Top Gophers receiver Chris Autman-Bell suffers leg injury in practice

Chris Autman-Bell, the Gophers' top returning wide receiver, suffered a right leg injury during a one-on-one drill Thursday night at the team's open practice at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Autman-Bell, a redshirt senior, was tended to on the field for a couple of minutes after being tackled by linebacker James Gordon IV. He was helped to the sideline by training staff, who were checking his right knee after he was placed on a table. Linebacker Braelen Oliver and running back Mohamed Ibrahim jogged over to the sideline to check on Autman-Bell and show their support while he was being examined. Autman-Bell was assisted to the locker room.

There was no update from a team spokesman on Autman-Bell's status, and coach P.J. Fleck, as was the plan for the practice, did not meet with the media afterward.

Autman-Bell has 78 receptions for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns in 33 career games. He has caught at least one pass in 27 consecutive games. Last season, he had 22 catches for 430 yards and one TD in seven games. Among wide receivers, Daniel Jackson had the next-most receptions for the Gophers in 2020, with 12 for 167 yards. Jackson, Texas A&M transfer Dylan Wright and Clay Geary would be among the wideouts in line to see more action if Autman-Bell misses time.

Defense banking on depth

Gophers defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has the type of memory that keeps his players on their toes.

"He's a walking library of plays,'' linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin said. "… It might be a 10-year-old play, but he'll tell you who was playing each other, when it happened and the outcome of a drive.''

Those instant-recall abilities have prompted some players to refer to Rossi as "the Guru.'' He's having none of it.

"I don't like it — because it's about players, not coaches,'' Rossi said Thursday. "Players have to go out and make plays. Players have to go out and execute the defense. I prefer it to be Guru players, quite frankly.''

Come Sept. 2 in the season opener against No. 4 Ohio State at Huntington Bank Stadium, Rossi will begin to find out if his players are mastering their craft. The Gophers will face a tremendous challenge in the Buckeyes, the four-time defending Big Ten champions and last season's College Football Playoff runners-up. Improving from last year's start — when Minnesota surrendered a combined 94 points in losses to Michigan and Maryland to start the season — would serve as a good first step.

Bolstered by a trio of transfers in the front seven, the Gophers defense will be deeper than it was last season. The return of Oliver, a promising linebacker, from a season lost to a knee injury should help, too.

"They've made tremendous progress,'' Rossi said. "They had the experiences of last year. They've had spring practice — and a full slate of spring practice. We've had a very heavy load put on us in terms of physicality and schematically.''

Minnesota's defense improved late last season, allowing 17 points in a win at Nebraska and 20 in an overtime loss at Wisconsin. During Thursday's practice, the depth on the defensive line stood out.

"First and foremost, we have depth in general there, and we have different skill sets,'' Rossi said. "As a staff, that's our job to put the pieces out there based on what we're seeing. Overall, I'm excited about the number of guys we have that can go in and play.''