The Gophers entered Saturday's game against Illinois averaging 222.1 rushing yards per game, good for second in the Big Ten behind Michigan's 239.9. Minnesota did so with a running back group that's been decimated by injuries this season.
Gophers young running backs find the going tough vs. Illinois
Coming off back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, Ky Thomas was held to 60 yards and Mar'Keise Irving to 26.
November 6, 2021 at 11:28PM
Redshirt freshman Ky Thomas and true freshman Mar'Keise Irving began the season as the Gophers' fourth and fifth options in the backfield, but each surpassed 100 rushing yards in wins over Maryland and Northwestern as the Gophers rolled to more than 300 yards on the ground in both games.
Saturday, though, was tough sledding for the duo.
Thomas led the Gophers with 60 yards on 16 carries, while Irving rushed five times for 26 yards. Much of it had to do with Minnesota falling behind 14-0 and being forced to pass. Also, the Gophers offensive line wasn't nearly the dominant group it had been in the four-game winning streak.
"They continually run hard, but I don't know if there was enough out there for them — if there were enough holes,'' coach P.J. Fleck said of Thomas and Irving. "… We'd get a positive gain, then we'd get a hold. There were times there was nothing, and we'd have a negative run.''
Quarterback Cole Kramer ran four times for 20 yards out of the wildcat formation. Tanner Morgan had four rushes for 14 yards, with a long of 11, but was sacked six times for 31 yards, dropping his rushing total to minus-17.
"They were blitzing a lot of people and keeping a lot of people down in that box,'' Fleck said of Illinois, which held the Gophers to 2.5 yards per rush.
Kicking woes
Dragan Kesich, who usually handles kickoffs for the Gophers, missed the game because of an undisclosed injury. In his place, Matthew Trickett had both kickoff and placekicking duties.
Trickett had touchbacks on his two kickoffs but missed both of his placekicks, a 45-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter and an extra-point attempt after the lone Gophers touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"They just sat on that lead, and we couldn't put points on the board,'' Fleck said. "The missed extra point, the missed field goal changes the dynamics of the game. We've just got to get some points on the board before halftime.''
Injury update
- Gophers wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell left the game after taking a hard hit while trying to catch a pass along the sideline in the third quarter. He was taken to the injury tent and did not return to the game. "He was dismissed from the game by the medical staff,'' said Fleck, who did not have a further update.
- Defensive tackle Trill Carter (undisclosed) returned after missing last week's game at Northwestern. He finished with one tackle.
Recruits put up numbers
Gophers recruits in the Class of 2022 had some strong showings Friday night. Here are some highlights:
- Running back Zach Evans of Rockwall-Heath (Texas) High School had seven carries for 176 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-13 victory over Skyline.
- Alexandria (Minn.) wide receiver Kristen Hoskins rushed for two TDs, caught two TD passes and had a two-point conversion run as the Cardinals rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Bemidji 43-35 in the Class 5A, Section 8 championship game.
- Harrisburg (S.D.) quarterback Jacob Knuth had a 54-yard TD run on a draw play in a 17-10 victory over Sioux Falls Lincoln in the Class 11AAA state semifinals. Knuth also completed nine of 17 passes for 85 yards for the Tigers, who will face Brandon Valley in the big-school championship game.
A former Gophers player, Taylor Landfair, helped the No. 2 Huskers hand No.16 Minnesota its third consecutive loss.
