Blessing in Disguise? How Greg Johnson’s Absence Reshapes the Gophers’ O-Line Depth
Minnesota Gophers spring football is underway, and while the 2026 offensive line has plenty to sort out, an early absence from starting guard Greg Johnson may actually work in the team’s favor. Getting to see the team on the field in any capacity is always a welcome sight, even in its limited form.
That said, this spring, the Gophers’ rehab group has been a bit larger than you would like.
For those who have never been to a Minnesota Gophers spring practice, once the pads go on, there is a group of players without pads often working on the far end of the field, rehabbing from injuries. These injuries are often remaining issues from last season, results of offseason surgeries, or newer injuries that have popped up during the winter or spring.
In Minnesota’s last open practice on April 7th, the Gophers had an extended list of absences.
Most of them are expected to be short-term, but one stands out as potentially reshaping Minnesota’s offensive line depth in a meaningful way heading into 2026 — even though it’s not expected to be a long-term absence.
That would be the absence of multi-year starting guard Greg Johnson, whose absence is no surprise. He was seen at Minnesota’s pro day in a boot, and his recovery continues into the spring.
“He’ll be fine,” Fleck said earlier this spring when asked about the injury. “There are some guys that had some cleanup stuff in the offseason and some guys that needed it, and we’ll rest them… but he’ll be fine. “
But could his absence actually be a blessing in disguise?
Now, don’t get me wrong, you never want injuries, especially to key starters. That being said, there are three reasons why this injury could actually benefit Minnesota in the 2026-27 season.
Rapid Development:
This Gophers offensive line has to replace two starters in one off-season without much experience outside of the returning starters. Both right guard and right tackle. The battle for right guard looks to be between Tony Nelson (who started the final 2 games of the season) and Brett Carroll (who was the PFF Center of the week in week 2 of last season). Either of which should be an improvement from the majority of last year’s RG play.
Now, with Greg Johnson (left guard) out for a portion of spring, you suddenly have three offensive line starter reps with the ones going to different young players to get practice reps and development early and often. So now, rather than Tony Nelson and Brett Carroll rotating with the ones and trying to make a case for why they should start in limited action, both guys are seeing almost all the 1s reps.
Not only that, but they are getting some cross-training by working both left guard and right guard nd the rotation comes in that capacity as opposed to one in and the other watching. This also elevates opportunities beyond even those battling for starting spots in Minnesota Gophers spring football. It opens the door for guys like Jerome Williams, Nick Spence, and Lucas Tielsch to get meaningful 2s reps early. Spence is currently a redshirt freshman, and Tielsch is a true freshman.
Former 4-Star Ready to Start:
This opportunity gives Brett Carroll the chance to showcase development in all three positions. If you have followed any of my work podcasting, you will know I am a firm believer in Brett Carroll and his upside. He was a four-star high school center who was an All-American Bowl football prospect, a state champion wrestler, and a state champion thrower in track. That is an athlete with bend, body control, and a history of winning in every format.
According to Pro Football Focus, Carroll was also the Gophers’ third-highest-graded pass blocker and second-highest-graded run blocker from last season. Not only is he getting first-team repetitions at both guard spots currently, but he is also getting repetitions at center behind senior Ashton Beers. To do that, you have to be driven, have your wits about you, and be a competitor. That is exactly what this offensive line needs. Carroll is quite literally one of the most versatile players in the room. Longevity would favor Carroll winning this battle as a redshirt sophomore; he has more eligibility remaining, and starter repetitions would be valuable, seeing as he is the likely starting center in 2027.
Greg Johnson will be just fine once he returns to action:
Greg Johnson has everything it takes to slot back in at full speed. You are talking about a high-IQ player who understands the calls and checks at an elite level, especially having already played as a starter at both guard and center. On top of that, he will be driven to avoid getting too comfortable in his senior year. Greg has been an impact player since his freshman year, and he will not need many spring repetitions to get back to a top level. In other words, the player you would least want to miss spring repetitions may actually be the one who can most afford to. The most important factor here is simply a full recovery so he can work this summer and throughout fall camp.
