Mohamed Ibrahim's record-setting day reinforces his decision to stay with Gophers

NEW YORK — Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon in the 2021 season opener against Ohio State and decided to return for a sixth season rather than declare for the NFL draft. On Thursday, he was asked what he felt about his choice.

"That I made the right decision,'' he said.

Ibrahim carried the ball only in the first half in the Gophers' 28-20 victory over Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl but still broke several program records.

"I just took it week by week,'' Ibrahim said. "Just doing my job, executing the game plan,'' Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim added that he plans to compare notes with Thompson.

"We're gonna go out to dinner one of these days, so it's gonna be fun just talking about our careers,'' he said.

Fleck called Ibrahim, "One of the greatest football players I've ever been around.''

Quarterback Tanner Morgan called for the school's athletic direction and president to honor Ibrahim.

"His number should be retired, Mr. [Mark] Coyle and President [Joan] Gabel,'' Morgan said. "I don't think anybody should ever wear the number 24 ever again at this university for what he's meant to the culture, to the team.''

Gophers center John Michael Schmitz, a sixth-year senior who earned Associated Press first-team All-America honors, did not play in the Pinstripe Bowl, respectfully opting out to avoid possible injury ahead of the NFL draft.

Schmitz, who also was a finalist for Rimington Trophy given to college football's top center, is projected as a late second-round NFL pick by nfldraftbuzz.com and has reason to protect his draft stock. In last year's Guaranteed Rate Bowl against West Virginia, Schmitz suffered a lower leg injury when offensive tackle Daniel Faalele fell on him while scoring a touchdown against the Mountaineers. Schmitz had to spend time with his leg in a protective boot while the injury healed.

On a late fourth-quarter play that was wiped out by a 12-men-on-the-field penalty, Gophers senior defensive end Thomas Rush forced quarterback Garrett Shrader to fumble, and senior linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin scooped it up at the Minnesota 11 and returned it 64 yards to the Orange 25-yard line. Sori-Marin was tracked down by D'Marcus Adams, who was penalized for a horse-collar tackle.

Afterward, Sori-Marin joked that he might have sampled too much of New York's cuisine during his "Meals with Mariano'' segment on Twitter.

"Maybe if I didn't do the 'Meals with Mariano,' I'd be in the end zone right now," he said.