When the Gophers started keeping Maxx Williams out of spring football practice March 13 to protect his injured left knee, they knew they would learn something about their tight end reinforcements. Heading into Saturday's spring game, they like what they have seen.
Drew Goodger and Lincoln Plsek are back from last year, and Nate Wozniak, a 6-9 redshirt freshman, has emerged as a tall and nimble target in the passing game.
Then there's Duke Anyanwu, a redshirt sophomore from Blaine High School. Coach Jerry Kill has called him "one of the more improved players."
Quarterback Mitch Leidner hit Anyanwu with a pass on three of the first four drives against the first-team defense in last Saturday's scrimmage.
"Maxx is going to be fine [by the start of camp, Aug. 1], so that's the big thing," offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said. "But with [the trainers] being cautious with Maxx, it's truly opened up opportunities this spring, and that position has gotten stronger."
Anyanwu and Williams are both converted quarterbacks from the Class of 2012. Anyanwu tore an ACL that summer and broke a forearm last spring, slowing his development. But he has stayed committed in the weight room, adding at least 30 pounds of muscle to his 6-5 frame.
"Maxx is a great role model for me; I look up to him a lot," Anyanwu said. "He's given me a few pointers about what to do in games and what not to do, and that's helped my game out a lot already."
Spring game format
With other Big Ten coaches scaling back their spring games to prevent injuries, Kill said he has yet to settle on a format for Saturday.