Four things to keep in mind at the team's rare open practice Thursday

The last time fans got to see Gophers coach PJ Fleck's football team at Huntington Bank Stadium was in a home loss to Ohio State in November. A lot has changed since then.

The 2024 version of Fleck's Gophers differs in key areas, including quarterback and others.

The Gophers have decided not to hold a spring game, so Thursday at 4:30 p.m. is the best opportunity for fans to attend spring training. Members of the Gophers' NIL collective – Dinkytown Athletes – were allowed to attend the U's first open practice on March 23 at the Athletes Village facility.

Here are four things to see at the stadium on Thursday:

QB changes at the top

Coaches and players raved about New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer's seamless transition. The U has been missing an experienced presence like Brosmer at quarterback since Tanner Morgan graduated two years ago.

One of the most striking similarities between Brosmer and Morgan is their vocal leadership, which has helped build chemistry with top wide receiver Daniel Jackson and others on offense.

“I can’t throw the ball to a spot if the receivers aren’t there,” said Brosmer, a team captain. “It’s not possible without hours of training with the boys. This is due to the desire to get better and grow. We’re growing as a unit…that’s the really exciting part.”

The only returning quarterback from last year is Max Shikenjanski of Stillwater. So the Gophers took advantage of spring ball to get a good look at highly touted freshman Drake Lindsey, the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year. The 6-5, 235-pound Fayetteville native is expected to compete for the No. 2 spot behind Brosmer this fall.

Taylor's backups?

Darius Taylor began his career as the Big Ten's leading rusher after three games last year and appears poised to re-establish himself among the league's top backs. But the Gophers don't want to wear him down after his freshman year in which he was limited by a leg injury.

The spring competition behind Taylor was exciting between returning junior Jordan Nubin, Ohio transfer Sieh Bangura (811 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023) and Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major. Bangura and Major could also be involved in the passing game.

“One thing you don't want to have is an entire season with a player who has 20, 30, 40 carries every game,” Gophers running backs coach Nic McKissic-Luke said. “We will do what we need to do to win football games. But you want depth in your space.”

Illinois native Jaydon Wright, cousin of former Gophers receiver Chris Autman-Bell, graduated high school early to join the team this spring. He will be a rookie to keep an eye on at tailback.

Pass rush talent

Standing near the Gophers' defensive ends on Thursday will give you the best sense of how good they look physically, particularly 6-5, 265-pound senior Jah Joyner and 6-6, 285-pound sophomore Anthony Smith.

Joyner, who led the team with 7.5 sacks last season, and Smith ooze NFL potential as pass-rushing talents. Smith has the opportunity to learn from several seniors, including Danny Striggow and Jalen Logan-Redding.

Walley and co.

The return of senior cornerback Justin Walley was huge for the Gophers' secondary, making 32 career starts. His ability to set the tone this spring could be a sign of a big year for the unit.

Tre'Von Jones, third on the team in tackles in 2023, lost graduation. But the cornerback room is even deeper this year. One rookie to keep an eye on is Bucknell transfer Ethan Robinson.