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University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Annexstad, Morgan Led Gophers to New Heights in 2018
1/16/2019 3:43:00 PM | Football
Freshman quarterbacks paced an offense that finished top-10 all-time in school history.
Minnesota entered the 2018 season as the only team in the nation with all freshman quarterbacks on its roster. It ended the year with two seasoned quarterbacks who etched their names into the Minnesota record book.
Signal-callers Zack Annexstad and Tanner Morgan combined to pass for 2,678 yards and 18 touchdowns, as the Gophers finished the season 7-6 overall, beat Wisconsin for the first time since 2003 and defeated Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Annexstad and Morgan were a big reason why Minnesota averaged 28.9 points per game (tied for seventh most all time since 1955), scored 46 touchdowns (tied for fifth in school history since 1955), totaled 4,935 yards of offense (sixth most in school history since 1955), totaled 269 first downs (third most in school history since 1955) and threw for 2,714 yards (eighth most in school history since 1955, as Seth Green completed four passes for 36 yards).
Former Gopher Adam Weber, who started 50 career games at quarterback for Minnesota, owns the freshman passing records for yards (2,895) and touchdowns (24), but combined Annexstad and Morgan came close to matching his totals.
Annexstad got the nod to start the season, and he became the first Gopher freshman quarterback ever to start and win the first three games of his career. His signature moment was a fourth-quarter comeback victory against Fresno State, which would finish the season No. 18 in the nation and with a 12-2 record.
Annexstad started seven games and played in eight last season and threw for 1,277 yards (third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback) and nine touchdowns (tied for third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback). He ended the year with a pass efficiency rating of 117.63, which ranks 11th all-time in school history for a career.
Annexstad, who battled an injury all season, threw for 135 yards and one touchdown in the first half at Nebraska, but was injured right before halftime. Morgan replaced an injured Annexstad for the second half at Nebraska and would throw for 214 yards in the second half.
Morgan started the remaining six games of the season and led Minnesota to 4-2 record in those games, which included victories against Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin and Georgia Tech.
Morgan played in nine games last season and threw for 1,401 yards (second most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback) and nine touchdowns (tied for third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback). He ended the season with a completion percentage of 58.55, which ranks eight in school single-season history. His pass efficiency rating of 147.62 ranks first in school history for a career and is second in school single-season history behind Asad Adbul-Khaliq (162.31 in 2003).
Signal-callers Zack Annexstad and Tanner Morgan combined to pass for 2,678 yards and 18 touchdowns, as the Gophers finished the season 7-6 overall, beat Wisconsin for the first time since 2003 and defeated Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Annexstad and Morgan were a big reason why Minnesota averaged 28.9 points per game (tied for seventh most all time since 1955), scored 46 touchdowns (tied for fifth in school history since 1955), totaled 4,935 yards of offense (sixth most in school history since 1955), totaled 269 first downs (third most in school history since 1955) and threw for 2,714 yards (eighth most in school history since 1955, as Seth Green completed four passes for 36 yards).
Former Gopher Adam Weber, who started 50 career games at quarterback for Minnesota, owns the freshman passing records for yards (2,895) and touchdowns (24), but combined Annexstad and Morgan came close to matching his totals.
Annexstad got the nod to start the season, and he became the first Gopher freshman quarterback ever to start and win the first three games of his career. His signature moment was a fourth-quarter comeback victory against Fresno State, which would finish the season No. 18 in the nation and with a 12-2 record.
Annexstad started seven games and played in eight last season and threw for 1,277 yards (third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback) and nine touchdowns (tied for third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback). He ended the year with a pass efficiency rating of 117.63, which ranks 11th all-time in school history for a career.
Annexstad, who battled an injury all season, threw for 135 yards and one touchdown in the first half at Nebraska, but was injured right before halftime. Morgan replaced an injured Annexstad for the second half at Nebraska and would throw for 214 yards in the second half.
Morgan started the remaining six games of the season and led Minnesota to 4-2 record in those games, which included victories against Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin and Georgia Tech.
Morgan played in nine games last season and threw for 1,401 yards (second most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback) and nine touchdowns (tied for third most ever for a Gopher freshman quarterback). He ended the season with a completion percentage of 58.55, which ranks eight in school single-season history. His pass efficiency rating of 147.62 ranks first in school history for a career and is second in school single-season history behind Asad Adbul-Khaliq (162.31 in 2003).
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