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Gophers to be without starting LG Tyler Cooper against Illinois

Minnesota heads into Saturday's game without one of its starting offensive lineman.

Tony Liebert

Tyler Cooper
Tyler Cooper / Picture via: GopherSports
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The Gophers will be without starting left guard Tyler Cooper today against Illinois. He has started all seven games this season, but Minnesota will now be forced to switch up its offensive line against the Fighting Illini.

Cooper has started 18 total games and played 1,143 total snaps over the last two seasons. Minnesota's easiest option would be for redshirt sophomore Tony Nelson — who has played 43 career snaps — to replace Cooper's role at left guard.

A native of Tracy, Minn., Nelson played his high school football for Tracy-Milroy-Balaton. Listed at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, he has all of the traits to be a great interior lineman for the Gophers. He could get his first real chance to show it today against Illinois.

They could also start redshirt freshman Phillip Daniels at right tackle and move the rest of the line to the left. This might be a far riskier option, but Daniels has played 38 snaps this season.

It seemed as if Illinois would enter Saturday's matchup with some injuries of its own, but top wide receiver Pat Bryant and cornerbacks Kaleb Patterson and Torrie Cox Jr. are all expected to be available.

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Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

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