Kill uses Thompson incident as teaching moment

Several Gophers leapt to senior safety Cedric Thompson's defense Saturday, after he got leveled by a personal foul from Purdue receiver Danny Anthrop.

Defensive back Derrick Wells ran off the bench and confronted Anthrop, which could have led to discipline from the Big Ten office.

And middle linebacker Damien Wilson received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pushing Anthrop to the ground.

Kill said he used the play as a teaching moment for his players.

"Football is a game of emotion, and sometimes things happen," Kill said. "But our jobs as coaches, we need to do everything we can to prevent it. Because the worst thing we can do is have a great player sitting on the sideline."

Kill sounded confident that Wells would not draw a suspension from the Big Ten.

"No, he's substituting in," Kill said. "I've talked to the people in charge. And that's part of that teaching moment. And that's one young man we certainly talked to."

Right guard Foster Bush, who missed the past two games with a concussion, is ready to return this week, Kill said. The coach said Bush's replacement, Joe Bjorklund, "did a heck of a good job."

Ryan Santoso's 52-yard, game-winning kick against Purdue was the Gophers' longest field goal since Rhys Lloyd hit a 54-yarder against Louisiana-Lafayette in 2003.

Kill said he would have let Santoso try a 55-yarder in that spot Saturday.

"I've seen [Santoso] hit 60-yarders in practice," Kill said. "We certainly would have been careful with field position because if you do miss, field position changes.