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Back in 2017, Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck heavily recruited Edina offensive tackle Quinn Carroll, once traveling by helicopter from the University of Minnesota to Apple Valley to watch Carroll and the Hornets play Eastview. Carroll, though, eventually committed to Notre Dame.
Four years later, Carroll chose Minnesota, announcing Tuesday night on Twitter that he is transferring to Minnesota. He entered the transfer portal on Monday.
"God's timing is perfect. I'm coming home!" Carroll tweeted.
Carroll, whose father, Jay, was a tight end for the Gophers from 1981 to '83, spent the past three seasons at Notre Dame. The 6-7, 315-pounder played in 13 games this season, mostly on special teams. He played in three games in 2020 and suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament in 2019 and did not play. Carroll had been behind freshman Joe Alt, a Totino-Grace graduate, at left tackle for the Fighting Irish.
Carroll was the top-ranked recruit in Minnesota in the Class of 2019 according to the 247Sports composite of major national recruiting services. He was ranked No. 12 nationally among offensive tackles and No. 118 among all players, and the Gophers were one of his six finalists, along with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.
The Gophers must replace four starting offensive linemen from their 2021 team, including left tackle Sam Schlueter and right tackle Daniel Faalele, so the addition of Carroll will help in that endeavor. Carroll has three years of eligibility remaining.
Carroll was the second transfer the Gophers landed on Tuesday. Lorenza Surgers, a 6-5, 265-pound defensive lineman and graduate transfer from Vanderbilt, announced his commitment to the Gophers on Twitter.
Surgers played in 12 games, starting eight, for the Commodores in 2021, finishing with 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Gophers.
A two-star recruit out of Panther Creek High School in Cary, N.C., Surgers had offers from Vanderbilt and Connecticut in 2018. He entered his name into the transfer portal on Nov. 30.
Earlier, the Gophers added transfer cornerbacks Ryan Stapp of Abilene Christian and Shannon "Beanie'' Bishop of Western Kentucky.
