Author: David Shama

With three months remaining in the NFL schedule it’s too early to be handing out awards, but a solid bet right now for Rookie of the Year is Adrian Peterson.  The Viking running back has rushed for over 100 yards in two of his first three games and his 271 total yards ranks 10^th among all NFL rushers.

Peterson leads all rookies in rushing with Marshawn Lynch of Buffalo second at 228 yards.  Lynch might be Peterson’s main rival for the award, although it’s early in the season and players like wide receiver Calvin Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, may further establish themselves.

Detroit’s Johnson ranks third in receptions among rookie receivers with 10 catches.  Packer rookies James Jones (14) and Brandon Jackson (11) rank first and second.  Peterson is fifth with eight receptions but he has more yards (160) than any rookies except Johnson (189) and Jones (183).

No rookie can match Peterson’s 20 yards per reception average.  His explosiveness was on display in game one when he caught a swing pass from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and ran 60 yards for a touchdown against Atlanta.

Last Sunday he ran 11 yards for a first quarter touchdown against Kansas City.  He faked out Chief cornerback Ty Law and showed his speed to the outside as he scored his first rushing touchdown as a Viking.

Those kinds of results remind an observer about what coach Brad Childress said last spring when the Vikings made the Oklahoma all-American tailback the team’s first choice and No. 7 overall pick in the draft. “We are obviously elated to have this guy,” Childress said. “He is an explosive football player that can take it to the house every time from any point on the football field. He has that type of speed and ability. …”

Peterson has scored two of the three touchdowns produced by the offense in the first three regular season games.  He’s easily the team’s best playmaker and the coaches are likely to rely on him more with each game.  At Kansas City he had a season high 25 carries, and gained 102 yards rushing and 48 receiving. He is the Vikings’ leading receiver with 160 yards in receptions, 63 more than runner-up Bobby Wade.  With a combined 431 yards rushing and receiving, Peterson has set a Viking record for the most yards from scrimmage in the first three games of a season.

With an unsettled quarterback situation and no big boppers among the wide receivers, the offense could become Peterson run left, Peterson run right, Peterson catch a swing pass.  Mostly run the football and rely on one of the NFL’s better defenses.

Peterson isn’t without faults but one day he will be a consensus choice as the franchise’s best runner ever.  In the Kansas City game Peterson was on the bench late in the game as the Vikings tried to rally from a 13-10 deficit, apparently because his pass protection skills are inferior to Mewelde Moore.  Peterson also had one fumble in the game, and almost fumbled a second time.  He probably needs to carry the ball higher and tighter on his body.

The Rookie of the Year award is more likely to be won by an offensive player, although there are some impressive starts by defensive linemen Amobi Okoye of Houston and linebacker Paul Posluszny of Buffalo.  Right now, though, Peterson leads the parade, offense or defense. (Note: there are multiple organizations who announce a Rookie of the Year including the Associated Press that makes an offensive and defensive selection.)

There’s another new running back in town that can bring fans out of their seats.  His name is Duane Bennett, a true freshman from the St. Louis area who is likely to receive his first career start Saturday night against Ohio State at the Metrodome.

Bennett and senior Amir Pinnix are both listed as possible starters but coach Tim Brewster said yesterday that Pinnix has been bothered by a turf toe injury.  Bennett has impressed as a reserve, gaining 122 yards on 13 carries for a 9.4 average.  In last Saturday’s loss to Purdue he had seven carries for 81 yards (including a 44-yard run) and scored his first college touchdown.

Bennett, 5-9, 195, is a darting type of runner who is a potential touchdown producer on many plays.  In high school as a senior he rushed for 1,362 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Bennett was asked about famous runners he’s followed. “I admire a lot of running backs for what they bring to the table but most notably the guy I always watched (was) Barry Sanders because he didn’t have anything wrong with his ability, but …people questioned his height and his size. … He was a smaller back among the big backs when he was coming out of high school so I really admire what he did.”

Bennett’s been impressing Gopher insiders since practice began in August, showing exceptional vision and cutback ability.  He said his best time in the 40-yard dash is 4.44.

A humble 18-year-old, Bennett wasn’t bothered by ESPN.com rating him the 135^th best prep running back in the nation.  He considered the ranking an “honor” and said some schools preferred that he play safety in college.  Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas were among those interested in him as a running back.

Bennett thinks his pass blocking now is “subpar or all right,” but he showed courage Saturday night against Purdue.  He flipped a Purdue rusher up in the air and in the process took a knee to the head.  He blacked out but later was okayed to return to the game.

Bennett said the Gopher coaches liked his effort on the play but the incident concerned family watching on TV. “I got a lot of phone calls,” he said.

Bennett knows ball security will be a requirement for playing time.  Earlier this week on WCCO radio Brewster said “guys who are not secure with the football will not play.”

Bennett is confident he can make big runs for the Gophers, perhaps similar to what Laurence Maroney did before becoming a No. 1 draft choice by New England in 2006.  Like Maroney, Bennett is from the St. Louis area and wears No. 22.  Bennett said he wanted the number because he had worn No. 22 prior to coming to Minnesota.

Ryan Cook was a center at New Mexico but the Vikings switched him to right tackle where he is a starter. Cook, taken in the second round of the 2006 draft, told Sports Headliners that he prepares as a backup center to Matt Birk every week in practice.  “That’s what I was told,” Cook said.  “If he goes down, I am in there.”

Viking place kicker Ryan Longwell,33, talking about how much longer he wants to play pro football:  “I love what I do,” Longwell said. “I’d love to keep doing it for a long time.  I don’t know if I will be around as long as Morten Andersen. …”  Andersen, 47, plays for Atlanta and is the NFL’s oldest player.

Former Viking player Jack Del Rio and now Jacksonville head coach has his team off to a 2-1 start, quieting talk that there might be a change in leadership.  The Jaguar staff of assistants includes former Viking coach Mike Tice, Dallas coach Dave Campo and University of Alabama coach Mike Shula.

Harvey Mackay, New York Times best selling author and former University of Minnesota golfer, jogs and walks about four miles 300 days per year.  Mackay said he is “74 and holding.”

With all the upsets in college football this season, including plenty of David vs. Goliath results, you can be sure the folks in Fargo are looking forward more than ever to the Gopher-North Dakota State game on October 20 in Minneapolis. North Dakota State is 3-0 after defeating Central Michigan, 44-14, in Mount Pleasant last Saturday.  The Bison defeated the Chippewas by a bigger score than Purdue (45-22) won by on its home field.

Gopher basketball coach Tubby Smith is looking for corporate jets, according to a Minnesota alum.

The Twins drew 2,296,383 fans in 2007, an average of 28,350 fans per home game, and the third highest total in club history, behind 1988 (3,030,672) and 1992 (2,482,428).

Some teams would change coaching personnel after a losing and disappointing season but manager Ron Gardenhire and all his coaches will return.  The Twins organizational culture emphasizes loyalty and promotion from within.

The St. Paul Chamber Faceoff luncheon is next Monday starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Crowne Plaza St. Paul-Riverside.  Minnesota Wild players will be in attendance and president/general manager Doug Risebrough will talk about the upcoming season. Tickets are $50 each and information is available at 651-265-2795, or visit www.saintpaulchamber.com and click on calendar of events.

The Timberwolves host media day Friday and by Sunday will be holding training camp in Turkey, a country that ranks high internationally in NBA interest. The Wolves will play a Turkish team on October 6, the first NBA exhibition game ever held in that nation.  The Wolves will then resume training camp in London and on October 10 will play Boston in a pre-season game.

Saint John’s senior quarterback Alex Kofoed is the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week.  He was 26 of 32 passing (.813 pct.) for 303 yards and four touchdowns in last Saturday’s 52-21 win against Concordia (Moorhead). Saint John’s junior defensive tackle Nick Gunderson is Defensive Player of the Week and Concordia junior wide receiver Paul Shol is Special Teams Player of the Week.  Gunderson led the Johnnies with eight tackles (five solo), including one tackle for loss, one sack and a forced fumble in the win over Concordia. Shol produced one of the Concordia highlights when he returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.  It was the second longest kickoff return in program histor