I hope you are right but I can’t remember the last time a Gopher backup QB got more than a couple hand-off series in a blowout game. Not counting backups playing due to starter injury or co-starters like Nelson/Leidner splitting time.
I’m talking about an established starter being replaced by a clear #2 for meaningful PT in a blow out win.
Yeah, in the last 10 years most have been just handing the ball off. Here's what I found.
2012, Minnesota was leading New Hampshire 37-7. Max Shortell took over from MarQueis Gray with 12:33 left in the fourth quarter and led Minnesota on an 86-yard scoring drive. Shortell passed for a TD. Won 44-7
2013, Minnesota was leading UNLV 44-23. Mitch Leidner took over from Phillip Nelson with 3:50 left in the fourth quarter and led an 86-yard scoring drive. Leidner rushed for a TD. Won 51-23
2014, Minnesota was leading 35-7 against Eastern Illinois. Chris Streveler took over from Mitch Leidner with 6:57 left in the fourth quarter and led an 81-yard touchdown drive. Streveler handed off to Berkley Edwards who ran in a 42-yard TD.
2014, Minnesota was leading Iowa 48-14. Chris Streveler took over from Mitch Leidner with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter and led a 20 yard field goal drive. Conor Rhoda also entered the game with 4:13 left in the fourth quarter, with the drive ending in a punt
2015, Minnesota was leading Purdue 38-6. Demry Croft took over from Mitch Leidner with 13:40 left in the fourth quarter. One drive ended with a punt, the next ended with a field goal to make it 41-6. He had one more drive end in a punt before the game ended.
2016, Minnesota was leading Indiana State 51-21. Conor Rhoda took over from Mitch Leidner with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter. Led an 83-yard touchdown drive, handing it to Kobe McCrary who took it 50 yards to the house
2016, Minnesota was leading Illinois 33-17. Conor Rhoda took over from Mitch Leidner with 5:08 left in the fourth quarter. First drive ended in a punt. Next drive ended with a McCrary touchdown from 10 yards out after Illinois was stopped at the 10 on fourth down.
2017, Minnesota was leading Oregon State 41-14. Demry Croft took over from Conor Rhoda with 3:46 left in the fourth quarter. Ended up being a 66-yard drive with Croft running in a 64-yard TD.
2018, Minnesota was leading New Mexico State 41-10. Tanner Morgan took over from Zack Annexstad with 5:43 left in the fourth quarter and the Gophers went on a 78-yard touchdown drive. Morgan handed the ball to Bryce Williams who went in for a TD. Morgan went out for one more drive to close out the game
2018, Minnesota was leading Miami OH 26-3. Morgan was sent in to replace Annexstad with 4:02 left in the third quarter. First drive ended with a punt, next drive with an interception and the next with a fumble by Bryce Williams.
2019, Minnesota was leading Maryland 45-10 with 6:48 left in the fourth quarter. Jacob Clark replaced Tanner Morgan and the Gophers went on an 84-yard drive. Clark handed it off to Potts for a TD. Then went back out again to finish the game
2021, Minnesota was leading Colorado 30-0 with about 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter and Zack Annexstad took over from Tanner Morgan to close out the game.
2021, Minnesota was leading Maryland 34-10 with about 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Cole Kramer replaced Tanner Morgan with one drive ending in a punt and another to close the game
2021, Minnesota was leading Northwestern 34-14 with 6:36 left in the fourth quarter. Cole Kramer took over from Tanner Morgan and led a 54-yard scoring drive. Kramer handed it to Derik LeCaptain fora. 24-yard TD run.
2021, Minnesota was leading Indiana 28-7 with 12:56 left in the fourth quarter. Cole Kramer replaced Tanner Morgan. First drive was a punt, next was a 46-yard scoring drive, Kramer handed off to Mar’Keise Irving at the 3 for a TD
Of these games, five had a backup QB enter with more than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.