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University of Minnesota Athletics
Player Profile: Mitch Leidner
8/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Mitch Leidner enters his final collegiate season as Minnesota's hometown senior quarterback and three-year captain.
The Lakeville, Minn., native is fully healthy after an offseason foot surgery ( ESPN.com) and is confident ( Star Tribune) about a strong final season wearing the Maroon and Gold.
Leidner has played in 35 career games and has started 29. He will lead an offense that could feature only two other senior starters in lineman Jonah Pirsig and receiver Drew Wolitarsky, so his leadership ( TodaysU.com) will be valuable on and off the field.
Leidner set program records for a junior last season when he passed for 2,701 yards and completed 242 passes. When the 2016 season is over, he will be one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Minnesota history (GopherSports.com).
The 6-4, 230-pound signal caller has rushed for 1,129 career yards and 23 career touchdowns (second most in school history for a quarterback) and has passed for 5,118 yards (sixth most in school history) and 28 touchdowns (eighth most in school history). He ranks fifth all-time in school history in completion percentage (56.4), sixth in completions (407) and tied for sixth in attempts (722) and is one of only two Minnesota quarterbacks to pass and rush for 20 career touchdowns (Rickey Foggie rushed for 24 and passed for 33 from 1984-87).
Take Five With Mitch Leidner
1. Superman or Batman? Batman
2. Favorite app on your phone? Find My Friends
3. Mountain or beach vacation? Mountain with a beach
4. Go-to karaoke song? Friends In Low Places
5. Perfect pizza? Well done, double pepperoni and light sauce
