Author: David Shama

Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said today at a news conference that Kenechi Udeze will be the Vikings starting defensive left end in the season opener against Atlanta on September 9.  Frazier also said his defensive starters will play only the opening series in Thursday night’s final pre-season game against Dallas at the Metrodome.

It’s a solid guess that how many games the Twins win in this week’s three game series in Cleveland against the Indians will go a long way toward deciding Minnesota’s fate in pursuit of the Central Division title.  The Twins may need to sweep the Indians, or at least win two of three.

One reason the Twins are winning is Jason Kubel is hitting .357 and has driven in six runs in his last 10 games. Kubel, 25, entered this season with a .254 career batting average but he has the ability to be a much better run producer for the Twins and perhaps fill the minimal offense left field position.

Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight will be among those attending a dinner on Tuesday, September 18 at the McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota to honor the 40^th anniversary of Bud Grant’s first season as Minnesota Vikings coach.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the Viking Children’s Fund.  More information is available by calling 952-828-6577, or www.vikings.com

Wild goalie Josh Harding will be signing autographs at the team’s State Fair booth from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.  Wild and Minnesota Swarm players are among those making celebrity appearances during the fair at the booth, located on the second level of the main grandstand.

In pre-season MIAC coaches polls, the following were voted the favorites to win the conference in football, volleyball, and men’s and women’s soccer:  Saint John’s, Concordia, Gustavus and Macalester.  Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own with points assigned for each vote.

Seven MIAC men’s basketball student-athletes have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Academic Honors Court. The honor recognizes college basketball student-athletes who excel in their academic pursuits. The seven are: St. Olaf junior Bob Hunter, Augsburg juniors Justin Kozlowski and Darren Nelson, and four seniors from Saint John’s, Chase Lenz, Matt Ohme, Craig Schafer and Scott Schafer.

Local sports fan Ken Lien, who for years chaired the Minnesota Mr. Basketball Committee, saw his first game at historic Lambeau Field last week and wrote the following via e-mail: “It truly puts the plastic Metrodome to shame!”

While it seems like job one for the Minnesota Vikings is figuring out the quarterback position, another red flag priority is rushing the quarterback. The 2006 Vikings were best in the league in rushing defense but ranked last in the NFL along with Cincinnati in most passing yards given up per game. 

Pass defense, of course, will be a responsibility for the entire defense but the ends will be expected to lead the charge that can result in more quarterback hurries, sacks and interceptions.  That’s part of their job descriptions. 

End Kenechi Udeze, who started 15  games for the Vikings, had no sacks last season.  The other end last year, Darrion Scott, who started 13 games for the Vikings last season and replaced Erasmus James in the lineup after he injured his knee, led the team in sacks at 5.5.  As a team, the Vikings had 30 sacks (five NFL teams had fewer). 

Now speculation is that James, who has a pass sacking reputation, will return as a starting defensive end.  He and second year man Ray Edwards are the Vikings mega potential sack men.  

James missed 13 games last season after sustaining a serious left knee injury.   In 2005, his rookie season, he started the final nine games of the season, tied for the team lead in sacks with 4.0 and ranked fifth among NFL rookies in that category. 

Dean Dalton, who now is a multi-media NFL expert, was a Vikings assistant coach when James was drafted.  He’s also followed Edwards, who last season as a fourth round draft choice started two games with three sacks.   

“We believed when we drafted him (James) that he had that special juice,” Dalton said last week. “He has a really explosive first step that can get him on the edge, but he’s young (24).  In the NFL he’ll be going against left tackles which are usually the most athletic experienced offensive players so he’s got to really refine his game.   But he does have the skill set. …Erasmus has all the ability and all the potential in the world to be an outstanding defensive end. 

“And right now Ray Edwards shows flashes of it.  He just needs to be more consistent but it’s been encouraging because he’s played at a more consistent level throughout this training camp so far.” 

The Vikings have been taking a patient approach with James’ recovery from the knee injury.  He hasn’t played in the first two pre-season games but sometime during the season Dalton expects him to be playing.  (Viking coach Brad Childress indicated last week on KFAN Radio that James will play Saturday night in Seattle in Minnesota’s third pre-season game). 

“Even still when he gets back he’s got to overcome the mental part of not favoring that injured knee,” Dalton said.   “There’s a long way to go but I believe he’s making progress that will allow him to get back on the field this year.” 

Edwards needs to show more consistency and probably minimize his already well-known temper but he’s a promising player at only 21 years old.  “Having an explosive temper is generally not a sign of maturity,” Dalton said. “…Therefore he will need to get a harness on that so he can be more consistent for his team.  Somebody that he and his coaches can count on.” 

Edwards has been starting for the Vikings with Udeze in the first two pre-season games.  Edwards hurried Jets quarterback Chad Pennington last Friday night into a bad throw that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by linebacker Chad Greenway.  In pre-season games rookie Brian Robison, the fourth round pick from Texas, has shown pass rushing skills too, and leads the team in sacks with two.

 With a strong rush from the defensive ends and tackles, led by a pass rushing specialist at defensive end like James or Edwards, plus solid communication among the entire defense, the Vikings won’t have to blitz as much and can take another step toward productivity.  How important is improving defensive end play?

“It’s really important,” Dalton said. “That will really solidify a very, very good defense and make it a great defense if they can get excellent play out of the defensive end position.”

In 2006 Justin Morneau, the American League MVP, led the major leagues in hitting from June 8 on with a .362 average.  The left-handed hitting slugger produced 34 home runs, 130 RBI and a .321 average.  Although success against left-handed pitchers can be troublesome for many left-handed hitters, it wasn’t for Morneau who hit .315 against lefties.

Results have been dramatically different this season against lefties.  Morneau is hitting .229 against left-handers (.287 overall).   August hasn’t been a Morneau-friendly month.  He’s hitting .237 in August and hasn’t homered since July 23.

On a team desperate for run production, it’s a no brainer that Morneau’s production decline against left-handed pitching is big trouble for the Twins as they desperately try to stay in the playoff chase.  With 54 runs during August, the Twins rank last in the major leagues for the month.

While some may suggest scouts and pitchers have figured out  how to more effectively pitch to Morneau, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire offered Sports Headliners his views last weekend.

“Well, it’s just a matter of staying on the ball,” he said.  “There’s a lot of good lefties in this league.  Sometimes you’re seeing it real good out of their hand.  I think for most of our offensive guys it’s been a situation where they are trying too hard.  Everybody is trying to hit homeruns instead of putting good swings on the ball and taking what they give you.  When you get into trouble offensively in this league is when you’re trying to do too much instead of staying within yourself, and guys do that.  Everybody wants to be a hero.  And that’s what happened with a lot of our guys including Justin.

“Justin can hit left-handed pitching.  He’s proved that over the course of his career.  It’s just a matter of a little mechanical thing of staying on the ball a little longer and using the whole field (rather than trying to pull the ball).

 “Justin is a great teammate. I don’t know if anybody cares as much about winning here as he does. …It’s not an individual thing with him.  He takes a lot of pride in what he’s doing. …”