Spring Game News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/spring-game/ Minnesota sports, but different Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:53:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Spring Game News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/spring-game/ 32 32 4 Takeaways From the Minnesota Gophers Spring Game https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-football/4-takeaways-from-the-minnesota-gophers-spring-game/ Sun, 02 May 2021 12:14:50 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=34824

High level football, with fans in stands, returned to Minnesota on Saturday when the Gophers held their annual Maroon vs Gold spring game at TCF Bank Stadium. This one was different, however. Because so many seniors stuck around for the additional year of eligibility they were offered, Fleck’s squad is rostering over 90 players right now. That’s quite an increase from the 60-70 we normally see during spring workouts.

College football in the spring is a transition period where last year’s departing seniors, draftees and transfers are already gone but most freshmen are yet to arrive. No matter how deep the rosters are, however, you can only take so much from a glorified scrimmage between teammates with nothing more than a homemade trophy and a week of bragging rights on the line.

PJ Fleck acknowledged as much before the game, admitting that jobs won’t be won in the spring. Still, showing out now can set guys up with better opportunities in the fall and there are a lot of future jobs up for grabs. The Maroon team, led by Tanner Morgan and Chris Autman-Bell, won a close contest (24-17) that came down to the final drive… but who cares.

Here’s what I did take away from Saturday’s Minnesota Gophers spring game, which included a postgame press conference featuring Fleck and a few players.

1.) Football is fun (especially with fans)

Around the country, Fleck gets criticism for his raw-raw coaching style and constant positive energy. Why someone would receive so much vitriol over those qualities goes over my head. What I did catch at Saturday’s spring game, however, is how much fun his team has.

The 2021 spring game serves as a reminder and gives us insight into the fun and joy that this team exudes. There’s a reason why so many seniors are returning, even after such a disappointing record in 2020. OL Conner Olson is a fucking doctor.

The game was competitive but there were opportunities to see some personality from coaches and players that aren’t generally available during real game days. Like, throwing a TD pass with your 1st round NFL talent offensive tackle, Daniel Faalele or running it in with another offensive lineman, Sam Schlueter. Maybe even a “Philly Special” for Tanner Morgan?

Oh and fans in the stands, even if it’s just 25% capacity, is fun too.

2.) Chris Autman-Bell is a the dude

There was one big piece to the Gopher football puzzle who was missing Saturday. Texas A&M transfer, (WR) Dylan Wright, was in street clothes down on the field so we didn’t get to see him show off. Fleck wouldn’t offer reasons for why guys were pulled from rosters before the game, other than to mention that they weren’t for disciplinary reasons.

One dude we did get to see show off, though, was Chris Autman-Bell. He certainly reminded everyone who this team’s WR1 is now that Rashod Bateman is a Baltimore Raven. CRAB finished the game with 4 catches, amounting to exactly 100 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t just the numbers though… it was how he went up and grabbed them. There were a handful of really nice catches in this game, showcasing the young depth at the position. Daniel Jackson (4 REC, 63), Clay Geary (4 REC, 74 YDS) and true freshman, Brady Boyd (2 REC, 60 YDS) all had nice days for the Gold team.

3.) Zack is back but no threat to Tanner

We got to see Zack Annexstad throwing footballs during a game on Saturday and that was a long time coming, after knee surgery and a healthy Tanner Morgan kept him sidelined for most of two seasons. Zack still throws a nice ball and I like his willingness and ability to run… but at this point in his career, he’s no threat to Tanner’s position as the starter.

Morgan finished the game with less yards and less attempts than Annexstad but he threw for one TD. Zack couldn’t find the end zone but did find Maroon defenders twice with costly interceptions. Morgan has his flaws but he’s the obvious QB1 both on and off the field. He’s the leader of Fleck’s Gophers until he decides to call it quits.

4.) Resting Mo

Mohamed Ibrahim took a lot of carries last season and has racked up quite a few during his career. In 2021-22, he’s the weapon that’ll be tasked with leading the Minnesota Gophers to whatever promise land they’re seeking. The spring program for Mo is rest.

Ibrahim is a practicing Muslim and he’s been observing the Ramadan holiday since April 12 (finishes May 12). Mo and the Gophers have used that time to get better at the mental side of football. He’s still spending a lot of time with players and coaches and he’s still one of the media session staples but his focus is just a bit different.

I think spring rest is what’s best for Mohamed Ibrahim anyway. Honestly, I still think going pro after last year’s legendary performance, was best for him. But, the NFL will wait and Gopher fans will gladly soak in one more season of bowling ball Mo busting through tacklers while racking up stupid amounts of yards and touchdowns.

Overall

Really, this scrimmage taught us little about what we’ll see from the Minnesota Gophers come fall when they start playing real games against other schools (like Ohio State on September 2). But PJ Fleck is much more confident than he has been in years past. Expectations are down and, while young in some positions, his team has a lot more experience and depth than it ever has.

If he and his staff can press the right buttons, I think he’s excited about the 2021-22 season his team can put together.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:23:04 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Football Gophers Release Maroon and Gold Spring Game Rosters https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-football/gophers-release-gold-and-maroon-rosters-for-spring-game/ Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:51:00 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=34695

TCF Bank Stadium will host thousands of fans for the first time since 2019 on Saturday for the Minnesota Gopher football spring game. Kickoff will take place at approximately 11 AM and festivities will include 10,000 fans in total, BTN coverage, a co-offensive coordinator showdown between Mike Sanford and Matt Simon and a diaper drive of epic proportions. Rosters were released by the team via social media on Wednesday night, picked via draft by the team captains.

Maroon vs Gold – Offenses

The Maroon roster gets starting quarterback, Tanner Morgan, and what clearly looks like the better wide receiver group, on paper. It includes Chris Autman-Bell, the clear-cut WR1 entering the season, and incoming transfer from Texas A&M, Dylan Wright. In exchange, however, they took a hit at running back. The Maroon Team has just two of them, Cam Wiley and Preston Jelen. Wiley is arguably the #2 back and Jelen has a lot of talent but the RB group on team gold is STACKED. Mike Sanford will call plays for Maroon.

On the other sideline, I’m excited to see Zack Annexstad get back on the field for some real reps, as he leads the Gold Team. He’ll have one hell of a running back group and offensive line to help him out, too. Mo Ibrahim, Trey Potts, Ky Thomas and Bryce Williams will all wear maroon in the running backfield. Curtis Dunlap, Daniel Faalele, Sam Schlueter and Blaise Andries will all block for them.

The Gophers have SIX starting quality offensive linemen but the Gold has four of the projected starters on their team. Mo Ibrahim, Trey Potts and Bryce Williams make up 3/4 of the running back by committee that we’ve seen since 2018. Ky Thomas has some of the highest upside of anyone in the backfield. He was last seen winning Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Kansas in 2019 after busting for 3,000 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior at Topeka High School.

Offensive Playcalling Battle

I’m also VERY intrigued at the offensive play-calling matchup. Remember, many Gopher fans and media thought PJ Fleck would hire Matt Simon as his full-time offensive coordinator following the 2019 season. After all, he did a pretty good job calling plays in the Outback Bowl when Minnesota beat the almighty Auburn Tigers 31-24 and Mo Ibrahim ran up and down the field against their NFL-caliber defensive line.

But instead, Fleck hired Mike Sanford away from Utah State and gave him the official Offensive Coordinator title. He and Sanford call plays together up in the booth during games and work VERY closely together on game plans.

Linebacker

Whether you’re judging by team or position, it’ll be difficult to give one team an advantage over the other, on paper, defensively. That’s because there’s a lot less experience to judge from and what we did see back in 2020 wasn’t very pretty. There are some matchups I’ll watching, though.

Jack Gibbens was brought in from Abilene Christian University to challenge Mariano Sori-Marin at middle linebacker. Sori-Marin has the experience inside the program and holds everything he needs above the shoulders to win the job but he’s struggled to put it all together athletically once he hits the field.

The entire linebacker group is jockeying for a chance to start next fall. There isn’t a projected starter I’d be willing to name this morning at any of the three starting spots.

Secondary/Defensive Line

In the secondary, Maroon went for wise experience and Gold went for springy youth. Justin Walley stuck out in the one practice I was invited to this spring. He, Jalen Glaze and Miles Fleming will lead the youth movement in Gold while known names like Coney Durr, Tyler Nubin and Terell Smith will operate in maroon.

The defensive line is absolutely stacked with experienced talent and Fleck added to what he had with two ACC transfers, Niles Pinckney (Clemson) and Val Martin (NC State). Pinckney will be in maroon and Martin will be in gold. It doesn’t look like any of the transfer place kickers will suit up for this game.

Diaper Drive and Oars

Tickets to this game were free but the Gophers are asking that you bring some diapers to donate for the diaper drive they are holding for this event. They are also accepting oars again, for the first time since before the pandemic. You can find more information here.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:23:05 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Football Gopher Football Spring Game Slated For May 1; TCF to Host 10,000 Fans https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-football/minnesota-gophers-football-spring-game-slated-for-may-1-tcf-to-host-10000-fans/ Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:51:06 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=34479

The Minnesota Gophers football team has been quiet since the 2020 season ended but they just came back in a big way. They’ve announced that their 2021 Spring Game will be held on May 1 at TCF Bank Stadium.

The inter-squad matchup will start at 11:00 AM and 10,000 fans will be allowed to attend. For those who can’t make it, the game will be televised live on Big Ten Network.

Eric Strack

]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:23:07 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Football Gophers Get Commit from 2020 WR + My Spring Game Takeaways https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-football/gophers-get-commit-from-2020-wr-my-spring-game-takeaways/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-football/gophers-get-commit-from-2020-wr-my-spring-game-takeaways/#respond Sun, 14 Apr 2019 11:39:25 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=14715 A big milestone was passed Saturday at Minnesota Sports Fan LLC and MinnesotaSportsFan.com. I attended my first sporting event as a member of the media. Standing across from PJ Fleck as he addressed a room of 10 media members, that included me, was a pretty surreal experience, especially when it’s a milestone I’ve looked forward to since creating this .com a little over two years ago…

Anyway, let’s act like we’ve been there and get on with it…

The first 3-4 drives were pretty fucking boring, to be honest. Everything seemed to be thrown off a bit by the move inside. But after a few series, Annexstad found his footing and his tight end, Bryce Witham, for the game’s first touchdown. It was the maroon team that would find the end-zone second too.

This time, the 400 lb Sophomore offensive tackle, Danielle Faalele, was given the rock and a mission to find the goaline. I think Carter Coughlin said it best in the postgame press conference:

As far as the game, itself? It wasn’t very good, as far as being close and competitive. The early trend continued and it ended with a blowout victory for the maroon team. There were definitely some things and guys that stuck out, though.

The size of this offensive line continues to grow, on a team that looks bigger every year, too. We didn’t see our two starting running backs in either Shannon Brooks or Rodney Smith, who continue to recover from injuries. I’m pretty sure they’ll both be 33-years-old when the season starts. Even in their absence, just like for most of last season, the running backs consistently gouged the defense for big chunks. Depth at RB and a good OL are staples to Big Ten success. The Minnesota RB depth is near the top of the NCAA and that OL continues to improve.

There were plenty of big plays made on defense too, including an interception returned for a touchdown by Minnesota’s own, Thomas Rush. Thomas won a half of the MVP award on the day but he stuck out to me before that big bastard started making plays. At one point, I turned to GopherIllustrated.com’s Ryan Burns and told him how shocked I was at the size of Rush. #8 in maroon stuck out so much, I had to check the media guide to make sure I was seeing his name right from long distance…

I don’t want this post about a Spring Game to get too long so here are a few other bullet points to wrap this up:

  • Zack Annexstad will be the starter. Everytime I see this team, he looks more comfortable and has twice the arm strength of Tanner Morgan. (Fleck disagrees and said, in his postgame presser, that they are neck-and-neck)
  • Freshman, Jacob Clark throws a very pretty deep ball and he’s tall as fuck. He looked promising, especially once he grows into that 6-5 frame a bit.
  • Antoine Winfield Jr (recovering from season-ending injury) played the entire first half and is clearly at full speed. Rodney Smith probably could have played but Fleck is taking that recovery at a snail’s pace to be extra cautious.
  • Carter Coughlin (Senior) and Boye Mafe (RS Sophomore) are going to be animals this season. Both guys jumped out nearly everytime they were on the field.

Fleck Gets 2020 WR Commitment

Justin Bellido seems like your classic slot WR. He’s super shifty and quick. Fleck has brought in a lot of talent into the outside WR positions so I like this commitment. While you can never have too much talent at that position, I like this fit even more.

The newest commitment to the 2020 class pushes the Gophers up the 247Sports rankings to the #16 early recruiting class, nationally (#4 Big Ten).

The 2020 and 2021 classes are huge for PJ Fleck because those are the years that he promised a step-up in both recruiting and play on the field. With the highest-rated QB in recent history already committed for 2021, that class is off to a great start.

I’m so jacked up for football season already that I might be crazy enough to fast-forward through the summer if given the opportunity. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find me in the TCF Bank press box…

via GIPHY

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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