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University of Minnesota Athletics
Camp Blog: Gophers Pound the Rock
8/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Head coach Tim Brewster and new co-offensive coordinator Jeff Horton have promised a Gopher offense that will be based on power running in 2010. They certainly followed through on that promise at Saturday's scrimmage in TCF Bank Stadium.
Gopher running backs toted the pigskin 45 times Saturday. Top returning running backs DeLeon Eskridge and Duane Bennett each got a good number of carries. Meanwhile, freshman Donnell Kirkwood was the workhorse for the day.
"Donnell Kirkwood, as you can see, is a very good back," Brewster said following Saturday's workout. "He's a downhill, heavy, physical runner. He breaks tackles. His stature at 5-9, 5-10 is a benefit to him. He's about as wide as he is tall. He hits the hole and he's a load in there."
Juniors Bennett and Eskridge have been sharing most of the repetitions with the first-team offense throughout camp. They did so as well during Saturday's workout.
"I'm really pleased with Duane Bennett," Brewster said. "He really made some big-time cuts today, running the football. Along with DeLeon Eskridge, that group of three is going to do a nice job for us this year."
Brewster said that he would like to have one of the backs step up and become the Gophers' feature back. In the meantime, he feels the Gophers have enough diversity and ability in the backfield that they can be successful with all three seeing playing time.
Brewster said he anticipates all three seeing carries, "unless someone totally steps out, steps away from the competition. Right now, we haven't had that.
"But we've been pleased with all three backs," Brewster added. "I feel really good about going into the first game knowing that we've got three guys we can hand the ball to."
All that talk doesn't even take into account senior fullback Jon Hoese, who has been a force in short yardage situations and even out of the backfield as a receiver, at times.
"Obviously, I feel really good about our fullback," Brewster said. "I think Jon Hoese is one of the better fullbacks, probably, in the Big Ten. I feel really good about what we have in the backfield."
-Associate Athletic Communications Director Andy Seeley
