Gophers Run Game, Offense Gets Boost From Shannon Brooks
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If the Gopher football team changed its season Saturday, it was in large part because of freshman running back Shannon Brooks.
He will be featured against Nebraska Saturday after his 176-yard day against Purdue. As Mike Max reports, that does more than establish a running attack.
It's really a pretty simple strategy -- find a running back with high-end talent and give him the ball.
"He is a very, very good football player. We're set very good at tailback, I've said that all along. We just need to get him the football and get a body on a body and let him play," coach Jerry Kill said.
See this young man has gifts. He's got speed, and oh yeah, he loves the point of contact.
"Yeah I do. I'm a physical running back definitely," Brooks said. "When I have the opportunities to make somebody miss I try to take those opportunities but usually when I'm running I'm looking to be physical and looking to run over somebody."
What Brooks does is not just establish a running game, he establishes a passing game. The Gophers have been out of balance too many times this season, and what he does is make it unpredictable when they're going to throw the ball.
That's the magic formula of football.
"It opens up a lot of things so, I mean hopefully moving forward we can develop our play action and make it even better. It will get better," quarterback Mitch Leidner said.
But before you get pass happy, remember No. 27 has become a pretty good option. And if you allow it, he will carry the ball all day.
"How many could I carry? As much as they want to give me, really. If they give me the ball I'm going to run it," Brooks said.
