What did P.J. Fleck think about Drake Lindsey's debut as a starter?
Minnesota redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey made his debut on Thursday night as the Golden Gophers’ starter behind center. It was a debut that, while far from perfect, was one that showcased why the Gophers’ coaching staff has so much faith in the Arkansas native to lead the offense and one that will leave fans chomping at the bit for more.
In the 23-10 win over Buffalo, Lindsey completed 19-of-35 passing attempts for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with one interception.
Throughout the game, Lindsey flashed his raw arm talent, making throws well beyond his years while also threading the needle through tight windows. Perhaps the most impressive part of his performance was his poise, confidence, and composure throughout what was a tighter game than most fans and analysts expected.
But what did Gophers’ head coach P.J. Fleck think about his redshirt freshman’s debut as the starting quarterback?
“It didn’t surprise me at all,” Fleck said about Lindsey. “His composure is the exact same as I saw in a state championship football game.”
“When it’s a nail biter, it’s going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The only one that was a little anxious was Amy, his mom,” Fleck added. “And just every play was holding on for dear life. Not that kid. I mean, he is a cool customer. Wants the ball, understands the situation of football.”
While it was an impressive performance for Lindsey, there was still plenty to learn from.
“He learned a lot of things that you can and cannot do today,” he said. “You can’t take a sack in the green zone there. You got to throw the ball away. But he’s so coachable. Our best players are the most coachable people.”
Fleck also pointed to Lindsey as the type of player that the Gophers look to build their program around.
“When we talk about developing talent, great people become really great players. I believe in that and that’s what this program is,” Fleck said. “We’re going to create great people, recruit great people and then they’ll become better players. And I think Drake Lindsey’s a great example of that.”
“His composure and his poise. Not only that, his processing information was at a high level,” Fleck continued. “He made some really good throws today. And then he made a throw or two, they were like, you’re not going to be able to throw that again.”
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