Key to Gophers offense will be production at running back

When Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey and wide receiver Jalen Smith connected for a pair of touchdown plays of more than 50 yards during Tuesday’s training camp practice, “ooohs” and “aaahs” celebrated Lindsey’s strong right arm and Smith’s soft hands.

Greg Harbaugh Jr. appreciated those individual talents, too, but he also was thinking bigger picture, considering what helped those plays happen.

“It all sets up with the run game,” the Gophers offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said. “We’ve worked really, really hard since January in developing our run game, understanding that with a young quarterback, that’s his best friend.”

Lindsey, a redshirt freshman, will make his first collegiate start when the Gophers open the season Aug. 28 at home against Buffalo. Harbaugh and coach P.J. Fleck want the running game to be stout enough to make Lindsey’s job easier. So far in training camp, depth in the backfield has stood out with a quartet of players stepping up.

Darius Taylor enters his junior season with 1,785 career rushing yards and an additional 442 yards on 65 receptions. He’s carrying more upper-body muscle mass and has impressed in camp with his power and elusiveness. Taylor will be the Gophers’ top running back option, and the former prep receiver’s pass-catching skills add a dimension that keeps defenses off-balance. He led all Big Ten backs with 54 receptions last year.

“I’m the biggest, strongest, fastest I’ve ever been,” said Taylor, who weighs 215 pounds after beginning his Gophers career at 190. “So, I’m in a great spot right now.”

Still, there’s improvement available. Taylor led the Gophers with 986 rushing yards last year, but his per-carry average dropped from 5.8 in 2023 to 4.8.

Turner, a junior from Marshall, rushed for 864 yards and averaged 8.3 yards per carry last year. Davis, a grad transfer, rushed for 1,093 yards over six seasons at Washington. Both Taylor and Turner are on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back.

The fourth back turning heads during camp is redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi, who had two carries for 12 yards last year and has impressed with his burst and tenacity.

“It’s been really good to see guys like A.J. Turner and Cam [Davis] develop since coming in in January,” Harbaugh said. “And you look at Darius and Fame [Ijeboi]. … Darius, not only has he developed as a football player, but he’s developed as a human being in more ways."

The running back group became one fewer this week. Johann Cardenas, who transferred from Vanderbilt to Minnesota in April, left the program this week, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Star Tribune. Cardenas appeared to be fifth in the pecking order among running backs.

Harbaugh is looking for the Gophers run game to rebound from a substandard season. Last year, Minnesota emphasized the passing game with Max Brosmer and averaged 115.6 rushing yards per game and 3.7 yards per rush. Those figures ranked 13th and 14th, respectively, in the Big Ten.

In 2023, the Gophers rushed for 157.5 yards per game (seventh in the Big Ten). In 2022, led by Mohammed Ibrahim’s 1,665 yards, Minnesota averaged 207.5 yards per game.

The Gophers won’t constantly be using a running back as a bludgeon, as they did with Ibrahim during his All-American season. Instead, they’re emphasizing versatility.

“The offense is different; the offense is always evolving,” Harbaugh said. “I love where we’re at. We’ve really become very, very multiple. Our thing is to make the same things look different and different things look the same.”

By keeping defenses guessing by giving multiple looks, Harbaugh wants to increase the Gophers’ big-play production. Last year, Minnesota had only 10 offensive plays of 30 yards or longer, which ranked last in the Big Ten. Harbaugh has a strong opinion on what will make that change.