Minnesota Gophers burn redshirt year, start Philip Nelson

Jerry Kill is living up to his name this morning. He ‘Kill’ed Minnesota freshman quarterback Philip Nelson’s redshirt status.

Nelson made his college debut at Wisconsin. And has already thrown a touchdown pass.

With 7:10 to play in the first quarter Neson hooked up with Brandon Green for a 16-yard touchdown pass to pull within in one point of the Badgers.

Nelson, who started the season as the third-stringer, is playing today because starter MarQueis Gray is suffering from a lingering ankle injury and the backup, Max Shortell, hurt his neck in last week’s loss to Northwestern.

Recall, Nelson was the Associated Press Player of the Year for Minnesota high school football in 2011. Amazingly, he grew up in the Madison area before his family moved to Minnesota, and, according to multiple reports, his father, Pat, played for the Badgers in the late 1970s.