The Gophers football team inflicted a leg injury on its future quarterback while playing an exhibition game in a baseball stadium with a field surface that provides traction as good as black ice.
Don’t be silly.
Luckily, Gopher was able to catch his breath and celebrate his sixth consecutive bowl victory, so the day ended with a smile rather than a dread.
Besides acknowledging “nothing in the long run,” coach PJ Fleck said his biggest achievement from a 28-20 win over Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee was Athan Kaliakmanis’ You didn’t elaborate on the specific nature of the injury. stadium.
The curse of Minnesota Sports’ Yankee Stadium seemed alive when the redshirt freshman quarterback hit his leg after releasing a pass into the second quarter.
Kaliakmanis was unable to put weight on his right leg as his athletic trainer helped him off the field. The terrible condition of the grass field didn’t seem to play a factor in Kaliamanis’ injury, but the optic of him needing help in the locker room made everything else going on in the game trivial. It made me feel
Television cameras showed Kalia Amanis on the sidelines in the second half in walking boots.
Rising star linebacker Cody Lindenburg also suffered a lower leg injury that forced him out of the game in the second half.
Fleck described both players’ injuries as “not minor but not serious.” He said both would have been sidelined for several weeks had the injury occurred during the season, but not for long.
“It’s definitely a blessing,” he said.
Because these games are exhibitions and players have to face recovery and rehabilitation, or worst case surgery, to start the offseason, injuries in lower bowl games feel very sobering.
Kaliakmanis’ optimism for the future is a starting point for conversations about the program, so Fleck probably had a lump in his throat as the quarterback lay on the field.
“They’ll be fine,” Fleck said of the injured players afterward.
Both teams were lucky to avoid more injuries given the dangerous field conditions. They looked like pedestrians trying to get through an icy sidewalk. The game has slowed down as players are more careful with their feet.
The Big Ten must put an end to the placement of bowls held at ballparks as field conditions deteriorate and player safety is threatened. The Gophers played last season in the Chase in Phoenix as he guaranteed a rate on the slippery surface of the field, he played in the bowl, and the field at Yankee Stadium was embarrassingly bad.
Ironically, the game’s title sponsor is Bad Boy Mowers, a company that specializes in lawn care. The winner’s trophy should have been accompanied by a turf torn from the mud.
Gophers All-America center John Michael Schmitz made the wise decision to skip the game as he prepped for the NFL Draft.
Alas, as the days of a group of senior leaders who stayed long enough to be considered veterans come to an end, there were some great moments that the Gophers will celebrate and cherish.
Mohammed Ibrahim ended his illustrious career with a handful of School Rush records. When Ibrahim finally took off his jersey, he deserved a final standing ovation.
Tanner Morgan had the opportunity to end his on-field career after being replaced by Kaliakmanis in the first half. Morgan threw two touchdown passes and kneeled in the Victory formation to seal the game.
A concussion disrupted his final season, opening the door for Kalia Amanis to show his big-weapon talent. did.
Luckily for the Gophers, the send-off was the main focus of the postgame celebration, not bad news for the future quarterback.
Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. It is written using broadcasts, interviews and other materials.
