Star Playmaker Out for MN Gophers

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Darius Taylor, Minnesota Gophers
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Gophers are 2-0 so far this season and Drake Lindsey has looked like a difference maker. Saturday night against the Cal Golden Bears though, he’ll face his toughest test yet.

P.J. Fleck’s team enters the contest as slight favorites. They are fresh off an absolute rout of overmatched Northwestern State. The 66-0 drubbing didn’t prove much but ten different players carried the football.

The running back depth is something that Fleck has spoken on this season, and it’s something he’ll need for the road test. It appears as though Darius Taylor won’t be in uniform for Minnesota.

Darius Taylor not expected to play for Minnesota Gophers

After an early pick-six put Minnesota on the board last week, the Gophers drove the ball down the field for their first offensive touchdown. Darius Taylor got the corner and looked to have a rushing touchdown. Instead, he hit the sideline and went down in a heap. Fleck said postgame the expectation was that Taylor avoided a serious injury. That doesn’t mean he was going to be ready this week.

Taylor being unavailable on Saturday for the Gophers is definitely a blow. It’s a long season though, and prioritizing his health for future contests makes sense.

Minnesota will instead run A.J. Turner as their lead back. The Marshall transfer has ran for 49 yards on 12 carries through the first two games. He also scored his first touchdown in a Minnesota uniform.

Last week freshman Grant Washington had a coming out party. The freshman turned 20 carries into 126 yards with a long of 16. Fellow freshman Fame Ijeboi ripped off 53 yards on his seven carries. Washington transfer Cam Davis was also in the mix and scored a touchdown.

If there’s someone with familiarity against Cal, it’s definitely the transfer Davis. He has 107 carries for 522 yards and a whopping 13 touchdowns with the Huskies in 2022. Before playing in the National Championship later that year, Davis led the backfield against Cal with 13 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown. His quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., plays the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night.

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Fleck also has a diverse group of pass catchers that can help to shoulder the load in Taylor’s absence. Freshman Jalen Smith was the standout in Week 1 against Buffalo. Passing wasn’t much of a necessity last week against the Demons, but Kenric Lanier II led the group with 59 yards receiving.

Kickoff is set for 9:30 pm on Saturday. If Minnesota wants to achieve the heights they are capable of reaching this season, then tough road tests like this one need to result in a victory.

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