Grieving QB Morgan values connection, support from Gophers

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan drops back to throw during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Morgan has big goals and an even bigger inspiration in mind for his fourth and perhaps final college season, following his father's death this summer after a bout with brain cancer. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

FILE - Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan (2) throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. Many of Minnesota's upperclassmen cashed in on the bonus year of eligibility after the pandemic and returned for 2021, giving the Gophers one of the oldest teams in the Big Ten. The time is now for coach P.J. Fleck's group to take another step forward, led by running back Mo Ibrahim and quarterback Tanner Morgan, both in their fourth year. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

FILE - Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim runs for a touchdown against Maryland during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, in College Park, Md. Many of Minnesota's upperclassmen cashed in on the bonus year of eligibility after the pandemic and returned for 2021, giving the Gophers one of the oldest teams in the Big Ten. The time is now for coach P.J. Fleck's group to take another step forward, led by running back Mo Ibrahim and quarterback Tanner Morgan, both in their fourth year. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)