The 2023 season was filled with drama for the Gophers. They qualified for a bowl game despite a losing record, a decision that raised controversy on the qualification criteria.
Oddly enough, head coach P.J. Fleck was ineligible for a significant 5-figure salary bonus despite winning the bowl game. The team’s bowl bid was primarily due to its academic achievements.
This year, the pressure is mounting on Coach Fleck to deliver a more fruitful season. After missing out on the $32,500 game bonus last year due to the team’s disappointing 5-7 record, Fleck is determined to turn things around.
A payday like that, the kind of money seen in online casinos, is a stark reminder of what’s at stake if they make it to the bowl game this year.
As the 2024 season inches closer, the Gophers know they will need to impress on the field, get the wins in, and earn the bowl game, this time not relying on academics but through on-field reasons by achieving 6+ wins.
That being said, here are some of the most impactful players who will determine how far the Minnesota football team succeeds this year.
Max Brosmer (QB)
They say that a college football team is as strong as its best quarterback, and Fleck hopes he struck gold with New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer.
Brosmer is the type of player who lets the records speak for him. Last year, he was a contender for FCS Player of the Year throwing for 3,464 yards and 29 touchdowns. He completed 64% of his passes, only threw 6 interceptions, and posted a 146.2 QB rating.
The quarterback position was nearly vacant for the Gophers following the transfer of Athan Kaliakmanis and Drew Viotto just before the Quick Lane Bowl against Bowling Green last season. Brosmer was on the sidelines as redshirt senior Cole Kramer led Minnesota to a 30-24 victory in that matchup.
As the quarterback for the scout team, Brosmer traveled with the team to Detroit and assisted in the defense preparation. It remains to see whether Brosmer will translate his impressive stats to the Big Ten level.
Darius Taylor (RB)
Darius Taylor needs no introduction. He is arguably one of the best on the Gophers roster and led the Big Ten in rushing last season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the middle of the season.
Despite the setback, Taylor managed to run the ball 138 times for 799 yards and 5 touchdowns. On top of that, he rushed 35 times for 208 yards and scored in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Although the Gophers have nine other running backs on their roster for the upcoming season, Taylor is anticipated to be the focal point of that group.
In recent history, the Minnesota football program has featured some exceptional running backs, including Rodney Smith, Mohamed Ibrahim, and David Cobb. Taylor is a player who is on course to create his own success story at Minnesota.
Coaches and fans hope he will be the next addition to the list of memorable tailbacks.
Sieh Bangura (RB)
Another player with a big role to watch in 2024 is Sieh Bangura. In all of their last three seasons, Minnesota has been plagued by injuries, especially at the right back position.
Bangura, an Ohio transfer, has proven to be the most suitable candidate to fill Darius Taylor’s shoes whenever called upon.
Bangura boasts 1,982 career rushing yards, 453 more career receiving yards, and 25 total touchdowns. He was also crowned the 2022 MAC Freshman of the Year.
The Gophers know what they are getting with Bangura, a player with the skills to be a game-breaker if given more minutes on the field.
Daniel Jackson (WR)
Jackson is back for his fifth season and has the chance to record his first 1,000-yard season with the Gophers. Tyler Johnson was the last Minnesota receiver to accomplish that feat in 2019.
Brosmer will need the best wide receiver, and redshirt senior Jackson appears to be his go-to guy in 2024.
Jackson was an All-Big Ten second-team performer last year, hauling 59 receptions for 831 yards and 8 touchdowns. With such impressive stats, it’s easy to see why he is the clear-cut No. 1 for the position.
He will be backed up by other receivers, including former Charlotte player Elijah Spencer, Le’Meke Brockington, Kristen Hoskins Williams, Driver, and Kenric Lanier.
Nick Kallerup (TE)
Nick Kallerup spent the past three seasons primarily as a blocking tight end, often playing under the shadow of teammate Brevyn Spann-Ford. With Brevyn gone, Nick Kallerup is next in line to fill the position.
Despite catching only three passes for 12 yards last year, Kallerup is now the leader of the tight end room and could see an expanded role in a passing-oriented offense. The Gophers’ success in the upcoming season will largely depend on the contributions of these five players.
The team will go head-to-head with North Carolina in its opening game at Huntington Bank Stadium on Thursday, August 29.