How Good is New Gophers QB Max Brosmer?

But most Gopher fans will have a difficult time putting their finger on what all that tangibly means at the FBS Power-4 level. So, let’s dig into what we can realistically expect from the new Gophers’ starting quarterback.

Brosmer’s numbers at the University of New Hampshire were nothing short of breathtaking. In 2023 he completed 64% of his passes, which is good, not great. But if you’re worried about volume — and all Gopher fans should be since PJ Fleck seems to hate passing the ball most of the time — there might be hope on the horizon with our new QB.

Max threw the ball over 41 times per game last season, on average, which helped him pile up 3,464 yards (most in FCS) and 29 touchdowns (2nd in FCS), an improvement from an already impressive 2022 campaign (coming off of a torn ACL). That type of air production is unheard of around these parts.

Max carries a (90-overall) four-star transfer portal ranking, according to 247Sports, good for the 19th best QB that hit the portal this offseason. There are a lot of things that have the Gophers excited about Brosmer.

His numbers are awesome. But what has me most excited about Max, is his tape. Sure, he’s playing against FCS competition, but look beyond that. We just got two years of Athan Kaliakmanis, who’s biggest issues were in his mechanics and ability to go through reads.

Max Brosmer highlights

Watching these highlights, you can see that Brosmer has much cleaner mechanics, when throwing from a good base. But mostly, he just seems a step ahead of everyone else before the ball is snapped. Pay attention.

It’s hard not to notice that most of his biggest plays come from a blown coverage he recognizes pre-snap or a blitz he takes advantage of or (even better) a safety he looks off, before snapping his head around and delivering a strike. You’ll also notice that Brosmer has plenty of arm strength and playmaking ability, to go along with that intellect and ability to read coverages.

What the Gophers like most about Brosmer, though, is his leadership. PJ Fleck and the rest of the Minnesota coaching staff will not stop raving about Max’s leadership. He’s the first one in the building and the last one to leave.

It’s all about the intangibles

Of course, that’s the cliche, right? But with this kid, it’s apparently the real deal. And because of that, he already has the entire team following behind him step-by-step. Remember, Tanner Morgan (no matter how you felt about his talent and on-field ability) was one of the better leaders in all of college football.

It’s why PJ Fleck trusted him so much, even through his struggles. For PJ to speak this highly of Brosmer in that department says a lot. Does it guarantee Max break all of Tanner’s 2019 single-season records?

No, but given the success that Minnesota has had in the portal this offseason, there’s no doubt that they have a better team entering 2024 than what they had going into any of the last couple seasons. And a big part of that is the improvement at quarterback.

“I think you start with the intangibles. They’re through the roof. If you look at the the quarterbacks we’ve had a lot of success with, whether Western Michigan or Minnesota, the intangibles go through the roof. And that’s the first thing that you see when you meet him. I think any successful quarterback has to have that piece.

It can’t be all of it because you got to have some skill and some talent and all that other stuff, but the intangibles, you feel like he’s already been here for 30 years. I’ve never seen a person walk into a situation may be probably more uncomfortable of a situation because you’re the new guy and connect as many people as quickly as he has.”

So if you haven’t already answered the headline of this article (how good is Max Brosmer) yourself, let me wrap this up in a bow. I fully expect him to be better than any quarterback that PJ Fleck has had at the University of Minnesota.

Is Max Brosmer the best QB PJ Fleck has had at the University of Minnesota?

Tanner Morgan had a great 2019, but we quickly found out that had more to do with the plethora of weapons at his disposal, than it did his QB talents. Athan was supposed to be the heir to Tanner Morgan’s throne, but it never materialized.

But without a doubt, Max has his eyes on the 2025 NFL Draft. If he can have the same type of success (3,000+ yards, 25 touchdowns) that he had while in New Hampshire, there’s no doubt he will get his name called next April. That’s what I’m expecting.