Gophers showing the intensity Tracy Claeys wants

The Gophers gathered for a quick team meeting Saturday at 8:15 a.m. Then, new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson handed the quarterbacks a quiz.

"It's three pages long," senior Mitch Leidner said. "We go around the room and say the answer for each question. And then if you're wrong, you get exposed. It really forces you to master the game."

By 9:30, the full team was on the indoor practice field for the midpoint of spring practice, session No. 8 out of 15, which culminates with the April 9 spring game.

This practice was open to the public, and hundreds of fans packed one side of the field. Several recruits were there, too, including Blaise Andries, an offensive lineman from Marshall, Minn., who has offers from all over the country.

Coach Tracy Claeys said the charged atmosphere helps his players practice hard, but he's seen their intensity in closed sessions, too.

"If they don't bite when they're a puppy, they won't bite," Claeys said. "And we've been biting each other now. At the same time, they're taking care of each other. We haven't had a lot of cheap shots and stuff like that, so we're working well together."

The day's first big highlight came when running back Rodney Smith broke free for a 70-yard touchdown. The redshirt sophomore from Georgia later said it was his longest run — practice or game — since arriving at Minnesota.

"It's something that I've been waiting to do since I've gotten here," he said. "I congratulated the line. They did a good job."

Smith later fumbled twice and tweaked an injury but continued scrimmaging, limping between plays. He missed time last season with a sprained ankle.

"It's not my ankle anymore," Smith said. "I have a hip pointer and a little bit of a groin deal. I just got an MRI yesterday, and I'm working to get healthy. But as long as I can walk, I feel like I can practice. That's just some of the things Coach Claeys is preaching about."

Shannon Brooks and redshirt freshman James Johannesson rushed for long gains in the scrimmage, too.

Leidner is ahead of schedule, recovering from Dec. 30 surgery to repair ligament damage in his left foot. The coaches won't let him compete in 11-on-11 drills, so he stands about 10 yards behind the quarterback, mimicking the motions.

Leidner has lost 15-18 pounds since the Quick Lane Bowl.

"I was pretty heavy, about 250, but I mean, I hadn't been able to run in a long time," he said. "I thought it was best to get down to 230-235 to make the surgery go a little bit smoother."

With Leidner looking on, sophomore Demry Croft led the first-team offense on a long touchdown drive against the first-team defense. On third-and-goal from the 4, Croft threw a jump ball into the end zone, and 6-6 sophomore Rashad Still came down with it.

Asked about spring standouts, Claeys said: "On offense, it's mainly the wide receivers. Hunter Register has done a tremendous job, putting himself in position to play. Rashad [Still] is a lot better than what he was last fall."

On defense, Claeys and defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel have been in the lab, experimenting. They still plan to rely on their 4-3 base defense, Claeys said, but they're trying some four-linebacker packages on third down.

"Here's the challenge: We're going to get as fast as we can — and not give up a big play with the running game," Claeys said.

"It's all about speed. So speed for coverage, speed for getting the quarterback, but we can't get seamed on the running game."

Overall, Claeys likes the team's progress.

"I thought the offense did some good things today that we haven't done," he said.

"But at the same time, defensively, we can run and hit you. So I'm pleased with where we're at. We've got a long ways to go."