Gophers' Gray likely to miss Wisconsin game

Published Oct. 16, 2012 2:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

MINNEAPOLIS — It sounds unlikely the University of Minnesota football team will have quarterback MarQueis Gray on the field when the Gophers travel to Madison this weekend to take on Wisconsin.

Gray reinjured his ankle in Saturday’s loss to Northwestern, and Gophers coach Jerry Kill said Gray again questionable. Gray missed two games after suffering a high ankle sprain against Western Michigan. He returned to action Saturday, beginning the game at wide receiver. But Gray eventually took over at quarterback when sophomore Max Shortell was dinged up early.

After going 7 for 11 for 66 yards in relief of Shortell, Gray was reinjured when he took a hit to his leg following a first-down run. Kill said the latest injury was a step back for Gray after he made progress during the team’s bye week.

"I think he’s about like where he was in the off week," Kill said of Gray. "He’s in a boot. I’m optimistic where we can get him jogging some this afternoon, but he hasn’t jogged. … It’s frustrating for him. I know that. It’s frustrating for all of us, but at the end of the day you care about the kids. He’s doing well, and then comes up and he’s just had some tough luck. That’s all there is to it.

"He’ll battle back and find a way. Our deal is we’ve just got to find a way to keep him healthy."

Without a healthy Gray, Minnesota’s running game may suffer Saturday. The dual threat Gray is second on the Gophers with 320 rushing yards on 54 carries, including three rushing touchdowns.

Gray also said offensive lineman Foster Bush will not play Saturday. Among those listed as questionable are defensive lineman Roland Johnson, left tackle Ed Olson and wide receivers Isaac Fruechte and Marcus Jones. Kill added that sophomore wide receiver Devin Crawford-Tufts is questionable but "probably won’t play" and that safety Derrick Wells is questionable due to a laceration on his knee.

"At one time during the game, we had five starters that were not playing," Kill said of the Northwestern game. "We just didn’t have a lot of good continuity. As I tell our coaches all the time, those are excuses. You’ve got to find a way to get it done. So we’ve got to have those players that step in, they’ve got to step in and get it done."

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