Darius Taylor is coming BACK!!!!

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If he dies, he dies.

Edit: guy is a legend, one of us, and I hope he lands the bag accordingly. The band's getting back together, boys.
 
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Won’t really care until we are in week 10 and he’s stayed healthy.
 

Hopefully he can play in 12 full games like he did in 2024. If so, the Gophers are better for it.
 



gopherbadgerman said:
IMO the best player on the team when healthy, although that’s his problem. In games he’s healthy and plays well Gophers are a different team
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I don’t necessarily disagree with your opinion BUT given the funds available is this another situation where there are better use of these funds?

If this money can be thrown at the OL and help create a top quarter of the B1G unit, does that have a bigger impact on the offense than Darius alone?

It doesn’t do much good to have a sports car if you have to park it next to your mobile home.
 

Pre NIL I'd be ecstatic but now his NIL allocation and his injury history makes this more of a shrug unfortunately. He's an elite player when he's 100% which I don't think he was at any point this year. Hope that changes !
 

GreasyGopher said:
I don’t necessarily disagree with your opinion BUT given the funds available is this another situation where there are better use of these funds?

If this money can be thrown at the OL and help create a top quarter of the B1G unit, does that have a bigger impact on the offense than Darius alone?

It doesn’t do much good to have a sports car if you have to park it next to your mobile home.
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You’re not wrong in my opinion.

I think he’s the best and most talented RB the gophers have had in a long long time. It’s too bad he’s injury prone. I just am hoping for a healthy senior year.
 




Hope we learned the lesson and don't bother playing him vs the D3 school for the deafblind again this year
 

rowdaboat said:
Hope we learned the lesson and don't bother playing him vs the D3 school for the deafblind again this year
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It's not like he got injured in the 4th quarter when we were up by 60, that injury happened early on in the game.
 

GreasyGopher said:
I don’t necessarily disagree with your opinion BUT given the funds available is this another situation where there are better use of these funds?

If this money can be thrown at the OL and help create a top quarter of the B1G unit, does that have a bigger impact on the offense than Darius alone?

It doesn’t do much good to have a sports car if you have to park it next to your mobile home.
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You're assuming that he's getting the same amount that he (presumably) got this year. I don't know if I agree with that. I said it in the Koi thread but it bears repeating, I don't think it's a coincidence that Koi and Taylor were the "holdouts" among those that got the most money last year.

2025: Smith, Perich and Taylor got the most money (presumably)
2026: Smith and Lindsey earned raises....meaning Perich and Taylor were likely offered the same amount or a little less.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
You're assuming that he's getting the same amount that he (presumably) got this year. I don't know if I agree with that. I said it in the Koi thread but it bears repeating, I don't think it's a coincidence that Koi and Taylor were the "holdouts" among those that got the most money last year.

2025: Smith, Perich and Taylor got the most money (presumably)
2026: Smith and Lindsey earned raises....meaning Perich and Taylor were likely offered the same amount or a little less.
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Whatever amount he received would have beend available to be re-allocated. In any event, it’s not like he went from Top 3 to not in the Top 10.
 

GreasyGopher said:
I don’t necessarily disagree with your opinion BUT given the funds available is this another situation where there are better use of these funds?

If this money can be thrown at the OL and help create a top quarter of the B1G unit, does that have a bigger impact on the offense than Darius alone?

It doesn’t do much good to have a sports car if you have to park it next to your mobile home.
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When he's healthy he alters the defense's plans. I was not high on him until late in the season when it became obvious that he has a different gear when we need a few extra yards
 

mngg11 said:
When he's healthy he alters the defense's plans. I was not high on him until late in the season when it became obvious that he has a different gear when we need a few extra yards
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I’m not questioning his skill but, in theory, doesn’t a better OL make every skill player better?
 

GreasyGopher said:
I’m not questioning his skill but, in theory, doesn’t a better OL make every skill player better?
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I’d agree with that. Although in my opinion DT is a special player, and those are few and far between for a program like MN. I personally think he’s the most talented back we’ve had since Maroney.
 


He will have a huge year! Had no burst last year because of a hamstring
 

GreasyGopher said:
I’m not questioning his skill but, in theory, doesn’t a better OL make every skill player better?
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I think your idea kind of oversimplifies things. You assume letting Taylor go automatically means an OL is purchased to fill those dollars. It's not a grocery market where buying fewer apples automatically means you can buy whatever you want within your budget for the cost of those apples - you still have to have an OL agree to play for you.

There's also the consideration of showing loyalty to a guy who chose your program presumably over offers from bigger programs with more $, and who has been all in on your culture from day 1.
 

This is fantastic news. All in all, we were able to preserve most of our high-end talent this year. Looking forward to see what we can get on the incoming market.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
I’d agree with that. Although in my opinion DT is a special player, and those are few and far between for a program like MN. I personally think he’s the most talented back we’ve had since Maroney.
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Both things can be true.

In this new era of football, I’m convinced that the non-helmet schools (especially ones that play the game like PJ) need to go all in on the trenches then set tiers for spending from there.

On offense, I would go OL, QB, 2-3 skill players that are sure fire B1G players. The remaining positions can be filled with players that have 1-2 B1G traits that the coaches know how to utilize.

On defense, DL, CB, LB & S. DL and CB need to be legit B1G athletes then LB and S can be filled creatively (undersized LBs, convert big safeties to LB, etc.).

They’re going to need to Moneyball this thing together and they pick up the necessities. Spreading the money out evenly is not going to work.
 

Gophers1992 said:
I think your idea kind of oversimplifies things. You assume letting Taylor go automatically means an OL is purchased to fill those dollars. It's not a grocery market where buying fewer apples automatically means you can buy whatever you want within your budget for the cost of those apples - you still have to have an OL agree to play for you.

There's also the consideration of showing loyalty to a guy who chose your program presumably over offers from bigger programs with more $, and who has been all in on your culture from day 1.
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Yeah, obviously but if the funds go to Taylor they have no ability to go hunting for the OL. Additionally, they are still in the B1G and should have a leg up on most of their competition.

Taylor is a great player and will hopefully be healthy all season but it’s fair to question roster construction especially after last year’s OL debacle.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
You’re not wrong in my opinion.

I think he’s the best and most talented RB the gophers have had in a long long time. It’s too bad he’s injury prone. I just am hoping for a healthy senior year.
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What do you consider a "long time"?
 


GreasyGopher said:
I’m not questioning his skill but, in theory, doesn’t a better OL make every skill player better?
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We need a high end RT then we can roll with what we have for the rest. No way PJ puts any of the other four on the bench; for sure, the center, left guard and left tackle so we might as well not get too crazy there just get one high-end guy.
 

Gopherchase said:
We need a high end RT then we can roll with what we have for the rest. No way PJ puts any of the other four on the bench; for sure, the center, left guard and left tackle so we might as well not get too crazy there just get one high-end guy.
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Competition for Nelson would be nice.
 

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