Author: David Shama

Ouch!  The sound of broken bones or other injuries to Brad Johnson and Bryan Cupito will spark anxiety among the local football populace.  For the Vikings or Gophers to lose their starting quarterbacks isn’t welcome news any season but this year neither team has an experienced backup. 

Johnson, 38 next month, with limited mobility, faces a physical challenge to escape the 16 game season without injury.  Yes, he’s smart, experienced and delivers the ball quickly out of the new West Coast offense, and his line has the talent to provide protection.  Still, it’s a long season and only one play could sideline him for one or more games. 

Cupito enters his senior season with the Gophers having already been a two-year starter.  Along the way he’s missed playing time with a concussion and shoulder injury.   With a likely commitment to more passing than in the past, Cupito’s ability and luck in escaping injury may well be tested more than ever.  A respected Big Ten quarterback for his passing and on-field command, Cupito has neither the Herculean build (6 foot 3, 205), nor the scrambling ability that can help avoid injuries. 

Rookie Tarvaris Jackson is the guess here to replace an injured Johnson.  Although just a rookie, Jackson showed poise, touch and scrambling ability in his brief pre-season debut against the Oakland Raiders.  “I think they are getting this young man ready to be the No. 2 quarterback,” Joe Theismann told a national TV audience on ESPN.  The former Super Bowl quarterback said Jackson impressed him in practice, too.  

Despite his lack of experience, Jackson is 23, older than some rookie quarterbacks and he played collegiately at both Arkansas and Alabama State, gaining experience at two programs.  At State his numbers improved dramatically over three seasons with interceptions going from 13 to 9 to 5.  Touchdown passes increased from 18 to 20 to 29. 

Tony Mortensen played in six games last season, starting once for an injured Cupito.   If a replacement is needed for Cupito, he seems the likely choice.  A redshirt sophomore from Hutchinson, the 6-foot-3, 230- pound Mortenson spent the summer preparing himself knowing “you are only one snap away” from going into the game.  He wants to be more consistent in his throwing motion but is confident in his abilities. 

In his game as a starter, Mortensen completed seven of 17 passes for one touchdown.  For the season, playing limited minutes, he attempted 24 passes, completing nine. The coaching staff used conservative playing calling and limited his opportunities to throw the ball. 

Coach Glen Mason said Mortensen is probably the team’s most improved player since spring practice.

With only nine seniors on the roster, and coming off a 7-5 season, the Gophers are certainly not generating conversation about a top 25 year and BCS invitation. Yet Minnesota is regarded as a possible surprise team in the Big Ten Conference, capable of winning six or seven games and making it to a bowl game. 

Although the Gophers no longer have three super star players from last season, linemen Greg Eslinger and Mark Setterstrom, and running back Laurence Maroney, coach Mason is optimistic about his offense.  “We have enough pieces to the puzzle that I really think we will be good,” he said earlier this month. 

The program has reached elite status with its offensive system.  Minnesota is the only school in the country to both rush and pass for over 2,000 yards each season for the last seven years.   The Gophers have been in the top 20 nationally in rushing yards per game since 2001 and top five the last three seasons.  Last season the Gophers were third nationally in rushing at 273.1 yards per game.  The Gophers are the first school in college football history to have two 1,000 yard rushers three consecutive seasons. 

 Cuptio’s career improvement has been impressive and Mason said his quarterback may have a “great” season.  Cupito’s development, and the presence of outstanding receivers like Ernie Wheelright and Matt Spaeth, plus the loss of Maroney and Gary Russell as runners, means the Gophers are likely to pass more than in the past. 

An intriguing development for the running game was the transfer a few weeks ago of sophomore Alex Daniels from linebacker to tailback.  Daniels, 6 foot 3, 255, intrigued Mason with his athleticism in high school where he saw him run track and likened him to the race horse Seabiscuit.   Daniels high school experience included tailback and Mason said the Ohio native has “all the potential in the world.” 

The defense?  “Defense is the whole story, I think,” Mason said.  Prior to starting practice Mason said he was “confident” the defense will be better. Last week he said it again while admitting past defensive shortcomings included being “terrible” in third down situations where repeatedly the Gophers could not make stop the opposition. The Gophers gave up 29.0 points per game last season and four teams passed for over 300 yards against them. 

Playmakers on defense probably include stocky safety Dominic Jones (5 foot 8, 190), hard-charging linebacker John Shevlin and sophomore end Steve Davis who Mason said “played remarkably well as a freshman.”

Brad Johnson has a career NFL completion percentage of 61.9%, ranking behind Steve Young at 64.3%, Peyton Manning at 63.9% and Joe Montana at 63.2%.  Johnson has completed at least 60% of his passes for 10 consecutive seasons.   After helping Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl in 2003, Johnson appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  Johnson’s brother-in-law is University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt. 

Rookie pitching sensation Francisco Liriano likes the Twins organization and the city.  “I will do whatever it takes to stay here my whole career,” he said. 

Twins trivia:  Torrii Hunter was the last Twins player to hit an inside -the -park home run (July 26, 2001 at Oakland). 

Former Green Bay and Gopher running back Darrell Thompson talking about the 2006 Packer outlook:  “I think the Packers are going to be better. … Those linebackers they have signed are outstanding.  (Abdul) Hodge and (A.J.) Hawk are fabulous linebackers. … I think they could win eight or nine games.” 

Gopher quarterback Tony Mortensen talking about former Hutchinson High School teammate Lydon Murtha competing for a starting offensive tackle spot at Nebraska:  “They want him to put his head on straight and be the man.  They’re going to give him a shot at it and hopefully it will work out for him.”   

University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi, 61, jogs three to five miles daily. 

Bill Kuross, one of the state’s all-time great tennis players and former football coach at Minneapolis Washburn, made a hole-in-one recently when his 150-yard six-iron shot went in the cup on the fly while playing No. 16 at Island View Golf Club in Waconia.   He is the former tennis pro at Minikahda Club and started the Minikahda Tennis Invitational that for 34 years attracted outstanding pros including a young Andre Agassi to Minneapolis.