IOWA CITY – Another week, and more developments in the running back group for Gophers football.
Gophers sixth-year senior Bryce Williams will miss the remainder of the season, while leading rusher Darius Taylor, who missed the previous two games, returned to play in Saturday's 12-10 victory over No. 24 Iowa.
The developments came to light two hours before the 2:30 p.m. kickoff when the Big Ten announced its availability report for the game.
During the game, though, both Taylor and redshirt freshman Zach Evans suffered injuries and did not return. Evans was injured just before halftime and limped off the field with assistance from the training staff. He finished with 10 carries for 44 yards. Taylor became a second-half workhorse, finishing a team-leading 16 carries for 59 yards before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter.
There was no immediate update the status of Taylor, the team's leading rusher, and Evans.
On defense, linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who hasn't played this season because of a leg injury, was listed as questionable on the availability report but did not play. He went through some work with a trainer in early workout but was not in uniform for the game. The hope among the Gophers staff was that Lindenberg would benefit from the bye week and be able to return but did not come to fruition. Coach P.J. Fleck said Monday that Lindenberg was "closer'' to returning.
Safety Darius Green left the game in the third quarter because of a leg injury.
"The Wave"
As has been the case since his first visit to Iowa in 2017 while coaching the Gophers, Fleck had his team move from the sideline and onto the field at the end of the first quarter so they could participate in "The Wave" to patients in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.
