Minnesota coach PJ Fleck plans to lean on running back Mohamed Ibrahim this season, he confirmed this week.

“Mo’s going to play,” Fleck said Tuesday, via TwinCities.com. “It’s not like, ‘All right, Mo. Now that you’ve done all this stuff, it’s your last year and we’re only going to give you so many carries.’ That’s not going to happen. He’s going to carry the load.”

Through his first three seasons with the Gophers, Ibrahim has established himself as one of the best running backs in the country. He’s consistently averaged over five yards per carry and more than a touchdown per game for his career.

Ibrahim’s workload also took on a significant increase last season. He carried the ball 201 times in just seven games, for an average of nearly 29 attempts per game. He totaled 202 carries in 2019, but that was over the course of a 10-game season.

Last year, Ibrahim led the Big Ten in total yards, yards per game, rushing touchdowns and attempts per game. He also led the conference in yards-per-rush amongst running backs with at least 120 carries.

Fleck acknowledged Ibrahim’s status as one of the best players in the country.

“He’s one of the best players in college football, and you want him to continue to be one of the best players in college football,” Fleck said, via TwinCities.com. “He’s what makes your team really good, and your best players when they’re on the field make you better. So, he’s going to play.”

Minnesota opens its season with Ohio State on Sept. 2.