Gophers spring game: Five story lines

Spring symbolizes hope, and that certainly applies to the college football world, where teams put a focus on what's new and shiny as they go through spring practices and show it all off in the spring game.

For the Gophers, the spring game this year actually comes before spring weather has arrived. It'll be played on Saturday, March 61^st — or April 30^th, if you want to be technical and ignore this unseasonably cool weather.

The game won't, however, be played outdoors at Huntingdon Bank Stadium. Instead, the Gophers moved it to their indoor practice facility at the Athletes Village because of Saturday's forecast of thunder, lightning and rain. The game will start at 1 p.m., but no longer will be open to the public because of limited space. It will air on BTN, as planned.

Filling holes and developing depth were spring priorities for Gophers coach P.J. Fleck, and he's optimistic about the results.

"We put a lot on their plate, and they've responded really well. And creating depth is the key to the spring, in my opinion. We know what some guys can do, like we know what John Michael [Schmitz] can do. We know what Mo Ibrahim can do. We know what Tyler Nubin, Jordan Howden and Justin Walley can do, but what about the other guys? … I really like our progress so far.''

Here are five story lines for the spring game:

1. Meet the new boss, who once was the old boss

While Tanner Morgan is back for a fifth season as the starting quarterback, he'll have a different play-caller this year with the return of Kirk Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after two years away from the program. Ciarrocca used spring practice to refamiliarize himself with Morgan's strengths and weaknesses, with the hopes of improving on a 2021 season in which Morgan had a 10-9 TD-to-interception ratio.

"I tried to erase what I knew about him in 2019 and said, 'OK, I'm gonna start over again,' and just try to get a feel for what he does,'' Ciarrocca said.

Ciarrocca likely will take a long look at backups Cole Kramer and Athan Kaliakmanis during the spring game. Kramer, a fourth-year junior, gives the Gophers a running threat, while Kaliakmanis, a redshirt freshman, has impressed with his passing touch.

2. Backup backs getting their chance

Fleck said Mohamed Ibrahim and Trey Potts won't play Saturday, and Bryce Williams will be "on a pitch count'' as the running back trio continues to come back from season-ending injuries. That will leave the bulk of the reps to redshirt sophomore Kendall Moore, redshirt freshman Jordan Nubin and true freshman Zach Evans. The 5-10, 205-pound Evans has been especially impressive in spring drills, flashing the form that made him the nation's No. 10-ranked running back by Rivals.com in the 2022 recruiting class.

3. Wideouts seeking bounce-back season

In 2021, the Gophers wide receiver corps took hit after hit. Chris Autman-Bell missed two games and almost all of another because of an ankle injury. Dylan Wright dealt with the death of a brother and missed time. Daniel Jackson missed a couple of games because of a leg injury. This spring, though, the group is healthy and poised to make a bigger impact come fall.

"It's just coming out every day and having a mind-set to attack,'' redshirt junior Michael Brown-Stephens said. "We talked about chasing the challenge — just coming out every day looking to get better.''

Jackson, Wright and Brown-Stephens figure to see plenty of action Saturday, and a true freshman to watch will be Ike White.

4. Transfers bolster both lines

Both the offensive and defensive lines suffered substantial losses to graduation, so Fleck reached into the transfer portal to plug some holes.

On the offensive line, Chuck Filiaga, formerly of Michigan, has slotted in well at right guard and impressed Fleck with his approach. "You know what type of player they are when you watch the film, but you really just don't know the person that well,'' Fleck said. "And getting to know Chuck has been great because he's refreshing. He's a breath of fresh air. He's so excited to be here.''

Quinn Carroll, a former Edina standout, will join the Gophers this summer after he graduates from Notre Dame. He'll likely battle for the right tackle spot.

On the defensive line, Vanderbilt transfer Lorenza Surgers and Darnell Jefferies of Clemson add experience to a group that must reload.

5. Secondary in good hands

Transfers figure to make an impact in the defensive backfield, too, with Ryan Stapp, formerly of Abilene Christian, and Beanie Bishop, who played at Western Kentucky, bolstering the secondary. Stapp stood out during Tuesday's practice with a 100-yard interception return for a TD.

Another player to watch in the secondary: junior safety Michael Dixon, who came on strong last season, intercepted a pass against West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl and has had a standout spring.