The 2015 Minnesota Gophers spring game is in the books, and a large crowd which filtered into TCF saw the offense finish with a 24-0 win over the defense in a 100-snap scheme. Fans caught several positive glimpses of what this squad is preparing to do for the fall, and head coach Jerry Kill affirmed following the game.
"You really don't know how everything goes until you watch film," Kill said, "but I think we got what we needed to get accomplished."
All eyes were on the running back position, as David Cobb left behind a large void in the rushing game. During his 2014 senior season, Cobb set school single-season records when he rushed 314 times for 1,626 yards. He also finished with seven 100-yard rushing games.
Cobb left big shoes to fill, but the Gophers are preparing for the 2015 season with depth at running back. Jeff Jones, Berkley Edwards, Rodney Smith and Rodrick Williams Jr. have all gotten reps through spring practice, offering Minnesota a lot of potential at the position.
Saturday's game showcased the talent of all four guys, although Williams -- the only upperclassmen of the group -- played only a single drive. Williams made the most of that lone opportunity, though, rushing six times for 33 yards and a touchdown. The senior-to-be running back has dropped about 20 pounds since last season, and he looks to be a leaner and meaner offensive threat.
"I still got my power," he assured post-game. "I'm just a little quicker . . . don't get tired as quickly. Got some good enthusiasm, good juice. That first drive . . . I wanted us to move the ball. If someone was in my way, I wanted to just run right over them. I would like it to look like that every single rep."
Edwards and Smith, who were freshmen last season, rushed 12 times apiece, gaining 31 yards and 41 yards, respectively. The entire running back core was able to take snaps from all three quarterbacks, and the transitions and handoffs worked well.
"Nothing I saw out there surprised me," Williams said. "Rodney is smooth with all his cuts, so it's something we expect from him . . . our RB group, we don't expect anything less from each other. Everybody has stuff to work on, and we all know what everyone's good at. We just go out there and do our jobs."
A lot of questions surrounded Jones headed into Saturday's game -- not only his potential at running back but also how he can be utilized at wide receiver. Coach Kill has been giving Jones some time at receiver during spring practice, and the freshman appears to be a natural fit for the position. The Gophers have struggled to find reliable playmakers after losing four of their top five receivers, so the Minneapolis native could very well be a passing option during the season.
During the game, Jones rushed for only five yards but lined up at receiver for more snaps and finished with two receptions for 26 yards.
"Jones (is) such a good athlete and good player," quarterback Chris Streveler said after the game. "He's just getting thrown in there (and) he's done a great job picking it up. He's just the type of guy that loves football, so he's working to get it all figured out. No matter where we put him, he'll be a good fit."
Kill expressed nothing but positives about Jones' performance, saying we can expect to see him play a lot more outside at receiver. At 6-foot, Jones is the tallest of the running backs; his speed and length will certainly be an asset in the passing game.
"He can run and go get a football," Kill said. "I'm very pleased with where he's at right now -- a very football-smart kid."
The offense heading into 2015 is a young one, to be sure, but Kill feels confident in his coaching style and method of working with so much raw talent. The coach referenced a young defensive line that was "thrown in" a year ago, and how consistent playing time and expectations developed them into a very solid crew. He plans to do the same with this group on offense, and he has no doubts they're ready for the challenge.
Main secondary did not play: As a whole, the Gophers defense is older and more solidified than the offense, and a main unit -- Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Demarius Travis, Antonio Johnson and Eric Murray -- sat out Saturday to allow for better looks at some of the younger players coming in.
Quarterback picture: Starting quarterback Mitch Leidner didn't play much past the first couple of drives, but he pumped up the fans early on with a nice 27-yard pass to WR KJ Maye. Leidner finished with 53 yards on 5-of-11 passing.
Fans grabbed good looks at backup QBs Streveler and Conor Rhoda, who split the remaining snaps fairly evenly. Streveler showcased his ability to tuck and run on more than one occasion, and the wheels really came out when he broke away on a 64-yard TD run for the second scoring play of the game. Streveler tallied 73 passing yards (11-of-20) and 83 rushing yards on the afternoon. Rhoda played well as the probable third-string QB, finishing with the highest completion percentage (63.1) of the QBs. Rhoda also notched the only passing touchdown of the game with a two-yard pass to RB Jacob Kirsch.
Santoso ready to go: A decent breeze was present Saturday, but Ryan Santoso didn't let it faze him. The kicker grabbed two extra points during the game, and he lined up and nailed a 56-yard field goal without breaking a sweat.
"Santoso is a weapon," Kill said. "In the Big Ten, you know how it is -- you're going to have to win some close games and hit field goals. He's got more confidence, and he's better. He drilled it. The wind didn't have a chance to get it."
Follow Lindsey Young on Twitter
