Gophers' offensive lineman Curtis Dunlap Jr. enters transfer portal
Curtis Dunlap Jr. #51 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers looks on as he walks through mist during the fourth quarter of the game on September 15, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Redhawks 26-3. ((Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota football team will be without one of its starting offensive lineman whenever the next football season starts, whether it’s October, November or next January.
According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Curtis Dunlap Jr. has entered the transfer portal. The 6-5, 345-pound lineman was one of the top players of P.J. Fleck’s 2018 recruiting class.
Dunlap made the news official on social media Tuesday night.
Dunlap started 12 games at right guard last season for the Gophers, and earned All-Big Ten Honorable mention honors as a redshirt freshman. He was part of an offensive line that helped Minnesota’s offense average 34 points per game (21st nationally), 432 yards per game (42nd nationally) and more than 178 rushing yards per game (46th nationally).
That leaves the current returning starters for Minnesota’s offensive line as Blaise Andries, Conner Olson, Sam Schlueter and Daniel Fa’alele. John Michael Schmitz also started in spot duties for the Gophers last year.
It’s not clear if Dunlap’s departure is connected with the Big Ten postponing the fall football season, with other leagues planning to play as scheduled in September despite the COVID-19 pandemic.