Minnesota Golden Gophers RB Trey Potts still in hospital but improving, school says

Minnesota running back Trey Potts remains hospitalized in Indiana for an unspecified medical issue that occurred late in Saturday’s game at Purdue.

Potts left the field late in the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 20-13 win and was treated by Minnesota’s medical staff before being transported to a local hospital. Minnesota said in a statement that Potts’ condition is improving and that the redshirt sophomore from Pennsylvania is “doing well.”

“Director of athletics Mark Coyle, head football athletic trainer Mike Sypniak and team physician Dr. David Jewison remained in Indiana overnight on Saturday with Potts,” Minnesota said in a statement. “At this time, Potts remains in Indiana with his family and is receiving medical attention.”

Potts had 15 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota’s win. He emerged as Minnesota’s featured running back after starter Mohamed Ibrahim suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the team’s season-opening loss to Ohio State.

Potts leads Minnesota in carries (112), rushing yards (552) and rushing touchdowns (6). He eclipsed 120 rushing yards in the three games before Purdue, and averages 4.9 yards per rush.

Minnesota has an open week before hosting Nebraska on Oct. 16.

After USC surrendered 101 total points in the past two games, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was relieved of his duties, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley announced Sunday.

Grinch, who was Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021 before leaving for USC alongside Riley, led a unit that allowed an average of 34.5 points per game this season and was in the bottom 30 in the country in nearly every statistical category, including 120th in rushing defense and 107th against the pass.

In a statement sent via a USC spokesperson, Riley named D-line coach Shaun Nua and linebackers coach Brian Odom as co-defensive coordinators for the rest of the season.

Even going back to last season, when USC finished the year allowing 47 points to Utah in the Pac-12 title game loss and 46 points to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl defeat, Grinch had been the subject of much criticism surrounding his and the unit’s performance.

“As a coach, you don’t deflect,” Grinch, who took responsibility for the defense’s shortcomings on a weekly basis, said at practice last week. “I couldn’t be more disappointed in myself and the inability to get the guys to be more sound.”