Minnesota Golden Gophers football under Glen Mason The Minnesota Golden Gophers were head coached by Glen Mason for ten seasons , from 1997 to 2006 . In those ten seasons , the Golden Gophers had 64 wins and 57 losses . In the Big Ten , they won 32 games and lost 48 . The Golden Gophers went to seven bowl games , more than all other Golden Gopher head coaches combined ( 5 other bowl appearances in university history ) . Eleven players were award All - American status under Mason . Laurence Maroney was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year . Twenty - four players were named All - Big Ten first team . Sixteen players were named All - Big Ten second team . Four players were named Academic All - American second team . Tyrone Carter was named the Jim Thorpe Award winner in 1999 . In 2005 , Greg Eslinger was awarded the Outland Trophy and Dave Rimington Trophy . Matt Spaeth was awarded the 2006 John Mackey Award . 1997 . The 1997 season was the Golden Gophers ' first season under head coach Glen Mason . The Golden Gophers only won three games , but nearly defeated the # 1 ranked team in the AP Poll , the Penn State Nittany Lions . Total attendance for the season was 269 , 385 , which averaged out to 44 , 897 per game . The season high for attendance was against rival Wisconsin . Defensive end Lamanzer Williams was named an All - American by the College Football Writers Association and the Football Writers Association of America . Williams was also named All - Big Ten first team . Wide Receiver Tutu Atwell and strong safety Tyrone Carter were named All - Big Ten second team . Linebacker Luke Braaten , cornerback Jason Hagman , placekicker Erin McManus , fullback Brad Prigge , long snapper Derek Rackley , quarterback Cory Sauter , defensive tackle Theron von Behren and linebacker Parc Williams were named Academic All - Big Ten . 1998 . The 1998 season was the Golden Gophers ' second season under head coach Glen Mason . The Golden Gophers won five games and four of their losses came against ranked opponents . Total attendance for the season was 249 , 764 , which averaged out to 41 , 627 per game . The season high for attendance was against rival Iowa . Tyrone Carter was named an All - American by Football News and The Sports Network . Carter was also named All - Big Ten first team . Running back Thomas Hamner was named All - Big Ten second team . Defensive tackle Matt Anderle , linebacker Luke Braaten , cornerback Jason Hagman , linebacker Justin Hall , fullback Brad Prigge , long snapper Derek Rackley , offensive guard Ryan Roth , tight end Zach Vevea , linebacker Jim Wilkinson and linebacker Parc Williams were named Academic All - Big Ten . 1999 . The 1999 season was the Golden Gophers ' third season under head coach Glen Mason . The Golden Gophers won eight games and lost four . Total attendance for the season was 318 , 086 , which averaged out to 45 , 441 per game . The season high for attendance was against rival Wisconsin . Tyrone Carter was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation , Associated Press , The Sporting News , Sportsline . com , American Football Coaches Association , College Football News and Football Writers Association of America . Carter , center Ben Hamilton , running back Thomas Hamner and defensive end Karon Riley were named All - Big Ten first team . Defensive tackle John Schlecht and corner back Willie Middlebrooks were named All - Big Ten second team . Carter was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award , given to the best defensive back in the country . Offensive lineman Akeem Akinwale , linebacker Luke Braaten , Free Safety Jack Brewer , offensive lineman Derek Burns , defensive end Mike Cernoch , punter Preston Gruening , Linebacker Justin Hall , wide receiver Ron Johnson , defensive end Astein Osei , full back Brad Prigge , long snapper Derek Rackley , defensive tackle Dave Sykora and tight end Zach Vevea were named Academic All - Big Ten . 2000 . The 2000 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the college football season of 2000 – 2001 . The team ' s coach was Glen Mason , he led the team to an 6 – 6 record and an appearance in the . Minnesota played its home games at the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The 2000 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was not ranked in either the final USA Today / AFCA Coaches poll or Associated Press poll . Game notes . Ohio State . Minnesota snapped a 16 - game losing streak to Ohio State and beat Glen Mason ' s alma mater in Columbus for the first time since 1949 . 2001 . The 2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the college football season of 2001 – 2002 . The team ' s coach was Glen Mason . It played its home games at the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The 2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was not ranked in either the final USA Today / AFCA Coaches poll or Associated Press poll . 2002 . The 2002 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the college football season of 2002 – 2003 . The team ' s coach was Glen Mason . It played its home games at the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis , Minnesota . 2001 was the fifth season under head coach Glen Mason . He led the team to an 4 – 7 record . The 2002 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was not ranked in either the final USA Today / AFCA Coaches poll or Associated Press poll . Redshirt freshman defensive end Brandon Hall was shot and killed on September 1 , 2002 in downtown Minneapolis after a fight that involved other teammates and other individuals . Hall ' s killer was convicted in his murder . 2003 . The 2003 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the college football season of 2003 – 2004 . The team ' s coach was Glen Mason . It played its home games at the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis , Minnesota . 2002 was the sixth season under head coach Glen Mason . He led the team to an 8 – 5 record and an appearance in the Music City Bowl . The 2003 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was ranked 17th in the final USA Today / AFCA Coaches poll and 20th in the final Associated Press poll . Game notes . Wisconsin .