Minnesota Is Starting A Freshman Walk-On Quarterback Week One… What?

College football is right around the corner, as there are some irrelevant games as soon as this Saturday before the real games start next Thursday, August 30th, and continue through that weekend. With the first AP Poll coming out today, college football seemed to be a hot topic of conversation, but there was one other piece of news that caught my attention.
BREAKING: @Coach_Fleck names Zack Annexstad starting quarterback. #Gophers #SkiUMah #RTB pic.twitter.com/rTpoyqPxAp
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 20, 2018
Zack Annexstad isn’t some normal quarterback who won the starting job at Minnesota, but he’s a true freshman walk-on. Yes, you and I are thinking the same thing… Minnesota is in trouble this year. How often do you see a true freshman start at the FBS level, let alone a true freshman walk-on?
In Annexstad’s defense, he did get offers from Pitt, Cincinnati, Illinois, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss before choosing to walk-on at Minnesota, where his dad played. Annexstad, a 3-star prospect ranked 1472 in the 2018 recruiting class (247sports), won the job over a JUCO quarterback, and a redshirt freshman. I’m a huge fan of Minnesota Head Coach P.J Fleck, but this is a BALLSY move.
Thought both QB’s threw it well today – if I had to guess, I’d say Zack Anexstad will be the starter – but they’ll be better at the position no matter who wins the job. pic.twitter.com/SwHWtqDuzo
— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 16, 2018
Imagine being a high school student, graduating early, enrolling at college in the spring, and then starting at quarterback for a Big Ten school week 1 as a walk-on. This is certainly a story to keep an eye on as the college football season goes on. Unfortunately, Penn State doesn’t play Minnesota this year, so I won’t be able to watch my defense demolish Zack Annexstsad.