Author: David Shama

There’s plenty to look forward to when MIAC football begins later this summer. From outstanding players to predicted standings, here’s a capsule look: 

Senior quarterbacks Alex Kofoed, Saint John’s, Matt Penz, St. Olaf, and Ben Wetzell, Bethel, will lead three of the best teams in the conference.  Kofoed has been a first team all-conference choice the last two years and was a second team selection as a freshman. Penz led the MIAC in passing last year and returns the majority of his offensive helpers including senior wide outs Horace Gant and Andrew Schmiesing (baseball outfielder and 11^th round pick of the Minnesota Twins last spring).  Wetzell led Bethel to a MIAC co-title with Saint John’s and was third in the conference in rushing and fifth in total offense, but he will be without all-American running back Phil Porta who graduated.

Protecting those three star quarterbacks will be three senior linemen who were first team all-MIAC last year. They are Bethel center Tommy Davis, 6-2, 280, Saint John’s center Andrew Salvato, 6-1, 290, and St. Olaf guard Eric Yuen, 6-1, 305.  The trio will again be three of the best in the conference, region, and could possibly end up on some all-American teams.

Conference defensive players attracting notice include St. Olaf defensive end James Bechdol, Saint John’s junior lineman Nick Gunderson, Gustavus senior linebacker Jared Sieling, and Bethel senior safety Brandon Carr. All four were first team all-MIAC last season and NCAA Division III all-region selections. Bechdol led St. Olaf and was fourth in the conference in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (14). Gunderson was second in sacks (9.5) and first in the conference in tackles for loss (18.5).  Sieling was fourth in the MIAC in tackles (63).  Carr led the conference in interceptions (seven) and was second in passes defended (13).

All-region last season, St. Olaf senior kicker and punter Paul Fortman could be an all-American in 2007. Fortman led the conference in punting (40.2 yards) and in scoring among kickers with 51 points ( second place had 27).

Here’s my predicted order of finish in the conference: St. Olaf, Saint John’s, Bethel, Concordia, St. Thomas, Carleton, Gustavus, Hamline, Augsburg.

Following yesterday’s win over Oakland and series sweep, the Twins are now a season high six games over .500.  Justin Morneau has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, batting .395 (17-43) with nine runs, two doubles, five homers and 15 RBI in that span.  The Twins drew 134,348 total fans during the Oakland series, an average of 33,587 per game.

An ostrich race and also a camel race will be part of Canterbury Park’s first Extreme Race Day presented by SPAM on Sunday afternoon.  Various horse races featuring something out of the ordinary will be staged including a horse racing first, “The Battle of the Surfaces.” The race will feature as many as 20 horses competing against each other at 1 and 1/16^th miles on the turf and the dirt simultaneously. Wagering isn’t allowed on the camel and ostrich races. 

Sporting News gave its opinions on which NFL training camps will be the most grueling using a 1-5 scale, with five “being boot camp.”  The Lions received a five, the Vikings a four, Packers a two and the Bears a one.

Gopher athletic director Joel Maturi wrote via e-mail that a magazine report that Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis was offered the Minnesota football job last winter isn’t accurate. Maturi wrote that Tim Brewster was the only person offered the position as head coach. 

The Gophers, for the first time since they went to Alexandria in the 1970’s, will practice off campus when they open their pre-season practice at Saint John’s in Collegeville next month. Here’s Brewster talking about the upcoming six days at Saint John’s:   “This will be a wonderful opportunity for our football team to spend time and come together as a family on one of the great college campuses in the country. It also will be a special honor for us to practice where the winningest head coach in college football history resides in the legendary coach John Gagliardi.”   

Gopher basketball coach Tubby Smith will be the grand marshal in Wednesday night’s Aquatennial Torchlight Parade.

President and general manager Doug Risebrough today announced the Minnesota Wild has re-signed right wing Matt Foy, defenseman Erik Reitz, right wing Aaron Voros and right wing Joel Ward to 2007-08 contracts.  All four played at the Wild’s Houston farm team last year.

Let’s get positive.   When I need a better perspective on the Gophers there’s only one man to turn to for help.  New coach Tim Brewster is 24-7 intent on building a great future for Gopher football.  No reports of pessimistic prognostications can slow his enthusiasm and determination.   

I plopped down on the couch in Brewster’s office and asked for relief from the doom and gloomers.  “As I’ve told you before, I think that’s tremendous fuel for our fire,” Brewster counseled. “Our football team, I think, thinks they’re better than that.  I think they’re better than that. They were a bowl team last year.  There’s no reason for us to be in the bottom of the Big Ten and I certainly think our guys, when the dust settles, won’t be.” 

What about the inexperienced quarterbacks and offense not being able to execute?  “There’s a process that we’re growing through offensively,” Brewster said.  “But I think whoever we decide is going to be the starting quarterback for us will be a winning quarterback for us.  He will be a winner and, hey, we’re evolving as an offense, we’re evolving as a defense.  But I think we think we will be a very good football team September the first against Bowling Green.” 

Where will the Gophers finish? “Well, obviously our goal is to win the Big Ten championship,” Brewster answered.  “That is our stated goal.  That will be the goal every day of every year I am here, is to win the Big Ten championship.  Is that possible?  Certainly it’s possible.  Without question in my mind, I believe 100 percent (that) if these kids get close enough, if they get committed enough to each other, buy into blind loyalty to this program we can win a Big Ten championship this year.” 

So take that, Street and Smith’s, Athlon, Sporting News, and all the rest of you magazines! (Oh, and go Iowa on September 22 against Wisconsin!)