Zach Evans = Freshman Big Ten player of the week

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Per the U:

Evans Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors

University of Minnesota redshirt freshman running back Zach Evans was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after rushing 15 times for 85 yards and one touchdown in Minnesota’s 35-24 Homecoming win against Louisiana.

Evans saw his first action of the season on Saturday against the Ragin’ Cajuns and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. His longest run of the day being 18 yards.

Saturday was the second career game for Evans, who made his Minnesota debut last season against Northwestern. In that game, he rushed six times for 29 yards and one touchdown.

This is the fourth straight week that a Gophers has earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Evans follows true freshman running back Darius Taylor who received the honor the previous three weeks.

This is the first time that Minnesota has ever had two different running backs named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in the same season.

This is the first season that Minnesota has had two different Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since 2021 (Justin Walley and Bucky Irving) and it is the first time that Minnesota has had multiple offensive student-athletes earn the honor since 2018 (Rashod Bateman, Mohamed Ibrahim and Tanner Morgan).

Go Gophers!!
 





Good for him, well deserved.
 


fmlizard said:
Don't any of the other teams have any freshmen?

I assume this means that 3 years from now Gophers are clear #1 team in Big Ten
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Was kind of wondering that too. I mean don't get me wrong, Evans had a nice game but whereas Taylor was a no brainer with his 3 games I would have thought there might be another freshman in the conference that could top what Evans did last week.

But hey, good look for the program and congrats to Evans on keeping the streak alive. Or maybe in the NIL/Pay for Play era it is a bad thing when your freshman get recognized for doing things as it might get the poachers attention :)
 

We are doing our job as the AAA feeder team!

Look forward to following Taylor and Evans career as they move up to higher NIL colleges.
 




It's a nice honor for a guy who didn't play for 4 weeks. I can only assume he was grounded because he got a nose piercing.
 

NoelarBear said:
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Congratulations to Mr. Evans for a job well done!

The overlooked part of noting that this is the fourth “…BT Freshman RB of the week award …” is the fact that Minnesota running backs do well in part because they are very talented AND because Minnesota’s offensive line, year in and year out does an outstanding job and the Minnesota offensive philosophy VALUES the running game.

Some fans like that. Some fans don’t.

I really value the offensive line play that helps the incredible freshmen running backs that I get to see playing for the U and being honored by the conference wearing their Maroon & Gold again this season!
 
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Get some of these athletes in space if we can. There is zero reason when completely healthy you can't use some of these backs in the slot or find creative ways to get them the ball.
 





walrus said:
Congratulations to Mr. Evans for a job well done!

The overlooked part of noting that this is the fourth “…BT Freshman RB of the week award …” is the fact that Minnesota running backs do well in part because they are very talented AND because Minnesota’s offensive line, year in and year out does an outstanding job and the Minnesota offensive philosophy VALUES the running game.

Some fans like that. Some fans don’t.

I really value the offensive line play that helps the incredible freshmen running backs that I get to see playing for and being honored by the conference wearing their Maroon & Gold again this season!
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Even a really good offensive line can use a break now and then from five or six guys blocking eight or nine. That happens when you do not follow a predictable pattern of run/pass. Elementary football knowledge.
 

That's awesome news. Minnesota has a great rotation now, plenty of reps this season to share. This news comes just when fans were saying Taylor got too many reps his last game.

Will be interesting to watch them two - and that whole stable.
 

BilldGopher said:
Also means we're playing freshmen...hmmnnnn...
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Also means that Mo ran out of seasons. Maybe a few young players transferred out to get their chances somewhere else but it was really something to watch Mo work for all those years.

Will we now get a chance to see several running backs tear up the turf the way LM, MBlll and TT did?

Build great offensive lines and the running backs will continue to arrive.

AND: passing becomes a LOT better for 3 & 4 & even 5 star qb’s when they have a STRONG running game that keeps the passing game from becoming too predictable. World-class passing quarterbackst don’t grow on trees and All-pro wide outs seem to gravitate to USC, Ohio State, and all the usual suspect places.

And if people hadn’t noticed, most of the great quarterbacks and wide-outs play at places that also have great running attacks.

Places like Michigan…
 

Terrific! I hope Zach rotates regularly with Darius when he returns. The other two backs deserve playing time, too. Develop a little better passing game and these backs, with our offensive line, will have a lot of fun.
 

Dakota2 said:
Even a really good offensive line can use a break now and then from five or six guys blocking eight or nine. That happens when you do not follow a predictable pattern of run/pass. Elementary football knowledge.
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Don’ think I am saying to forget passing. What I am saying is that I am highly pleased that our coaching staff has the ability to recruit running backs and put solid offensive lines together year after year

As for passing: I really see very little advantage in attempting to put an “air raid offense” as the “go to” template for the offensive philosophy of this team, when the coach has the ability to construct an offense that can recruit a sound running game offense on a yearly basis and sustain it.

It appears to me that the Gopher young qb IS suffering some growing pains as the game begins to slow down a bit for his reads, decision making and command of the game. If he stays healthy, I think the running game and passing game WILL complement the offense.

Some great running backs may grab nil money and transfer out. So be it. Isn’t that what has been happening at all the great quarterback factories like Ohio State, Alabama and yes, even Michigan. The Oregon qb started out at Auburn and played against the Gopher Team down in Tampa.

Ohio state has quarterbacks who transfer out and even go on to win national championships in other conferences.

Fleck is good at putting together good lines and running backs. keep doing that. And: the passing game will follow.

The chicken or the egg?

Ask Jim Harbaugh…. ;o)
 

walrus said:
Don’ think I am saying to forget passing. What I am saying is that I am highly pleased that our coaching staff has the ability to recruit running backs and put solid offensive lines together year after year

As for passing: I really see very little advantage in attempting to put an “air raid offense” as the “go to” template for the offensive philosophy of this team, when the coach has the ability to construct an offense that can recruit a sound running game offense on a yearly basis and sustain it.

It appears to me that the Gopher young qb IS suffering some growing pains as the game begins to slow down a bit for his reads, decision making and command of the game. If he stays healthy, I think the running game and passing game WILL complement the offense.

Some great running backs may grab nil money and transfer out. So be it. Isn’t that what has been happening at all the great quarterback factories like Ohio State, Alabama and yes, even Michigan. The Oregon qb started out at Auburn and played against the Gopher Team down in Tampa.

Ohio state has quarterbacks who transfer out and even go on to win national championships in other conferences.

Fleck is good at putting together good lines and running backs. keep doing that. And: the passing game will follow.

The chicken or the egg?

Ask Jim Harbaugh…. ;o)
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There’s a lot of room between keeping a defense honest with a balanced attack and “Air Raid “ offense.
 


walrus said:
Don’ think I am saying to forget passing. What I am saying is that I am highly pleased that our coaching staff has the ability to recruit running backs and put solid offensive lines together year after year

As for passing: I really see very little advantage in attempting to put an “air raid offense” as the “go to” template for the offensive philosophy of this team, when the coach has the ability to construct an offense that can recruit a sound running game offense on a yearly basis and sustain it.

It appears to me that the Gopher young qb IS suffering some growing pains as the game begins to slow down a bit for his reads, decision making and command of the game. If he stays healthy, I think the running game and passing game WILL complement the offense.

Some great running backs may grab nil money and transfer out. So be it. Isn’t that what has been happening at all the great quarterback factories like Ohio State, Alabama and yes, even Michigan. The Oregon qb started out at Auburn and played against the Gopher Team down in Tampa.

Ohio state has quarterbacks who transfer out and even go on to win national championships in other conferences.

Fleck is good at putting together good lines and running backs. keep doing that. And: the passing game will follow.

The chicken or the egg?

Ask Jim Harbaugh…. ;o)
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Literally NO ONE has suggested that. "We threw 10 passes. OMG The sky is falling." I have seen the word "balanced" suggested by many posters on GH. Never "Air Raid".
 

Go Gophs said:
Get some of these athletes in space if we can. There is zero reason when completely healthy you can't use some of these backs in the slot or find creative ways to get them the ball.
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4 straight weeks of having 2 different freshman win this award, and this guy thinks the staff is not using them correctly.
 

Big Ten Freshman of the Week AKA the NIL Classifieds for Oregon and the SEC.
 

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