The Gophers football team opens training camp on Sunday, and questions abound for head coach P.J. Fleck’s ninth team at Minnesota.
Head coach P.J. Fleck of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is interviewed after the Golden Gophers defeated the Bowling Green Falcons, 30-24, in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on Dec. 26, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
There are unit-wide queries on how the offense will look different as it navigates a big quarterback transition from sixth-year senior Max Brosmer to redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey. After passing more with Brosmer in 2024, offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh said last spring the run game will be counted on to break in a new signal caller.
On the defensive side, new defensive coordinator Danny Collins will try to carry over his success as safeties coach to an entire side of the ball, while maintaining a standard for taut units that Corey Hetherman and Joe Rossi set before him.
But both sides of the ball, along with special teams, have important position battles to try to live up to College Football Playoff contention, which Fleck stated as the team’s goal during Big Ten football media days in Las Vegas last week.
Here are three crucial competitions to settle before the season opener against Buffalo at Huntington Bank Stadium on Aug. 28:
Cream of the receiving corps
Key departures: Daniel Jackson, Elijah Spencer
The Gophers brought in three transfers Javon Tracy (Miami of Ohio), Logan Loya (UCLA) and Malachi Coleman (Nebraska) to help replace the lion’s share of the lost production in the WR room.
“We’ve got a bunch of guys who have played a lot of football, but then it might not have been here,” Fleck said. “That doesn’t mean that it’s not valuable football. I think that we’re probably deeper with playmakers then we’ve been at that position for a while.”
The stable of returning players are led by Le’Meke Brockington (18 catches in 2024) and Cristian Driver (7 receptions a year ago), along with the emergence of Jalen Smith, a redshirt freshman from Mankato who debuted in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over Virginia Tech.
“This Jalen Smith kid has come on strong,” Fleck said. “I meant he’s got talent that reminds me of certain people really early in their careers.” Fleck said he hates comparisons but in the next breath went on to mention two former wideouts he coached who went to the NFL: Corey Davis and Rashod Bateman.
Prediction: Tracy will be the No. 1 target. He had 79 receptions at Miami and comes from a football family, with his older brother Tyrone playing at Iowa, Purdue and now the New York Giants. Loya will be reliable, while Coleman continues to be a project.
Rebuilding the cornerback room
Key departures: Justin Walley, Ethan Robinson, Jack Henderson
Fleck praised Walley as one of the best players he has ever coached, and now for the first time in four years, the U is forced to play without the Indianapolis Colts’ third-round pick.
Similar to Tre’Von Jones in 2023, the Gophers had huge success in the portal with Ethan Robinson transferring in from Bucknell last fall. The U went back into the portal to bring in the 6-foot-1 Jayden Bowden from North Carolina Central.
After spring practices, the U got another CB into the portal in John Nestor from rival Iowa.
Among returnees, Za’Quan Bryan played more than 250 snaps on defense a year ago, primarily when Walley was hurt, and he had his first career interception in the bowl game. The redshirt sophomore is expected to take on a much larger role this fall. Mike Gerald and Sam Madu are up-and-comers.
Over two years at nickel back, Henderson was rock solid — or a “dawg,” according to teammates. With him getting a shot in the NFL, the U will look to safeties Kerry Brown, second-year Texas Christian transfer Jai’Onte McMillan and oft-injured senior Darius Green to help fill that role. Fellow safety Aidan Gousby is a wildcard at that spot.
Prediction: The one-year rental of Robinson deserves a letter grade of an “A,” and the Jones stint was worth a “B.” Given how inauspicious Bowden was during an albeit small sample size of media members watching spring practices, it’s hard project another “A.”
Trying not to fall off EDGE
Key departures: Jah Joyner, Danny Striggow
Returning defensive end Anthony Smith is the Gophers’ best returning player not named Koi Perich, and the 6-foot-6, 295-pound athletic behemoth will get double-teamed ad naseum unless other players step up to fill the big roles vacated by Joyner and Striggow.
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Smith had a team-high 32 pressures a year ago, but Joyner totaled 31 and Striggow 25. The returning players who put the most heat on an opposing QB last fall: Lucas Finnessy (5) and Jaxon Howard (4). That’s big gap.
In order to bridge the gulf, Minnesota brought in Steven Curtis from Illinois State; the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder had 18 pressures and five sacks at the FCS level a year ago.
“(Curtis is) going to be able to help us on the edge,” Fleck said. “… Lucas Finnessy has had a really strong offseason being able to help us at (end), possibly some of the (rush) position. Jaxon Howard has had a really good off season in terms of the defensive end. I know it’s more of the (rush) position, but he’s got a lot bigger, stronger where he could be able to help us on the other side.”
Prediction: Given the demands of the position, multiple players will need to help fill the void this fall. Curtis is more of a known player but is making a jump to a more demanding level. Howard, a former four-star recruit and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Minnesota in the 2023 class, will need more time to live up to his plaudits.
Other competitions
After Georgia Tech QB Zach Pyron quickly exited Dinkytown after one spring, the U took Boston College/Old Dominion QB Emmett Morehead out of the portal. He will compete with Dylan Wittke and Max Shikenjanski for QB2 behind Lindsey. … The U is counting on offensive line coach Brian Callahan to reconfigure the entire front five, but veterans are plugging in at most spots or switching to new positions. … An incredibly high number of punters — four! — are competing to replace Mark Crawford, including two new transfers. … It looks like true freshman Daniel Jackson from Alexandria and senior Brady Denaburg, a transfer from Syracuse, will compete to be the kicker coming in for Dragan Kesich.
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