Max Brosmer has helped Minnesota make a sharp turn into a pass-first team in his only Big Ten season

NCAA Football: Maryland at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — When Max Brosmer went looking for a new challenge to complete his college career, a first glance at Minnesota hardly suggested a fit.

The Gophers have unapologetically been a grind-it-out team for years, and here was the leading passer in the FCS who threw the ball more than 40 times per game for New Hampshire seeking a power conference team he could lead for his final season.

Taking a chance on each other sure led to a strong partnership.

The ball has been in the air for Minnesota this year more than it’s stayed on the ground, the first time since 2007 when that 1-11 team finished with a minus-125 scoring differential.

Over the first seven seasons under coach P.J. Fleck, the Gophers called runs on 62% of their plays. This season, they’ve passed 55% of the time.

“We knew we were going to have to be able to close that gap,” Fleck said.

Enter Brosmer, who in his conversations while in the transfer portal didn’t shy away from stating his goal of having full control of the offense despite playing for a program that’s essentially two levels below Minnesota. He hit it off with Fleck and his staff, particularly co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Harbaugh.

Gophers coaches, with no experienced options on the roster remaining after last season, realized they needed Brosmer as much as he needed them.

“That was part of the open, early, honest communication. Throughout recruiting, one of the things that I had told them was, ’Hey, I want to be able to run the offense,’” Brosmer said. “A lot of teams do the ‘check-with-me’ system where you’re looking to the sideline and the OC is calling the play.”

This vision was born out of confidence and ambition, not bravado, but Brosmer’s leadership desire would be left unfulfilled were it not for…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/max-brosmer-helped-minnesota-sharp-022116657.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-11-07 02:21:16

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