Neal: Time for Fleck to thank Morgan and then switch to Kaliakmanis at QB
A three-game losing streak has upended the Gophers season. A Big Ten West division title and a post-New Year's Eve bowl game are still possible but no longer realistic.
With the season sliding off the rails, the 4-3 Gophers should want to get it back on track while also developing their future.
That means even if Tanner Morgan is cleared to play Saturday after suffering a concussion against Illinois two weeks prior, the athletic and rocket-armed redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis should be under center against Rutgers.
It's time for this change. Morgan helped lead the program to new heights in 2019, but he's also been part of the underachieving since then.
Morgan has accomplished plenty during three full seasons and parts of two others as Minnesota's starting quarterback. He's the winningest quarterback in program history. He's the school's all-time leader in completion percentage. But he's also been here six years and memories of his 30 touchdown passes in 2019 are fading with each 2022 loss.
Before his injury, he was having a fine season. Someone with his experience should be more productive and raise the level of play of those around him, regardless of who is running routes. When the Gophers' schedule toughened in October, the offense mustered only 10 points in a home loss to Purdue and 14 at Illinois.
Shake things up with someone who can make something out of nothing with his legs as well as his arm. This requires a difficult conversation between Fleck and Morgan, but Fleck arrived here five years ago claiming he ate difficult conversations for breakfast.
Kaliakmanis is a gifted talent. He played football, basketball and ran track at Antioch (Ill.) High School, and the athletic ability is reflected in his mobility and when he lets the ball go. He's potentially a scheme-busting, dual-threat headache for opposing defensive coordinators.
In his first career start last Saturday at Penn State, Kaliakmanis was 9-for-22 for 175 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He gained 45 yards on seven rushes. He directed the Gophers on a 90-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, perhaps a sign of things to come.
"I didn't think he was rattled by the atmosphere and the moment," Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said. "I thought he was able to keep really good focus and concentration. I thought he made really good decisions with the ball. There were a couple balls that could have been more accurate but overall for his first start he did really well. I'm really high on what his future is about."
If the Gophers win their final five games, they will finish 9-3. Realistically, they are looking at 8-4; that axe game in Madison is looking tough with Jim Leonhard now coaching the Badgers. If you don't earn a bid for a New Year's bowl game, what's the difference then between going to the Music City, Pinstripe, Quick Lane or Guaranteed Rate Bowls?
Unless the Gophers run the table or close, there will be no trip to Indianapolis, no prestigious bowl game. It's a good time to give Kaliakmanis a chance to see where his athleticism can take this season.
Just as importantly, the Gophers need some juice in their offense. Everyone knows what Mo Ibrahim brings as a running back, as he's averaging 132.7 yards a game. The passing game has wilted, though. Get Kaliakmanis on the move and hit a few passes. And can they please throw more to Brevyn Spann-Ford? He's 6-foot-7, for goodness sake.
This move could be a way to spark the offense now while prepping Kaliakmanis for what should be a productive career. Morgan has meant a lot to the program, but the Gophers have lost three consecutive games, two on his watch, and are winless in their division. Let's see what No. 8 can do.
