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Minnesota QB Gray Leaves Game With Sprained Ankle

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray left Saturday's game with a sprained left ankle.

Gray was injured late in the second quarter against Western Michigan, when he faked a throw, turned to run and ran into his right tackle Josh Campion. Gray went down in a pile of defenders and stayed on the turf in pain until limping off with assistance, with the Gophers trailing 10-7.

Team trainers looked at the lower part of Gray's left leg, and he rode off on a cart for further examination. Gray watched the second half on crutches, with a wrap on his knee and a boot on his foot. The senior was replaced by sophomore Max Shortell, who led the Gophers on two scoring drives capped by touchdown passes before halftime to take a 21-10 lead. Minnesota won 28-23.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said Gray was going for an MRI test on his ankle. He might also have a knee injury.

"I can't answer that question," Kill said. "I think he got bent up, got his leg caught behind him, and again, that's just coming from him. I'm asking him how he's doing, and MarQueis' demeanor never changes. So I really don't know. I said, 'You going to be all right?' He said, 'I'm going to be all right, coach.' So we'll see."

Gray lost a fumble in the first quarter that the Broncos recovered at the Minnesota 18, setting up a touchdown. Though that was the first one recovered by the opponents, Gray has five fumbles in three games. He threw for two touchdown passes and ran for two more in the first half of last week's win over New Hampshire, but he struggled to connect with open receivers in the first game at UNLV, won by the Gophers in overtime.

Kill declined to speculate on who the starter would be when the Gophers host Syracuse next Saturday.

"We won the game. That's all I'm going to say. We've got a kid hurt, which is a big concern. He's a tremendous athlete, tremendous player. Max came in and did his job, and we won. So that's my answer," Kill said.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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