Just 48 hours after the Gophers beat the Badgers in Madison 23-16 in the Big Ten regular season finale on Saturday, a former Wisconsin wide receiver announced he is transferring to the University of Minnesota.
Markus Allen, a 6’1” receiver from Dayton, Ohio, announced his intention to play for the Golden Gophers in 2023. Allen entered the transfer portal in October after Wisconsin fired head coach Paul Chryst.
Allen had three catches in 2021 as a freshman before being redshirted. This year he had seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown in four games before entering the portal.
Allen was a 4-star recruit by Rivals coming out of high school. ESPN and 247Sports gave him a 3-star rating.
Minnesota’s passing game was essentially non-existent this season until redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 319 yards against Wisconsin. It snapped the Gophers’ streak of 34 straight games without a 300-yard passer.
But a big question in 2023 will be who Kaliakmanis, or whomever is the starting quarterback, will throw to. Chris Autman-Bell has been granted a medical exemption to return for a seventh season. Daniel Jackson, Michael Brown-Stephens and Dylan Wright will be seniors, and Le’Meke Brockington will be a redshirt sophomore.
Others on the roster at the WR position include six freshmen who haven’t seen much of the field: Ike White, Kristen Hoskins, Cade Conzemius, Zach Jorgenson, Dino Kaliakmanis and Evan Redding.
The only wide receiver commit in the 2023 class is Donielle Hayes from Pensacola, Florida.
