Gophers coach Jerry Kill was coaching at Southern Illinois in 2005 when he collapsed from a seizure. He recently told the Big Ten Network on its “Step Into My Office” show he was unconscious for about three days while in the hospital. “I didn’t miss any games,” Kill said on the show.
Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said he expects Lamonte Edwards, who started playing linebacker last week in practice, will “definitely” be ready to play in the Purdue game a week from Saturday. Edwards had focused on playing running back until last week.
The evolution of Marcus Sherels as a football player continued last Sunday. The former Rochester athlete had to develop his career with the Gophers before being an undrafted rookie with the Vikings last year on the practice squad and participating in one game. Sherels, who was a Gopher walk-on before becoming a starting cornerback, had a highlight day on Sunday that included a 53-yard punt return and a solid tackle on a Lions punt returner. A reserve defensive back, Sherels had a 64-yard interception touchdown return in preseason this summer.
Vikings backup quarterback Joe Webb, who has college experience catching the ball, lined up for one play at receiver for the Vikings on Sunday.
The three most visible prep football prospects in the state who haven’t verbally committed to the Gophers are Eden Prairie offensive tackle Nick Davidson, Osseo tight end Will Johnson and Hopkins wide receiver Andre McDonald. Gopherhole.com recruiting authority Chris Monter told Sports Headliners Johnson is the most likely of the three to become a Gophers commit, but no assurances on that happening. Davidson has reportedly narrowed his list to a few schools but Minnesota isn’t included, while McDonald has verbally committed to Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt is historically the worst program in the SEC and a “graveyard” for coaches, but new coach James Franklin is making a splash in Nashville with his positive approach and results on the field. The Commodores are 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the SEC, and their wins include a 30-7 victory over Mississippi that McDonald saw during his visit to Nashville earlier this month.
Detroit Lakes prep football coach Flint Motschenbacher earned career win No. 100 last week with a victory over Staples-Motley. Motschenbacher’s record is 100-41.
Gophers basketball director of operations Joe Esposito said Minnesota’s upcoming nonconference schedule is the most difficult among Big Ten teams, according to RPI data. Esposito said the Gophers continue to “entertain” the possibility of playing a high profile opponent in a nonconference game at Xcel Energy Center.
ESPN college basketball expert Andy Katz includes Minnesota among the college teams that could enjoy surprising success next season. He believes that except for Ohio State, the Gophers front line could be the Big Ten’s best. (See ESPN.go.com September 16 story).
The Twins are the most likely of major league baseball’s last place division teams to have a big turnaround season in 2012, according to the September 26 issue of Sports Illustrated. The magazine predicts that if Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are healthy and hitting, the Twins “have the best chance to go from cellar dweller to champagne popper.”
Only once in Twins history has the club not had a pitcher win at least 10 games in one season but that is likely to happen this year. Team leaders Francisco Liriano and Brian Duensing have each won nine games but neither is scheduled to start before the season ends tomorrow night. During the 1981 strike shortened season Pete Redfern was 9-8 for the Twins.
Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey has lost eight consecutive games, the longest club streak since Boof Bonser in 2007.