Running game stands out in Gophers' spring game

Saturday's spring game wasn't a passing showcase for the Gophers. Then again, with quarterback Mitch Leidner in the radio booth, recovering from foot surgery, this was more about his backups and the team's ability to run the ball.

Sophomore quarterback Demry Croft got an extended look, but it didn't go so well for him or any of his teammates on the White team.

The Gold team had the more dominant offensive line, led by Jonah Pirsig and junior college transfer Vincent Calhoun. Following their blocks, Rodney Smith and James Johannesson combined for 222 rushing yards.

Emmit Carpenter added four field goals, giving the Gold team a 19-7 victory before a few thousand fans on a cold day at TCF Bank Stadium.

Everyone knew the stakes coming in: The winners were given a full slab of ribs, beans and mac-and-cheese, while the losers settled for two ribs and some beans. It wasn't just the meal. The Gophers had used an offense vs. defense scrimmage format for the spring game in recent years, and this was a simulated game.

"You could just feel it in the locker room, the energy that guys had from this morning," Pirsig said. "Everyone was treating it like a real game."

Leidner enjoyed his time as a guest radio analyst Saturday, but he can't wait for doctors to clear him for contact, something he expects to happen in one week. The senior had surgery Dec. 30 to repair ligaments in his left foot and did everything except 11-on-11 drills this spring.

Meanwhile, Croft completed his first three passes Saturday, but then he went to make a check-down throw to running back Shannon Brooks. Linebacker Jonathan Celestin read the play perfectly and picked off the pass, returning it 25 yards.

Croft also had an interception on a tipped ball, and his receivers dropped several passes. He finished 8-for-19 for 45 yards, with those two interceptions, and six sacks.

"The nice thing is he bounced back," coach Tracy Claeys said. "He had control of the huddle, and I thought he did an awful lot of good things for no firepower with the White team missing a couple of people [with injuries]."

The White team's offensive line had three first-stringers — center Tyler Moore, left guard Connor Mayes and left tackle Garrison Wright — but Brooks found little daylight, rushing for 23 yards on 10 carries.

The Gold team didn't get great quarterback play, either. Conor Rhoda was 4-for-8, and Seth Green was 2-for-6 with an interception that linebacker Jaylen Waters returned 50 yards for a touchdown.

But the Gold pulled away with its running attack. Smith had 18 carries for 92 yards, and Johannesson had 22 carries for 130 yards, which had to please new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and new offensive line coach Bart Miller.

"Coach Claeys wouldn't have hired the two guys that he did if he didn't want to run the ball," Pirsig said. "We're going to get back to being a Big Ten offensive line, and doing what the Big Ten's known for."