Derik LeCaptain is the Gophers 'running backer' — and so much more

The Athletes Village on the University of Minnesota campus isn't a municipality, so it doesn't have its own government, nor are officials elected. Still, if there were a race for mayor of the burg, the Gophers football team would have a shoo-in candidate.

"There's not enough words I can say about Derik LeCaptain, and I truly mean that,'' quarterback Tanner Morgan offered.

"Derik LeCaptain is just one of the best guys you'll ever meet,'' linebacker Jack Gibbens chimed in.

"He's just a phenomenal kid, a phenomenal person,'' defensive coordinator Joe Rossi added.

The admiration for LeCaptain, a redshirt sophomore and jack-of-all-trades for the Gophers, comes swift and with smiles on the faces of those praising him. His is a classic American underdog story, a small-town kid succeeding through hard work, perseverance and the willingness to sacrifice for his teammates.

He is playing a key role for the Gophers, contributing on special teams and moving midseason from linebacker to running back to help a position group decimated by injuries. LeCaptain, 6-2 and 235 pounds, is Minnesota's No. 3 running back as the team enters Saturday's game at Indiana.

"You wish you had 130 players with his mental makeup, emotional makeup, just who he is as a football player,'' Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said.

Packerland to Dinkytown

LeCaptain's road to the Athletes Village was one less-traveled than a typical four-star running back's heavily recruited path. A native of Gardner, Wis. (population: 1,197), LeCaptain attended Southern Door High School in Brussels, about 30 miles north of Green Bay on the Door Peninsula.

Playing in the Packerland Conference, LeCaptain, a star running back and linebacker, rushed for 5,199 yards and scored 100 touchdowns in his prep career. He also set a state record for yards from scrimmage and was named Wisconsin's High School Male Athlete of the Year in 2019.

Recruiters, however, did not come calling in droves. LeCaptain's only scholarship offer came from FCS-level South Dakota. "I had a walk-on offer to Wisconsin and a walk-on offer here,'' he said.

During the spring of his junior year, LeCaptain visited a Gophers spring practice and was impressed.

"I told my parents immediately after, 'That's where I want to go,' '' he said. "I knew right away. I just fell in love with Coach [Fleck], fell in love with the culture, everybody, the university, the city. When I got the walk-on offer the fall of my senior year, it was a no-brainer.''

LeCaptain spent the 2019 season as a redshirt but played in the final three games of the regular season and in the Outback Bowl victory for the 11-2 Gophers. Along the way, he was named scout team player of the year.

In 2020, he played on special teams and worked in practice at linebacker. In May, he intercepted a pass and forced a fumble in the spring game, earning co-MVP honors.

Eruption, times two

The fun continued for LeCaptain in August, when he was the latest Gophers walk-on to receive a scholarship in a surprise announcement. Fleck had several players take the stage in the team's auditorium. They were handed oars with inspirational sayings to read aloud to the group. When LeCaptain was called, his oar was inscribed "You're on scholarship.'' His teammates roared with approval.

"It was a really special moment,'' said LeCaptain, who shared the news with his mother in a tearful video call afterward. "Credit to my teammates and my coaches for pushing me to become a better player and become a better person both on and off the field.''

LeCaptain became a coveted commodity on the team when the Gophers started losing running backs to injury. After Trey Potts was lost for the season on Oct. 2 at Purdue, Fleck put the wheels in motion.

"We said, 'Listen: You're going to stay at linebacker, but you're going to rep a lot of running back,''' Fleck said. "A few weeks ago, we moved him permanently and said, 'Hey, listen: We're moving you permanently to running back, but just in case we need you at linebacker, don't ever forget how to play linebacker.' ''

On Oct. 30 at Northwestern, LeCaptain, the running back, got into the game late in the fourth quarter. On his third carry, he broke an initial tackle at the line of scrimmage, shed another Wildcat, spun out of another attempt and rumbled 24 yards for a touchdown and 41-14 Gophers lead.

"Like Coach always says, 'Just get the pads low, run hard,' '' LeCaptain said. "… You could call it a spin move; I was just trying to get out of the tackle.''

Like at the auditorium in August, the Gophers sideline erupted in joy.

"It was insane,'' Morgan said. "Our whole sideline went crazy watching the run because it was like, 'Oh, he broke another tackle. And another one.' ''

Added offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr.: "I don't know if I've ever been more excited about one particular play in my coaching and playing life than that touchdown run. I literally blacked out up in the press box, I was yelling so loud.''

Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin quickly nicknamed LeCaptain "the running 'backer'' following that play. Rossi made it clear that he, not running backs coach Kenni Burns, has dibs on LeCaptain long term.

"I had a heart-to-heart with Coach Burns. 'He's gonna be coming back,' '' Rossi said. "We want him back, and I think he's got a really good future at linebacker.''