Gophers lean on Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major as top back gets healthy

[BleedGopher]

Per Marcus:

P.J. Fleck couldn’t help but stare at Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major at times during fall camp, surprised how much he looked like “a bigger version” of former Gophers All-America Mo Ibrahim.

Of course, it helped Major wears the same No. 24 jersey as the program’s all-time leading rusher.

Major isn’t the next Ibrahim, but he won the Gophers starting job last week with leading returning rusher Darius Taylor still recovering from a leg injury. Major rushed 20 times for 73 yards and a touchdown for his Gophers debut in the 19-17 season-opening loss against North Carolina.

Major’s injury-plagued career continued with shoulder surgery that kept him out of spring practice after transferring, but he exceeded Fleck’s expectations during the running back competition this fall.

“I just knew I had to come in and step up,” said Major, who started five games in five years with the Sooners.

Gophers lean on Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major as top back gets healthy

U’s leading returning rusher Darius Taylor is getting very close to making his season debut, but his replacement Marcus Major is exceeding expectations.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

I wasn’t all that impressed by Major, particularly after hearing what Fleck was saying about him. I think Nubin is a better runner. Major was good out of the backfield catching passes. I would play Nubin ahead of Major.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

I wasn’t all that impressed by Major, particularly after hearing what Fleck was saying about him. I think Nubin is a better runner. Major was good out of the backfield catching passes. I would play Nubin ahead of Major.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Neither of the transfer RBs Bangura or Mangham got a carry against UNC. Jordan Nubin got a few. The Gophers only ran 55 offensive plays. Plenty were intended as passes, but UNC's pass rush baffled our OL, meaning many pass plays didn't result in a throw (a sack or QB scramble instead). Until our OL learns how to pick up blitzes efficiently, or our OC teaches and calls some quick hitting passes that counter blitzes, I think we'll see more UNC-style defenses.

 

[HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving]

Neither of the transfer RBs Bangura or Mangham got a carry against UNC. Jordan Nubin got a few. The Gophers only ran 55 offensive plays. Plenty were intended as passes, but UNC's pass rush baffled our OL, meaning many pass plays didn't result in a throw (a sack or QB scramble instead). Until our OL learns how to pick up blitzes efficiently, or our OC teaches and calls some quick hitting passes that counter blitzes, I think we'll see more UNC-style defenses.

I did not realize that. Major could not carry Taylor's jock. It's not close.

 

[GopherEnEspaña]

I wasn’t all that impressed by Major, particularly after hearing what Fleck was saying about him. I think Nubin is a better runner. Major was good out of the backfield catching passes. I would play Nubin ahead of Major.

Did you see our offensive line?

Find me 5 plays where we had a positive push in the run game against UNC. I'll wait.