Gophers junior cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun will undergo knee surgery and miss the rest of the season, coach Jerry Kill said Tuesday.

Boddy-Calhoun, who had an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown in the season opener, injured his left knee on the third play of Saturday's game at New Mexico State. An MRI exam showed he tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.

Kill did say Boddy-Calhoun should get a medical redshirt, which still would give him two years of eligibility.

"That's a critical injury because he's probably playing at the highest level of any [cornerback] we have," Kill said. "And he's a great kid, so it's hard to see something like that happen."

The Gophers entered the season with plans to start Eric Murray and Derrick Wells at cornerback, but Boddy-Calhoun started the first two games, with Wells working his way back from injuries.

"We've got people to step up in that area, but we don't need a lot of [those injuries], I'll tell you," Kill said.

Etc.

• Sophomore defensive end Alex Keith broke a bone in his hand at New Mexico State, but he might be able to play with a cast, Kill said. Keith has seven tackles through two games, including 2 ½ tackles for loss.

Joe Christensen