Golden Gophers – Page 148 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

How Do Wilfs React to Viking Loss?

Posted on January 12, 2020January 12, 2020 by David Shama

What is Vikings ownership thinking today after Saturday’s embarrassing 27-10 loss to the 49ers that knocked its team out of the playoffs?

The Vikings won their opening playoff game January 5 with an impressive win over the Saints. In advance of that game, team president and owner Mark Wilf issued a statement of confidence in coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman who have contracts only through this year. The Wilf ownership made clear it had “every intent” of retaining the two in the future.

Owner Zygi Wilf has been on record about his vision to see the team in the Super Bowl. The Wilfs have owned the franchise since 2005 without realizing their dream. Spielman has been a leader in formulating player personnel decisions since 2006 and had full authority since 2012. Zimmer has been head coach since 2014, making the playoffs three times and winning two NFC North titles with a Spielman produced roster led by a number of outstanding players.

Sometimes votes of confidence don’t last long. If the Wilfs decided in the coming weeks to move on from Spielman and Zimmer they would appease a mob of critics who want a change. Fans are hot after yesterday’s game that saw the Vikings look out coached, while generating just seven first downs and not able to match the aggression of the 49ers.

Fans can act passionately, even irrationally. Owners need to be more cautious. Despite their “warts” like a leaky offensive line that never seems to completely get repaired, the Vikings aren’t a broken team like so many in the NFL. Spielman and Zimmer are good at what they do. They are also high character leaders.

The question the Wilfs have to answer is whether those two give the Vikings the best chance of fielding an elite team? With that question comes another: If and when the owners want to make a change, can they identify the leadership that will take the Vikings to the next level?

Worth Noting

Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber talking on KFAN Radio after yesterday’s game with the 49ers: “They Mike Tyson punched us in the face. That was about it.”

Jerry Burns, head coach of the 1987 Vikings team that won its first two playoff games in 1988 including against the 49ers on the road, turns 93 January 24 and still lives in the Minneapolis area.

While Target Field seating capacity for baseball is 38,544, a hockey insider told Sports Headliners 34,000 seats will be available for the 2021 NHL Winter Classic next January at the downtown Minneapolis ballpark. He predicted it will be several weeks before tickets go on sale, with Minnesota Wild season ticket holders having priority. He also said NHL representatives were in town last week to look at the outdoor venue that will match the Wild against an as yet unannounced opponent.

The Wild has lost four of its last five games and is near the bottom in the Western Conference’s Central Division. The Wild also trails division rivals in goals, and the team’s lack of scoring could result in the franchise missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

If that results in a coaching change, might South St. Paul native Phil Housley be the successor to Bruce Boudreau? Housley, an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, is friends with new Wild general manager Bill Guerin.

The guess here is the Twins won’t make the highest offer to free agent third baseman Josh Donaldson and he will sign with another team.

The Twins’ starting infield for their season opener March 26 in Oakland could be: Miguel Sano, first base; Luis Arraez, second base; Jorge Polanco, shortstop; Marwin Gonzalez, third base.

In 2021 that infield could look like this: Sano, first base; Polanco, second base, Royce Lewis, shortstop; and Arraez, third base.

Quoting Dick Jonckowski at the January 9 CORES luncheon in Bloomington: “If baseball is a religion, we should be in good shape with (Dave) St. Peter heading the Twins.”

March 17 will be the release date for Game Used, the book about longtime Twins TV broadcaster Dick Bremer. Author Jim Bruton said Bremer will do book signings in southwest Florida during Twins spring training.

Announced attendance for the Timberwolves home game Thursday night was 13,720 but a source said about 6,000 fans were in Target Center. Celebrities in the crowd included Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck and Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Tracy Claeys resigned during the season last fall as Washington State’s defensive coordinator and is now the linebackers coach at Virginia Tech. If not for that resignation, the former Gophers head coach might be positioned as an internal candidate for the head job at WSU which opened up last week when Mike Leach left for Mississippi State.

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Draft Decision Ahead for Daniel Oturu

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

An authoritative NBA draft website has moved Daniel Oturu, Minnesota’s sophomore center, up to No. 10 in its first round 2020 mock draft. That leads to speculation this will be his last season playing for the Gophers.

Nbadraft.net listed Oturu in the 20s awhile ago but the play of the former Cretin-Derham Hall star continues to raise his draft stock. Much improved over this freshman season, Oturu seems to even be trending upward in recent games (in the last three he is averaging 23 points and 18 rebounds).

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher sent great centers into the NBA while at Minnesota and he was asked Monday about Oturu’s No. 10 ranking. “I am not surprised,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners. “They (NBA scouts) look for guys like him because they want their big guys not only to be able to board and block shots, but to step out to the three-point line, and he can do that.”

The 6-foot-10, 210-pound Oturu is averaging 19.1 points per game and 12.4 rebounds in 14 games this season. He’s made .633 percent of his field goals. He is seven of 22 on three point attempts, playing on a team that relies on others to do most of the long range shooting. For a young player of his size, Oturu has a smooth shooting form and shows the potential for major improvement with the three-point shot that he will need at the next level.

In today’s NBA, centers have become both inside and outside scorers. They also need the athleticism to run the floor, transitioning from offense to defense and sometimes guarding smaller players. Oturu is averaging three blocked shots per game, another indication of his versatility and contribution to the Gophers.

Dutcher refers to Oturu as the best center in the Big Ten, and he does check a lot of boxes on an NBA scout’s list. “He’s good. I am impressed with him,” said Dutcher, who coached Minnesota to the 1982 Big Ten title.

Dutcher admires the skills of Oturu and Minnesota point guard Marcus Carr who is averaging 15.9 points per game. “Remove those two, and then there’s not an awful lot of talent there. So they struggle,” Dutcher said.

Minnesota’s Big Ten record is 2-2 and overall the Gophers are 8-6 after playing one of the more difficult nonconference schedules in the nation. The next game is Thursday night at nationally ranked Michigan State. The Spartans are the only undefeated team in the conference at 4-0 (12-3 overall).

The Big Ten is unusually competitive and balanced. “Everybody beats everybody,” Dutcher said.

The Minnesota’s chances of earning its way into the NCAA Tournament? “I Think they’re pretty good because they’re going to take a minimum seven teams (from the Big Ten),” Dutcher answered. “So you don’t have to have a great year. If you can finish .500 in the conference, you’re probably going to the NCAA.”

The Big Ten has 12 teams (no other conference has more than six) in the top 50 of the NCAA NET Rankings with Minnesota at No. 40

Worth Noting

The Nbadraft.net first round mock draft yesterday projected former Hopkins star Zeke Nnaji, a freshman at Arizona, being selected at No. 17 in the first round. The 6-11, 240-pound power forward-center impresses in multiple ways including the energy with which he plays. “He’s really good,” Dutcher said.

Tre Jones, the Duke sophomore point guard from Apple Valley, made the website’s first round mock draft last season but he now is projected in the second round. Dutcher thinks that is a mistake, and he compared Tre favorably with older brother Tyus who is in the NBA and also played at Duke. “I think he’s a better pro prospect than Tyus was because he’s a better shooter,” Dutcher said.

Brian Dutcher, Jim’s son and a University of Minnesota alum, is head coach at San Diego State where the Aztecs are 15-0 and ranked No. 7 nationally in the latest Associated Press poll. They are one of two undefeated major college teams along with 13-0 Auburn. Brian, 60, is in early conversations for national coach of the year.

Former Gopher Amir Coffey, who has been playing mostly in the G League, made his NBA regular season debut with the Clippers last week. He has played briefly in two games.

Looks like the Vikings made good on their “chip on the shoulder” mantra the organization identified with during the offseason. After an 8-7-1 season in 2018 and not making the playoffs, general manager Rick Spielman used the phrase in the offseason.

Back in June, reserve quarterback Sean Mannion acknowledged the team’s “chip on the shoulder” mindset to Sports Headliners. “I think that would be an accurate way to describe it, for sure,” Mannion said. “The big thing is just channeling that and focusing on your craft. Using that as motivation but not letting it become destructive. Letting it be something that motivates you to work on your skills, work on your abilities, and just continuing to grow as a player.”

The Vikings earned a 10-6 regular season record and made their way into the playoffs where they won their opening game last Sunday against the Saints in New Orleans, although they were about a touchdown underdog. Saturday the Vikings play the NFC No. 1 seed 49ers in Santa Clara and they will need to continue their aggressive attitude.

After Sunday’s 26-20 overtime win in the noisy and partisan Superdome, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was asked about his team’s identity. “I think we’re tough,” he told listeners on KFAN Radio. “We’re good competitors. Everybody doubted us coming in here. Not one person gave us a chance to win this football game, and we’ll hear the same thing next week.”

Former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz had his 83rd birthday Monday. The legendary Holtz, whose coaching stops included Notre Dame where he won a national title, believes Alabama was the best college football team in 2019, per multiple online reports. That should be of interest to Minnesota fans because Auburn defeated Alabama and then lost to the Gophers in the Outback Bowl.

It’s believed Gophers fans outnumbered Auburn fans at the Tampa bowl game, with estimates of 20,000 or more cheering for Minnesota in its upset win over the Tigers. Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” Sunday the University sold approximately 8,000 tickets, but many more fans rooting for coach P.J. Fleck’s team found other sources for tickets.

WWE personality Brock Lesnar will be an honorary Gophers coach for the wrestling team’s Big Ten opener against Wisconsin at Maturi Pavilion Friday when the program celebrates the 20th anniversary of his NCAA Championship. Youngsters up through eighth-grade will have the opportunity to be in a group photo with the legendary Lesnar.

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Matchup Issue Looms for Vikings

Posted on January 5, 2020January 5, 2020 by David Shama

The Vikings certainly have reason to be concerned about their pass defense entering today’s playoff game at New Orleans against the high scoring Saints. Minnesota’s secondary was a worry during the regular season, and then Friday it was announced cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes won’t play against the Saints.

Even before that announcement, former Vikings linebacker and front office executive Scott Studwell told Sports Headliners of his concern about containing legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas who led the NFL in receptions with 149, and receiving yards, 1,725.

“Thomas has had a phenomenal year and Brees is obviously a Hall of Fame quarterback, that’s a first ballot guy,” Studwell said. “They’ve been putting up a lot of points the last five or six weeks (averaging 36.6 points in the last six games). …

“I don’t know if we have a corner on the roster, to be honest with you, that can matchup with that kid (the 26-year-old Thomas). I am not quite sure what the (Vikings) coaching staff is going to do but they’re going to have somebody over the top (of the defense). He’s going to get his catches but you just can’t let him beat you.”

Vikings veteran Xavier Rhodes is paid to be a shutdown cornerback but has been inconsistent this season and last. He was asked if he will be assigned a lot to covering the aggressive Thomas. “I don’t know if I will be on him,” he said. “It’d be great if I am.”

Is Rhodes forthcoming with that answer? “I really don’t know,” he said. “I will find out when you find out (when game begins).”

Studwell refers to the Vikings as a “contender” in the mix of six NFC teams trying to earn their way to Miami and playing in next month’s Super Bowl. “These guys are good enough to beat anybody in the league but they also have to play well,” he said.

As the NFC’s No. 3 seed, the Saints are a favorite of odds-makers to play in the Super Bowl. The AFC’s No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens are favored to win the big game.

Worth Noting

Studwell talking about quarterback Kirk Cousins who finished the regular season with a 107.4 passer rating, the second highest in franchise history: “I think Cousins had a hell of a year. He started out a little slow and didn’t end real well…two weeks ago (against Green Bay).”

Since 2009, only the New England Patriots (135) have won more regular season games than the Saints, 113. The Saints’ Sean Payton and Drew Brees are the second winningest head coach-starting quarterback combo of all-time in the NFL. Their 126 wins are exceeded only by the Patriots’ Bill Belichick–Tom Brady twosome with 220 wins.

Vikings offensive alumni with the Saints: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, center Nick Easton, and running back Latavius Murray are second-teamers, while fullback Zach Line, who has been a starter, is out today because of a knee injury.

Marcus Sherels, the 32-year-old cornerback the Vikings added to the roster late last week, told Sports Headliners when his NFL career ends he plans to attend law school. He prefers admission to a school in Minnesota and wants to focus on intellectual property law.

As a No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs, the Vikings aren’t eligible to host any home games and that costs the franchise an estimated $3 million to $4 million, a sports industry source told Sports Headliners.

D1ticker.com points out coach P.J. Fleck receives a $50,000 bonus for Minnesota’s Outback Bowl win, per his contract.

Eric Musselman, the first-year Arkansas basketball coach who was rumored to be interested in the Gopher job while at Nevada, is off to a 12-1 start with the Razorbacks including a win at Indiana.

The Gophers, 1-2 in Big Ten games and at home tonight against Northwestern, might have won Thursday’s double overtime matchup with Purdue if Minnesota’s Marcus Carr, one of the conference’s best point guards, had adhered to fundamental basketball and passed out of double teams rather than trying to dribble through them.

Sammy Presthus, the grandson of former Gopher basketball captain Paul Presthus, is a sophomore starting point guard for Edina. He has been on both the basketball and soccer varsities since his freshman year.

The National Federation of State High School Associations reports that football had a 9.6 percent drop in participation comparing school years 2008-2009 to 2018-2019. Boys cross country participation was up 16.4 and track & field 8.5. With over 1 million participants, football had far more participants than any other sport.

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