Gophers have many questions, but it's par for the course in spring football practice

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck came out of Friday's open practice with a thick scroll of notes rolled up in his hand.

Even after a two-hour spring session — the fourth so far and first in pads with some gamelike reps — Fleck was ready to sit down for a staff meeting to hash out his many questions. From how the linebacker group will develop consistency to who will emerge in the secondary to how his backup running backs will learn from fumbling Friday, Fleck is searching for answers heading into spring break.

"In March, as a head football coach, man, it's hard to think you have a good football team. It's really hard," Fleck said. "… You come out of there thinking, 'Man, how are we ever going to get this thing?' But you know you will. It's just this is the part of the fun process."

The execution Friday was hit or miss, but the Gophers also had several players missing.

Starting running back Mohamed Ibrahim, for example, was studying abroad. Others, among them linebacker Braelen Oliver and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, did not practice because of injuries.

MEGAN RYAN