Darius Taylor is Back for His Junior Year
Darius Taylor, the standout running back for the Gophers, is coming back for his junior year with the team after accumulating more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage last season. Taylor, a top running back not only in the Big Ten but nationwide, excelled even with poor performance from the offensive line last season. He averaged 4.8 yards per attempt, amassing 986 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 205 carries, while also significantly contributing in the passing game with 54 catches for 350 yards and two touchdowns.
In his initial two seasons with the Gophers, Taylor has been exceptional, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and amassing more than 2,200 yards from scrimmage along with 17 touchdowns. Throughout his 18-game career, he has exceeded 100 rushing yards in nine matches, including five occasions this past season, with a peak of 144 rushing yards versus USC.
Taylor will begin the 2025 season as Minnesota’s confirmed starter at running back. The most significant question about him is if 2025 will mark his last year with the program.
Gophers Enhance Depth in Running Back Position
This offseason, the Golden Gophers brought in two running backs: A.J. Turner from Marshall and Cam Davis, a former Washington Husky. Turner and Davis will fill the vacancies created by Sieh Bangura and Jordan Nubin, who will pursue their careers in the MAC at Ohio and Kent State, respectively.
Turner, a potential home-run hitter, joins Minnesota after accumulating 864 yards and six touchdowns on 104 carries last season at Marshall. As per Pro Football Focus, Turner achieved 11 rushes of 15 or more yards and accumulated over 50% of his total yardage from those 11 runs.
Davis is entering his seventh season in college but will be playing for the first time outside of Washington. The 6-foot-0, 205-pound Davis experienced a subdued 2024 season, amassing only 190 yards on 44 carries while he works to regain his form following a severe injury in 2023.
Prior to missing the 2023 season, Davis had a successful 2022, accumulating 522 rushing yards and scoring 13 touchdowns on 107 attempts. With the Gophers, Davis is expected to play a role on third downs and possibly in the red zone, as his powerful, heavy-set running style may be beneficial in short-yardage scenarios.
Emerging Backs to Keep an Eye on in 2025
In terms of younger running backs to monitor in 2025, the one most likely to have a significant influence is probably redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi. Ijeboi caught the attention of the coaching staff early last year, and although he didn’t get much playing time as a true freshman, the Gophers’ staff continues to have high expectations for the Philadelphia native.
With Taylor, Turner, and probably Davis in front of him, Ijeboi has a restricted opportunity for playing time in 2025. Nevertheless, should injuries happen, he might end up in a more significant position. In general, anticipate limited playing time for the previous three-star in 2025, while 2026 is the year he’s more likely to have a notable impact.
In general
In general, Minnesota’s group of running backs is expected to be a team asset in 2025. As noted earlier, the Gophers bring back one of the finest tailbacks in the nation, Darius Taylor, and also have solid depth with A.J. Turner and Cameron Davis. The running game has consistently been the foundation of the Golden Gophers’ offense, and that will continue to be true this fall.
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