The Heisman Trophy.
That’s an award Gophers redshirt sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner would like to win. Leidner, who is the team’s No. 1 quarterback in spring practice after rival Philip Nelson transferred this winter, talked about the Heisman while answering these personal questions for Sports Headliners:
Favorite meal my mom makes: Probably lasagna that she makes (for) me and my brothers all the time.
Award I would most like to win: The Heisman award, no doubt.
What I like best about coach Jerry Kill: I like his toughness and demeanor, and how much he gives to this program and all the players.
What I miss about Philip Nelson: I miss the competitive edge he brings to the quarterbacking spot on the field.
What people should know about redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Streveler: They should know that he likes to take his shirt off. Yeah, that’s the biggest thing. He likes to take his shirt off around anyone.
The Gophers’ biggest rival: I think the Gophers’ biggest rival is Iowa because we hate Iowa.
What makes me nervous on the football field: Nothing really makes me nervous. What gets me pumped up is being down (on the scoreboard) and having to come back and play under pressure.
Anyone interested in being my girlfriend should know: That I have a girlfriend and I am taken.
If I wasn’t a quarterback, I would be playing: Probably tight end. That’s what I came to camp here for (as a high school player), or a linebacker.
Worth Noting
Leidner’s passing will benefit if sophomore wide receiver Donvahn Jones continues to improve. Converted to receiver from quarterback last year, Jones said he is capable of running a 4.4 40-yard dash. After catching 10 passes for 157 yards last season, he said his goals for 2014 include a first college touchdown pass.
Jones played last season with both Leidner and Philip Nelson who transferred to Rutgers in January. He likes the idea of working with one quarterback, not adjusting to two. “It can make me a lot better because I know how Mitch operates and what he likes to do and where I am supposed to be,” Jones said.
The 6-3 Jones, who weighed about 185 pounds as a freshman, hopes to play this fall at 205 pounds or more. More size and strength without compromising speed can help him against Big Ten cornerbacks. Jones, who turned 19 on March 12, said he competes against an outstanding cornerback when Eric Murray covers him in practice.
“It’s helpful for me because I feel like he’s probably one of the best corners in the Big Ten, so having a chance to go against him every day is only making me better,” Jones said.
Gophers coach Jerry Kill likes the potential of redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Jonah Pirsig, 6-foot-9 and 325 pounds. “He’s going to be a great player,” Kill said. “We just gotta keep him healthy.”
Pirsig participated in seven games last season after redshirting in 2012. He played small town high school football in Blue Earth, Minnesota. The speed and size of the players in college has been an adjustment. “If I had to go against someone big during high school football they definitely weren’t as fast, and if I were going against someone fast they definitely weren’t as big as the guys here,” Pirsig said.
The weather for Gophers spring practice has kept the team indoors at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex. A low ceiling makes it impossible to kick like outdoors. Last week the Gophers punted the ball to give their coverage players some practice but the ball struck the ceiling and chunks of insulation were knocked loose.
That prompted Kill, who wants a new practice facility, to laugh. “Keep kickin’ until that roof comes out and then we get a new building,” he said. “There’s a lot of ways to get something new. We’re puntin’ (and) kickin’ as much as we possibly can so eventually we’ll get that done. So that’s good strategy, isn’t it?”
Look for the finalists to be announced today for the new Mike Richter Award honoring the best goalie in NCAA men’s hockey. There were 19 candidates announced last month.
The top 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award recognizing college hockey’s best player will be announced tomorrow.
It was an extraordinary group of finalists but Tyus Jones from Apple Valley High School was named the state’s 2014 Mr. Basketball Award winner yesterday. Ken Lien, who has administered the Mr. Basketball program for years, made the announcement on 1500 ESPN. The other finalists were Wheeler Baker, Osseo; Brian Goodwin, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa; J.P. Macura, Lakeville North; and Reid Travis, DeLaSalle. Only seniors are eligible for the award.
Alex Illikainen, the junior forward from Grand Rapids who might one day play for Nebraska, will be a favorite to win Mr. Basketball next year.
Lien told Sports Headliners he saw former Gophers coach Tubby Smith at last week’s Minnesota boys’ prep tourney. Smith’s Texas Tech team was 14-18 in his first season in Lubbock and wasn’t invited to a post-season tournament.
Lien said Smith was also at the Wisconsin prep tournament last week. Smith is recruiting Rice Lake High School star Henry Ellenson, the brother of former Gopher Wally Ellenson.
There are no teams from the state of Indiana in this year’s NCAA basketball tourney. Basketball is nearly a religion in the state and Butler, Indiana, Indiana State, Notre Dame and Purdue have played prominent games in tournament history.
There hasn’t been much pre-tournament talk about Duke but the Blue Devils may make a deep run in the tournament.
Ricky Nolasco is likely to be the Twins starting pitcher when the club opens the regular season on March 31 against the White Sox in Chicago. The Twins no doubt would like a performance the equal of what Nolasco did last season as the Marlins opening day pitcher when he went six innings, allowing three hits and two runs against the Nationals.