Tanner Morgan #2 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers warms up before the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois. ((Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota football team takes a two-game losing streak to Penn State for a night game on Saturday, and PJ Fleck does not yet know if starting quarterback Tanner Morgan will be available.
Morgan left Saturday’s 26-14 loss at Illinois after taking a blow to the head during the fourth quarter. Illini linebacker Gaba Jacas, trying to punch the football out while Morgan is scrambling, hit Morgan in the side of the helmet with a closed fist. Before the hit, Morgan was just 4-fo-12 passing for 21 yards.
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PJ Fleck talks Tanner Morgan, Gophers QB situation at Penn State
Gophers coach PJ Fleck on Monday addressed Tanner Morgan's upper body injury suffered at Illinois and gives an update on the quarterback situation going into Penn State.
He left the field under his own power, went into the tent and was eventually carted to the locker room with a towel on his head. After the loss, Morgan was taken to an Illinois medical center with what Fleck called an upper body injury, and was evaluated before being cleared to fly home with the team. Fleck said Monday at his weekly news conference Morgan is feeling "much better."
"Tanner is doing very well. Woke up Sunday morning and surprisingly felt really good, which is great," Fleck said. "That stuff is out of my hands, I just know he appreciates all the prayers, thoughts, support, text messages from everybody. Surprisingly woke up and felt really good. He’s in our medical care’s umbrella. In terms of the quarterback situation, we have other quarterbacks that can play if he’s not able to go. But that’s not ruled out yet, and I’m not the one in charge of those decisions."
Morgan’s status for Saturday is unclear, and Fleck wasn’t sure if he would practice on Tuesday. Fleck said he will be at practice, and has played enough football in 44 career starts that they’re not going to rush him to come back.
"We’ll see how he feels, but I know this, our medical staff isn’t going to do anything that puts Tanner’s life, safety, health in jeopardy. This is so far out of my control," Fleck said.
Morgan is 31-13 in 44 career starts with the Gophers. On the season, Morgan is completing nearly 67 percent of his passes, averaging 194 yards per game with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Not only did Morgan not get the first down on the play, there was no flag on Jacas’ hit. Fleck said Illinois coach Bret Bielema reached out to him after the game, and there was no ill-intent on the play.
"I have a ton of respect for Coach Bielema. He called me right after the game, and he saw the hit and we talked about it. It’s football, the guy is going for the ball. We all teach players to go punch the ball out, he’s going in there to punch the ball out, there’s no intent and Tanner didn’t take it that way," Fleck said. "I didn’t take it that way, I told Coach Bielema the same thing. You can’t worry about that, it’s football. It’s different than a blatant shot that has nothing to do with the football hit. That’s part of football."
If Morgan can’t play, Fleck will have to decide between Cole Kramer and Athan Kaliakmanis as the starting quarterback. Kaliakmanis filled in Saturday when Morgan exited, and went 2-for-6 for 17 yards, with two interceptions. Kramer has played in five games, and is 5-for-8 for 41 yards. As a wildcat quarterback, he has five carries for 26 yards.
Kramer played in eight games last season, and completed three passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns. He had 165 yards rushing and a pair of scores out of the wildcat.
"It’s one of those things when you look at it, I like them both. Cole’s got a lot more experience, but when you look at Athan, he’s really talented. It’s just what will he be able to process? I’ll have confidence in whoever is out there, that’s for sure," Fleck said.