Golden Gophers – Page 312 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

2 Pitino Teams, 1 Airplane for Trip

Posted on November 9, 2014November 9, 2014 by David Shama

The Gophers and Louisville basketball players will be able to size each other up before the two teams compete in the Armed Forces Classic in Puerto Rico on Friday night. Minnesota and the Cardinals will fly together to the game.

Two college basketball teams using the same airplane is unusual. “I have never heard of that before,” Gophers center Elliott Eliason told Sports Headliners. “I guess when you’re father-son you kind of work those things out.”

The coaches, of course, are Louisville legend Rick Pitino and Gophers second-year coach Richard Pitino. The father and son, who talk frequently by telephone, agreed that to save money the two programs will charter from Louisville to Puerto Rico on Wednesday. The Gophers will fly to Louisville on Tuesday and have a practice there before joining the Cardinals on the flight to Puerto Rico.

“I guess I haven’t heard of it (same airplane),” said former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher. “I certainly didn’t ever experience that in 30 years of college where we flew with the opposing team.”

Eliason is curious what the seating arrangement will be on the airplane. “I am sure they’re a bunch of good guys so…it won’t be a problem, but it is kind of interesting. But it will be a good time.”

Will players from both teams socialize on the plane? “I’ll probably throw the old earphones on,” Eliason said. “Maybe take a nap, fall asleep. We’ll see. After the game we can talk all you want.”

Actually, get-togethers involving the Cardinals and Gophers are planned in Puerto Rico as part of festivities leading up to the game. The Armed Forces Classic is part of ESPN’s America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans programming, and each year a different branch of the military hosts the game. This year it’s the Coast Guard’s turn and the game will be played in a hangar in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Classic will be played in front of military personnel with no admission cost and televised nationally by ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. Minneapolis time.

The game–the third annual–is owned by ESPN Regional Television. “It’s honestly a huge honor,” Eliason said. “It’s going to be an amazing game. I couldn’t be more excited about it. You watch those other teams play in it every year so it’s so exciting to be part of that this year.”

The Cardinals are among the royalty of college basketball. Louisville won the NCAA championship in 2013 and is a contender for the 2015 title. The Cardinals are probably a top 20 team in every preseason poll, while the Gophers, who won the NIT last April after not qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, are trying to become a nationally-ranked program. “It’s a bigger opportunity for Minnesota than it is for Louisville,” Dutcher said.

Louisville has forward Montrezl Harrell and guard Terry Rozier, two players who are projected as NBA draft choices next June by NBAdraft.net. The Cardinals also have Pitino who has won national championships while coaching at Kentucky and Louisville. The Cardinals are ranked No. 8 in the AP preseason poll. “There’s a lot more pressure on Louisville than there is on Minnesota,” Dutcher said.

Dutcher recalled that ex-coach Tubby Smith’s Gophers defeated Louisville in an early nonconference game in 2008. The Cardinals were rated No. 9 nationally, while the Gophers were unranked. It was a signature win for Minnesota and one that influenced the NCAA selection committee when they started handing out invitations to the tournament and the Gophers were included in the field of teams.

Richard Pitino is 32 years old and the consultation he receives from his dad is a plus for the Gophers’ program—something that goes beyond saving money on an airplane trip to Puerto Rico. “I think it’s definitely an asset,” Dutcher said. “I talk to my son Brian all the time about San Diego State games. He sent me the tape of their scrimmage the other day with Stanford and said, ‘What do you think?’ ”

For the younger Pitino to know that his father is just a telephone call away means a lot. “Every coach has somebody they want to talk to other than their staff and their players—particularly when things aren’t going well,” Dutcher said. “That’s when they kind of need some guidance and some help and some encouragement. I am sure he (Richard) gets that.”

Conversations between the Pitinos likely include potential recruits, and that’s another asset for Minnesota’s program. “That goes on between coaches who are just friends, not even family—there’s a kid that we can’t take but I think he would really fit into your program,” Dutcher said. “All coaches network, even with other coaches in different conferences. I am sure he (Richard) benefits from the success and the experience that his father has.”

Of course on Friday night the son would like nothing better than to take some of that success away from dad—even if they did hitch a ride together to Puerto Rico and back.

Gophers Football Notes

Even mascot Goldy Gopher—symbolically the biggest Golden Gophers loyalist on the planet—wouldn’t have predicted a 51-14 domination of Iowa on Saturday. The doomsday feeling hanging over Dinkytown for two weeks after Minnesota’s loss to lowly Illinois on October 25 evaporated by halftime on Saturday when the Gophers followed up an opening touchdown by Iowa with 35 unanswered points.

The win demonstrated again that the unexpected can be anticipated in college football where there is plenty of parity in talent among teams. Iowa had beaten up on Northwestern a week ago Saturday, winning 48-7, but what proved more valuable was Minnesota’s bye in the schedule that gave the Gophers an extra week of preparation.

The Gophers, now 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten, improved their chances of an invitation to a good bowl game, enhanced the possibility of a sellout at TCF Bank Stadium next Saturday against Ohio State and won “Floyd of Rosedale” for the third time in five years. Representatives from the Holiday Bowl (December 27, San Diego) and Fiesta Bowl (December 31, Glendale, Arizona) were at the game.

The Gophers’ Maxx Williams, who had three touchdown receptions, showed again why he is on the midseason watch list for the John Mackey Award recognizing the nation’s best tight end. He is a redshirt sophomore eligible for next year’s NFL Draft.

The game wasn’t a happy homecoming for Iowa athletics director Gary Barta who was born in Minneapolis and attended Burnsville High School. Barta still has more than a dozen relatives in this area.

Zach Johnson of Gopherillustrated.com said the Gophers had high school players Colton Beebe, Jonathan Femi-Cole and Jaylen Waters at the game. Beebe is a Rivals.com two-star linebacker from Kansas City, Kansas. Femi-Cole is a three-star running back from Vaughan, Ontario while Waters is a three star linebacker from Copperas Cove, Texas. Beebe hasn’t verbally committed to the Gophers but Femi-Cole and Waters have, according to G.I.

Here are Sports Headliners’ power rankings of Big Ten teams after Saturday: 1. Ohio State; 2. Michigan State; 3. Wisconsin; 4. Nebraska; 5. Minnesota; 6. Maryland; 7. Iowa; 8. Michigan; 9. Penn State; 10. Northwestern; 11. Rutgers; 12. Purdue; 13. Illinois 14. Indiana.

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U Wants ‘First Punch’ Against Iowa

Posted on November 7, 2014November 7, 2014 by David Shama

Anyone who saw last year’s dominating win by Iowa over the Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium knows the Hawkeyes were more physical than Minnesota. The score, 23-7, showed domination and so did the statistics including 246 rushing yards for the Hawkeyes and just 30 for the Gophers.

“They out physicaled us,” said Gophers guard Zac Epping. “We know that and we know that’s what we gotta do this year. We gotta come out swinging, be the people that throw the first punch and get the ‘W’ that way.”

The Gophers have started slow in their last two games but perhaps the program’s intense rivalry with Iowa will cure that. Epping said the Gophers were “flat” against Illinois, a Big Ten bottom feeder that upset Minnesota in Champaign on October 25.

Iowa won the “Floyd of Rosedale” border rival trophy the last two years. “Yeah, it’s definitely one of the biggest games,” Epping said. “That’s one of the games where you look at the beginning of the year saying, ‘When do we play Iowa?’ ”

Epping grew up in Wisconsin but remembered a 2002 incident with the Hawkeyes that still rubs Gophers fans the wrong way. After Iowa’s win in the Metrodome, Hawkeye fans tore down a goal post and tried to carry pieces out of the building.

The memory stokes Epping’s emotions. “Yeah, it’s just something you think about and you just can’t let’em do it.”

Last year Wisconsin players tried to symbolically chop a goal post at TCF Bank Stadium with “Paul Bunyan’s Axe.” Gophers players this fall are wearing sweatshirts proclaiming “No one chops our goal posts down but us.”

The Gophers won the “Little Brown Jug” earlier this year with a victory over Michigan. Tomorrow presents an opportunity to win “Floyd”—the bronze pig—and later this month comes a chance to own the axe for the first time since 2003. Those are the Gophers’ most prized rivalry trophies and Minnesota hasn’t captured all three in one season since 1967.

When wide receiver KJ Maye was asked about winning back “Floyd,” he mentioned all three trophies. “It would mean a lot because we actually have a legit chance to win all the trophy games this year and that’s something we take pride in.”

Depending on your viewpoint the next four Saturdays are much anticipated—or dreaded—by Gophers fans. For many months anyone with knowledge about the team’s schedule has known the last four teams on the schedule present the most challenging stretch of games.

Except for TCU, no previous opponent on the schedule is comparable to the teams upcoming: Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. They are four of the Big Ten’s better teams and certainly superior to the six opponents the Gophers have defeated in building a 6-2 overall record—3-1 in Big Ten games.

A program insider said the Gophers’ “margin for error is razor thin” for the remaining games. Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin have superior overall talent, and the last three teams are nationally ranked. The discrepancy between Minnesota and those programs is most glaring in comparisons of the offenses.

Minnesota defeated three mediocre teams during the nonconference schedule and in the fourth nonleague game was dominated in a 30-7 loss to now top 10 ranked TCU. The Gophers were held to under 100 yards rushing, gained just 268 yards in total offense and were three of 16 on third down conversions.

At times the Gophers offense has been productive in Big Ten games but it has sputtered, too. That’s an appropriate word to use in referring to the unexpected 28-24 loss to lowly Illinois when the Gophers completed just 12 of 30 passes and couldn’t make enough big plays in the fourth quarter to win.

Inconsistency by the offensive line, wide receivers and quarterback Mitch Leidner have put more pressure on the Gophers defense and special teams to make big plays. The Gophers rank 10th among Big Ten teams in total offense averaging 356.5 yards per game. Minnesota is last in passing at 140.5 yards a game.

Offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover refers to the offense as a “work in progress” but said it is better than a year ago. “I don’t think we’re far enough along that we can completely, week in and week out, say…we’re going to be able to (go) against the better teams in the conference and dominate a game and score 40 points.”

Iowa this Saturday and Ohio State a week later will be the last home games of the season. That’s an edge for the Gophers who will particularly be inspired to play against Iowa, 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota also has an advantage having a bye on the schedule last Saturday. Extra preparation time for Jerry Kill and his staff is a plus, and so, too, is the additional rest for players recovering from injuries and weary legs.

Iowa is the most likely win remaining for the Gophers. The two programs mirror each other, led by conservative coaches who try to minimize mistakes and emphasize defense. The Gophers and Iowa have comparable defenses, and Minnesota’s unit might even be better. The Gophers may rate a minimal edge in special teams but the difference between the offenses looks dramatic.

Iowa’s offensive line deserves the nod over Minnesota’s. The Hawkeyes are led by tackle Brandon Scherff who is a coveted NFL draft choice. That line opened up a lot of running room last week in Iowa’s impressive 48-7 win over Northwestern, with Hawkeyes runners gaining 221 yards as part of a well balanced offense. Iowa’s passing ranks fifth in the Big Ten averaging 244.9 yards per game. “I think by far they’re the best line we’ve played all year,” said Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys.

Maybe the Gophers offense will have a breakout day against Iowa like the Hawkeyes experienced last Saturday versus Northwestern. That would sure help take some pressure off the “razor thin” mantra.

Worth Noting

Iowa received a verbal commitment on Sunday from a Texas high school player the Gophers had interest in, according to a story Monday by Steve Batterson for Qctimes.com. Wide receiver Jerminic Smith, from Garland High School in Garland Texas, has been rated No. 145 in the Texas 150, a ranking of the state’s top high school seniors.

The Gophers-Hawkeyes rivalry is on the minds of many Minnesotans, from University of Minnesota students to Gophers radio analyst Darrell Thompson. The student section at TCF Bank Stadium was chanting its well-known “We Hate Iowa” back in September. Thompson, the Gophers’ all-time leading rusher, eats bacon everyday this week preparing for the battle for the pig.

Speculation has been the Iowa-Minnesota game will sell out by now but apparently the Gophers’ surprise loss at Illinois, along with $75 tickets and a chilly weather forecast means not all of the 52,525 seats at TCF Bank Stadium are gone yet. Although Iowa has no professional sports to compete against, the Hawkeyes have only one home sellout this season in 70,585 seat capacity Kinnick Stadium.

Gophers senior offensive guard Zac Epping knows how to play through injury and pain. He has started 42 consecutive games. He also started every game as a sophomore, junior and senior at Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Steve Simon, who won this week’s election for Secretary of State, is the son of former Minneapolis sports agent Ron Simon whose clients included Kent Hrbek and Paul Molitor. Ron wrote a book more than 20 years ago that detailed his negotiating strategies and stories about his clients.

The biggest MIAC football game of the season is tomorrow when Bethel, 7-1 overall and in 6-0 league play, meets Saint John’s, 7-1 and 5-1, in Collegeville. A Bethel win will mean a second consecutive outright MIAC title. If the Johnnies win, the two teams will go into the last Saturday of the season on November 15 tied for the lead. Bethel has won 15 consecutive MIAC games.

Saint John’s ranks second in the MIAC with 248.5 yards per game rushing, while Bethel is fourth at 193.4. The Royals’ run defense is first in the league (107.6 yards per game allowed) and Saint John’s is third (138.8). The Johnnies have the best scoring defense (13.6 points allowed per game) and Bethel is third (17.1).

The Gophers basketball team won its exhibition opener last night at Williams Arena, 95-68 over UMD. The Gophers shot 58.5 percent from the field and their active defense limited the Bulldogs to 37.5 percent. Junior college transfer guard Carlos Morris impressed with a team high 23 points as did senior center Elliott Eliason who grabbed 16 rebounds in only 22 minutes. UMD had lost on Saturday night to Notre Dame by 17 points.

With the Timberwolves intent on limiting the minutes of starting center Nikola Pekovic to avoid injuries, second-year backup Gorgui Dieng becomes even more important to team success. Wolves assistant coach David Adelman coached Dieng as a rookie in summer league in 2013 and has seen him improve, even since the beginning of training camp this year.

“You can just see that the NBA game is slowing down for him, which is the most important thing,” Adelman told Sports Headliners. “You start seeing things where he’s actually making decisions instead of reacting.”

Dieng was impressive toward the end of last season when he averaged 12 points and 11.3 rebounds in the final 18 games. His attributes include shot blocking and he had five blocks in his first career start last season. Adelman raves about Dieng’s timing when blocking shots.

“It’s incredible. I would say there are probably 10 guys in the league that have that, especially where he is chasing a guard or a perimeter player. His first jump is so quick.”

Adelman said Dieng is “close” to being an upper echelon NBA defender already. With long arms, timing and athleticism, the 6-11 Dieng will some day be expected to become “captain” of the team’s defense with an understanding of his assignments and those of all four teammates, according to Adelman.

The Timberwolves made a trade during the 2013 draft to acquire Dieng in the first round. Has he exceeded expectations? “I don’t think so,” Adelman said. “That’s why we drafted him. We saw something special in him. I think his progression is right where we thought it would be.”

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Kill Thankful for UM Regent Dave Larson

Posted on November 5, 2014November 5, 2014 by David Shama

University of Minnesota Regent Dave Larson, who died unexpectedly late last month, used to telephone me about Gophers football. I never heard him utter one word of doubt or negativity about coach Jerry Kill.

“He had my back,” Kill said after a public memorial service at TCF Bank Stadium last Saturday.

Larson telephoned me last spring and started going through the Gophers 2014 football schedule. He projected Minnesota winning one game after another. With his predictions, the Gophers would now be undefeated and in the conversation for the four-team college football playoff in January.

Larson met Kill shortly after the coach came here from Northern Illinois. Larson loved football and played the sport in high school in Glenwood, Minnesota. He was too small to play for the Gophers but he became a generous supporter of the football program and the University where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1966.

What Kill told Larson after he inherited the Gophers program in late 2010 was that academics among his players were a mess. The collective GPA performance was so poor the Gophers were in danger of losing scholarships, per an NCAA policy that monitors grades. “We had seven kids who were in bad shape,” Kill said.

Larson told Kill he wanted to help and asked what was needed to improve the schoolwork of the football players. Larson, who had been one of Cargill’s top executives until retiring in 2010, was devoted to philanthropy and he gave $500,000 to the football program to pay for tutors, laptops and also enhancements to the weight room.

The collective academic performance of the football program has jumped from a GPA of about 2.1 to 3.0 and better in recent semesters. Kill doesn’t hold back his gratitude for what Larson did.

“He set the standard,” Kill said. “He never wanted credit. He’s the reason period (for improvement). He saved some lives.”

Now the Gophers Athletic Department has an ambitious project to fundraise $190 million to improve facilities including a new indoor football building. I know Larson was supportive of the entire project including better football resources that can make the Gophers more comparable to other programs in the Big Ten. I suspect he planned on being a major project donor.

In 2008 Larson endowed a scholarship to assist middle-class families with the rising costs of education. The result has been 350 Larson Scholars have attended the University, pursuing their educational goals and having peace of mind about college expenses.

Shona Nagel, one of the scholarship recipients, spoke at Larson’s memorial service. She told the audience of a Larson mantra to the students, “Do well and do good.”

Then she recalled how Larson punctuated his closing remarks to the students by thrusting a finger in the air and exclaiming, “Go Gophers!”

University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler also spoke at the service and is in “awe” of Larson’s commitment to philanthropy. “His passion to this University was unmatched,” Kaler said.

Larson’s influence is felt at Cargill too where his business expertise, leadership and mentoring helped make the Minnesota company a powerhouse in the feed business. His leadership and caring will live on through the many people he touched in his life including University of Minnesota graduates who had doors opened for them at Cargill.

Former Gophers running back Amir Pinnix is one of the many former football players at Cargill. “He was a mentor, a friend, a coach,” Pinnix said. “Dave actually got me started in my Cargill career. He had very strong leadership values and believed in helping others out.”

Kill said it was a “tremendous honor” to eulogize his friend, Dave Larson. “I will miss him. We have to step to the plate because we’re representing a guy who gave us our start.”

Larson’s widow Janis and sons Lance and Reid spoke at the service. They gave a heartfelt thank you to all in attendance for their support. I am sure those who heard their words were grateful for knowing Dave and what he did as a business and University of Minnesota leader, philanthropist, and friend and mentor to so many.

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