P.J. FLECK – Page 12 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

No Chance Now of Viking Playoff Game at Frigid Lambeau

Posted on December 30, 2024December 30, 2024 by David Shama

A last of the year column while using a notes format and featuring the Vikings, Golden Gophers and Timberwolves.

There is a missing storyline coming out of Sunday’s 27-25 Vikings win over the Packers in Minneapolis. With the victory, the Vikings eliminated a possible matchup against the Pack in Green Bay during the playoffs.

A game at potentially frigid Green Bay in January is something any Packer postseason opponent wants to avoid. Numbing temps and gusty winds could negatively impact Minnesota’s elite roster of offensive playmakers and favor Green Bay’s running offense with stud ball carrier Josh Jacobs.

The 14-2 Vikings defeated the 11-5 Packers by a total of four points in two wins this season. The talent margin between the two teams is not huge and the Vikings would be a more solid bet to win a playoff game at climate-controlled U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Vikings, of course, can host all their NFC postseason games at home if they defeat the Lions, 13-2, in Detroit Sunday. The game time has been changed to an evening kickoff, with NBC televising the match up that will determine the NFC North Division title and playoff seeding.

No matter what quarterback Sam Darnold does in the Detroit game, or in the playoffs, it appears likely the Vikings will bring him back for at least another season. The club could put the franchise tag on him for something like $40 million for one season, or possibly commit longer to the 27-year-old who before 2024 was an NFL journeyman.

Darnold, who passed for a career high 377 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers on Sunday, is the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win 14 games in his first year with his team. He is playing on a one-year $10 million deal.

“Sam Darnold is the best quarterback in the NFL,” teammate J.J. McCarthy posted on Instagram.

McCarthy, the rookie quarterback sidelined all season, was thought to be the heir apparent to Darnold next season. But Darnold is playing at such an elite level that it seems prudent to re-sign him and let McCarthy recover more from knee surgeries and sit and learn in 2025.

The 7-5 Gophers are about a touchdown favorite to win the Duke’s Mayo Bowl Friday night against 6-6 Virginia Tech. It’s tradition at the annual bowl in Charlotte for the winning coach to be drenched in mayonnaise after the game.

That prospect prompts anticipation about Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s fate with his bald head. “Yeah, I am excited,” quarterback Max Brosmer said of the possibility. “I am not sure how fond of mayonnaise coach Fleck is, so we will see what that looks like if we come out with a win up there at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

“I kind of wish he had hair because I think it would be stuck in his hair a little more. It might be easier to clean off if he’s clean shaven. …”

In one season Brosmer established himself as one of the best Gopher quarterbacks in decades. His physical skills, mental acuity and work ethic are a combination seldom seen in Dinkytown.

“I feel comfortable knowing that I didn’t take any days for granted,” Brosmer said. “I put as much effort as I could into every single day. …”

Brosmer, who transferred to Minnesota from FCS New Hampshire, is the “best processor” of information Fleck said he has ever coached. The coach said this year’s offense was probably the most “complex” he’s had in 12 years as a head coach but Brosmer “processes it like it’s the easiest.”

“…We only had him for eleven months, twelve months, but the legacy he’s going to leave is what he passed down in terms of the process—the preparation—to the other guys. And I think that’s the ultimate definition of a leader is what you’re passing down that other people are going to use to make the team and themselves better.”

Brosmer’s likely successor will be freshman Drake Lindsey. Brosmer is complimentary of Lindsey’s passion to play and work ethic. “No team will be successful without a quarterback that just loves football,” Brosmer said.

On the defensive side, lineman Anthony Smith is likely to be a key player in the bowl game and in 2025 when he could achieve postseason honors. The 6-6, 295-pound redshirt sophomore has gone from a spot player in his career to a starter.

Fleck said early on Smith was moved around with different responsibilities and that was a learning process, “but he’s grown a ton mentally, physically and emotionally. The maturity level is going through the roof. He knows why in everything that he’s doing, he’s able to play a little bit faster. And he’s so versatile. I don’t think I’ve ever had a guy that big with that versatility, at 6’6″, 295 pounds, and he can do a lot of different things. …”

“He’s a dude. He’s a very built player. Very big, naturally strong,” said nose guard and teammate Jalen Logan-Redding. He believes Smith has “really realized how big of a player he actually is when he is on the field.”

Minnesota has won five consecutive bowl games under Fleck. While other teams may not focus on giving their best, that hasn’t happened with the Gophers.

“Yeah, that comes from coach Fleck,” said offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. “He demands that we have the discipline and structure every single day to…(be) our best. It shows throughout training camp, spring ball, bowl prep, whatever season of the year it is. It comes from the top.”

The Timberwolves have won three consecutive games, and that success is coming at an opportune time because of the next two opponents. The Wolves will play two of the best teams in the NBA, against the 26-5 Thunder Tuesday night in Oklahoma City and in Minneapolis Thursday evening against the 23-9 Celtics.

The Wolves, 17-14, have won their last three games by a total of nine points. Before Sunday night’s 112-110 home win over the Spurs, Minnesota point guard Mike Conley talked about what was being emphasized.

“It’s finishing and that’s on both ends of the floor. Boxing out, defensive rebounding, finishing our plays offensively. Playing through contact, just being aggressive, being physical. I think when we can get back to our nature of being that aggressive team, we can play through mistakes and be a confident team going forward.”

Guard Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench to score a season high 26 points, including 15 points in the first half when the Wolves took a 57-45 end of the second quarter lead. It was his second consecutive 20-plus game and coach Chris Finch had him on the floor in the closing minutes when the 6-4 guard contributed offensively and defensively.

The crowd came to see the Wolves for sure, but also 7-3 Spurs’ wunderkind Victor Wembanyama. The 20-year-old could be the future face of the NBA. He plays with extraordinary agility and versatility, able to roam the court defensively and offensively.

Wembanyama scored a game high 34 points, making four of 12 three-point shots. In pregame warmups he drew a roar from the crowd after making a beyond midcourt shot.

After the game Wolves power forward Julius Randle was asked about the assignment of guarding Wembanyama. “Just take up his air space. You know he’s 7’10, whatever the hell he is. Just trying to take up his air space and make it difficult for him. You know when you let him play free in space, he’s special, so just trying to make it as hard as possible. …”

Heartfelt condolences to friends and family of Bill McReavy Sr. who passed away recently at age 92. Bill is in the Loyalists’ Hall of Fame among devoted supporters of Gophers athletics. He always had a smile for friends and was an icon in the community heading up Washburn-McReavy funeral and cremation services.

Sad to report the deaths of former Gopher hockey player Len Lilyholm and wife Carol after a car accident on Saturday in Iowa. They were travelling from Minnesota to their home in Florida where they planned to spend time with friends Lou Nanne and Dave Brooks, a source told Sports Headliners. Len played in the early 1960s for Minnesota on the “Smurf line” that included Brooks and Gary Schmalzbauer. Nanne, a defenseman, was on the team, too.

Belated happy birthday to Randy Shaver who recently turned 69. The former KARE 11 news and sports anchor can be followed on his podcasts.

Minneapolis native Jay Pivec, now retired but a well-traveled basketball coach who is in the NJCAA Coaches Association Hall of Fame, has a new book out about his basketball life. The Book of Piv is a fun storytelling read and available from Amazon.

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Fleck: Gophers Will Recruit a Transfer Quarterback for 2025

Posted on December 4, 2024December 5, 2024 by David Shama

Head coach P.J. Fleck went to the transfer portal about a year ago to find his 2024 quarterback. The move paid off with New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer performing superbly in both team leadership and passing with production that included a best ever at Minnesota single season completion percentage of .668.

Brosmer engaged his teammates from the beginning, building relationships and trust. He was also an insatiable learner whose knowledge and maturity gave the Gophers an in-game advantage in problem solving and creating opportunities.

“I’ve never been around a young man who processes information like he processes information,” said Fleck who predicts Brosmer will be an NFL player and later a successful coach if he chooses that career path.

The downside with Brosmer, who figures to be in training camp with an NFL team next year, is that he has used his one season of eligibility. The Minnesota quarterback job is up for grabs in 2025 and Fleck surprised some observers today by saying “we’re absolutely going to bring in a transfer quarterback to compete.”

Fleck said he’s been “transparent” in meetings with quarterbacks on the existing roster, including assumed Brosmer successor Drake Lindsey, and also Jackson Kollock who was one of 20 high school players the Gophers signed today on National Signing Day. Fleck said competition is intended to make everybody better.

A transfer quarterback is likely to have more experience than Lindsey and Kollock who potentially could spend four or more years in the program. But that’s not necessarily a given, and Fleck is certain to prioritize the ability to play at a high level right away is more important than the number of eligible seasons.

Lindsey, an Arkansas native who was the high school Gatorade Player of the Year in that state, is considered a gem from the 2024 recruiting class. The former three-star recruit had the benefit of learning from the cerebral Brosmer this fall. Fleck said the redshirt freshman “has attached himself to Max’s hip.”

Lindsey enrolled early at Minnesota and participated in spring practice where he was impressive. The true freshman played in two games during the 2024 season with the highlight being against Rhode Island when he completed three of four passes and threw a touchdown pass. He has four seasons of eligibility ahead at Minnesota.

Kollock is a high three-star in the 247Sports composite recruiting rankings. The Gophers may have pulled off a coup in getting the Laguna Beach, California quarterback who can not only pass but is more athletic than Lindsey and Brosmer, setting up the possibility of more run-pass options in the Minnesota offense.

Kollock was committed to Washington until after last season’s college football playoffs when head coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb left the Huskies. DeBoer is now head coach at Alabama and Grubb is the NFL Seahawks offensive coordinator. It’s a tribute to Kollock’s talent and potential that those offensive gurus pursued him.

As Lindsey did, Kollock will enroll early to learn about the offense and participate in spring practice.

So, with a transfer likely coming and Lindsey and Kollock available going into next season and beyond, the Gophers look positioned at quarterback—the most important position on the field—to start a talented player who they believe in and with a backup or two that has their confidence.

Gophers Football Notes

The one four-star recruit, per 247Sports composite rankings, is linebacker Emmanuel Karmo from Robbinsdale Cooper. He had an impressive senior season and moved up from three-star to four-star status.

The Gophers signed three of the 247 top five rated high school seniors in Minnesota. The group includes No. 2 ranked Caledonia linebacker Ethan Stendel (comparisons to Gopher Cody Lindenberg) and No. 5 defensive lineman Abu Tarawallie from Heritage Christian Academy.

The expansion of the Big Ten to include four west coast schools, including UCLA and USC, may start a trend of Gopher recruiting out that way. California, with three signees, was second among states in the Gophers’ 20-recuits class. There are six players from the state of Minnesota.

In addition to Kollock, Minnesota signed Daniel Shipp, a three-star offensive lineman from Eastvale, California and three-star wide receiver Legend Lyons from Covina, California.

Shipp injured his knee and missed much of his junior season. The Gophers need tackles and are hoping he can bolster the roster. There is also a void on the wide receiver roster where Lyons can make an impact. Fleck likened his physical skills to former Minnesota All-Big Ten wide receiver Tyler Johnson.

Fleck, who just completed his eighth regular season with the Gophers, keeps preaching he is in charge of a developmental program. Generally, that means Minnesota (like many schools in the Power 4 conferences) will not be able to attract large numbers of four and five-star players.

That is reflected in the annual 247Sports composite national recruiting rankings. Minnesota ranks No. 51 in the 2025 listings. Dating back to 2021, the Gophers have been No. 38, 49 and 46 last year.

Today’s National Signing Day precedes the opening of the transfer portal next Monday. The portal means losing players on the existing roster and adding transfers from other schools, potentially at other levels than Division I including FCS which has been a productive source for Power Four programs including Minnesota (FCS alums Brosmer, Jack Henderson and, Ethan Robinson from the 2024 team).

Despite the transfer portal opportunity after last season, the Gophers retained an impressive 16 starters from the 2023 team. Name, Image and Likeness money for football through Dinkytown Athletes, the Golden Gophers official collective handling NIL, has increased since a year ago. DA, like other collectives, keeps its balance sheet private but it’s believed there is a significant increase from a year ago partially because of a recent “million-dollar match campaign” with Mark Pearson’s Twin Cities-based financial services company, Nepsis, and donations, memberships and upgrades of memberships from the public and businesses.

The estimate here is DA will have between $2 million and $3 million for football NIL. It’s believed Koi Perich, named All-Big Ten safety this week by both the media and coaches, and a candidate for national Freshman of the Year, might receive an NIL amount of over $500,000 next year. Running back Darius Taylor is believed to be another six-figure NIL Gopher.

No doubt players transferring in, as well as those already on the roster, will benefit from earnings doing NIL work. And the Gophers will have a significant number of transfers with obvious needs at receiver, offensive line and cornerback. There could be 10 to 15 incoming players.

Fleck’s name has been linked with the North Carolina head coach opening but he likely isn’t leaving Minnesota. There is more TV money for a Big Ten program than in the ACC where North Carolina competes. Fleck and his wife like living here and have established roots after eight seasons with both the program and community, and they recently moved into their newly built suburban Minneapolis home.

Fleck also has considerable contract security here, similar to many other college football head coaches now. If he is fired without cause his buyout is over $23 million ($23,302,502), per a USA story on coaches October 16. Kirby Smart at Georgia tops the buyout list at $118,083,333. Ohio State fans are grumbling about yet another loss to Michigan but neither the school nor another entity likely wants to pay the $37,276,042 to fire head coach Ryan Day and say, “Goodbye Columbus!”

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Gophers Reverse Trends with Axe Win Over Badgers

Posted on November 29, 2024November 29, 2024 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota left a sweet taste in the mouths of their fans today with a dominant 24-7 win over the Badgers in Madison. A day after Thanksgiving, the Gophers finished their regular season in the public perception plus-column, and improved their positioning for a favorable bowl destination.

Minnesota finished 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten games. That looks and feels better than totals of 6-6 and 4-5.

With a bowl victory the Gophers can make their final record 8-5. That’s a lot better than last season’s 6-7 record that included a win in the lowly Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. The Gophers, BTW, were 3-6 in Big Ten games during their disappointing 2023 season that had followed two nine-win years that included winning conference records.

Minnesota ended a two-game losing streak after painful missed opportunities against Rutgers and Penn State. The win over the Badgers meant the Gophers finished 2-2 in November games after being 0-4 in November last year.

The win gave Minnesota possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the third time in four years. The victory stopped a 2024 string of rivalry game losses, with the Gophers unable to win the Little Brown Jug against Michigan, Floyd of Rosedale, Iowa, and the Governor’s Victory Bell, Penn State.

The win in Madison assured the Gophers they won’t go bowling in Detroit this year. Destinations in Charlotte, Nashville or Phoenix loom as warmer and more attractive possibilities. An appearance and win in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte will set up one of the more interesting on the field celebrations as the winning coach gets soaked in gallons of mayonnaise.

Gophers’ coach P.J. Fleck is undoubtedly up for the experience. His players gave him a nice 44^th birthday present today. He deflected attention from himself after the game during an interview with CBS, saying “after 40 you stop counting and you stop celebrating.”

Fleck said before the game on KFXN-FM: “We have to create turnovers.”

The Gophers didn’t do that, but they were in charge most of the game. Minnesota led 14-0 at the half and 21-7 after the third quarter. The Badgers might never have scored in the game if not for a foolish personal foul play by Joey Gerlach bailed them out of what would have been a fourth and more than 10 yards to go situation. Wisconsin got a first down and later scored their only TD of the game on a 15-yard pass that created some momentum for the Badgers then trailing 21-7.

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer threw touchdown passes to Daniel Jackson and Jameson Geers, and scored on a one-yard tush-push. Brosmer, arguably the program’s top passing quarterback in decades, has a .668 best-ever completion percentage at Minnesota.

His consistency through the season was a trend Gopher fans can celebrate tonight. And here’s another that makes the fans in Dinkytown happy:

The Badgers’ 5-7 final record ends 22 seasons of winning records and likely bowl eligibility.

Worth Noting

Derik LeCaptain, the linebacker and special teams standout who blocked a punt against Penn State, is a team leader and has decided to return for a seventh season with the Gophers in 2025.

Can’t let the month of November pass without recalling Bob McNamara’s game for the ages against border rival Iowa. On November 13, 1954, 70 years ago, the All-American halfback from Hastings led the Gophers to a 22-20 win and a final 7-1 record in coach Murray Warmath’s first season in Minneapolis.

With more than 65,464 fans packed into Minnesota’s Memorial Stadium, the game’s highlight came in the first half with the score tied at 7-7. McNamara received an Iowa kickoff at Minnesota’s 11-yard line and made an 89-yard touchdown run that deserves a place among the most determined efforts in program history.

McNamara shook off Iowa tacklers, refusing to go down to the ground. Warmath said in his biography, The Autumn Warrior, that McNamara’s run was indeed the stuff of legends. “It was the finest example of brilliance and desire I have ever seen,” the coach praised.

Viking Ed Ingram talking about the adjustment in losing his starting right guard spot to Dalton Risner: “At the end of the day, if they didn’t want me they would have got rid of me so they obviously see something in me and they want me to just take a step back…just learn from a veteran. Just see what I can do.”

Ingram, a third-year veteran who has been a starter during his career, is facing a challenge now. “I feel like everybody has their own way of coping with it. Me personally, I pray a lot. I go to God. Whenever something like this happens, I just put it in his hands.”

St. Thomas senior running back Hope Adebayo from Inver Grove Heights is among 35 finalists for the Walter Payton Award recognizing the top offensive player in the FCS. He rushed for 1,137 yards this season, averaging 6.3 yards in 11 games.

The Twins front office could give the team and fanbase a boost if they signed Diamondbacks free agent Christian Walker. He’s won three consecutive Gold Gloves at first base. Last season he hit .251, with 26 home runs and 84 RBI. At 33, he is looking to cash in on his best ever contract and that looks like $22 million to $30 million for multiple years.

My friend Charley Walters reminded me of some humorous Herb Brooks wisdom the other day. The legendary hockey coach said eat dessert first, you never know what’s next.

Tickets costing up to $500 are available for the WWE extravaganza at Target Center next Friday and Saturday night.

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