Category: Gophers Basketball

 

“J” Leman predicts a close game tomorrow when the Gophers, 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten Conference, play Northwestern, 3-2 and 2-0, at TCF Bank Stadium.  But the former University of Illinois All-American who is now a Big Ten Network football analyst told Sports Headliners he predicts the Wildcats will win.

Leman followed Northwestern’s 0-2 start this season, losing to California and Northern Illinois in Evanston, but since then the Wildcats have won three consecutive games including a dominating performance against Penn State on the road and a home win last Saturday over nationally-ranked Wisconsin.  Leman, who was the analyst on BTN’s coverage of the Northwestern-PSU game, said this is a “tale” of two Wildcat teams and the group now on a three-game winning streak is featuring an “opportunistic defense” that stops teams from scoring at 20 yards and closer to the goal line.

“They’ve never been a shut down, lock’em down Michigan State style defense,” Leman said.  “They bend a lot.  They’re not going to give up a big play. …They’re going to make you work all the way down the field.”

Last Saturday the Wildcats held Wisconsin’s nationally-feared run game to 284 yards and only one touchdown rushing in a 20-14 win.  The Wildcats came up with four interceptions including three by safety Godwin Igwebuike who was honored this week as Big Ten Defensive and Freshman Player of the Week.

The Wildcats and Gophers are tied for second in the Big Ten behind Michigan State with +6 turnover margins.  “Here’s the key for Minnesota—it’s not turning the ball over and it’s red zone efficiency,” Leman said.  “Northwestern is great at making a play when they need a play. …If Minnesota can win the turnover battle, they’ll win the football game.”

But Leman predicts the Gophers, who had a bye on the schedule last week, won’t win because of Minnesota’s suspect passing game.  The Gophers are last in passing among conference teams averaging 113.2 yards per game, although quarterback Mitch Leidner did have his best performance of the season against Michigan when he completed 14 of 22 throws including one touchdown in an upset win on September 27.

“Until they can find consistency at that position, they’re going to struggle in close games,” Leman said.  “That’s usually what happens when you have issues at quarterback.  When you have issues at quarterback you’re going to turn the ball over, and you’re already playing an opportunistic defense (Northwestern).”

When Leman looks at the Wildcats he sees an “offense that’s coming together.”  Senior quarterback Trevor Siemian can be productive and has talent among his receivers but the player Leman raves about is 5-11, 185-pound freshman running back Justin Jackson.  He ran for a career high 162 yards against the Badgers.  “I think Jackson will be the premier running back in this conference by the time he’s a junior or senior,” Leman said.

That statement should make an impression with the Gophers and so too is Leman’s comparison of Jackson with former Minnesota All-American running back Laurence Maroney.   “I think if you look at Justin Jackson’s build—Maroney was a little bit thicker—but the way Justin Jackson runs with breakaway speed, runs angry and  knows when to cut it up (the field) on the stretch play like Maroney…there’s some eerie similarities,” Leman said.

Leman is a fan of Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald and also an admirer of the Gophers’ Jerry Kill.  During Fitzgerald’s nine-year career at Northwestern the Wildcats have drawn national attention with their success and have sometimes specialized in winning close games.

Fitzgerald was one of Northwestern’s greatest linebackers in the 1990s and Kill said the Wildcats “reflect” their head coach’s intensity and intelligence.  “They’re always in the right place.  They always step up with big plays.  They have since he’s been there.”

Kill is in his fourth season as Gophers’ head coach and his staff has increased the win totals each season and Minnesota had an 8-5 record last year.  “At Minnesota they develop football players,” Leman said.

Leman doesn’t think the Gophers will earn their fifth win tomorrow, but he has a positive outlook for Minnesota—a team whose attributes includes top running back David Cobb and a solid defense.  “I still think Minnesota finds a way to get to eight or nine wins this year,” Leman said.

Worth Noting 

Cobb ranked sixth nationally in rushing at 144.4 yards per game after last weekend.  Leman rates him among the top five running backs in the Big Ten along with Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Tevin Coleman (Indiana), Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) and Jeremy Langford (Michigan State).  Kill said Cobb, a 5-11, 229-pound senior, is faster and stronger than last season when he ran for 1,202 yards—the 12th best total in Gophers’ history.

“He’s got great vision at the line of scrimmage, and he’s got a knack of keeping his pad level down—and then the strength in his legs—he’s very strong down below,” Kill said. “I think he’s harder to tackle this year than he’s ever been and we noticed that in camp.”

Cobb often makes runs that are longer than expected.  He finds running room where there is minimal space and can turn a four-yard opening into 10 because of vision, burst and strength.  “You know what?  He’s amazing,” said Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover.

Maxx Williams, the Gophers’ sophomore tight end who could be named All-Big Ten this season, said he, too, is faster than last year.  Could the 6-4, 250-pound Williams, who is known for his speed, run as fast as the team’s wide receivers?  “Do my best to,” he answered.

Athletes have different ways of handling pregame anxieties.  Gophers’ senior wide receiver Isaac Fruechte told Sports Headliners he vomited before football and track events while in high school, and up until this season at Minnesota.

East Ridge High School junior quarterback Seth Green’s parents, Bryan and Teresa Green, both attended the University of Minnesota.  Bryan was a running back for the Gophers in the early 1990s.  Seth is expected to announce his college choice October 15, with Michigan State, Minnesota and Oregon the contenders.

Vikings’ executive vice president Lester Bagley told Sports Headliners the franchise has thought about one day hosting the NFL Draft.  “We haven’t worked on it but certainly it has crossed our minds,” he said.

New York City has been the long-time home of the league’s college draft but that will change next year in Chicago.  The draft will be held at a large Chicago theatre, and NFL fan activities will be staged at the city’s Grant Park.

Bagley said this area has the venues and spaces to host the draft and fan festival but the franchise has its “hands full” now with details in playing temporarily at TCF Bank Stadium, building the new downtown Vikings stadium and planning for the 2018 Minneapolis Super Bowl.  “We’re sure it’s something community (Minneapolis-St. Paul) leadership would be interested in,” Bagley said.  “We’ll see how it goes in Chicago.”

During an interview Tuesday morning on 1500 ESPN, Gophers’ basketball coach Richard Pitino indicated the most uncertainty about the team’s starting lineup is at small forward and center.  There’s competition at small forward between Carlos “Squirrel” Morris and Daquein McNeil, while Elliott Eliason and Mo Walker are trying to win the starting center job.  Guards Andre Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu, and power forward Joey King, look like starters at their positions.

The Timberwolves play their second exhibition game of the fall tonight against the 76ers at Target Center and FSN North will televise starting at 7 p.m.

Add Cardinals’ relief pitcher and Minnesota native Pat Neshek to the list of players excelling after leaving the Twins. He has pitched in four games during the post-season with a 2.45 ERA in 3.2 innings.  During the 2014 regular season Neshek had a 1.87 ERA and 7-2 record.

Dick Jonckowski, the Gophers’ baseball and basketball public address announcer, said he sold about 4,000 of 8,000 sports memorabilia items during his sale at the Canterbury Park Expo Center.  Although he doesn’t have the final total, he thought sales might reach $13,000.00 for the fundraiser to help pay medical bills and restore the basement at his home that was flooded earlier this year. He is planning to sell the remaining inventory from the Canterbury sale to a Minneapolis sports memorabilia dealer.

Jonckowski is being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and type 2 diabetes.  He finishes chemotherapy in early December and expects a full recovery from the cancer.  His 71st birthday is October 22.

For the first time in 2014 the MIAC has five teams receiving votes in both the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll and the D3football.com Top 25. In the D3football.com rankings, Bethel leads at No. 11 with Concordia 23rd, Saint John’s 24th and St. Thomas 25th, and Gustavus made the “others receiving votes” section of the poll. In the AFCA, Bethel is 16th, St. Thomas 21st and Concordia 25th, with Saint John’s and Gustavus also receiving votes.

Wild center Ryan Carter, from White Bear Lake and Minnesota State, is one of 16 WCHA alumni on NHL opening week rosters.  Last night the recently signed Carter made his regular season debut with the Wild in the team’s 5-0 win over the Avalanche.

Comments Welcome

 

Gophers fans have learned to treasure rare wins against Michigan, including in Ann Arbor where Minnesota plays the Wolverines tomorrow in a game TV viewers from Minneapolis-St. Paul will see on ABC.  The opinion here is the Gophers’ chances are 50-50 to earn one of those once-in-a-generation moments tomorrow at Michigan Stadium—the famous 109,901 capacity “Big House.”

The Gophers won in Ann Arbor in 1962 and haven’t exactly been greedy there since, with victories also in 1986 and 2005.  During the last 50 years—home and away—the schools have played against each other every season except two, and the Gophers have defeated Michigan only five times, claiming the famous Little Brown Jug trophy awarded to the winning team.

There have been years when the Wolverines were so vastly superior to the Gophers in coaching and personnel that Minnesota fans might have enjoyed a more pleasant afternoon cleaning their showers.  But tomorrow the Gophers will take the field in Michigan Stadium with a coaching staff and a roster of talent that compares more favorably to the Wolverines than in the recent past.

Michigan is 2-2 with wins over bad teams and embarrassing losses to Notre Dame, 31-0, and Utah, 26-10.  In the two defeats the Wolverines didn’t produce an offensive touchdown and they enter tomorrow’s game with a quarterback dilemma after senior starter Devin Gardner was replaced by sophomore Shane Morris during the Utah loss.

College football’s winningest program appears shaky.  After four games, critics are calling for head coach Brady Hoke’s job.  His record the last 30 games is 17-13.  That’s not up to Michigan standards and if the Gophers build a sizeable lead in the game the stadium boo-birds will be noticeable.

After last week’s loss to Utah, Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo expressed concern about the body language of Michigan players.  He also observed a lack of full effort in some situations.

The best scenario for the Gophers will be a successful start in the game and double-digit lead by halftime.  That could help demoralize the Michigan defense, the strength of the team.  The Wolverines are No. 1 among Big Ten clubs in total defense allowing 261 yards per game.

The Gophers’ strength is also on defense so forcing the Michigan offense into costly turnovers might turn the game Minnesota’s way.  So, too, could Minnesota special teams work where success might come from blocking a punt, field goal attempt, or having a long kick return.

The Gophers’ offense was muted against the one quality team Minnesota, 3-1, has played so far.  TCU held the Gophers to 268 total yards, including only 99 yards rushing in a 30-7 win in Fort Worth.

For the season the Gophers’ passing offense ranks last in the Big Ten, producing 99.8 yards per game.  Minnesota is fourth in rushing offense at 236.2 yards while Michigan’s defense is allowing only 80.2 yards.

Much has been written about Minnesota’s inability to pass with success.  Freshman quarterback Chris Streveler completed just one throw in last week’s 24-7 win against San Jose State, but has kept a positive attitude—even joking about it and receiving some good-natured kidding.  “Yeah, some of my buddies in class have been like, ‘Nice completion or whatever.’  It’s just funny,” Steveler said.  “I like to joke around about it because we got the win so it doesn’t really matter, to be honest. …”

The Gophers have their own quarterback puzzle with Streveler and Mitch Leidner who is definitely the No. 1 starter but might not play tomorrow because of injuries.  Whoever plays may give the Gophers improved passing but don’t expect to be dazzled because baby steps seem more likely and receivers, not just quarterbacks, need to step up.

The oddsmakers have the Wolverines as a double-digit favorite to win and that looks off target.  A low scoring, close game seems more likely.  The Gophers’ chances of winning may come down to better preparation, more will and focus than the Wolverines.

Those are attributes associated with Gophers head coach Jerry Kill who is admired by coaching peers.  An ESPN.com poll of FBS coaches announced last week had Kill tied with Kansas State’s Bill Snyder for most underrated coach in the country.

When teams feel prepared, players have confidence.  Maybe the Gophers are ready.  “It would be good to go in there and steal one from Michigan,” said Gophers junior cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun.  “We watched them on film.  I said they’re good and we’re good too.  But I think we have a really good shot to win this weekend.”

Kill and the Gophers would like to start changing wins against the Wolverines to more than a once-in-a-generation thing.

Worth Noting 

Gophers’ senior defensive tackle Cameron Botticelli is a team leader and was asked if Minnesota takes extra confidence going into tomorrow’s game because the Big Ten has been unimpressive in nonconference competition and Michigan has a 2-2 record.

“I feel like we always have confidence in our team no matter how well or how poor the rest of the conference is doing,” he said. “Just because they’re 2-2 doesn’t mean anything to us.  Michigan is a good team and they’re going to be physical and fast so we need to prepare hard this week no mater what our opponents’ record is. …We’re ready for a fight.”

Streveler is the Big Ten’s Co-Freshmen of the Week for his 161 yards rushing performance against San Jose State—the third highest total ever by a Minnesota quarterback.  Streveler’s success, and that of running back David Cobb, who rushed for 207 yards, was enhanced by the quarterback understanding whether the best decision was to hand the ball off to Cobb or run with it himself.

Gophers’ offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said Steveler, despite being inexperienced and making his first college start, made defensive “reads” as effective as any quarterback he has coached at Minnesota or before that at Northern Illinois.  “He did a fantastic job,” Limegrover said.  “Everything they threw at him—handled it like a vet—which was great to see.”

The Gophers have lacked consistency at the quarterback position for awhile but a program insider said Kill hasn’t pursued junior college quarterbacks, preferring to develop his own players over their four or five year careers.  That formula worked with considerable success at Northern Illinois when Kill and his assistants found under-recruited talents Jordan Lynch and Chandler Harnish.

Rookie Teddy Bridgewater gets his first NFL start on Sunday when the Vikings play the Falcons at TCF Bank Stadium.  He will be the second youngest Vikings quarterback ever to start a game for the team.  Fran Tarkenton, 21 years, 226 days, was the youngest, while Bridgewater will be 21 years and 322 days on Sunday.

Suspended running back Adrian Peterson, who has the biggest contract on the team and a tarnished reputation, will miss his third consecutive game and likely will never play for the Vikings again.  As the Vikings navigate the local political, business and social scene here, it seems highly improbable they will keep a 29-year-old running back who is expensive and controversial.  Peterson, though, is all but certain to some day play with another NFL club.

Detroit Lakes native and wide receiver Adam Thielen, who was on the Vikings practice squad last year, had his first career start last Sunday against the Saints but didn’t catch a pass.

Vikings-Falcons connections include Mike Tice and Ra’Shede Hagemen.  Tice, the former Vikings head coach, is the Falcons offensive line coach while Hagemen, the former Gopher, is a rookie reserve defensive tackle.

Saint John’s running back Sam Sura, averaging an MIAC-leading 180.7 rushing yards per game and five touchdowns, will test St. Thomas’ defense tomorrow when the Johnnies and Tommies renew their rivalry in St. Paul before an anticipated crowd of 10,000 fans. The Tommies have the league’s top-ranked defense, allowing 8.5 points and 263 yards per game. Saint John’s is 2-1 overall, 0-1 in the MIAC while St. Thomas, 2-0, plays its league opener tomorrow.

Congratulations to Marshall High School football coach Terry Bahlmann who won his 200th career game last week.  Bahlmann has a career record of 200-91 over 31 years of coaching including at three high schools in Iowa.

The WCHA made the right hire earlier this year when Bill Robertson agreed to become commissioner.  His business skills, including marketing expertise, will be a major asset for the WCHA which announced an exclusive partnership with FOX Sports North this week to telecast the 2015 WCHA Final Five.  The network will provide live telecasts from the Xcel Energy Center for all three games of next year’s Final Five: Two semifinal games on Friday, March 20 and the Broadmoor Trophy championship game on Saturday, March 21.  Tournament ticket packages go on sale starting at noon Monday with availability at the Xcel Energy Center and via Ticketmaster.

Offseason workouts are generating optimism about the 2014-2015 Gophers basketball team.  Minnesota might finish among the top six teams in the Big Ten Conference and possibly make an NCAA Tournament run.  Richard Pitino, the Gophers 32-year-old head coach, is a taskmaster and pushes his players hard.

State prep basketball authority Ken Lien was pleased to see Pitino receive a verbal commitment from DeLaSalle guard Jarvis Johnson for the Gophers’ 2015 recruiting class.  “I am excited to watch Jarvis play at the U because he’s got tremendous quickness, not only north and south, but great lateral quickness,” Lien said. “He will be fun to watch defending people. …He’s going to have to improve his shooting—and the ball handling—to be able to run the fast break the way Pitino wants them to run.”

Former Gopher Oto Osenieks, who gave up his career last winter with a season of eligibility remaining because of a knee injury, is in graduate school taking sports management classes and helping with the basketball program.

The Timberwolves begin training camp in Mankato next week and team owner Glen Taylor will continue the team tradition of hosting players for dinner at his house on October 3.  His wife Becky, with help from her daughters, will make enough lasagna to feed a group of players, coaches and other staff at the Taylor home in Mankato.   “She’s a typical Minnesota housewife and loves to take care of her family,” Taylor said.  “She’s got a big family, and it just gets extended when the players come down (to Mankato).”

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