Minnesota's Shannon Brooks out 3-5 weeks with foot injury

Minnesota running back Shannon Brooks will miss three-to-five weeks with a foot injury, putting his availability for the start of the season in danger, head coach Tracy Claeys said Wednesday.

Brooks, the Golden Gophers' starting tailback, led the team in rushing last season with 709 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. His 6 yards per carry ranks third in program history for a freshman.

Claeys is expected to provide an update on Brooks' status Saturday.

Minnesota opens the season against Oregon State on Sept. 1, three weeks from Thursday. The Gophers have a bye scheduled for Week 3, so for now it seems unlikely Brooks would miss more than two games.