Sports

Leidner has a sprained MCL in his left knee, sources confirm

Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner injured the knee on Saturday and his status for next week's game at TCU is uncertain.

September 7, 2014 at 9:45PM

Minnesota staff worked on Minnesota sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner's knee injury in the third quarter as the Minnesota Gophers took on Middle Tennessee at TCF Bank Stadium, Saturday, September 6, 2014 in Minneapolis, MN. ] (ELIZABETH FLORES/STAR TRIBUNE) ELIZABETH FLORES • eflores@startribune.com (Tom Wallace — DML - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, leaving his status for this week's game at TCU uncertain, sources familiar with the injury confirmed Sunday.

Leidner got hit as he released a pass in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 35-24 victory over Middle Tennessee State. His MRI showed no damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, meaning this doesn't appear to be a season-ending injury.

But depending upon the severity, an MCL sprain could sideline him for multiple weeks.

"Anytime you have a knee [injury], you're concerned," coach Jerry Kill said Sunday. "We haven't had a lot of good luck [with recent knee injuries]. I don't know."

Redshirt freshman Chris Streveler finished Saturday's game at quarterback for the Gophers and would be in line to start at TCU, if Leidner can't go. Kill said true freshman walk-on Jacques Perra has climbed to No. 3 on the quarterback depth chart, behind Leidner and Streveler.

I'll have more on the Gophers quarterback situation in tonight's first editions.