The most significant storyline of the now concluded Golden Gopher football regular season was the performance of redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey. Playing football’s most important position, Lindsey was pivotal in Minnesota’s seven victories including over Rutgers, Nebraska, Michigan State and yesterday against Wisconsin.
The Gophers retained Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the fourth time in five years at snowy Huntington Bank Stadium because they have a much better quarterback than Wisconsin. In his first season as a college starter, Lindsey threw for 2,235 yards, ninth best in the 18-team Big Ten Conference.
He threw 16 touchdown passes, including one key second half strike yesterday in the 17-7 win over the Badgers. More impressive, over 12 starts he had only six interceptions, with half of those coming against Iowa in Iowa City. His decision making and leadership of the offense was decisive and head-turning for an inexperienced player facing major college competition.
How Lindsey performed was even more admirable given how lacking the support around him often was. His receivers struggled for separation on their routes and dropped too many passes. The offensive line’s work was spotty at best. The running game was among the Big Ten’s worst and didn’t provide much complementary threat to the passing offense.
Now head coach P.J. Fleck and offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. have to retain Lindsey who could choose to play three more seasons in Minneapolis. With revenue share money, Lindsey will be a million-dollar quarterback next year—either at Minnesota or elsewhere.
With about a $14.5 million budget to pay players, the Gophers might offer Lindsey $1.5 million. In addition, six-figures in NIL money is a given. Rival college programs have the resources to offer more total compensation and are more than aware of the talented 6-foot-5, 230-pound passer and leader.
But it seems likely Lindsey will stay with his team. He comes from a family with money so it’s not like he needs to support mom, dad and siblings. The Arkansas native’s relationship is also strong with Fleck and Harbaugh. The three formed a bond during Lindsey’s high school days when the hometown Razorbacks didn’t aggressively pursue him.
Gophers Notes
The win yesterday moved Minnesota ahead in the all-time series with the Badgers, 64-63-8. Fleck’s teams are 5-4 in college football’s oldest rivalry. The Badgers beat Minnesota every year from 2004-2017.
The win, which came on Fleck’s 45th birthday, all but certainly ended a dreaded bowl invitation to Detroit. With a 7-5 record, the Gophers are most likely headed to a bowl destination in Nashville, Las Vegas or Phoenix.
If Minnesota had lost yesterday and finished with a 6-6 record, the Gophers could have been headed to Detroit where they have played three times since 2015—and were mocked for not earning a more prestigious bowl invitation.
The Big Ten has an agreement with the GameAbove Sports Bowl to provide a team and typically play against a representative from the Mid-American Conference. At 6-6 it looks like Northwestern will receive the 2025 invite to Detroit.
Making matters even more awkward for the Gophers if they had been Detroit-bound is that Western Michigan could represent the MAC. That’s where Fleck coached before coming to Minnesota in 2017. After nine seasons with the Gophers, it wouldn’t have been a good look going back to Detroit and facing his old school.
The Gophers were winless on the road this season but 7-0 at home. It ‘s the first time since 1967 Minnesota has been undefeated at home.
Minnesota’s 5-4 conference record meant the Gophers achieved that win total for the fourth time in five years. The last time the Gophers had a five-year stretch with winning Big Ten records four times was 1964-1968.
Fleck’s Big Ten record is now 39-40. He is 65-44 overall at Minnesota and has moved ahead of Glen Mason for fourth most wins ever by a Gopher coach.
It might be that Minnesota cornerback John Nestor and Illinois defensive back Miles Scott are announced Monday as Big Ten Co-Defensive Players of the Week. Nestor had two interceptions and a fumble recovery yesterday. Scott had two interceptions in the last five minutes of a 20-13 win over Northwestern.
The Gophers may not have a player selected first team All-Big Ten. Honors candidates for recognition after first team are likely to include Nestor, safety Koi Perich, defensive linemen Anthony Smith and Deven Eastern, and punter Tom Weston whose punting average of 42.8 yards and precision placement (20 balls inside opponents’ 20 yard-line) have been impressive overall and contributed to yesterday’s win.
Emmett Johnson, the Nebraska running back from Minneapolis who led the Big Ten in rushing yards with 1,451, wasn’t offered a scholarship by the Gophers when he played for Holy Angels. Most major schools didn’t pursue Minnesota’s 2021 Mr. Football, but Nebraska did and the redshirt junior has made major improvements in college including his wicked change of direction.