Minnesota Golden Gophers 2018 Football Preview

Aside from blowing out teams associated with Mike Riley, the Gophers weren’t very good last season. They might not be much better in 2018.

P.J. Fleck only won three of his first 17 games at Eastern Michigan; he might have started his Minnesota tenure in similar fashion if not for one factor: Mike Riley. The Gophers two most impressive games (by far) were a 48-14 victory over Oregon State and a 54-21 victory over the Huskers. The Gophers only defeated one other Power Five opponent (24-17 over Illinois) last season. Adding extra ignominy over that 54 point explosion against the Blackshirts is the fact that those were the last points Minnesota scored in 2017. Northwestern and Wisconsin combined to blast the Gophers 70-0 to close out the season; not since 1950 had the Gophers been shut out in back-to-back games.

Demry Croft, the hero of the Gophers’ blowout victory over Nebraska, was no longer willing to keep rowing the boat after the season, bailing out to 1-AA Tennessee State at Christmas time. So like Nebraska, Minnesota is going to turn to a freshman quarterback this season. Redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan (6’2” 205 lbs.) emerged from the spring on top of the depth chart, with true freshman wak-on Zack Annexstad (6’3” 215 lbs.), who enrolled last January, second. The two beat out junior college transfer Vic Viramontes for the top two spots, sending Viramontes back to junior college to give linebacker a try.

The best friends that a new, inexperienced quarterback could have are a good running back and a deep offensive line. Morgan or Annexstad should have both this season. Senior running back Rodney Smith (5’11” 210 lbs.) rushed for 977 yards and three touchdowns last season; for his career, Smith has 2,805 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. His tag-team backup parter, senior Shannon Brooks (6’0” 215 lbs.) was originally thought to be sidelined for the entire season due to a leg injury, but the new redshirt rule might allow him to play, if he’s sufficiently healed late in the season. He’s rushed for 1,728 yards and 17 touchdowns in his Gopher career. While the Gophers wait for Brooks to heal, redshirt freshman Mohammed Ibrahim (5’10” 205 lbs.) looks to be the front-runner of a pack of freshman to back up Smith; Ibrahim was the scout team player of the year last season.