True Freshman, Zack Annexstad Named Starting QB for Gopher Football

Wow.

This is NOT what I expected today but I did have some questions over the weekend when Kirk Cirrocia was on with the guys from Big Ten Network and hinted at a decision with their starting quarterback position.

Well, that decision has been made. It will be True Freshman, Zack Annexstad:

BREAKING: @Coach_Fleck names Zack Annexstad starting quarterback. #Gophers #SkiUMah #RTB pic.twitter.com/rTpoyqPxAp

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 20, 2018

It was a two-way battle that some saw carrying into the start of the season, as Fleck tried to decide between Redshirt Freshman, Tanner Morgan and True Freshman, Zack Annexstad.

Both guys put up nice numbers in the spring game but, as someone who watched the whole thing, the eye test had Annexstad ahead of the normal Freshman learning curve and even ahead of Morgan. It looks like Cirrocia and Fleck were seeing the same thing I did in the spring game, on a regular basis in practice.

I will come back and have more on this later, if I get some time but this is a smart move. If one guy is ahead of the other, and your players are seeing it too, then name the starter now, so your team has a leader to rally around.

I am really excited to see Zack grow this season. He has all of the tools and already looks the part of a Big Ten quarterback, standing at 6-2+ and 202 pounds already.

Oh, also…. I think that preferred walk-on spot he currently holds will be moved to a scholarship AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Here is Coach Fleck on his decision:

Here is @Coach_Fleck announcing true freshman walk-on Zack Annexstad (walk-on only on paper and it's a good story on how the #Gophers got him here when he had multiple Power-5 offers) as his starting QB. He's from Norseland, which is about 90 minutes south of the Twin Cities. pic.twitter.com/D4GCUf77ED

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) August 20, 2018

Eric Strack
Minnesota Sports Fan @RealMNSportsFan