(RB Darius Taylor – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Jordan Nubin, RB Darius Taylor, WR Daniel Jackson, OG Tyler Cooper, OG Quinn Carroll, OT Aireontae Ersery, DE Jah Joyner, DE Anthony Smith, DE Danny Striggow, DT Jordan Logan-Redding, NT Deven Eastern, LB Maverick Baranowski, LB Cody Lindenberg, CB Justin Walley, NB Jack Henderson, FS Coleman Bryson, SS Darius Green, KR/PR Quentin Redding, PK Dragan Kesich, and PT Mark Crawford.
Key Players Departing:
QB Athan Kaliakmanis (Rutgers transfer), WR Corey Crooms, TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, OC Nathan Boe, OT Martes Lewis, DT Kyler Baugh, LB Ryan Selig, LB Devon Williams, CB Tre’Von Jones, and SS Tyler Nubin.
(EDGE Jaxon Howard – USA Today Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DS Koi Perich (Esko, Minnesota), DL Riley Sunram (Kindred, North Dakota), EDGE Jaxon Howard (LSU transfer), OT Nathan Roy (Mukwonago, Wisconsin), WR Tyler Williams (Georgia transfer), QB Max Brosmer (New Hampshire transfer), and OL Brett Carroll (Olathe, Kansas).
3 Star Recruits: RB Sleh Bangura (Ohio transfer), QB Drake Lindsey (Fayetteville, Arkansas), and TE Julian Johnson (Aurora, Illinois).
2023 Results:
G01 NEBRASKA W 13-10
G02 EASTERN MICHIGAN W 25-6
G03 @ North Carolina L 13-31
G04 @ Northwestern L (OT) 34-37
G05 LOUISIANA W 35-24
G06 #2 MICHIGAN L 10-52
G07 @ Iowa W 12-10
G08 MICHIGAN STATE W 27-12
G09 ILLINOIS L 26-27
G10 @ Purdue L 30-49
G11 @ #2 Ohio State L 3-37
G12 WISCONSIN L 14-28
BOWL vs. Bowling Green W 30-24
Team Info:
2022 Record: 6-7 (7th in Big Ten West)
Home: 4-3
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 3-6
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: PJ Fleck
Minnesota: 50-34
Career: 80-56
Bowls: 6-2
(WR Daniel Jackson – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Darius Taylor (138 car., 799 yards, 5.8 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Daniel Jackson (59 rec., 831 yards, 14.1 avg., 8 TD)
TDs Scored: Daniel Jackson (8)
Sacks: Jah Joyner (7.5)
Tackles: Jack Henderson (59)
Tackles For Loss: Jah Joyner (7.5)
Interceptions: Jack Henderson (2)
Pass Deflections: Justin Walley (8)
Forced Fumbles: Jah Joyner/Anthony Smith (2)
Kick Returns: Quentin Redding (15 ret., 236 yards, 15.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Quentin Redding (6 ret., 81 yards, 13.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Dragan Kesich (23-27 fg/fga., 85%, 27-27 xp/xpa., 96 pts.)
Punting: Max Crawford (65 punts, 2762 yards, 42.5 avg., 25 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 16 Max Brosmer (GR/TR)
RB: 1 Darius Taylor (SO)
WR: 11 Elijah Spencer (SR/TR)
WR: 0 Le’Meke Brockington (RS JR)
WR: 9 Daniel Jackson (RS SR)
TE: 87 Nick Kallerup (RS SR)
LT: 69 Aireontae Ersery (RS SR)
LG: 75 Tyler Cooper (RS SR)
OC: 65 Greg Johnson (SO)
RG: 77 Quinn Carroll (GR/TR)
RT: 60 Phillip Daniels (RS FR)
KR: 81 Quentin Redding (RS JR)
PK: 99 Dragan Kesich (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 17 Jah Joyner (RS SR)
DT: 97 Jalen Logan-Redding (RS SR)
DT: 91 Deven Eastern (RS JR)
DE: 92 Danny Striggow (SR)
LB: 45 Cody Lindenberg (RS SR)
LB: 6 Maverick Baranowski (RS SO)
NB: 20 Jack Henderson (RS SR/TR)
CB: 5 Justin Walley (SR)
CB: 2 Ethan Robinson (SR/TR)
FS: 16 Coleman Bryson (RS SO)
SS: 7 Aidan Gousby (RS SO)
PR: 81 Quentin Redding (RS JR)
PT: 96 Mark Crawford (RS SR)
(DE Jah Joyner – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/29 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | Last season’s 13-31 loss was the first meeting between schools.
09/07 RHODE ISLAND RAMS | First meeting between schools.
09/14 NEVADA WOLF PACK | First meeting between schools.
09/21 IOWA HAWKEYES | Minnesota leads the series 63-52-2. The Golden Gophers are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series loss (10-13) was in 2022.
09/28 @ Michigan Wolverines | Minnesota trails the series 25-77-3. The Golden Gophers are 1-4 since 2014, and their last series win (30-14) was in 2014.
10/05 USC TROJANS | Minnesota trails the series 1-6-1. The Golden Gophers lost (17-19) the last meeting between schools in 2011, and their only series win (25-19) was in 1955.
10/12 @ UCLA Bruins | Minnesota leads the series 2-1. The Golden Gophers lost (3-17) the last meeting between schools in 1978, and they won (27-13) the prior meeting in 1977.
10/26 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Minnesota trails the series 3-4. The Golden Gophers won (34-16) the last meeting between schools in 2021, and they lost (44-45) the prior meeting in 2020.
11/02 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Minnesota leads the series 40-33-3. The Golden Gophers are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (41-14) was in 2020.
11/09 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Minnesota leads the series 3-0. The Golden Gophers have won each of the prior three meetings, dating back to 2016, by and average of 22.7 points per game.
11/23 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Minnesota trails the series 6-10. The Golden Gophers lost (17-45) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and they won (31-26) the prior meeting in 2019.
11/29 @ Wisconsin Badgers | Minnesota trails the series 62-63. The Golden Gophers are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (23-16) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 6-3
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 9-3 (5th in Big Ten)
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