Max Brosmer isn’t one to back away from a challenge. When the Roswell, Ga., native received no scholarship offers from FBS schools and scant few from nearby FCS programs coming out of high school, he took his skills north to New Hampshire, where he became the second true freshman quarterback in program history to start for the Wildcats.
And when Brosmer, after three years as a starter at New Hampshire, decided he wanted a bigger challenge that could help prepare him for a pro career, he went all-in on the rare move of a quarterback leaving a Football Championship Subdivision program – formerly Division I-AA – to a team in a Power Four conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level, formerly Division I-A.
“I’m playing against new defenses, new coordinators. I love that challenge,” said Brosmer, who led FCS in passing yards per game (313.5) in 2023 and was one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top player in FCS. “Football is a chess game. It’s a big chess match, and it’s a chess match against the defense but also coordinator vs. coordinator. And that’s the fun part for me.”
On Thursday night at Huntington Bank Stadium, the Gophers open their 2024 season against North Carolina, and Brosmer will be front and center. Minnesota’s fan base finally will get a chance to see just what the Gophers have in this new quarterback.
For the past eight months, the graduate transfer has been preparing for what awaits in the next four. From a newcomer who helped the Gophers with bowl preparation last December to a leader who quickly was voted captain and has put his stamp on the team, Brosmer has taken on any role the Gophers have needed. He’s led offseason workouts and bonding trips. He’s become the new face of the program. And he’s injected some cautious optimism — maybe even hope — that the Gophers quarterback can be a difference-maker for the first time since Tanner Morgan passed for a school-record 30 touchdowns in 2019.
Fleck is ecstatic in what he’s seen from Brosmer so far but knows that the football has yet to be snapped in anger this season.
“Max has just exceeded all of our expectations,” Fleck said. “He’s got to go out there and prove it. … The only thing Max Brosmer has to do is be the best version of Max Brosmer every day, and that’s what he’s capable of doing, and that’s what he’ll do.”
Stats point to success
It’s easy to see why Brosmer was attractive to Fleck and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. when they went looking for a quarterback in the transfer portal. Minnesota’s starter last year, third-year sophomore Athan Kaliakmanis, struggled with accuracy (53.1 completion percentage) and productivity (6.1 yards per pass attempt), garnering a middling rating of 65.2 by Pro Football Focus for a team that ranked 126th of 133 FBS teams in passing offense.