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Come Aug. 30, the Gophers will open their season with an unknown situation at quarterback. Either Tanner Morgan, a redshirt freshman, or Zack Annexstad, a walk-on true freshman, will begin under center against New Mexico State. It’s not an optimal situation for any team — who wouldn’t want a senior like Penn State’s Trace McSorley? — but it’s the situation the Gophers have and one that they will have to make work.
For coach P.J. Fleck, it’s a challenge but one he relishes because of the type of QBs he has in Morgan and Annexstad, who both likely will play this season.
“They don’t feel like freshmen,’’ Fleck said. “When I stand back there, I don’t sense any freshman nerves, anxiety. They make mistakes, but they’re not freshman mistakes. They’re making 400-level mistakes.’’
Fleck hasn’t decided on a starter, saying “they’re neck and neck’’ in the competition.
Minnesota is not alone in having no experience at QB. Nebraska also could have either a redshirt freshman (Tristan Gebbia) or a true freshman (Adrian Martinez) starting. The rest of the Big Ten, however, features potential starters with at least four games of experience and six with 20 or more games played.
Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca had to think for a while when asked if he’s ever been in a situation in which his top two QBs had no game experience. “No,’’ he said, “but I’ve had a situation [at Rutgers] where a true freshman started for us.’’ That QB was Tom Savage, who is now with the New Orleans Saints as a backup.
Ciarrocca’s point: Just because they’re freshmen doesn’t mean they can’t play...
http://www.startribune.com/zeroing-...eshman-quarterbacks-ready-to-start/490648081/
For coach P.J. Fleck, it’s a challenge but one he relishes because of the type of QBs he has in Morgan and Annexstad, who both likely will play this season.
“They don’t feel like freshmen,’’ Fleck said. “When I stand back there, I don’t sense any freshman nerves, anxiety. They make mistakes, but they’re not freshman mistakes. They’re making 400-level mistakes.’’
Fleck hasn’t decided on a starter, saying “they’re neck and neck’’ in the competition.
Minnesota is not alone in having no experience at QB. Nebraska also could have either a redshirt freshman (Tristan Gebbia) or a true freshman (Adrian Martinez) starting. The rest of the Big Ten, however, features potential starters with at least four games of experience and six with 20 or more games played.
Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca had to think for a while when asked if he’s ever been in a situation in which his top two QBs had no game experience. “No,’’ he said, “but I’ve had a situation [at Rutgers] where a true freshman started for us.’’ That QB was Tom Savage, who is now with the New Orleans Saints as a backup.
Ciarrocca’s point: Just because they’re freshmen doesn’t mean they can’t play...
http://www.startribune.com/zeroing-...eshman-quarterbacks-ready-to-start/490648081/