Gophers safety Damarius Travis could seek redshirt season

Gophers coach Jerry Kill indicated Tuesday that a medical redshirt season is a strong possibility for senior safety Damarius Travis, one of the team's top defensive playmakers.

Travis led the Gophers with 10 tackles in the season opener against Texas Christian but pulled a hamstring while trying to block a last-minute punt in that 23-17 loss.

Travis returned to practice this month and Kill had sounded hopeful about getting him back for last week's Nebraska game. It's unclear if Travis had a setback, but he didn't play against the Cornhuskers. The Gophers have a bye this week before playing Michigan on Oct. 31.

Travis ranked fifth on the team last season with 61 tackles and has yet to use a redshirt. If he's unable to return this year, the Florida native would be eligible for a medical redshirt because the injury happened so early in the season.

"We'll know a little bit more here in the off week, kind of where he's at," Kill said on the Big Ten teleconference. "Where he's at, and where we're at in the season, [a medical redshirt] very well could happen."

The Gophers got All-Big Ten cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun back from his knee injury last week. He had missed the previous two games.

They also got two defensive linemen back from unspecified injuries, Scott Ekpe and Gaelin Elmore, but lost defensive end Alex Keith because of a broken hand during warmups.

Kill said Sunday on WCCO (830-AM) that he didn't expect to get offensive linemen Josh Campion and Brian Bobek back from their unspecified injuries.

The Gophers will hold light practices Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week with the primary goal of getting healthier.

"I don't think the mood's bad," Kill said during the teleconference. "They were disappointed after the [Nebraska] game. There's a lot of football to be played, and we're just like everybody else.