P.J. FLECK – Page 3 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

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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Koi Perich ‘Big Fan of NIL,’ Will be Endorsing Gushers

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

Koi Perich, the Gophers freshman phenom, is going to be working with General Mills and promoting Gushers as part of his Name, Image and Likeness activities that include clothing. https://athletesthread.com/collections/koi-perich

Blake Baratz, the Minneapolis-based sports agent, told KFAN’s Paul Allen yesterday morning that Perich has “something coming up with General Mills and Gushers.” He didn’t provide details about Perich’s endorsement of the fruit-flavored snack.

Perich, whose football success as a true freshman has drawn national attention, was also on Allen’s program and talked about multiple subjects including NIL that allows college athletes to be compensated for various roles including endorsing products and personal appearances. “I am a big fan of NIL,” Perich said. “I don’t have a lot to say on it, but, yeah, anything that can help me, and I’ll use anything I can…to help other people. That’s a big thing and awesome what they’re doing with it.”

NIL played a role in the 19-year-old Perich wanting to become a Gopher. He and those around him know that with his performance on the field, likeable personality and Esko, Minnesota roots, the opportunities with NIL can keep growing.

With his generational talent, Perich could enrich himself more at some other schools, but he expressed his confidence in head coach P.J. Fleck and the Gopher program yesterday. “I feel like in the next couple of years we’re just going to keep improving and improving, and it’s going to be really fun,” he said.

Before Perich left the KFAN studios Fleck joined Allen as he normally does on Monday mornings. The host teased that it was “student show” day and someone with the initials “K.P.” had a question for the coach.

The student asked: “Why don’t you blitz your safeties more?”

Not sure if the ultra-competitive Perich, who is confident he can do a lot of things on the football field, was serious or teasing, but Fleck kind of poked back with this answer:

“If you don’t like catching interceptions, I can blitz you a little bit more. You’re not going to be on KFAN as much (without those interceptions).”

At that point, Perich was like, Row the Boat. Whatever for the team.

Perich has been impressive returning punts for the Gophers but it’s been his interceptions from the safety position that have led to honors. He leads the Big Ten with five interceptions including two that closed out wins over USC and UCLA. He has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week and the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week.

Koi Perich photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Before Perich’s career is over at Minnesota, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him have a role on offense, perhaps as a receiver with limited snaps. “I can play a lot of positions,” Perich said on KFAN. “That’s what I’ve done my whole life. I feel any time, any position they put me there I can play it. It will just take me a little time and I can master it.”

Fleck admires the focus and commitment of how Perich lives his life. …”You’re talking about a kid, whatever he does, he is fully committed. He’s no nonsense. He just wants to compete and be fully committed and help make teams better. …

“He’s only been on campus for about five months, so he’s got a long career ahead of him. And a lot of work to do and he’ll just keep doing it better.”

Baratz’s company, IFA, represents other Gophers, too, including sophomore running back Darius Taylor. He burst on the scene last year as one of the nation’s premier runners. His emergence also prompted Fleck to say about 12 months ago the Gophers could lose players to other schools without NIL support from the public and the program would deteriorate.

Asked about where NIL is now, Fleck said this at his news conference yesterday: “It’s always a work in progress. It always will be. Always has been.

“We’ve had some very generous donors step up big time for us, and continue to do and work with Dinkytown Athletes and the collective. It’s really special to see what these people are doing for our student-athletes. I think everybody sees the importance of it. …That goes a long, long way in building football programs in 2024 and beyond.

“I’m really excited about where we are and the progress we continue to make every single day. The job of the head football coach is even more important now in fundraising. Not just for facilities and stuff, but for your student-athletes and getting out there and making sure people are really, really aware of what’s going on in college football. …So, I think people are really becoming more aware of it, especially our fans, our donors, our boosters, our supporters. And I can’t thank them enough. …”

NIL isn’t going away, even as revenue sharing with college athletes waits in the wings. It’s believed the Gophers football team has at least two players earning six-figures in NIL income. That number will increase and will be made possible by more individuals and businesses in the state supporting NIL for football and the other 21 sports at the University of Minnesota.

Dinkytown Athletes, the official NIL collective of Gopher athletics, recently announced a “million-dollar match campaign.” Mark Pearson’s Twin Cities-based financial services company, Nepsis, is matching dollar for dollar donations, new memberships or upgraded memberships to DA through November 10. The proceeds will go to Gopher football and volleyball.

Worth Noting

The Gophers have answered critics of their game management this fall. In the UCLA game Minnesota was trailing 17-14 with 2:20 remaining. The Gophers went on a scoring drive that ended with 27 seconds left in the game for a 21-17 win.

Against Maryland the Gophers got the ball on their 35-yard line with 28 seconds remaining in the first half. In six plays they moved down the field to kick a field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter boosting Minnesota’s lead to 34-13.

Gopher quarterback Max Brosmer was named the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Week yesterday for his performance against Maryland, a 48-23 win. Brosmer completed 26-of-33 passes (78.8 percent) for season-highs of 320 yards and four touchdowns.

The Gophers are surprisingly about 3-point favorites to win at Illinois Saturday. That would not only make Minnesota 6-3 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten games, but also end a 0-10 record against head coach Bret Bielema (3-0 as with the Illini,, before that 7-0 at Wisconsin). The Illini are No. 24 in the AP national rankings, and are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten games.

Fleck wasn’t biting yesterday when asked what a win over Bielema and a bowl eligibility sixth win would mean for his team.

“This is going to bore you—1-0 (winning the game). It’s all we’re worried about. I have a lot of respect for coach Bielema and what he does. He always has a hard, smashed mouth, tough football team. No matter where he was, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Illinois. It’s his DNA. We gotta play our best football, playing a ranked opponent on the road. We gotta DIB, man. Do it better.”

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Don’t Bet on Long Term Sam Darnold Run with Vikings

Posted on October 15, 2024October 15, 2024 by David Shama

What’s that phrase, Vikings fans?

“Here today, gone tomorrow.”

Does that fit the future for quarterback Sam Darnold?

Darnold, on a one-year deal reportedly paying him up to about $10 million, is a golden boy in this town for his role in helping the Vikings to a stunning 5-0 start to the season. Although he didn’t dazzle in his last start (October 6 against the Jets before the team’s bye week), the 27-year-old journeyman has pumped new life into his career and a Vikings team that was expected to struggle and not make the playoffs.

Darnold’s early season production led to being named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. He led the Vikings to their first 4-0 start since 2016. On the morning of October 3, he had completed 73-of-106 for 932 passing yards and 11 touchdowns in four games in September. He led the NFL in touchdown passes, percentage of touchdowns thrown per attempt (10.4%) and passer rating (118.9).

However, it’s questionable the Vikings, who have an NFC North Division showdown against the 4-1 Lions in Minneapolis Sunday, are interested in Darnold beyond this year. On the extreme of developments, that interest likely changes if Minnesota goes to and wins the Super Bowl in February in New Orleans.

J.J. McCarthy, injured and out for the season, will be ready in 2025. The Vikings’ No. 1 draft pick last April has yet to play in a regular season game but during the spring and summer he did a lot to impress head coach Kevin O’Connell.

O’Connell is a gifted quarterback developer who has had plenty to do with Darnold’s emergence. It was no accident how he referred to McCarthy around the time of the rookie’s right knee meniscus surgery:

“As our fans either have already come to find out or will in the future, this guy is so motivated and so dialed in. As excited as I was to draft him, he’s confirmed everything that I hope to see not only early on through training camp, but through his performance last Saturday (August 10 preseason opening game). Our fan base and everyone should just be excited about the fact that we’ve got our young franchise quarterback, I believe, in the building.”

“Franchise quarterback” says a lot.

Sam Darnold image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Not only do the Vikings believe in McCarthy’s talent but they know he is six years younger than Darnold and much less expensive. McCarthy, per Spotrac.com, will earn a base salary of $960,000 in 2025. If the Vikings have a big season in 2024 (they can even go 7-5 in their remaining games for a final record of 12-5), Darnold will play a significant role in their success and be positioned to command a huge pay raise from some team as a 2025 free agent.

The 15 top paid NFL quarterbacks this fall, according to Front Office Sports and USA Today, all earn $40 million or more. It could be a lock that Darnold, who at this stage of his career must capitalize on a first-ever breakout season, can demand and secure at least $30 million to $40 million for multiple years.

The Vikings will have significant salary cap space in 2025, but do they want to commit a large portion to Darnold, given his age, lack of success with other teams and McCarthy waiting on the bench? Probably not, with the front office wanting to use money in 2025 and beyond to strengthen other positions while knowing they already have some of the NFL’s more expensive talent including wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Darnold and his representatives, if not wanted here, will no doubt prefer a new team with similar resources to those in Minneapolis. That includes a coaching staff of exceptional teachers and play callers, and a group of talented receivers.

Hard to say where Darnold might land but the Rams could be ideal if 36-year-old QB Matthew Stafford decides to retire. He has made a lot of money, taken a lot of hits and has a Super Bowl ring. Head coach and QB whisperer Sean McVay, only 38, coached that Super Bowl team in 2022 with O’Connell as his offensive coordinator. If Darnold couldn’t play for the Vikings, McVay and the Rams with their gifted receivers, would be choice 1B.

U Football Recruiting Home Base Ranks Low in Big Ten

In the 247Sports composite college football recruiting rankings for the class of 2025, the Golden Gophers are in familiar territory. Minnesota, with 23 verbal commitments, is ranked No. 45, with 11 other Big Ten programs listed ahead of Minnesota including five in the top 15.

Having recruiting classes ranked in the upper 30s or in the 40s is common for the Gophers. College football recruiting authority Ryan Burns, who is based in Minnesota, was asked how fans should feel about the reality of University of Minnesota recruiting.

“I am not going to tell anybody how to feel. I just think it’s the reality of your recruiting base (state of Minnesota)…which in this in-state class doesn’t have a single four-star in it.

“You look at the state of New Jersey, for example. New Jersey has 20-plus kids that are higher rated than Minnesota’s top rated kid in the state. This recruiting base is not good. I continue to say they and Oregon are the two worst in the Big Ten and Oregon can buy whoever they want because they have Phil Knight’s money.

“So it’s kind of the reality of where they’re at, especially when you’re not winning consistently like they haven’t been here now for a couple of years. You kind of reap what you sew at that point.”

With the 2024 expansion of the Big Ten Conference, the league now has 18 schools. The arrival of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington means more programs to recruit against but also opens up recruiting opportunities in the talent rich state of California.

The golden state has been more on Minnesota’s recruiting radar of late, in part because the Gophers are expected to play one game on the West Coast in coming seasons. “You can sell them (recruits on) once a year we’re going to go back to where you’re from,” Burns told Sports Headliners.

It doesn’t go unnoticed that on the last two football Saturdays the Gophers have defeated USC and UCLA. The most recent victory was in Pasadena and Fleck, with his team having a bye on the schedule this week, is spending time recruiting in California this week.

Minnesota currently has three Californians among their verbal commits. “Without the Big Ten expansion, I don’t think Minnesota has anywhere near as close to as many commits as they have from the Pacific time zone,” Burns said.

The headliner of the recruiting class is quarterback Jackson Kollock from Laguna Beach who is a near four-star composite prospect. “His team in Laguna Beach is undefeated but a lot of it is because of Jackson Kollock,” Burns said. “Doesn’t have the greatest offensive line or pass catchers.

“I think he’s the most athletic quarterback you’ve seen (offensive coordinator Greg) Harbaugh recruit. He’s certainly more athletic than (present Gophers) Max Brosmer or Drake Lindsey. I don’t know if they will do too much with him in the run game, but he certainly has the athleticism to move.”

Kollock was committed to Washington until after last season’s 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 those offensive gurus pursued him.

Daniel Shipp is a three-star recruit from Corona, California. “I am really a big fan of Daniel Shipp, who is their offensive line commit from Centennial High School out there in California,” Burns said.

“They took a chance on him as someone who tore his knee and missed most of his junior season. His early senior film has been pretty good, and they need tackle bodies in this program.”

The third California recruit is an exceptional wide receiver and another three-star player. “Someone from the all-name team, Legend Lyons, has been very prolific out there at Charter Oaks (Covina),” Burns said. He describes Lyons as ”a receiver who can really catch the football, which is something that this program needs.”

Verbal pledges can change but Burns believes their commitments are “solid” to Minnesota. “I am a big fan of those three guys out there.”

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