Concussions force UM OL Gjere to end career

Published Aug. 13, 2012 4:58 p.m. ET

foxsports

MINNEAPOLIS — University of Minnesota redshirt sophomore Jimmy Gjere will end his football career due to concussion-like symptoms, the school announced Monday.

Gjere, an offensive lineman from New Brighton, Minn., started the Gophers’ first five games at right tackle last season but missed the rest of the year due to a concussion. He took part in fall camp this year but was still limited in some regards for precautionary reasons.

Gjere was one of several Gophers recovering from concussions last season, and all indications this spring were that he was on the road to recovery.

"He dominated winter conditioning, winter workouts. He's big; he's strong," Gophers athletic trainer Chris Ashton told FOX Sports North this spring. "He can do 95 percent of stuff without any problems whatsoever. But we can just tell he's not quite 100 percent, so we're just making good decisions as far as not putting him in a risky situation and giving him the time to get better."

The 6-foot-7, 323-pound Gjere was named Academic All-Big Ten as a freshman last year. He played his high school football at Irondale, where he was a two-time All-Metro selection.

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