Minnesota Football: Bryce Williams out for the season

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck announced Monday morning at his weekly press conference that running back Bryce Williams will miss the rest of the season due to a lower leg injury suffered in the first quarter of Saturday’s 41-14 win over Northwestern.

Williams is the third Minnesota running back to suffer a season-ending injury this year. Mohamed Ibrahim was lost after suffering a lower leg injury during the season opener against Ohio State, and Trey Potts was ruled out for the year after being hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment following the Purdue game. Williams came up big for the Gophers against Nebraska rushing 127 yards, including a fourth quarter 56-yard touchdown run to put the game out of reach for the Cornhuskers. He finishes the season with 37 carries for 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Now Minnesota is down to two healthy scholarship running backs due to the injuries and the midseason transfer of Cam Wiley. True freshman Mar’Keise Irving and redshirt freshman Ky Thomas will have to carry the load through the final four weeks of the regular season and into a bowl game. Walk-on linebacker Derik LeCaptain, a former running back in high school, is their emergency option though the Gophers also have a walk-on at running back in Kendall Moore.