Gopher wide out Decker could be out for whole season
Minnesota Sports - Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker will miss Saturday evening's home contest against Michigan State and perhaps the whole season itself due to a foot injury suffered during last weekend's Big Ten contest vs. Ohio State.
- Minnesota Golden Gophers
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By Marcus Fuller - Twin Cities.com - Courtsey of Big Ten Network.com
The University of Minnesota football team might be without star senior receiver Eric Decker this week.
Gophers coach Tim Brewster said Sunday that Decker had a sprained left foot and his status for practice this week is uncertain. Decker ranks second in the Big Ten Conference and eighth nationally with 758 receiving yards.
"It's one of those deals where it's just kind of day to day," Brewster said. "We'll see. It's a painful, painful foot right now."
Decker's injury couldn't come at a worse time with the team needing to regroup after Saturday's 38-7 loss at Ohio State. An upcoming three-game homestand marks the most critical stretch of the season for the Gophers (4-4, 2-3), who are trying to move closer to bowl eligibility with a win against Michigan State (4-4, 3-2) on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
The last time Decker went down with an injury -- last season against Northwestern -- the Gophers lost their next five games, including four regular-season games. But they already were bowl eligible with a 7-1 record.
Decker accounted for nearly 53 percent of quarterback Adam Weber's 1,437 passing yards -- and five of his six touchdown passes. Freshman MarQueis Gray's first career completion also was to Decker, an 8-yard pass against Ohio State.
"Decker obviously is a great player; losing him is going to be tough," said senior tight end Nick Tow-Arnett, who is second on the team with 19 catches for 291 yards. "Guys have got to step up. Young receivers, they're going to get their chance, so we get to see what they're made out of."
Tags: sports, minnesota, football
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