Mar’Keise Irving enters the transfer portal

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Gopherchase said:
I don’t think 2 or 55 would have started on my D2 team in the 80s. They are just the best examples of PJs bozos. It’s going to become a bigger issue over time.
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Who should have started in their place?
 


60's Guy said:
Might seem trivial but think about it...they start practice and everybody is calling you Bucko... and it bugs the heck out of you... One of the games on TV, the announcers talked about how the team had changed his name to Bucko and when they talked to him he was adamant his name was Bucky and he wasn't changing it.

Seems like a better reason than 10 days into spring football with two healthy backs available to practice he decides he won't get any playing time here next season and has to leave right now!

Also seems like a reason he might not share.
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If that's the case, good riddance.
 

Let’s hope that the HYPRR culture is strong enough to keep a cohesive team together after the “I” first players depart. They all want to be the show
 

SanDiegoGopherFan said:
To me, this is on Fleck.

He doesnt dare pull players that he sees as his sons or something.

He probably anointed Mo as the starter despite not knowing how he’ll be once hes fully back and made Potts #2 bc of his courage to come back.

Just like he wouldnt pull Morgan despite playing like crap.
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Oh good. Now that basketball season is over, you decided to shift your negative attention away from Johnson to Fleck.

Irving started last year as 6th on the depth chart. To say that Mo and/or Potts aren't better RBs at this point is tipping your hand. You have absolutely zero idea. But don't let that stop you from tossing shit against the wall.

And lol @ pulling Morgan. Once again....the armchair coach shows up to lend expert speculation.
 



When Ky Thomas decided to leave.....it stung a bit, because that kid could play. But I thought that Irving looked like the higher ceiling player in a position that the Gophers have had a wealth of talent. So this hurts. The two guys that were coming up and were looking like they were going to hold down the running back room as a position of strength in the coming years have now both moved on.

It's a tough position for Fleck to be in. Both these two saw a ton of action due to the guys in front of them going down. Now the logjam returns and I can understand how it might be a tough pill to swallow. I figured with Thomas moving on, that Bucky would still see enough action (albeit being in a more limited role) that he'd be able to gut through this season before likely going into his junior year as the favorite to start. Actually....the one depth chart I saw for 2022 had Irving as the number two guy behind Mo....which wouldn't surprise me at all.

So I guess we really don't know what caused Irving (and Thomas) to move on. Thomas coming into his third year made a bit more sense. Especially considering the timing....I can see how he saw his playing time getting cut into with Mo and Potts returning....but was looking to be a significant part of the backfield. Irving waiting until now is a far bigger question mark. Especially since he was probably in line for a decent role considering Thomas had already left....and he may have actually jumped Potts on the DC.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Someone else mentioned a broken bone, which would make sense since he is back practicing. I don't think he'd be back yet after a torn ACL. I have no idea what the injury was though.

I think too many sleep on Bryce. He was a big factor in the win against Wisconsin as a true freshman and had over 500 yards that season. He also put the game away with this run against Nebraska last season. When he gets an opportunity, he usually makes the most of it.

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Agreed. He's kinda forgotten but I'd have no problem with him getting 10-15 carries a game if it was necessary.
 

hungan1 said:
Let’s hope that the HYPRR culture is strong enough to keep a cohesive team together after the “I” first players depart. They all want to be the show
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I'm curious how this works. Is Dylan Wright an "I" player since he put himself above his team and entered the portal? The two CBs that came from the portal this winter?

Please elaborate.
 



Gophers1992 said:
I really hope I'm proven wrong, I just think anyone expecting to see the old Mo is setting themselves up for disappointment.
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I have no expectations at this point in time. An ACL used to be pretty close to a death warrant for running backs a time ago. That's not the case anymore. As others have said about surgeries improving....and the post surgery therapies advancing along with those....many guys are able to come back and play like they did prior.

And anyone who's been paying attention to Ibrahim throughout his time with the Gophers know what kind of (team) player Ibrahim is. After his great freshman season....taking a step back when Smith and Brooks returned from injury. Accepted his role and came back to claim the starting position in 2020 and become one of the the best backs not only in the Big Ten.....but the entire college football nation. Was a semifinalist (top ten) for the Doak Walker award in 2020. After going down in the opener this past year....he remained as one of the most visible guys on the sidelines in just about every game. Anyone who questions whether Mo has been putting in the work to come back at full strength is a pessimist....and probably hasn't been paying close enough attention.

Unfortunately to say....hard work and dedication can't always overcome physical shortcomings. It's very possible that this is an injury that curbs what Mo is able to do. But it's far from an absolute. And I really think that if the surgeries all went smoothly, that Mo wouldn't be cutting corners in recovery. Mo's return, along with the return of Ciarrocca are at the top of my intrigue list.
 
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USAF said:
I'm curious how this works. Is Dylan Wright an "I" player since he put himself above his team and entered the portal? The two CBs that came from the portal this winter?

Please elaborate.
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What! You are kidding, right? Dylan Wright didn't enter the portal.
 

Gopherchase said:
With PJ it’s more about whether a kid is FAMILY than anything. No other reason for Morgan last year and in ‘22, Sorry-Marin playing so many snaps, et al. He will give players run that aren’t performing that well because they are his guys more than I think most other coaches will do. The players don’t/won’t like this or put up wit it in portal world and now we’re pushing 20 of them hitting the bricks; give or take.
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Gopherchase said:
I don’t think 2 or 55 would have started on my D2 team in the 80s. They are just the best examples of PJs bozos. It’s going to become a bigger issue over time.
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I was going to call you a troll....possibly a butthurt Badger fan....but looking at your few posts here....I'm not sure that is the case. However....nearly all your posts show palpable distaste for both Morgan and Sori-Marin....which leads me to the conclusion that you are just misguided.
 





stocker08 said:
I have no expectations at this point in time. An ACL used to be pretty close to a death warrant for running backs a time ago. That's not the case anymore. As others have said about surgeries improving....and the post surgery therapies advancing along with those....many guys are able to come back and play like they did prior.

And anyone who's been paying attention to Ibrahim throughout his time with the Gophers know what kind of (team) player Ibrahim is. After his great freshman season....taking a step back when Smith and Brooks returned from injury. Accepted his role and came back to claim the starting position in 2020 and become one of the the best backs not only in the Big Ten.....but the entire college football nation. Was a semifinalist (top ten) for the Doak Walker award in 2020. After going down in the opener this past year....he remained as one of the most visible guys on the sidelines in just about every game. Anyone who questions whether Mo has been putting in the work to come back at full strength is a pessimist....and probably hasn't been paying close enough attention.

Unfortunately to say....hard work and dedication can't always overcome physical shortcomings. It's very possible that this is an injury that curbs what Mo is able to do. But it's far from an absolute. And I really think that if the surgeries all went smoothly, that Mo wouldn't be cutting corners in recovery. Mo's return, along with the return of Ciarrocca are at the top of my list of my intrigue list.
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Mo had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon if I recall.

About 73% of players returned to the NFL after Achilles tendon repair, according to a recently published study in Foot and Ankle International.

www.healio.com

Most football players returned to NFL after Achilles tendon repair

About 73% of players returned to the NFL after Achilles tendon repair, according to a recently published study in Foot and Ankle International. “Achilles tendon injuries in the NFL are common season-ending injuries that require a surgical repair,” Joshua D. Harris, MD, told...
www.healio.com www.healio.com
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Mo had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon if I recall.

About 73% of players returned to the NFL after Achilles tendon repair, according to a recently published study in Foot and Ankle International.

www.healio.com

Most football players returned to NFL after Achilles tendon repair

About 73% of players returned to the NFL after Achilles tendon repair, according to a recently published study in Foot and Ankle International. “Achilles tendon injuries in the NFL are common season-ending injuries that require a surgical repair,” Joshua D. Harris, MD, told...
www.healio.com www.healio.com
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You are correct.
 

This is incredibly disappointing, Bucky was (still is I believe somewhere) going to be a star. That being said we will be fine. We've got a great room provided everyone gets healthy.

I think its also disappointing about Doug, when we signed him I thought he was going to be a big part of our offense eventually.
 

stocker08 said:
I have no expectations at this point in time. An ACL used to be pretty close to a death warrant for running backs a time ago. That's not the case anymore. As others have said about surgeries improving....and the post surgery therapies advancing along with those....many guys are able to come back and play like they did prior.

And anyone who's been paying attention to Ibrahim throughout his time with the Gophers know what kind of (team) player Ibrahim is. After his great freshman season....taking a step back when Smith and Brooks returned from injury. Accepted his role and came back to claim the starting position in 2020 and become one of the the best backs not only in the Big Ten.....but the entire college football nation. Was a semifinalist (top ten) for the Doak Walker award in 2020. After going down in the opener this past year....he remained as one of the most visible guys on the sidelines in just about every game. Anyone who questions whether Mo has been putting in the work to come back at full strength is a pessimist....and probably hasn't been paying close enough attention.

Unfortunately to say....hard work and dedication can't always overcome physical shortcomings. It's very possible that this is an injury that curbs what Mo is able to do. But it's far from an absolute. And I really think that if the surgeries all went smoothly, that Mo wouldn't be cutting corners in recovery. Mo's return, along with the return of Ciarrocca are at the top of my list of my intrigue list.
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Well said
 

Gopherchase said:
With PJ it’s more about whether a kid is FAMILY than anything. No other reason for Morgan last year and in ‘22, Sorry-Marin playing so many snaps, et al. He will give players run that aren’t performing that well because they are his guys more than I think most other coaches will do. The players don’t/won’t like this or put up wit it in portal world and now we’re pushing 20 of them hitting the bricks; give or take.
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Good lord, you and SanDiego are out to lunch with this crap. You are saying that PJ would rather risk losing than play the best player...you need to lay off the booze this early in the day.

I am not sure who you really are, but I smell a PBU.
 

USAF said:
You're not really this slow, are you?
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Well technically, I am with brain fog. Someone else's "I" player becomes a "We" player when they join the team. Now, I get it! 🤯
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Why?

I understand maybe why you wouldn't want Morgan but what is your reasoning for wanting Athan?
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Because he saw a video once and he throws a tight spiral...

They don't like Morgan...probably did in '19 but not now that is why. They will both deny it and pretend it is cause they saw Athan play once or their sister's boyfriend's cousin goes to a rival school and talked him up, but in truth they blame Morgan for having a bad year and would rather run with an inexperienced QB than one who has thrived previously in the system.

Sort of like the people who are still whining Morgan should have been benched so we could play the QB who is now at an FCS school. There is no factual basis for it...reminds me of locals who wanted Todd Bouman to play over Daunte Culpepper.
 


What other line of business can you get paid a bunch of money and have no accountability for how they treat their employees? Many of these coaches who were Physical ED majors in college, or did not play the sport, run their programs like cults, if you do not drink the cool -aide they are disregarded. It is a good thing young athletes have the freedom to locate a better fit for them. Who marries their first date? I liked what Swinney said in one of the blogs, it is a failure on their part if they do not retain and develop their recruits. What lesson are all these young students learning about life?
 
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per Shama:

It will be a surprise if the Gophers don’t add a running back before June from the transfer portal. P.J. Fleck and staff might well have been shopping even before Mar’Keise Irving announced last week he is leaving Minnesota.

Available running backs in the portal, per 247Sports, include Camar Wheaton, Alabama; Tharon Davis, Memphis; Joshia Davis, Colorado; Aidan Robbins, Louisville; and Peni Naulu, Washington State. Wheaton didn’t play for Alabama last season but coming out of high school he was the No. 1 RB in the nation, according to Rivals100. Minnesota recruits the Dallas area and Wheaton played in high school not far from Gophers high potential wide receiver Dylan Wright.


Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
per Shama:

It will be a surprise if the Gophers don’t add a running back before June from the transfer portal. P.J. Fleck and staff might well have been shopping even before Mar’Keise Irving announced last week he is leaving Minnesota.

Available running backs in the portal, per 247Sports, include Camar Wheaton, Alabama; Tharon Davis, Memphis; Joshia Davis, Colorado; Aidan Robbins, Louisville; and Peni Naulu, Washington State. Wheaton didn’t play for Alabama last season but coming out of high school he was the No. 1 RB in the nation, according to Rivals100. Minnesota recruits the Dallas area and Wheaton played in high school not far from Gophers high potential wide receiver Dylan Wright.


Go Gophers!!
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There is a lot longer list than that for available rbs in the portal.
 

Last year the Gophers had 5 RB's on their roster who - at one point in their careers - showed they were capable of being a lead RB at a D1 P5 program. (maybe 6 if you count Wiley....?)

The Gopher coaches found those RB's and convinced them to come to MN.

I think they can find other RB's and convince them to come to MN.

It's not like Bucky Irving leaves and the Gophers will suddenly never be able to recruit another RB again.

The Gophers will recruit more RB's. Shoot, they might even recruit a RB who is better than Irving.

I would be much more concerned if they were losing key players at other positions.

Like it or not, RB's are among the most replaceable commodities in FB - at every level.

to quote that annoying little red-haired girl, "The Sun will come out tomorrow......."
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Last year the Gophers had 5 RB's on their roster who - at one point in their careers - showed they were capable of being a lead RB at a D1 P5 program. (maybe 6 if you count Wiley....?)

The Gopher coaches found those RB's and convinced them to come to MN.

I think they can find other RB's and convince them to come to MN.

It's not like Bucky Irving leaves and the Gophers will suddenly never be able to recruit another RB again.

The Gophers will recruit more RB's. Shoot, they might even recruit a RB who is better than Irving.

I would be much more concerned if they were losing key players at other positions.

Like it or not, RB's are among the most replaceable commodities in FB - at every level.

to quote that annoying little red-haired girl, "The Sun will come out tomorrow......."
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You're correct. They probably will recruit a bunch more really good RBs. BUT...getting them to walk in the door is one thing. Getting them to stay is another. One they seem to be really good at, the other seems to be more of a challenge lately.
 

The easy transfer portal is a disaster for college football, as is paying the players. No common sense at all in the NCAA (as we can see from the U of PA swimming team). No standards, no rules, do-as-you-please chaos.
 


It's just a big and very sudden change. People don't do well with big, sudden changes. This is just humanity.


It will take time to adjust to the new normal.

A number of folks have fun in the off-season following the recruiting process, which recruits are coming to campus, who signs where, etc.

Well ... now it seems more than ever (perhaps significantly more), a nice recruit that you sign, who doesn't see significant field time in the first couple years ... they might check out, before we even get to see what they can do.

Perhaps makes it feel like "why even bother investing our time and excitement into recruiting, if the recruits are just going to leave". Fair enough, if so.

The usual pattern of "sign, redshirt, stay four years at the same school, fight for playing time and hope to be a starter your last couple years, three if you're lucky" is applying less and less.
 

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