COLUMBUS, Ohio - P.J. Fleck's "Row The Boat" mentality was not exactly alive and well in 2017.

The Golden Gophers of Minnesota struggled throughout the year, but has a little time to reinvigorate a roster desperate for a more successful season. Ohio State did not face Minnesota in 2017, so this upcoming season will be a good litmus test for whether or not Fleck has gotten things headed in the right direction.

The last two meetings have seen grind-it-out contests go in favor of the Buckeyes, but how will the 2018 edition shape up?

Very few critics, if any, considered Minnesota to be a team to beat last season , so a 5-7 (2-7) record probably is right where fans expected to find the team at the end of the year.

Held back by an anemic passing attack and a defense that could not slow opponents enough to make up for it, the Golden Gophers were overrun by nearly all their conference opponents. Giving up nearly five yards a rush and allowing other teams to complete upwards of 62 percent of their passes is a good way to find yourself in the loss column often.

Things were not all bad, as Minnesota found a way to take down Minnesota and Illinois in conference play and see the rise of a few young talents to build for the future. 2018 will be a year to out Fleck under a microscope to see how his team is developing.

On offense, Minnesota lost two quarterbacks who were the only ones to attempt passes last year, but it's hard to say those are losses. Combined, Demry Croft and Conor Rhoda produced just a hair over 1,500 passing yards, nine touchdowns and 11 picks.

The main touchdown producer, Kobe McCrary, who rushed for eight scores, will not be back in a Minnesota uniform. Pair that loss with the absence of right guard Garrison Wright and things are not exactly looking up on the offensive side of the ball.

On defense, Minnesota will miss out on defensive tackle Steven Richardson, cornerback Adekunle Ayinde and safety Duke McGhee. All three players were starters, but did not produce superstar numbers

Minnesota is missing plenty on offense but could see a rise on defense with plenty of returning players in 2018.

Among the most impactful returns is easily linebacker Thomas Barber, who led the team in total tackles by a wide margin. His 10.5 tackles for loss also led the team, creating havoc in opponent backfields.

Minnesota gets leading interception man Jacob Huff back, along with sack leader Carter Coughlin. Both Huff and Coughlin will serve as vital, veteran leaders on a team in need of guidance.

Offensively, the Golden Gophers return Rodney Smith for his final year after the running back fell just shy of a 1,000 yard season. His touchdowns were often poached last year, so 2018 could be the time he gets to cross the goal line close to as many times as he did his redshirt sophomore year with 16.

Wide receiver Tyler Johnson's presence gives a boost to a team desperate for passing game success, after he produced seven of the team's nine passing scores.

Can Fleck turn things around in his second year?

Fleck has had little time to make a real, lasting impact for the Gophers, considering he was hired early last year. While his team's record does not show the strongest finish, there's still plenty of time in his young career to get things on track.

Fleck brought in a new energy to Minnesota it had been lacking over the last few years. That's cause enough for a few smiles around Minneapolis.

There's no way around the fact Fleck has to be better in the Big Ten, even in just his second year. However, this upcoming season will show good indicators of progress or backpedaling. Keep an eye one where things seen to be headed early.

Can the passing game get going?

There was nothing exciting about the Minnesota passing attack in 2017. After a revolving door between two starters, Croft is headed to Tennessee State while Rhoda has graduated.

Neither should be viewed as a huge loss given how poor the overall quarterback olay was for Minnesota. So, how will the 2018 battle shape out?

Taking a quick look at the depth chart, sophomore Tanner Morgan should be next in line, although redshirt sophomore Seth Green is not far behind. There's nothing overly solid to go on for how they can play at a college level, but that also means there's no bad tape either.

A changing of the guard might be something to invigorate the air attack, even with little to no experience returning. The passing game must turn around for Minnesota if the team hopes to be more successful this season.

Fleck can turn things around and Minnesota can climb it's way to the top of the Big Ten. But 2018 might not be the year for that.

With some uncertainty at quarterback and a defense needing to pick up the slack even with a lack of game-breaking playmakers, it's hard to say where the team can end up. Even with the return of their leading rusher, tackler and receiver, the Gophers need some serious luck to improve.

Ohio State has been in close contests with Minnesota over the last two meetings, but it likely will not be the case this time around. The Buckeyes have too much fire power and more certainty to pick against them.

Way too early 2018 prediction: Ohio State 52, Minnesota 10