Dylan Wright

There have to be contingency plans already in place. With or without Wright, they have a plan. Someone with a burning desire to crack the starting lineup will have the opportunity.
 

There have to be contingency plans already in place. With or without Wright, they have a plan. Someone with a burning desire to crack the starting lineup will have the opportunity.

Lemeke Brockington
Kenric Lanier
Kristen Hoskins

And that's just after Spencer, Crooms, Jackson and CrAB.
 

Just FYI, It's feasible he could still be on the roster next week and NOT be practicing in spring ball. Ala Mike Brown-Stephens absence from the team for the bowl game and a month or so surrounding that.
I don't dispute that! Still assume he'll be practicing next week until something official is released!
 

Wright just strikes me as one of those guys that can't get out of his own way. There is no doubt he has a ton of athletic ability but there always seems to be something going on with him away from the field.

Probably at a point where a change of scenery for him would be best for everyone.
Yep. Even if he didn't get along with the coaching staff (no idea if true, just saying if that was the case) if he just approached next year with the mindset: I need to grind out one last year, I have a great looking QB in Athan, I show out and I'm looking good for the draft.
 

WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️
 


WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️
If he is actually gone, I think we miss him as a depth guy, similar to Bishop. Both are losses but not major losses. I was never a big Wright fan to begin with though, so I may be biased.

Whatever happens though, I wish him well in life beyond football.
 

WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️

It's funny the way you put it. It's almost like we didn't bring in a 4-star established transfer, another quality slot WR who has produced for years in college and a 4-star HS WR who enrolled early. Oh, Daniel Jackson also came on huge the last half of last season. And we return our previous #1 WR - who has been our most reliable with his hands - at some point.

Wright had some great athletic upside. But anyone that was counting on him as one of our top couple options for next year, hasn't paid attention the past couple seasons. Surely it could hurt the depth, but this is easily the best offseason we have had upgrading WR depth in many many years.
 
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I highly doubt that they announce all excused absences from practices. I have never seen a single announcement of the sort--especially Spring ball
If the player was going to be away for any significant amount of time I bet it would be out there. Short term probably not. Seeing as people are speculating he is leaving my guess is he hasn't been missing for a day...
 

WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️

Well seeing as he only felt like playing half the time it fits...which sucks cause he has a ton of talent he just doesn't seem to care a lot of the time. (often depending on the QB)
 



He's endured some serious tragedy over the past few years. Still shows on the roster as of 4 PM today. They have been pretty quick to update when others have left.
 

He's endured some serious tragedy over the past few years. Still shows on the roster as of 4 PM today. They have been pretty quick to update when others have left.

It's a fluid situation. Again, they didn't update the roster in regards to MBS even though he missed an actual game and was away from the team for over a month. The update on Wright at this point is simply that he has not come back to school and the team from spring break and that someone who gets paid to know these things from INTERNAL program sources does not expect him to be practicing when spring ball starts.
 

WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️
If we were just losing guys with no replacements it would be a big concern. But that isn't the case.

We brought in 2 established veteran receivers, and we return our #1 guy who missed most of last season. Add Jackson and Brockington to those 3 and you have 5 solid WR options before even getting to Dylan. And that doesn't take into account the other young guys on the roster we haven't seen yet.

WR was a weakness last year, at the moment however it looks like it has the potential to be a strength in 2023 regardless of whether or not Dylan Wright is on the roster (hopefully he is).
 

Yep. Even if he didn't get along with the coaching staff (no idea if true, just saying if that was the case) if he just approached next year with the mindset: I need to grind out one last year, I have a great looking QB in Athan, I show out and I'm looking good for the draft.
He has seemed to have a good connection with Athan....much better than the one he had with Morgan. If he has any NFL dreams he had better figure out how to become an elite WR soon because to this point in his career he just seems like a great athlete who hasn't been able to put it all together yet.

My hope is that whatever is going on turns out to be nothing and Wright is with the team for the 2023 season. There is a really exciting player in there if it all comes together.
 





WR was our biggest weakness last year. Now, no matter who we lose - it’s not a concern? OK.

I was told 5-days before the PSU game that DW wouldn’t play in that game and that he didn’t want to be back in ‘23. With no news until now, I figured my info was half right and half wrong. Maybe not 🤷‍♂️

1) I don't think anybody knows to a certainty if Wright is truly gone.

2) If wide receiver was (as you say) our biggest weakness last season, did Dylan Wright help us much?

3) If wide receiver was actually our biggest weakness, I'd say some personnel changes are probably in order — maybe even overdue. Wright has a grand total of 35 receptions and 3 total TDs in three seasons here. Maybe the staff has grown tired of waiting for his high potential to turn into high production.

Wright has had plenty of opportunities to shine at Minnesota. To date, I'd say his actual output has been underwhelming.
 

I'm bummed because I really wanted Wright to succeed and he has all the physical skills to be a game buster. If this turns out as it sounds, it looks like he peaked as a Gopher with his TD catch in the 2021 Ohio State game. That was amazing. The rest has been little sparks of that with no consistency.
 

it's life. stuff happens.

I had a co-worker once who took off for the weekend to go golfing with some buddies. He didn't show up for work on Monday, then called the boss and said he wasn't coming back.
I fantasize about doing something like that but cmon how can you let yourself do that unless you come into a ton of money suddenly.
 
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If he was really gone since spring how could it be a surprise to Coach Fleck? Longtime gopher fan. Only just observed here in past for news. I just retired end of December so I have way more time for other things now. Watch out lol. Great to do my first post ever here.
 
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Not sure if it means anything, but no mention of Dylan in this preview either.
Yes there is? He's in the depth section...

"There's also Dylan Wright, the former Texas A&M wide receiver who transferred to the Gophers following the 2020 season and has seen quality playing time over his two years in Minneapolis recording 35 receptions for 645 yards and three touchdowns. Wright possesses an intriguing combination of size and athleticism thanks to a 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame. He should have a considerable role in the Gophers offense this year."

Honestly though that's one of the worst written/researched previews I've ever seen. The writer has Hoskins and Dino Kaliakmanis as walk-ons
 

If he was really gone since spring how could it be a surprise to Coach Fleck? Longtime gopher fan. Only just observed here in past for news. I just retired end of December so I have way more time for other things now. Watch out lol. Great to do my first post ever here.
Solid first post! Welcome!
 

Yes there is? He's in the depth section...

"There's also Dylan Wright, the former Texas A&M wide receiver who transferred to the Gophers following the 2020 season and has seen quality playing time over his two years in Minneapolis recording 35 receptions for 645 yards and three touchdowns. Wright possesses an intriguing combination of size and athleticism thanks to a 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame. He should have a considerable role in the Gophers offense this year."

Honestly though that's one of the worst written/researched previews I've ever seen. The writer has Hoskins and Dino Kaliakmanis as walk-ons
Ha! I see that it is now. That was added afterwards. I read it twice before posting, then re-read it again after posting. Doesn't matter. Also agree about 'worst written/researched' piece, along with grammar/spelling.
 

It's funny the way you put it. It's almost like we didn't bring in a 4-star established transfer, another quality slot WR who has produced for years in college and a 4-star HS WR who enrolled early. Oh, Daniel Jackson also came on huge the last half of last season. And we return our previous #1 WR - who has been our most reliable with his hands - at some point.

Wright had some great athletic upside. But anyone that was counting on him as one of our top couple options for next year, hasn't paid attention the past couple seasons. Surely it could hurt the depth, but this is easily the best offseason we have had upgrading WR depth in many many years.
He’s the only one who could stretch the field and pure go-up-and-get-the-ball like Bateman could.

Not an absolute necessity for success. Just another dimension.
 

He’s the only one who could stretch the field and pure go-up-and-get-the-ball like Bateman could.

Not an absolute necessity for success. Just another dimension.
Spencer and Wright both averaged 16.5 yards per reception last year. So guessing Spencer can stretch the field some as well.
 

It's funny the way you put it. It's almost like we didn't bring in a 4-star established transfer, another quality slot WR who has produced for years in college and a 4-star HS WR who enrolled early. Oh, Daniel Jackson also came on huge the last half of last season. And we return our previous #1 WR - who has been our most reliable with his hands - at some point.

Wright had some great athletic upside. But anyone that was counting on him as one of our top couple options for next year, hasn't paid attention the past couple seasons. Surely it could hurt the depth, but this is easily the best offseason we have had upgrading WR depth in many many years.
Downplaying players who leave. A tradition as old as Gopher football itself. Sounds like we are STACKED at WR.
 

Spencer and Wright both averaged 16.5 yards per reception last year. So guessing Spencer can stretch the field some as well.
You’d have to know the average yards downfield per reception to know for sure if the simple YPR was due to stretching or just strong YAC.

Does it matter? Not hugely to me, I’ll take it either way!
 

If he was really gone since spring how could it be a surprise to Coach Fleck? Longtime gopher fan. Only just observed here in past for news. I just retired end of December so I have way more time for other things now. Watch out lol. Great to do my first post ever here.
Hello, I'm Eric Stratton, Rush Chairman. Damn glad to meet you.
 

If we stay healthy, I think we have enough WR's.
If we don't stay healthy, we'll need the young kids to take that next step.

I think we're better off than we were last year after CrAB got hurt.
 

Downplaying players who leave. A tradition as old as Gopher football itself. Sounds like we are STACKED at WR.
We don't have a Johnson or Bateman type of talent but this is the deepest we've been at WR in a long time. I'd rather have Wright on the team but it is one of the positions we can afford to lose a player or too. Even if he's gone, there will be 4 guys (5 if you include BSF) that have 60+ career receptions. That's a lot of experience. And that doesn't include Brockington who looked good at the end of the season.
 

Downplaying players who leave. A tradition as old as Gopher football itself. Sounds like we are STACKED at WR.
If Wright leaves it will be a bummer but it isn't like he has lit it up during his time here. He has shown flashes of being a good WR but for whatever reason has not been able to put it all together to this point.

As has been pointed out, our WR depth chart for 2023 looks pretty solid with or without Wright. That position group needed an upgrade after 2022 and to the staff's credit it looks like they went out and did just that....at least on paper. Obviously won't know for sure until we see how things go in games.
 




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