Minnesota 2021 Spring Game: The Players Who Starred

May 3, 2021 CFB Saturdays Staff

Spring is a beautiful time of year, the weather is warming up, the days get longer and college football teams hold fifteen practices usually culminating with some form of spring game. That spring game is often the first chance fans have to see their team in action. Sure, the rules vary depending on the team, players rotate in and out, and some of the big stars don’t play much, but it’s still the first look at the team. It’s dangerous to read too much into spring game performances, but that won’t stop us from highlighting a few players who impressed in Minnesota‘s spring game.

Chris Autman-Bell

With Rashod Bateman following Tyler Johnson to the NFL, Autman-Bell is the most experienced receiver returning for the Gophers in 2021. During the spring game he showed he could be the go-to receiver for Minnesota next season. Autman-Bell made a couple of nice catches on big plays down the right sideline. On the first he spun to catch the ball which was slightly under-thrown and got his foot in bounds before going across the sideline. The second was for a touchdown again deep down the right side of the field, this time he won a jump ball against the defensive back in tight coverage. On the game winning drive for the Maroon team, Autman-Bell made a big catch on 3rd and 22 to convert a key first down and keep the drive alive. He was a big play threat all game and should lead the receiver room in 2021.

Cody Lindenberg

A 2020 recruit, Lindenberg was very good at linebacker for the Maroon team during the game. First off, he was constantly around the football, when the Gold team ran a play and the tackle was made, there was a good chance #45 in Maroon was part of the pile up. He made a big play near the goal-line early in the game shooting the gap to get penetration and make a tackle for loss on the running back. He later made a good play that wouldn’t show up in the box score. In the second half Zach Annexstad escaped pressure and scrambled to his right looking for an open receiver, Lindenberg recognized the run threat and closed on Annexstad in a hurry forcing the quarterback to rush his decision and not fully step into his throw. The result was an over-thrown ball that was intercepted by the defense. Lindenberg had a good showing and should be in the mix to play at linebacker this fall.

Daniel Jackson

While Autman-Bell is expected to lead the way at receiver, Daniel Jackson is also being counted on to step up at receiver. His spring performance showed the potential he has and why he could be a big weapon in 2021. Jackson is a quick and strong receiver, who showed good quickness after the catch to dodge defenders and pick up yards after the catch. He also showed big play ability, making the best catch of the game on a deep ball down the right sideline. Jackson made the catch over double coverage, while being grabbed and managed to tap his right toe in bounds before being pushed out of bounds. The young receiver did fumble once, but he did plenty of good to cover up for that mistake.

Terrell Smith

Smith started as a freshman but did not play as much since, in 2021 he could again start at cornerback. He is a physically impressive cornerback who can overpower receivers at times and knock them off their route. He used his physicality to disrupt passing plays long before the ball was thrown on a few occasions. Smith also showed some good ball skills, he made a nice play to breakup a pass in the end zone late in the game but couldn’t secure the interception. On the final play for the Gold team he held up in man coverage and made the interception in the endzone to secure the victory for the Maroon Team. Smith was solid all game, but really shined at the finish.

Minnesota’s OL as Playmakers

One of the beauties of a spring game is the trick plays that a coach may never have run in a real game. The Gopher’s coaching staff gave their offensive linemen chances to be playmakers during the spring game and both Danielle Faalele and Sam Schlueter delivered. Faalele lined up as the wildcat quarterback near the goal-line, faked a run to his right and then floated a touchdown pass to a wide open tight end for the touchdown. Schlueter got his chance later on a goal-line play where he pretended to pull, but took the hand off from the quarterback and ran around the right end and over the defender for a touchdown. Schlueter and Faalele are relatively proven players but they shined in ways we didn’t know they could in the spring game.