Gophers football: ‘Tough’ Darius Taylor battles injuries to put up nearly 200 total yards at Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Darius Taylor kept getting knocked down Saturday, but the Gophers running back wouldn’t stop getting back up to rush and receive for nearly 200 total yards in Minnesota’s 25-17 win over Illinois at Memorial Stadium.

Taylor got hit hard on a reception on the opening drive and stayed down on the field to have his left quad assessed. He jogged off the field. On the second drive, Taylor was twisted sideways and needed attention on his left ankle. He needed help getting to the sideline. In the second half, he stayed down on the field once again but didn’t go in the injury tent that time.

The sophomore didn’t let the repeated body blows take him out, and he finished with 189 total yards (131 rushing and 58 receiving) and one touchdown. His score came on a 29-yard carry where he didn’t look hobbled at all.

“At that point it just becomes mind over matter,” Taylor said. “It’s a physical game. It’s what we do. Keep rowing.”

After missing the season opener with a hamstring injury, Taylor is closing in on 1,000 all-purpose yards (644 rushing and 315 receiving) in eight games. He had 799 rushing yards and 92 receiving yards in six games last season.

“Tough,” head coach P.J. Fleck said about Taylor’s performance Saturday. “He is becoming a grown man before your eyes — on the field, off the field.”

Cool from Kesich

Dragan Kesich had made only 60% of his field goals (9 of 15) coming into Saturday’s game, with all six misses going right of the post.

But on Saturday, he drilled a career-high-tying four field goals, including a 45-yarder near the end of the half and a 46-yarder with 1:52 remaining in the game. Those clutch kicks came from distance — he has missed five times from 40 yards or beyond this year.

His four makes were reminiscent of when he hit four field goals in the win over Iowa last year. He went on to win Big Ten kicker of the year, making 23 of 27 field goals.

“(Fleck) showed a lot of belief in me,” Kesich said. “We talk about doing it better, and the belief he showed in me and the team has showed in me has allowed me to, I guess, not take my game to the next level, but bring it back to where I was.”

Turnovers galore

The Gophers are plus-nine in turnover margin during their current four-game winning streak.

That includes plus-two on Saturday. Minnesota’s offense didn’t have a giveaway, while its defense forced and recovered two fumbles.

Danny Striggow and Justin Walley forced Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer to fumble in the first quarter, which led to a Minnesota field goal. In the fourth quarter, Jah Joyner’s strip sack of Altmyer was recovered by Striggow. That sealed the win.

“It’s the No. 1 statistic directly correlated to winning,” Fleck said.

Linebacker Cody Lindenberg had three pass breakups and at least one that should have been turned into an interception.

Quarterback Max Brosmer wasn’t as sharp Saturday, completing only 59 percent of his passes (22 of 37 for 213 yards), but it was his fourth straight game without an interception. He hasn’t had a pick since the first half of the Michigan loss in September.

Offensive line reshuffle

With starting left guard Tyler Cooper out with an injury, the Gophers reshuffled the offensive line. Only left tackle Aireontae Ersery and center Greg Johnson stayed in the same positions.

Cooper had started all eight games this season, but he played only 37 snaps in the 48-23 home win over Maryland last Saturday. It came as a surprise when Tony Nelson, who stepped in for a season-high 23 snaps at left guard last weekend, didn’t just slide into Cooper’s spot.

The U flipped right guard Ashton Beers to left guard, slid Quinn Carroll from right tackle to right guard, and redshirt freshman Philip Daniels made his first career start at right tackle.

Receiver Cristian Driver, who missed the Maryland game, returned to action on Saturday. The Gophers also were without No. 3 cornerback Zaquon Bryan as well as safety Darius Green and tight ends Pierce Walsh and Nathan Jones.

Briefly

With a win over then-No. 11 Southern California on Oct. 5 and No. 24 Illinois on Saturday, Minnesota has two regular-season wins over ranked opponents for the first time in the same season since 2000. … Minnesota had seven penalties for 45 yards compared to Illinois’ two for 13 yards. The offensive line had cut out most of its pre-snap infractions in recent weeks, but they resurfaced Saturday. … The announced attendance on Saturday was 58,088.