P.J. FLECK – Page 73 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

‘Chip on Shoulder’ May Define U QB

Posted on August 26, 2018August 26, 2018 by David Shama

A year ago most University of Minnesota football fans had never heard of Zack Annexstad. Even six months ago he was hardly a household name in the state of Minnesota. But Thursday night when the Golden Gophers offense takes the field he will be the focus of fans sitting in TCF Bank Stadium and in front of TV sets.

Annexstad is a true freshman and not on scholarship. He plays the most demanding of positions in Big Ten football—less than a year after being in high school. Because of all that he is one of the best debut stories in recent Gopher football history.

Fleck chose Annexstad over redshirt freshman and scholarship quarterback Tanner Morgan. The coach said last week he was making a commitment to Annexstad and his intentions aren’t to alternate the quarterbacks during games.

News that Fleck named the Norseland, Minnesota native the starter got the attention of both local and national media. The decision surprised a lot of people outside the program but not Kevin Wright. “No, not at all,” said the IMG Academy football coach from Bradenton, Florida. “He’s a tremendous leader.”

Wright is all-in on Annexstad and his brother Brock, a redshirt sophomore wide receiver for the Gophers who could play Thursday night when Minnesota opens its season against New Mexico State. Brock is a former walk-on who Fleck put on scholarship this month.

“You’ve got two walk-on kids that all they ever dreamed about was going to the University of Minnesota, who are able to make that dream come true,” Wright told Sports Headliners. “It’s exciting for us (at IMG) and definitely we’re very excited for those guys and their family.”

It was during the 2015-2016 school year that Wright, who coaches one of the elite prep football programs in the country, first met the Annexstad family—including Brock and Zack’s mom and dad. They talked in the lobby of a hotel in San Antonio, Texas and the conversation impressed Wright.

“This is a tough (competitive) place (IMG football),” Wright said. “They (Brock and Zack) understood what they were getting into. They understood they would have to leave home and go hundreds of miles to try and even compete and get on the field. I think it was something that drove them, excited them, and something they were looking for. That type of challenge.”

Zack Annexstad photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications.

In Zack’s first season at IMG, the summer and fall of 2016, he showed Wright he could contribute. The junior competed for playing time behind senior Kellen Mond and even started one game. Mond was a true freshman at Texas A&M last season and started most of the Aggies’ games.

In early 2017 another talented quarterback arrived in Bradenton to compete with Annexstad. Artur Sitkowski, from New Jersey, earned the starting job at IMG early in the season. “I don’t know that it was a head and shoulders decision (between the two),” Wright said. “We always knew that Zack could play. He handled it (the decision) just like a pro. He could have pouted, could have had a negative reaction. Just decided he was going to battle (to get on the field).“

Sitkowski was a four-star recruit as a prep. The University of Miami wanted him before he flipped his commitment to home-state Rutgers. Now the true freshman has won the starting quarterback job for the Scarlet Knights.

The high profile Sitkowski is also the guy Annexstad eventually beat out for the quarterback job at IMG. Early in the 2017 season the offense wasn’t as efficient as Wright wanted. “We just felt like we needed a little bit of a spark,” Wright said. “I think the third game or so of the season, (we) put Zack in and then he remained the starter the rest of the way.”

It wasn’t just any season, either. Playing a schedule considered perhaps the most demanding in all of high school football, Annexstad helped lead the Ascenders to an undefeated season. In 2017 he threw for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns.

As a freshman Annexstad isn’t allowed yet to talk with the media, but by now you get the idea the young quarterback responds to challenges in a big way. His former coach says Annexstad embraces the underdog role and plays with a “chip on his shoulder.”

Wright likens that characteristic to Baker Mayfield, the former walk-on quarterback at Oklahoma who went on to win the Heisman Trophy. “You need somebody like that who has that chip, who has that confidence,” Wright said. “Not arrogance, but has that confidence that they can go in and get the job done.

“That’s really, ultimately, I think what you’re looking for when you’re trying to build a program. You’re trying to look for a guy that first and foremost is a leader and that other kids buy into. At our place that was very, very obvious that everybody bought into Zack. He was a guy that could make other people better around him. He was a kid that everybody liked.”

IMG offensive linemen Curtis Dunlap Jr. and Daniel Faalele liked Annexstad enough that he influenced their decisions on where to play college football. Dunlap was committed to the University of Florida before he switched to the Gophers. Faalele’s last three recruiting visits were to Alabama, Georgia and LSU.

“When you’ve got the ability to bring those guys with you and bring those guys in, now you’re able to start to build,” Wright said. “You need that guy (like Annexstad). You just gotta go out and perform now.”

Fleck was 2-7 in Big Ten games during his first season as Minnesota’s coach last season. From day one he has talked about culture and leadership at a program that hasn’t won a Big Ten championship since 1967. Part of his quest to find leadership led him to Annexstad who was labeled by 247Sports as a three-star recruit at IMG, a school expected to have three of its alums (add in Shea Patterson at Michigan) starting for Big Ten teams this fall. Annexstad had a few Division I scholarship offers but he wanted so badly to play for the Gophers he was willing to head north as a walk-on—a status likely to change early next year.

What do the Gophers have in the quarterback who beat out Morgan and in spring practice helped discourage junior college transfer Vic Viramontes from staying at Minnesota? The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Annexstad is described as a pro-style quarterback, known for his throwing accuracy, and with the physical strength to run and make a gain out of a broken play.

Annexstad has been at Minnesota since January. He has become, as coaches like to say, “bigger, stronger and faster.” Yet ask Wright about Annexstad’s college future and those aren’t the words that initially come out of his mouth.

“I think first and foremost…he has the potential to be known as a guy that’s a winner,” Wright said. “…Every college coach in America is looking for that guy that can win football games for him. They can find a way. I think he’ll be known as that guy.

“If they (the Gophers) can win seven or eight games, get to a bowl, that’s a huge step for them and the program. …There are a lot of guys that played in the NFL that are similar to Zack in that they didn’t have a lot of accolades coming out of high school necessarily. They weren’t really highly recruited, but that internal motivation to work, to prove people wrong, to be the best you can be, that’s something you can’t gauge. The mark he leaves is obviously yet to be seen.”

It will be just a beginning but Annexstad will leave a mark Thursday night.

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Fleck ‘Excited’ about Frosh Wide Receiver

Posted on August 6, 2018August 6, 2018 by David Shama

Enjoy a Monday notes column on University of Minnesota football.

With official Gopher football practices underway, it will be intriguing to watch freshman wide receiver Rashod Bateman. “I am excited to see what he can do,” said Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck.

A four-star recruit in high school, per 247/Sports and Rivals, the Tifton, Georgia native had 83 receptions for 1,539 yards and 21 touchdowns during his senior prep season. He was good enough that national power Georgia tried to persuade him to change the verbal commitment he made to the Gophers in June of 2017.

The anticipation is Bateman will bring speed, explosiveness and big play ability to the Minnesota wide receivers position. Fleck hopes the production and depth at that position will be improving with the addition of Bateman, return of potential All-Big Ten junior wide receiver Tyler Johnson, and the maturity of redshirt sophomore Phillip Howard and redshirt freshmen Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell.

Another pass receiver of note could be tight end and converted quarterback Seth Green. Since switching positions earlier in the year, the 6-4, 240-pound redshirt sophomore has apparently impressed Fleck who talked about doing “creative things” in the offense with the former East Ridge quarterback from Woodbury.

In Fleck’s first season of 2017 the Minnesota offense didn’t utilize the tight end much for receiving and running. That might be changing some with Green and the addition of true freshman Brevyn Spann-Ford, the 6-7, 260-pound athletic tight end from St. Cloud.

Who will be throwing to these receivers? Well, for sure someone with no college game experience. The QB roster consists of true freshman Zack Annexstad, and redshirt freshmen Tanner Morgan, Sam Pickerign and Jon Santanga.

Fleck predicts a “neck and neck” competition between Annexstad and Morgan. Both are likely to play significant minutes in nonconference games, with Morgan the better bet to emerge as the starter because of his experience being in the program longer.

Neither may ever be grouped with the Big Ten’s most physically talented quarterbacks but both already show leadership skills. That’s extremely important to Fleck.

The quarterbacks will have one of the conference’s best centers to work with in redshirt senior Jared Weyler. He’s a steady blocker in both the running and passing games. He can also deliver consistent and sure snaps to the quarterbacks, and help get each play lined up properly.

Quarterback concerns have been an issue in past years at Minnesota. “They’ve struggled for so long at the quarterback spot, and that’s one foot in the grave in this league,” an anonymous Big Ten coach said in a July 31 article by Athlonsports.com. “They’ve got to get that figured out. There’s no one on that roster from last year that scares you.”

Weyler is part of an offensive line unit that has more depth than last season and includes another talented senior in redshirt tackle Donnell Greene, 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds. “He is going to be a heck of a force up front,” Weyler said.

Fleck said he isn’t sure if four-star true freshman offensive lineman Curtis Dunlap Jr. is a tackle or guard. What he does know is the Florida native is huge at 6-5, 370-pounds.

Athon also quoted an anonymous Big Ten coach about Minnesota redshirt sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. who missed most of last season with an injury: “…If he played at a bigger program, he’d be all anyone was talking about in this league.”

Fleck said the Gophers rank No. 126 out of 128 for inexperience among college football teams. The roster is dominated by freshmen and redshirt freshmen. Minnesota has only nine scholarship seniors.

The coach said the new NCAA redshirt rule allowing programs to use players in as many as four games without losing a season of eligibility came at the right time for the inexperienced Gophers. Minnesota players, including freshmen, will not know when they might be asked to play in a game. “Always stay focused,” Fleck said.

Gophers’ junior linebacker Thomas Barber from Plymouth comes from a Minnesota legacy family but said his relatives don’t provide football input. Barber, who is on the Butkus Award watch list for the nation’s best linebacker, was preceded at Minnesota by his dad Marion Jr., and brothers Marion III and Dom—all major contributors to the program.

Junior linebacker Carter Coughlin continues to work on gaining weight and strength. The 6-foot-4 former Eden Prairie all-stater said his weight is now over 235 pounds and believes he could eventually top 245 while playing at Minnesota.

Coughlin smiled when it was brought to his attention the team media guide already lists him at 245.

The national and regional media have made the Gophers a consensus pick to finish next to last in the seven-team Big Ten West Division. Coughlin sees things differently. “We’re going to shock some people,” he said. “Wake some people up.”

The late Bruce Smith, the great Gopher halfback from Faribault, won the Heisman Trophy in 1941. He is the only Gopher ever to win the award and there is a display recognizing him at the new Athletes Village. Fleck showed June Smith, Bruce’s sister, the display last week.

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U Holds in with 5-Star Recruit Hurt

Posted on August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 by David Shama

Matthew Hurt, the five-star basketball recruit from Rochester John Marshall, might be only a few months away from finalizing his college choice. The state’s most elite and sought after prep prospects in the recent past—like brothers Tyus and Tre Jones—have chosen the blueblood programs of college basketball rather than the Gophers, but Hurt’s story might have a different ending, although don’t bet your Christmas budget on it.

USAtoday.com reported last Friday Hurt plans to soon narrow his list of eight possible schools—Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Minnesota, North Carolina and UCLA. Then he intends to line up campus visits and could sign with a school as early as November 14, 2018.

Kansas might be among the schools falling off Hurt’s list if he is concerned about FBI reports connected with the Jayhawk program. The FBI has been investigating corruption in college basketball, and Kansas reportedly has released two subpoenas showing the bureau requested information about the program.

Former Gopher Richard Coffey saw his son Amir go through the recruiting process a few years ago before choosing Minnesota. Sports Headliners asked him about programs that might be under scrutiny as Kansas apparently is. “I think you would have to avoid those schools,” Richard said. “You never know how things are going to go and a school could get penalized (including no postseason play).”

Sources have told Sports Headliners for awhile KU is a Hurt favorite but with a potential cloud over the Jayhawks, Duke could be the eventual winner in the recruiting race. The school, the program’s history of success, and the reputation of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski could be too much for Hurt to turn down.

Indiana perhaps could fall off the list because it might be too much for Hurt and family members to have Matthew competing in the Big Ten for the Hoosiers against the home state Gophers. UCLA, far away in Los Angles and a program long removed from its glory days, also looks suspect.

In a (Rochester) Postbulletin.com article Saturday, Hurt talked about the things important to him in choosing a school. “…The biggest factors for me are my relationships with the players and coaches, the campus and how the program is doing,” he said.

Hurt’s brother Michael will be a junior on the Gopher team this fall. The two brothers have a close relationship and a source said the Hurts would strongly value the experience of playing together, even if it is only for one season before Matthew moved on to the lure of the NBA .

Matthew told USAtoday.com that Michael is “loving it up there (Minneapolis).” Matthew has heard “good things about their campus,” and mentioned he is “pretty close” to incoming 2018 Gopher freshmen Gabe Kalscheur (DeLaSalle), Jarvis Omersa (Orono), and Daniel Oturu (Cretin-Derham Hall).

Although Michael won’t be in the starting lineup for Minnesota next season, he is likely to earn regular playing time off the bench. The Gophers, led by Amir Coffey and Jordan Murphy, have two potential All-Big Ten front court players. They lead a Gopher team that could be back in the NCAA Tournament next spring for the second time in two years. Minnesota’s new Athletes Village, including its basketball facilities, has been described as a “game changer” for the recruiting and servicing players.

Committing to a university in advance of Hurt’s senior season at John Marshall will relieve the distraction and time commitment of the recruiting process. Presumably every program in the country would like to have the 6-9 forward who is so skilled he could play in the front court or backcourt in college. He has followed up a sensational junior season at John Marshall with impressive recent performances for USA and AAU basketball teams.

Hurt is a consensus top 10 player by recruiting evaluators for the class of 2019. He is, for example, ranked No. 6 among all players in the 2019 class by 247Sports.com and No. 3 among power forwards.

Hurt told the Post-Bulletin he takes pride in showing on a national stage the quality of high school basketball in Minnesota. He said Minnesota is “the most underrated state in the country.”

Apparently Hurt likes proving how good Minnesota talent is and he would certainly have that opportunity with the Gophers where he could play with his brother and Kalscheur, Omersa and Oturu —all natives of the state.

Worth Noting

Richard Coffey said there is no doubt Amir will be recovered from last season’s shoulder injury that caused him to miss most of the Big Ten season. “He’s healed up really well,” said Richard who predicted his son will probably be full go before school starts (first week in September).

Coffey photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications

Richard said Amir is a “legit 6-8” and has increased his weight since last season to about 215 pounds. “We talk a lot about strength and flexibility,” the older Coffey said.

Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck spoke to a record turnout at Twin Cities Dunkers yesterday as part of a busy day that included an interview with the Golf Channel and a team commitment at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. The Golf Channel segment was filmed yesterday with Morning Drive co-host Charlie Rymer and scheduled to air today. The Golf Channel is in town to cover the 3M Championship and wanted to highlight the start of Gophers football this week.

A new Row the Boat graphic was unveiled at the hospital yesterday, symbolizing a never give up attitude. Gopher players and staff held a barbeque with patients and families while enjoying lawn games and other activities.

Former Star Tribune Gopher men’s basketball writer Amelia Rayno has a passion for travel and adventure. She describes herself as a “full time nomad and freelancer” on her new blog Ameiliarayno.com.

Bloomington native Steve Rushin has a byline story in the July 31 issue of Sports Illustrated about Lindsay Whalen that refers to her as “Minnesota’s ever-agreeable favorite daughter.” Whalen, 36, said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” show Sunday she hasn’t decided whether she will play for the Lynx next season, or solely concentrate on her new job as Gopher women’s coach.

Whalen’s husband, former Gopher golfer Ben Greve, has qualified for the August 13-19 U.S. Amateur in northern California.

St. Paul native Jack Morris, enshrined in Cooperstown last weekend, will be honored before a St. Paul Saints game September 1 at CHS Field. Morris pitched for the Saints in 1996 after his big league career.

Nita Killebrew, wife of Twins Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, is preserving the legacy of her late husband for helping others. The inaugural Harmon’s Heart of Baseball fundraiser event and award presentation will be August 25 in conjunction with the Twins-Oakland game in Minneapolis.

Funds raised will help provide opportunities for people with disabilities through two nonprofits: Productive Alternatives and Shriners Hospitals for Children® – Twin Cities. The award recognizes a Minnesotan with disabilities who exemplifies the values and heart of Killebrew. More at Twinsbaseball.com/harmon, or call 612-210-5525.

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