Darius Taylor highlights growing Minnesota team chemistry | NBC Sports

Darius Taylor on his freshman season Darius last year you finished the season School record 208 rushing yards against Bowling Green the most for true freshman single game what was that like to finish the season that strongly um it was really cool the coolest part was being in front of my family in my hometown Detroit Michigan I probably had 150 people there wow watching the game so that was really cool and then um honestly it was cool to be back with the guys after you know falling short in the season with a few injuries um it was really cool to be back and and being able to help my team um and just and then kind of kick us off into this upcoming season you're a guy that just Darius Taylor on playing for PJ Fleck runs with endless energy and it really matches your coaches personality and PJ Fleck what do you love about playing for him uh the biggest thing is he always has energy um and he's helped me a lot as a man understanding that um it's really big to have perspective in this world um understanding things like uh we have the um masic Children's Hospital in Minnesota and um like a big thing is like having perspective that those people and children are going through a lot more than just something small as football or even just a hamstring injury like I had last year um that's nothing in comparison to the terminal illness that a child could be going through so it just he puts a lot of things in perspective and helps me understand that like it's not about me every it's something that's bigger than me always so I think that's that's something that like I really love about him is like he always holds me to a high St I know you Darius Taylor on staying at Minnesota said in the spring there was really no decision to make whether to transfer or not it was always about staying in Minnesota what is it that not only coach Fleck but you and the guys are building there in Minnesota right now um I think that the biggest thing that we're doing is connecting the team everybody's coming together there's no clicks on the team there's no separation in locker room um I think that that's a really big thing just for football in general but as a team sport in general is just that like everybody's connected everybody wants to be there everybody wants to play for each other this run game schematically Darius Taylor on Minnesotas run game is really balanced we see inside Zone outside Zone man blocking what is it about that variance that plays to your strengths as a runner I mean they everything that we're running is kind of schemed up to what the defense is doing so I mean our coaches are putting me in those great positions and then obviously the offensive line and tight ends are doing their jobs uh tremendously and giving me those open holes and and giving me opportunities to make those plays you get a new quarterback Max Darius Taylor on QB Max Broer brosmer comes from New Hampshire ton of starting experience ton of production I know it's early but what have you gotten a scene from Max so far um I say the biggest thing is just his leadership I mean he's led us since he's been here I mean he brought a few guys down to Atlanta um we did a lot of um like Ros on there things of that of that nature and um we did a lot of team bonding things on the on the lake out on his boats jet skis so that was really fun and um like like I said he just brought the team together he's he's earned the respect of the guys and I think that like that's the biggest thing he's brought to the table arante urer one of the best tackles in the entire country sir what is it like when you break the Huddle and you have that guy out in front block for you um it's great um it's good to also know like in pass protection that you know like that left side is going to be held down almost 100% so that's that's really good to know and and it gives a quarterback some peace of mind gives me peace of mind in the Run game that I know if I'm if I'm going to jump cut to that side and I know that he's going to be holding it down over there but my whole line honestly is is really good they all get the job done and do the things that they need to do to give me those opportunities so I mean it's really cool to play behind him but also just all of those guys Fleck has really emphasized Darius Taylor on running game how strong the Run game you guys have the benefit of that is you could balance it out and really open up the pass game what kind of pressure does that put on you guys who have a deep Back Field a star Talent like yourself to produce to then make things a little easier on the pass game um I wouldn't say it's pressure um but you know pressure makes diamonds I mean um being being in that position is kind of like an honor honestly like I want I want the offense to lean on me I want the offense to lean on the running back room and so we have a lot of talent in there we brought a lot the guys in through the transfer portal so I feel like um having those opportunities to to be in those big moments and and make those big plays I mean it's honestly just like a blessing I mean it's it's really cool to be in that position and um Everybody in the running back room is ready and eager to embrace those situations I know you're Darius Taylor on being a leader only a sophomore but it feels like you've really embraced already being one of the leaders on this team is that something you take a lot of pride in and you're ready for in your two um yes I think that that's something that like me and Coach flick talked about in the recruiting process is like in high school I was never a captain but now like I've I've made strides to change and and understand how to be a leader and and different things like that so he's done a great job of mentoring me and teaching me what I need to do and like how I need to carry myself and the things that I need to do EA CFB a big EAB ratings fan of yours and here's some of the ratings they had for you 89 speed 80 strength 90 agility 94 acceleration 88 for vision is there anything they got wrong and they're going to have to fix at some point this season um I mean know sounds pretty good in my opinion um I say the strength could go up a little bit I feel like I break a lot more tackles than they're giving me credit for but I mean I I really like my player he's kind of overpowered in the game a little bit so I mean I'm happy with it I mean he makes a lot of plays so four new Big Ten challenges teams in this conference maybe some more travel definitely some new looks what kind of challenges does it bring to this conference and for you guys specifically of course um challenges I mean I'd say just like like you said the travel could be a little different um even though like I'm really excited to go over there to the West Coast um it opens up a lot of opportunities play on the big stage you could go I mean this year we could go play in the Rose Bowl which I mean historically is one of the greatest stadiums ever built so I mean it's really cool to go over there I mean I mean it's just you get to play like you know Aid offenses and it's just really cool there's been some big Seasons at Minnesota under coach Fleck already how do you guys as a group take it to the next level and try to win this conference which will be probably the most competitive conference in all college football um I think that uh what we're going to do as a team is just go one and0 every day um just win each day and just keep going we're not really looking at that in goal necessarily um it's not something that we really talk about much um our biggest thing is going one and0 every day and and just becoming the best that we can be and the most connected team because I mean a connected team is a dangerous team so that's the biggest thing thanks dares yes sir