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University of Minnesota Athletics
Cobb Enjoys Career Day vs. MTSU
9/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 6, 2014
Senior running back David Cobb made use of that size advantage and turned in his best career day with the Gophers. Cobb carried the ball 29 times on the afternoon for a career-best 220 net rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns, as Minnesota rolled to a 28-0 lead at the half on its way to a 35-24 win.
"He's a big back, and he runs behind his pads and some really big guys, too," MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill said of Cobb. "He's a hard back to tackle. He's a good player."
Cobb had 14 carries for 111 yards and a TD in the first half, and then ran the ball 15 times for 109 yards and a 48-yard touchdown in the second half.
"He's a good football player," Kill said of his senior running back. "We played the other backs some, but it's hard to take Cobb off the field when he gets hot. He ran very well today. He had an excellent game, and we need him to continue to do that."
It marked the first 200-yard rushing performance for the Gophers since Amir Pinnix ran for 206 yards versus Michigan State on Nov. 12, 2005, and it was the most rushing yards by a Minnesota player since Laurence Maroney's total of 258 yards against Wisconsin on Oct. 15, 2005.
"During the game, you really don't think about it," Cobb said of the milestone. "All I see is the scoreboard and I hear the next play. You can kind of tell if you're in the rhythm if you're having a good day or a bad day, but as far as keeping track of yards and average and touchdowns, we don't worry about that."
Three of the Gophers' five touchdowns this afternoon came on the ground, with senior Donnell Kirkwood (5 carries, 23 yards) scoring the other rushing touchdown. It was Kirkwood's first touchdown since scoring in the 2012 Texas Bowl. Cobb's two-touchdown game was his first since having a pair of TDs versus San Jose State last season.
Saturday's game against the Horned Frogs will be televised live on FS1, with kickoff slated for 3:00 p.m. CT.
--Story by Michael Molde, Athletic Communications Assistant
Head coach Jerry Kill entered Saturday's game against Middle Tennessee State knowing that his team's offensive line had a significant size advantage against the Blue Raiders.
Minnesota's starting offensive line averages 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds, while MTSU's defensive front averages about 20 pounds less per man. Advantage, Gophers.
Senior running back David Cobb made use of that size advantage and turned in his best career day with the Gophers. Cobb carried the ball 29 times on the afternoon for a career-best 220 net rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns, as Minnesota rolled to a 28-0 lead at the half on its way to a 35-24 win.
"He's a big back, and he runs behind his pads and some really big guys, too," MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill said of Cobb. "He's a hard back to tackle. He's a good player."
Cobb had 14 carries for 111 yards and a TD in the first half, and then ran the ball 15 times for 109 yards and a 48-yard touchdown in the second half.
"He's a good football player," Kill said of his senior running back. "We played the other backs some, but it's hard to take Cobb off the field when he gets hot. He ran very well today. He had an excellent game, and we need him to continue to do that."
It marked the first 200-yard rushing performance for the Gophers since Amir Pinnix ran for 206 yards versus Michigan State on Nov. 12, 2005, and it was the most rushing yards by a Minnesota player since Laurence Maroney's total of 258 yards against Wisconsin on Oct. 15, 2005.
"During the game, you really don't think about it," Cobb said of the milestone. "All I see is the scoreboard and I hear the next play. You can kind of tell if you're in the rhythm if you're having a good day or a bad day, but as far as keeping track of yards and average and touchdowns, we don't worry about that."
Three of the Gophers' five touchdowns this afternoon came on the ground, with senior Donnell Kirkwood (5 carries, 23 yards) scoring the other rushing touchdown. It was Kirkwood's first touchdown since scoring in the 2012 Texas Bowl. Cobb's two-touchdown game was his first since having a pair of TDs versus San Jose State last season.
Minnesota finished with 50 rushes for 284 yards against MTSU, giving it 466 yards on the ground through the first two games this season. Cobb has 43 carries for 291 yards, an average of 6.8 yards per attempt, as Minnesota heads to TCU next weekend.
Saturday's game against the Horned Frogs will be televised live on FS1, with kickoff slated for 3:00 p.m. CT.
--Story by Michael Molde, Athletic Communications Assistant
Players Mentioned
Running Back
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Running Back
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