New Gophers kicker Luke Drzewiecki had his eligibility upheld Thursday in a Louisiana courtroom, giving him a fifth year this fall.
Judge William Jorden of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge granted an injunction to Drzewiecki and more than 40 players in the class of 2022. The ruling came about an hour after the Gophers kicked off their season opener against Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. at Huntington Bank Stadium, and Drzewiecki was in uniform for the game, though he was not expected to play.
Drzewiecki arrived at Minnesota after four years at New Mexico and a spring appearance in a Baltimore Ravens minicamp. He later reconnected with former Lobos special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato, who is now Minnesota’s special teams coordinator, and signed with the Gophers on Aug. 21.
The kicking battle in preseason camp had centered on Michigan transfer Beckham Sunderland and Daniel Jackson. Brady Denaburg, last year’s starting kicker, briefly joined the competition after receiving eligibility in a Denver court, but that decision was overturned by a court of appeals in August.
Against Eastern Illinois, Jackson handled place-kicking duties while Sunderland worked on kickoffs.
Drzewiecki’s last season at New Mexico was a strong one. He made 18 of 19 field goals, good for 95%, and converted all 36 of his extra points. For his career, he has hit 78% of his field-goal attempts and 98% of his extra points.
“We are preparing for some of those guys not to be eligible, and we are preparing for everybody to be eligible,” Fleck said on Aug. 24.
The Gophers also learned this week what their nonconference schedule will cost. According to contracts obtained by the Pioneer Press, Minnesota will pay $2.05 million for its three nonconference games this season.
Eastern Illinois will receive $500,000, Mississippi State will get $350,000 for its Sept. 12 trip to Minneapolis, and Akron will take home $1.2 million when it visits Minnesota on Sept. 19.
The Eastern Illinois and Akron games are one-off matchups, while the Mississippi State series is a home-and-home, with Minnesota set to play in Starkville, Miss., next September. The Bulldogs will then pay Minnesota $350,000 for the second game.
Minnesota entered into the Eastern Illinois agreement in 2020, the Mississippi State series in 2016 and the Akron deal in 2021.
Fleck also said last week that three players are done for the season because of leg injuries: junior center Brett Carroll, sophomore defensive lineman Enoch Atewogbola and junior defensive back Elisa West.
Carroll’s injury is the toughest blow. The Olathe, Kan., native, who played in the high school All-American Bowl, was the backup to starter Ashton Beers and appeared in two games last season.
The Big Ten’s expanded unavailability reports begin this season, with four daily reports starting three days before a game instead of one report two hours before kickoff. Nonconference games are not included under the new rule.
In Other News...
P.J. Fleck Moments That Still Define Minnesota In The NIL Era
P.J. Flecks time at Minnesota has always been defined by the blend of recruiting, development and adjustment that has kept the program relevant in a changing college football landscape. He arrived in early 2017 and quickly put together a class that included names Minnesota fans still know well, like Mohamed Ibrahim and Tanner Morgan, giving the Gophers a foundation that helped shape the programs rise under his watch.
The bigger lesson came after a tough 2018 season, when defensive problems forced Fleck to make a major staff change and turn to Joe Rossi. Rossi simplified things on that side of the ball, Minnesota played better because of it, and the season ended with a Quick Lane Bowl win. In the NIL era, moments like those still matter because they show how Fleck has kept Minnesota moving by identifying what works, then being willing to change what does not. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Got The Easy Start They Needed But One Concern Remains
Minnesota got the kind of season-opening tuneup teams usually dream about, rolling past Eastern Illinois 59-7 and taking control early enough to spend much of the second half resting starters. Darius Taylor scored three touchdowns, the defense held Eastern Illinois to 113 total yards, and the special teams had its own breakout moment in a game that was lopsided from the start.
The bigger test comes next, when the Gophers turn their attention to Mississippi State and the first real chance to see how much of that opening-day polish carries over. After a performance like this, Minnesota can feel good about its depth and its physical edge, but the schedule is about to ask more difficult questions in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Delivered The Start Fans Wanted Before A Bigger Test Arrives
Minnesota got the kind of season-opening start fans had been waiting to see, rolling past Eastern Illinois 59-7 with a balanced burst of offense and a special teams spark that quickly put the game out of reach. Drake Lindsey connected with Pierce Walsh for a touchdown pass, and the Gophers were in control long before the final margin reflected how one-sided the afternoon had become.
Javon Tracy gave the return game a jolt and Darius Taylor was just as effective on the ground, helping Minnesota build confidence before the schedule stiffens. Eastern Illinois did find the end zone once on a Cole LaCrue touchdown pass to Tyren Buggs, but the bigger question now is how much of this performance carries over when the Gophers face a far tougher test next. [Read more 🡒]