Minnesota quarterback Zack Annexstad started his first game as a true freshman walk-on, making him the first player to accomplish such a feat at the Power 5 level since Baker Mayfield did the same at Texas Tech in 2013.
Which, naturally, means Annexstad is destined to win the 2021 Heisman Trophy for Nebraska, or something like that.
In all seriousness, both players were not walk-ons in the true sense of the word, given that both spurned Power 5 offers elsewhere in order to pay their respective ways at the schools of their choice.
“It was good for Zack to hear from him because people had mentioned him,” Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “Any time you can get advice from a guy who has been through what you’ve been through — it was a good moment for him to start his career.”
Annexstad himself had a more succinct response: “That was cool.”
For the record, Annexstad completed 16-of-33 passes for 220 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 48-10 win over New Mexico State. That’s a bit off of Mayfield’s debut, when he connected on 43-of-60 throws for 413 yards with four touchdowns and no picks in a 41-23 Texas Tech win over SMU.