Darius Taylor, the senior running back for the Gophers, has just 154 yards on 64 carries this season, a far cry from the star everyone hoped for, but somehow, head coach P.J. Fleck is still singing his praises. It feels like we’re watching a completely different player than the guy who broke onto the scene, and the disconnect between the numbers and Fleck’s unwavering support is getting tough to figure out.
From Freshman Phenom to Flatline
Man, remember 2023? Taylor exploded onto the college football scene as a true freshman, looking like a future superstar. He averaged an insane 159.2 rushing yards in his first five games as a starter. Think about that: he hasn’t even hit that number in a single game since! He did have a career-high 1,336 yards from scrimmage in 2024, but that consistency we saw early on? Totally gone. 2025 was plagued by injuries, and this season, after another injury in Week 2 against Mississippi State, he’s just looked unrecognizable. The dude’s production has hit an all-time low recently, too, putting up only 83 yards on 44 carries over the last three weeks against Big Ten competition. Minnesota’s run game is completely stuck in neutral, and he’s not helping them find a gear.
Fleck’s Row-The-Boat Reality Check?
So, what’s Fleck saying amidst all this? At his weekly press conference, he kept circling back to “consistency.” He said, “It’s just going back to that word consistency. I think the more he practices, and he’s able to practice the way he can practice, and we need him to practice, the better he’s going to be.” He doubled down, “Darius Taylor is a very good football player, period. And he’s only going to continue to get better.” Fleck acknowledged that “things that happen in our lives that are unfortunate that you work and battle through,” hinting at injuries. He said they “need him at his absolute best.” But here’s where it gets weird: in that *same* press conference, Fleck also said Taylor has been a full participant in practice *every single day*. If he’s a full participant every day, why are we talking about him needing to “practice the way he can practice” for consistency? Plus, Taylor didn’t even play in Week 3 against Akron. It’s confusing, right? Fleck did praise Taylor’s effort, saying “Nobody’s working harder” whether it’s in the training room, with running backs coach Mohamed Ibrahim, or even his yoga and Pilates. He’s proud of the commitment, but that doesn’t explain the on-field struggles or the contradictory comments.
The Rising Tide of TJ Thomas and a Costly Bet
It’s not all bad for Taylor, though. He’s actually found some success as a receiver this season, with 18 receptions for 155 yards, and he leads Minnesota with five total touchdowns. That’s a silver lining. But here’s the kicker: Elon transfer TJ Thomas has straight-up outperformed Taylor in almost every major rushing statistic, with the single exception of carries. That’s a huge problem if you’re hoping for Taylor to lead your backfield. And get this, Minnesota doesn’t have endless cash like some of the big-time programs, which means they have to make tough choices. It’s totally fair to guess they might have kept Taylor over Fame Ijeboi, who was an emerging underclassman and is now absolutely tearing it up at Purdue after transferring. Talk about a potentially costly decision.
What’s next for the Gophers run game? With the first half of the season incredibly underwhelming, will Fleck’s confidence eventually translate to results for Taylor, or will TJ Thomas take over as the featured back? The team desperately needs someone to get their ground game out of neutral.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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