P.J. FLECK – Page 4 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Middling Rankings for Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Posted on August 20, 2024August 20, 2024 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Dan Orlovsky, writing recently on ESPN.com, listed the NFL’s best quarterbacks in seven different categories: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction creativity. His top 10 lists in each category (based on current performance and expectations) included former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins in just one: “decision making with the football.”

Orlovsky defines decision making as knowing what the defense “is trying to get him (the QB) to do with the ball—and what it is trying to keep him from doing.” Add to that, Orlovsky writes, the QB needs to figure out whether the first read is “going to work given what the defense is showing.”

Cousins, who signed on with the Falcons in the offseason after being The Guy with the Vikings since 2018, checked in at No. 10 in the decision-making rankings. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow are the top three on the list.

Cousins, whose season ended last season in late October after tearing his Achilles, reportedly received a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. They are gambling the 36-year-old can recover from his serious injury and play at a high level for a team with playoff expectations. With a new Falcons coach in Raheem Morris and a top 10 2024 draft pick in rookie Michael Penix Jr. behind him, Cousins faces plenty of pressure to perform.

In the 2024 annual vote by NFL players ranking the top 100 players, Cousins came in at No. 81 after being 42^nd last year. In fairness to Cousins, only being able to play in eight games limited his impact but his peers also watched him get off to perhaps the best start of his career. He threw 18 touchdown passes for 2,331 yards and had just five interceptions.

A popular prediction is for the Falcons to win nine to 10 games. The Vikings six to seven.

It’s a good guess the Vikings added former UFL wide receiver Justin Hall to the roster on Monday partly for roster depth if Jordan Addison is suspended for regular season games because of his July driving incident in Los Angeles. Hall, 5-8 and 189-pounds, had the third most receiving yards in the UFL in 2024 with 603 playing with Houston.

ESPN.com also recently ranked the top 100 college football players going into the season, with Golden Gophers left tackle Aireontae Ersery the only Minnesota player listed. Ersery, Minnesota’s left tackle, is No. 59 on the list that has Tennessee defensive tackle James Pearce No. 1.

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who Minnesota will see in its August 29 opener, is the lone Tar Heel on the list at No. 29. Hampton is an Associated Press first team preseason All-American while Ersery is second team.

The Gophers gave up a Big Ten worst 165.9 yards per game rushing last season but could be much improved in 2024. Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said Monday “we’re swarming more and better than we ever have to the ball.”

The Gophers have their own featured back in sophomore Darius Taylor who despite limited play last season rushed for 799 yards in six games. Taylor was a wide out at times in high school and his ability to catch the ball prompts Fleck to describe him as adding “that full playmaker ability to our offense.”

Minnesota may also have one of the deeper running back rosters in the Big Ten with Fleck yesterday talking about multiple players including Marcus Major, the 6-foot, 220-pound graduate transfer from Oklahoma who the coach said has exceeded expectations. “Every time I see that (jersey) No. 24, I just think, man, looks like 24 (former Gopher record setter Mohamed Ibrahim), just bigger,” Fleck said.

If Gophers starting quarterback Max Brosmer is injured during the season his replacement could be true freshman Drake Lindsey. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said Monday Lindsey knew coming to Minnesota would be an opportunity to learn from Brosmer, the graduate transfer FCS All-American from New Hampshire. Harbaugh has been impressed with Lindsey’s learning curve and other skills.

“I sat him down right before he signed, and we talked about how we had to bring in a transfer at that time,” Harbaugh said. “And we were talking about Max and I explained to him that this is going to be a really big thing for you to learn from him, and then for Max to take him under his wing and Drake has done that.

“If you saw him in the spring, he was running the two (second unit) offense as a true freshman, and he should be a senior in high school. He’s done a great job…as soon as he got here in January, of learning the offense, understanding the offense, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes. He’s a natural thrower of the football.”

The Twins, 70-55, will only have to go 20-17 the rest of the season to reach the coveted 90 wins mark. Since the club’s last World Series championship in 1991 the Twins have had seven seasons where they won 90 games or more. They had a regular season 95-67 record in 1991.

Luis Arraez, the former Twin now with the Padres and trying to win his third consecutive batting title, has amazingly almost as many doubles at 23 as times he has struck out, 26, in 497 plate appearances.

Bailey Ober, 12-5 and the Twins starter tonight (Tuesday) against the Padres in San Diego, has 10 consecutive quality starts—tied with Corbin Burnes from the Orioles for the longest such streak in MLB this season. Quality starts mean at least six innings pitched, giving up three earned runs or fewer.

Birthdays: baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is 68 on Thursday and former Gopher women’s basketball coach Pam Borton 59.

Former Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill, now a top assistant at Vanderbilt, turns 63 on Saturday. For more on Kill’s life: https://shamasportsheadliners.com/jerry-kill-healthy-happy-cheering-for-gophers/

Hockey is the focus at the next gathering of the Twin Cities Dunkers on September 17 when TV’s Joe Schmit moderates a discussion with Brock Faber from the Wild, Gophers coach Bob Motzko and North Stars legends Lou Nanne and Tom Reid.

The Star Tribune has abandoned a long history of using Minneapolis in its name to become the Minnesota Star Tribune. It could be a cold day in hell when the Pioneer Press drops St. Paul from its nameplate.

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Despite Injury, Favored Status Remains for J.J. McCarthy

Posted on August 15, 2024August 16, 2024 by David Shama

Despite right knee meniscus surgery on Wednesday that will end his season, rookie J.J. McCarthy apparently remains the quarterback in waiting for the Vikings. This is part of what head coach Kevin O’Connell said yesterday when he reported on McCarthy following surgery:

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

“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 (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.”

At the news conference KOC didn’t speculate 27-year-old Sam Darnold, who the Vikings signed as a free agent in the offseason, could become the team’s long-term quarterback.

Darnold and the 21-year-old McCarthy, who the Vikings took at No. 10 in the first round of last spring’s NFL Draft, might have been in a quarterback battle during the coming season. The two had been taking most of the reps at training camp this summer.

Speculation had a couple of scenarios about the competition including Darnold starting the season and McCarthy moving in at No. 1 after several games. Another path was holding McCarthy out for the entire season to let him learn and more fully develop—remaining on the bench no matter how Darnold performed.

Darnold will likely one day remember 2024 as the season that defined his pro football career. The opportunity to become an established starter was evident last winter when he reportedly signed a $10 million one-year contract to likely replace the departed Kirk Cousins, but now with the absence of McCarthy it’s even more likely he’s at a fork in the road regarding his career.

It appears Darnold will need to stage one of the more amazing comeback stories in recent NFL history to change the likelihood of McCarthy taking over the team next year. McCarthy has youth, talent and commitment on his side while Darnold’s track record is one of mostly disappointment after being drafted third overall by the Jets in 2018.

The grandson of Marlboro man Dick Hammer, McCarthy didn’t get off to a smoking start with the Jets where in three seasons he threw 39 interceptions, and 45 touchdown passes. Then he played two unproductive seasons with the woeful Carolina Panthers. Last season, he started one game as a backup for the 49ers.

Darnold, though, is intriguing. He has a quick release throwing the football and good arm strength. He is athletic enough to move around in the pocket like a teenager playing backyard football. With McCarthy’s injury, Darnold can play in a more relaxed environment and know the boo-birds in the stands, and perhaps even his own coaches, won’t pull a quick “trigger” and bludgeon his career.

Darnold’s reputation is that of a gun-slinger quarterback. He can make observers scream, “Oh, no!” Or yell, “Oh, yes!” as he fits passes into tight spaces.

The truth is Darnold has never been in a situation so ripe for success as in Minnesota. He is in a quarterback friendly system led by O’Connell. His gifted offensive teammates include wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, elusive running back Aaron Jones, and formidable pass blockers Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. This is an elite NFL offensive environment that Darnold is integrating with.

No one, including O’Connell, can know for sure whether there is a transformation coming from the former USC quarterback who many thought might be the No. 1 overall draft choice in 2018 instead of Baker Mayfield. He is intriguing enough to believe if he gives the Vikings sustained production the club can have playoff aspirations and thoughts of winning 9 games or more.

If not, thoughts of the “Golden Boy” and 2025 will come quickly to mind.

Worth Noting

Congratulations to sports icon Dave Mona who is back for his 50th year as the press box voice at Vikings games, working games over the years at Met Stadium, the Metrodome and U.S. Bank Stadium. Asked about his age, Mona quipped, “More than 50.”

On game days Mona is continually providing information to the media. Asked about the future, he joked again and said: “Yeah, just a year at a time. Have been for about 48 years.

“I enjoy it. It’s a fun thing to do. I love working with a group of guys being part of the stats crew. I think people would be fascinated to see what goes on statistically as part of the game and how calm it is in there—despite all the information being tossed back and forth.”

Max Johnson, the son of former Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson, wears jersey No. 14 just like his father. Max, who previously played collegiately at LSU and Texas A&M, is in a starting team quarterback competition for North Carolina to see who leads the Tar Heels in their August 29 opener against the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis. Max has two seasons of remaining eligibility.

Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck talking about the competitiveness of the 2024 team: “I just think they’re ultra-competitive. They really are. And I think good teams know they’re really good. They act that way. They walk that way. They talk that way. They work that way.

“And look, we don’t know what kind of team we’re going to be…that story is yet to be told. But they come to practice every day like they feel they’re a really good football team. And I love that about them. …

“But right now, I mean competing with each other, is as good as we’ve ever had. With iron sharpening iron. I think it’s really productive for us.”

Fleck talking about prize freshman Koi Perich, who arrived on campus in June, and the Esko native’s possible playing time: “I think it’s really early when you talk about true freshmen. I think it’s all about how their bodies handle the next few weeks.

“It’s really difficult coming here in June and making a huge impact as a true freshman. It’s just hard at any level at any position, but we love what he does. We love how hard he plays. He’s really smart and if he continues to take the next right step, then you could see him being in the mix as we go forward. Not only just safety, but special teams and other certain parts of the game.”

Veteran teammate and defensive lineman Danny Striggow on Perich: “Koi is a fun guy to be around. I didn’t really hear him talk for the first couple of weeks that he was here. He was a little quiet but now he’s starting to open it up…to get in with a lot of the guys.

“It’s really cool to see him come in and be explosive right away. Kind of see him work into his role and really take control of the positions that he is in and the reps that he is getting. To be able to go out there and really take advantage of what he’s getting for reps.”

Veteran linebacker Cody Lindenberg has been impressed with Perich’s energy and instincts. The former 4-star recruit, who was the MVP of the January All-American Bowl, is a playmaker at safety or special teams including returning punts. “…Whatever it is, he’s going to make a play somehow, some way. It’s been great to see him grow, too. It’s a short while since he’s been here but he’s gotten a ton better.”

Gopher senior Quinn Carroll, who has switched from right tackle to right guard, likes playing more inside where a player is “more influential” in the run game and “that’s my strength” right now.

Condolences to family and the many friends of Scott Buss, age 50, who died unexpectedly several days ago. The Eden Prairie resident was a personal favorite. We were scheduled to be part of a foursome at Dwan Golf Course in Bloomington on Sunday. Scott was chosen by sportswriter John Sherman from the Sun-Current for Edina’s all-time high school baseball team. In his senior spring at Edina in 1993 the Star Tribune named him the all-state first baseman. Kind and soft spoken, with a passion for people and sports, Scott leaves a void that will never be filled for those who loved him.

Tom Kelly, who managed the Twins to two World Series championships and whose statue is outside Target Field, turns 74 today (August 15).

Bailey Ober, 12-5 with a 3.52 ERA, can extend his career best winning streak (now at four) when he starts for the Twins tonight against the Rangers in Texas.

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Collective Makes Significant Impact on Gopher Football

Posted on August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 by David Shama

Dinkytown Athletes, the official Golden Gophers collective involved with Name, Image and Likeness opportunities for University of Minnesota athletes, launched in July of 2022 and sold its first memberships to the public in September of that year. DA, led by Derek Burns and Robert Gag, faced a skeptical Minnesota sports public but interest in boosting the coffers of the collective is documented in a report shared recently with Sports Headliners.

Active paying members were up 156 percent year-over-year in the spring of 2023 and 180 percent in the fall of last year, per “The Dinkytown Difference Football Case Study.” The document doesn’t specify dollar amounts, but the opinion here is DA has become competitive with other collectives supporting major college football programs including many in the Big Ten. (Editor’s note: DA is a Sports Headliners advertiser.)

Darius Taylor photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Without the growth in financial support for DA from contributors, the Gophers wouldn’t be returning 16 starters from last season’s team. Among returnees are standouts including sophomore running back Darius Taylor whose 799 yards rushing last season was fifth best in school history for a true freshman despite missed playing time when he was injured. Taylor’s NIL earnings are estimated at six-figures. For sure being rewarded, too, with NIL earnings are other Gophers including Aireontae Ersery, rated the best returning offensive tackle in college football by Pro Football Focus.

In a new era where players on the existing rosters of college football teams have to be re-recruited, the transfer portal window is an anxiety producing time as programs look to both retain and add personnel. For the 2023-2024 portal period the Gophers coaching staff led by P.J. Fleck lost three transfers to Power Five programs including starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Minnesota gained eight transfers, giving the Gophers a net gain of 94 games in playing experience, according to the Dinkytown difference document.

Rivals.com gave Minnesota the second highest grade among Big Ten teams last spring for its work in acquiring talent in the transfer portal. Minnesota’s B grade was surpassed only by Washington’s B+.

Minnesota’s eight transfers include promising running back Marcus Major from Oklahoma, former state No. 1 recruit and edge rusher Jaxon Howard from LSU, plus needed help at wide receiver where Cristian Driver from Penn State and Tyler Williams from Georgia. The biggest transfer prize looks like FCS transfer Max Brosmer from New Hampshire.

As a startup, founders Burns and Gag learned money needs to be in place before the transfer portal opens. In the 2022-2023 portal the Gophers lost 10 transfers to Power Five programs. Minnesota gained two transfers during that period resulting in a net loss of 115 games in Power Five playing experience, according to the document.

Among the players leaving the Gophers was cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., who became a 2023 All-American at West Virginia. Austin Booker made all-Big 12 as a defensive lineman for Kansas. Defensive lineman Trill Carter was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year playing for Texas.

Worth Noting

Steve Erban said his company will be taking about 600 Gopher football fans to Minnesota’s October 12 UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. Creative Charters has almost sold out its availability.

Just added to the football fan travel lineup is a trip to the November 9 Rutgers game. Erban said the trip experience will include a visit to the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey.

Speculation is Viking safety Lewis Cine, the team’s top draft choice in 2022, will not be a member of the team when roster cuts are made later this summer. Cine, selected last in the first round with the No. 32 pick, has been a disappointment during his career and appears to be way down on the safety roster in training camp.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Cine played in three and seven games respectively, and started in none. It now appears that Cine, and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., who was the team’s second player taken in the 2022 draft, will be draft busts. Booth Jr. was traded last week to the Cowboys for cornerback Nashon Wright.

The most important performance yesterday in the Vikings’ 24-23 closing seconds victory over the Raiders may have been the winning field goal by rookie kicker Will Reichard. In the opening preseason game for both teams the Vikings got a clutch 38-yard boot by Reichard who is trying to win the kicking job after Minnesota released veteran Greg Joseph in the offseason.

Adding to the drama at U.S. Bank Stadium yesterday, Reichard had his first field goal attempt as a pro blocked, and Raider kicker Daniel Carlson kicked three field goals including a 56-yarder. Carlson was released by the Vikings after his first two games as a rookie in 2018. He’s been with the Raiders ever since where he’s become one of the NFL’s best, and the hasty decision by the Vikings to cut ties remains among the worst in recent years for the franchise.

An interesting individual matchup in Viking training camp is rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner going against stud offensive left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Turner, a first-round selection, had a sack yesterday and looks like a game-changer.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell said after the game his top two quarterbacks, newcomers Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, are “ahead of where I thought they would be at this point.” It’s believed that Darnold, an NFL vet going into his seventh season, is almost certainly the starter for the regular season opener at the Giants September 8.

Rookie McCarthy made a couple of underwhelming throws in the first half, including an interception. In the second half, he threw two touchdown passes with velocity and touch on the football. Darnold played only one series, the opening drive of the game.

The Twins finish their four-game series today against the Guardians who have lost two of the first three games against Minnesota at Target Field. Cleveland holds a 2.5 games lead in the AL Central Division but has lost seven of its last eight games and is 17-23 since June 26.

The Guardians are the smart choice to win today with ace starter Tanner Bibee going against Minnesota rookie David Festa. Last Monday, though, Festa impressed in a win over the Cubs, giving up two hits and no runs in five innings.

Twins president Dave St. Peter is a college football fan and will attend his first game at Michigan Stadium when Texas plays Michigan September 7. “Excited about it,” St. Peter said. “Never been to the ‘Big House’ so it will be a fun experience. I am certain of that.”

This will be the 14^th trip he and friends have made to well-known college football venues.

Target Field has a history of hosting college football games with regional teams and interest remains in future bookings, but St. Peter told Sports Headliners nothing is on the “calendar for the next few years.”

Look for Twins games to be on cable/satellite next season, plus directly to the consumer via streaming. Comcast viewers who finally have the Twins back on cable this summer by paying a higher monthly fee may have to pay more of the same for Timberwolves and Wild telecasts.

Owen Presthus, grandson of former Golden Gophers basketball captain Paul Presthus, is an outstanding soccer player and a few days ago was signed by Columbus Crew 2 to an MLS Next Pro contract.

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