Gophers freshman RB Edwards uncertain for opener after injury

August 23, 2013 at 5:08AM

The Gophers seemed eager to unveil freshman running back Berkley Edwards in next week's season opener against UNLV, but that debut might have to wait.

Edwards had a walking boot on his right foot Thursday after suffering a high ankle sprain one day earlier. He appears doubtful for the UNLV game, although coach Jerry Kill didn't rule him out.

"He's fine," Kill said. "He didn't break a leg or anything like that. He got bent up. They won't know really until things settle down, if he'll be ready to go or not be ready to go. But fortunately it's not a broken leg or anything of that nature."

Edwards flashed his potential with a 70-yard run the first time he touched the ball in the team's first scrimmage on Aug. 10. As camp progressed, he got chances to run behind the first-team offensive line.

"The toughest part about that [injury] is not about the [UNLV] game; he was still learning," Kill said. "Hopefully they'll get him moving around to where we can do some things to keep the learning [process going]."

Other injury updates

Junior cornerback Derrick Wells remains questionable for the UNLV game because of a bruised shoulder. He jammed the shoulder on the ground Aug. 3, before the team was in shoulder pads.

The team has limited him from contact, but the shoulder joint has been slow to heal. If Wells is unavailable, it sounds like the Gophers would start junior Briean Boddy in his place, with sophomore Eric Murray at the other corner.

• Wide receiver Derrick Engel has been in a green, no-contact jersey as he recovers from a groin injury. Kill sounded confident that Engel would be ready to go full speed on Saturday.

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• Freshman wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky has returned from his hamstring injury.

about the writer

about the writer

Joe Christensen

Sports team leader

Joe Christensen, a Minnesota Star Tribune sports team leader, graduated from the University of Minnesota and spent 15 years covering Major League Baseball, including stops at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Baltimore Sun. He joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005 and spent four years covering Gophers football.

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