GopherSports: Leidner's Drive is Unparalleled

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per GopherSports:

Mitch Leidner is not the type of person who needs someone yelling in his ear to make him run harder in a sprint drill or get one more rep in the weight room. The Golden Gophers’ quarterback has always been self-motivated

Even at a young age, Leidner had an intense drive to work out. He started assembling a home weight room when he was in about fourth or fifth grade. He could barely lift anything at first, but started getting more into it around sixth grade.

“I was always really skinny, and I just wanted to get bigger,” Leidner said. “I would eat some crazy things to try and put weight on, and I never would be able to.”

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111716aab.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Love him. Not a top flight QB. But he has done as much as he can with what he's been given. 100% effort.
 


I was very happy to see him go out a winner in his last game at TCF.
Dagger TD on his last true offensive play, followed by a couple of snaps from the victory formation.

This kid stayed home to play for his home town university and state, and did his best in all that was asked of him. One hell of a competitor. I was very proud for him!
 

I can still clearly remember Mitch's 1st game: 2012 against UNLV. We had 44 points and the game was basically over, Nelson went to the bench and we brought Mitch in his for his 1st college action. Even though it was garbage time, he ran the read option like a kid possessed. Tons of passion and fire. When he scored his first touchdown, he celebrated like we just won the B1G championship. I knew then he was a fierce competitor and was going to be a great asset to the team.

It was great to see him end his home career with the read option TD and a win. We were lucky to have Mitch as part of the program for 5 years, and he gave everything he could to the program.
 


Gotta give the kid a ton of credit. He fought and competed and never gave up, Philip Nelson left. It's why Mitch is where he is and Phil is where he is. Might not be the best passer but his teammates believed in him and wanted to follow him. Ultimately, that's why I think Kill and company picked him over Nelson. "I hear what you say, but I trust what you do." Can't blame the kid for that. The grass isn't always greener.


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John Galt said:
I can still clearly remember Mitch's 1st game: 2012 against UNLV. We had 44 points and the game was basically over, Nelson went to the bench and we brought Mitch in his for his 1st college action. Even though it was garbage time, he ran the read option like a kid possessed. Tons of passion and fire. When he scored his first touchdown, he celebrated like we just won the B1G championship. I knew then he was a fierce competitor and was going to be a great asset to the team.

It was great to see him end his home career with the read option TD and a win. We were lucky to have Mitch as part of the program for 5 years, and he gave everything he could to the program.
Click to expand...

I remember that to John, and I remember thinking that's the fire we need! I actually was bummed when the staff worked to quell that. I like the passion and fire. You could definitely see that he was a competitor, a fighter, and was never gonna quit.


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There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
 

Some guy said:
There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
Click to expand...

It is, however, worth making a movie about.

Rudy.jpg
 



Some guy said:
There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
Click to expand...

I'd be interested to see you provide some type of data to back this up.
 

Some guy said:
There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
Click to expand...

When Mitch was recruited by us, he had no other Power 5 offers, and most thought he would either get moved to TE or be a starter for the 1st time as a 5th year senior when Phil Nelson graduated. Look at the other QBs that have come and left the program since he's been here: Nelson, Streveler, McKinzy, Perra, and others. Mitch is probably less talented than several if not all of those guys, so the fact that he was a 3 year starter is a testament to his work ethic and leadership. Even with all of his warts, Mitch became the best QB he could possibly become.

Mitch has been a 3-year starter on a team that has had one of the better 4 year runs in recent history. His name will be all over the record books for a long time. Say what you want about his accuracy and decision making, the kid maximized his potential.
 

Some guy said:
There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
Click to expand...

Prove to me the "literally hundreds of thousands" of football players that give 100% effort. I am assuming some of the documentation you will provide will include being voted captain of a Big Ten football team 3 times.

Love Mitch or Hate Mitch, he clearly has a special quality that allows him to work hard AND get people to follow him.
 




For most of his career it has been: "Good Mitch, Bad Mitch" .Never any question about his work ethic or leadership. I hope he goes out a winner. And really, in the grand scheme of things, if he wins the axe for us that is how he will be remembered.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
For most of his career it has been: "Good Mitch, Bad Mitch" .Never any question about his work ethic or leadership. I hope he goes out a winner. And really, in the grand scheme of things, if he wins the axe for us that is how he will be remembered.
Click to expand...

you are correct. the kid did what coaches asked him to do. one more thing: there is no excuse for anything called leidner island and it got weird how some felt compelled to defend the poor play of a college football player.
 

I can't find it, but Mitch was interviewed about Senior Day for the radio pregame show. Within the interview there was a question about leadership and handling tough losses. I think Mitch may have taken a little bit of a shot at last years seniors in his answer. Anyone else hear or listen to it?
 

John Galt said:
When Mitch was recruited by us, he had no other Power 5 offers, and most thought he would either get moved to TE or be a starter for the 1st time as a 5th year senior when Phil Nelson graduated. Look at the other QBs that have come and left the program since he's been here: Nelson, Streveler, McKinzy, Perra, and others. Mitch is probably less talented than several if not all of those guys, so the fact that he was a 3 year starter is a testament to his work ethic and leadership. Even with all of his warts, Mitch became the best QB he could possibly become.

Mitch has been a 3-year starter on a team that has had one of the better 4 year runs in recent history. His name will be all over the record books for a long time. Say what you want about his accuracy and decision making, the kid maximized his potential.
Click to expand...

Excellent. This is a great statement about Mitch's legacy.
 

Tackle4loss said:
you are correct. the kid did what coaches asked him to do. one more thing: there is no excuse for anything called leidner island and it got weird how some felt compelled to defend the poor play of a college football player.
Click to expand...

Not weird when you look at the surrounding cast that has included an at times very porous offensive line and average at best receiving corps.
 

John Galt said:
When Mitch was recruited by us, he had no other Power 5 offers, and most thought he would either get moved to TE or be a starter for the 1st time as a 5th year senior when Phil Nelson graduated. Look at the other QBs that have come and left the program since he's been here: Nelson, Streveler, McKinzy, Perra, and others. Mitch is probably less talented than several if not all of those guys, so the fact that he was a 3 year starter is a testament to his work ethic and leadership. Even with all of his warts, Mitch became the best QB he could possibly become.

Mitch has been a 3-year starter on a team that has had one of the better 4 year runs in recent history. His name will be all over the record books for a long time. Say what you want about his accuracy and decision making, the kid maximized his potential.
Click to expand...

Great summation, JG. A well-earned tribute.
 

Some guy said:
There are literally hundreds of thousands of football players that give 100% effort.

Thanks Mitch for your effort for four years but giving an effort isn't worth writing an article about
Click to expand...

1200 posts plus. You gave a great effort, but nothing worth reading.
 

highwayman said:
1200 posts plus. You gave a great effort, but nothing worth reading.
Click to expand...

Did you come up with that by yourself?

Not worth reading, but clearly worth responding to.


Maybe we should write an article praising me for my great effort anyways! Do you realize your comment literally makes my point for me?
 

MNfootballfan said:
Prove to me the "literally hundreds of thousands" of football players that give 100% effort. I am assuming some of the documentation you will provide will include being voted captain of a Big Ten football team 3 times.

Love Mitch or Hate Mitch, he clearly has a special quality that allows him to work hard AND get people to follow him.
Click to expand...
Well a little over a million people played football last year. So unless you think less than 20% of them gave it their all, then yes, literally hundreds of thousands gave it their all.
 


Breakin' The Plane said:
I'd be interested to see you provide some type of data to back this up.
Click to expand...

Unless you think less than 20% of football players give maximum effort, there are hundreds of thousands this year alone due to over 1 million people playing football.
 

Some guy said:
Unless you think less than 20% of football players give maximum effort, there are hundreds of thousands this year alone due to over 1 million people playing football.
Click to expand...

You win. The first thing I think of when I think of a high school football player is how impressed I am with their work ethic. Every single one of them.
 

Mitch gets a lot of sh!7 for his shortcomings - some of which is deserved, some of which is not.

But he also deserves a ton of credit for being a tough, multi-year leader. He's represented the school with class. He's given it his all. He's won a ton of games for us. He's in the record books.

Mitch is not perfect and discussing his flaws is fair game. But raising a glass to Mitch does not mean you are accepting mediocrity. We can celebrate the good and discuss the shortcomings - all on the same message board. Imagine that!

Thanks, Mitch! Now go get two more wins!
 

He had his moments good and bad, but I'm not going to dump on Leidner. The kid is a class act.
 



highwayman said:
1200 posts plus. You gave a great effort, but nothing worth reading.
Click to expand...

Thanks- now I have to change clothes due to the coffee I just spit out laughing- well done


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