Former Gophers assistant head coach Matt Limegrover, now offensive line coach at Penn State, is trying to persuade four-star wide receiver Dredrick Snelson to sign his National Letter of Intent with the Nittany Lions tomorrow.
Ryan Burns, publisher of Scout’s GopherDigest.com, told Sports Headliners Limegrover has visited Snelson’s Florida home and last weekend he was on the Penn State campus. But recruiting authority Matt Jessen-Howard tweeted a quote on Sunday where Snelson said Gophers fans should not worry about his loyalty.
Snelson gave a verbal commitment to the Gophers last summer but there has been ongoing speculation he has or will change his mind. Burns, who has been covering recruiting for five years, has seldom seen such intrigue involving a recruit.
Burns said Snelson has sent mixed messages. “Penn State is confident they’re going to get him,” Burns said. “Central Florida, where he has been twice this month (January), is confident they’re going to get him. The Gophers are thinking they’re going to land him.
“Two out of the three parties are going to be wrong. We won’t find out until Wednesday morning. How does it end? I think it ends he signs with Minnesota but I’ve been wrong before and I’ll be wrong again. …”
Burns described Snelson, from Pembroke Pines, Florida, as “media savvy” and someone who enjoys the recruiting publicity. On the telephone he found Snelson to be respectful and a “nice kid.”
Snelson, about 5-11, 200-pounds, has impressive but not dominating physical skills. He is projected as a slot receiver with the Gophers and Burns believes Snelson could be ready as a freshman to succeed 2015 starter K.J. Maye who used up his eligibility.
Snelson, along with Eden Prairie High School linebacker Carter Coughlin, is one of only two consensus four-star recruits who have verbally pledged to the Gophers. Not many Florida four-star recruits commit to Minnesota but Burns believes Snelson likes how the Gophers use the slot receiver and that he sees an opportunity to play early in his career. New Gophers offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, who replaced Limegrover, has been involved with recruiting Snelson since last month.
In recent years the Gophers’ receiving roster has lacked impact players and no doubt Snelson is aware of that. Burns said in-state receivers Drew Hmielewski from Marshall and Phillip Howard from Robbinsdale Cooper may have even better potential as college players than Snelson.
Recruiting Websites list 19 players as part of the Gophers’ 2016 class. Burns believes the verbal commitments of all are solid except for Snelson and Coney Durr who visited Virginia Tech last weekend. Durr, a three-star recruit from Geismar, Louisiana, is a defensive back.
Worth Noting
The Gophers’ commitment list has only one running back, Butler (Kansas) Community College transfer Kobe McCrary. Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys said on WCCO “Radio’s Sports Huddle” on Sunday recruiting running backs has been a challenge because freshmen Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith were so successful last fall.
McCrary, about 6-1 and 230-pounds, gives the Gophers a backup to Brooks and Smith. He has more size than either of them and helps replace power running Rodrick Williams who was a senior last year.
The Big Ten Network will have Big Ten coverage of Signing Day tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Time. As of yesterday Scout.com listed three Big Ten programs in the top 10 nationally: Ohio State, No. 2; Michigan, No. 5; and Michigan State No. 7. Minnesota is No 43.
Part of the network’s coverage tomorrow will be Michigan’s “Signing with the Stars” event featuring celebrities from sports, music and entertainment. Celebrities expected to attend are Tom Brady, John Harbaugh, Derek Jeter, Jim Leyland, Denard Robinson, NASCAR’s Brad Keslowski, wrestling’s Ric Flair and others. They will introduce head coach Jim Harbaugh’s 2016 football class.
Jaylon Boston is a name for Gophers fans to follow in the next 12 months. “He is a hell of a player,” said McKinley Boston, Jaylon’s grandfather and the former Gophers athletic director.
Jaylon lives with his grandfather in New Mexico and attends Centennial High School in Las Cruces. As a sophomore, the 5-10, 185-pound running back was second team all-state, but because of what his grandfather described as a “medical” situation he didn’t play as a junior. Boston said New Mexico State, where his grandfather was athletic director until about a year ago, is looking at Jaylon but the Gophers aren’t.
Despite speculation to the contrary, don’t give up on the University of Minnesota and former football coach Jerry Kill being able to develop a new position for him at the school. There has been contact between the two parties.
Gophers senior guard Rachel Banham could end the season as the Big Ten’s scoring leader. In 21 games she is averaging 24.3 points per game and ranks second behind Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell, 25.3 points. Banham has scored 20 or more points in nine consecutive games and has done that 19 times this season. Former Hopkins High School standout Nia Coffey, a junior forward at Northwestern, is fifth in scoring at 20 points per game and first in rebounding at 10.4.
Although the Gophers lost at Michigan on Sunday, they have won four of their last five games. Minnesota, 14-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten, won those games by seven points or less, and the Gophers have shown the ability to close out opponents in the fourth quarter. The Gophers play Rutgers, 13-9 and 4-6, at home on Thursday night.
Former Timberwolves assistant Eric Musselman is drawing attention in his first season as head coach at the University of Nevada. Nevada’s pregame ball handling warm-up is a hit and the team is playing competitively in the Mountain West.
Musselman, who was a head coach in the NBA with the Kings and Warriors, might be on a list of candidates if the Timberwolves make a coaching change. Interim Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell is trying out for the permanent job. Other potential candidates perhaps could include Tom Thibodeau, the former Timberwolves assistant and ex-Bulls head coach who is well-known for his defensive teachings.
Connor Nord, the former St. Thomas basketball center whose final season was 2014-2015, has been playing professionally in Germany, and plans to continue his career in Europe. Marcus Alipate, a combo guard who played four seasons with Nord at St. Thomas, will be playing pro ball in New Zealand.
Regarding the Timberwolves coaching position. I do not believe Sam Mitchell will be awarded the permanent head coaching position and that either Scotty Brooks (former coach at OKC) or David Joerger (Memphis Grizzlies) will be chosen.
Remember where you heard it first Dave!!