Minnesota’s offensive line just took another hit, and this one changes the shape of the rest of the season.
Starting center Ashton Beers is out for the year with an injury, according to the Gopher Football team’s Wednesday injury report ahead of the Michigan game. Multiple sources confirmed to Gopher Gazette that Beers will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after getting hurt in the Akron game.
That leaves offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh without the two centers he counted on most out of fall camp. Third-year lineman Brett Carroll was supposed to be the backup center and a likely swing option inside, but he tore his knee in fall camp and has already undergone surgery. Beers, meanwhile, was the first returning center for Harbaugh in his four seasons as offensive coordinator, and now that safety net is gone.
A source told 247Sports that Beers sustained a significant foot injury against Akron. He was able to finish the game after getting a boost from adrenaline, but further testing and a closer look at the situation made it clear it’s not an injury he can play through.
That ends his Gopher career. For anyone hoping for another year through a waiver, a source shut that down as well, saying the new five-for-five rules are now firmly in play and this is a 2026 injury.
Minnesota’s answer is to slide its best offensive lineman, Greg Johnson, over to center full-time. Johnson, a future top-45 overall NFL Draft selection next April, started every game at center for the Gophers in 2024 and looked excellent there against Washington a week ago.
Even with that move, the pressure on the rest of the group is obvious. With Beers gone and Carroll already out, Minnesota is now missing two of its top eight offensive linemen from fall camp.
Offensive line coach Brian Callahan’s depth is going to get tested in a hurry. Purdue transfer Jaden Ball made his first career start at left guard last week, and if another injury hits up front, the room gets young and thin fast.
Tennessee transfer Bennett Warren is still there to help at tackle, but the next layer looks shaky. If Johnson goes down, second-year Mark Handy would be next at center.
Jerome Williams is also potentially one play away at guard. Minnesota could also choose to push true freshman Gavin Meier even faster, and he’s already drawn plenty of praise since arriving in January.
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