Five sleeper transfers in the Big Ten (Sean Tyler, RB, Minnesota)

[BleedGopher]

per Sean:

Sean Tyler, RB, Minnesota

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was able to flip the former Western Michigan running back from his original Oklahoma State commitment this offseason. It's a big addition for the Gophers, who are replacing the school's leader in rushing yards and touchdowns in Mohamed Ibrahim, a First-Team All-Big Ten performer.

Tyler can easily step in and fill the void after rushing for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons for the Broncos while being a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. His final two years at Western Michigan, Tyler tallied 2,177 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns while catching 26 passes for 225 yards and an additional three scores.

TheKnightReport - Five sleeper transfers in the Big Ten

RB Sean Tyler is among the under-the-radar transfers who could be featured in the Big Ten in 2023.

rutgers.rivals.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Hell Yeah!!

 

[swingman]

Excited to see Tyler as well as the two WR transfers, Spencer and Crooms.

247 has Spencer rated as a 4-star transfer (90 rating) and Corey Crooms from WMU as a high three-star (88).

247 has Tyler just shy of four-star status at 89.

On defense, Jack Henderson comes in from SE Louisiana with an 89 ranking, also just shy of four-star status. The big DB should help bring some physicality to the defense.

The WMU linebacker transfer, Ryan Selig, garners an 88 ranking and is expected to start alongside Lindenberg.

The edge rusher from UNC, Chris Collins, gets an 87 rating.

ESPN has Elijah Spencer as #12 overall in transfer rankings:

12. Elijah Spencer, WR​

Transferring to: Minnesota | Transferring from: Charlotte

HT: 6-1 | WT: 193 | Class: Sophomore

Background: Spencer won four state titles at Dutch Fork High School in Irm, South Carolina. He signed with Charlotte as a three-star prospect and was tied for the team lead with six touchdowns in 12 games in a debut season in which he was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year. He followed that up with an excellent 2022 season, putting up 943 yards on 57 receptions with nine touchdowns.

How he fits at Minnesota: Minnesota is returning receiver Chris Autman-Bell in 2023, who dealt with injuries this season but led the team with six receiving touchdowns in the 2021 season. The staff is also bringing back Daniel Jackson, who led the team this season in receiving touchdowns. Adding Spencer gives the Gophers an outside threat who has multiple seasons of eligibility remaining. He'll make the offense more difficult to cover and more versatile in what it can do for 2023.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Going to be very interesting to see what the new faces at the skill positions bring to the offense. I don't expect us to get away from running the ball but would be awesome if the passing game once again complimented the running game the way it did back in 2019 when the offense was a ton of fun to watch.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Going to be very interesting to see what the new faces at the skill positions bring to the offense. I don't expect us to get away from running the ball but would be awesome if the passing game once again complimented the running game the way it did back in 2019 when the offense was a ton of fun to watch.

Oh, I have no doubt the passing game will tick up from the past couple years. Interseting to see how they incorporate a pass-catching RB into the offense. Could present a very nice underneath threat to compliment AK going down field.

 

[swingman]

The WMU rb and the Alexandria wr can bring some big time speed.

 

[GopherTheJugular]

Excited to see Tyler as well as the two WR transfers, Spencer and Crooms.

247 has Spencer rated as a 4-star transfer (90 rating) and Corey Crooms from WMU as a high three-star (88).

247 has Tyler just shy of four-star status at 89.

The WMU linebacker transfer, Ryan Selig, garners an 88 ranking and is expected to start alongside Lindenberg.

Re: bolded, we really have 3 players from WMU coming in? Man, I thought it was tough for them when we took their coach, now we're taking their best players too!

 

[GopherJack]

Oh, I have no doubt the passing game will tick up from the past couple years. Interseting to see how they incorporate a pass-catching RB into the offense. Could present a very nice underneath threat to compliment AK going down field.

Me too, very interested in a pass-catching RB. I really can't remember our team throwing to RBs in the past. Any of you Gopher Holers remember a RB in our past that caught a lot of passes?

 

[btowngopher]

Me too, very interested in a pass-catching RB. I really can't remember our team throwing to RBs in the past. Any of you Gopher Holers remember a RB in our past that caught a lot of passes?

We’ve had plenty with the skill set, just hasn’t been a major part of the offenses.

 

[jonnyganas]

Me too, very interested in a pass-catching RB. I really can't remember our team throwing to RBs in the past. Any of you Gopher Holers remember a RB in our past that caught a lot of passes?

Rodney Smith caught quite a few passes out of the backfield in 2019.
Duane Bennett caught passes from Adam Weber, but that was a while back.

 

[GopherDog1]

Sean Tyler = Rick Upchurch 2.0

Before his NFL career, he attended Springfield High School in Holland, Ohio, and then played for Centerville Community College in Centerville, Iowa before transferring to the University of Minnesota. In his two seasons with the Gophers, Upchurch rushed for 1,783 yards, caught 18 passes for 242 yards, and scored 18 offensive touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry and also set a school record for return yards in a season with 305. He was enshrined in Minnesota's athletic hall of fame in 2001.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Re: bolded, we really have 3 players from WMU coming in? Man, I thought it was tough for them when we took their coach, now we're taking their best players too!

Lol....Did you really just now realize that we had 3 WMU transfers?

And technically we only really TOOK their coach. The 3 players were all in the portal so if they didn't come here they were going to go somewhere else.

 

[CentralGopher]

While we haven’t seen what anyone other than Potts and Williams can do it looks like we have our pair and a spare and then some. We should feel pretty comfortable at rb this year.

 

[hungan1]

per Sean:

Sean Tyler, RB, Minnesota

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was able to flip the former Western Michigan running back from his original Oklahoma State commitment this offseason. It's a big addition for the Gophers, who are replacing the school's leader in rushing yards and touchdowns in Mohamed Ibrahim, a First-Team All-Big Ten performer.

Tyler can easily step in and fill the void after rushing for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons for the Broncos while being a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. His final two years at Western Michigan, Tyler tallied 2,177 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns while catching 26 passes for 225 yards and an additional three scores.

TheKnightReport - Five sleeper transfers in the Big Ten

RB Sean Tyler is among the under-the-radar transfers who could be featured in the Big Ten in 2023.

rutgers.rivals.com

Go Gophers!!

I like the possibilities with a pass-catching RB with Athan Kaliakmanis as QB. We will have a new era and a new look offense.

 

[stocker08]

Re: bolded, we really have 3 players from WMU coming in? Man, I thought it was tough for them when we took their coach, now we're taking their best players too!

Now we're just being mean.

 

[3399]

Sean Tyler = Rick Upchurch 2.0

Before his NFL career, he attended Springfield High School in Holland, Ohio, and then played for Centerville Community College in Centerville, Iowa before transferring to the University of Minnesota. In his two seasons with the Gophers, Upchurch rushed for 1,783 yards, caught 18 passes for 242 yards, and scored 18 offensive touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry and also set a school record for return yards in a season with 305. He was enshrined in Minnesota's athletic hall of fame in 2001.

Rick Upchurch was fun to watch!

 

[restovich]

Now we're just being mean.

why do we hate Kalamazoo?

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

why do we hate Kalamazoo?

Ever since that local sports reporter made a stink about Tanner's transfer (I think it was Tanner)*

*I'm kidding, but that was an amusing incident.

 

[balds]

Me too, very interested in a pass-catching RB. I really can't remember our team throwing to RBs in the past. Any of you Gopher Holers remember a RB in our past that caught a lot of passes?

Most RB receptions in a season since 1991

Chuck Rios 48
Duane Bennett 33
Tellis Redman 29
Rodney Smith 23

 

[GopherJack]

Most RB receptions in a season since 1991

Chuck Rios 48
Duane Bennett 33
Tellis Redman 29
Rodney Smith 23

Much appreciated balds. Boy, that's a telling stat. But come to think of it, I don't know if I see many college teams throwing to RBs.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Much appreciated balds. Boy, that's a telling stat. But come to think of it, I don't know if I see many college teams throwing to RBs.

Throwing to a tall TE probably seems like a better option…. if even that.

 

[jonnyganas]

Most RB receptions in a season since 1991

Chuck Rios 48
Duane Bennett 33
Tellis Redman 29
Rodney Smith 23

I pulled Rodney and Duane out off the top of my head and the stats backed up my memory. Thanks balds!

 

[Stuff]

5'8" 185 pounds. Is that big enough to be an every down Big Ten back?

Seems most past Gopher RBs were 205 to 225

 

[btowngopher]

5'8" 185 pounds. Is that big enough to be an every down Big Ten back?

Seems most past Gopher RBs were 205 to 225

That’s about how big Mo was coming in.

 

[Stuff]

That’s about how big Mo was coming in.

Yes as an 18 year old with 4 or 5 years to grow. Tyler only has 1 year of eligibility left.

 

[btowngopher]

Yes as an 18 year old with 4 or 5 years to grow. Tyler only has 1 year of eligibility left.

My bad, thought you were talking about Taylor. I think Tyler will be fine, now if the staff tries a usage rate similar to Mo’s I don’t see that working out, but I think any size back would have a hard time staying healthy at that rate.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

5'8" 185 pounds. Is that big enough to be an every down Big Ten back?

Seems most past Gopher RBs were 205 to 225

I hope we see fewer "every down" running backs going forward.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

I hope we see fewer "every down" running backs going forward.

I really hope PJ has more than one legit option. That would be great!

 

[MNVCGUY]

5'8" 185 pounds. Is that big enough to be an every down Big Ten back?

Seems most past Gopher RBs were 205 to 225

I have a feeling we won't see a workhorse back next season but rather more of a committee approach. Tyler would seem likely to be the #1 option but that might mean more like 15 carries a game as opposed to 20+

Think 2019 when Rodney Smith as the primary back but only went over 20 carries 4 times and never topped 25. Brooks and Ibrahim saw significant action.

Would expect to see something similar to that in 2023 with Tyler, Williams, Evans and maybe one of the freshman.

 

[PMWinSTP]

That’s about how big Mo was coming in.

At a listed 5'8", that is pretty stout.