Minnesota Gophers May Have Stumbled Upon Another Stud Running Back

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Marcus Major, Minnesota Gophers
Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

In just over three weeks, PJ Fleck will open his 8th season as the Minnesota Gophers head football coach. And there is no ramp up period this fall. New QB Max Brosmer will make his debut Thursday, August 29 at Huntington Bank Stadium vs the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Golden Gophers offered little punch, offensively, in 2023. That’s not a new problem. This program has lacked offensive firepower, especially through the air, since that historic 2019 season, when Tanner Morgan, Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman busted just about every single-season passing and receiving record in the University of Minnesota history books.

Minnesota Gophers needed running back help behind Darius Taylor

But last year, a new issue presented itself. A lack of depth at running back. Thank the football gods for phenom freshman, Darius Taylor, who proved to be one of the best young talents in the country during his first collegiate season.

Behind him, however, the RB cupboard in Dinkytown were bare. Early on, while Taylor was winning three-straight B1G Freshman of the Week awards and running all over opposing defenses, life was good, even when it became clear that quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was in for another difficult season.

Then, Darius went down, and while he did return later in the season, he was never really the same because he wasn’t 100%. So when Taylor committed to a return for his sophomore season, Fleck and Minnesota’s offensive coaching staff needed to find him help.

Sounds like Gophers hit on Oklahoma transfer RB, Marcus Major

We are still weeks out from the start of the 2024 regular season. But PJ believes they may have found what they were looking for, in Oklahoma grad-transfer, Marcus Major.

PJ Fleck told media members gathered on campus Saturday that “It’s one thing to be able to show it in the offseason,” Fleck beamed about his new veteran running back, “then you let him out there and run. His first few days of practice, he has been awesome.”

Gopher coaches aren’t the only ones who have been pleasantly surprised by the 5th year running back. Media eye-witness accounts at recent practices tell the same story. Ryan Burns (247Sports) went as far as calling Major “the 1B to Darius Taylor’s 1A”.

After being limited in spring practices, Oklahoma transfer running back Marcus Major has emerged as a viable option behind starter Darius Taylor.

Andy Greder – Pioneer Press

Related: Koi Perich is Trying to Make Up for Late Start with Gophers

The guy who has been turning heads during this first week has been Oklahoma graduate transfer tailback Marcus Major... He’s got some wiggle and juice to him and had a long run tonight where he made multiple defenders miss in a phone booth for an explosive play. If he keeps this up, I won’t be surprised if he’s the 1B to Darius Taylor’s 1A for North Carolina.

Ryan Burns – 247Sports

Look, we all know that New Hampshire transfer quarterback, Max Brosmer, is the one true key to the Minnesota Gophers’ success in 2024. But we’ve found out in past seasons how quickly injures at the running back position can derail the full potential of any offense, especially one overseen by PJ Fleck.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Flip Two-Sport Alabama Commit

Marcus Major only carried the ball 194 times during his five-year career at the University of Oklahoma. Nonetheless, his 833 career rushing yards make him the 2nd most prolific collegiate running back on roster.

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