Golden Gophers – Page 10 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

U Football Commits Include 4 O-Tackles in National Top 50

Posted on June 2, 2025June 2, 2025 by David Shama

The Golden Gophers picked up five more verbal commitments over the weekend for their 2026 football recruiting class, per various media. Notably, two of those players are offensive tackles, giving Minnesota four verbal commits at that position in their 15-player class so far that eventually is expected to total at least in the low 20s.

The Gophers’ four commits are all ranked in the top 50 nationally among offensive tackles by 247Sports. Andrew Trout, a four-star recruit from Cold Spring, Minnesota, is ranked No. 23; Daniel McMorris, from Norman, Oklahoma, is No. 29; Gavin Meier, Janesville, Wisconsin, No. 44; and Mataalii Benjamin, Lehi, Utah, No 45.

Two years ago, Minnesota received commitments from and later signed two prize high school offensive tackles. Nathan Roy, from Mukwonago, Wisconsin and Brett Carroll, from Olathe, Kansas, were ranked No. 11 and 21 respectively among the best prep tackles by 247Sports.

Both project as second teamers going into fall camp for the Gophers, with Roy at tackle and Carroll playing center.

Offensive tackle is a key position in college football. The Gophers have recruiting success at the position because of their coaching staff including offensive line coach Brian Callahan who has a quality reputation and has been with head coach P.J. Fleck since he came to Minnesota in 2017. Callahan’s standouts include former NFL draft choices Daniel Faalele and John Michael Schmitz.

The Gophers will have an exceptional offensive tackle roster in the class of 2026 if all of the players keep their commitments. Ironically, Benjamin, a under the radar commit, could end up having the best college career of the Gopher four-some.

Over the recruiting weekend, the Gophers also received verbal commitments from two edge rushers in Aayen Aytch, edge rusher from Lafayette, Indiana; and Anthony Charles, from McDonald, Pennsylvania; along with linebacker Angel Luciano of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, per 247Sports.

Historically, June is a busy month for the Gophers and other college programs to pick up verbal commitments. Minnesota’s 2026 class is currently ranked No. 18 in the team recruiting rankings by 247Sports.

The class is led by two four-star recruits, Trout and defensive lineman Howie Johnson from Forest Lake. They are the state of Minnesota’s No. 3 and No. 2 ranked players by 247Sports which has Jackson’s Roman Voss at No. 1.

Voss, projecting as a tight end in college, reportedly attended last weekend’s Gopher Summer Splash recruiting event but remains uncommitted. GopherIllustrated and 247Sports recruiting authority Ryan Burns told Sports Headliners recently that Voss is expected to commit to the Gophers or Alabama.

Dodge Center athlete Pierce Petersohn, who could be a college linebacker, is a possibility for the Gophers and is ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the state. Offensive tackle Owen Linder from Chanhassen is No. 5 and verbally committed to Iowa. “Minnesota chose not to go on him at any point,” Burns said.

Jayden Moore, a wide receiver from Hopkins, is ranked No. 6 among state prospects. “…I am going to guess he’s going to play basketball in college so this is going to be a moot point (regarding a college football destination),” Burns said.

Chanhassen tight end Kade Bush and Minnetonka running back Caleb Francois, are No. 7 and 8 respectively. Bush has verbally committed to Arkansas and Francois to Iowa State. Burns said the Gophers didn’t pursue either of them.

Fleck and the Gophers have landed the top high school recruit in Minnesota in three of the four previous years: Eden Prairie defensive lineman Trey Bixby (2022), Esko athlete Koi Perich (2024), and Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo (2025).

Worth Noting

ESPN pro football analyst Bill Barnwell is impressed with the Vikings offseason personnel additions on the offensive and defensive lines. After evaluating NFC teams, he wrote recently of the Vikings: “Most likely to flex on the line of scrimmage.”

Aaron Judge of the Yankees is hitting a gaudy .391. Former Twin Luis Arraez was hitting over .400 in June two years ago for the Marlins before finishing at .354. Ted Williams, who played minor league baseball in Minneapolis, was the last MLB .400 hitter. The Red Sox immortal had a .406 average in 1941.

Royce Lewis, who looked like the Twins best hitter for the next five years 12 months ago, is hitting an unfathomable .127.

New Golden Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved makes his first appearance in front of the Twin Cities Dunkers on June 18.

Medved announced this morning former North Carolina guard-forward Cade Tyson is joining his program. The 6-7 Tyson played at Belmont earlier in his college career. At Belmont he was second team All-Missouri Valley Conference in 2024 and ranked second nationally in three point percentage at 46.5 percent.

“Cade is a versatile player that will immediately impact our team,” Medved said in a statement. “He’s a dynamic scorer, a true playmaker and a great rebounder. Cade is a terrific addition to our program and we can’t wait for him to be a Gopher.”

At North Carolina last season he played in 31 games, averaging eight minutes and 2.6 points. Tyson will presumably have one season of eligibility at Minnesota.

Happy birthday to hockey icon Lou Nanne who celebrates his 84^th birthday today.

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U Football Start Times Official, Includes Party Time Kickoffs

Posted on May 29, 2025May 29, 2025 by David Shama

Haters of 11 a.m. starts for Golden Gophers home football games received good news today when the Big Ten Conference and its TV partners announced start times for six of the University of Minnesota’s 12 games in 2025.

Dreaded by students and others who like to sleep late on Saturdays, the anti-11 a.m. crowd will have to accept the nonconference Northwestern State home game on September 6 (BTN televising). Otherwise, night owls and party animals can revel in five night games for the Gophers, with three at home and two on the road. The start times for the six remaining Gophers games on the schedule will be announced later.

Minnesota opens the season at home Thursday, August 28 against Buffalo. The 7 p.m. kickoff nonconference game will be televised by FS1.

The final nonconference game will be on Saturday, September 13 at the University of California. Start time is 9:30 p.m. in Minneapolis and local fans can watch on ESPN.

Minnesota’s Homecoming game against Purdue on Saturday, October 11 will start at either 6 or 6:30 p.m. The TV partner will be announced later.

The Gophers host Nebraska at 7 p.m. on October 17, a rare Friday night home game. They play at Oregon on another Friday night, November 14, with an 8 p.m. kickoff. Both games will be televised by Fox.

Gophers-Badgers 2021 game at Huntington Bank Stadium photo by Marshall Tanick

Minnesota’s other six games are Rutgers, September 27 at home; October 4 at Ohio State; October 25 at Iowa; November 1 Michigan State at home; November 22 at Northwestern; November 29 Wisconsin at home. All dates are Saturdays.

Home games at night generally draw better than day games, unless arctic temps prevail. That will be a needed boost for home attendance because the Huntington Bank Stadium schedule of opponents is so-so.

Buffalo and Northwestern State are box office duds. Purdue will draw because it’s Homecoming and a night game. Nebraska, with Husker fans likely descending in droves, could produce the largest crowd of the season (possible sellout of 50,805) at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Michigan State and Wisconsin games will draw if the Gophers are producing a top 25 season. Even if they aren’t, the Wisconsin game may lure a lot of Badgers fans if their favorites have reverted back to winning football.

There’s real sizzle with the road schedule for fans who want to travel. All five destinations are attractive including West Coast trips to the Bay Area (Cal) and Eugene (first time at Oregon), plus border rival Iowa, Northwestern (at Wrigley Field) and defending national champion Ohio State.

Worth Noting

The NFL announced its preseason schedule today including for the Vikings. Minnesota will host the Texans at 3 p.m. Saturday, August 9 and the Patriots at noon on Saturday, August 16. The Vikings will play at the Titans on Friday, August 22 at 7 p.m.

The Vikings are partnering with the Minnesota Star Tribune to promote high school girls flag football throughout the state. The state’s first high school girls flag football league, supported through a $600,000 contribution from the Vikings, enters playoff competition next week.

The Timberwolves lost in five games to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The prediction here before the series was Minnesota would lose in six, but OKC is even better than many of us thought.

During the last two springs the Wolves have proven they’re one of the better teams in the NBA but not elite enough to make the Finals or rank among the best. Biggest needs? Better defense from more players and clutch scoring (which in playoff games can include producing points in the first quarter).

It appeared during the playoffs that Anthony Edwards was gassed late in at least some games. It certainly wouldn’t be surprising if a revised nutrition and conditioning program materializes in the offseason.

Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren, 23, has emerged as a star for the Thunder. He could become a superstar with his scoring, rebounding and shot blocking, if his rail thin body avoids injuries. Holmgren is listed at 7-1, 208 pounds.

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Golden Gophers Football Recruiting Alert: Mataalii Benjamin

Posted on May 28, 2025May 28, 2025 by David Shama

The first of two Gophers Summer Splash weekends starts on Friday in Minneapolis. The invitation only event is for high school football players Minnesota is targeting for its recruiting class of 2026.

The attendees will number about 25, including 10 who already have made verbal commitments to the Gophers, per recruiting authority Ryan Burns from Gopher Illustrated and 247Sports. He talked to Sports Headliners about prospects who already are, or will be, of high interest to Minnesota fans.

Yes, Burns said the Gopher coaches would be “through the roof” in the coming days if they received a verbal commitment from the state’s No. 1 ranked player, Roman Voss from Jackson.

“I’d also tell you they’d love to add a kid from Utah named Mataalii Benjamin who is a very high upside offensive tackle,” Burns said. “And being able to add tackle bodies is very important. They’re one of the toughest things to find across college football because they’re always in such high demand.

“Benjamin has offers from all over the country but being able to get him on campus this weekend is very important for them. …I think he’s one of the higher upside guys that they’ve been targeting along the offensive line in some time.”

A player Burns is locked in on is wide receiver Hayden Moore from Newberry, Florida. After Moore verbally committed to the Gophers, he picked up an offer from Big Ten power Penn State and he is “tentatively” scheduled to visit there next month, per Burns who is curious to learn the Florida native’s thoughts after this weekend.

Voss is the player who Gopher fans have zeroed in on. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect is so versatile he could be a possibility at multiple positions in college, but Burns predicts he will be a tight end.

“I think he’s going to be a great college tight end,” Burns said. He added that Voss “is as athletically gifted a tight end as I’ve seen come out of this state since Brevyn Spann-Ford (former Gopher now with the NFL Cowboys).”

Burns said in college Voss could remind him of former Iowa All-American Sam LaPorta, now a standout tight end for the NFL Lions. He added that Voss and his family are on board with his playing tight end in college.

At one time it was thought Voss, who is expected at Summer Splash, might choose Iowa. The Hawkeyes are known as a tight ends factory and Jackson is near the Iowa border. “Iowa is not in it for (securing) Roman Voss,” Burns said.

Voss is “essentially bound” to either Alabama or Minnesota, per Burns who said the coveted prospect will visit the Crimson Tide in June with indications a college destination will be made after that. Jackson is a short drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer became acquainted with southwest Minnesota recruiting when he was leading the program at the University of Sioux Falls.

Four-star state of Minnesota recruits Howie Johnson, a defensive lineman from Forest Lake, and Andrew Trout, an offensive tackle from Cold Spring, are already Gopher commits and expected to be at Summer Splash. They are players Burns believes could contribute early in their college careers.

The next highest ranked in-state player is high three-star Dodge Center athlete Pierce Petersohn who is also expected to attend Summer Splash. Burns said the uncommitted Petersohn is projected as a college linebacker by Minnesota and Iowa State, and a tight end by Penn State. “He’s going to take official visits to all three of those schools coming up here in the next month or so, and then he’s going to try and figure out what’s best for him.”

How does Burns view the quality and depth of talent in the state for the class of 2026? “I just don’t think it’s a very good year in the state of Minnesota to be quite honest with you. I think it’s a below average year. It’s a year where you’ve got a lot of high-end guys at the top. Guys like Roman Voss, Howie Johnson, Andrew Trout, Pierce Petersohn, but I think the cliff drops off pretty steeply after the top five I would say; top maybe 6, 7, 8. …In terms of depth I don’t think it’s a great year.”

Despite not being that enthused about the in-state talent depth, Burns believes the 2026 Gopher recruiting class could be one of the best since head coach P.J. Fleck came to Minnesota in 2017. Burns offered praise to the staff for getting in early with a lot of their targets and building relationships.

An example is offensive tackle Daniel McMorris from Oklahoma who is expected at Summer Splash. Burns said Minnesota was the first school to offer McMorris but now he has over 20 offers including Wisconsin and Stanford.

To make this one of Fleck’s best classes Burns said the Gophers will need a “great next 30 days of recruiting.” He projects by the end of June the 2026 Minnesota will have “north of 20” verbal commitments.

The Gophers will host a second Summer Splash June 13-15, with a smaller number of targets expected to attend, per Burns.

Under NCAA rules, prep players can’t make signed agreements with schools for several months from now.

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