By: Nate Gotlieb

Junior cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament, head coach Jerry Kill announced at his press conference Tuesday.

Boddy-Calhoun injured his left knee early in the first quarter Saturday against New Mexico State and did not return to the game.

He made three tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Gophers season-opening win over Nevada-Las Vegas.

“[Boddy-Calhoun] is a critical injury because he probably played at the highest level of any defensive back we had except Brock Vereen,” Kill said. “He’s a great kid, and it’s hard.  It’s hard to see something like that happen.”

The junior from Wilmington, Del., played in every game last season and recorded nine tackles. 

Kill praised the depth of the defensive backs throughout fall camp but that overall depth appears to have taken a hit with the loss of Boddy-Calhoun.

Kill said he should get another year of eligibility, presumably through a medical redshirt, but nothing is finalized yet.

The Gophers take on Western Illinois at 11 a.m. Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.