Minnesota Gophers Linebacker Cody Lindenberg - Greg Simbeck/The Forkball
This is the start of a series focusing on the Minnesota Gophers position groups leading up to the 2023 season. We’ll focus on one position group a week, determine its strengths and weaknesses, and what to expect from the players within that group. The photos for this article are courtesy of my visit last week to the Gophers Media Day event at the Gibson-Nagurski Complex on campus.
Tough Task to Replace Sori-Marin
The Gophers will have a tough task in trying to replace middle linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin. Sori-Marin was a big part of the heart and soul of the team. His presence will be missed on the field, in the locker room, and on campus. Also gone from last season are Will linebacker Braelen Oliver and Sam linebacker Donald Willis. They both exited the team through the transfer portal.
Gophers Star in the Making
Minnesota does welcome back All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Will linebacker Cody Lindenberg. Lindenberg played in all 13 of the Gophers contests last season, starting the last six games of the year. He recorded eight tackles against both Nebraska and Iowa and finished the season with 71 tackles.
But the highlight of his season came in the Gophers’ 28-20 win over Syracuse in last December’s Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. In this, the final game of the season, Lindenberg was credited with 11 tackles before exiting the game in the third quarter with a leg injury. Backing Lindenberg up will be redshirt sophomore, Devon Williams. Williams saw only limited action last season while recording two tackles.
Gophers Land a Quality Transfer
Stepping in for Sori-Marin at middle linebacker will be sixth-year senior Ryan Selig. Selig is a graduate transfer from Western Michigan who played middle linebacker the past two seasons after playing tight end at the beginning of his Broncos tenure. During his last two seasons as a starting linebacker, Selig registered 135 tackles and five sacks.
Selig is a tough athletic player who is also a threat in blitz packages. He and Lindenberg will provide veteran leadership and stability to this position group. Selig’s backup will be redshirt freshman Maverick Baranowski out of Spruce Creek High School in Ponce Inlet Florida. Playing mostly on special teams, he saw action in four Gophers games in 2022.
Youth is Served at Sam Linebacker
At the Sam linebacker position, P.J. Fleck and the Gophers will rely on redshirt freshman Joey Gerlach from Woodbury Minnesota. Gerlach is looking to make the jump from scout team to Big Ten starting linebacker in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s defense. Gerlach has added some weight since coming to Minnesota and he looks ready to take the next step forward. He’s a heady player who seems to have a nose for the ball.
Should Gerlach falter, sophomore transfer Rowan Zolman will step in. As a freshman last season at Miami (OH), Zolman saw action in nine games and made six tackles. And he recorded his first career interception in the RedHawks’ 24-20 loss to UAB in the 2022 Bahamas Bowl.
The Gophers finished fifth overall in Big Ten Defensive statistics last season. To improve upon this, Lindenberg and Selig must continue their solid play into the new season. And Gerlach has to demonstrate to Fleck and Rossi that he can contribute every week as a starter on the Gophers’ defense. Under Rossi’s firm tutelage, I look forward to the results.
