The Minnesota Gophers wrapped up their 2024 season with a solid but somewhat underwhelming 8-5 record. They secured a fifth consecutive bowl victory, thanks to a top-15 defense and a revamped pass-first offense, but couldn’t quite get everything clicking to compete at a higher level in the now 18-team Big Ten.
However, since the regular season ended, PJ Fleck and his staff have made one thing abundantly clear in their player acquisition efforts: the lack of NIL funds will no longer be an excuse for losing games or top talent.
Minnesota has managed to keep most of their top eligible players while also bringing in around a dozen new recruits from the transfer portal.
Minnesota Gophers get commitment from 2024 Louisiana Mr. Football, Xavier Ford
Ford is in the 2025 class, which means he will join the list of 21 new Minnesota Gophers who have signed their letter of intent. Some 2025 signees are already getting onto campus this month. Others will join when their senior years of high school come to a close this spring/summer. PJ Fleck now has 8 scholarship running backs on roster.
On Sunday, the Gophers made a splash in the high school talent pool by securing the commitment of 2024 Mr. Football winner Xavier Ford, a 3-star running back from Leesville, Louisiana. Ford had a phenomenal season, rushing for 3,461 yards and an eye-popping 52 touchdowns, thanks to numerous jaw-dropping runs, like the one featured below.
If one word could sum up Ford’s high school football career, it would be “prolific.” The 5-9, 210-pound back amassed 8,591 yards and 118 touchdowns over just three seasons at Leesville High.
Despite his incredible production, Ford’s offer list wasn’t as impressive as his stats. However, he jumped at the chance to commit to Minnesota, after receiving their offer during an official visit this weekend—his first from a Power Five program, according to 247Sports. He turned down offers from Tulane, Air Force, and Houston, while also attracting interest from LSU and Texas A&M.
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