College kids love free food, and that’s one of the things four Minnesota Gophers football players got as part of their NIL deal with the fast-casual salad restaurant, Sweetgreen.
Sweetgreen partnered with redshirt freshman running back Zach Evans, incoming four-star freshmen RB Darius Taylor and wide receiver Kenric Lanier, and WR transfer from Charlotte Elijah Spencer. The four Gophers get free Sweetgreen meals for a year as part of the deal and also participate in some fun and games in-store, like trivia and guess the salad ingredients.
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At the end of the competition, the team of Evans and Spencer came away as champions, winning a special golden salad as their prize.
More importantly, though, these players now can use their NIL partnership to eat healthier and help their performance on the field.
“I’ve had issues with cramps in games in the past,” Taylor said in a press release about the partnership. “So, I’ve been more adamant about the type of food I eat to make sure my body is in its peak shape to perform at my best during games.”
Spencer agreed, noting, “At my position, I’m pretty much running during the entire game, so it’s crucial to watch what I put into my body before a game.”
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All four players are expected to contribute to the Gophers offense this season, where the program is looking to build on their 9-4 record, fourth-place finish in the Big 10 West, and Pinstripe Bowl win over Syracuse.
College football guru Phil Steele named Minnesota the seventh-best team in the 14-team Big 10 heading into the 2023 season.
