At the start of the season, University of Minnesota safety Damarius Travis was supposed to be one of the leaders of an all-senior secondary expected to be one of the strengths of the Gophers defense.
However, as the Gophers have discovered over the past week – things don’t always go as planned.
Travis injured his hamstring during Minnesota’s season opener against Texas Christian and hasn’t been able to play since.
According to the Pioneer Press, Travis has decided to seek a medical redshirt and get another year of eligibility.
#Gophers football's Damarius Travis will seek medical redshirt, per @andygreder https://t.co/sDd3vpDGso
— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) November 3, 2015
“If I was putting myself in his shoes, if I missed that many games my senior year, I would probably want to get that year back,” fellow safety Antonio Johnson told the Pioneer Press.
Johnson, who leads the team in tackles with 55, is one of two members of the Gophers secondary to play in all eight games this year.
Travis returned to practice for awhile last month. The Star Tribune reported last month that then-Gophers coach Jerry Kill was hopeful Travis would be back in time to play against Nebraska, but he didn’t play against the Cornhuskers and didn’t even return to the field after Minnesota’s bye week when the Gophers took on Michigan.
Travis finished fifth on the team in tackles last season with 61. The Florida native has yet to use a redshirt in his college career.
