Circumstances could be right for true freshman quarterback Demry Croft to play his first minutes and make his initial start for the Gophers on Saturday.
Minnesota, 2-1, plays Ohio, 3-0, in the Gophers final nonconference game on Saturday. The crowd at TCF Bank Stadium will be ready to second-guess a Minnesota offense that has produced only five touchdowns this season, including just one score against mediocre Kent State last Saturday.
Boos at the Kent State game seemed mostly directed at starting quarterback Mitch Leidner and the play calling of the coaching staff. Leidner, now in his second season as a full-time starter, has long been a target of critics because of inconsistent passing. He has sometimes received blame when it was the failure of others who didn’t complete their assignments.
Fans—many of whom have minimal understanding of football—focus comments on the quarterback of any team because it’s the most visible position on the field. Minnesota’s problems on offense go way beyond Leidner, including the unit’s well documented injuries in the offensive line and tight end positions.
Head coach Jerry Kill and his staff have met with the players since the Kent State game. He said on WCCO Radio this morning he solicited their opinions on how things can improve. He also told them “everybody’s job is on the line” this week as the Gophers prepare for Ohio. He wants to encourage competition for playing time.
Starting Croft on Saturday might give the offense a spark, and the change doesn’t have to be an indictment of Leidner. Against Ohio, the Gophers will still be playing with a rebuilt offensive line and the blocking could again be problematic, but sometimes changing quarterbacks provides a lift. If Croft takes the field and makes successful plays he will energize the crowd, and that might give the players an emotional boost.
Kill acknowledged the psyche of his players on WCCO Radio last Sunday morning. “I think the kids right now, on the offensive side of the ball, are in the tank. We gotta get them out of the tank and get them to believe that they can do it. That’s the No. 1 issue that we gotta do this week.
“They (the players) get accustomed to social media—all the things that are being said about them. When you start thinking you’re not very good, that’s not a good deal.”
The oldest story in football might be fans demanding the backup quarterback when the starter doesn’t meet their standards. Fans in Minnesota have been clamoring for Croft’s debut, and expectations about the 18-year-old Rockford, Illinois native have been partially created by his coaches. Kill described the under recruited Croft as a “steal” last winter after signing him to a national letter of intent. “We feel like the sky’s the limit for him,” offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover told Sports Headliners in the spring. And last month, when the Gophers began practices, Kill praised the 6-foot-5 Croft’s athleticism and poise.
Croft may prove to be a better runner than Leidner. If the Gophers commit to running their quarterback more on Saturday than in the past, that could give the offense a new dimension and cause a breakout day by the offense.
Don’t count on Kill making an announcement before Thursday at the earliest about who starts at quarterback in the next game. By using that strategy he can keep the Ohio coaches and players guessing. There may also be value in not announcing the starter to his own players until late in the week or on game day—allowing Croft to avoid worrying too long about his debut.
If Croft starts the game and falters it could take future pressure off Leidner. When fan criticism becomes ugly, it can get the attention of even a professional—just ask former Viking QB Christian Ponder what his Minnesota boo-bird experience was like. A scenario where Leidner replaces Croft in the second half and leads the Gophers to a win over Ohio would give the former Lakeville South QB a higher approval rating.
The Gophers schedule of upcoming games adds to the case for starting Croft on Saturday. Let him start in the final nonconference game at home before Minnesota goes on the road the next two Saturdays for Big Ten games. Croft, who if he does play is likely to be given a simplified offense, could shake rust off against Ohio and gain experience. If he and the offense are successful, that establishes confidence going against nationally ranked Northwestern a week from Saturday.
If Croft struggles, then the Gophers can start over with Leidner either this Saturday or next week. They will have the comfort of knowing that for the first two Big Ten Saturdays they can avoid the maroon and gold critics in the stands.