Brandon Minor
Encyclopedia
Brandon Ricardo Minor is an American football
running back
who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010, but after being released during the final cuts, he has been on the New Orleans Saints
and Indianapolis Colts
practice squads in 2010. He played college football
at Michigan
.
At Michigan, he finished second on the team in rushing as a freshman and a sophomore and led the team in rushing as a junior and a senior. As a junior, he was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference
selection by the coaches. He had previously been ranked as the number one high school football
fullback
in the nation, according to Rivals.com
.
He spent his first two years at Michigan serving as one of the primary backups to Mike Hart. In his third year, he emerged from a field of five runners who were vying to replace Hart, including two true freshmen, as the leading rusher and scorer. He has shared starting responsibilities in his junior and senior seasons. He entered his senior season on the watch lists for the Doak Walker Award
and the Maxwell Award
. ESPN.com
ranked him as the 22nd best player and third best running back in the Big Ten Conference
before the season started.
fan. His mother, Julie Gilliam, has pictures of him at age six wearing a Michigan uniform. At age nine, Minor wrote the university to inquire about becoming a Michigan football player. Every year he and his mother watched the Michigan - Ohio State game and rooted for Michigan.
starting varsity team
role as a sophomore in 2003, and he gained 209 rushing yards
in his first start. That season, he helped his team reach the Virginia Central Region, Division 6 championship (the qualifying game for the Virginia High School League
state semifinals). He concluded the regular season as an All-District first-team selection and after the playoffs was selected as a second-team all-region choice. During the season he rushed for 1,750 yards and 22 touchdowns for the 10–2 (7–0) Varina Blue Devils. Minor also played varsity basketball
as a sophomore. During the season, he once made seven three-point field goal
s in a game.
As a junior, when Varina's former Capital District offensive player of the year Army Spc. Clarence Adams III died serving the 91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad, Iraq, Minor gave up his number 3 to wear Adams' #33 as a tribute. In the District championship game, he rushed for 239 yards on 27 carries, including four touchdown runs. In the subsequent Central Region, Division 6 semifinals, he set a Central Region playoff record by rushing for 296 yards, but his undefeated top-ranked team was upset. He concluded the season as both a first-team all-district and all-Metro Region selection after compiling 2,091 yards rushing and scoring 32 rushing touchdowns (plus 2 receiving touchdowns). He was also selected to the Group AAA Virginia High School Football Coaches Association all-state second-team by the coaches.
Entering his senior season, he was ranked as the sixth best senior football player in Virginia by TechSideline.com. The Roanoke Times described him as "one of the top five recruits in the state" at the time of his August 2005 visit to see the first day of Virginia Tech Hokies football
practice. At the time, he was considering Miami
, Michigan, Florida
, Virginia Tech, Tennessee
, LSU
and Ohio State
. However, he started the season on crutches, due to a torn hip flexor. He returned to the lineup for the team's final regular season game and rushed for 174 yards on 28 carries. Davon Morgan, his cousin, who now plays strong safety for Virginia Tech, was the team's quarterback. Despite missing most of the season, he was still honored as an all-district and all-region selection. His three-year career totals were 4,259 yards and 64 touchdowns. As a graduating senior he was the number one ranked high school football
fullback
in the nation, according to rivals.com
. Following his senior season, he scored the only touchdown in the East-West Virginia High School Coaches Association All-star game.
. Although he did not enroll in the 2006 Summer semester, he reported to Michigan on June 16 for strength and conditioning training. Minor and fellow freshman Carlos Brown
were behind three returning running backs (Mike Hart, Kevin Grady
and senior Jerome Jackson
) on the depth chart
entering the season. Minor was considered the less heralded than Brown, who was regarded as the fastest player on the team. On opening day, only Hart and Grady had more carries than Minor, in part because Jackson, who entered his senior season with 505 career rushing yards, did not dress. In his first carry as a Wolverine, he rushed for 24 yards against the Vanderbilt Commodores
during the September 2 season opening game. Nonetheless, the depth chart was not very clear behind Hart. By late September, Minor was clearly third on the depth chart and it seemed that Brown might be redshirted. When Hart left the game due to injury against Michigan State on October 7, Minor scored his first touchdown on a 40-yard run. He had his first 100-yard game on November 4, when he rushed for 108 yards on 12 carries, including a 40-yard touchdown run in a 34–26 win against Ball State
. As true freshman member of the 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team
, Minor rushed for a total of 238 yards on 42 carries, which was second on the team to Hart.
During April 2007, Grady tore his anterior cruciate ligament
and was lost for the season. In August, Brown broke his hand. It appeared Minor was seriously injured on October 13 when he was carted off the field and left the stadium wearing a protective boot on crutches. However, he recovered and for the next two weeks he and Brown combined to replace the injured Hart. He had his second 100-yard game and first 150-yard game on October 27 of that season during the 34–10 Little Brown Jug game
victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
when he rushed for 157 yards on 21 carries, including a 46-yard run and one touchdown. Although Hart returned to play in the Paul Bunyan Trophy game
against Michigan State
on November 3, he left the game early and Minor started the second half. Hart missed the next game on November 10, but Brown and Minor had poor performances. In all three of Hart's full game absences, Brown was the starter. As a sophomore on the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
, Minor improved his rushing totals to 385 yards on 90 carries, which was again second on the team to Hart.
replaced Lloyd Carr
as head coach
. In the spring, Brown broke his finger weightlifting and Grady was still trying to get healthy. In early August, it appeared that juniors Brown and Minor would vie for the starting job because fourth-year junior Grady was under suspension related to driving while intoxicated charges. However, in camp it became apparent very quickly that true freshmen Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw, would have a significant role in the newly-installed spread option offense
. With both Brown and Minor nursing injuries, McGuffie was tentatively penciled into the starting position on the depth chart.
As a junior member of the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
, Minor became the team leader in rushing. However, he only started four games, while McGuffie started 6, Brown started 1 and Shaw started 1. McGuffie was the starter until he lost the job to Minor. Minor gave way to Shaw (November 8) and Brown (November 15) as the starter due to his injuries. Minor totalled 533 yards on 103 carries. He had nine rushing touchdowns and added two as a receiver. Of these eleven touchdowns, seven came in a three week span that included a 117-yard two-touchdown rushing effort against Penn State
on October 18 and a 155-yard three-touchdown rushing effort against Purdue
on November 1. Sandwiched between these efforts, Minor scored on a 19-yard reception
to compliment his 55 yards and a rushing touchdown in the Paul Bunyan Trophy game against Michigan State on October 25. The Penn State game was Minor's first career start. During Minor's junior year, he played with a wrist injury that impaired his ability to hold the football with his right arm and his ability to stiffarm opponents. He was impaired by a variety of injuries throughout the season. At the conclusion of the 2008 Big Ten Conference football season
, Minor was chosen as an honorable mention all-conference selection by the coaches.
McGuffie transferred to the Rice Owls
after the season. As a senior member of the 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
, Minor was named to a pair of watch lists: (Doak Walker Award
and Maxwell Award
). He was also selected by ESPN
as the 22nd best player and 3rd best running back (behind Evan Royster
and John Clay
) in the Big Ten Conference before the season started. Minor missed the first game of the season due to a high ankle sprain. In the second game, which was the 2009 Michigan – Notre Dame rivalry game, he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries during the 38–34 victory over Notre Dame
. The ankle sprain hampered him much of the season and caused him to miss the October 17 game against Delaware State. He had a season-high 154-yard, 3-touchdown effort against Purdue
on November 7. A shoulder injury kept him out of the last game of the season against Ohio State
. Over the course of his collegiate career, he accumulated 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,658 yards. The torn rotator cuff
also kept him from participating in the January 23, 2010 East–West Shrine Game
.
on April 24, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft
. He was released on September 1. He then signed with the New Orleans Saints
to their practice squad. However, Minor was back with the Bears before being released at the beginning of October and signed by the Indianapolis Colts
. Minor was released by the Colts in October. In November, Minor tried out for the Green Bay Packers
before ending the season as a member of the Denver Broncos
' practice squad.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010, but after being released during the final cuts, he has been on the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
practice squads in 2010. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
.
At Michigan, he finished second on the team in rushing as a freshman and a sophomore and led the team in rushing as a junior and a senior. As a junior, he was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection by the coaches. He had previously been ranked as the number one high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in the nation, according to Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
.
He spent his first two years at Michigan serving as one of the primary backups to Mike Hart. In his third year, he emerged from a field of five runners who were vying to replace Hart, including two true freshmen, as the leading rusher and scorer. He has shared starting responsibilities in his junior and senior seasons. He entered his senior season on the watch lists for the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
and the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
. ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
ranked him as the 22nd best player and third best running back in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
before the season started.
Youth career
Minor grew up as a Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
fan. His mother, Julie Gilliam, has pictures of him at age six wearing a Michigan uniform. At age nine, Minor wrote the university to inquire about becoming a Michigan football player. Every year he and his mother watched the Michigan - Ohio State game and rooted for Michigan.
High school
Minor inherited the Varina High SchoolVarina High School
Varina High School is located in eastern Henrico County, Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. The current principal of the school is Tracie Omohoundro.-Programs:...
starting varsity team
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
role as a sophomore in 2003, and he gained 209 rushing yards
Yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive team by advancing the ball from the its point of...
in his first start. That season, he helped his team reach the Virginia Central Region, Division 6 championship (the qualifying game for the Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
state semifinals). He concluded the regular season as an All-District first-team selection and after the playoffs was selected as a second-team all-region choice. During the season he rushed for 1,750 yards and 22 touchdowns for the 10–2 (7–0) Varina Blue Devils. Minor also played varsity basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
as a sophomore. During the season, he once made seven three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
s in a game.
As a junior, when Varina's former Capital District offensive player of the year Army Spc. Clarence Adams III died serving the 91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad, Iraq, Minor gave up his number 3 to wear Adams' #33 as a tribute. In the District championship game, he rushed for 239 yards on 27 carries, including four touchdown runs. In the subsequent Central Region, Division 6 semifinals, he set a Central Region playoff record by rushing for 296 yards, but his undefeated top-ranked team was upset. He concluded the season as both a first-team all-district and all-Metro Region selection after compiling 2,091 yards rushing and scoring 32 rushing touchdowns (plus 2 receiving touchdowns). He was also selected to the Group AAA Virginia High School Football Coaches Association all-state second-team by the coaches.
Entering his senior season, he was ranked as the sixth best senior football player in Virginia by TechSideline.com. The Roanoke Times described him as "one of the top five recruits in the state" at the time of his August 2005 visit to see the first day of Virginia Tech Hokies football
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
practice. At the time, he was considering Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Michigan, Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, Virginia Tech, Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
, LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
and Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. However, he started the season on crutches, due to a torn hip flexor. He returned to the lineup for the team's final regular season game and rushed for 174 yards on 28 carries. Davon Morgan, his cousin, who now plays strong safety for Virginia Tech, was the team's quarterback. Despite missing most of the season, he was still honored as an all-district and all-region selection. His three-year career totals were 4,259 yards and 64 touchdowns. As a graduating senior he was the number one ranked high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in the nation, according to rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. Following his senior season, he scored the only touchdown in the East-West Virginia High School Coaches Association All-star game.
College career
Lloyd Carr era
In January 2006, Minor selected the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Although he did not enroll in the 2006 Summer semester, he reported to Michigan on June 16 for strength and conditioning training. Minor and fellow freshman Carlos Brown
Carlos Brown (American football)
-Freshman year:Brown played in 7 games as a freshman in 2006 and earned his first varsity letter. In limited action, Brown carried 16 times for 41 yards.-Sophomore year:...
were behind three returning running backs (Mike Hart, Kevin Grady
Kevin Grady
-College career:Although football players had been enrolling early at Bowl Championship Series programs for several years, Grady was the first University of Michigan football player to do so. In subsequent years several other players followed his lead, including Justin Boren and Carlos Brown the...
and senior Jerome Jackson
Jerome Jackson
Jerome Alexander Terrell Jackson is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. After Jackson graduated from the University of Michigan, he was not selected in the 2007 NFL draft...
) on the depth chart
Depth chart
In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below...
entering the season. Minor was considered the less heralded than Brown, who was regarded as the fastest player on the team. On opening day, only Hart and Grady had more carries than Minor, in part because Jackson, who entered his senior season with 505 career rushing yards, did not dress. In his first carry as a Wolverine, he rushed for 24 yards against the Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
during the September 2 season opening game. Nonetheless, the depth chart was not very clear behind Hart. By late September, Minor was clearly third on the depth chart and it seemed that Brown might be redshirted. When Hart left the game due to injury against Michigan State on October 7, Minor scored his first touchdown on a 40-yard run. He had his first 100-yard game on November 4, when he rushed for 108 yards on 12 carries, including a 40-yard touchdown run in a 34–26 win against Ball State
Ball State Cardinals football
The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:...
. As true freshman member of the 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team
2006 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2006 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14...
, Minor rushed for a total of 238 yards on 42 carries, which was second on the team to Hart.
During April 2007, Grady tore his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
and was lost for the season. In August, Brown broke his hand. It appeared Minor was seriously injured on October 13 when he was carted off the field and left the stadium wearing a protective boot on crutches. However, he recovered and for the next two weeks he and Brown combined to replace the injured Hart. He had his second 100-yard game and first 150-yard game on October 27 of that season during the 34–10 Little Brown Jug game
Little Brown Jug (football)
The Little Brown Jug is an earthenware jug that serves as a trophy awarded to the winner of the American college football rivalry game played annually by the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team of the university of Minnesota and the Michigan Wolverines football team of the University of Michigan...
victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
when he rushed for 157 yards on 21 carries, including a 46-yard run and one touchdown. Although Hart returned to play in the Paul Bunyan Trophy game
Paul Bunyan Trophy
The Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game...
against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
on November 3, he left the game early and Minor started the second half. Hart missed the next game on November 10, but Brown and Minor had poor performances. In all three of Hart's full game absences, Brown was the starter. As a sophomore on the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 college football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after...
, Minor improved his rushing totals to 385 yards on 90 carries, which was again second on the team to Hart.
Rich Rodriguez era
In 2008 Rich RodriguezRich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
replaced Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Carr
Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. In the spring, Brown broke his finger weightlifting and Grady was still trying to get healthy. In early August, it appeared that juniors Brown and Minor would vie for the starting job because fourth-year junior Grady was under suspension related to driving while intoxicated charges. However, in camp it became apparent very quickly that true freshmen Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw, would have a significant role in the newly-installed spread option offense
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
. With both Brown and Minor nursing injuries, McGuffie was tentatively penciled into the starting position on the depth chart.
As a junior member of the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
, Minor became the team leader in rushing. However, he only started four games, while McGuffie started 6, Brown started 1 and Shaw started 1. McGuffie was the starter until he lost the job to Minor. Minor gave way to Shaw (November 8) and Brown (November 15) as the starter due to his injuries. Minor totalled 533 yards on 103 carries. He had nine rushing touchdowns and added two as a receiver. Of these eleven touchdowns, seven came in a three week span that included a 117-yard two-touchdown rushing effort against Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
on October 18 and a 155-yard three-touchdown rushing effort against Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
on November 1. Sandwiched between these efforts, Minor scored on a 19-yard reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
to compliment his 55 yards and a rushing touchdown in the Paul Bunyan Trophy game against Michigan State on October 25. The Penn State game was Minor's first career start. During Minor's junior year, he played with a wrist injury that impaired his ability to hold the football with his right arm and his ability to stiffarm opponents. He was impaired by a variety of injuries throughout the season. At the conclusion of the 2008 Big Ten Conference football season
2008 Big Ten Conference football season
The 2008 Big Ten Conference football season is the 113th season for the Big Ten.-Preseason:Ohio State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the conference with Wisconsin and Illinois second and third, respectively by the Media...
, Minor was chosen as an honorable mention all-conference selection by the coaches.
McGuffie transferred to the Rice Owls
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
after the season. As a senior member of the 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2009 college football season. They played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference...
, Minor was named to a pair of watch lists: (Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
and Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
). He was also selected by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
as the 22nd best player and 3rd best running back (behind Evan Royster
Evan Royster
Evan Mathias Royster is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football for Penn State. Royster was a three year starter and is the all-time leading rusher for the Nittany Lions...
and John Clay
John Clay (running back)
John Clay is an American football running back. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, practice squad, of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison football team...
) in the Big Ten Conference before the season started. Minor missed the first game of the season due to a high ankle sprain. In the second game, which was the 2009 Michigan – Notre Dame rivalry game, he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries during the 38–34 victory over Notre Dame
2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 college football season. Charlie Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth...
. The ankle sprain hampered him much of the season and caused him to miss the October 17 game against Delaware State. He had a season-high 154-yard, 3-touchdown effort against Purdue
2009 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2009 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2009–2010 college football season. They played their home games at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. It was Danny Hope's first season as head coach following the retirement of Joe Tiller following the 2008...
on November 7. A shoulder injury kept him out of the last game of the season against Ohio State
2009 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of The Ohio State University for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They finished with a record of 11–2 and...
. Over the course of his collegiate career, he accumulated 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,658 yards. The torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
also kept him from participating in the January 23, 2010 East–West Shrine Game
2010 East–West Shrine Game
The 2010 East–West Shrine Game was the 85th staging of the all-star college football exhibition game featuring NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision players. The game featured over 100 players from the 2009 college football season, and prospects for the 2010 Draft of the professional National...
.
2010
Minor signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on April 24, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. He was released on September 1. He then signed with the New Orleans Saints
2010 New Orleans Saints season
The 2010 New Orleans Saints season was the 44th season for the franchise in the National Football League and city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and was the 35th to host home games in the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints entered their season for the first time as defending Super Bowl and National...
to their practice squad. However, Minor was back with the Bears before being released at the beginning of October and signed by the Indianapolis Colts
2010 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the 58th season for the team in the National Football League, the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell...
. Minor was released by the Colts in October. In November, Minor tried out for the Green Bay Packers
2010 Green Bay Packers season
The 2010 Green Bay Packers season was the 90th season in the National Football League for the Packers and the 92nd season for the team overall. With a record of 10–6, the Packers entered the playoffs as the NFC's sixth seed...
before ending the season as a member of the Denver Broncos
2010 Denver Broncos season
The Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st overall and the 10th playing their home games at INVESCO Field at Mile High...
' practice squad.
2011
On September 4, 2011, the Broncos placed Minor on injured reserve. They waived him on October 10.External links
- Brandon Minor (NFL) @ ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Official bio at Michigan
- Brandon Minor (college) @ ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Brandon Minor at CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
- Brandon Minor at NCAA
- Brandon Minor archive at AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com is an online newspaper that covers local news of Ann Arbor, Michigan and the surrounding Washtenaw County, Michigan.- Overview :...