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Photo by: Brad Rempel
2020 Vision: Running Backs
6/14/2020 12:08:00 PM | Football
Mohamed Ibrahim leads the Gopher backs into the season
Minnesota must replace Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks at running back this year, as both graduated after last season. Smith left Minnesota ranked second in program history with 4,122 rushing yards, while Brooks was ranked 12th with 2,290 yards.Â
Those are some impressive numbers to replace, but running back coach Kenni Burns has some elite talent in his room that is ready to step up.Â
Mohamed Ibrahim is the most tenured of the running backs. The Baltimore, Md., native is one of the hardest-to-tackle and physical backs in the nation and packs a lot of power in his 5-10 frame. Ibrahim has played in 21 career games, but already ranks 24th on Minnesota's career rushing list with 1,764 yards. His 5.58 yards per carry average ranks seventh all-time in school history (minimum 200 carries) as well.Â
Ibrahim redshirted in 2017 and was thrust into action in 2018 after Smith was injured and Brooks was still recovering from an injury. He responded by rushing 217 times for 1,160 yards (second most ever for a Gopher freshman) and nine touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in five games to become the first Gopher freshman to do so since Laurence Maroney in 2003. Ibrahim set a freshman single-game record with 224 yards against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl, which was also the 12th-best rushing game in school history.
In 2019, Ibrahim shared the backfield with Smith and Brooks after they returned from injury. He logged 114 carries and totaled 604 yards and seven touchdowns and had only one negative rush all season.Â
Ibrahim has been at his best in Minnesota's bowl games. He rushed for 224 yards against Georgia Tech in 2018 and 140 yards against Auburn in 2019. The two bowl games rank as the first and fourth most productive games of his career and his 364 career bowl game rushing yards is already a school record.Â
Bryce Williams played in two games last season (17 carries for 24 yards and one touchdown) as he redshirted with Smith and Brooks healthy. His 2018 true freshman season provided a spark for the Gophers, as he played in 13 games and rushed 117 times for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those four scores came at Wisconsin, where he rushed eight times for 50 yards in Minnesota's victory. Â
Cam Wiley, Treyson Potts and Preston Jelen all saw limited action last season, but are looking to take the next steps in their career.Â
Wiley redshirted after playing in only three games last year. The 6-2 back from Las Vegas rushed 11 times for 32 times and returned four kicks for 76 yards.Â
Potts redshirted after playing in two games. He rushed seven times for 51 yards and one touchdown last season.Â
Jelen played in one game last year, as he rushed three times for 22 yards in his collegiate debut against Maryland.Â
Jason Williamson, who was Minnesota's Mr. Football in 2018 and was the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018, missed his true freshman season with the Gophers in 2019 with an injury. He led Owatonna High School to state titles in 2017 and 2018 and rushed 313 times for 3,012 yards and 46 touchdowns as a senior.Â
Ky Thomas enrolled at Minnesota in January 2020 and will be a true freshman this season. The four-star recruit finished his high school career with 7,703 rushing yards and 95 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second and seventh all-time in Kansas. He rushed for 3,009 yards and was named the 2019 Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Kansas.
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Those are some impressive numbers to replace, but running back coach Kenni Burns has some elite talent in his room that is ready to step up.Â
Mohamed Ibrahim is the most tenured of the running backs. The Baltimore, Md., native is one of the hardest-to-tackle and physical backs in the nation and packs a lot of power in his 5-10 frame. Ibrahim has played in 21 career games, but already ranks 24th on Minnesota's career rushing list with 1,764 yards. His 5.58 yards per carry average ranks seventh all-time in school history (minimum 200 carries) as well.Â
Ibrahim redshirted in 2017 and was thrust into action in 2018 after Smith was injured and Brooks was still recovering from an injury. He responded by rushing 217 times for 1,160 yards (second most ever for a Gopher freshman) and nine touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in five games to become the first Gopher freshman to do so since Laurence Maroney in 2003. Ibrahim set a freshman single-game record with 224 yards against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl, which was also the 12th-best rushing game in school history.
In 2019, Ibrahim shared the backfield with Smith and Brooks after they returned from injury. He logged 114 carries and totaled 604 yards and seven touchdowns and had only one negative rush all season.Â
Ibrahim has been at his best in Minnesota's bowl games. He rushed for 224 yards against Georgia Tech in 2018 and 140 yards against Auburn in 2019. The two bowl games rank as the first and fourth most productive games of his career and his 364 career bowl game rushing yards is already a school record.Â
Bryce Williams played in two games last season (17 carries for 24 yards and one touchdown) as he redshirted with Smith and Brooks healthy. His 2018 true freshman season provided a spark for the Gophers, as he played in 13 games and rushed 117 times for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those four scores came at Wisconsin, where he rushed eight times for 50 yards in Minnesota's victory. Â
Cam Wiley, Treyson Potts and Preston Jelen all saw limited action last season, but are looking to take the next steps in their career.Â
Wiley redshirted after playing in only three games last year. The 6-2 back from Las Vegas rushed 11 times for 32 times and returned four kicks for 76 yards.Â
Potts redshirted after playing in two games. He rushed seven times for 51 yards and one touchdown last season.Â
Jelen played in one game last year, as he rushed three times for 22 yards in his collegiate debut against Maryland.Â
Jason Williamson, who was Minnesota's Mr. Football in 2018 and was the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018, missed his true freshman season with the Gophers in 2019 with an injury. He led Owatonna High School to state titles in 2017 and 2018 and rushed 313 times for 3,012 yards and 46 touchdowns as a senior.Â
Ky Thomas enrolled at Minnesota in January 2020 and will be a true freshman this season. The four-star recruit finished his high school career with 7,703 rushing yards and 95 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second and seventh all-time in Kansas. He rushed for 3,009 yards and was named the 2019 Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Kansas.
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