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University of Minnesota Athletics
2015 Position Preview: Quarterbacks
8/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
For the first time since the 2012 season, Minnesota will begin fall camp with an upperclassmen quarterback on the roster. Incumbent starter Mitch Leidner is a redshirt junior for the Gophers and is the undisputed leader of the Minnesota offense. He is also the first junior or senior signal caller on the Minnesota roster since senior Marqueis Gray (now entering his third year in the NFL) broke the Gophers' huddle during the 2012 season.
Leidner, who was a redshirted in 2012, enters his junior season with a 14-8 record in 22 games played and a 10-6 record in 16 games started. The Lakeville, Minn., native has rushed for 17 career touchdowns (third most all-time for a Minnesota quarterback) and has passed for 2,417 career yards and 14 touchdowns. He tied a school record for quarterbacks when he rushed for four touchdowns in one game against San Jose State in 2013 as a redshirt freshman and has two career 100-yard rushing games (151 yards vs San Jose State in 2013 and 111 yards at 111 yards at Nebraska in 2014).
Last year, Leidner notched a career high of four touchdown passes came in a 51-14 home win against Iowa and set a career high in completions (21), attempts (31) and passing yards (258) in 2015 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl against Missouri.
Leidner, who is one of the biggest quarterbacks in the Big Ten at 6-4, 237 pounds, recently attended the Manning Passing Academy and is poised for a strong season.
Behind Leidner is Chris Streveler, Conor Rhoda, Jacques Perra and Demry Croft. Streveler is one of the five fastest players on the team according to Coach Kill and ran some routes at receiver during the summer. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native played in five games as a redshirt freshman last season and started one. He ended the season with four completions for 37 yards and one touchdowns and rushed 26 times for 235 yards and one score.
In his lone start against San Jose State, he rushed 18 times for 161 yards (third most ever by a Gopher quarterback) and one touchdown in a victory. His first career touchdown pass came at TCU as he connected on a 12-yard score to former Gopher and current Baltimore Raven Maxx Williams.
Rhoda enters his redshirt sophomore year having played in two games last season. The former Cretin-Derham Hall standout played against San Jose State, but did not record any statistics. He attempted his first career pass in Minnesota's 51-14 rout against Iowa.
Perra is a redshirt freshman from Roseville, Minn., who was named the 2013 Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year. He did not see action last year, but proved to be a capable passer in high school as he completed 61 percent of his passes as a senior for 3,171 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Rounding out the quarterbacks is the tallest (6-5), but lightest (200 pounds) member of the group in Croft. The Rockford, Ill., native was a dual-threat quarterback in high school. He played in 10 games as a senior and passed for 2,011 yards and 21 touchdowns and also rushed for 845 yards and 10 scores. He was named Honorable Mention All-State and competed in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando where he completed 12-of-15 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. In 12 games as a junior he passed for 1,879 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 685 yards and 12 scores. The athletic Croft also lettered in basketball, track and bowling in high school.
