With Mike Sherels ailing, Tracy Claeys names acting Gophers LB coach

With Gophers assistant coach Mike Sherels recovering from multiple surgeries, and no timetable for his return, coach Tracy Claeys took the delicate but necessary step Thursday of naming an acting linebackers coach, choosing Keith Jordan.

Claeys said Sherels "is a resilient man who represents the best of college football."

Sherels, 31, arrived as a walk-on linebacker from Rochester John Marshall and became a two-time Gophers captain. He took over as the team's linebackers coach in 2014 and has been pivotal in the recruiting of such players as Carter Coughlin, Kamal Martin and Seth Green.

The Sherels family has kept details of his condition private.

"We look forward to Mike's return to the staff when he is ready," Claeys said.

Jordan, 57, has worked in football for 35 years and had been serving as the Gophers special teams quality-control assistant. He also had stints as the defensive coordinator at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College and Northern Michigan.

"He's been in the defensive staff room every day," Claeys said. "He's been a coordinator before, and so he'll do a good job and relate well with the kids. So that was a pretty easy choice in doing that."

"Jalen and KiAnte are in front of everybody else," Claeys said. "They are two very skilled and very competitive people that like to win. And then Ray Buford has had a tremendous camp and continues to get better to give us some depth."

Hardin played cornerback in every game last year and also was a kickoff and punt returner. He and Buford were part of the same recruiting class.

"He's a really good athlete; he's good with his feet," Hardin said of Buford. "It's going to be a tough battle."

• Aside from running back Shannon Brooks, the Gophers don't have any major injuries, Claeys said, adding, "We just have little bumps and bruises right now." Brooks is out two to four weeks with a broken bone in one of his feet.

• Tight end Brandon Lingen (shoulder) has been greenlighted for passing drills but still no contact. Claeys said Lingen has another doctor's appointment next week.