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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 83 Game 10 | Minnesota THREE THINGS 1 With the transfers of last year's starting q u a r t e r b a c k Demry Croft and highly ranked JUCO prospect Vic Viramontes after spring practice, the Gophers are down to just one scholar- ship quarterback in redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan. True freshman walk-on Zack Annexstad impressed in the spring and will compete with Morgan for the starting job. The running game is solid with veteran Rodney Smith, although Shannon Brooks will miss the sea- son due to injury. 2 The biggest question mark on the defense looks to be either at defensive tackle or safety. At tackle, Minnesota loses two se- niors in star tackle Steven Richardson and Merrick Jackson. Potential replacements include Alabama transfer O.J. Smith, redshirt se- nior Gary Moore and true freshman Elijah Teague. At safety, Minnesota returns former freshman All-American Antoine Winfield Jr. and incum- bent starter Jacob Huff. After those, there are serious question marks as two highly coveted freshmen, Ken Handy-Holly and Adam Beck, both left the program. 3 Who steps up at receiver? Tyler Johnson had a breakout soph- omore season with 35 catches for 677 yards and seven TDs. Besides Johnson, no other Gopher receiver had more than 11 catches. There are options: including redshirt freshman Chris Aut- man-Bell and incoming four-star freshman Rashod Bateman. It'll be interesting to see who steps up to make plays out wide for this offense. — Edward Stevens, writer at TheGopherReport.com TIME: TBA | DATE: NOV. 10 | LOCATION: MINNEAPOLIS | TV: TBA COACH: P.J. FLECK (5-7, SECOND SEASON) 2017 RECORD: 5-7 STARTERS RETURNING (OFFENSE/ DEFENSE): 6/7^ SERIES VS. PURDUE: 37-33-3 LAST MEETING: PURDUE, 31-17 ON OCT. 7, 2017, AT ROSS-ADE STADIUM ^ ATHLON GBI EARLY LINE: PURDUE -1 Minnesota's 2018 Schedule 8/30 NEW MEXICO STATE 9/8 FRESNO STATE 9/15 MIAMI (OH) 9/22 at Maryland 10/6 IOWA 10/13 at Ohio State 10/20 at Nebraska 10/26 INDIANA 11/3 at Illinois 11/10 PURDUE 11/17 NORTHWESTERN 11/24 at Wisconsin Minnesota Rodney Smith