The Gophers add to their running back room
Vanderbilt running back Johann Cardenas will transfer to Minnesota after redshirting as a true freshman last season with the Commodores.
He will reunite with his former running backs coach Jayden Everett, who accepted the same position with the Gophers after the departure of Nic McKissic-Luke to the NFL.
Cardenas was a three-star recruit out of high school, signing with Vanderbilt over other Power 4 offers from Missouri, BYU, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Oregon, SMU, and Texas Tech. He suffered a torn ACL as a senior in high school and did not see the field as a true freshman last fall. Cardenas was cleared to participate in spring practice but was then sidelined when he suffered a hamstring injury and a high ankle sprain in rapid succession.
The Gophers are set at running back this fall with Darius Taylor, Marshall transfer A.J. Davis, Washington transfer Cameron Davis, and redshirt freshman Fame Ijeboi, but Cardenas fills a gap left by the transfer of redshirt freshman Jaydon Wright earlier this spring.