Gophers: 9 questions facing P.J. Fleck’s 2023 Minnesota squad
Athan Kaliakmanis #8 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers throws a pass during the first half of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. ((Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team opens the 2023 season Thursday night against Nebraska under the lights at Huntington Bank Stadium, a game you can watch on FOX 9.
PJ Fleck is entering Year 7 with the Gophers, carrying a 44-27 record that includes an even 26-26 record in Big Ten play. He’s also 4-0 in bowl games. Change is coming to the Big Ten, so 2023 is a huge year for Minnesota if it wants to contend for a division title and play in Indianapolis in early December. To get there, they have to navigate one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Here are nine questions facing the 2023 Gophers:
CAN MINNESOTA WIN THE WEST?
The short answer is yes. The Big Ten West features four new head coaches in Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Luke Fickell (Wisconsin), Ryan Walters (Purdue) and David Braun (Northwestern). It’s widely thought that Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois are the four teams with a legit chance to win the Big Ten West. For the Gophers, that’s where Thursday’s opener against the Cornhuskers looms large. Fall to Nebraska, and the division hopes take a big hit. The other thorn in Fleck’s side is Iowa. He’s 0-6 against the Hawkeyes, and at least the last three contests have been there to win.
HOW WILL ATHAN KALIAKMANIS HANDLE BEING QB1?
It’s a new era at quarterback as the Gophers will likely start Athan Kaliakmanis. He played in 11 games last year, with five starts. He threw for 946 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. He threw for 319 yards and two scores against the Badgers last year. All accounts from within the team are that he has made leaps in his leadership, and has command of the offense. He’ll have his lumps, but if he has a good season, the Gophers can go a long way.
WHO LEADS THE WIDE RECEIVER ROOM?
The easy answer is Daniel Jackson. He led the Gophers last year with 557 yards and five touchdowns. Fleck brought in transfers Corey Crooms and Elijah Spencer, and Brevyn Spann-Ford is expected to have a huge season at tight end. LeMeke Brockington made strides in fall camp, and if the Gophers can get production from Chris Autman-Bell on his return from injury, even better.
WHO STEPS UP IN THE SECONDARY?
We know what we’ll get from Justin Walley and Tyler Nubin. The two combined for 94 tackles and seven interceptions last year. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. The other names to watch are Tyler Bride, Darius Green, Coleman Bryson, Za’Quan Bryan and Tariq Watson.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CROSSOVER GAMES?
There’s been plenty of talk about the schedule, or as Fleck calls it, "opportunities." The Gophers get three Big Ten East opponents, and two of them are the best in the country. Minnesota will host No. 2 Michigan on Oct. 7 at Huntington Bank Stadium, and host Michigan State on Oct. 28. They travel to No. 3 Ohio State Nov. 18. Both the Wolverines and Buckeyes lost in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year, and the Spartans had a disappointing 5-7 season. The Gophers will be underdogs against Michigan and Ohio State. The would be to go 2-1, winning both home games.
OVER OR UNDER ON 6.5 WINS?
The Gophers aren’t getting a lot of national respect, with their over/under win total for betting purposes at 6.5 wins. Call me a homer, but I’m absolutely hammering the over. If the Gophers can’t win at least seven games, 2023 is a disappointment. Minnesota should beat Nebraska Thursday, and should beat Eastern Michigan and Louisisan-Lafayette in the non-conference. A road game at North Carolina and the Drake Maye show is the wild card, but it’s a game the Gophers can absolutely win.
I’m penciling in Northwestern, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa and Purdue as wins. That’s right, Fleck beats Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes for the first time this season. For practical purposes, I’ll tab the losses as Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. That puts the Gophers at 9-3.
WHAT’S UP ON SPECIAL TEAMS?
Special teams are largely solidified, with Dragan Kesich taking over full-time kicking duties. Mark Crawford will punt, and the questions are at kick and punt return. Quentin Redding will likely have a least one of those roles.
WHO TAKES OVER AT RUNNING BACK?
Mo Ibrahim is gone, and Fleck has already said the 2023 Gophers’ run game will be by committee. Sean Tyler and Darius Taylor split most of the first-team reps in fall camp. Zach Evans and Bryce Williams also got run. It will likely be a Tyler/Taylor combo to start. Tyler had a standout career at Western Michigan before transferring to the Gophers, and Taylor is a freshman, a top recruit out of Michigan.
WHO WILL BE THE UNSUNG HEROES ON OFFENSE/DEFENSE?
On offense, the hope is it’s Chris Autman-Bell. The seventh-year senior is back after tearing multiple ligaments against Colorado last season. The hope was he would be Minnesota’s top receiver. In 47 career games, he has 125 catches for 1,970 yards and 13 touchdowns. It will be a great comeback story if Autman-Bell can make an impact on the offense in his final season.
On defense, we’ll go with a combo of Devon Williams and Anthony Smith. Williams, a redshirt sophomore last year, made two tackles in seven games. He’s been battling for the No. 2 linebacker job alongside Cody Lindenberg, and looked good in his reps. Smith is a physical specimen at 6-6 and 285 pounds that has NFL scouts drooling. He had one tackle in two games last year, and is expected to take big strides.
Enjoy the season. With USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington coming in next year, it’s likely the Gophers’ last chance to win a division title.