Quietly and quickly, the Gophers football program received a commitment from Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Zach Pyron on Wednesday.

With senior starter Max Brosmer done after the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Minnesota sought a QB with collegiate experience via the NCAA transfer portal and behind the scenes zeroed in on Pyron when the portal opened on Monday. While other transfer targets have had their upcoming visits reported, Pyron came into the U without fanfare this week.

Like last year when they added Brosmer as a transfer from New Hampshire, the Gophers acted fast and got the guy they sought in Pyron.

Pyron, a former four-star recruit from Alabama, played in 19 career games for the Yellow Jackets, completing 88 of 155 passes (57%) for 995 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions over three seasons.

This fall, he completed 35 of 65 passes (53%) for 409 yards, two touchdowns and three picks, adding 36 carries for 115 yards and four rushing TDs.

The Gophers are high on to-be redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey, but with only limited experience -- two games played late in blowout wins -- the U felt the need to have another option with experience in the QB room.

Pylon will be given an opportunity to compete for the job along with Lindsey, redshirt sophomore Dylan Wittke, who transferred to the U from Virginia Tech last winter, and incoming true freshman QB Jackson Kollock. Max Shikenjanski and Jeremiah Finaly are also on the depth chart.

“I really like our quarterback room,” Gophers head coach Fleck said Sunday. “… Drake has made huge strides from the moment he got here to where he is now. Then we will add another player.

“It always starts with: Can the quarterback lead the team? That doesn’t matter if you are the first guy or the second guy, third guy or fourth guy, fifth guy. We want to have five quarterbacks on our roster. … Every single one of them has to have the intangibles of leading the entire football team.”

Fleck then mentioned a player’s ability to run the offense in its certain way, which includes processing information at the line of scrimmage, showing accuracy and arm strength, and an everyday ability to be coached and develop as a player. “Lot of things go into it,” he said.

Pyron was primarily behind starting QB Haynes King, a Texas A&M transfer, the last two seasons. Pyron played extensively in only two games.

He went 20 for 36 for 269 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a loss to Notre Dame, a College Football Playoff team, and 10 for 22 for 76 yards and an interception in split time with Aaron Philo in a loss to Virginia Tech.

Pyron, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, was considered the 18th-best quarterback coming out of Pinson (Ala.) Valley High School.

He won three state championships in four seasons and was included in the Elite 11 quarterback competitions in 2021.

2025 slated unveiled

All five of the Gophers football team’s road games in 2025 are intriguing. Four of them had dates confirmed with the Big Ten schedule release Wednesday.

Minnesota will have two trips to the West Coast: to play California in a nonconference game in Berkeley on Sept. 13, and its first conference matchup with Oregon in Eugene on Nov. 15.

The U’s final regular-season road game will be against Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Nov. 22. The Wildcats are playing two games each season at the Chicago Cubs’ baseball stadium while a new Ryan Field is being built on campus in Evanston.

In between, the Gophers will play at Ohio State in fabled Ohio Stadium on Oct. 4, and on Oct. 25 at Iowa, where Minnesota snapped a 10-game losing streak in Iowa City in 2023.

After having Power Four opponents to start the previous two seasons, Minnesota will open against Buffalo of the Mid-American Conference on Thursday, Aug. 28, and Northwestern State (FCS) on Sept. 6. Both at home.

Minnesota has a very early bye week Sept. 20 and opens Big Ten play against Rutgers at home on Sept. 27. The U will also play Purdue (Oct. 11), Nebraska (Oct. 18) and Michigan State (Nov. 1) at home, followed by the second bye week on Nov. 8.

The regular season finale against Wisconsin is at Huntington Bank Stadium on Nov. 29.

After playing on Black Friday in 2023, the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe will return to the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Three more returning

The Gophers’ NIL collective Dinkytown Athletes announced Wednesday that three defensive players will return to the U for the 2025 season: defensive linemen Anthony Smith and Deven Eastern, and safety Kerry Brown. Running back Darius Taylor and safety Koi Perich said Friday they will return for next season.

Minnesota have had not significant contributors from last season enter the portal since it opened Monday. Seven total players have said they will leave the U this winter.