The spring workouts are in the books, and the long offseason has arrived. But before diving into summer and the painful wait for football to return, we’re taking a look back at the developments from March and April and sneaking a peek at what to expect in the fall for Minnesota.

Three things we learned in the spring

• Mitch Leidner is the man in Minneapolis: Once Philip Nelson transferred to Rutgers, it seemed as if Leidner was a lock to become the starter. Sure enough, he held off Chris Streveler this spring and cemented his status as the Gophers' No. 1 QB. And he's quickly become "the undisputed leader of the offense."

• Plenty to be happy about with the ground game: Redshirt freshman Berkley Edwards impressed during the spring game and flashed breakaway speed, and Rodrick Williams is playing as if he has something to prove after losing his job last season to David Cobb. With an experienced offensive line returning, this rushing attack has even more going for it this season.

• Defense is strong -- again: Despite the departures of Ra'Shede Hageman and Brock Vereen, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys still has a lot to work with. There's no shortage of healthy cornerbacks this year, and big things are again expected out of linebacker Damien Wilson and defensive end Theiren Cockran. During the spring game, the defense kept the offense out of the end zone for the first five drives.

Three questions for the fall

• How much will Minnesota pass?: Leidner has reportedly improved his accuracy and timing, but it's still unknown just how much the Gophers will rely on his right arm. He threw 78 passes last season compared to 102 rushes, and there are questions as to how one-dimensional this offense might be.

• New corps of linebackers: Wilson is the leader of the defense, but Minnesota still has two other starting spots to fill. De'Vondre Campbell appears to be one, but the other spot (perhaps filled by Jack Lynn) is not yet totally settled. There's also quite a bit of depth here this season, so the second team could have a lot of different looks.

• Developing offensive playmakers at wideout: This was an emphasis of the Gophers this spring, but there's still no check mark next to this on Jerry Kill's to-do list. Drew Wolitarsky and Donovahn Jones both return and could give the Gophers a shot at some big plays, but they'll have to continue to progress. They combined for 416 yards last fall.

One way-too-early prediction

The tight ends will become an even more valuable weapon for Minnesota's offense. Maxx Williams was the leading receiver last season, but he shouldn't be the only tight end to make an impact. Eleven tight ends are listed on the roster, including 6-foot-10 Nate Wozniak, who seems like an intriguing red-zone target. There's also returnees Drew Goodger and Lincoln Plsek, along with Duke Anyanwu, who is finally healthy. Expect at least one of them to step up.