'Bucky' Irving and Ky Thomas saved last season for Gophers — and then they were gone

Together, they helped salvage the 2021 season for the Gophers, a pair of freshmen running backs thrust into the lineup after a tsunami of injuries decimated the position group. Ky Thomas and Mar'Keise "Bucky'' Irving combined to rush for 1,523 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Gophers finished 9-4 with a victory over West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

It appeared there would be a bright future for both in maroon and gold.

Suddenly they were gone, entering their names into the transfer portal to pursue opportunities at other schools. Thomas hit the portal less than a week after rushing for 144 yards and a TD on his way to bowl game MVP honors. He ended up at Kansas. Irving followed in April, eventually deciding on Oregon.

Gophers additions like Jack Gibbens and Nyles Pinckney showed that the transfer portal giveth, while the losses of Thomas and Irving show it taketh away, too.

Thomas and Irving had their own reasons for leaving, and the return of running backs Mohamed Ibrahim, Trey Potts and Bryce Williams from season-ending injuries suggested that there might not be enough footballs to go around in such a talented backfield. If either Thomas or Irving wanted to be the bell-cow back, it likely wasn't going to happen at Minnesota in 2022.

It also would be naïve to think that name, image and likeness opportunities didn't play a role in both leaving. If a running back isn't featured, it's tough to increase his marketability.

So, how are things going for the former Gophers at their new homes?

For Irving, quite well. For Thomas, not so much.

Thomas, a Kansas prep legend whose 7,703 rushing yards for Topeka High rank second in state history, made his move in large part to be closer to home, he admitted in a training camp interview.

"Being away from home, it kind of took a toll mentally, knowing the travel to the games [for his family],'' he said. "Being here, being able to see them. … I'm grateful that I'm back.''

On the field, Thomas hasn't matched the impact he had with the Gophers. He has rushed 26 times for 62 yards and a touchdown and has three receptions for 4 yards. A leg injury caused him to miss two games, but he returned to carry 15 times for 37 yards as the No. 2 running back in losses to TCU and Oklahoma. Thomas did not play last week against Baylor.

Irving's departure was a big blow to the Gophers because he gave them speed that could complement Ibrahim's power. During Oregon's training camp, Irving told reporters that he wanted an offense that would better use his various skills.

"It wasn't really about [the Gophers'] coaches,'' he said. "Everybody over there was great. It's a great program. It was just being able to showcase the different things I can do in a different offense.''

With the Ducks, Irving is getting his wish. He leads the team with 536 rushing yards and two TDs and has 13 catches for 145 yards and two scores. He started slowly, rushing only 13 times over the first two games. Since then, he's had at least 10 carries each game. The Ducks have taken off, too, winning six in a row after a 49-3 loss to Georgia to open the season.

Last week in a 45-30 win over No. 9 UCLA, Irving rushed 19 times for 107 yards and had a 37-yard TD catch on a wheel route.

Afterward, Irving was asked if Oregon's offensive line was the best he's run behind. He showed that he hasn't completely forgotten about the Gophers. "Minnesota had a pretty good 'O' line, too,'' he said.