New MN Gophers Freshman QB Looks Special

By    |  
Updated:
Follow Us
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota Gophers
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer was in attendance on Thursday night to watch the Minnesota Gophers kick off their 2025 season against the Buffalo Bulls. Once a Gopher, always a Gopher.

Both Brosmer and former placekicker Dragan Kesich showed up to the 2025 opener wearing jersey of Max’s former backup, redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey, who now takes over as Minnesota’s starting quarterback.

Drake Lindsey takes the reins of an offense with high internal expectations, but really none on the outside. Those who have worked with the 20-year-old out of Arkansas have extreme confidence in his abilities as a QB, both mentally and physically. expectations are high.

While Lindsey will have to do it against top Big Ten competition, Thursday’s opener was the perfect litmus test for where he is in his QB development. If you thought PJ Fleck was going to ease the 20-year-old into his new role, you were wrong.

Lindsey slings it early and often for MN Gophers

Lindsey dropped back nearly 40 times vs Buffalo, finishing 19-of-35 for 290 yards, a pair of touchdowns and arguably the most unlucky interception in school history. Physically, quarterbacks are judged on accuracy and arm strength. As a redshirt freshman, Drake proved he is ++ in both categories.

Minnesota saw their freshman quarterback come out and brandish the howitzer right away. His first completion of the night was a deep out route to do-it-all talent Koi Perich.

A couple of plays later he went to the opposite sideline and hit Jalen Smith in the hands on a pass that the wideout dropped. That was a reoccuring theme most of the night.

Both throws showed just how quickly Lindsey can progress through reads and get the ball out to open receivers. He had no problems pushing past the hash marks either. Neither his extreme velocity or pinpoint accuracy diminished as the night went on, either.

Not only does Drake Lindsey have a rocket arm, but he’s already above average at layering the football over one first level of defenders, and underneath another. This is especially noteworthy because layering is a skill that even top 10 NFL Draft picks like the Vikings’ JJ McCarthy still struggles with.

Lindsey remained poised for almost the entire first half of his starting debut. On the final drive of the 2nd quarter, Drake connected with senior UCLA transfer, Logan Loya, before finding junior Le’Meke Brockington and Miami (OH) junior transfer, Javon Tracy to get within the 15 yard line.

Some of Lindsey’s most impressive throws of the night wound up incomplete, including a dart to TE Jameson Geers that drew a pass interference penalty.

With 15 seconds left in the half, Lindsey mad his first mistake. Geers was open in the left flat but the young QB threw into double coverage in the end zone. Thankfully Smith broke up the pass, but Lindsey followed that poor decision up with a sack, pushing the Gophers field goal unit back.

New Minnesota Gophers kicker Brady Denaburg knocked it through the uprights to give Minnesota a 10-3 halftime lead. Nonetheless, Fleck was not happy with his young leader.

Related: CFB Sleeping on Future 1st Round Pick Gophers QB…?

Had a fluke play by a tumbling Jameson Geers not put a damper on the first half, it would have been hard not to look at the drives with an assessment of perfection. Taking the ball over with 1:17 left in the half, Lindsey had 70 yards to drive in order to double up the score.

New Minnesota Gophers QB spreads ball around despite drops

Plenty has been made about the intention for Minnesota to use Koi Perich on both sides of the ball. He made an impact, but wasn’t forced into a prominent wide receiver role early. Instead, Lindsey utilized the entirety of his pass catchers but they didn’t all produce.

Lindsey targeted Jalen Smith multiple times, only for the true freshman wide receiver out of Mankato drop the football. He got seven targets on the evening, but hauled in just two receptions, one of which went for a 60 yard second half touchdown.

Purdue transfer tight end Drew Biber struggled to haul in a swing pass in the flat, as well. Incumbent TE Jameson Geers was a clear security blanket for the young quarterback, but he too contributed to the butterfinger brigade more than once.

Javon Tracy hauled in a deep ball for 35 yards, and Le’Meke Brockington found space to exploit the defense and get in on the action. The hope was that this wide receiver room would be even better than the veteran group from 2024. The jury is still out on that dream, though.

Drake Lindsey opens eyes in starting debut

You can’t win a Heisman trophy in the first game of the season. You also can’t be drafted into the NFL as a redshirt freshman. That doesn’t mean Drake Lindsey didn’t come out and immediately turn heads for the Golden Gophers in his starting debut.

Max Brosmer put up one of the best seasons in program history for the Gophers last year. Minnesota reaching new heights this season and beyond will be a byproduct of Lindsey following his lead. So far, he’s doing just fine.

He won’t see a test next weekend against Northwestern State, but the hype train can keep rolling down the tracks.

Mentioned in this article:

More About:

0What do you think?Post a comment.

Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.