'Bucky' Irving and Ky Thomas saved last season for Gophers — and then they were gone

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Randy:

Together, they helped salvage the 2021 season for the Gophers, a pair of freshmen running backs thrust into the lineup after a tsunami of injuries decimated the position group. Ky Thomas and Mar'Keise "Bucky'' Irving combined to rush for 1,523 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Gophers finished 9-4 with a victory over West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.


It appeared there would be a bright future for both in maroon and gold.

Suddenly they were gone, entering their names into the transfer portal to pursue opportunities at other schools. Thomas hit the portal less than a week after rushing for 144 yards and a TD on his way to bowl game MVP honors. He ended up at Kansas. Irving followed in April, eventually deciding on Oregon.

Thomas and Irving had their own reasons for leaving, and the return of running backs Mohamed Ibrahim, Trey Potts and Bryce Williams from season-ending injuries suggested that there might not be enough footballs to go around in such a talented backfield. If either Thomas or Irving wanted to be the bell-cow back, it likely wasn't going to happen at Minnesota in 2022.

It also would be naïve to think that name, image and likeness opportunities didn't play a role in both leaving. If a running back isn't featured, it's tough to increase his marketability.

So, how are things going for the former Gophers at their new homes?

For Irving, quite well. For Thomas, not so much.

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Go Gophers!!
 







Some guy said:
If Irving were here we would probably have the same record. Maybe would have beaten Purdue
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Games and gameplans could be completely different with another weapon on offense. It’s hard to say but I do think the offense would be better with him still on the team. I love how Oregon is using him. Having some packages with him and Mo in the backfield at the same time would have been amazing.
 


GophersInIowa said:
Games and gameplans could be completely different with another weapon on offense. It’s hard to say but I do think the offense would be better with him still on the team. I love how Oregon is using him. Having some packages with him and Mo in the backfield at the same time would have been amazing.
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The coaches seemed to think potts and Williams were better. If Irving was on the team he literally might be the 4th back
 






Some guy said:
We will never know
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This is correct. But it was clear that the coaches thought he was #4 with the return of Potts and Williams. I really, really do not care anymore. He left. Ky left. Best wishes, thanks for your efforts and goodbye. I am focused on the current Gopher roster.
 



Some guy said:
If Irving were here we would probably have the same record. Maybe would have beaten Purdue
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We probably beat Purdue with a competent RB. The o line didn’t help that game but that was the worst rb play we’ve seen since Duane Bennett.
 


Crosby said:
This is correct. But it was clear that the coaches thought he was #4 with the return of Potts and Williams. I really, really do not care anymore. He left. Ky left. Best wishes, thanks for your efforts and goodbye. I am focused on the current Gopher roster.
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I don’t think this is clear. Irving was our most explosive back. It‘s not particularly close. His ability to make plays catching the ball out of the backfield would have been a huge asset in a year where our WRs are performing poorly. But can’t fault a kid for chasing NIL money at a more prestigious football program - this will be a continuing impact of NIL.
 


Good examples of PJ’s ability to recognize and bring in talent.
 

Crosby said:
This is correct. But it was clear that the coaches thought he was #4 with the return of Potts and Williams. I really, really do not care anymore. He left. Ky left. Best wishes, thanks for your efforts and goodbye. I am focused on the current Gopher roster.
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It was not clear at all. What’re you basing that on?
 


btowngopher said:
It was not clear at all. What’re you basing that on?
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Only thing he could possibly base it on was the depth chart heading into the 2021 season. I agree with those that think Irving absolutely would have been in the mix this year if he had stayed.

But he chased the money and it seems to be working out for him. Ky Thomas......not so much. Shame that they both decided to leave but it is what it is. Just the reality of the current college football landscape.
 

Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
It feels like people still don't understand how NIL is supposed to work!
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I understand how it's supposed to work and what the intent was.

I also understand how it really does work in many cases. A big time booster pays a kid a bunch of money to come to a school and play. That money may come from the booster himself, or he may be a filter for a slush fund coming from the program. This is how it's always been with big time football programs, but now it's just out in the open.

So I say again, if he did get $250k to go to Oregon, was anyone associated with the Gophers going to pay him that to stay? If not, then the Gophers lost him to the high bidder. This isn't going to be the last time this happens. Oregon is awash with Nike money and the U doesn't have a benefactor like that.
 


Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
It feels like people still don't understand how NIL is supposed to work!
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NIL - Or -- "Now It's Legal" as it is now known as, means you can make a boatload of cash hopping from university to university. Is it even possible to get placed on probation anymore???
 

Crosby said:
This is correct. But it was clear that the coaches thought he was #4 with the return of Potts and Williams. I really, really do not care anymore. He left. Ky left. Best wishes, thanks for your efforts and goodbye. I am focused on the current Gopher roster.
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Exactly how was it clear they thought that?
 

Gold Rush said:
NIL - Or -- "Now It's Legal" as it is now known as, means you can make a boatload of cash hopping from university to university. Is it even possible to get placed on probation anymore???
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Probably for a school like Minnesota! OSU, Bama, and a few other schools, not likely!
 

mnsportsgeek said:
We probably beat Purdue with a competent RB. The o line didn’t help that game but that was the worst rb play we’ve seen since Duane Bennett.
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I agree with this but there is no guarantee they play Thomas or Irving over potts and Williams
They didn’t last year

We also beat Purdue if we hit a chip shot field goal and catch a ball that hits us in the chest.
 

Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
Probably for a school like Minnesota! OSU, Bama, and a few other schools, not likely!
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You could probably still get there for a situation like the Gopher basketball team got for someone taking tests for players or shuttling them through without going to classes but the money angle is all but gone now!
 

Gold Rush said:
You could probably still get there for a situation like the Gopher basketball team got for someone taking tests for players or shuttling them through without going to classes but the money angle is all but gone now!
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UNC didn't get squat for creating fake classes. The NCAA has no bite anymore.
 

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