Golden Gophers – Page 263 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Pieces Fit with Gopher AD Finalist Coyle

Posted on May 11, 2016May 11, 2016 by David Shama

It’s understandable why Mark Coyle has emerged, according to numerous sources, as the preferred candidate to become the Gophers’ next athletic director.

University of Minnesota representatives are reportedly meeting with Coyle today. Media outlets say he has resigned as athletic director at Syracuse. His willingness to travel to Minneapolis and have his named revealed in national media as the lone finalist for the U job indicates an agreement is all but completed. High profile candidates don’t put their names in the spotlight without intent to move on from present positions.

Coyle, 47, is a surprise name but Sports Headliners was told by a source close to Gophers athletics earlier in the week the short list of candidates for the job could include someone who hasn’t drawn media speculation. Coyle was hired at Syracuse last June with assignments that included dealing with a troubled athletic department facing image and NCAA concerns.

The Gophers Athletic Department has its own problems including a basketball program with issues specific to winning, academic performance and behavior of its players. University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler no doubt believes Coyle can provide guidance with basketball and other top priority issues at Minnesota.

Among those tasks will be completing the fund-raising for the $190 million Athletes Village project. Coyle was athletic director at Boise State from 2011-2015 and was credited with raising millions of dollars including seven-figure gifts. Prior to taking over at Boise, Coyle was Associate Athletics Director for Development at Kentucky where his responsibilities included fund-raising. He reportedly raised more than $140 million while at Kentucky.

Coyle joined the Wildcats after working for Gophers athletic directors Tom Moe and Joel Maturi. Coyle’s responsibilities while at Minnesota included overseeing corporate sponsorships and suite sales, marketing and promotions, athletic communications, video services, the ticket office, licensing and gophersports.com.

While Coyle was at Boise State, his teams posted the highest grade-point average in school history, with 18 teams establishing GPA records and more than 72 percent of the athletes earning GPAs above 3.0. The Broncos placed the most student-athletes on the Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete team in late 2014.

Coyle has a football background that includes playing the sport at Drake University in Des Moines. He also hired successful Boise football coach Bryan Harsin. After last season at Syracuse he replaced Scott Shafer with one of the hot names in college football coaching, Bowling Green’s Dino Babers.

Moe was impressed with Coyle’s skills and personality back when Coyle was developing his career. “You could see that he had a great future in athletics administration,” Moe told Sports Headliners today.

Media reports indicate Syracuse officials are sorry to see Coyle move on. “You can just tell from the places he’s been and the reviews he’s received, he’s been consistently highly thought of,” Moe said. “I think Syracuse was…both surprised and sorry to see him leave.”

Kaler no doubt finds a lot to like in Coyle who fulfills several criteria considered to be essential for the Gophers’ AD job. Those include prior administrative success, experience in fund-raising and other revenue producing areas, football knowledge, and a familiarity with the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul and the state.

Kaler might be as right with this hire as he was off on Norwood Teague who he made Gophers athletic director in 2012.

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U AD Announcement Coming This Week?

Posted on May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 by David Shama

Sources said yesterday the University of Minnesota is close to announcing the name of its new athletic director.

That announcement may come Thursday or Friday when the University Board of Regents gathers for previously scheduled meetings on the Minneapolis campus. If the new hire isn’t made known Thursday or Friday, then the announcement could be next week.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said final candidates for the AD position are being interviewed in town this week. Interviews are being conducted by a five-member group that is a subcommittee of the 16-person committee announced in late March by University president Eric Kaler.

Candidates being interviewed this week have previously been reviewed by the larger committee and Turnkey Search, the firm retained earlier this year by the University to identify and vet candidates. A source who believes the AD announcement could come this week said he expects between two and five names will be forwarded to Kaler. It will be Kaler’s call—not the Regents—as to who will be Minnesota’s next AD.

The final candidates are likely to represent diversity in multiple ways including via gender, ethnicity, education and career background. The group might include African-American Sean Frazier who is the AD at Northern Illinois, and interim Gophers athletic director Beth Goetz. A candidate with a business background like investment celebrity and multi-millionaire Pete Najarian would help present a diverse talent pool to Kaler. Another finalist might be former U Alumni Association head Dr. Phil Esten who is now a leader in the Penn State Athletic Department. He also has extensive sports administrative experience at California, Ohio State and Minnesota.

A source said the final field could include a surprise name or two—candidates who have received minimal or no media attention during the search period that began in late March. Another source said he received many inquiries from potential candidates about the AD job and there was a lot of interest in the position that opened up last summer with the departure of controversial AD Norwood Teague.

It’s not known who comprises the five-person subcommittee; although sources have said Vikings executive Kevin Warren is a participant. Presumably the co-chairs of the 16-member group, Katrice Albert and Perry Leo, are involved, too. Albert is the University’s vice president for equity and diversity. Leo is professor of aerospace engineering and the U faculty athletics representative.

Turnkey has been sorting out candidates for awhile and interviewing began last month. It’s believed many interviews—perhaps all initially—were conducted by telephone. Now with finalists said to be in town, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kaler joined the five-member group and got involved with in-person interviews to further boost confidence in his ultimate decision.

A stumbling block for Kaler and the U could be defining what assurances they will give finalists about the athletic director’s power and line of reporting. Only a weak and compliant candidate will accept the job without promises that he or she can have the resources and authority to be successful.

In big time college athletics there can be variances from school to school regarding who athletic directors report to, and what they can do specific to coaching hires, the recruiting and eligibility of athletes, facilities and fund-raising. Critics continually question the U administration’s commitment to winning in the high profile sports of football, and men’s basketball and hockey.

Kaler has said he wants the new AD to be leading the department by July 1. That timing seems to further support the possibility of someone being hired soon.

Worth Noting

The Twins were swept by the White Sox over the weekend, leaving Minnesota with an American League worst record of 8-23. It was the sixth time this season the Twins have lost every game in a series.

Before the White Sox series Twins president Dave St. Peter talked about the frustration regarding the team with a roster similar to last year’s 83-79 club. “Morale is not high,” he told Sports Headliners. “There’s an intense level of frustration and disappointment but I don’t think anybody inside of our organization views the season as complete. …Almost five months of baseball remaining and there’s an opportunity for us to try and dig our way out of the hole that we are currently in. I still have the belief that we have the talent on this team to do it, and the depth in our minor league system that I think will help us over time. “

Much has been written about the team missing retired outfielder Torri Hunter who was a dynamic leader last season. St. Peter said Hunter has a “unique personality” but expects other players to emerge as leaders. “I don’t think we are where we are because of a leadership void,” St. Peter said.

Adrian Peterson (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

Adrian Peterson told Peter King in a story posted yesterday on MMQB that the Vikings may “win everything” this year. The 31-year-old Vikings running back, who believes his team may be the NFL’s best, predicted he could play until he is 40. But by the time Peterson is 38 he questions having the same love for the game.

Peterson spoke at length about his hometown of Palestine, Texas that has been hit hard by spring flooding. People have died and homes ruined. Peterson has donated $100,000 to those in need and will work this week with the Salvation Army in Palestine, according to King.

Happy 20th birthday today to Timberwolves guard and Minnesota native Tyus Jones.

Herb Carneal, the deceased Twins broadcaster, would have been 93 today.

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Viking Pick Promising, But No Certainty

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 by David Shama

It was a no-brainer for the Vikings to use their first round pick in last night’s NFL Draft to select Mississippi wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. It’s far from certain, though, how much he will help the team—and how soon.

While the Vikings have needs in the offensive line and at safety, adding a quality wide receiver is the franchise’s major personnel need. The Vikings WR group caught only six touchdown passes last season.

The hope is Treadwell can help boost production immediately. The 20-year-old 6-2, 222-pound Treadwell is known as a physical pass catcher who can go up and take the ball away from defenders.

In its April 18 issue rating NFL Draft prospects, Sports Illustrated ranked Treadwell No. 1 among wide receivers. The magazine praised his ability to push around defensive backs and be dominant in the air.

After selecting Treadwell last night, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer described him as “the best blocking receiver I’ve ever seen.” General manager Rick Spielman listed several of Treadwell’s attributes including his work ethic. Indeed, the Vikings must have been sold on Treadwell’s attitude because in two seasons coaching here Zimmer has let the world know he won’t tolerate poor work habits.

What the Vikings didn’t acquire in Treadwell is speed. The call for a fast receiver to open up the long range passing game has been heard for quite awhile now, but that’s not Treadwell, who ran a slow 4.63 40-yard-dash at the NFL Combine. It could be challenging for Treadwell to get separated from quick cornerbacks in the NFL.

Last night ESPN draft analyst Jon Gruden had another word of caution. “He’s got to catch the football better to be great,” Gruden said. “There’s just too many times he lacks concentration.”

The months and years ahead will show what Treadwell can do but Vikings fans can feel some optimism looking back at the influence of Speilman. The franchise has made 11 first round selections going back to 2007 and 10 were starters in their rookie seasons, seven were All-Rookie picks, and four were Pro Bowlers as rookies.

Worth Noting

There’s speculation that next season will be Adrian Peterson’s last with the Vikings because of his advanced age and compensation for a pro running back. It’s been thought for awhile he might end his career with the Cowboys but that seems unlikely after Dallas used its first round draft choice last night to select Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. With his power and speed, Elliott could be an AP clone.

Elliott, chosen No. 4 by the Cowboys, was one of three Buckeyes selected in the top 10 last night. A total of five Ohio State players were chosen in the first 20 selections.

Minnesota sports trivia master Dave Mona e-mailed that despite successes as college running backs, ex-Gophers haven’t gained a lot of rushing yards in the NFL. He researched 15 prominent U runners going back to the 1960s and learned the following: “Six of them had no NFL carries. That group includes Thomas Hamner, Tellis Redmon, Amir Pinnix, Garry White, Chris Darkins and Barry Mayer. The leading rusher, by far, is Marion Barber III with 4,780 yards and 53 touchdowns. His college running mate, Laurence Maroney, was second at 2,504 and 21.”

Darrell Thompson, the Gophers all-time leading career rusher, ran for 1,641 yards and seven touchdowns during five years with the Packers. His totals placed third on Mona’s list behind Barber and Maroney.

Multiple media reports during the last several days have Benilde-St. Margaret’s offensive lineman Eric Wilson verbally committing to Harvard and declining offers from other schools including the Gophers. Wilson will be a high school senior next fall and is a Rivals.com three-star recruit.

Tickets are available for the Jerry Kill Roast & Toast May 6 at Jax Café. The event starts at noon and is sponsored by the Minnesota Minute Men. Proceeds benefit the Chasing Dreams program for children through the Epilepsy Foundation. Jim Carter, Dave Lee, Joel Maturi, Mike Max and Ron Stolski will be among those roasting the former Gophers football coach. Dick Jonckowski will emcee. More information is available at Minutemen.com, or by calling Claud Allaire at 952-913-6502.

Former Gophers football coach Jim Wacker, who died in 2003, would have been 79 yesterday.

A memorial service for former Gophers All-Big Ten linebacker Bill Light will be held tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 11 a.m. at Westwood Community Church in Chanhassen, 3121 Westwood Drive. A lunch at the church will follow. Condolences to Bill’s wife Julie, children, other family and many friends.

Former Gophers basketball trainer Roger Schipper and his wife are relocating to Naples, Florida.

Some fans attending this evening’s Twins-Tigers game at Target Field purchased Wrestling Night VIP Packages. Perks include a Twins wrestling mask, and private meet and greet with pro wrestling legends “Jumpin” Jim Brunzell, Greg Gagne, Larry “The Axe” Hennig and Baron Von Raschke.

Glenn Caruso, who coached the Tommies last year to the Division III football title game, is proud his team placed first among 3,500-plus national student fundraising groups generating monies to support Memphis-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His team raised nearly $40,000 in donations in 2015-16, a record total, according to Tommiesports.com. The website reported the total tripled the UST amount from the previous school year and is the most any single organization has generated for the national effort called Up ‘Til Dawn that raises money for St. Jude.

Former Timberwolves president Bob Stein told Sports Headliners when he was assembling a staff for the Minnesota expansion team years ago he wanted Scott Layden to be the franchise’s first general manager. Layden was working for the Jazz in the late 1980s and declined Stein’s offer. Last week Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor hired Layden to become his GM, taking him away from the Spurs where he was assistant general manager.

It might be a couple of weeks before new Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau decides on his assistant coaches and other staff. A sentimental choice with the public, of course, is Ryan Saunders who was hired as an assistant by his late father Flip two years ago. It will be a surprise if Ryan isn’t given a continued assignment with the franchise.

The Lynx are considering multiple sites in the metro area for playing home games in 2017 while Target Center is renovated. The WNBA team will be able to work around arena renovation this summer for its 2016 schedule.

Horse racing analyst Kevin Gorg guests on the KARE 11 Saturday show tomorrow morning about 9:35 a.m. and will talk about the May 7 Kentucky Derby, a popular wagering day at Shakopee’s Canterbury Park. Nyquist might be an early favorite for winning the Derby.

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