Gophers QB Zack Annexstad’s ankle nearing 100 percent healthy
Teammates surround Minnesota quarterback Zack Annexstad as he reacts after turning over the ball on downs to Maryland in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in College Park, Md. Maryland won 42-13. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
By ANDY GREDER | agreder@pioneerpress.com |
Pioneer Press
October 2, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Zack Annexstad’s injured left ankle improved during the bye week, and the Gophers’ starting quarterback is “getting closer to 100” percent, coach P.J. Fleck said Tuesday.
Annexstad was hurt in the first quarter of the 26-3 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 15 and played through into the third quarter before giving way to backup Tanner Morgan. Annexstad returned to play all of the 42-13 loss to Maryland on Sept. 22.
The true freshman is expected to show fewer signs of limited mobility when Minnesota (3-1) plays Iowa (3-1) in the Battle for Floyd of Rosedale on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
"You can’t really tell as much as you could before,” Fleck said. “He’s running all the naked (bootlegs) and boots and sprint-outs and all the things, so he looks really good.”
Annexstad was sacked three times against Miami and four against Maryland, including many other times he was pressured.
“Even if you’re not as mobile as you are, you’ve got to get the ball out of your hand,” Fleck said. “Be able to throw it away. Got to be able to somehow get out of that pocket somehow and also step up and run. There have been plenty of opportunities where I thought he could’ve pulled it down and ran.
Again, if you’re not feeling as well as you need to feel, 100 percent, it’s hard to expect somebody to do that.”
By playing hurt, Annexstad made an impression on senior center and captain Jared Weyler. “He’s extremely tough, extremely confident,” Weyler said. “That is what you need out of a quarterback. They say a tough quarterback means you will have a tough team.”
WINFIELD’S INJURY
Gophers star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is out for the season with a Lisfranc ligament tear in his left foot, Fleck revealed on his KFXN-FM radio show Tuesday.
“It’s one of those freakish injuries that just kind of happened where you tear a ligament in your foot,” Fleck said.
Winfield was hurt on the first series of the Maryland game and will seek a medical redshirt for the 2018 season, hoping to gain another year of eligibility. He will be replaced by true freshman walk-on Jordan Howden and true freshman Benny Sapp III this season.
THOMAS BACK
Starting cornerback Kiondre Thomas will be available to play against the Hawkeyes on Saturday, Fleck said. The redshirt sophomore sat out the Maryland loss for an unspecified violation of team rules.
On Tuesday’s depth chart, Thomas was listed as a backup to Coney Durr.
BRIEFLY
Nate Umlor, one of two players to play as a true freshman last year, will be redshirted this season. He played defensive end last year, recording 11 tackles in 11 games. He has moved to defensive tackle this season. … Gophers mammoth freshmen offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and Curtis Dunlap are planning to redshirt, Fleck said on KFXN. Each has played in one game and can do so in up to three more without losing a year of eligibility with the new redshirt rule. … The Gophers’ game against Iowa is the earliest they’ve played each other since 1909.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/02/gophers-qb-zack-annexstads-ankle-nearing-100-percent-healthy/
Teammates surround Minnesota quarterback Zack Annexstad as he reacts after turning over the ball on downs to Maryland in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in College Park, Md. Maryland won 42-13. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
By ANDY GREDER | agreder@pioneerpress.com |
Pioneer Press
October 2, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Zack Annexstad’s injured left ankle improved during the bye week, and the Gophers’ starting quarterback is “getting closer to 100” percent, coach P.J. Fleck said Tuesday.
Annexstad was hurt in the first quarter of the 26-3 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 15 and played through into the third quarter before giving way to backup Tanner Morgan. Annexstad returned to play all of the 42-13 loss to Maryland on Sept. 22.
The true freshman is expected to show fewer signs of limited mobility when Minnesota (3-1) plays Iowa (3-1) in the Battle for Floyd of Rosedale on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
"You can’t really tell as much as you could before,” Fleck said. “He’s running all the naked (bootlegs) and boots and sprint-outs and all the things, so he looks really good.”
Annexstad was sacked three times against Miami and four against Maryland, including many other times he was pressured.
“Even if you’re not as mobile as you are, you’ve got to get the ball out of your hand,” Fleck said. “Be able to throw it away. Got to be able to somehow get out of that pocket somehow and also step up and run. There have been plenty of opportunities where I thought he could’ve pulled it down and ran.
Again, if you’re not feeling as well as you need to feel, 100 percent, it’s hard to expect somebody to do that.”
By playing hurt, Annexstad made an impression on senior center and captain Jared Weyler. “He’s extremely tough, extremely confident,” Weyler said. “That is what you need out of a quarterback. They say a tough quarterback means you will have a tough team.”
WINFIELD’S INJURY
Gophers star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is out for the season with a Lisfranc ligament tear in his left foot, Fleck revealed on his KFXN-FM radio show Tuesday.
“It’s one of those freakish injuries that just kind of happened where you tear a ligament in your foot,” Fleck said.
Winfield was hurt on the first series of the Maryland game and will seek a medical redshirt for the 2018 season, hoping to gain another year of eligibility. He will be replaced by true freshman walk-on Jordan Howden and true freshman Benny Sapp III this season.
THOMAS BACK
Starting cornerback Kiondre Thomas will be available to play against the Hawkeyes on Saturday, Fleck said. The redshirt sophomore sat out the Maryland loss for an unspecified violation of team rules.
On Tuesday’s depth chart, Thomas was listed as a backup to Coney Durr.
BRIEFLY
Nate Umlor, one of two players to play as a true freshman last year, will be redshirted this season. He played defensive end last year, recording 11 tackles in 11 games. He has moved to defensive tackle this season. … Gophers mammoth freshmen offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and Curtis Dunlap are planning to redshirt, Fleck said on KFXN. Each has played in one game and can do so in up to three more without losing a year of eligibility with the new redshirt rule. … The Gophers’ game against Iowa is the earliest they’ve played each other since 1909.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/02/gophers-qb-zack-annexstads-ankle-nearing-100-percent-healthy/
