Fox 9: A look at the Gophers offense heading into a pivotal 2020 season

[BleedGopher]

per Wald:


Here's a look at the depth chart as it stands today.

Offensive Line

Maybe the best news for the Gophers offensive line is that all five starters will be back this season. The only injury concern was right tackle Daniel Faalele, who suffered a leg injury in Minnesota’s loss to Wisconsin in the regular season finale. But he was back at spring practice, and a full participant. Joining Faalele are Curtis Dunlap Jr., John Michael Schmitz, Conner Olson, Sam Schlueter and Blaise Andries. J.J. Guedet should also contribute after getting meaningful snaps last season. Behind that offensive line, the Gophers averaged 34 points per game, 178 yards rushing per game and more than four yards per carry.

Quarterbacks

The Gophers’ offense will only go as far as their quarterback takes them, and for the time being they’re in good hands with Tanner Morgan. The redshirt sophomore enters the 2020 season a potential candidate to be in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy, if he continues to trend up. Morgan completed 66 percent of his passes last year for more than 3,200 yards, 30 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He set an NCAA record for completion percentage at Purdue, going 21-of-22. His only incompletion was a throwaway. He was one of the most efficient passers in the country last year, behind only Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields. Burrow and Hurts are now in the NFL.

If Morgan gets hurt, his back-ups are more than capable. Zach Annexstad was set to be the starter in 2019 before suffering a foot injury in fall camp that required season-ending surgery. Cole Kramer and Jacob Clark also enter their redshirt freshman seasons after playing less than four games last year.

Wide receivers

Morgan’s favorite target will likely be junior Rashod Bateman, and he’ll get plenty of attention from opposing defenses in 2020. He was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten after making 60 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll need help from Chris Autman-Bell and Demetrius Douglas. Autman-Bell stepped up last year with 28 catches for 371 yards and five touchdowns. His touchdown catch late in regulation at Fresno State last year forced overtime in a game the Gophers eventually won.

Tight ends

P.J. Fleck and co-offensive coordinators Matt Simon and Mike Sanford Jr. have the task of getting tight ends more involved in the passing game in 2020. Primarily tasked with run blocking last year, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Jake Paulson and Bryce Witham all showed receiving capabilities last year. Spann-Ford had four catches and a touchdown, Paulson had four catches and Witham had the two biggest catches of his career last season. Witham caught a touchdown on a 4th-and-goal play in the Outback Bowl against Auburn, then converted a crucial catch on fourth down in the fourth quarter to keep the clock running.

Running backs

The Gophers have holes to fill in the offensive backfield with Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks graduated, but return one of their most effective running backs. Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 605 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging more than five yards per carry last season. He’ll get the bulk of the carries, but Minnesota should get help from a combination of Cam Wiley, Bryce Williams, Preston Jelen and incoming freshman Ky Thomas. They’ll also continue to use Seth Green in short yardage, wildcat situations. The Gophers ran for 178.7 yards per game last season, and had 25 rushing touchdowns. Minnesota had the No. 42 total offense, the No. 46 rushing offense and the No. 21 scoring offense in the country last season.

A look at the Gophers offense heading into a pivotal 2020 season

The Gophers football team returns nine starters from a team that won 11 games and averaged 432 total yards per game last season.

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Go Gophers!!

 

[Gold Rush]

This offense has the potential to be the most explosive offense we have seen in Gopherland in a long time - maybe ever. That is of course barring injuries and other uncontrollable factors such as covid.

 

[hungan1]

Every player on Offense are selfless and are taught to block. The NFL must really love this about Gopher players. This team plays like a well oiled machine. A united team is a dangerous one. Ask Penn State and Auburn. The Gophers played elite.

There will be new faces in pass catching, TE and WR. I think that we will be pleasantly surprised. Teams can't focus entirely on Rashod Bateman. They will feel the burn in other ways. They can't focus singularly on anything - running or passing attack. The Gophers have a QB that releases the ball faster than the closing defense can muster. We now have Big Ten caliber Offensive Line that will be locking and reloading. We finally have a pipeline to replace the starters when they graduate or leave early for the Pros.

Morgan made the Gophers brand of RPO work to perfection.

We can't ignore the Defense either even though they have graduated key players. They have a system going and several players in development are just twitching to go.

Don't be surprised to see regular crops of Gophers going to the Pros at the end of each season. Gopher players are fundamentally sound with excellent coaching, development, and attitude. This is what will attract the next higher level of recruits.