The college football world is having another rough day. As we wrap up a solid spring, Minnesota is looking to have a breakout season with a bunch of talented players ready to step in. If you’re a young cornerback on the Gophers’ roster, get ready for some serious support this season. With Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson moving on, Minnesota brought in Jaylen Bowden and John Nestor from the transfer portal, and now they’ve got to show what they can do. But before the Gophers could even get excited about the next season, heartbreaking news hit the program.
Former Gophers defensive back Charles “Ace” Rogers breathed his last on May 19 while running the Brooklyn Marathon. He was eight miles into the marathon when he suddenly succumbed to a deadly cardiac arrest. The medical team immediately rushed to the spot, but he couldn’t pull around.
The official X Twitter page of the Minnesota Gophers mourned the heart-wrenching news through a note. It reads, “Our hearts are broken as former Gopher Charles Rogers tragically passed over the weekend while running the Brooklyn Marathon. Our thoughts are with the Rogers family and all of his loved ones.”
Our hearts are broken as former Gopher Charles Rogers tragically passed over the weekend while running the Brooklyn Marathon.
Our thoughts are with the Rogers family and all of his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/HZwnE28NS7
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) May 19, 2025
Rogers spent two seasons with the Iowa State football program and two seasons at Minnesota. He suited up for 15 total Division I games, including 12 with the Cyclones in 2013. He played three games with the Gophers in 2015. Despite his tenure with the Gophers being riddled with a series of injuries, Rogers’s presence in the defense was a gift that the fans will cherish.
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