Chip Scoggins: Gophers QB Leidner finds a mentor in Vikings' Harnish

Mitch Leidner flew home from Texas beat-up physically and wounded mentally after a nightmarish performance that raised questions about his potential as a college quarterback.

Leidner committed four turnovers in a 30-7 loss to TCU. He threw three interceptions and was fortunate that two other passes weren't picked off.

Already playing with a sprained knee ligament, Leidner also suffered a turf toe injury that knocked him out of the game in the fourth quarter. Basically, the Gophers sophomore quarterback was a mess.

He called a friend for advice two days later.

"I asked from a mindset of, how do you bounce back from a game like this?" Leidner said.

The person on the other end knew exactly how Leidner felt. Chandler Harnish had endured tough situations similar to that as a young college quarterback, too.

Leidner felt better after Harnish's pep talk, which he described as "comforting."

"He's a great resource for me," Leidner said.

Their relationship has blossomed from an initial phone call last winter arranged by Gophers coach Jerry Kill, who suggested that Leidner contact Kill's former quarterback at Northern Illinois.

Originally just a casual long-distance friendship, the two spend more time together now that Harnish is a member of the Vikings practice squad.

Harnish visits the Gophers facility on his days off and recently studied video with Leidner and the other Gophers quarterbacks. Harnish watched the past two games from the sideline, offering encouragement to Leidner between series.

"It's cool to have a guy who's been through it all to be able to help you like that," Leidner said.

Harnish makes it clear he's not trying to overstep his bounds. He remains very close to his former coaches, particularly quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski. Those men are the experts, but Harnish appreciates that Kill entrusted him to help nurture Leidner's development.

"I like to think of it a little bit like a mentor-type relationship," Harnish said.

Harnish started three seasons for Kill at Northern Illinois. He knows Kill's system well, and his perspective can be valuable because he's not that far removed from being in Leidner's shoes.

"He always has good pointers and tips for me to continue to work on," Leidner said.

Their first conversation focused on leadership. Leidner called Harnish not long after Philip Nelson left the program, which elevated Leidner's status. The Gophers became his team in that instant, and Leidner wanted to make sure he approached it the right way.

"You have to be a vocal leader to be a quarterback," Harnish said. "I told him to trust the system, communicate with coaches."

Harnish sees a similar progression to his own college career. He eased into his role as a passer in his first season as a starter at NIU. He averaged only 152 yards passing and threw more interceptions (nine) than touchdown passes (eight).

Leidner is averaging 141.2 yards passing and has the same number of touchdowns (five) as interceptions.

"He's doing exactly what they're asking him to do," Harnish said. "As he continues to succeed and they win games and he shows that consistent leadership, more is going to put on his plate."

That gradual evolution has been evident in Big Ten games. Leidner admittedly had a rough start to his season. His body language, the way he threw the ball, he just looked burdened by being the No. 1 quarterback.

He missed the San Jose State game to recover from his injuries, but that break also enabled him to clear his head and realize that he needed to calm down and stop being so uptight.

"This game is fun," he said. "There's no sense in me trying to be perfect every single day. Mistakes are going to happen. That helped me get past that point."

He played more relaxed at Michigan as he executed a game plan that focused on high-percentage passes. He took another important step Saturday against Purdue.

Trailing by 11 points at halftime, Leidner rallied the Gophers with his arm. He passed for 143 yards in the third quarter, mostly on three deep passes, including a 37-yard touchdown dart to KJ Maye.

His passing remains a work in progress. He badly overthrew Maxx Williams on a key third down in the fourth quarter on what should have been a routine pass. A personal foul penalty away from the play softened the impact of that misfire.

Harnish sees big improvement though. He told Leidner that his throw to Maye was the best he's made this season.

"His confidence has grown exponentially," Harnish said. "The way he's throwing the football with confidence, you can just see that he's building his presence more and more."

Chip Scoggins • chip.scoggins@startribune.com