Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck is quick to say that he doesn't award starting jobs during spring practice. The drills in March and April do, however, help formulate a pecking order from which Fleck and his coaching staff will draw when training camp opens in early August.

For the Gophers in 2025, the most important position to fill will be quarterback, and so far, redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey appears to be the clear front-runner to replace 2024 starter Max Brosmer.

During Tuesday's practice at the team's indoor facility — the second practice this spring that media members have been allowed to attend — the 6-5, 230-pounder from Fayetteville, Ark., showed command of the offense and touch on his passes, while also displaying areas in which he can improve.

Lindsey was mainly accurate with his throws, though Fleck called him over for some coaching tips after what looked to be a missed read and to address ball security after he was flushed from the pocket. Overall, the coach has been impressed through nine spring practice sessions.

"Drake's playing at a really high level," Fleck said. "He's probably at a higher level than any young player I've ever had at that position, but I will say the other quarterbacks are playing extremely well, too."

Dylan Wittke, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Virginia Tech, took most of the second-team snaps Tuesday, followed by redshirt sophomore Max Shikenjanski. Zach Pyron, the redshirt junior transfer from Georgia Tech, and true freshman Jackson Kollock saw fewer reps Tuesday, but Fleck said he's been spreading around the practice time.

"We give guys different days where everybody's getting something different, where everybody's playing with different guys," Fleck said. "Now, what you do with your opportunity is up to you. I'm a firm believer in the old-school approach that I don't make the depth chart, the players do, and nobody wins the job in the spring."

Johnson at guard, Beers at center

Greg Johnson started all 13 games at center last season after spending his freshman season mainly at guard. On Tuesday, the junior was back at left guard, while redshirt junior Ashton Beers took first-team center snaps.

"Greg is just a phenomenal guard," Fleck said. "We put him at center last year because we needed a center, and he's really athletic. It helped him learn the entire offense, especially up front. … His natural movement skills, his pad level, his get-off is made for guard."

Beers, whose nine starts last year all were at guard, is growing into his new role at center, Fleck said.

"[He's] maybe the most improved lineman we've had this spring, especially in his pad level, etc.," Fleck said. "I mean, first two practices, you get knocked back by [defensive tackle] Deven Eastern, which most people do. We're talking 4 or 5 yards in the backfield. And now it's a battle every single play, where it's a stalemate or somebody's winning the line 1 yard on the other side or 1 yard on this side."

Overall, Fleck likes what he's seen from his offensive line, which must replace four players who were regular starters.

"These guys are nasty. They're nasty, and they're competing with each other," Fleck said. "They are maybe as connected of an offensive line as we've had off the field. … They really are like a swarm of bees everywhere you see them."

Scrimmage lessons

The Gophers held a 100-play scrimmage on Saturday, and Fleck liked what he saw from his team's improvement and wants to see lessons in action going forward.

"We're a way better football team from Practice 1 to where we are now. Are we ready to play a game? No, but we did a scrimmage on Saturday. I love what I saw because there's so much to learn from," he said. "I told them today, 'What I want to see in today's practice is I want to see the things that we didn't do well on Saturday applied. That's how I know you're taking your coaching.'"

Big-time catch

Tuesday's practice ended on a high note for the offense as tight end Drew Biber, a transfer from Purdue, made a spectacular one-handed catch in the end zone, leaping high to secure the ball as his teammates hooted and hollered.