The Gophers football team landed its first recruiting commitment for 2016 on Wednesday, when East Ridge defensive tackle Jojo Garcia announced his college decision.
The 6-3, 270-pound junior is rated as a four-star recruit in the 247Sports.com composite rankings. He also had an offer from Michigan State.
Garcia is classmates with East Ridge quarterback Seth Green, who had Minnesota and Michigan State among his three finalists before picking Oregon in October.
Waiting their turn
David Cobb ranks sixth in the nation in rushing (141.4 yards per game) and second in attempts (26.4 per game), so opportunities have been few and far between for other Gophers running backs.
Donnell Kirkwood has 16 carries this season and five over the past two games. Rodrick Williams has gone three consecutive games without a carry, and Berkley Edwards has only two carries in that span.
Edwards, whose 4.7 yards per carry rank second among Gophers running backs to Cobb's 5.4, had a shoulder injury earlier this season and got sick in the last game at Illinois.
"I think Berkley's done fine," coach Jerry Kill said. "As I've said several times, David Cobb has been pretty good. So I think it has nothing to do with Berkley or Rodrick. David Cobb's a good back, and we've been riding him a little bit.
"Some of the times we've had Berkley in, we haven't blocked good, so he never really had a chance to do what he can do and so forth. But those guys are young, and they'll get opportunities."
