
The Minnesota Gophers wrapped up their 2024 season with a solid yet underwhelming 8-5 record. While they secured a fifth consecutive bowl win, powered by a top 15 defense and a revamped pass-first offense, they couldn’t quite find the right balance to compete at a higher level in the now 18-team Big Ten.
However, since the season ended, PJ Fleck and his staff have made one thing clear when it comes to player acquisition: they won’t be using a lack of NIL funds as an excuse to lose out on games or talent moving forward.
For the most part, Minnesota has managed to retain all of their top players with remaining college eligibility, while also bringing in around a dozen new recruits through the transfer portal.
On Sunday, the Gophers returned to the high school ranks and secured a major commitment—2024 Mr. Football winner Xavier Ford, a 3-star running back from Leesville, Louisiana. Ford had an outstanding season, rushing for 3,461 yards and an astonishing 52 touchdowns, thanks to a series of jaw-dropping runs, like the one showcased below.
If one word could sum up Ford’s high school football career, it would be “prolific.” The 5-9, 210-pound running back not only racked up an entire career’s worth of yards and touchdowns in 2024 alone, but over three seasons at Leesville High, he accumulated an incredible 8,591 yards and 118 touchdowns (MaxPreps.com).
Despite his impressive production, Xavier Ford’s offer list was surprisingly modest, much like the Gophers’ 2024 win total. Ford jumped at the opportunity to commit to Minnesota after receiving an offer during his official visit this weekend. According to 247Sports, it was the first Power Five offer he received. He turned down offers from Tulane, Air Force, and Houston, while also drawing interest from LSU and Texas A&M.
Ford is part of the 2025 class, meaning he’ll be joining the 21 new Minnesota Gophers who have already signed their letters of intent. Some of the 2025 signees are already on campus this month, while others will arrive after their senior years of high school wrap up in the spring or summer. With Ford’s addition, PJ Fleck now has 8 scholarship running backs on the roster.