2018 SPRING PREVIEW: RUNNING BACKS
March 27, 2018
Season Tickets//Schedule//Roster
Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck has said many times that his Gopher offense is going to run the ball.
The Gophers backfield was a three-headed monster last season as it featured Rodney Smith, Kobe McCraryand Shannon Brooks. McCrary led Minnesota with eight touchdowns and a 5.3 yards per carry average as a senior last season and is pursuing a professional career. Brooks suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason and has been ruled out for the 2018 campaign. That means that Smith – one of the most accomplished backs to ever wear the Maroon and Gold – will be heavily relied upon to carry the load for the Gophers.
Smith has rushed 626 career times (sixth all-time in school history) for 2,805 yards (eighth all-time in school history) in 37 games. He has 21 career rushing touchdowns on his resume, which ranks tied for ninth in school history. His ten 100-yard rushing games rank eighth in program history. The Georgia native can catch passes out of the backfield as well. He has 56 career receptions for 419 yards. Smith needs three more catches to break into the top five all-time for a running back and needs 134 yards to break into the top five for receiving yards for a running back. Smith also returns kicks for the Gophers, as he has gained 626 yards on 22 returns in his career. His 3,850 all-purpose yards (2,805 rushing, 419 receiving and 626 kick return) ranks eighth in school history. Smith needs 1,260 all-purpose yards in his final season (he has averaged 1,283 yards in his first three seasons) to break Darrell Thompson’s school record of 5,109 yards (4,654 rushing, 341 receiving and 114 kick return).
Jonathan Femi-Cole, who will be a redshirt junior in 2018, saw his first collegiate action last season when he played in seven games. He saw most of his action of special teams (notched two tackles), but also rushed nine times for 42 yards. Femi-Cole’s most productive game was at Michigan when he rushed four times for 26 yards.
There are three redshirt freshmen behind Femi-Cole, who are anxious to showcase their skills in spring practices in Mohamed Ibrahim, Dominik London and Mike Delich. Ibrahim, who was named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year last season, attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. As a senior, he rushed 206 times for 1,314 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games and added 14 receptions for 115 yards. He was the No. 33 ranked running back in his class.
London is from Woodbury, Minn., and attended East Ridge High School. He rushed 610 career times for 3,916 yards and 41 touchdowns and participated in the 2016 MFCA All-Star football game. As a junior he averaged 170.1 yards per game and earned First Team All-State honors. He was ranked the No. 1 running back in Minnesota in his class and the No. 2 recruit in the state.
Delich is from Apple Valley, Minn., and attended Eastview High School. He was a two-time All-Conference honoree and carried the ball 167 times as a senior for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns in six games. A multi-sport athlete, Delich was also named All-State in wrestling and track and field.
The Gophers signed a pair of top-25 running backs in December in Bryce Williams and Nolan Edmonds. The duo will not be here for spring practices, but will join the program in June.
Williams was ranked the No. 18 running back in his class and attends Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Fla. He rushed for 1,500 yards as a senior and for 1,286 yards as a junior (did not fumble once all season). He was named All-Florida in 2016 and 2017 and tabbed All-Conference all four years of high school.
Edmonds was ranked the No. 28 running back in his class and attends Alpharetta High School in Atlanta, Ga. In 2017, he rushed 135 times for 970 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn first team All-Region honors.
March 27, 2018
Season Tickets//Schedule//Roster
Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck has said many times that his Gopher offense is going to run the ball.
The Gophers backfield was a three-headed monster last season as it featured Rodney Smith, Kobe McCraryand Shannon Brooks. McCrary led Minnesota with eight touchdowns and a 5.3 yards per carry average as a senior last season and is pursuing a professional career. Brooks suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason and has been ruled out for the 2018 campaign. That means that Smith – one of the most accomplished backs to ever wear the Maroon and Gold – will be heavily relied upon to carry the load for the Gophers.
Smith has rushed 626 career times (sixth all-time in school history) for 2,805 yards (eighth all-time in school history) in 37 games. He has 21 career rushing touchdowns on his resume, which ranks tied for ninth in school history. His ten 100-yard rushing games rank eighth in program history. The Georgia native can catch passes out of the backfield as well. He has 56 career receptions for 419 yards. Smith needs three more catches to break into the top five all-time for a running back and needs 134 yards to break into the top five for receiving yards for a running back. Smith also returns kicks for the Gophers, as he has gained 626 yards on 22 returns in his career. His 3,850 all-purpose yards (2,805 rushing, 419 receiving and 626 kick return) ranks eighth in school history. Smith needs 1,260 all-purpose yards in his final season (he has averaged 1,283 yards in his first three seasons) to break Darrell Thompson’s school record of 5,109 yards (4,654 rushing, 341 receiving and 114 kick return).
Jonathan Femi-Cole, who will be a redshirt junior in 2018, saw his first collegiate action last season when he played in seven games. He saw most of his action of special teams (notched two tackles), but also rushed nine times for 42 yards. Femi-Cole’s most productive game was at Michigan when he rushed four times for 26 yards.
There are three redshirt freshmen behind Femi-Cole, who are anxious to showcase their skills in spring practices in Mohamed Ibrahim, Dominik London and Mike Delich. Ibrahim, who was named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year last season, attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. As a senior, he rushed 206 times for 1,314 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games and added 14 receptions for 115 yards. He was the No. 33 ranked running back in his class.
London is from Woodbury, Minn., and attended East Ridge High School. He rushed 610 career times for 3,916 yards and 41 touchdowns and participated in the 2016 MFCA All-Star football game. As a junior he averaged 170.1 yards per game and earned First Team All-State honors. He was ranked the No. 1 running back in Minnesota in his class and the No. 2 recruit in the state.
Delich is from Apple Valley, Minn., and attended Eastview High School. He was a two-time All-Conference honoree and carried the ball 167 times as a senior for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns in six games. A multi-sport athlete, Delich was also named All-State in wrestling and track and field.
The Gophers signed a pair of top-25 running backs in December in Bryce Williams and Nolan Edmonds. The duo will not be here for spring practices, but will join the program in June.
Williams was ranked the No. 18 running back in his class and attends Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Fla. He rushed for 1,500 yards as a senior and for 1,286 yards as a junior (did not fumble once all season). He was named All-Florida in 2016 and 2017 and tabbed All-Conference all four years of high school.
Edmonds was ranked the No. 28 running back in his class and attends Alpharetta High School in Atlanta, Ga. In 2017, he rushed 135 times for 970 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn first team All-Region honors.
