PHOENIX — Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh detailed his favorite regular-season throws from quarterback Drake Lindsey this year. Then Harbaugh spun it forward into the Rate Bowl in Arizona on Friday and into the 2026 season.
“I want him to always go out there and be feared,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what our goal is.”
Lindsey completed 63% of his passes (228 for 361) for 2,235 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. The redshirt freshman’s total attempts and TD tosses rank within the top 10 single-season numbers in program history. He can add to those marks against New Mexico after the 3:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
One of Harbaugh’s favorite passes from Lindsey this season came in the 31-28 win over Rutgers on Sept. 27. It was a guard-pull play-action pass with tight end Jameson Geers’ crossing route serving as the first read. Receiver Le’Meke Brockington’s post route is not even considered in the progression.
“Funny thing on that is, I can tell you how many times I said to Drake to throw the post on that: Zero,” Harbaugh said. “He saw the grass and threw it. It’s that type of throw.”
Lindsey feathered in the right touch over Scarlet Knights defensive backs, and Brockington came down with it for a 9-yard score to tie the game at 14-14 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
“That’s not necessarily a read in the play,” Lindsey said. “(It’s) kind of clear-out route. And I just kind of felt the space and felt the grass and trusted Le’Meke to be there. We’ve never even thrown that one time, so that was a really cool feeling. Harbaugh kind of gave me some (grief) for it, kind of messing with me.”
Lindsey would throw two more touchdowns in the Rugters win, but his 78-yard bomb to Jalen Smith — the U’s longest pass play of the season — jump-started the U’s comeback from a 14-0 hole. That, too, was on Harbaugh’s list.
Harbaugh also mentioned a crucial third-down conversion on a four verticals route to Brockington during a two-minute drill comeback in the 23-20 overtime win over Michigan State on Nov. 1. Plus, a sideline out to Brockington in the 38-35 loss to Northwestern on Nov. 22.
“(Lindsey) let the ball go before Le’Meke hit a break point,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, it’s a ridiculous throw; like, you can’t teach it.”
Harbaugh added a post route touchdown to Javon Tracy in the Northwestern loss. That play was designed to lead to the check-down options, not necessarily take a shot down the field.
“(Lindsey) saw split safety, (and the) safety (back) pedal; Javon ended up running into the post,” Harbaugh explained. “He threw it before Javon was looking. Javon made a great catch.”
Lindsey added on his own list the 52-yard completion he had to Malachi Coleman in the Wildcats game. “(Coleman) made a great catch on it,” he said. “That was a good ball, good protection.”
Lindsey had one heck of a game at Wrigley Field that crisp afternoon, throwing a career-high four touchdown passes. But both he and Harbaugh alluded to passes they would like to have back. That centered on his three-interception showing in the 41-3 loss at Iowa on Oct. 25.
“There’s a few throws that you know you always want again, and maybe not have thrown your best, but maybe threw your best as well,” Lindsey said. “The season is always fun.”
Former Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan said Lindsey showed off his arm with the first throw of the season, a sideline out to Koi Perich in the 23-10 win over Buffalo on Aug. 28.
“You saw his arm talent and just natural ability to throw the football pop,” Morgan told the Pioneer Press.
That type of trust is what Harbaugh has been emphasizing with his to-be redshirt sophomore QB. “You want to continue to build off of it. You want to continue to let him know, ‘OK, you can make any throw,’ ” Harbaugh said.
After diving into his own throws, Lindsey was asked by a reporter if he had a favorite run, a tongue-in-cheek joke because Lindsey isn’t known for his speed.
He chuckled.
On a naked bootleg, Lindsey’s stiff arm of a Michigan State defender led his way to the end-zone pylon and won Minnesota the game in overtime. His fourth-down scramble against the Boilermakers aided that 27-20 comeback win on Oct. 11.
“Not a lot. Maybe get a few more next year,” said Lindsey, who had four rushing TDs this season. “Probably the Michigan State one. That was a cool experience. I like the Purdue one, as well. But then again, didn’t run the ball much. I’ve got to do a better job of that.”
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