Fox 9: Minnesota Gophers offense: What will it look like in 2022?

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Quarterback - Tanner Morgan

Tanner Morgan had a historic 2019 season under Ciarrocca, throwing for more than 3,200 yards, 30 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Those were all single-season records. This year? A modest 2,044 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Gophers were a run-first offense.

If Morgan gets hurt or has to miss games in 2022? Zack Annexstad and Jacob Clark left the program after Morgan announced his return for a sixth year, so the options are wildcat quarterback Cole Kramer, Athan Kaliakmanis and Jacob Knuth.

Running backs – Mo Ibrahim, Bryce Williams, Trey Potts, Mar’Keise Irving

The Minnesota running back room is as full as any, and that’s after leading rusher Ky Thomas entered the transfer portal. Mo Ibrahim is returning after the 2019 Big Ten Running Back of the Year ran for 164 yards before hurting his Achilles against Ohio State. Bucky Irving ran for 715 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman, Trey Potts had 575 yards and six touchdowns before leaving the Purdue game and Williams had 190 yards and three touchdowns before a season-ending injury at Northwestern.

Offensive line – Aireontae Ersery, John Michael Schmitz, Chuck Filiaga, Quinn Carroll, JJ Guedet (Axel Ruschmeyer, Nathan Boe, Karter Shaw)

The offensive line is the biggest question facing Minnesota’s offense heading into the 2022 season, and Fleck addressed it in the transfer portal. Daniel Faalele, Conner Olson, Blaise Andries and Sam Schlueter are gone. John Michael Schmitz is returning at center, and returners with experience include Aireontae Ersery, JJ Guedet, Alex Ruschmeyer, Nathan Boe and Karter Shaw. Fleck added Edina native and Notre Dame transfer Quinn Carroll, the top Minnesota recruit in the 2019 class, and Michigan transfer Chuck Filiaga.

Wide receivers – Chris Autman-Bell, Dylan Wright, Daniel Jackson, Michael Brown-Stephens

Tanner Morgan should have no problem spreading the football around to different receivers in 2022. The Gophers bring back their top four receivers, and all had their moments throughout the season. Despite missing two of the first three games due to injury, and most of the Bowling Green loss, Chris Autman-Bell led the Gophers with 36 catches for 506 yards and six touchdowns. Daniel Jackson had 25 catches for 206 yards and one score, Michael Brown-Stephens had 23 catches for 392 yards and one score and Dylan Wright had 18 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite a run-heavy offense, three of Minnesota’s top four receivers made at least 20 catches last season, and the ceiling for Wright is as high as he wants it to be.

Tight ends – Brevyn Spann-Ford

Fleck asks a lot of his tight ends in the run game, but he’s got a big weapon in Brevyn Spann-Ford. He tied with Brown-Stephens for 23 catches, finishing with 296 receiving yards and one touchdown. Spann-Ford figures to have a big role in the offense in 2022.

www.fox9.com

Minnesota Gophers offense: What will it look like in 2022?

The Gophers finished the 2021 season 9-4 and bring back Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim, Chris Autman-Bell and John Michael Schmitz to lead an offense run by Kirk Ciarrocca.
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Go Gophers!!
 








There is a lot to be excited about. I'd like to see how far the underclassmen WRs have progressed this Spring. It is a bummer to lose Brady Boyd, but there may be some surprises this Spring.
 

BSF is such a talent I hope Coach C utilizes him in the passing game more than he had with previous seasons here with the TE position. Of course he never had a talent like him while he was here (no offense to the other TEs that were here during his time).
 



BSF might have what it takes to play on Sundays. He needs another big offseason of improvement and some passes thrown his way. If both happen, he'll get paid to play.
 

I think the passing game will be vastly improved. It suffered greatly the last two seasons, which im sure wasnt part of the plan. Had Kirk stayed, it wouldnt surprise me if we would be making the top 5 of at least one five star WR
 


I often look at things through maroon colored glasses but our offense looks good with JMS and Autman-Bell coming back. The addition of Carroll and Filiaga add nice numbers to help out the oline. Hopefully both can live up to the hype and become forces on the o-line. If Potts/Ibrahim can return to any of their previous form they will be a nice addition to Irving - I don't think any of us know how the RB situation will shake out. I could see Ibrahim being anything from a Heisman candidate to struggling to get on the field.
 





Word said:
You think so? Maybe I'm in unpopular opinion territory but I think he has a lot to prove still. He's definitely not at the level Maxx Williams was.
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Not Maxx but he was a shoo-in. SF might have higher receiver upside if KC wants to turn him loose.
 

with the additions to the OL, I think the biggest offensive question is clearly the health of the various RB options.

If Mo and Potts are even close to their previous form, then the RB situation is in good shape.

If Mo and Potts are not close to what they were, then Bucky, Williams and the FR from TX have to carry the load.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
with the additions to the OL, I think the biggest offensive question is clearly the health of the various RB options.

If Mo and Potts are even close to their previous form, then the RB situation is in good shape.

If Mo and Potts are not close to what they were, then Bucky, Williams and the FR from TX have to carry the load.
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In my mind. Biggest offensive question is will we literally play for field goals and be terrified of making a mistake, or will we try to win the effing game.

9 straights runs at end of first half before letting time run out to kick a field goal at Iowa still gets me. I mean…..
 

Need to get BSF involved in the offense next year. No reason why he shouldn't be a main target next year. Doesn't drop many passes and has a huge catch radius.
 

SanDiegoGopherFan said:
I think the passing game will be vastly improved. It suffered greatly the last two seasons, which im sure wasnt part of the plan. Had Kirk stayed, it wouldnt surprise me if we would be making the top 5 of at least one five star WR
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Excellent point. If the Gophers get back to 60/40 run/pass offense, they will attract the attention of more WR HS recruits. Keep the RBs healthy and get CRAB and his WR room to crank up the air attack.

Honestly, we have to be happy with the Defense too.

What is exciting IMHO is how this impacts the Transfer Portal. In a lot of ways, WR production in 2022 is crucial for WR recruiting.

Get the magic of 2019 back. Recruits will come either from HS recruiting or the portal.

Sooner or later, the Gophers may be due for a 5-Star player(s). We are already seeing impact players from the portal.

PJ Fleck is the perfect salesman/recruiter spin doctor. He has the magic of thinking big.

I am more excited about the increasing talent level that I have never seen before. Slowly but surely the Gophers may overtake the B1G West rivals.
 
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There are lots of reasons why our O can improve. Only if the OL is solid. Same with our D. We need solid line play on both sides and that is our biggest question mark at this time.
 

I think we have made moves to get our OL and DL in reasonably strong shape. I think the main weakness now is LB depth. Cody Lindenberg coming back from injury could really help
 

JMS is set in stone at Center, and Filiaga and Carroll didn't come here to sit on the bench. Of course, Carroll could be looked at to play tackle instead of guard, over Guedet.

But you feel for guys like Axel and Boe. Not to say there can't be a rotation.
 

Doc1001 said:
I think we have made moves to get our OL and DL in reasonably strong shape. I think the main weakness now is LB depth. Cody Lindenberg coming back from injury could really help
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Hey Doc! Its been awhile!

Our OL for the most part was a known quantity, a strength and played as a unit for 2-3 years. Until the next man up shows their stuff, there will be questions and some uncertainty. That is normal when incumbents depart. The top teams basically reload with ready to go talent. Our guys are pretty much unknown or lack experience. On OL it all starts with JMS and then.....?? Axel? Is he coming back?

Same with the DL. Carter and then...........??

Its a huge loss when a team loses 4 of 5 OL and 3 of 4 DL plus their best LB and DB. Both lines may be OK but I am one that has questions and concerns.
 

Gophers_4life said:
JMS is set in stone at Center, and Filiaga and Carroll didn't come here to sit on the bench. Of course, Carroll could be looked at to play tackle instead of guard, over Guedet.

But you feel for guys like Axel and Boe. Not to say there can't be a rotation.
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Since Axel is doing an extra year and coming back, you have to assume he knows he will be in the mix for playing time.
 

WriterGoph said:
Since Axel is doing an extra year and coming back, you have to assume he knows he will be in the mix for playing time.
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Has there been a new announcement since what Burns said in his predicted two-deeps, that it wasn't for certain that Axel was coming back?
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
Hey Doc! Its been awhile!

Our OL for the most part was a known quantity, a strength and played as a unit for 2-3 years. Until the next man up shows their stuff, there will be questions and some uncertainty. That is normal when incumbents depart. The top teams basically reload with ready to go talent. Our guys are pretty much unknown or lack experience. On OL it all starts with JMS and then.....?? Axel? Is he coming back?

Same with the DL. Carter and then...........??

Its a huge loss when a team loses 4 of 5 OL and 3 of 4 DL plus their best LB and DB. Both lines may be OK but I am one that has questions and concerns.
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I think in previous years (pre-portal) your concerns were definitely alarming, but when the staff pulls in 2 veteran OL from blue blood programs (plus we got veterans JMS and Axel back), 3 mature DL, 2 more veteran college DBs who have won awards at their last stops, I'm not sure what more we could have asked the staff to do in the last month?

As far as LB, we lost one very good LB (Gibbens). We return a very veteran MSM, a fully healthy Oliver (who was really shining the last month of the season), Willis (who was getting regular PT this season) and we get Lindenberg and Aune back from injuries, plus Finnessy and Williams (who were well spoken of by Rossi and teammates) with a year under their belts. If Rossi and PJ don't bring in a transfer at LB, they must feel pretty good about what we have coming back and coming up in that LB room, right?
 

Replacement Gopher said:
In my mind. Biggest offensive question is will we literally play for field goals and be terrified of making a mistake, or will we try to win the effing game.

9 straights runs at end of first half before letting time run out to kick a field goal at Iowa still gets me. I mean…..
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Yep. Mindset is the biggest weakness heading into next season. We need to stop being afraid and go get it.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Has there been a new announcement since what Burns said in his predicted two-deeps, that it wasn't for certain that Axel was coming back?
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A friend of mine who tends to have info just texted me about it two days ago.

If anyone knows how to search the student directory, we can probably confirm if Axel is enrolled. I know his goal is to get a master's in HR, so that would support the extra schooling.
 

WriterGoph said:
A friend of mine who tends to have info just texted me about it two days ago.

If anyone knows how to search the student directory, we can probably confirm if Axel is enrolled. I know his goal is to get a master's in HR, so that would support the extra schooling.
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Obviously I can't refute your source.

Being enrolled for spring 22, in of itself doesn't prove he has decided to come back to the team, of course.

Lot of work and time, to not start, if that is the case. Granted, you'll always wonder "what if", if the starter goes down (knock on wood). You never know.
 

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