Former 4-Star Michigan Commit, Vic Viramontes (QB), Will Now ROW for Minnesota

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Jul 1, 2021

I can’t wait to play for the Golden Golphers! #RTB pic.twitter.com/1yrx9ECl0L

— VIC VIRAMONTES (@VicViramontes10) November 27, 2017

It’s been quite the 24 hours for Gopher Football. Last night we found out Demry Croft was leaving the team. It looks like a surprise to the coaches since he started the blowout loss to Wisconsin this week. Gopher nation was as nervous as it has been under the new Fleck regime.

We weren’t…

Stop blaming Fleck for the last era’s mistakes.

Grab your oar because this boat isn’t sinking.#RTB #SkiUMah https://t.co/W3NxPu3szj

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 27, 2017

I’m glad we have our coach. I can’t wait for the future.

?‍♂️〽️?‍♀️〽️?‍♂️〽️?‍♀️#RowTheBoat #RowSoHard #JustKeepRowing #RowRowRowTheBoat #RTBHashtags #RTB #SkiUMah #HYPRR #WhateverThatMeans https://t.co/45bthaZUTf

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 27, 2017

**immediately attempts to run through a wall** https://t.co/DjejBO2tpv

— Johnny Minnesota (@MNsportsNstuff) November 25, 2017

The U of M just extended PJ Fleck to 2023 and I will also give him my 3rd child (future) if he wants it. #RTB #SkiUMAh 〽️

?: Eric (The Boss Man) https://t.co/jYMehOXp7X

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 22, 2017

.@MNsportsNstuff tells us why he’s thankful for PJ Fleck.

Hint: R-E-C-R-U-I………………. #RTB #SkiUMah 〽️https://t.co/EJTP39HWSJ

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 23, 2017

So yeah….. all disclaimers out there… we’re definitely rowers…

But, we aren’t the only ones. And, Fleck just got his most important one. Victor Viramontes is a JUCO transfer QB from California and he just committed to the Gophers this evening. He will likely be handed the reins on offense for 2018. No offense to our guy Alex Reigelsperger, who is still our favorite Gopher recruit, but Vic plays the all-important position of quarterback. And, before 4:30 CT today, the gophers were actually WORSE OFF at that position than they were this season. *commence the Demry Croft leaving made us better jokes..

Could Croft have known Vic was coming? It’s certainly possible…

With Croft leaving, the Gophers only had Seth Greene and Tanner Morgan as their most legitimate QB’s for next season. These are two guys we NEVER heard in the conversation this season, when competing with a quarterback room that was below-average at best. If they can’t beat out Demry Croft and Conor Rhoda then what are they going to look like across from Wisconsin?

Enter Vic Viramontes.

He’s had quite the road to Minneapolis and it started with an early commitment to a Big Ten rival back in 2015. And, a big one at that. Vic committed to John Harbough and the Michigan Wolverines in June. He was a 4-star Dual-threat QB prospect at the time, but many projected him to play linebacker or fullback/tight end due to his size.

Well, apparently Viramontes heard that Harbaugh and Co. was looking to do just that. He wasn’t having it. Vic wanted to play quarterback. Although, Harbough denied the rumors of moving him, and maintained his allegiance to Vic at the QB spot, Viramontes was gone as quickly as he committed.

The new offers came pouring in from big schools around the country. He had looks from the likes of Oregon and UCLA. He was offered by most of the other Pac-12 schools quickly, along with others. Schools who Viramontes said offered him included Cal, Arizona, UCF, Indiana, Virginia, Miami, Utah, Hawaii and Georgia Tech.

The same things were being said by every team who watched him:

They remind him of (insert your thick running college QB here – ie: Tebow/Kaepernick) but he surprises most with his accuracy.

After visiting most of the schools who offered him and extended a visit, Vic decided on Cal as the place he wanted to be. He spent his first season as a redshirt before a coaching change started to push him even farther down the depth chart, as he looked at his redshirt Freshman season ahead of him. The Cal QB position was in flux and Viramontes was out of Cal too, after just one redshirt season.

He decided to play his redshirt Freshman season at Riverside Community College in Riverside, CA. He was efficient through the air and DOMINANT on the ground. He was looking at offers from more big schools for the next 3 seasons including Kansas, Ole Miss, New Mexico and UNLV among others. However, he grabbed an oar, and started rowing to Minnesota, in the end… just before the ice is getting thick.

So, now Viramontes’ odd journey brings him to Minnesota where we might need him even more than he needs us. Without a light at QB, Gopher nation was getting nervous. But, Vic cleans that spot up nicely. And, he isn’t just a stop-gap JUCO transfer. He will get 3 years to play 3 and have the chance to cement Fleck’s early legacy with the Gophers.

Fleck is looking to finish 2018 off soon with a couple JUCO offensive lineman before turning focus to 2019. He will be breathing much easier as he turns that his focus, now that he has a legit Big Ten QB for 2018 and beyond. Watch him here. He is a beast. And his arm…. underrated?

Could this be the first time we see good QB play in Minnesota since……….. name your year, I guess.

Eric The Boss Man
Minnesota Sports Fan
MinnesotaSportsFan.com @RealMNSportsFan