Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota Football News: Draft Scout Player News

08/12/22 - RB Mohamed Ibrahim, rSr/2023, Minnesota

Early during practice on a sunny, 85-degree Tuesday, Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck put his team through a drill that featured two blockers matched up with two defenders at different levels, while a ball-carrier tried to pick his way through the mass of bodies and sprint out the other end without being tackled. All the while, teammates formed a tunnel with the offense on one side and defense on the other. First up in the drill for the offense was running back Mohamed Ibrahim, the sixth-year senior who is back on the field and taking full contact nearly a year after a ruptured left Achilles' tendon ended his season in the opener against Ohio State. In the drill, Ibrahim powered his way through a would-be tackler to his teammates' delight. Tuesday wasn't the first time since the injury that Ibrahim was back absorbing hits - that came last week - but the Baltimore native met with the media for the first time since last training camp and declared his recovery at "100 percent." "It was weird,'' he said of his first contact since his Achilles' surgery. "I hadn't been tackled since Sept. 2, so it's a rhythm thing. You just gotta learn how to do it all over again."

That shouldn't be too difficult for Ibrahim, who was doing it quite well before his injury. The 2020 Big Ten Running Back of the Year rushed for 1,076 yards and 15 touchdowns in that seven-game season, averaging 153.7 yards per game, second best in the nation. Last Sept. 2, he was picking up where he left off against No. 4 Ohio State at Huntington Bank Stadium. He tore through the Buckeyes for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries during a 45-31 loss. On his 30th carry, however, Ibrahim's left calf had a telltale ripple as he planted his foot, stretching for extra yardage. Ibrahim lay on the turf, clutching at his leg, but he didn't initially believe the injury was that serious. "I thought it was just a cramp," Ibrahim said. "[Team medical staff] didn't tell me what it actually was until I was walking into the locker room. It was surprising." - Minneapolis Star Tribune

rSr/2023