Saturday is Mitch Leidner's home finale for the Gophers, so the next time they return to TCF Bank Stadium, they'll have a new quarterback.
Who'll get the start on Aug. 31, against Buffalo? Here are the possibilities:
• Seth Green: He appears to be the leading candidate, having drawn repeated praise for his work running the scout team while redshirting this season.
Claeys wants a dual-threat QB who can be a dangerous runner, when needed. Green would give them that and is already big enough (6-4, 235 pounds) to take a pounding. His throwing motion remains long, but he has a strong, accurate arm.
• Demry Croft: Claeys was glad the Gophers could redshirt Croft this season after using him in spot duty last year as a true freshman. But one lingering concern is that he hasn't added more muscle to his 6-5, 200-pound frame.
• Conor Rhoda: He is the current backup and led the Gophers to a 31-10 win at Maryland when Leidner was recovering from a concussion. Rhoda has a big-league arm, but the pocket passer doesn't fit the dual-threat profile Claeys and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson want.
• Mark Williams: Like Green, he's a true freshman who is redshirting this year. He is contemplating a switch to receiver, but Claeys mentioned the Alabama native this week as another dual-threat QB option.
• Recruit X: The Gophers have not signed a quarterback in their 2017 recruiting class. Colorado State commit Ryan Glover is a reported candidate to flip to Minnesota. The Gophers also could go the junior college or graduate transfer route.
