Nov 12, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) looks on after the win against the Northwestern Wildcats at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Minnesota football all-quarter century offense revealed by Gophers on SI

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Tony Liebert | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 12:09 PM ET

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have played 25 football seasons since widely celebrated turn of the millenium in 2000. As we inch closer to the 2025-26 season, we tried to craft the all-quarter century team, and we're starting today on the offensive side of the ball.

Quarterback

First-team: Adam Weber
Second-team: Tanner Morgan
Third-team: Mitch Leidner

The three best Gophers' quarterbacks since 2000 should be pretty cut-and-dry. I would listen to the argument of Morgan being higher than Weber, but it's clear that Weber, Morgan and Leidner have been Minnesota's best signal callers over the past 25 years.

Running back

First-team: Mohamed Ibrahim
Second-team: Laurence Maroney
Third-team: David Cobb

Honorable mentions: Marion Barber III, Rodney Smith

There have been a tremendous stable of running backs in the Gophers' program history. Ibrahim is the all-time program leaders in total rushing yards and single season rushing, which gives him the slight edge over Maroney and Cobb. It's hard to choose just three, as Barber and Smith are also very deserving.

Wide reciever

First-team: Tyler Johnson
Second-team: Eric Decker
Third-team: Rashod Bateman

Honorable mentions: Daniel Jackson, *Ron Johnson

This might be the easiest one, two, three on the offensive side of the ball. Johnson, Decker and Bateman were all great in their own right. Ron Johnson only played two seasons in the 2000s, so I opted to leave him off the top three.

Tight end

First-team: Matt Spaeth
Second-team: Maxx Williams
Third-team: Brevyn Spann-Ford

Spaeth is arguably the best tight end in Gophers' program history after winning the Mackey Award in 2006. Williams isn't too far behind after an impressive two-year run that made him a second round pick. Spann-Ford's career could've been even better, but he deserves a spot on the third team.

Offensive line

OL: Aireontae Ersery
OL: John Michael Scmitz
OL: Greg Eslinger
OL: Blaise Andries
OL: Daniel Faalele

Faalele broke a 16-year drought when he was the first Gophers' offensive lineman drafted since Mark Setterstrom in 2006. I opted to list the five best linemen regardless of position, and Ersery, Schmitz and Andries join Eslinger, who won the 2005 Rimington Trophy up front.