Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner spends countless hours at the team's training complex and is always hesitant to miss a day, even in the summer. But he got a chance to attend the Manning Passing Academy for four days earlier this month and jumped at it.

Leidner was one of 30 quarterbacks learning from the Mannings — Archie, Peyton and Eli — at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. Leidner roomed in a dorm with Oklahoma's Trevor Knight, Utah State's Chuckie Keaton and North Carolina's Marquise Williams.

"Last year was a lot tougher for me to leave in a situation like that," Leidner said. "But this year, it was really beneficial for me, and it was really beneficial for the team because I was able to bring back a lot of knowledge. I called a team meeting the first night when I was back to say, 'Hey, I got to listen to Sean Payton talk, Mike Mayock talk. Guys who are looking to go to the NFL — there's some good information for you. Freshmen — there's some good information for you about when Peyton first got to Tennessee. There were different things for different guys."

Gridiron Gold: startribune.com/gophers