BleedGopher
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Per Randy:
Because of injuries, opt-outs for the NFL draft and one transfer, the Gophers were without seven players who likely would have started the bowl game. In the secondary, for example, senior Justin Walley didn’t play, which meant redshirt freshman Za’Quan Bryan got the start. He responded by making two tackles, including one for loss, and intercepting a fourth-quarter pass near the Minnesota end zone, ending the Hokies’ last desperate chance.
“I’ll say this: the best for Gopher football is yet to come because the path that we’ve had,” said the hard-hitting Henderson, who spent two years in Minnesota after transferring from Southeastern Louisiana. “The amount of young guys who have seen the process and what we go through, that [redshirt freshman] class specifically has taken it really well. Their game plays are transforming.”
Safety Kerry Brown, also a redshirt freshman, had a big impact in derailing a Virginia Tech threat earlier in the fourth quarter. The Hokies, trailing by 14 points, reached the Gophers 17-yard line and faced fourth-and-7. Quarterback Collin Schlee fired a pass intended for Stephen Gosnell. Brown swooped in and knocked the ball away, getting a turnover on downs.
Of course, that secondary also returns Koi Perich, who as a true freshman this year led the Big Ten and tied for third nationally with five interceptions on his way to earning second-team All-America honors from The Sporting News.
The promising youngsters aren’t only on defense. With top receiver Daniel Jackson out because of injuries that were recently addressed, fellow senior Elijah Spencer had his big moment, earning bowl MVP honors by catching six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Fleck, though, was just as excited about the play of redshirt freshman Donielle Hayes, who saw extended action and caught two passes for 22 yards.
“That was probably one that we really needed to come along,” Fleck said. “And this was huge for his 2025 season. We’re going to need ‘Nuke’ Hayes, and it’s taken him a few years to develop. … Not everybody is ready to play the moment they get here.”
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Because of injuries, opt-outs for the NFL draft and one transfer, the Gophers were without seven players who likely would have started the bowl game. In the secondary, for example, senior Justin Walley didn’t play, which meant redshirt freshman Za’Quan Bryan got the start. He responded by making two tackles, including one for loss, and intercepting a fourth-quarter pass near the Minnesota end zone, ending the Hokies’ last desperate chance.
“I’ll say this: the best for Gopher football is yet to come because the path that we’ve had,” said the hard-hitting Henderson, who spent two years in Minnesota after transferring from Southeastern Louisiana. “The amount of young guys who have seen the process and what we go through, that [redshirt freshman] class specifically has taken it really well. Their game plays are transforming.”
Safety Kerry Brown, also a redshirt freshman, had a big impact in derailing a Virginia Tech threat earlier in the fourth quarter. The Hokies, trailing by 14 points, reached the Gophers 17-yard line and faced fourth-and-7. Quarterback Collin Schlee fired a pass intended for Stephen Gosnell. Brown swooped in and knocked the ball away, getting a turnover on downs.
Of course, that secondary also returns Koi Perich, who as a true freshman this year led the Big Ten and tied for third nationally with five interceptions on his way to earning second-team All-America honors from The Sporting News.
The promising youngsters aren’t only on defense. With top receiver Daniel Jackson out because of injuries that were recently addressed, fellow senior Elijah Spencer had his big moment, earning bowl MVP honors by catching six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Fleck, though, was just as excited about the play of redshirt freshman Donielle Hayes, who saw extended action and caught two passes for 22 yards.
“That was probably one that we really needed to come along,” Fleck said. “And this was huge for his 2025 season. We’re going to need ‘Nuke’ Hayes, and it’s taken him a few years to develop. … Not everybody is ready to play the moment they get here.”
Analysis: Gophers get plenty of help from youngsters in bowl game, setting up for future
With seven starters unavailable against Virginia Tech, the Gophers got good looks at some capable fill-ins.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
