'Selfless' Quinn Carroll has helped Gophers' offensive line elevate play

Despite some reshuffling, Minnesota's offensive line continues to improve.

Sep 16, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers offensive lineman Quinn Carroll (77) on the field before the game at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Longtime starting left guard Tyler Cooper was ruled out before the Gophers' game last week against Illinois, which forced a major reshuffling across Minnesota's offensive line. One notable change was right tackle Quinn Caroll flipping back into right guard, a position that he started at to begin the season.

Carroll put together one of his most complete performances of the season, earning an 84.5 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, which earned him a spot on the PFF Week 10 College Football Team of the Week.

PFF’s Week 10 College Football Team of the Week🔥 pic.twitter.com/szdsBhWJke

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 3, 2024

Hailing from Edina, Minn., Carroll transferred back home to Minnesota from Notre Dame before the 2022 season. He's played more than 2,200 snaps since joining the program and he's become one of the team's most vocal leaders. He's assumed veteran status, but he's been more than willing to flip between guard and tackle over the last two seasons.

"He's such a selfless teammate. I couldn't ask for anything more out of a leader and a captain than him. I am really glad that he's playing at a really high level because I think he's elevated that whole O-line room," head coach P.J. Fleck said.

Carroll's move to right guard wasn't the only change to the Gophers' offensive line on Saturday. Redshirt freshman Phillip Daniels made his first career start at right tackle. He played 70 total snaps and earned a 70.5 PFF grade.

"I thought Phillip (Daniels) played really well and he's tough and he's aggressive. But, he's still a redshirt freshman," Fleck said. "He took a huge step in his growth, but he's gotta take a gigantic leap and I know he will. He's a very transparent learner. He wants to get better."

The shuffling up front also saw Ashton Beers flip from right guard to assume Cooper's left guard role. The severity of Cooper's injury is unknown, but Fleck said that the team would like to keep Carroll and Daniels on the right side. Therefore, it would be fair to think Minnesota's preferred group would be Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Beers or Cooper at left guard, Greg Johnson at center, then Carroll and Daniels controlling the right side.

Minnesota has tried its fair share of combinations, but it looks like offensive line coach Brian Callahan has finally found his preferred group of five to go to battle with inside the trenches.