ten?

In a room full of chic suits, shined shoes and well-cropped 'dos, Amir Pinnix wore the most eye-catching fashion accessory.

A sparkling watch dangled from Pinnix's left wrist as the Minnesota fifth-year senior running back fielded questions Aug. 1 at Big Ten media day in Chicago. A quick inspection of Pinnix's bling suggested he spent some time on Michigan Avenue before cutting over to the Hyatt Regency.

"I got it from home, man. New Jersey," the Newark native said.

Must have set you back a bit, right?

"Nah, I'm fooling people," Pinnix said, cracking a smile shinier than his watch. "$25, man."

Pinnix and his teammates hope their appearance continues to deceive the competition this fall. Most predictions place the Golden Gophers at the bottom of the Big Ten, citing a head-coaching change, a new starting quarterback, a new offensive philosophy and an old defense that ranked last in the league against the pass in 2006.

But peppy coach Tim Brewster has big dreams for the former Big Ten power, and he's wasting no time implementing change.

"He brings the confidence that we need, the confidence that great programs like Michigan and Penn State and Ohio State have," said Pinnix, whose 1,272 rushing yards last season ranked him fourth in the league. "That's what I think we might have been lacking in the past.

"We've always had the talent, we've always been there, but just that added confidence has elevated this team."

Brewster takes every opportunity to recount Minnesota's glory days, even though the school hasn't won a Big Ten title in 40 years or played in a significant bowl game since 1961 (Rose). With a new on-campus stadium set to open in 2009, Brewster and his staff have rekindled enthusiasm for Minnesota, visiting all 392 high schools in the state since January.

"When I talked to Mack Brown about wanting to be a head football coach, we looked at tradition and history," said Brewster, a longtime NFL assistant who also coached 14 years in college, working for Brown at both North Carolina and Texas. "You look at the six national championships, 18 Big Ten championships.

"We've got to reconnect with that history, with that tradition."

After reconnecting with the Big Ten's smashmouth roots for years, Minnesota scrapped its traditional offense when Brewster hired Mike Dunbar as coordinator. Dunbar, who served as Northwestern's offensive coordinator from 2002-05, will run the "spread coast" system, featuring four wide receivers and one running back.

The offense puts added pressure on the starting quarterback, whom Brewster has yet to name. Junior Tony Mortensen and redshirt freshman Adam Weber are the top candidates, though true freshman Clint Brewster, the head coach's son, also is in the mix.

Minnesota's defense returns eight starters, including standout defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg and free safety Dominique Barber. An iffy secondary must replace cornerback Dominic Jones, one of four players Brewster kicked off the team for their involvement in a sexual assault case.

Despite all the fluctuation, Pinnix stiff-arms talk of rebuilding in his final collegiate season.

"The previous Minnesota teams, they had a great tradition back in the 1960s," he said. "We want to make history again. We're not waiting till later. We want to start now."

Minnesota

Coach: Tim Brewster (1st year as head coach at UM and overall)

2006 record: 6-7, 3-5 (6th)

Last bowl: 2006 (Insight)

All-Big Ten candidates: C Tony Brinkhaus, DE Willie VandeSteeg, FS Dominique Barber, RB Amir Pinnix

The Gophers will go to a bowl if: Their new starting quarterback grasps the spread-coast offense, Amir Pinnix builds on his 2006 form, and the league's worst pass defense significantly improves.

BCS finish the last five years (2006 listed first*): 46th, 28th, 64th, 25th, 50th

*Ratings (courtesy CollegeBCS.com) are pre-bowls.

-- Adam Rittenberg

Schedule

Sept. 1 BOWLING GREEN 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 MIAMI (Ohio) 11 a.m.

Sept. 15 vs. Fla. Atlantic noon (at Miami)

Sept. 22 PURDUE 8 p.m.

Sept. 29 OHIO STATE 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 at Indiana TBA

Oct. 13 at Northwestern 11 a.m.

Oct. 20 NORTH DAKOTA ST. TBA

Oct. 27 at Michigan TBA

Nov. 3 ILLINOIS 7 p.m.

Nov. 10 at Iowa TBA

Nov. 17 WISCONSIN TBA