Mohamed Ibrahim could contend for Heisman, but Gophers must be careful

P.J. Fleck said he always wants "Mo' Mo" to get him in the flow.

But he knows that the prudent approach, at times, will be No Mo, or Low Mo, even though Mohamed Ibrahim just might be the best Gopher running back since Darrell Thompson and could become a Heisman Trophy candidate if "Mo' Mo" became the weekly game plan.

Ibrahim missed most of last season with a torn Achilles tendon. Through two noncompetitive nonconference games this season, he's rushed 44 times for 262 yards, good for a career-best six yards per carry.

For the Gophers to win the Big Ten West, they need to keep him healthy and fresh. For him to win the Heisman, he'd have to risk injury and fatigue.

Fleck's thoughts on the latter amount to "No."

"Obviously, we'd always like to have a bunch of Mos," Fleck said. "Mo' Mos, right? He's special."

Then Fleck explained why individual goals must be subjugated for the good of the team.

That's why Ibrahim's usage will be fascinating this season. Fleck has a veteran team playing in what appears to be a weak division. If this year's Gophers aren't going to win the Big Ten West, will they ever?

Counterpoint: Fleck is building a national reputation as a recruiter. What could be better for the program than turning a three-star recruit into a Heisman Trophy winner?

Ibrahim has looked just as good this year as he did last year before his injury, when he was considered one of the nation's best players.

Saturday, he'll face Colorado, with another chance to pad a spectacular resume.

After this game, there will be only four chances to see Ibrahim at Huntington Bank Stadium. If you appreciate the advanced art of avoidance, you will want to watch Ibrahim in person.

I asked the Gophers coordinators if Ibrahim reminds them of another back.

"I can't think of anyone off the top of my head," defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said. "I always joke with new defensive coaches when they get on our staff. I say, look, you don't appreciate Mo until it's game time."

Rossi said that Ibrahim's ability to break tackles isn't appreciated until he's facing a team intent on hitting him. He lacks the speed or size that would make him spectacular in practice. Try to tackle him in a game, and you may end up with handfuls of air.

"He's not a home run or strikeout guy," Rossi said. "Because he rarely strikes out. He's always moving forward, always gaining positive ground, and when you give him enough swings, then he's going to pop one."

Offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca called Ibrahim's style "unique."

"He runs behind his pads and you know how good his vision is," Ciarrocca said. "He has the ability to make yards after contact, and his acceleration through the hole is really unique."

The comparison I would make is unfair and presumptuous, yet might be apt.

Ibrahim reminds me of Emmitt Smith, the all-time NFL rushing leader.

Smith wasn't particularly big or fast, not compared to the other great running backs in NFL history. He had a knack for maximizing every play.

He ran low to the ground, hid behind his offensive linemen, hit the hole at top speed, made virtually perpendicular cuts, almost never took a big hit and rarely took a loss.

Smith didn't run people over or run away from defenders in the open field. Like Ibrahim, he had a knack for making himself elusive and slippery in small spaces, for squirming as much as sprinting.

This is a comparison of styles, not a prediction of NFL greatness.

The NFL is a different game, which is why a Gophers program that has produced so many outstanding running backs hasn't produced many star-caliber pros.

The guess here is that Ibrahim, if healthy and in the right offense, will be a quality NFL player, whether or not he collects any trophies at the end of the season.