STrib: Projected Gophers offensive line

[BleedGopher]

per Randy:

Left tackle

Aireontae Ersery

6-6, 325 pounds, sophomore

• Coach P.J. Fleck said Ersery could become the best offensive linemen he's coached.

Left guard

Axel Ruschmeyer

6-4, 305, senior

• Sixth-year senior from Holy Family started three games last year and six during the 2020 season.

Center

John Michael Schmitz

6-4, 320, senior

• Second-team All-Big Ten selection last year and preseason first-team All-America by Athlon Sports in 2022.

Right guard

Chuck Filiaga

6-6, 330, senior

• Graduate transfer from Michigan started eight games at left guard and three at right guard for the Wolverines.

Right tackle

Martes Lewis, sophomore, Merrillville, Ind.

Quinn Carroll, senior, Edina

JJ Guedet, junior, Washington, Ill.

Comment: Lewis (6-7, 330), Carroll (6-6, 310) and Guedet (6-7, 310) are battling for the starting job, and Fleck said the Gophers could use a rotation when the season begins.

Projected Gophers offensive line

A look at the projected starters for the Gophers offensive line, based on training camp practices.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[RogueGopher]

But how do they stack up against the Vikings OLine?

 

[MGGopher]

I'm quite comfortable with that group.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Wasn't there a time early with Fleck when he said he wanted lighter more agile O-linemen...get away from the road graters Kill/Claeys had?

 

[kg21]

Quinn Carroll is listed as a senior. I believe he has 3 more years.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Wasn't there a time early with Fleck when he said he wanted lighter more agile O-linemen...get away from the road graters Kill/Claeys had?

If he did say that he clearly abandoned the idea very early in his time here, because our O-Line has been big pretty much every year he has been here.

Mason favored smaller/quicker offensive linemen. Fleck has seemed to want size.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Quinn Carroll is listed as a senior. I believe he has 3 more years.

Can't really base eligibility off of class anymore. But you are correct that he has 3 years left.

 

[Gophers_4life]

https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster

I'm seeing him listed as a Graduate Student ("Gr.")

 

[CentralGopher]

Wasn't there a time early with Fleck when he said he wanted lighter more agile O-linemen...get away from the road graters Kill/Claeys had?

I don’t know that he specified lighter. Lighter and more agile aren’t always mutually exclusive.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

These guys are scrawny!