Big Ten Endzone

As reported by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Golden Gopher recruit and stud middle linebacker Sam Maresh is going to undergo open-heart surgery later this month to repair or replace his aortic valve. Slated to be a freshman this fall at Minnesota, Maresh may never play football again after this surgery.

According to an e-mail sent to the Star by Maresh’s father, Bill, Sam went to Minnesota June 2 for a physical and tests revealed he had a heart murmur. It was a few days later that the family found out that Sam had a congenial heart defect.

While it is difficult to think of football around this, the news of Maresh’s future on the field is a huge blow to Gopher football. Maresh was one of Head Coach Tim Brewster’s first recruits, hailing from nearby Champlin Park, Minn. On National Signing Day this past February, Brewster called Maresh “the flag bearer for University of Minnesota” and “the No. 1 most important football player to the program in this recruiting class.”

The four-star recruit as rated by Rivals.com, Maresh (6′4”, 235 lbs.) had a good shot to start as a true freshman and would have been a big help to a Golden Gopher defense that ranked almost dead last in every statistical category.