COLLEGE PARK — Maryland was already expected to be a slight favorite going into Saturday's home game against Minnesota. The Terps should see the odds trend even more in their direction Tuesday after it was announced that Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner will not play.
Leidner, who has made 27 straight starts, was apparently injured in Minnesota's 14-7 home loss to Iowa last week. Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys said Tuesday that Leidner is going through the team's concussion protocol and "whenever he gets through that he'll be cleared to play."
The fifth-year senior played the entire game against the Hawkeyes, and played poorly. He finished the game 13 of 33 for 166 yards and two interceptions. For the season, Leidner has completed 86 of 149 passes for 1,006 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions.
In Leidner's place, the Gophers announced that redshirt junior Conor Rhoda will start against the Terps. Rhoda, a former walk-on, has been used in two games in mop-up in his career, throwing two passes and completing one. He has thrown one pass this season.
Maryland coach DJ Durkin said he heard about Leidner's status shortly before his regular Tuesday news conference.
"There's nothing in terms of obviously our game plan or approach we've changed to this point," Durkin said. "Watching the game tape, I didn't notice anything significant that happened to their quarterback to have him out … It's unfortunately part of the game of football that there's injuries every year.
"What you have to do is man down, man up. I'm sure they have the same approach there. They're an extremely well-coached team. Tracy does an unbelievable job. I know the next guy will stay up and will able to function and operate within the scheme of their system."