Minnesota’s fall camp has answered a few questions about the Gophers, but it hasn’t exactly shut the notebook.
After three open practices and two weeks of fresh looks, there’s a little more clarity on some pieces of the 2026 team. Aydan West and TJ Bush have both looked like real additions, enough that it feels fair to say Minnesota won the Koi Perich trade if those two are the main returns tied to the budget that opened up after Perich’s departure. West, in particular, looks like the kind of player who could become a defensive cornerstone down the road.
There’s also more confidence now that Drake Lindsey has made the next jump that was expected of him. And while the offensive and defensive lines feel more settled than they did before camp opened, there are still plenty of questions left in those rooms.
One of the biggest is whether Minnesota can get enough interior pressure from its defensive tackles.
The 2025 season didn’t do that group many favors. Jalen Logan-Redding’s early-season injury clearly hurt his year, and the room as a whole never really found the kind of steady impact Minnesota wanted. Even so, the Gophers are still searching for better play from the middle of the defensive line heading into 2026.
Camp left a mixed impression. The ceiling in the room may not be higher than it was when Logan-Redding was healthy and Deven Eastern was at his best, but the depth looks improved. Minnesota’s offensive line had moments where it opened up big running lanes, which was encouraging on the other side of the ball, but the Gophers do have the kind of size you want in Big Ten play with Riley Sunram and Naquan Crowder.
The real issue is what happens on passing downs. Minnesota should have enough coming off the edge with Anthony Smith, Karter Menz, and TJ Bush to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. What the Gophers still need is pressure up the middle to make the whole rush package work.
That’s where Jaylin Hicks and Xion Chapman come in, and neither has given Minnesota a full answer yet. Hicks, who might be the team’s best pure pass-rushing defensive tackle, missed all three open practices and does not appear likely to be ready for week 1.
Chapman, a transfer from Florida International who posted strong pass-rush numbers last season, is still shaking off rust after missing spring ball because of an offseason surgery. He remains an intriguing piece, but the production hasn’t shown up yet.
Another question that hangs over the offense: is there a true No. 1 wide receiver in this group?
The likely answer, at least for now, is that Minnesota may not have one in the traditional sense. Ryan Burns has pointed out that the Gophers could end up with a wide receiver room that rotates the lead role from week to week. Jalen Smith might be the top target one game, Noah Jennings the next, and Javon Tracy after that.
That kind of spread-out approach is not a problem in itself. It may even be the best way to handle a receiver room that has come up short in recruiting over multiple years. And with Drake Lindsey now in place, Minnesota has a quarterback who can actually work through a full progression and make that style function.
In Other News...
Gophers Enter Opener Prep With One Key Camp Question Still Hanging
Minnesota wrapped up its final open practice of fall camp at Huntington Bank Stadium as the Gophers turn their attention to Thursdays season opener against Eastern Illinois. The last look before game-planning begins offered a chance to check on a roster still taking shape, with running back A.J. Turner back in contact work for the first time since ACL surgery and quarterback Drake Lindsey drawing notice for the way he has handled camp.
P.J. Fleck has spent much of camp talking about growth, readiness and the next step for a team that is about to move from evaluation to preparation. Turners return adds another layer to the backfield conversation, while Lindseys progress gives Minnesota something to monitor as the opener approaches and the Gophers start sorting out what camp developments will actually carry over once the game plan is set. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Just Landed A Late Kicker Addition With Unusual Stakes
The Gophers added an unusual late piece to their 2026 plans by signing kicker Luke Drzewiecki out of the transfer portal. It is the kind of move that can quietly matter more than it first appears, especially for a team that wants every special teams edge it can get heading into a new season.
Drzewieckis path to Minnesota was shaped by a U.S. District Court ruling that granted a preliminary injunction affecting athletes from the 2022 high school class, which opened the door for him to become eligible for a fifth year of college football. The ruling also pushes back against the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, and it allowed Drzewiecki to join Minnesota just before the season starts, adding a late twist to a roster move with real stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Camp Just Raised A Few Real Opening Week Questions
Three weeks into preseason camp, Minnesota is starting to get a better sense of what its 2026 opener might look like, and P.J. Fleck is still trying to strike the right balance between building readiness and not getting too far ahead of himself. The Gophers have been working through the usual camp mix of competition, evaluation and health checks, with quarterback Drake Lindsey and running back AJ Turner both taking part in practice and Lindsey expected to be under center against Eastern Illinois.
The final open practice also offered a fresh look at how the roster is coming together, from notable performances to injury updates that could shape the early depth chart. Minnesota added kicker Luke Drzewiecki as part of the ongoing roster work, and the next few practices will keep sorting out who is ready now, who is still coming along and which questions still need answers before the first kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]