MarQueis Gray Injury: Minnesota Loses QB For A Few Weeks

The Minnesota Golden Gophers thought they may have lost quarterback MarQueis Gray to a serious leg injury on Saturday, but according to Phil Miller of the Star Tribune, it's likely just a high ankle sprain. An MRI on his left leg found no broken bones, and no structural damage to the actual knee, when many were suggesting it could be a broken leg initially.

High ankle sprains typically require two to four weeks of recovery time, which is significantly less than the time it would take for a player to come back from a broken leg.

But Gray told [Minnesota head coach Jerry] Kill after the game that the injury wasn't serious, and athletic trainer Ed Lochrie tentatively confirmed the diagnosis after consulting with physicians about Gray's MRI. Lochrie plans additional consultations, Kill said, but for now, the Gophers are proceeding as though Gray will return within a few weeks.

It will all come down to how serious the injury is, as an ankle sprain can differ in severity drastically from one case to another. Players have missed months over them, while others have been able to suit back up after missing just a week. The piece also notes Kill's confidence in Gray to make a speedy recovery, calling him a "tough, tough kid."

Minnesota (3-0) was able to secure a 28-23 victory over Western Michigan thanks to backup quarterback Max Shortell. He led the Gophers on three consecutive touchdown drives, and gave the team a lot of confidence in his abilities going forward, which is always a positive when a team is without its starting quarterback.

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