Learning on the fly. It’s what the Gophers quarterbacks will be doing this season as both starting candidates lack any true Division-I starting experience. It’s a challenge two freshmen will need to overcome as they lead the Minnesota football team in 2018.
No matter what happens, the Gophers will kick off the regular season with a redshirt or true freshman taking the first snap. There is certain to be growing pains.
However, with help from offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, head coach P.J. Fleck is noticing gradual improvement from young quarterbacks Tanner Morgan and Zack Annexstad in fall practices. The competition is reaching its final stage as Fleck and Ciarrocca tested the pair of passers in a closed scrimmage at TCF Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
“Now, we haven’t played a game yet, but that was as close to a game as we’re going to get. I was really pleased with them. They showed that they can demand the team, they can own the team, they can run the team, they can run the offense,” Fleck said. “And as they feel more comfortable, I think they’ll be able to do more in the leadership role and they’ll be able to get more out of everybody else because they’ll know how to do that.”
Fleck said the mistakes both Morgan and Annexstad are making in practice are ones you wouldn’t expect from a young quarterback. Whether it’s ball placement or getting the ball out on time, Fleck said many of the errors are easily correctable for the quarterbacks under center.
“They’re getting better,” Fleck said. “I said at the beginning of camp, even in the first week, they’re making 400-level mistakes, not 100-level mistakes. When I say that, I mean they’re running the system the way you want to run the system.”
Fleck has yet to name a starter prior to the Aug. 30 home-opener against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium. The competition should be nearing an end in the coming days as the coaching staff decides which quarterback will begin the season under center.
Green making a strong transition
Seth Green recently made the transition from quarterback to a pass-catching role for the Gophers. First, Fleck and the coaching staff tried Green at tight end. After experimenting with his athleticism and size, the redshirt sophomore will begin the season at wide receiver. He’s one player who could make a surprising impact on the Gophers’ roster in 2018.
“I think he’s going to really help us on the edge as a wide-out,” Fleck said. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast. We don’t have anybody that looks like him. He’s bigger than Ty Johnson, so to be able to add a weapon like that is huge. Now, what does he have to do – consistency.”
He must adjust to the nuances associated with playing wide receiver, such as route running and other key technicalities. However, Green is standing out to P.J. Fleck, who has an expertise when evaluating and coaching wide receviers. According to Fleck, offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca picked Green as a stand-out performer during Thursday’s afternoon practice. When the season begins, Seth Green might be a mismatch threat for the Minnesota offense.
A pass rusher with tremendous upside
One of the most intriguing players to watch on the practice field is redshirt freshman defensive end Esezi Otomewo. At 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, Otomewo possesses unique physical traits and length as a pass rusher. He will likely receive snaps this season as the Gophers look for contributors on the edge who can get after the quarterback. With Otomewo’s metrics, the developmental potential is extremely high.
“Guys, I’m telling you, he is a special, special player,” Fleck said. “He’s going to have some growing pains, highs, lows, but he is special. “His how meter – his motor goes now and we need him to be able to help us. Now, is he going to be an every down player, probably not, but we finally have a little bit of depth where we can help him out, where we don’t have to fit that square peg into a round hole.”
The coaches will be placing him on the field from time-to-time to test out all of the unique ability. When he does, it’s worth seeing how he produces, especially as the the team searches for future prototype pass rushers.
Carpenter likes the team chemistry
Kicker Emmit Carpenter is one of the main leaders of the Gophers’ football team both on and off-the-field. Whether it’s helping a teammate off-the-field or spending time at the children’s hospital, Carpenter is one player who has a pulse of the current team. For the senior special teams ace, this is one of the most connected teams he’s ever been around.
“This is probably the closest team, player-wise, that I’ve gotten to play on the last four years at Minnesota,” Carpenter said. “And I’ve loved every single group of guys, year-to-year I’ve been with, but I would say this definitely is the closest group. We all get along so well in the locker room, on-the-field, off-the-field.”
Carpenter said this starts with the culture P.J. Fleck has established as he enters his second season at the helm of the Minnesota program. Whether it’s a Jay-Z/Beyoncé concert or a night at the movies, Carpenter discussed how Fleck promotes players getting to know each other better off the gridiron.
“One thing Coach Fleck really pushes is getting to know guys outside of just being football players and he really pushes us to share things about ourselves to connect with people more than just what we do on the field between the lines,” he said.
Smith is spending time studying running backs
Running back Rodney Smith is on the cusp of breaking a major record at Minnesota. He needs just 1,260 all-purpose yards in 2018 to break Gophers legend Darrell Thompson’s school record. The senior has sprinted for 2,805 yards and 21 touchdowns on 626 career carries. His running style has helped him cement his status as one of the most elusive backs in the Big Ten.
With Shannon Brooks missing time due to a leg injury, Smith will be the featured running back in the system. As he continues to improve and catch the attention of future NFL scouts, Smith has spent time studying professional players over the past year. Smith said the coaches cut up film of Saints star running back Alvin Kamara for him to study.
“This past year, I watched [Alvin] Kamara the most,” Smith said. “The thing I like about Kamara is his balance — he has amazing balance.”
Not only does Kamara’s footwork stand out to Smith, but his pass-catching ability is equally impressive. It’s something he wants to add to his skill-set through the Gophers’ 2018 offensive scheme.
“[Kamara is] great at running routes, an excellent pass-catcher out of the backfield,” Smith said. And that’s one thing we’re trying to implement in the offense this year.”
With a productive year, Smith could receive mid-to-late round grades for next year’s NFL draft. If he can bolster his ability as a pass catcher, it would add more intrigue to his skill-set as pro teams search for versatility at the running back position.
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