Minnesota’s offensive line has already been tagged with a bevy of injuries but a potential broken rib for wide receiver K.J. Maye could be the biggest cause for concern.
According to the Star Tribune, Maye, who caught the go-ahead 22-yard touchdown with under a minute to play in Minnesota’s overtime victory over Colorado State Saturday, took a shot to the midsection and is being checked for a possible broken rib.
Kill told WCCO on Sunday that Maye was coughing up blood after he took the big hit.
“He might have broken a rib, I don’t know,” Kill said of Maye, via the Star Tribune. “I was worried about him [Saturday] night, coming home on the plane and all that. He seemed to be doing OK, and he’s a tough kid, but we’ll just have to see.”
Kill tells @wccoradio that KJ Maye was coughing up blood on sidelines before TD catch, then held out of OT.
— JoeChristensen (@JoeCStrib) September 13, 2015
“We gotta find a way to get healthy before we get into the Big Ten,” Kill told WCCO.
Minnesota hosts Kent State and Ohio the next two weeks before opening Big Ten play against Northwestern.
Maye finished the game with six receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown and is second on the team with 10 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
Drew Wolitarsky leads the Gophers with 16 catches and 161 yards, but after him and Maye the Gophers have very little to show in the passing game.
Video: #Gophers coach Jerry Kill on the last drive of regulation, Drew Wolitarsky's big day, concern over KJ Maye. http://t.co/uSIhBKhelA
— Andy Greder (@andygreder) September 13, 2015
On the offensive line, starting center Jon Christenson will not play this week when the Gophers host Kent State. Christenson suffered a knee injury, the extent of which unknown, the Pioneer Press reports.
Joe Bjorklund, who started seven games at guard last season, is expected to start in place of Christenson.
Big Ten Power Rankings
Despite the offense looking anemic at times, the Gophers are ranked third in Big Ten Network’s latest conference power rankings. Ohio State is No. 1 with Michigan State coming in at No. 2.
