Gophers career passing leader Adam Weber is rejoining the team -- this time as a graduate assistant coach.
Gophers coach Jerry Kill hired Weber to replace outgoing graduate assistant Ryan Maiuri, who worked closely with quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski, helping develop Mitch Leidner and Co.
"I really am excited to join such a great staff under Coach [Jerry] Kill," Weber said. "I'm just looking to be a sponge. It just seems like a great fit."
Weber started for the Gophers from 2007 to 2010, setting school records for passing attempts (1,594), completions (909), passing yards (10,917) and touchdown passes (72).
Weber, 27, had stints with the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he got cut last year after signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"I traveled for three months overseas and that was a great way for me to digest it all, to kind of close that chapter and then really prepare myself for that next step," Weber said. "This seemed like the perfect opportunity to open up that door and get into coaching."
Weber will be working toward a masters' degree while he is coaching the Gophers. In his four years as Minnesota's quarterback, the team had four different offensive coordinators under then-coach Tim Brewster.
"I had so many different coaches and so many different coaching styles," Weber said. "I can take a little bit away from each and then develop into my own coach."
Weber, a Mounds View grad, can relate to Leidner as a Minnesota-born quarterbacks handling the pressures of quarterbacking the Gophers. They've already forged a bond.
"As soon as Mitch took the reigns, I reached out to him to let him know, if he ever has any questions, I'm always here," Weber said. "Now I'm excited that I can be more involved and be there on a day-to-day basis, and try to help all the quarterbacks – and the entire team.
"I'm very entry level, being a G.A. I'll try to learn as much as I can from these guys and also be a resource when I can be."
