Gophers' banged-up offensive line could be in for a long day against Indiana

The Gophers’ offensive line looks a lot different than it did in the first week of the season. Veteran center Ashton Beers is out for the season, more players are playing out of position and the unit’s depth has vanished ahead of the stiffest test of the season this week against Indiana.Third-year left tackle Nathan Roy has tied Drake Lindsey with a team-high 422 snaps this season. The left guard position next to him has been a revolving door. Star center Greg Johnson started there for the first three games before moving to center after Beers’ injury. Backup center Brett Carroll suffered a season-ending injury in the summer, so Minnesota had to get creative.Jaden Ball replaced Johnson at left guard before suffering an injury against Washington, and then Tennessee transfer Bennett Warren started the last three games at the position. Ball was available against Iowa, but he did not log an offensive snap.Johnson has logged 100% of his snaps at center over the last four weeks, and he continues to perform at an All-American level. Right guard has been the second-most consistent position all season, as veteran Tony Nelson has started all seven games.Second-year player DJ Shipp has also started all seven games for Minnesota at right tackle, but he left Saturday’s win against Iowa with an injury, which prompted Warren to move to right tackle and Jerome Williams to come off the bench to play left guard. Fortunately for the Gophers, Shipp quickly returned, and he was included in the initial availability report for this week’s game against Indiana.It appears that Minnesota’s preferred starting offensive line right now is Roy at left tackle, Warren at left guard, Johnson at center, Nelson at right guard and Shipp at right tackle. Ball and Williams appear to be the top two options off the bench.Minnesota’s offensive line has been far from dominant, but given the circumstances, its pass blocking has been solid. Drake Lindsey has been sacked just six times through seven games, but the team’s 3.4 yards per carry ranks near the bottom of FBS football.This week’s opponent, Indiana, deploys one of the most intimidating front sevens in college football. Tobi Osunsanmi was a highly touted transfer from Kansas State, and he leads the team with 24 QB pressures and he’s second in the country with nine sacks. The Hoosiers have seven players with 10 or more QB pressures, compared with Minnesota’s three. Stephen Daley was a late returnee thanks to a fifth-year lawsuit, and he’s second on the team with 21 QB pressures and five sacks.Junior Mario Lando has played the most snaps on the defensive line, and he’s third on the team with 18 QB pressures and four sacks. Linebackers like Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones are why the Hoosiers have a strong case for having the best front seven in the entire sport. Veteran D-lineman Kellan Wyatt has already been ruled out for Saturday’s game, but Indiana has the depth to not skip a beat.If Minnesota wants any chance of sticking with the defending national champions as a 20.5-point underdog, it needs to keep Lindsey protected. The offensive line faces its toughest test of the season, which is why Saturday could be another long day for the Gophers’ struggling offense.Related ArticlesGophers basketball’s first week will reveal a lot about 2026-27 teamGophers get positive injury update on defensive line ahead of Indiana gameGophers-Penn State men’s hockey preview: Can Minnesota keep rolling after UND sweep?Danny Collins’ defense has improved, but can it keep carrying the Gophers?This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.