Gophers linebacker Cody Lindenberg finally makes season debut

From the start, Saturday looked different for Cody Lindenberg.

The Gophers linebacker, who hadn't played this season because of a leg injury suffered in late August, jogged onto the Huntington Bank Stadium field for early warmups. He was shirtless like his linebacker teammates on the 33-degree afternoon, and quickly joined in all their drills instead of working one-on-one with a trainer, as he had in previous weeks.

When the Gophers came out in full pads, Lindenberg was suited up. He started the game, made two tackles right away to help hold Michigan State to a field goal after Minnesota's opening-series turnover, and finished the game with three tackles, including one tackle for loss.

"Oh, we missed that guy," safety Tyler Nubin said of Lindenberg. "He's such a connector. Our whole defense, he just brings energy. The way he just conducts himself every single day, it makes everybody just elevate with him. Having '45' was definitely huge."

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck eased Lindenberg, the leading returning tackler from the 2022 team, back into the mix.

"Cody was on a pitch count. He played like 40 snaps, and that's exactly where the staff wanted him to be," Fleck said. "Of course, if it was up to him, he wouldn't come off the field. He'd play offense, too. That's the kind of guy he is."

In Lindenberg's absence, Devon Williams and Maverick Baranowski were thrown into the fire. They have progressed as the season has moved along. On Saturday, Williams led the team with nine tackles, while Baranowski had two.

"Not having [Lindenberg] there has made our linebacking corps grow up really fast," Fleck said.

• Junior right guard Tyler Cooper, who has started all seven games this season, was listed as out and missed the game. True freshman Greg Johnson made his first career start.

• The Gophers also announced that offensive lineman Reese Tripp was out for the game, while freshman wide receiver Cade Osterman and freshman defensive lineman Hayden Schwartz are out for the season.

• Cornerback Justin Walley was hurt while tackling a Spartans player early in the fourth quarter. He was tended to on the field, walked off with assistance and went into the injury tent.

• The kickoff temperature of 33 degrees was the third-lowest October kickoff temperature in stadium history. The lowest October kickoff was 30 against Michigan on Oct. 24, 2020, for a night game, followed by 31 against Purdue on Oct. 9, 2009, for an 11 a.m. start.

• Michigan State's Jonathan Kim missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter. That ended a streak of 23 consecutive successful field-goal attempts against the Gophers.

• Keswic Joiner, a wide receiver who played for the Gophers in the early 1990s, gave the speech during Saturday's captains' breakfast.