Gophers reinforce running back corps with transfers

P.J. Fleck’s offseason shopping spree in the transfer portal included several stops because the Gophers football coach needed immediate and long-term help at a variety of positions. The addition of quarterback Max Brosmer was the most significant because the former New Hampshire Wildcat will handle the ball on nearly every offensive play, but how Fleck and his staff augmented the running back corps shouldn’t be overlooked.

Fleck secured three running backs out of the portal: Marcus Major from Oklahoma, Sieh Bangura from Ohio University and Jaren Mangham from Michigan State. The Gophers have added depth and experience to a group that had openings, and those players’ presence could be felt as soon as the season opener Aug. 29 against North Carolina at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Darius Taylor, who led the Gophers with 799 rushing yards in only six games as a true freshman last year, left practice Aug. 13 with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. On Monday, Fleck said Taylor “is doing great” but offered no other description and later added that an availability report will be released a couple of hours before the 7 p.m. kickoff Aug. 29.

“We brought in a ton of players for that reason in general, if anybody ever gets banged up,” said Fleck, who saw his running back room hit hard by injuries during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.

Fleck added that aside from a few bumps and bruises, the team “is a very healthy football team, and I love how they’ve gone about their business throughout training camp.”

If Taylor is limited for the opener, Major appears to be the next man up. The 6-0, 220-pounder rushed for 833 yards and eight touchdowns over 35 games in his Sooners career and was productive during the handful of times that media members were allowed to watch the Gophers during training camp.

“Every time I see that No. 24, I just think, ‘Man, that looks like 24, just bigger.’ He’s a bigger version of the old 24, Mohamed [Ibrahim],” Fleck said. “Marcus is another guy who’s exceeded my expectations. He can run in between the tackles really well. He can get there real fast, and he can play behind his pads really well, anticipates blocks. That’s huge for a running back.”

Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. sees Major’s intangibles as key to his success.

“He’s come in, and he’s just worked,” Harbaugh said. “You’re seeing his true leadership. … My expectation for him is that he’s going to contribute, that he’s going to help us. I love his feet. I love his power and his vision.”

Holdover Jordan Nubin (559 rushing yards last year), Bangura (1,982 rushing yards in three years at Ohio), Mangham (6-2, 235 pounds) and true freshman Fame Ijeboi are in the backfield mix, too, Fleck said.

“I really like the depth of the room from the top with Darius all the way down, and we brought in a lot of guys for that position, a lot of guys who have played big-time college football, and then some other guys that have been young have really come on strong,” Fleck said. “We knew we had to emphasize the running back position, and the competition has been really good.”

Safety Koi Perich was named to the preseason true freshman All-America team by On3. Perich, of Esko, Minn., is the top-ranked Minnesotan in the 2024 recruiting class. He has worked at second-string safety and on punt coverage and punt return teams during training camp.