P.J. Fleck provides update on Darius Taylor, Gophers' plan: 'We trust our backs'

Minnesota is confident with whoever is carrying the ball this week against California.

Sep 6, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Legend Lyons (7) runs for a touchdown against the Northwestern State Demons during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Star running back Darius Taylor left the Gophers' Week 2 game against Northwestern State in the first quarter after he pulled up on a long run, grabbing the back of his leg. He never returned to the game.

A closer look at the play Darius Taylor pulled up on, and grabbed the back of his leg.

🎥:@DylanCCOn3

pic.twitter.com/ShFFg57Zg9

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) September 6, 2025

After the game, head coach P.J. Fleck said the injury "doesn't seem too bad," and the Gophers received a "really good positive diagnosis."

Minnesota improved its running back depth in the offseason with the additions of Marshall transfer A.J. Turner and Washington's Cam Davis in the portal, and we got an extended look at both players, along with redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi during Saturday's 66-0 win.

"We talked about this at the beginning of the year. I mean, it's not just Darius; it's any of them. If any of them happen to go down, we're pretty deep at the tailback position," Fleck said Monday. "I think a lot of guys got a ton of carries last week, which was really good. Fame did a really nice job, A.J., Cam."

Ijeboi had seven carries for 51 yards to go along with two receptions for 22 yards and one touchdown. Turner had six carries for 33 yards and one touchdown. Davis had two carries for 13 yards and a touchdown, along with three receptions for 41 yards.

"Our leading rusher was a true freshman in Grant Washington. We have to have depth at that position," Fleck continued. "Anytime that you're running the football in the Big Ten, you're going to have to have a lot of depth behind your No. 1 guy. Because things happen, and injuries are part of the game. It's not if it happens, it's when it happens."

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

All of Washington's snaps came in the second half, but he did finish with a team-high 20 carries for 126 yards. It's fair to assume that he's probably still behind Ijeboi, Davis and Turner on the Gophers' depth chart.

What's Darius Taylor's status for the Cal game?

Taylor has missed eight games due to injury in his Gophers career, and Minnesota faced plenty of injuries at the running back position before that with Mohamed Ibrahim. This isn't Fleck's first time in a situation like this, and he sounds like he has a plan if Taylor is not able to go on Saturday night.

"I thought our guys did a really good job of responding to it. It happened really early in the game, in the first few carries. So, I thought our guys really stepped in," Fleck said. "These are guys who have played a ton of football too... We trust our backs. I think they're really talented in all different ways, and it will be fun to put this game plan together, if he can't go."

Fleck was very noncommittal when asked about Taylor's status specifically, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the program closely since 2017.

He cited the Big Ten's injury report, which is required to come out two hours before kickoff. That means we may not know Taylor's official status against the Golden Bears until 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday, which is two hours before the 9:30 p.m. CT start.