Spring Football Position Previews – Quarterback

With spring soccer follow underway at Minnesota, we’ll be breaking down every place group within the lead-up to the spring recreation at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

2022 Quarterback Roster

Returning Starter(s): Tanner Morgan
Different Returners: Cole Kramer and Athan Kaliakmanis
Spring Enrollees: None
Fall Enrollees: Jacob Knuth

Out the Door: Zack Annexstad and Jacob Clark

Spring Quarterback Preview

Whether or not you prefer it or not, Tanner Morgan will probably be again beneath heart for the Gophers this fall after opting to return for a sixth and closing season with this system.

However the excellent news for Morgan (and Gopher followers) is that offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford Jr. is not going to be again. Head coach P.J. Fleck parted methods with Sanford on the conclusion of the common season final yr. The passing recreation had bottomed out in two seasons beneath Sanford, rating 92nd nationally in passing offense in 2020 (199.1 passing yards per recreation) and 118th in 2021 (162 passing yards per recreation).

In his press convention initially of spring follow, Fleck didn’t mince phrases when it got here to the offense’s efficiency final season, however he put the blame on himself.

“I failed as a coach final yr. I did,” Fleck mentioned. “So we gained 9 video games. That’s the fourth time within the historical past of our college we gained 9 video games. And I’m up right here telling you I failed as a head coach, I didn’t do effectively sufficient, particularly on the offensive aspect of the ball. Simply have been too inconsistent. We had approach too many three and outs, and it simply didn’t stream collectively. And that begins with me.”

Within the seek for extra consistency on offense, Fleck has turned to his former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Ciarrocca, who left Minnesota after 2019 to take the identical place at Penn State. He was fired after one season with the Nittany Lions and spent final yr as an analyst at West Virginia earlier than reuniting with Fleck. Ciarrocca would appear the logical alternative to assist Morgan regain his 2019 type, when the Gophers’ beginning quarterback broke single-season program information for passing yards (3,253) and passing touchdowns (30).

However whereas Ciarrocca mentioned he’s spending spring follow reconnecting with Morgan and ensuring the 2 are on the identical web page when it comes to his strengths and weaknesses, he believes that bettering Minnesota’s passing recreation is about greater than the quarterback place.

“I speak about music, proper? And it’s just like the orchestra,” Ciarrocca defined throughout media availability this spring. “Everyone’s obtained to play on time and when in tune, it’s a fantastic factor to hearken to. When any person is out of tune, it appears to be like ugly. So we simply gotta get the whole lot again in tune there.”

Behind Morgan, you have got redshirt junior Cole Kramer and redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis. The previous spelled Morgan a lot of final season, serving primarily as wildcat quarterback. He carried the ball 36 instances for 165 dashing yards and two touchdowns. When referred to as upon to throw the ball, Kramer was 3-for-3 for 62 passing yards and two touchdowns.

With all due respect to Cole Kramer, in case you’re searching for the inheritor obvious to Morgan, my cash is on Athan Kaliakmanis. Everybody who has seen him in follow raves about his arm energy and the downfield throws that he makes look easy. Consistency is the most important factor holding him again at this level, however he has the bodily instruments to be a Huge Ten quarterback.