Minnesota quarterback Cole Kramer was not supposed to play in the Quick Lane Bowl, let alone start. Life is unpredictable.
According to his LinkedIn, Kramer is “currently looking for a sales/marketing job starting January of 2024.” That is less than a week away!
He is also set to marry Katie Miller in February. Their wedding is 40 days out!
Kramer, a fifth-year senior, was a three-star prospect in the college football recruiting Class of 2019. His career as a backup for the Golden Gophers was highlighted by Academic All-Big Ten honors in four of five years, as well as limited action in 21 games. The bulk of his college experience came as a short-yardage specialist out of the Wildcat in 2021.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound signal-caller recorded 36 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns that year. He attempted just 14 total passes in five seasons.
Big brains threw a wrench in Cole Kramer’s plans.
Minnesota hosted Wisconsin during the final game of the 2023 regular season and lost. The Gophers fell to 5-7. They missed out on bowl eligibility.
Starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis entered the transfer portal. Their season was over.
The month of December was supposed to be focused on his new life after football for Kramer. The soon-to-be wed couple is moving to Arizona next month. They have to make sure that everything is ready to go before their wedding. He needs a job.
And then head coach P.J. Fleck’s phone rang.
Not enough college football teams reached the 6-6 requirement to play in a bowl game. Minnesota reached bowl eligibility by winning a tiebreaker via Academic Progress Rate.
Basically, the Gophers had the best grades of the remaining 5-7 teams so they received an invitation to play Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl. They accepted.
Minnesota needed a quarterback.
Kaliakmanis left the program so Kramer was the next man up. Fleck brought him into his office and offered him the opportunity to make his first-career start in the final game of his five-year career.
Kramer was hesitant and checked with Miller, who thought that there was an emergency because her fiancé rang while she in the middle of her shift as a nurse. She encouraged him to play and gave him her blessing.
His teammates gave Cole Kramer a standing ovation when Fleck announced him as the starter. Pretty cool.
Miller was in Detroit to watch her fiancé start for the Gophers against the Falcons.
He was rumbling, bumbling and stumbling!
COLE KRAMER!!! #Gophers pic.twitter.com/hYmWon9k7k
— Nadine Babu (@NadineBabu) December 26, 2023
As soon as the clock hits zero, Kramer will take a moment to reflect on his first start and the last five years. Then it’s off to Arizona to get married and start a job in sales/marketing!