Gophers quarterback Cole Kramer will make his first career start in the Quick Lane Bowl against Bowling Green.
Kramer is engaged to his fiancée, looking for work in sales, and packing for their impending move to Arizona, but his plans are on hold for a few more weeks. Kramer was the last healthy option on the roster after regular season finished and starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis put his name in the transfer portal.
In the Quick Lane Bowl on Tuesday versus Bowling Green, the career backup quarterback will start for the first time for Minnesota.”As a kid who grew up in Minnesota, that was my dream ever since I was little,” Kramer recounted. “So that was an obvious yes.”
Kramer received a standing ovation when Fleck told the team earlier this month.”Guys were fired up for him because they know how hard he’s worked and he’s earned the opportunity to do it,” stated Fleck.
Before enrolling at the University of Minnesota, Kramer attended Eden Prairie High School in the Minneapolis suburbs. Carter Coughlin, a former standout defensive end for the Gophers, is currently a member of the NFL for the New York Giants. With 36 rush attempts for 165 yards and two touchdowns in 2021, he primarily served as a wildcat-style short-yardage specialist during his time in college. Kramer only took a scant handful pictures because Kaliakmanis remained healthy the entire season. In his career, he has attempted 14 passes.
However, the Gophers have witnessed Kramer’s grasp of the offense increase even more in the days after his appointment as the starter.”Not to say he wasn’t confident prior to that,” Fleck remarked. “It’s different when you get the keys to the car.”
Five-year Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler, a former Michigan and Detroit Lions assistant, stated, “We’re just glad that we’re starting to be in position to be competitive against any team we play.” “The teams we lost against either won their conference or had at least ten wins.
“I adore our kids, coaches, and culture. Next year, we’ll have an opportunity to challenge for the MAC title.”
The Gophers have won six straight bowl games under head coach Tracy Claeys, which started in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl. Under Fleck, the team is 4-0 in bowl games. Because there were not enough six-win teams in the country, the Gophers, like they did that season, qualified for a bowl despite having a 5-7 record. According to NCAA regulations, they were awarded the available berth since they had the highest Academic Progress Rate score among the five-win teams.
Only six FBS schools (Northwestern, Wisconsin, Clemson, Alabama, Mississippi, and Ohio State) or fewer than five (Cincinnati) have more wins than Minnesota.
“Maybe on the field we didn’t have enough wins, but we talk about why these men are student-athletes, celebrating their success not only on the field but also in the classroom,” Fleck continued. “We’re the example of that this year.”
The team’s second-leading rusher and receiver, Taron Keith, will not play in Detroit after logging onto the transfer portal, and Terion Stewart, who led the Falcons with 762 yards rushing and eight touchdowns, is out with a fractured leg.Bowling Green will be lacking in the secondary due to injuries and the transfer portal, according to Loeffler, who added, “We’ll be down to our third, fourth, and fifth running backs.”
Harold Fannin, an all-MAC tight end, may perhaps be tried by the Falcons.”He can do everything, lining up at tight end and as a hybrid receiver,” Loeffler explained. “We might even hand him the ball.”