Author: David Shama

As measured by yards per game, the Vikings will play three of the NFL’s top offenses in their final regular season games.  Arizona ranks fourth, Atlanta fifth and the New York Giants sixth.  If defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams are available for those games it dramatically increases the likelihood the Vikings, 8-5 after beating Detroit Sunday, can qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Saying he needed more time to review the case, a federal judge prevented the NFL last Friday from suspending Kevin and Pat Williams, and three other league players, for violating the NFL’s anti doping policy. While the two Vikings played against Detroit, their future availability isn’t so clear but it’s evident the Vikings will face much more competent offenses in the final weeks than some teams on the schedule earlier.  (New Orleans, No. 1 in the league at 405.9 yards per game, is the only top 10 team the Vikings have seen so far.)

“This whole situation is going to be interesting based on teams we have left to play,” Vikings linebacker Ben Leber told Sports Headliners last week.  Leber is part of a defense that ranks No. 2 against the run and No. 20 versus the pass in yards per game.

As pretty much known throughout the planet, those Williams guys are particularly extraordinary against the run.  Kevin Williams can put pressure on the passer, too.  Overall, a dominant Vikings’ defense stopped Chicago from scoring a touchdown on four downs inside the five yard line a week ago Sunday, a stand that seemed to be a catalyst in Minnesota’s 34-14 win and likely a turning point in 2008 as the franchise tries to win its first division championship since 2000.

Defense defines the Vikings and that unit, no matter who is on the field, will be on trial starting Sunday in Arizona against the Cardinals.  Arizona is second in the league in yards passing per game, with an offense that includes 37-year-old quarterback Kurt Warner (second in the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards) and wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, both among the NFL’s top eight in receiving yards.

Atlanta, here on December 21, is second in the NFL in rushing yards per game, while the Giants, who come to Minneapolis for a game on December 28, are first.  Michael Turner of the Falcons, with 1,269 yards, is second in the NFL in rushing. The Falcons also have a productive passing game with rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Roddy White, first in the NFL in receiving yards per game.

The Giants have the NFL’s ninth leading rusher in powerful Brandon Jacobs (1,002 yards).  A second rusher, Derrick Ward, has 669 yards.  Then, too, the Giants have some guy named Eli Manning.  Oh, yeah, the quarterback of last season’s Super Bowl champs.

Arizona, Atlanta and New York?  No doubt that kind of competition gives the Williams lads something to keep their minds focused on instead of the court room.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners that selection of plays for the Insight Bowl against Kansas will be a “collaboration” between himself, newly arrived offensive line coach Tim Davis and offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar.

Davis replaced coach Phil Meyer after Minnesota’s season ending loss to Iowa.  In two of the last three games the Gopher offense didn’t produce a touchdown.  The arrival of Davis as offensive line coach and running game coordinator offers a new start for an offense that rushed for 189 yards in the last three games, including seven against Iowa, and finished last in Big Ten Conference rushing at 105.8 yards per game.

Brewster described Davis as a “spectacular hire.”  Davis has had coaching stops at USC, Wisconsin and most recently Alabama.  “I believe he’ll help our offensive line improve across the board,” Brewster said.

Vikings quarterback John David Booty, while playing at USC, roomed with linemen who had Davis as their position coach.  “He’s just real high energy…and really a lot of fun to be around,” Booty said.  “And I think that’s what a lot of these guys coming out of high school saw. …”

Davis, who Booty described as “big time” for his sincerity with players, is expected to impact not only the coaching but will also help upgrade the Gophers personnel.  “He’s a fantastic coach and recruiter,” Brewster said.

The Gophers begin practice this afternoon for the December 31 bowl game.  Brewster said Dunbar, the offensive coordinator for the last two seasons, will “verbalize” the calls during the game, but that he and Davis will have input, plus advance preparation of the game plan.

Brewster disagreed with the suggestion that the Gophers may run the ball more in the bowl game, asserting that the offense has been balanced between the pass and run in the past and likely will have a similar mix in Tempe, Arizona, site of the Insight Bowl.  What’s likely to be new, though, is that quarterback Adam Weber will be under center at times and the Gophers will do some power running.

The Gophers receive 15 practices from the NCAA to prepare for the bowl game.  Brewster said the Gophers are among the “two or three” youngest teams in the country and he’s excited about having the equivalent of “two spring practices” to work with the team.  “We’re really going to improve between now and the bowl game,” he said.

Brewster is justifiably proud about the progress of his team and program. The Gophers, 1-11 last season, were one of the surprise success stories of college football this fall.  The talent pool Brewster and his staff took over in 2006 was minimal by Big Ten standards and it takes to time build a program.

After starting 7-1, the Gophers lost their last four games.  Brewster said the team’s lack of depth was a contributing factor and the Gophers just “ran out of gas.”

As a recruiter Davis will focus on offensive linemen.  He will recruit nationally and be assigned selected Minnesota high schools including Cretin-Derham Hall where offensive tackle Seantrell Henderson, a senior next fall, is a highly sought player.

Brewster expects all his players to be healthy for the bowl game.  This includes wide receiver David Pittman, who has played minimally because of a hamstring injury.

Brewster was scheduled to fly back from New York this morning where he attended the College Football Hall of Fame awards dinner last night.  Among those honored was former Gopher coach Lou Holtz, an inductee into the 2008 hall of fame.

The 10 finalists for the prep Mr. Football Award are quarterbacks James Peterson, Blaine High School; Anders Lee, Edina; and Tydan Storrusten, Pelican Rapids;  running backs Jake Gibbons, Becker; Kurtis Huisman, Atwater Cosmos Grove; and Colby Ring, Brainerd; offensive tackle Casey Dehn, Owatonna; linebackers Cole Jirik, Northfield, and Brett Skoog, Orono; and defensive back Varmah Sonie, Apple Valley. The winner will be announced on Sunday at the Mr. Football banquet at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park.  The Mr. Football program is sponsored by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Minnesota Vikings.

Bad timing: the Gophers Insight Bowl game starts at 5 p.m. on December 31, the same day and time as Minnesota’s Big Ten home basketball opener with Michigan State.

The Gopher basketball team, 8-0, is off to its best start since the 1976-77 season when Minnesota won its first 11 games.  Coach Tubby Smith was asked after Saturday’s comeback 71-54 win over Cornell if the progress has exceeded expectations.  He answered by talking about not being satisfied with execution of the team’s offense.  “I expect more but it’s efficient enough right now,” he said.

The Gophers have four nonconference games remaining including tonight against South Dakota State.  The one anticipated game is December 20 against No. 9 ranked (AP poll) Louisville.  The game will be played in Glendale, Arizona as part of the Stadium Shootout doubleheader.  “I wish the game were tomorrow,” Gopher guard Lawrence Westbrook said on Saturday.

Detroit quarterback Daunte Culpepper talking about his search for employment during the last off-season and whether he spoke with his former team, the Vikings: “Yes, I did talk to somebody up there but the conversations didn’t really go too far.”

Four MIAC players have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.  Concordia’s Levi DeVries was a first team selection while Saint John’s Jeff Schnobrich, Bethel’s David Benjamin, and Gustavus’ T.J. Ridley were named to the second team.