We continue our Minnesota spring roster set series here on Gophers Nation by turning our attention to the Golden Gophers running back room.

While the Golden Gophers' offense last year was a 50/50 split between the rushing and passing attack, the Gophers' run game is likely to take center stage once again in 2025 with a younger, inexperienced quarterback under center in Drake Lindsey, especially earlier on in the season.

In 2025, the Golden Gophers will return the face of their running back room in Darius Taylor. The Michigan native and rising junior will enter the 2025 season as one of the country's top running backs.

Over the last two seasons, Taylor is just one of 12 running backs with at least 200 rushing attempts and 50 receptions to average over 5.0 yards per rush and 6.5 yards per reception. Other names on that list include Nicholas Singleton (Penn State), Ashton Jeanty (Boise State), Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State), Cameron Skattebo (Arizona State), Omarion Hampton (North Carolina), and Trevor Etienne (Florida, Georgia).

In 2025, Taylor will once again be the featured back for the Gophers and will look to build upon his 1,336 yards from scrimmage.

The rest of the running back room will look quite different for the Golden Gophers, including its leader. With running backs coach Nic McKissic-Luc leaving the program for the New York Jets, the Gophers tabbed South Alabama running backs coach Jayden Everett to lead the position group.

Also gone from the program are backup tailbacks Marcus Major, Jaren Mangham, Jordan Nubin, and Sieh Bangura. The only other running back who received a carry last season that returned for the 2025 season is redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi.

In need of depth for the running back room, the Gophers hit the transfer portal this offseason heavily at the position, adding a trio of backs to the room.

The most notable of those backs is Marshall transfer A.J. Turner. A major home run threat when he touches the ball, Turner, with Marshall last season, had 11 carries of 15+ yards and posted a breakaway percentage of 54.6%, according to Pro Football Focus, meaning 54.6% of his total yardage this season came on those 11 carries.

For comparison, of running backs this season with over 100 carries, that 54.6% breakaway percentage ranks sixth nationally. Right behind Turner, notably, is Boise State standout and Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty. Additionally, Darius Taylor posted a breakaway percentage of 40.0%.

If Turner is able to make the jump to the Big Ten successfully, the Gophers could have one of the more dynamic running back tandems not just in the Big Ten but in the entire country.

Also joining the room via the transfer portal this offseason was Washington transfer Cameron Davis.

On the surface, Davis presents a potentially strong option in short-yardage and goal-line situations, especially thanks to his 6-foot-0, 210-pound stature. Davis is coming off a 2024 season with Washington in which he posted 44 carries for 190 yards. He also had 14 receptions for 156 yards. It was a solid comeback season for Davis, who missed the entire 2023 campaign after a devastating knee injury that he suffered before the 2023 season.

The 2025 season will also mean Davis is two years removed from his patellar injury, which could allow for increased confidence and trust in the repaired knee, leading to even more success on the field.

The final addition to the running back room via the portal was Vanderbilt running back Johann Cardenas, who entered the portal after his true freshman season in Nashville.

Cardenas did not appear in a game for Vanderbilt during the 2024 season and will have four years of eligibility to use with the program. Cardenas notably had a productive high school career at St. Thomas Catholic High School in Houston, Texas, rushing for over 4,700 yards and 60 touchdowns. In 2025, the Golden Gophers will return the face of their running back room in Darius Taylor. The Michigan native and rising junior will enter the 2025 season as one of the country's top running backs.

On top of the three transfer portal pieces noted above, the Gophers also have a stable of younger backs within the room as well. Redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi leads the way. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native briefly saw the field in 2024, and while playing time in 2025 may be limited for Ijeboi, the Gophers believe they have a strong piece of their offense in 2026 and beyond in the former three-star prospect.

Running backs coach Jayden Everett will also see a trio of running backs join his room this summer in 2025 signees Xavier Ford, Grant Washington, and Trey Berry. All three backs will certainly redshirt this upcoming fall.

Minnesota's rushing attack has often been the focus of the Golden Gophers' offense under head coach P.J. Fleck, and with a strong one-two punch entering the 2025 season, that will likely be the case once again.

The Gophers' stable of running backs should be among the better groups in the Big Ten this fall and is one deep in experience and production. Darius Taylor, in what could very well be his last year as a Gopher, will have a chance to increase his draft stock significantly with another strong season. The depth this season should be a step up from last season as well. While Marcus Major and the Gophers' other depth pieces last season at the position performed admirably in their roles, A.J. Turner and Cam Davis both provide significant upgrades in terms of upside. That's not to mention the potential of younger backs in Fame Ijeboi and Johann Cardenas.

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