BleedGopher
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per Shooter:
Glen Mason coached the Gophers to seven bowl games. He coached a handful of pre-eminent running backs, including Laurence Maroney, Marion Barber III, Terry Jackson, Thomas Tapeh and Gary Russell.
“What they (Gophers) have now,” Mason said, “brings back memories.”
What the Gophers have now is new star Mohamed Ibrahim, a redshirt freshman who battered his way to 224 yards rushing in Minnesota’s eye-opening 34-10 Quick Lane Bowl victory over Georgia Tech. Mason is especially impressed with Ibrahim’s toughness. Then there’s fellow running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks, both returning for senior seasons following injuries.
“I remember one time at a Big Ten luncheon, (late Penn State coach) Joe Paterno said to me, ‘Where do you find all these running backs?’ ” said Mason, now the Big Ten Network’s star football analyst.
“He said, ‘I told my coaches you better follow Minnesota around because I want to recruit running backs like they’ve got.’ ”
Mason said that next season the Gophers will have “the best running backs in the Big Ten, bar none.”
“I thought they probably had, going into this year, the best pair of running backs in the league with Smith and Brooks. Assuming those guys both come back healthy, and with Ibrahim, I don’t know who has backs like them.
“And (junior) Tyler Johnson I think is as good as any wide receiver in the Big Ten. I said that before people started jumping on the bandwagon. (Redshirt freshman QB) Tanner Morgan, with a year under his belt, has established himself as a leader.
“And then you get a guy like (redshirt sophomore) Antoine Winfield coming back who was their best defensive player, along with a favorable schedule. I don’t think they play Michigan State, Michigan or Ohio State in crossover games. So I think they’re poised for a really great year.”
https://www.twincities.com/2018/12/...e-zimmer-rick-spielman-could-hang-in-balance/
Go Gophers!!
Glen Mason coached the Gophers to seven bowl games. He coached a handful of pre-eminent running backs, including Laurence Maroney, Marion Barber III, Terry Jackson, Thomas Tapeh and Gary Russell.
“What they (Gophers) have now,” Mason said, “brings back memories.”
What the Gophers have now is new star Mohamed Ibrahim, a redshirt freshman who battered his way to 224 yards rushing in Minnesota’s eye-opening 34-10 Quick Lane Bowl victory over Georgia Tech. Mason is especially impressed with Ibrahim’s toughness. Then there’s fellow running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks, both returning for senior seasons following injuries.
“I remember one time at a Big Ten luncheon, (late Penn State coach) Joe Paterno said to me, ‘Where do you find all these running backs?’ ” said Mason, now the Big Ten Network’s star football analyst.
“He said, ‘I told my coaches you better follow Minnesota around because I want to recruit running backs like they’ve got.’ ”
Mason said that next season the Gophers will have “the best running backs in the Big Ten, bar none.”
“I thought they probably had, going into this year, the best pair of running backs in the league with Smith and Brooks. Assuming those guys both come back healthy, and with Ibrahim, I don’t know who has backs like them.
“And (junior) Tyler Johnson I think is as good as any wide receiver in the Big Ten. I said that before people started jumping on the bandwagon. (Redshirt freshman QB) Tanner Morgan, with a year under his belt, has established himself as a leader.
“And then you get a guy like (redshirt sophomore) Antoine Winfield coming back who was their best defensive player, along with a favorable schedule. I don’t think they play Michigan State, Michigan or Ohio State in crossover games. So I think they’re poised for a really great year.”
https://www.twincities.com/2018/12/...e-zimmer-rick-spielman-could-hang-in-balance/
Go Gophers!!
