Previewing The Michigan Vs. Minnesota Matchup With A Golden Gophers Insider

By Clayton Sayfie

TheWolverine.com caught up with Randy Johnson of The Minnesota Star Tribune for insight on the Minnesota Golden Gophers ahead of the game against Michigan Wolverines football. Johnson broke down the Gophers and predicted how the game could play out. We begin with Minnesota’s projected starting lineup.

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Minnesota projected starters on offense

• #16 – Graduate QB Max Brosmer (6-2, 225) — The New Hampshire transfer was named an Associated Press second-team FCS All-American last season. He played in 36 career games at the school, throwing for 8,713 yards and 70 touchdowns, adding 10 scores on the ground. He’s connected on 65.8 percent of his passes for 836 yards and 5 touchdowns with 3 interceptions this season. Minnesota is most effective on his intermediate and deep throws. He’s 18-of-28 for 274 yards on passes between 10-19 air yards and 4-of-11 for 114 yards on throws of 20-plus air yards.

• #1 – Sophomore RB Darius Taylor (6-0, 215) — The Detroit Walled Lake Western product is leading the team with 222 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 35 carries. He racked up 799 yards and 5 scores on 138 rushes in only six games last season. Taylor is also involved in the passing game this fall, hauling in 11 receptions for 98 yards and a score. He splits carries with graduate Marcus Major, an Oklahoma transfer who’s recorded 162 yards and 2 scores on 40 attempts.

• #9 – Fifth-year senior WR Daniel Jackson (6-0, 195) — The second-team All-Big Ten standout from last season is far and away Minnesota’s leading receiver, with 21 grabs for 268 yards. Eight of his catches have come on throws between 10-19 air yards. Over his career, he’s totaled 154 receptions, 2,090 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

• #0 – Redshirt junior WR La’Meke Brockington (6-0, 195) — Ranks third on the team with 6 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. He made 5 grabs for 73 yards and 1 score in seven outings last season, missing six games with an injury.

• #11 – Senior WR Elijah Spencer (6-2, 200) — Lining up primarily in the slot, he’s second on the team with 12 receptions for 153 yards and a score. He’s in his second season in Minneapolis after transferring in from Charlotte, where he was an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2022.

• #86 – Redshirt junior TE Jameson Geers (6-5, 255) — Has caught 7 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown this season. He had a pair of receptions for 10 yards and a score in 12 games with two starts in 2023. He has a 59.5 PFF run-blocking grade on the year.

• #69 – Redshirt senior LT Aireontae Ersery (6-6, 330) — PFF’s third-ranked tackle on its 2025 NFL Draft big board was a second-team All-Big Ten performer in 2023. He’s opened 31 career games. This season, he’s allowed only 2 pressures on 138 pass-blocking snaps. He has a 72.4 overall PFF rating, and his 79.2 pass-blocking grade ranks sixth among Big Ten tackles.

• #75 – Sixth-year senior LG Tyler Cooper (6-6, 310) — Has started 15 career games at left guard. He has a 68.7 overall PFF grade and has given up 2 pressures, including a sack, this season.

• #65 – Sophomore C Greg Johnson (6-6, 320) — Has opened six career contests, including all four this campaign. He made two starts at left guard in 2023. He has a 55.7 overall PFF grade with 3 pressures allowed this year.

• #78 – Junior RG Ashton Beers (6-6, 320) — The first-year starter has given up 5 pressures and a sack this season, grading out at 57.6 overall per PFF.

• #77 – Graduate RT Quinn Carroll (6-7, 315) — The Notre Dame transfer (2019-21) is in his third season at Minnesota, having started 30 games for the Gophers entering Saturday. He has a 71.2 overall PFF grade with 5 pressures and a sack allowed this year.

Minnesota projected starters on defense

• #97 – Redshirt senior DT Jalen Logan-Redding (6-4, 290) — The third-year starter has registered 8 tackles, a half-tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries and 7 pressures this season. He notched 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2023.

• #91 – Redshirt junior DT Deven Eastern (6-6, 310) — The nose tackle has 7 stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 2 pressures so far this season.

• #17 – Redshirt senior DE Jah Joyner (6-5, 265) — The 2023 honorable mention All-Big Ten pick posted 18 tackles and a team-best 7.5 sacks (tied third in the Big Ten) last season. He’s tallied 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack, 4 quarterback hurries, 1 pass breakup and a tied-for-team-high 8 pressures this fall.

• #92 – Fifth-year senior DE Danny Striggow (6-5, 255) — The two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection is fourth on the team with 19 tackles, adding 2 behind the line of scrimmage and 1.5 sacks. He has 7 pressures. He’s made 14.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 41 games over his career.

• #45 – Redshirt senior LB Cody Lindenberg (6-3, 240) — The 2022 honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree has racked up 141 tackles, including 9 for loss and 2 sacks, in 30 career tilts. He has 26 stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 2 pass breakups in 2024.

• #6 – Redshirt sophomore LB Maverick Baranowski (6-2, 230) — Leads Minnesota with 27 tackles, also contributing 2.5 for loss, a half-sack and a quarterback hurry. He had 52 stops in 2023.

• #20 – Fifth-year senior NB Jack Henderson (6-2, 215) — In his second season after transferring in from Southeastern Louisiana, he’s had a pick-six and a fumble recovery against Rhode Island and 1.5 sacks versus Nevada. He’s also totaled 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 quarterback hurry. His 83.1 PFF coverage grade ranks sixth among Big Ten defenders.

• #5 – Senior CB Justin Walley (5-11, 195) — Missed last week’s game with a knee injury, going down the prior game against Nevada. His status is questionable for this weekend’s game — sophomore Za’Quan Bryan got the start in his place versus Iowa (he leads the team with 4 pass breakups). In three clashes, Walley has recorded 8 tackles and an interception. He’s been targeted 8 times, allowing 4 catches for 67 yards.

• #2 – Senior CB Ethan Robinson (6-0, 190) — The Bucknell transfer was tabbed as first-team All-Patriot League in 2023. He’s accumulated 17 tackles, 1 stop for loss, 1 interception and 2 pass breakups in four games as a Gopher. He’s given up 2 catches for 21 yards on 8 targets in coverage.

• #7 – Redshirt sophomore S Aidan Gousby (6-0, 190) — Missed last week’s game against Iowa (upper-body injury). He has 6 tackles and an interception in three outings. He’s given up 5 receptions for 23 yards on 7 targets. Junior Darius Green, who started 11 games last season, filled in for Gousby against the Hawkeyes.

• #16 – Redshirt sophomore S Coleman Bryson (6-2, 215) — He’s made 8 tackles and given up 1 reception for 11 yards on 3 targets this season. He totaled 25 tackles a season ago.

Minnesota specialists

• #99 – Fifth-year senior K Dragan Kesich (6-5, 235) — The 2023 first-team All-Big Ten honoree made 23 of his 27 kicks with a 54-yard long last season, but he’s tied his 2023 number of missed field goals already this year. He’s 5-of-9 with a 53-yard long. One of his misses was a 47-yard potential game-winner in the season opener against North Carolina. He’s booted touchbacks on 19 of his 22 kickoffs.

• #96 – Fifth-year senior P Mark Crawford (6-4, 230) — The Perth, Western Australia, native is averaging 43.3 yards per punt with a 58-yard long. He’s pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line on 3 of his 16 kicks. His 3.72-second average hangtime ranks 18th in the Big Ten.

• #3 – Freshman KR/PR Koi Perich (6-1, 200) — The defensive back and former top-60 overall recruit in the 2023 class has returned 3 punts for 50 yards with a 28-yard long and 4 kicks for 80 yards with a 21-yard long.

Max Brosmer makes the jump

Brosmer is Minnesota’s replacement for Athan Kaliakmanis, who transferred to Rutgers this past offseason. Kaliakmanis completed a dismal 53.1 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. So far, Brosmer’s numbers have been better, though he has thrown 3 interceptions in the last two weeks, including 2 against Iowa.

“Max hasn’t been perfect by any means, but he’s not to blame for the two losses,” Johnson said. “I’d give him a ‘B’ grade, and he was quite effective in the first half against Iowa, leading two TD drives with some pinpoint passing.”

The Minnesota offense

Minnesota has long looked to establish the run under head coach P.J. Fleck, but the Golden Gophers are only averaging 117.3 rushing yards per contest so far, good for 17th out of 18 Big Ten teams. Still, the duo of Taylor and Major stands out in the backfield.

Jackson, too, is a game-changer for the Golden Gophers. He’s been targeted 33 times — more than double the next highest player in the receiving corps — and made 21 grabs. His average depth of target is 11.9 yards, so Michigan will have to be on alert for him down the field.

The Minnesota offensive line returned three starters from last season. Brosmer has been under pressure on only 24.6 percent of his dropbacks, but the line hasn’t paved the way in the run game the way Fleck would like.

“Strengths on offense are running back Darius Taylor, Brosmer, Daniel Jackson, Aireontae Ersery and emerging TE Jameson Geers,” Johnson said. “The Gophers have a veteran offensive line that so far hasn’t lived up to its billing.”

The Minnesota defense

Minnesota’s two edge rushers, Joyner and Striggow, have combined for 15 pressures, and backup Anthony Smith has added 8 of his own. Lindenberg has been a fixture as a middle linebacker for years, adding to a strong front seven.

The status of Walley, who went down with an injury against Nevada, will be crucial for Minnesota. Henderson, though, has been a big-time player at the nickel back spot.

“Strengths on defense are ends Jah Joyner and Danny Striggow, LB Cody Lindenberg, CB Justin Walley and nickel back Jack Henderson,” Johnson noted. “The weakness is the run defense.”

The issues defending the run came to a head last weekend, when Iowa gashed the Gophers for 181 rushing yards in the second half alone (and 272 for the game). North Carolina had success to the tune of 147 rushing yards in the opener, too.

How the game could play out

“I’ll save my final prediction for my newspaper, but I do expect Michigan to control the game along both lines for a comfortable victory,” Johnson began. “Michigan’s defense, with possibly four first-round draft picks, will be difficult to beat. In order to pull a big upset, the Gophers need to win the turnover battle decisively and control the ball to shorten the game.”