P.J. FLECK – Page 57 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers’ Assistant Coach Star Recruiter

Posted on May 7, 2020May 7, 2020 by David Shama

Joe Harasymiak was hired as a University of Minnesota assistant football coach around Christmas in 2018. Since then he has been a gift to Minnesota’s fast-rising program with both his coaching and recruiting.

Harasymiak and his safeties were major contributors to Minnesota’s 11-2 record in 2019-2020 that ended with an upset win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl on January 1. The bowl victory gave the Gophers two wins against top 10 teams, having also defeated Penn State in Minneapolis. It was the first time since 1904 the program had 11 wins.

Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was a unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. Chris Williamson, a safety and transfer from Florida, was selected in the April NFL Draft—one of five Gophers drafted. Another safety Jordan Howden, who struggled as a freshman in 2018, made a game-saving interception in the end zone when Minnesota upset No. 5 ranked Penn State. Minnesota finished second in the Big Ten with 14 interceptions.

Key staffers don’t just coach for head man P.J. Fleck. They’re expected to deliver in recruiting, too. Pursuit of new talent is close to a 24-7 mandate under the hyper-energetic Fleck, and Harasymiak has delivered including with four-star recruits.

Running Back Ky Thomas and wide receiver Daniel Jackson, four-star players from Kansas, are part of Minnesota’s 2020 recruiting class, and Harasymiak was the assistant coach who led the way to their accepting scholarships with the Gophers. Now Minnesota has 15 verbal commitments for the class of 2021 and four of those players are four-star recruits. Two of the four are preps Harasymiak is taking the lead with in making them Gophers.

Both players are cornerbacks and pursued by blueblood programs but as of now are committed to Minnesota. Avante Dickerson from Omaha is the highest ranked of Minnesota’s 14 verbal commits by 247Sports, and if he becomes a Gopher will be among the most hyped recruits in the internet era. Steven Ortiz from Goodyear, Arizona is highly valued, too, and among schools that have chased him is Pac-12 power Washington. Both Dickerson and Ortiz could play as freshmen.

Kansas, Nebraska and Arizona might be surprise talent sources to Gopher fans but that’s changed with the recruiting expertise and energy of the 39-year-old Fleck and 33-year-old Harasymiak. Among those who have noticed is Ryan Burns, the Minneapolis-based recruiting authority and publisher of GopherIllustrated.com.

“I mean these are just areas traditionally Minnesota hasn’t recruited well in, and all he’s done (Harasymiak) is get four four-stars from areas that aren’t very familiar to Minnesota’s recruiting territory,” Burns told Sports Headliners.

Yesterday came news Minnesota received a verbal commitment from three-star Covington, Georgia safety Darius Green. Per 247Sports, Gopher assistant coach Paul Haynes is the primary recruiter on Green with Harasymiak also contributing.

This winter Fleck rewarded Harasymiak by upgrading his title including naming him co-defensive coordinator. Harasymiak’s salary also jumped from a reported $215,000 to $380,000.

Still, Burns has written that Harasymiak is on a one-year contract and is concerned about keeping the talented young assistant at Minnesota. “He needs more money in his pocket if he is going to stick around,” Burns said.

Prior to joining the Minnesota staff, Harasymiak was head coach at Maine for three seasons. His 2018 team advanced to the school’s first ever Football Championship Subdivision national semifinal. He was named the FCS National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.

Vikings Optimistic on Hosting NFL Draft

The NFL Draft continues to grow in popularity and the Vikings are optimistic they and other local groups can host the annual April event within the next few years. Viking executive Lester Bagley, who specializes in public affairs, said it’s possible the league could award this area the draft in 2024, 2025 or 2026.

Bagley’s optimism can start with the Minnesota track record of hosting acclaimed Super Bowls. As recently as 2018, the Vikings and other local organizations have impressed NFL decision makers with their success in carrying out Super Bowl infrastructure, logistics and hospitality.

A draft here would be in downtown Minneapolis, likely using U.S. Bank Stadium and outdoor areas either close to the facility or the nearby Mississippi River. Bagley estimates 80,000 or more visitors will come to town for the three-day draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft was the most watched ever, drawing more than 55 million viewers. Because of the COVID-19 virus, the draft didn’t have a host city. Las Vegas, originally scheduled to host the event, will be the 2022 site. Cleveland will host in 2021 and Kansas City in 2023.

The Vikings and others made their intention known to host a future draft in August of 2019, but Bagley said as of now there is no development from the NFL to report.

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Gophers Picking Up 4-Star Momentum

Posted on April 28, 2020April 28, 2020 by David Shama

The football Gophers are trending toward their best recruiting class in more than a decade and this spring are picking up more four-star preps. Minnesota has four four-star players among 13 preps who have made verbal commitments for the class of 2021 that eventually may have about 20 scholarship freshmen.

In the latest rankings by 247Sports for 2021, Minnesota is No. 5 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten (behind Ohio State). When national Signing Day comes along in December it seems like this class could be as hyped (or more so) by recruiting authorities as coach Tim Brewster’s group in 2008 that 247Sports ranked No. 26 in America. None of Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s previous four recruiting classes have made it into the final 247Sports top 30 rankings.

Ryan Burns, the publisher of GopherIllustrated.com affiliated with 247Sports, believes Fleck and his staff could pick up three or four additional four-star players to go with a load of three-star recruits. “That wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” Burns told Sports Headliners.

The Minneapolis-based recruiting authority sees a possibility that two more four-star targets could commit in the next 30 days. Running back Mar’Keise Irving from Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois and Chicago Simeon offensive lineman Cameron James both have strong interest in Minnesota despite the COVID-19 epidemic preventing them from visiting campus.

Burns said Minnesota also has commitments from players currently ranked with three-stars who could move up to four-star status (next highest from five stars) if a fall high school season is played and they excelled. He mentioned Shakopee defensive end Devin Eastern is on the edge of moving up because of his on the field skills and also his impressive offseason training.

It doesn’t look like Minnesota will land two of the state’s top rated players in the class of 2021, per Burns. Four-stars Justice Sullivan from Eden Prairie and Riley Mahlman of Lakeville South appear headed to Iowa and Wisconsin respectively. Justice is labeled an “athlete” whose college position appears undecided, while Mahlman could add to the Badger legacy of great offensive linemen.

As of today, 247Sports ranks Iowa’s 2021 class No. 6 nationally, with the Hawkeyes having 12 recruits including four four-star players. Wisconsin is No. 13 in the rankings, with 10 commits including three four-star prospects.

The list of Gopher four-star commits so far is comprised of cornerback Avante Dickerson, Omaha; quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, Antioch, Illinois; cornerback Steven Ortiz, Goodyear, Arizona; and “athlete” Sam Jackson, Naperville, Illinois. All but Athan Kaliakmanis verbally committed to Minnesota this spring.

Burns doesn’t foresee any of them dumping Minnesota to attend other schools, although he will remind a listener “18 year olds” are unpredictable.

Dickerson is the highest ranked Gopher recruit since Washburn running back Jeff Jones committed to Minnesota in 2014. “He (Dickerson) is everything athletically you would ever want in a corner,” Burns said.

It’s almost unheard of for the Gophers to receive a pledge from a Nebraska recruit. Not only are the Nebraska Cornhuskers a legendary team in the state, many of college football’s blueblood programs were also in pursuit of the 6-foot, 165-pound Dickerson who many observers think is the best prospect in the state. Burns believes it’s nearly a lock Dickerson comes to Minnesota and doesn’t give in to the pressure of Big Red Nation.

Why?

Because Dickerson highly values his relationships with coaches and the Gophers won him over led by assistant Joe Harasymiak, according to Burns. He said “Nebraska didn’t put in the work that Minnesota did” to land the gifted prep cornerback. While the Husker staff is likely to try “catch up,” Burns believes Minnesota’s investment in time and effort will keep Dickerson committed until he can sign a National Letter of Intent.

“I think his (recruiting) ranking is warranted,” Burns said. “I think the ceiling is incredibly, incredibly high for him.”

Kaliakmanis gave Minnesota a verbal pledge more than a year ago, per 247Sports. Burns said an indication that Kaliakmanis will keep his commitment is the dual-threat quarterback is recruiting others to become Gophers.

Ortiz committed earlier this month and Blair Angulo of 247Sports predicts an 80 percent likelihood he becomes a Gopher. The University of Washington has a 20 percent chance of having the cornerback eventually land in Seattle. Burns said Ortiz intends to enroll at Minnesota in January and could see playing time in 2021 as a nickel coverage man.

Jacknson was offered a scholarship by Notre Dame to become a defensive back, a position he has never played. He was a sophomore wide receiver before switching to quarterback as a junior last year. “All I know is he is truly one of the most dynamic athletes in the Midwest and that’s why he was so highly sought after,” said Burns who expects Jackson to play wide receiver or QB at Minnesota.

Burns believes Jackson’s intentions toward Minnesota are solid. Jackson de-committed from the Gophers awhile back, and Burns said it would be unusual for a recruit to do that twice with the same school.

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Another Diggs in Vikings’ Future?

Posted on April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 by David Shama

Two weeks out from the NFL Draft it appears likely the Vikings will use at least one of their two first-round selections on a cornerback.

The present cornerback roster is alarmingly thin in quality and depth. Head coach Mike Zimmer, long a defensive guru, will want to make cornerbacks a priority in the college draft, along with mandatory needs at wide receiver and in the offensive line.

There might be seven quality cornerbacks available among the top 35 or 40 prospects. The Vikings, with first round selections at No. 22 and 25, could use one of their picks on Trevon Diggs from Alabama, and the brother of former Minnesota wide receiver Stefon Diggs now with the Buffalo Bills.

Trevon, a former receiver, is expected to be an NFL starter in his first or second season, according to NFL.com/prospects. At 6-foot-1, 205-pounds, Diggs is a physical cover man with the instincts of a receiver. Vikings decision makers shouldn’t allow past history with Stefon’s attitude to stop their drafting of Trevon.

Another corner likely available when the Vikings use their first round choices is TCU’s Jeff Gladney. He doesn’t match Diggs’ size at 5-10, 191 pounds, but he is athletic and feisty on the field. Gladney was known for his ball-hawking skills at TCU, and Zimmer is fond of physical defenders like his All-Pro safety Harrison Smith.

It’s probably a long shot the Vikings will use both of their first round picks on corners but Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman have flexibility in the draft with 12 selections over the seven rounds. The franchise could put off drafting a wide receiver or offensive lineman until beyond the first round.

With a need to replace Stefon Diggs at wide receiver, the Vikings are fortunate the 2020 draft is rich in WR talent. In a S.I.com story last week listing the draft’s top 100 prospects, 16 of them are wide receivers (No. 100 is Golden Gophers WR Tyler Johnson). The Vikings will almost certainly find a high potential WR in the first two rounds of the draft. An out of the spotlight pick that could interest Minnesota in the middle or late rounds is Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Spielman has a reputation for swinging trades to improve his draft position. Gambling that he could meet team needs at corner and WR beyond the first round, what if he traded his No. 22 and 25 selections to move high enough to choose offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs? The Iowa star is among the most coveted linemen in the 2020 draft and the Vikings could use a newcomer contributing the way 2019 first-round center Garrett Bradbury performed as a rookie.

Zimmer likes to emphasize the running game and has one of the NFL’s best ball carriers in Dalvin Cook. The offensive line, a concern for years, remains a project, and that’s not good news for Cook or quarterback Kirk Cousins who often doesn’t respond effectively to pressure from pass rushers.

New U Season Tickets Total Impresses

Although the promotion of University of Minnesota football has been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, the athletic department has already sold 2,067 new season tickets for the 2020 home schedule. That total is close to the 2,519 new season tickets for 2019 the U reported in September of last year after the home schedule was underway.

Included in the 2,067 new season tickets sold to the public (non-student tickets) are 278 tickets that were sold for $249 each. Those inexpensive season tickets were announced in late November last year, and prompted by the fan excitement of the Gophers’ impressive season.

Minnesota earned an 11-2 final record including a surprise Outback Bowl win over SEC power Auburn. The Gophers finished with a final A.P. ranking of No. 10 in the nation. That was the highest ranking for the program at season’s end since 1962.

As of May 13 last year the athletic department had sold only 858 new public season tickets. On May 1, 2018, the total of new season tickets was 817.

Season ticket sales to the public have been a challenge for several years, including modest totals of 21,691 last year and 21,663 in 2018. This week the U reported to Sports Headliners a total of 12,199 total season tickets sold so far. At this time of year renewals of tickets can be slow, and the pandemic could derail 2020 sales and even wipe out the season, but the Gophers potentially might surpass the 2019 total—fueled by last year’s success on the field and the promise of the 2020 team, that while needing to replace much of the defense, will have an exciting offense led by quarterback Tanner Morgan and wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Minnesota has won 15 of its last 19 games and the public is buying into fourth-season head coach P.J. Fleck.

Minnesota closed the season with sellouts in its final two home games as part of a fall that saw more fans coming to TCF Bank Stadium. Dennis Dodd of Cbssports.com reported last month the Gophers’ 2019 attendance increased by 21.9 percent and 8,275 fans per game—the largest overall increase of any NCAA program in the top 50 in total attendance.

Minnesota’s seven-game home schedule includes a nonconference visit by BYU and Big Ten powers Iowa and Michigan. Down the road, and a motivation to buy season tickets, is the 2021 opener against perennial national championship contender Ohio State.

The Buckeyes last visited Minneapolis in 2014.

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