STrib: P.J. Fleck plays it by ear with trio of running backs

[BleedGopher]

per Megan:

When it comes to the running back rotation, Gophers coach P.J. Fleck plays it by ear.

With three starting-caliber backs in Rodney Smith, Mohamed Ibrahim and Shannon Brooks all healthy for the first time against Nebraska, the coach — along with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca and position coach Kenni Burns — split the carries fairly evenly between the trio.

Fleck explained after that game that he aims to help his players establish a rhythm without overworking them. That philosophy was on display this past Saturday at Rutgers. Smith ended with 111 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns, and Ibrahim followed up with 62 yards on 15 carries, plus a score. But Brooks didn’t make any carries in the second half, finishing with just 15 yards on five attempts.

The decision to curb Brooks’ involvement was a product of listening to the player himself, Fleck said.

“There are times when somebody feels very good, and sometimes a hit does something to somebody, and you feel it, and you know it,” Fleck said, adding that all the backs are healthy. “… That is why we kind of rotated Rodney and Mohamed. And plus, [Brooks is] the one closest to coming out of surgery. And when we got to a point where we felt like we had the game in control, the first one to not take those carries was the one that was closest to a surgery.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...-by-ear-with-trio-of-running-backs/563667932/

Go Gophers!!

 

[oak_street1981]

After reading this article I feel better about what I saw in the second half at Rutgers when Brooks had zero playing time.

My concern was that he was injured again, or Fleck has written him off.

I still think Shannon Brooks can be our best running back, but they all are very good, even though each is somewhat different. All three can bring someting to the team, and threre is a lotto of crossover in skill sets.