2023 Gophers Position Previews: Linebackers

If you can believe it, football is almost here. Seriously. For the third year running, Ski-U-Blog will have previews of every position group entering Minnesota's season. Today, we focus on the linebackers.

Likely Starters

Two years after being thrown into the starting lineup for a turbulent first game against Michigan, and a year after missing 10 games with an injury, Cody Lindenberg showed his capabilities in 2022. He didn't start until Week 9 but finished 2nd on the team in total tackles (58.5) and contributed 6.0 havoc plays.

Lindenberg is a run-and-hit linebacker who probably doesn't deserve much trust in pass defense but still has some speed to chase down opposing skill players. He's far more useful — like Thomas Barber and Mariano Sori-Marin before him — coming up to stop the run, which he does decisively and forcefully.

P.J. Fleck has said Lindenberg could end up the best linebacker he's coached at Minnesota. Now a redshirt junior, Lindenberg has a chance to prove that wasn't just hyperbole.

Even so, Minnesota brought in a transfer linebacker to go with Lindenberg, letting Braelen Oliver and Donald Willis and leave for other schools instead of giving them cracks at larger roles. Ryan Selig, formerly of Western Michigan, will start next to Lindenberg this year before running out of eligibility. Selig made more than 50 tackles each of the last two seasons and never made an All-MAC team.

Officially, Selig is 5 pounds lighter than Lindenberg, but that difference looks greater when watching him. For better and worse, Selig plays light on his feet. He has the speed to get after the quarterback on a blitz or cut through traffic and make a stop, but he didn't show the strength to routinely hold his ground against a blocker. His tackling form isn't always solid, either, sometimes putting his shoulder into the ballcarrier after building up speed rather than wrapping up. But he can react quickly to a play and deliver a solid hit.

At WMU, Selig regularly could be seen calling out pre-snap instructions to his teammates. Experience and communication are things that Fleck and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi surely sought after losing Sori-Marin, which is perhaps one reason they were willing to go against their usual type when finding Sori-Marin's replacement. They might also have so often seen their typically bulky linebackers get caught out by play-action or outran by a tight end that someone lighter seemed necessary.

Selig nevertheless needs to demonstrate that he can handle the physicality of the Big Ten. Plodding offenses like those of Iowa and Michigan are still on the schedule. Minnesota still needs some heft behind their front line.

Key Backups

You can still find some heft lower down the depth chart in the form of Derik LeCaptain. A redshirt senior, he has played a handful of roles for the Gophers — special teamer, fullback, halfback — but seldom has LeCaptain gotten snaps that matter at his actual position of linebacker. 

Last year's top pairing of Sori-Marin and Lindenberg were ideal for stopping the run, but the Gophers have at times cycled players through based on their skill sets. If Lindenberg is the only given every down, Lindenberg may replace Selig in an obvious run situation.

Alternatively, the Gophers could move to a 4-3 in those spots. It's something they've done before, particularly in games against Iowa and Wisconsin: take off the nickelback for a Sam linebacker. Oliver and Willis's departure mean a path onto the field for Devon Williams to take those snaps.

The Ohio native has made just two assisted tackles in his Gophers career, only taking defensive snaps in the Western Illinois and Colorado games last year. Williams is, in other words, not experienced. But when lacking proven depth at linebacker, someone is going to have to play who might not be ready. If Williams is going to potentially play a larger role in 2024, he needs to rotate in from time to time so that he can do the job.

Potential Rotation Options

Rowan Zolman was a late addition this spring, transferring to the U of M from Miami (Ohio) near the end of April. His position with the RedHawks was safety, which he hardly played in his one year. He appeared far more often on special teams. Zolman is more likely to immediately step into the kickoff coverage team than the defense, but his background as a defensive back could make him a pick to play Sam or come in on passing downs. He's an injury away from being needed.

Notables Unlikely to Contribute

I like Maverick Baranowski. Baranowski's spring game performance was a strong exhibition of his talents: speed, a nose for the ball, and a proclivity for violence.

Baranowski still has room to mature and will spend 2023 on special teams, where he appeared a few times last season. He's currently third in line at Mike but could ascend to a bigger role next year.

In addition to Baranowski, the Gophers gave significant reps to three other redshirt freshmen in the spring game. Joey Gerlach, the lone scholarship player and a converted safety, had the smallest presence after Cade Larson and Tyler Stolsky. We won't see any of them soon. Stolsky, for what it's worth, found his way into some passing lanes, even if he never got his hands up in time to make a play.