ESPN's Brian Bennett: Can two Gopher RBs get to 1,000 yards?

[BleedGopher]

per ESPN's Q&A:

Craig from Braintree, Mass., writes: Brian, do you recall the days of Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney? Could the mix of guys the Gophers have produce two 1,000-yard rushers?

Brian Bennett: I sure do, Craig. Those two guys were loads of fun to watch. I'm not sure which is harder to believe, in retrospect, about the 2004 Gophers: that they finished only 7-5 with that pair in the backfield, or that they beat Alabama in a bowl game. But going back to your question, Minnesota has an awful lot of talent at running back this season. David Cobb somewhat quietly ran for 1,202 yards last season, 12th most in school history. Donnell Kirkwood came close to 1,000 yards in 2012, and Rodrick Williams Jr. is a 247-pound beast who's almost impossible to bring down on first contact. Add in redshirt freshman Berkley Edwards, who might be more talented than all of the, and quarterback Mitch Leidner, who's got great wheels as well. And that's not even considering top 2014 recruit Jeff Jones, who might not be academically eligible.

Can two Gophers get to 1,000 yards? Minnesota almost certainly will be a rush-first team again this year. The hope is that the passing game improves enough so the offense isn't rush-first, rush-second and rush-third as well. I'm not sure there will be enough carries for two players to get to 1,000 yards, and the offense has to stay on the field longer to provide more opportunities. There may not be a Maroney or a Barber in this group, but it still should be fun to watch.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/103233/big-ten-wednesday-mailbag-42

Go Gophers!!

 

[nsmike]

They are more likely to match the 2004 teams rushing numbers without getting one 1000 yd rusher then have two. I do believe that there will be one thousand yard rusher, but the number of options in the back field, will limit the number of touches for each back.

 

[upnorthkid]

I don't really see us having one thousand yard rusher, let alone 2, just due to the number of touches for each guy as mentioned plus I would expect the passing game to be better, thus getting us to have some more balance. I'd put Cobb at around 900ish yards, Leidner at 700 and the combo of Edwards, Kirkwood, Williams, and Jones/WR at another 1000-1200 combined with it elevated higher possibly if Jones gets on campus. Only way I think we see someone hit a thousand is if we have guys get dinged or underachieves in the backfield so someone gets extra carries.

 

[stocker08]

I think we have one. Cobb will likely be our starting running back....and if you all remember....he didn't even start the season as the #1 back....yet hit 1,200. Other than that....the rest will simply be fighting for carries and won't likely see enough carries to hit 1,000. If I had to guess a second....I'd go with Edwards....simply because with his speed....he can break homeruns on any given carry.

 

[die hard gopher]

Cobb, Berkley and Liedner will get plenty of carries with their specialized roles and then one of either Jeff, Kirkwood or Roderick will get theirs but not all 3. Two of those guys will get left out. The O-line will definitely be better and 3,000 yards is my goal for next year. I'd say about 1,000 for Cobb, 700 for Leidner and about 700 for one of those 3 that i mentioned and than 300-400 for Berkley.

 

[Unregistered User]

Cobb, Berkley and Liedner will get plenty of carries with their specialized roles and then one of either Jeff, Kirkwood or Roderick will get theirs but not all 3. Two of those guys will get left out. The O-line will definitely be better and 3,000 yards is my goal for next year. I'd say about 1,000 for Cobb, 700 for Leidner and about 700 for one of those 3 that i mentioned and than 300-400 for Berkley.

I disagree with the bolded above. But I'm picking nits here. I don't think "left out" is proper, more like "not featured", or something of that manner. They'll get theirs, and if there is not quantity, I certainly expect quality.

 

[stocker08]

I disagree with the bolded above. But I'm picking nits here. I don't think "left out" is proper, more like "not featured", or something of that manner. They'll get theirs, and if there is not quantity, I certainly expect quality.

Agreed. All of those guys had their role last year. They'll receive their spot carries along with the "featured" backs.

 

[die hard gopher]

5 running backs will not all get their carries. Last year we pretty much only played Cobb and Kirkwood for most of the season and i think that we will have 3 featured backs due to Berkley's uniqueness but i doubt all 5 will get their numbers.

 

[stocker08]

5 running backs will not all get their carries. Last year we pretty much only played Cobb and Kirkwood for most of the season and i think that we will have 3 featured backs due to Berkley's uniqueness but i doubt all 5 will get their numbers.

Rodrick had more carries than Kirkwood. Let's also remember that the QB draws were split. I doubt that Leidner rushes nearly 200 times next year.

 

[die hard gopher]

Rodrick had more carries than Kirkwood. Let's also remember that the QB draws were split. I doubt that Leidner rushes nearly 200 times next year.

Well it was either Roderick and Cobb or Kirkwood and Cobb, they barely ever played all 3 at once.

 

[stocker08]

Well it was either Roderick and Cobb or Kirkwood and Cobb, they barely ever played all 3 at once.

They were both injured at one point in the season. Kirkwood earlier in the season and Williams towards the end. They both played when healthy. Like I said.....I don't see Leidner picking up all of the carries from Nelson.....and I am guessing that Cobb will have a lesser workload. There will be carries to go around.

 

[e.bigelow]

Bennett wonders how we went 7-5 that year? That defense couldn't stop a nose bleed.

 

[diehard]

Williams is the back that is going to surprise many Gopher fans. Breakout year for the O dead ahead.

 

[60's Guy]

3,000 Plus yards Rushing must be a minimum

We had 2538 yards rushing last year. Actually gained 2852 but lost 314. We had 586 rushing attempts and 267 passing attempts. That's 853 total attempts. I would expect we are more successful passing this year and therefore we have more overall attempts because we are on the field longer or more frequently with our offense. (1925 yards passing total)

I still think we rush 586 to 600 plus times even if we pass 400 times. Cobb has earned his role as our feature back. He seems to get stronger as a game goes on. I expect us to be ahead and to pound the ball in the fourth quarter. I expect our offensive line to be better. Teams will have to honor the pass more and Edwards and our receivers should be able to spread the defense more consistently. All of this making our running game better.

Cobb had 237 attempts...if he is healthy and performs, why would that go down? He needs 1000 yards for us to
recruit and gain respect overall as well as the line and teams confidence. Tell me 1000 yard rusher is not a big deal to the o-line. We need him healthy performing or somebody in this role as our feature back
Rodrick had 60 attempts...you would think that would go up...he is a load and then some.
Kirkwood is a senior...had 52 attempts but missed a lot...dunno where this goes.
Edwards...he has to get touches right? are they screen passes, bubble screens, swing passes or rushes?
Donovahn Jones had 16 attempts...surely would like to see that double or more if they can refine this.
Leidner (102) and Nelson (93) equal 195 attempts...I wouldn't think we rush the quarterback 200 times?
Some of those carries are given to Edwards and spread throughout I'd think.

So, I would think we have 1000 plus plays and rush for well over 3,000 yards if we are in fact better this year as we
all expect.

 

[Fuzzy Rumpton]

I wouldn't be surprised if Rodrick is used often early in the game to beat up the linebackers with Edwards coming in later to take advantage of them being worn down.

 

[ncgo4]

I fully expect that Edwards will have a breakout year. The first few games it may be in the clean up role after wearing out the D lines, but after then I would not be surprised if he doesn't split time equally with Cobb. The coaches have praised him waaaay too much for this to be a surprise.

 

[60's Guy]

I agree Jerry likes Edwards

I fully expect that Edwards will have a breakout year. The first few games it may be in the clean up role after wearing out the D lines, but after then I would not be surprised if he doesn't split time equally with Cobb. The coaches have praised him waaaay too much for this to be a surprise.

and you could easily be right. But I don't see it happening like that. I think Cobb does his read, react, pick and slide
style four times and then here comes lightning as a stark contrast one time in 3 or 4 to surprise you. I don't see
Edwards as a feature back...might just be me but that's not how I'd use him with the other backs we have as little and fast as Edwards is. He'd be a surprise, change of pace element in my scheme with the other guys pounding it.
I think Rodrick is going to hurt some people. (Like Fuzzy says)

 

[nsmike]

I fully expect that Edwards will have a breakout year. The first few games it may be in the clean up role after wearing out the D lines, but after then I would not be surprised if he doesn't split time equally with Cobb. The coaches have praised him waaaay too much for this to be a surprise.

The problem is that you assume he'll get his yards on the ground. He'll have a big role to play but it'll be split between rushing and passing. I wouldn't be surprised if he has an aggregate of 1000+ yds. I just don't expect Edwards to exceed 1000 yds rushing.

 

[highwayman]

Rick Upchurch had 294 carries in two years for 1783. Edwards could do that easy.

 

[e.bigelow]

I just don't see it happening. Unless we obliterate the Non-conference schedule and we have something going like Wisky did with White and Gordon. Be awesome if it did happen though!

 

[nsmike]

Rick Upchurch had 294 carries in two years for 1783. Edwards could do that easy.

Yep 841 and 942 neither is a thousand yard season. Edwards will contribute it's most likely to be split somewhere between 50 to 60 % rushing at 60% rushing yardage he'd need over 1650 yds combined to make 1000 rushing. I just don't think that that will happen.

 

[diehard]

This O has a lot of weapons and is really going to be fun. We won't see much in OOC play. They'll keep it vanilla. You have to ask yourself, why did they take weight off Kirkwood and some of the OL? Why is our FB 15 pounds lighter than Williams? Something is afoot with this O. It should be fun!

 

[highwayman]

Yep 841 and 942 neither is a thousand yard season. Edwards will contribute it's most likely to be split somewhere between 50 to 60 % rushing at 60% rushing yardage he'd need over 1650 yds combined to make 1000 rushing. I just don't think that that will happen.

Didn't say it was 1000 a season. Unbelievably great seasons. He did what he did in only 11 games in averaging only 13 carries a game. That is what I mean.

Players now get to do it in 13. 1000 yard seasons are arbitrary and meaningless. It's a number we made up because we have 10 fingers. If we had 8, 800 yards would be the goal. Gives someone something to talk about. The season has gone from 9 games in 1960 to 12-14 in 2002. I'd take two guys with 1650 yards any day. As cool as 2-1000 yard rushers sounds, it really means nothing.

 

[t-docious]

Dont see edwards at 1000 rushing like some. I do see him approaching 1000 in aggregate yardage, though, with enough quick slants to make wes welker question his job security in 4 years. #27 will most certainly gain his grand on the ground, I absolutely love his patience and vision. And to finally answer the prompt, I am going with Williams. He hits the whole too hard for me to not think he wont get a few more carries than kirkwood for the second helping of 1000y.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Way too many variables to make an accurate prediction. If Kirkwood doesn't get hurt last year, does Cobb emerge as the feature back? Not trying to be a downer here, but the law of averages suggests that one of the backs will get injured at some point during the season. The Gophers have enough depth that one injury won't be critical (unless it's Leidner - then all bets are off).

My gut tells me that the coaches are likely going to mix-and-match more than they did last year - try to match the backs to the opponent. If the Gophs are facing a smaller team, then they could pound them with Williams, Kirkwood and Cobb. If they're facing a bigger but not-as-quick defense, then they could spread them out and use the speed backs - Edwards and Jones on the jet sweep.

My real question is how they use Leidner. If they're worried about getting him hurt, I could see Leidner getting fewer designed runs. he'll still have some scrambles, but considering the inexperience at the QB position, I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches play it careful - especially during the non-conference games.

 

[STPGopher]

It's definately possible. One factor that isn't being discussed much is Limegrover, and QB decisions. IMHO play calling and luck(injury wise) will play huge roles.

I also hope that when appropriate, we will ride the hot hand. IMHO Cobb, Kirkwoodland ;-), and Williams are all grinders that can not only wear down a defense, but get stronger as the game progresses. I can also see Campion, Epping and crew getting fired up in such a situation.