Gophers’ Quinn Carroll plenty familiar with Virginia Tech, his final college opponent

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Pardon Quinn Carroll if he had slightly conflicting allegiances leading up to Friday’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

“I was a Hokies fan growing up, at least as a kid,” Carroll, the Gophers senior offensive lineman, said Thursday. “So, it’s a full-circle moment.”

Carroll, an Edina native, developed his maroon-and-orange fandom because his older brother, Collin, was a long snapper for the Hokies from 2007 to ’11, and the Carroll family would attend games in Blacksburg, Va. When Quinn was being recruited as an offensive tackle out of Edina High School, he had Virginia Tech among the final six schools he was considering.

“It was a blast as a kid,” he said. “That atmosphere, when I was a 7-year-old, is really what made me fall in love with the game and college football in general. So, yeah, I was very excited to hear that we were playing the Hokies.”

Carroll, who chose Notre Dame out of high school and spent three years in South Bend before transferring to the Gophers in 2022, played his final collegiate game Friday, starting at left tackle. He was moved from his usual guard position to replace Aireontae Ersery, the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year who opted out of the game to prepare for the Senior Bowl and NFL draft.

The final game carried conflicting emotions for Carroll.

“I’ve been able to really have some time to reflect and kind of soak it all in. It’s bittersweet,” he said. “The next level is a lot different than college football, and I’ve been playing college football for a long time. I’m very excited for the next level, whatever God holds in store for me there. But I have loved every second of college football.”

On defense, top pass rusher Jah Joyner, leading tackler Cody Lindenberg and top cornerback Justin Walley did not play, along with reserve safety Darius Green. Also unavailable was reserve kicker David Kemp.

The starting offensive line had Carroll at left tackle, Tony Nelson at left guard, Greg Johnson at center, Ashton Beers at right guard and Martes Lewis at right tackle.

Virginia Tech had bigger issues. The Hokies were missing 14 of 22 starters from their regular-season finale against Virginia, including a pair of third-team All-America defensive linemen in edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland and tackle Aeneas Peebles. The Hokies have seen 22 players enter the transfer portal since the Virginia game.

• The Hokies took the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” as their fans jumped up and down in the stands. It’s the tradition Virginia Tech uses for home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.

• With his ninth completion Friday, Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer broke Adam Weber’s school single-season record of 258. Brosmer finished the season with 268 completions.

• With their eighth consecutive bowl victory, the Gophers now having a winning bowl record at 13-12. The Duke’s Mayo Bowl was the 15th bowl in which they have played.