Spring game enables Gophers to set foundation for the fall

Big Ten Network football analyst Gerry DiNardo remembers spring football games from his playing days at Notre Dame in the 1970s, when the Irish would draw unusually large crowds of about 25,000.

He watched last year, when Ohio State squeezed 99,391 into the Horseshoe, breaking the national record for a spring game. The Big Ten had five of the country's top eight spring game crowds, including Nebraska (76,811), Penn State (68,000), Michigan (60,000) and Michigan State (48,000).

Gophers fans even caught spring fever, as an announced 10,100 — their biggest spring crowd since the Lou Holtz era — came to TCF Bank Stadium.

"Spring games have never been real big deals," DiNardo said. "I think the recent growth in attendance represents fan enthusiasm, as it always has. It's easy to tell which programs have the most rabid fan bases."

The Gophers hope to entertain their faithful again Saturday, even though it was 67 degrees for last year's spring game and will be about 30 degrees colder this year.

It will be the first spring game for Tracy Claeys as a head coach, the first one as Minnesota's offensive coordinator for Lakeville native Jay Johnson, and the first spring game period for quarterbacks Demry Croft and Seth Green.

Under former coach Jerry Kill, the Gophers went with an offense-vs.-defense format for the past two spring games and rested many top defensive players to prevent injuries.

"I just want the kids to have fun," Claeys said.

Starting quarterback Mitch Leidner will spend the first half in the radio booth as a guest analyst. He is almost fully recovered from December foot surgery, but the coaching staff hasn't let him do any 11-on-11 drills.

Croft will quarterback the White team, with Conor Rhoda and Green splitting duties for the Gold.

Croft was Leidner's backup last season as a true freshman, playing in three games and completing 7 of 17 passes for 34 yards. He has received most of the first-team reps this spring, yet has repeatedly overthrown receivers. Johnson said he'll be most focused Saturday on how Croft manages the game.

"It's the huddle, it's understanding the play clock, it's awareness, it's down and distance, it's all that," Johnson said. "I think he's very young; he's still a true freshman. That's a process. Boy, he's been really improving this spring, but I think that's a big step when you get to that type of environment."

A former East Ridge standout who originally committed to Oregon, Green came to the Gophers with a strong arm and an unorthodox throwing motion. The coaching staff has worked to quicken his release, and he's adjusting to the speed of the college game.

The battle for the backup quarterback job, behind Leidner, will linger into the start of training camp in August.

"There is no question because, really, Seth hasn't been here very long," Claeys said. "So by the time they go through everything this summer with all the players-only practices, they will get more comfortable and they will make more plays."

Regardless of what happens at quarterback Saturday, it figures to be a showcase for the running backs. Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith are looking to build off promising freshmen seasons, and Johnson singled them out as two players who've impressed him the most. This will also be a chance for two running backs who redshirted last year — Jonathan Femi-Cole and James Johannesson.

But spring games are hardly the best predictors of future success. Recent April stars for the Gophers have included Berkley Edwards, Chris Streveler and Rodrick Williams. With the game televised on BTN, coaches always hesitate to reveal too much.

"Coaches videotape each other's spring games because you can study personnel," DiNardo added. "But do I think that's what they're going to look like schematically both on offense and defense? Probably not."