Golden Gophers – Page 251 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Know Things Change Fast in NFL

Posted on October 3, 2016October 3, 2016 by David Shama

Don’t blink. In the NFL things change fast.

Teddy Bridgewater (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

The Vikings play the Giants tonight at U.S. Bank Stadium. When the Vikings defeated New York 49-17 last year at TCF Bank Stadium the Minnesota offense included quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson and tackle Matt Kalil. All are out for extended periods because of serious injuries.

Prior to the 2015 game, the Vikings and Giants had last played in 2013. Vikings starting lineups have changed a lot since that away game. On offense, only guard Brandon Fusco and tight end Kyle Rudolph remain starters going into tonight’s game. Three starters from the defense are still around, linebacker Chad Greenway, end Brian Robison and safety Andrew Sendejo.

That doesn’t surprise Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph, a seven-year veteran who played in that October 2013 game for the Giants. “It’s a revolving door (the NFL). The average career is three years,” he told Sports Headliners.

The Giants will see a much better Vikings team tonight than they defeated 24-7 three years ago. That Vikings club experimented with new quarterback Josh Freeman who had joined the team only a few days prior to playing. Freeman gave an embarrassing performance, and it was that kind of year for the Vikings who finished the season 5-10-1.

After the season Leslie Frazier was fired as coach and replaced by Mike Zimmer.It hasn’t taken Zimmer long to make an impression with a rebuilt roster and starters.

His 2014 team was 7-9, and then last year came a division championship. After a 3-0 start this fall the Vikings are near the top of anybody’s power rankings of NFL clubs and perhaps are a better group than the 2015 team that finished 11-5 during the regular season and lost a first round playoff game against the Seahawks.

No one questions Zimmer’s coaching and that of his staff but general manager Rick Spielman and his personnel decision makers have made a lot of the right moves either through the draft or acquiring veteran players. Sometimes change is good and it certainly looks that way in Minnesota this fall, but Zimmer wants to keep his team hungry for more wins and isn’t ready to point any of his players toward the Hall of Fame right now.

“I don’t think we have anybody like that yet,” he said. “We have good players that are good team guys. They care about doing things right. They’re competitive, they’re smart. We definitely have not arrived. I think that it’s a long season, we have to continue to play good.”

Worth Noting

For all the reasons the Gophers lost their Big Ten opener to Penn State on Saturday, none probably stands out more than their inability to contain Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley. Minnesota couldn’t keep the elusive quarterback in the pocket and never sacked him in the 29-26 road loss to PSU.

That was a demoralizing loss for hardcore Gophers fans who knew their 3-0 favorites could create local excitement with a win and get more followers behind the team heading into next Saturday’s home game with Iowa. Penn State, 2-2 including a 49-10 loss to Michigan and a close win over Temple, is a middle-of-the-standings Big Ten team. The Gophers can’t be labeled any more than that either.

Minnesota’s Emmitt Carpenter was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his four field goals performance at Penn State. The sophomore from Green Bay converted on every attempt, kicking field goals of 35, 37, 37 and 46 yards.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated includes two stories on retiring Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. His big league memories include how hard Tom Kelly was on young players but Ortiz doesn’t complain about his former Twins manager.

Ortiz might have been on the magazine’s cover except for the unexpected passing of golf legend Arnold Palmer who got top billing with a photo and the headline “King of Kings.”

In the same issue Minnesota native and S.I. staffer Steve Rushin pays tribute to Kevin Garnett in a two-page story. He writes that Garnett’s height was publicized at 6’ 11” but the former NBA superstar was 7’ 1” in basketball shoes. “In conversation he liked to say he was 6’ 13”,” Rushin writes.

The Gophers hockey team opens its season with Alaska-Anchorage in Anchorage on Friday and Sunday. Minnesota goalie Eric Schierhorn is from Anchorage but hasn’t played a hockey game there since seventh grade. He decided to develop his hockey skills outside of Alaska including by attending Shattuck-Saint Mary’s in Faribault.

Gophers captain and forward Justin Kloos has played in all of Minnesota’s games (117) during the previous three years. With 107 points, he is the leading career scorer in the Big Ten among active players and ranks second in the nation.

Former Gophers basketball players playing in other countries include Maverick Ahanmisi, Philippines; Andre Hollins, France; Austin Hollins, Finland; Colton Iverson, Israel; Trevor Mbakwe, Spain; Carlos Morris, Turkey; Joey King, Finland; Rick Rickert, Japan; and Mo Walker, Latvia.

The William V. Campbell Trophy annually recognizes the nation’s best football scholar-athlete. The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame recently announced the names of 156 semifinalists including Carter Hanson, Saint John’s; Drew Neuville, Bethel; and Forest Redlin, Macalester.

Brainerd and North Dakota State alum Joe Haeg, a 2016 fifth round draft choice by the Colts, not only made the team but has become a starter at right guard.

The Twins confirmed this morning with a news release that Derek Falvey, 33, is the team’s new executive vice president and chief baseball officer. He will assume his responsibilities after the Indians playoff games end. He is assistant general manager with the Indians.

St. Paul-born Dave Winfield turns 65 today. Winfield is the only athlete ever drafted by four different professional leagues—the ABA, MLB, NBA and NFL.

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Crowds May Favor U.S. Ryder Cup Win

Posted on September 30, 2016September 30, 2016 by David Shama

Rich Beem and other PGA players have long been impressed with the size of the crowds and support at major golf events in Minnesota. Beem, who saw such crowds at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2002 when he won the PGA championship, predicts the fans will provide a big edge when the Ryder Cup is played over the next three days at Hazeltine.

Beem is in town working for Sky Sports, a group of sports TV channels popular in England and elsewhere. The major storyline at the Ryder Cup is the Americans have lost the last three matchups with the Europeans, and eight of the last 10.

“I think the U.S. will win,” Beem told Sports Headliners. “It won’t be easy. Crowds will make a big difference.”

Those crowds, a raucous mix of Minnesotans and others from various parts of the United States and the world, will create an intense environment for an event widely considered the most special in golf. Starting today the focus of golfers on both sides will be tested, but in Beem’s view that might be a particular challenge for Europe’s rookie players. “I think it’s our time,” he said.

Scottish–born Colin Montgomerie told Sports Headliners last summer he, too, believes the U.S. will win the 2016 cup. The former European Ryder Cup great talked about the electric atmosphere and home course advantage expected at Hazeltine all weekend. Montgomerie said other factors favoring U.S. success are the leadership of captain Davis Love III, and the “aura” of having vice captain Tiger Woods around the American players. …

Glen Taylor has extended Kevin Garnett an invitation to meet and discuss a possible future association with the Timberwolves. Garnett retired as a player earlier this month and Taylor suggested he take awhile before the two meet.

Before Wolves basketball president Flip Saunders died, Garnett talked about partial ownership of the franchise. If Taylor wanted to eventually sell the team, or a major share, Saunders could be counted on to form a group of investors. Saunders owned a small share of the team prior to his death in 2015.

Taylor gave no indication in a conversation with Sports Headliners whether he will talk ownership with Garnett but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be other involvement with the franchise. “He came back here (in a 2015 trade with the Nets) because he wanted to be more involved, but on the other hand, he thought he was going to do it with Flip,” Taylor said. “I think he is concerned if that will ever be the same without Flip.”

Taylor said Garnett’s decision to retire after 21 seasons (13-plus with the Wolves in two eras) was of his own doing. New coach Tom Thibodeau is a strong leader and Garnett has been a powerful locker-room voice. Did Thibodeau tell Taylor he wanted to block Garnett’s return? “Oh, no, no, no, because he didn’t get involved with it,” Taylor said of offseason talks with Garnett that were only between the future Hall of Famer and the owner.

Garnett, 40, has struggled with knee problems. During the summer he also struggled with a decision whether to play another season. “What he said to me was, ‘I would like to play but I don’t know if I can.’ So I guess he’s telling me that he wasn’t getting the strength or something in his knees that he had hoped to.” …

Gophers coach Tracy Claeys was asked what he will do to celebrate if his team wins its opening Big Ten game tomorrow at Penn State. “I like to get back (home) and enjoy a little TV and a little pizza, and I like to watch other college games,” he said.

The Gophers frequently used a three-man defensive front in their 31-24 win over Colorado State last week—at times abandoning their more traditional four-man look. Rams coach Mike Bobo was impressed with the change. “I thought that (the three-man front) had us a little bit confused at first,” he said. “I thought the speed of their players had us a little bit taken aback.”

Bobo said mixing the three and four-man fronts “will cause confusion for an offensive line.” He praised the Gophers linebackers and defensive linemen, singling out junior defensive tackle Steven Richardson who had four tackles for loss against the Rams, and referred to him as “unblockable.”

The 300-pound Richardson has been outstanding in two wins against the Rams in 2015 and 2016. “He is about 5-9 but he’s one of the best players that we’ve played against the last two years,” Bobo said. “He’s wreaked havoc on us both years and he did again today (last Saturday).”

Looking ahead, Claeys called it “situational” whether to use more of the three-man front alignment that puts additional mobile players and pass rushers on the field. He said the three-man look is more likely if the Gophers have big leads in games and teams are passing, trying to narrow the score. …

Former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill, who grew up in Kansas, will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Sunday night in Wichita. Kill, now a leader in the Kansas State athletic department after a nationally recognized coaching career, is from Cheney, Kansas where his mother and brother still reside.

Kill’s new book that came out late last smmer has already raised $200,000 to assist the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota. Chasing Dreams: Living My Life One Yard at a Time has raised another $80,000 for Kill’s cancer fund in Illinois.

chasing-dreams1 Kill wrote the book with former Gophers football player Jim Bruton. “Triumph Books in Chicago released 40 new books this fall and Chasing Dreams was their leading seller last week,” Bruton said via email. …

Hamline’s football team is 3-0 for the first time since 1988 and fans are looking forward to the Pipers Homecoming game October 8 against St. Olaf.The celebration will include a reunion of the 1966 MIAC title team. Wins that year included a 6-3 victory over defending NAIA champion Saint John’s. Among those expected to attend the reunion is 92-year-old Dick Mulkern, who coached the 1966 Pipers. …

Congratulations to coach Clay Anderson of the Pipestone Area Arrows who won his 100th football game last week with a 48-7 win over St. James Area. His overall career record at five high schools is now 100-90 in 19 seasons. …

The Oakes family and Gophers baseball program are helping with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Minnesota Chapter’s annual Light The Night Walk on October 16 in Minneapolis. Gophers players, coaches and alumni, and the Oakes family, are raising funds and awareness to support blood cancer research and patient services to honor the late Todd Oakes, the former UM pitching coach. More at Gophersports.com.

The Gophers will play their first baseball series in U.S. Bank Stadium February 24-26 against Seattle University. The Gophers will play several games in the covered stadium from February 24 thru March 12, including the Dairy Queen Classic March 3, 4 and 5.

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Kill Not Buying Limegrover Edge Saturday

Posted on September 28, 2016September 28, 2016 by David Shama

Matt Limegrover coached 16 years for Jerry Kill. Limegrover was a leader of the Gophers program from the time the two arrived in Minneapolis for the 2010 season, but now he works as the offensive line coach for Penn State, the team Minnesota opens its Big Ten season against Saturday in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Does Limegrover’s experience with the Minnesota program and knowledge about players give the Nittany Lions a significant edge in preparations this week? “I don’t think that’s (going to be) a major factor in the game,” Kill told Sports Headliners.

Kill said college coaching staffs are so thorough in their evaluations of opponents through films and general scouting that having someone who worked for the opposition just isn’t a big deal. But Kill does expect Limegrover, his former assistant and friend, to be motivated Saturday.

After Kill resigned as the Gophers head coach in October last year, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys was named interim coach. A few weeks later University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler removed the interim in Claeys’ title. Then after the regular season ended Claeys fired Limegrover.

“There’s that natural instinct that you want to go beat the team that you were let go from,” Kill said. “That’s self-motivation, but that’s not going to affect how his kids play at Penn State. I think all that stuff is overrated. I think the team that prepares the most is the team that is going to win.”

With all his titles, Limegrover had a business card challenge at Minnesota. He was assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. If that sounds like a lot of responsibility and work, it was. Early in the 2015 season the Gophers were struggling offensively and the pressures on both Kill and Limegrover were significant. The two were working unusually long hours trying to find answers and Kill, whose workload was also burdened by not having a permanent athletic director, resigned because of health issues.

Claeys decided he didn’t want one person serving as both offensive coordinator and line coach. He announced in late November Limegrover wasn’t going to be on his staff, preferring to eventually hire Jay Johnson as offensive coordinator and Bart Miller as line coach. It was a move that upset Limegrover loyalists but generally was supported by the media and public who understood a new head coach needs to make decisions he believes are best for the program.

Anyone who knew Limegrover, though, extended compassion to the well-liked 47-year-old. Kill wasn’t surprised about his friend’s response to the dismissal.

“Matt is a great person and I think that showed up when he was let go of his job and how he handled it,” said Kill who also remains close to Claeys. “He handled it first-class all the way, and that’s why Penn State hired him—I really do (believe). One of the things coach Franklin talked about was Matt being a first-class person. You could tell that after the situation he had. He could have come out and been very bitter. …”

Penn State head coach James Franklin created a homecoming for Limegrover when he hired him last winter. Limegrover is a Pennsylvania native and now is back in his home state able to concentrate on one task—coaching the offensive line.

The Nittany Lions, 2-2 this season, have scored over 30 points in three of their four games. With a defensive unit that has been hit hard by injuries, PSU may have to score more than 30 to beat the Gophers. That’s part of Limegrover’s mission on Saturday, even though he will be coaching against a lot of faces he knows and players he cares about.

Gophers like tight end Nate Wozniak plan to greet Limegrover sometime on Saturday but their focus will be on the Nittany Lions players. “We just know he’s there,” Wozniak said.

Worth Noting

The 3-0 Gophers will play on the road for the first time Saturday. About 100,000 fans will “welcome” Minnesota to Beaver Stadium. Wouldn’t a road game have helped the Gophers prepare for a raucous environment? “It would have been nice but at the same time it’s always fun to have played at home,” said Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner.

Brandon Lingen, the Gophers tight end with All-Big Ten potential, is still about three weeks away from playing because of his broken clavicle, Claeys said yesterday. Other Gophers not expected to play Saturday are Carter Coughlin, Ta’yon Devers, Coney Durr, Nick Rallis, Ace Rogers, Alex Starks and Rashad Still.

Marshall, Minnesota athlete Drew Hmielewski who is missing his freshman season with the Gophers football team following shoulder surgery, will play baseball at Minnesota starting in January. Gophers assistant baseball coach Rob Fornasiere told Sports Headliners the receiver and outfielder will split time in the spring between football practice and baseball. “He’s an Eric Decker-type clone,” Fornasiere said.

Decker was drafted twice by major league baseball teams as an outfielder while at Minnesota but mostly drew attention as an All-Big Ten wide receiver for the Gophers. Fornasiere said the Gophers offered a baseball scholarship to Hmielewski before the football program did.

Gophers second team redshirt freshman punter Jacob Herbers, from Battle Creek, Michigan, was a first baseman on the baseball team last season and is expected back next year. Gophers running back Rodney Smith hit .587 as a baseball middle infielder in his senior year of high school in Georgia. Fornasiere said Smith hasn’t asked about coming out for baseball.

Fornasiere’s daughter Katie will be married Saturday in the Twin Cities area to Steve Mathei.

The attitude of Cordarrelle Patterson was questioned in his first three seasons with the Vikings but he seems different this year. Patterson looks better as a route running wide receiver, remains explosive on kickoff returns and even is willing to take a spot on the kickoff coverage team.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer admitted the coverage role is one Patterson probably wouldn’t have accepted in the past. Why the change? “I think he wants to play,” Zimmer said.. “I think he’s trying to do everything he can to get on the field.”

The 3-0 Vikings, who have defeated two of the better teams in the NFL in the Packers and Panthers, have created a lot of hype with their impressive defense that has allowed a league second-best 13.3 points per game. Zimmer, though, isn’t interested in listening to gushing praise. “Typically, I don’t even look at the stats until at least Thanksgiving. So, I don’t know where we fall defensively or anything like that. I just try to get us better each day in the things that we’re doing,” he said.

Lynx owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners his WNBA club will have its most profitable year ever in 2016. He expects the profit to be between $1 million and $2 million for his defending WNBA champion franchise. The Lynx has its first 2016 playoff game tonight at Xcel Energy Center against the Mercury. The Lynx had a league-best regular season record of 28-6.

Media and coaches polls have made Bowling Green the preseason choice to win the WCHA. Bill Robertson, the league’s Edina-based commissioner, said several schools will compete for NCAA berths next March. “It will come down to the last weekend,” he said.

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