Shama: Keeping QB Drake Lindsey in 2026: Job 1 for Fleck, Gophers

[BleedGopher]

Per Shama:

How Lindsey performed was even more admirable given how lacking the support around him often was. His receivers struggled for separation on their routes and dropped too many passes. The offensive line’s work was spotty at best. The running game was among the Big Ten’s worst and didn’t provide much complementary threat to the passing offense.

Now head coach P.J. Fleck and offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. have to retain Lindsey who could choose to play three more seasons in Minneapolis. With revenue share money, Lindsey will be a million-dollar quarterback next year—either at Minnesota or elsewhere.

With about a $14.5 million budget to pay players, the Gophers might offer Lindsey $1.5 million. In addition, six-figures in NIL money is a given. Rival college programs have the resources to offer more total compensation and are more than aware of the talented 6-foot-5, 230-pound passer and leader.

But it seems likely Lindsey will stay with his team. He comes from a family with money so it’s not like he needs to support mom, dad and siblings. The Arkansas native’s relationship is also strong with Fleck and Harbaugh. The three formed a bond during Lindsey’s high school days when the hometown Razorbacks didn’t aggressively pursue him.

David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Go Gophers!!

 

[bonin21]

There are teams that can pay a guy like that more to be a backup. That's why Gopher football is toast in the NIL era.

 

[GooningGopher]

There are teams that can pay a guy like that more to be a backup. That's why Gopher football is toast in the NIL era.

Which ones? I have no idea how much a qb at Ohio state or bama costs. It was rumored that Nico at UCLA was making 8 mil at Tenn, but left for 1.5 mil. All of this kind of seems like speculation based on fuzzy approximations at best.

 

[DarthGopher]

$1.5M buys an insane amount of ramen noodles.

 

[DarthGopher]

Which ones? I have no idea how much a qb at Ohio state or bama costs. It was rumored that Nico at UCLA was making 8 mil at Tenn, but left for 1.5 mil. All of this kind of seems like speculation based on fuzzy approximations at best.

Nobody knows. There is now more speculation in college athletics than most hedge funds with way less predictable outcomes. Total shitshow.

 

[MNVCGUY]

$1.5M buys an insane amount of ramen noodles.

Crazy that we have gone from the old days of guys getting slipped a bag of cash under the table to talking about multi-million dollar COLLEGE QBs.

 

[GooningGopher]

$1.5M buys an insane amount of ramen

I fear the day when Bucky figures out how to pay players with currency other than Kohl’s cash.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Of this, there can be no doubt.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I fear the day when Bucky figures out how to pay players with currency other than Kohl’s cash.

I sold all my crypto to go long in kohl’s cash… working out so far.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Shana’s stories read like someone just reposting Internet forum rumors… no actual knowledge of anything.

 

[Schnauzer]

Is it just me, or does it seem like everything this Shama guy writes about concerning Gopher Football has negative undertones? At least Reusse always came right out and obviously trashed the program. Shama seems to lurk around the edges to always bring up any drop in season ticket sales, or suggest the program is the kind of place a successful freshman QB would want to leave.

I can honestly say that if it weren't for Gopherhole, I wouldn't know he exists. Anything I have ever read from him has been copied and pasted here. So maybe I am only seeing the negative stuff.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Also, do you think Chad Hartman knows that Mark Rosen is his half brother and that Sid facilitated Mark’s career more than Chad’s.

 

[Crosby]

There are teams that can pay a guy like that more to be a backup. That's why Gopher football is toast in the NIL era.

You have no idea if this is true. None. And you have zero idea where the U of MN stands with NIL. But I am glad to see you are being consistent... predicting gloom and doom here, just like you do on the hockey board. Just go be a Michigan fan.

 

[The Deliberate Stranger]

You have no idea if this is true. None. And you have zero idea where the U of MN stands with NIL. But I am glad to see you are being consistent... predicting gloom and doom here, just like you do on the hockey board. Just go be a Michigan fan.

We're clearly in the bottom 1/3 in the Big Ten, but we are better than most non SEC/Big Ten programs now, we can pay Drake

 

[Crosby]

We're clearly in the bottom 1/3 in the Big Ten, but we are better than most non SEC/Big Ten programs now, we can pay Drake

Where do you get your figures? How do you know that we are in the bottom 1/3?

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Where do you get your figures? How do you know that we are in the bottom 1/3?

Amen, there's no reliable numbers out there, just a lot of rumors and such.

 

[spermophilus]

Is it just me, or does it seem like everything this Shama guy writes about concerning Gopher Football has negative undertones? At least Reusse always came right out and obviously trashed the program. Shama seems to lurk around the edges to always bring up any drop in season ticket sales, or suggest the program is the kind of place a successful freshman QB would want to leave.

I can honestly say that if it weren't for Gopherhole, I wouldn't know he exists. Anything I have ever read from him has been copied and pasted here. So maybe I am only seeing the negative stuff.

Not just you. Typical negativity from the Eeyore segment that uses it as a prophylactic or analgesic to treat any perceived, or actual, bad event that may - but more often does not - happen. At once predictable and exhausting.

 

[WHB Brewer]

There are teams that can pay a guy like that more to be a backup. That's why Gopher football is toast in the NIL era.

not to worry, I've been told (scolded) by several folks on here that there is ZERO chance the Drake will leave for more money.

 

[howeda7]

I fear the day when Bucky figures out how to pay players with currency other than Kohl’s cash.

They've re-committed to Luke Fickell and are adding Culver's coupons and free chicken tenders from Qwik Trip.

 

[DarthGopher]

Where do you get your figures? How do you know that we are in the bottom 1/3?

Most people are getting their numbers from the Making Yearly Allocations Seen System, the official NIL knowledge repository.

If anyone asks, according to MYASS, we are definitely bottom 1/3rd.

 

[MNVCGUY]

not to worry, I've been told (scolded) by several folks on here that there is ZERO chance the Drake will leave for more money.

scolded.....give me a break

And there is nobody crazy enough to say there is zero chance in this current landscape because there is always a chance that any player will decide to transfer.

The only thing that has been pointed out about Lindsey is that he comes from money so he might be the kind of player that wouldn't just go chasing $$$ because his family doesn't need it.

 

[WHB Brewer]

scolded.....give me a break

And there is nobody crazy enough to say there is zero chance in this current landscape because there is always a chance that any player will decide to transfer.

The only thing that has been pointed out about Lindsey is that he comes from money so he might be the kind of player that wouldn't just go chasing $$$ because his family doesn't need it.

I rest my case

 

[GooningGopher]

Did some stats analysis, according to on3's 2025 numbers[take it with a grain of salt] and the FPI from ESPN. You see some weird correlations. Pearson correlation is −0.566 [moderate relationship that as you spend more in NIL you do observe a better FPI, but far from deterministic]. You could interpret this as only about 31% of performance differences are explained by NIL spending. There is obviously something more than just throwing money at the problem to get college kids to play football [e.g. Nebraska, UCLA, Wisconsin].
Dataset:

 

[Crosby]

Most people are getting their numbers from the Making Yearly Allocations Seen System, the official NIL knowledge repository.

If anyone asks, according to MYASS, we are definitely bottom 1/3rd.

Thank you! This is good stuff, and a very good database. I am going to start pulling stuff from MYASS too. But I have found conflicting reports. The data I pulled from MYASS says we are in the top third. Can't find a way to link it though...

 

[Dave H]

Which ones? I have no idea how much a qb at Ohio state or bama costs. It was rumored that Nico at UCLA was making 8 mil at Tenn, but left for 1.5 mil. All of this kind of seems like speculation based on fuzzy approximations at best.

Dont bother arguing with that clown. All he cares about is whining. Us owning Wisconsin makes him worse because they used to be his primary method of denigrating the team. (We can never be/beat Wisconsin!!)

Unless you want to know about Michigan Hockey Recruiting bonin is a waste of bandwidth.

 

[Dave H]

not to worry, I've been told (scolded) by several folks on here that there is ZERO chance the Drake will leave for more money.

Let us know how we can help you through hardship. This injustice must not stand!!1!!1!

 

[Dave H]

I rest my case

Ah so someone posting a comment is scolding...I would hate to be your boss

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

Amen, there's no reliable numbers out there, just a lot of rumors and such.

I disagree. GGG & Pair and a Spare podcasts talk all the time about how we're lower end of the B1G in revenue as do many other local and national resources. Even nationally, people talk about PJ doing more with less in Minnesota. Unfortunately, I have never seen any reliable data that we are NOT in the bottom 1/3. The more important statement The Deliberate Stranger made to me is that we're now above just about everyone else in college football outside the P2.