You can bet college football is an area where heroes and villains are made every day. In rare instances, a single player can be both of those things. Case in point, Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner. No other University of Minnesota player has polarized Gopher fans (Go-phans? No?) as Leidner has since former Broncos, Buccaneers, and Saskatchewan Roughriders (!!) QB Adam Weber. An internet article even poked fun at Leidner-hating, blaming the senior playmaker by satirically blaming him for everything from the Zika virus to Nickelback… hey! I like Nickelback.
Like James Franco said in The Interview, “they hate us because they ain’t us.” So let’s remind the haters why they ain’t or can’t ever be Mitch Leidner. Because at the U of M, Mitch Leidner is:
- Fourth in passing yards in a single season (2,701 in 2015) behind Weber (2,895 in 2007), Bryan Cupito (2,819 in 2006), and Weber again (2,761 in 2008).
- Third in passing attempts in a single season (242 in 2015) behind Weber (258 in 2007 and 255 in 2008).
- Third in completed passes in a single season (242 in 2015) behind Weber (258 in 2007 and 255 in 2008).
- Twelfth in passing touchdowns in a single season (14 in 2015; tied with Cupito, Cory Sauter, and Tim Schade) behind Weber (24 in 2007).
- Fifth in completion percentage in a single season (59.5% in 2015). Asad Abdul-Khaliq is the category leader with 63.2% in 2003.
- First in consecutive completions (14 in a December 28th, 2015 game versus Central Michigan). Tied with Weber (14 in a 9/6/2008 game versus Bowling Green) and himself (14 in a 1/1/2015 game versus Missouri).
- First in passing yards for a junior (242 in 2015) followed by Sauter (200 in 1996).
- First in passing yards for a junior (2,701 in 2015) followed by Weber (2,582 in 2010).
- Seventh in career passing yards (5,118 from 2013-present). Weber is the category leader with 1,594 (2007-2010).
- Sixth in career passing attempts (722 from 2013-present), tied with Mike Hohensee (722 from 1981 to 1982). Weber is the category leader with 1,594 from 2007 to 2010.
- Sixth in career completed passes (407 from 2013-present). Weber is the category leader with 909 from 2007 to 2010.
- Fifth in career completion percentage (56.4% from 2013-present). Mark Carlson is the category leader with 57.2% from 1976 to 1979.
- Eighth in career passing touchdowns (28 from 2013-present). Weber is the category leader with 72 from 2007-10.
- Fifth in career 250+ yards games (6 from 2013-present) tied with Abdul-Khaliq and Schade. Weber is the category leader with 14 from 2007 to 2010.
- First in consecutive 250-yard games (4). Tied with Hohensee.
- First in consecutive 300-yard games (2). Tied with Sauter, Schade, and Hohensee.
Should Mitch Leidner play at about the same level in his senior year as he did in 2015, you can bet college football records at the University of Minnesota will not be quite the same. To cite but one example, if he threw for another 2,700 yards he would surpass Rickey Foggie, Marquel Fleetwood, Asad Abdul-Khaliq, Cory Sauter, and Bryan Cupito, and rank second in the top ten Minnesota Gophers all-time passers, behind only – you guessed it – Adam Weber. It’s true that he recently had foot ligament surgery, but that was an old injury. That means he played hurt last season. Let’s just imagine what he could capable of healthy – which he is now. Leidner is already been pegged as a 2017 top NFL draft prospect, and he can bet college football is nothing compared to the pro league in terms of vitriol-spewing. When you’re hated by thousands instead of a mere hundreds, you’ll know you have arrived.