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Taking home the Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year Award and earning first-team All-Big Ten recognition from the coaches and media as a redshirt junior in 2020, plus sitting ninth on the school’s all-time rushing list with 2,840 yards, Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim is no stranger to individual accolades.
When asked about this personal success on Thursday, however, the Baltimore, Maryland native made sure to direct the credit to the five men in front of him, his offensive linemen.
Ibrahim when asked about personal accolades
"The success of the team should be at the forefront."#Gophers
— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) August 12, 2021
"I have eight o-linemen that can go in at anytime."
"Knowing they are going to deliver those blocks and have that experience is very important." #Gophers
— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) August 12, 2021
Ibrahim:
"The unsung heroes are the o-linemen."
"I always want to check in with them and make sure they are doing good. We all want to be on the same page." #Gophers
— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) August 12, 2021
After redshirting in 2017, Ibrahim has reached 1,000 yards on the ground in two of the last three seasons, including the shortened 2020 campaign where he ran for 1,076 yards on 201 carries, an average of 5.4 yards-per-attempt, in seven games.
Posting an 11-2 record in 2019 – the program’s first double-digit-win season since 2003 – the Golden Gophers stumbled to a 3-4 mark in 2020.
Looking to reach a bowl game for the third time in head coach P.J. Fleck’s five-year tenure, Minnesota has about as tough of a season-opener as possible, a date with Ohio State on Thursday, September 2 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.