Minnesota RB recruit Whaley recovering from shooting

3/25/2008 7:18 PM

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said running back recruit Kevin Whaley is ``fortunate that he's alive'' after being shot in the leg outside a Virginia night club earlier this month.

Police say Kevin Whaley was leaving the club in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Va., shortly after 2 a.m. on March 22 when a vehicle pulled up and a gunman opened fire, hitting the Salem High School star in the leg.

Whaley was hospitalized with ``non-life threatening injuries,'' but is back at home recovering, Brewster said Tuesday.

``I talked to Kevin yesterday,'' Brewster said. ``He was very upbeat, very positive. He said, 'Coach I didn't run the 40 but I was out walking in the hallway.'''

Brewster said Whaley's high school coach expected Whaley to be OK by this fall, but Brewster was not ready to comment for certain on the running back's status for the upcoming season.

Brewster said he did not know all the details of the circumstances surrounding the shooting, only that Whaley was on spring break from school.

``People say, 'What's he doing out at that time of night? This and that,''' Brewster said. ``He's on spring break. Maybe he shouldn't have been where he was, I don't know the details. All I know is Kevin Whaley's a great kid. We're very fortunate that he's alive today.''

Whaley rushed for 1,661 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior last year and 6,301 yards in his high school career.