Golden Gophers – Page 345 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Kill Trades Sideline ‘Fire’ for Press Box

Posted on October 30, 2013October 30, 2013 by David Shama

Notes, quotes and opinions during a busy sports week that not only includes Gophers football, the Vikings and Wild, but also opening games for Gophers basketball and the Timberwolves.

Jerry Kill expects to be working in the coaches’ booth in the press box above Memorial Stadium in Bloomington on Saturday rather than on the sidelines when his Gophers play Indiana. Kill is figuring out how to manage his epilepsy with medications and lifestyle. He has attended all recent practices and was in coaches’ booths the last two Saturdays as the Gophers pulled off upset wins over Northwestern and Nebraska.

An intense and dedicated worker even for a college football coach, Kill is determined to make changes that will help in his battle against seizures. “I gotta work smarter,” he said yesterday. “I got great people (assistants).”

Kill’s activities from the coaches’ booth include communicating with his quarterbacks. Philip Nelson was asked if there is an aspect that even if minimal is missed with Kill not on the sidelines. “Yeah, I think just having his fire out there. It’s something that I personally miss but at the same time what we’re doing (as a team) is working,” the Gophers sophomore quarterback said. “I know coach Kill is pretty superstitious so I know he might stay in the box as long as we keep winning.”

Kill noted that retired college football legend Darrell Mudra coached from the press box during his career and won national championships. “I kind of enjoy it up there,” said Kill who indicated he’s working more like 10-hour days now instead of 16. Count on Kill providing plenty of passion to his team in game day locker room situations.

ESPN reported last Saturday that draft expert Todd McShay ranks the Gophers’ Ra’Shede Hageman as the No. 5 defensive lineman prospect for next year’s NFL Draft. Hageman’s improved play as a senior is a top of the list reason why the Gophers are 6-2 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten and winners of their last two games including a 34-23 win over top 25 ranked Nebraska last Saturday.

Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys has become an admirer of Hageman, a former tight end still learning how to play on the defensive line. “If they had a draft (in the Big Ten) for d-linemen, I am telling you I would not want to play against Ra’Shede with the way he’s playing and how much better he’s getting each week.”

In a dominant performance against Nebraska, Hageman had three tackles, one sack and two tackles for losses. A press box observer compared the work of the Gophers’ nose guard to the legendary Bobby Bell, Minnesota’s two-time All-American defensive tackle in the 1960s who won the Outland Trophy.

The Gophers will welcome a career day from the 6-6, 311-pound Hageman against the Hoosiers. Indiana (3-4, 1-2) leads the Big Ten in passing with 342.7 yards per game and a few Hageman sacks of the quarterback could help turn things Minnesota’s way.

Claeys, who has been the team’s acting head coach when Kill is absent, said this about the Gophers’ potential: “I think there’s bigger wins out there for us if we continue to work and believe in each other. …”

The Gophers led Nebraska 17-13 at halftime. Since the 2011 season, when the Kill era began, Minnesota is 12-0 in games when leading at halftime.

ESPN College GameDay last Saturday featured senior Stanford center Conor McFadden, a former walk-on from Sun Fish Lake, Minnesota who according to the show learned the Cardinal playbook in only three days. His brother Pat McFadden, who also played at St. Thomas Academy, is a freshman walk-on running back.

Former quarterback Joe Webb now converted to wide receiver by the Vikings will be a free agent after this season. “I still have quarterback in my heart but right now just trying to help the Vikings at receiver,” he told Sports Headliners.

Brad Childress lost his job as Vikings head coach after the Packers won 31-3 in Minneapolis in November of 2010. Don’t expect the same for Leslie Frazier whose team was embarrassed by the Packers 44-31 last Sunday at Mall of America Field. One difference is that other than perhaps wide receivers coach George Stewart there’s not a top candidate on the staff to succeed Frazier, who was Childress’ defensive coordinator.

But Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf were at Sunday’s game when the Packers dominated Minnesota and they know enough about football to not be pleased with the loss, or the team’s unexpected 1-6 start to the season.

Frazier on whether he foresaw his team’s troubles after being 10-6 and in the playoffs last season: “…There was no scenario that went through my mind that would have told me that we’d be 1-6 at this juncture. Looking at the way our games have transpired, I do understand why we are where we are. As I said earlier, I do believe we can get some things fixed and get going here. There are definitely some things we have to work on to get done, but I think it’s possible to get done.”

Frazier said new quarterback Josh Freeman, who had been diagnosed with a concussion, received permission to play last Friday although he didn’t participate in the Packers game. Either Freeman or Christian Ponder will be announced today or later in the week as the starting quarterback.

The Cowboys, who host the Vikings on Sunday in Texas, are in first place in the NFC East with a 4-4 record and remain the most popular NFL team in the nation, according to a Harris Poll released two week ago. “America’s Team” is No. 1 even though the Boys have only one playoff win since 1996.

The Packers were No. 2 in the poll, the Vikings No. 13.

The Wild won’t be road weary this week. The team lost to the Blackhawks at home on Monday night and had yesterday off. There will be practices today and tomorrow at Xcel Energy Center followed by a home game Friday against the Canadiens. Then practice at home on Saturday and a game against the Devils on Sunday at Xcel.

Former Gophers point guard Ariel McDonald is an assistant boys basketball coach at Providence Academy in Plymouth. He will also do Gophers analysis for 1500 ESPN.

Gophers coach Richard Pitino showing his sense of humor on his Gophersports.com blog writing about FIU transfer Malik Smith and his performance in a scrimmage: “He didn’t hurt any of our great fans with his errant passes.”

Pitino said he won’t inform his players until Friday who the starters will be for that evening’s opening exhibition game against Cardinal Stritch at Williams Arena. The starting lineup will change multiple times in the week’s ahead. Cardinal Stritch, located in Milwaukee, won the 2013 NAIA Division II national championship.

The Timberwolves open the regular season tonight at home against the Magic who are trying to convert former Hoosiers All-American forward Victor Oladipo into a point guard as a rookie.

Here are several things to know about the local NBA club that also plays at Target Center on Friday night against the Thunder, perhaps the best team in the Western Conference.

Unless this club has another run of devastating injuries, expect the Wolves to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The talent and coaching are in place to finish 12 to 18 games over .500.

The Wolves will score points and some nights could be the league’s most entertaining bunch. A lack of experience and defensive lapses may limit the postseason run, though.

Power forward Kevin Love might extract more success from his skills than any All-Star in the NBA. Still waiting for those marvelous length of the court outlet passes he threw during his one season at UCLA.

Not sure yet if Ricky Rubio is more Jason “White Chocolate” Williams, Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson, Pete Maravich or Bob Cousy. But know this: the Wolves point guard is one special playmaker and he’s only 23.

Center Nikola Pekovic’s short arms don’t suit him well for blocking shots but the man is scary strong. That attribute serves him well on offense and defense where he can shove opponents into places on the court they don’t want to be.

Shooting guard Kevin Martin makes a lot of bull’s-eyes and is the team’s best offseason acquisition. His marksmanship helps counter the limited shooting skill of small forward Corey Brewer who can contribute best as Mr. Defense.

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Kill Likely Working Tomorrow at Game

Posted on October 25, 2013October 25, 2013 by David Shama

Jerry Kill hasn’t coached the Gophers in a game since September 28 but tomorrow he could be more involved with the team, working from the press box at TCF Bank Stadium when Minnesota plays Nebraska.

Kill has been searching for answers regarding his seizures, and indications are he is taking a cautious step-by-step approach to resuming responsibilities as head coach. Kill surprised most everyone when his wife Rebecca drove them from Minneapolis to Evanston early last Saturday morning. The coach watched the Gophers and Wildcats from the press box, and inspired his team with his presence including in the locker room.

“He means so much to us,” defensive end Theiren Cockran said.

It’s well documented there is a lot of affection between Kill and his players. “My reaction (to last Saturday) was my heart just dropped and I was so glad to see him up and healthy,” quarterback Philip Nelson said.

Kill didn’t even attend the Michigan game on October 5 because he had suffered a seizure and didn’t do any coaching in Evanston but a Gophers source who didn’t want to be identified expects Kill to be more active in tomorrow’s game.

Tracy Claeys, the team’s defensive coordinator who is temporarily head coach, said Kill was in the office earlier this week and expected him at practice. “I am sure he will be in the press box (tomorrow),” Claeys said.

If Kill isn’t in the press box and taking a larger role with game day direction, it may indicate a setback in his process of trying to find the right medications and other solutions to the recurring seizures that have drawn national attention. Nelson is optimistic about Kill’s progress. “I think the way that he was on Saturday, I think we’re getting pretty close to seeing him around a little bit more,” Nelson said.

Kill frequently talks about having a “signature win” for his program and there is an opportunity tomorrow against 5-1 Nebraska, a top 25 team and a program the Gophers haven’t defeated since 1960. Minnesota is 5-2 after defeating Northwestern and needs one more win to become bowl eligible for a second consecutive season.

The Gophers are 1-2 in the Big Ten with five more conference games remaining on the eight game league schedule. With the midway point of the Big Ten schedule reached tomorrow for Minnesota, here are the latest Sports Headliners power rankings of league teams along with projected final records in conference games.

1. Ohio State, 8-0

2. Wisconsin, 7-1

3. Michigan State, 7-1

4. Nebraska, 7-1

5. Michigan, 5-3

6. Iowa, 4-4

7. Penn State, 3-5

8. Indiana, 3-5

9. Northwestern, 1-7

10. Illinois, 2-6

11. Minnesota, 2-6

12. Purdue, 0-8

Northwestern, 0-3 and a preseason favorite to win the Legends Division, might be better than Penn State and Indiana but early schedule losses and injuries, combined with demanding upcoming games against Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State, will make this a surprisingly difficult season for the Wildcats who will defeat Illinois in the season finale.

The Gophers’ second Big Ten win and sixth overall victory will come at home November 9 against Penn State. Next best opportunity is November 2 at Indiana but that’s a circle-it game for the Hoosiers too.

Worth Noting

Gophers interim coach Tracy Claeys on what he did to celebrate Minnesota’s win over Northwestern Saturday: “I went to bed once we got back (home).”

Gophers sophomore defensive end Theiren Cockran has four sacks in seven games. He is tied with three others for the second most sacks in the Big Ten Conference. Cockran is dedicated to watching video of pro football’s best pass rushers including Aldon Smith and Von Miller. “Their technique is unbelievable…but it’s mostly their will and determination to get back there (into the backfield),” Cockran said.

Peter Mortell, a non-scholarship walk-on sophomore, is the second leading punter in the Big Ten with a 43.6 yard average. Mortell said in high school he received scholarship offers from Air Force and Central Michigan. Northwestern also wanted him to walk-on.

Mortell completed a pass last year on a fake field goal attempt against Michigan. Asked if the Gophers might have a fake punt play where he passes, he said, “Yes, sir. I hope so.”

Josh Freeman has lost nine of his last 10 starts as an NFL quarterback including his debut with the Vikings on Monday night. Christian Ponder, the man he replaced, is 5 and 5 in his last 10.

The Packers, who play the Vikings on Sunday night at Mall of America Field, have won three consecutive games and are in first place in the NFC North with a 4-2 record. The Packers (nine) and Vikings (five) have won 14 of the last 19 NFC Central/North Division championships.

Mike McCarthy, Packers head coach since 2006, is 10-4 against the Vikings during regular season games and swept Minnesota in four seasons, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said his hamstring injury dates back “four or five weeks” but the coaches didn’t know about it until last week. The hamstring has improved and Peterson expects to run with confidence Sunday in a game he describes as a “must-win.”

“This is a divisional game. It’s a home game,” Peterson said. “We’re 1-5 so we need to pull out everything we can.”

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has 17 career sacks against the Packers, the second most ever against Green Bay by an NFL player. Steve McMichael, with 18, has the most.

The game Sunday evening will be televised on NBC with Edina’s Michele Tafoya doing sideline reporting. Analyst Cris Collinsworth criticized the pass blocking of Vikings left tackle Phil Loadholt during a preseason game in August. It will be interesting to hear if he critiques Loadholt and the struggling Vikings line.

Former Viking and Packer Darren Sharper will be the radio sideline reporter for WestwoodOne Sports.

The Vikings continue to negotiate with the Gophers regarding details for use of TCF Bank Stadium in 2014 and 2015. Issues include possible seat expansion, field heating and concession stands.

Bethel (6-0, 4-0 MIAC) hosts Gustavus (4-2, 2-2) tomorrow in a showcase conference football game. Bethel will try to limit the productivity of Gustavus running back Jeffrey Dubose who has 845 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in six games.

The Timberwolves are the eighth best team in the Western Conference, according to Sports Illustrated’s NBA preview issue published this week. The review of the Wolves includes quotes from an anonymous scout who raves about point guard Ricky Rubio’s passing and court vision. “Rubio’s ability is so off the charts that even if he only became a passable shooter, he could be an All-Star,” the scout said.

Gophers men’s and women’s basketball coaches Richard Pitino and Pam Borton will host a joint media day on campus Monday. Thursday they will be in Chicago for Big Ten Basketball Media Day. Pitino will bring Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins to Chicago to meet with the media while Borton’s players will be Rachel Banham, Sara Nogi and Micaella Riche. BTN.com will stream live coverage of media day from Chicago.

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Tyus Jones Open to Early College Exit

Posted on October 23, 2013October 23, 2013 by David Shama

Debbie Jones, mother of Apple Valley senior point guard Tyus Jones, told Sports Headliners her son is open to playing only one year of college basketball. “If the opportunity presents itself, then absolutely,” Debbie said.

Leaving for the NBA after one season has been discussed with coaches recruiting Jones. The possibility of playing only as a freshman hasn’t deterred the biggest names in college coaching from pursuing Jones who is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 5 player in the nation for the prep class of 2014.

The final schools Jones is considering signing a Letter of Intent with are Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Minnesota. NCAA rules allow high school seniors to sign from November 13-20. There is a second signing period next spring from April 16-May 21.

Jones plans to sign with a school in November. An announcement regarding his college choice will come during the first or second week next month, according to his mom.

How the announcement will be done hasn’t been determined but Debbie said, “We’ll probably do something at the school (Apple Valley).” She indicated her son’s announcement is likely to happen at the same time as Jahlil Okafor’s. A well publicized pact between Jones and Okafor to attend college together is likely to remain in place. Okafor is a center from Chicago’s Whitney High School and is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 1 player nationally in the 2014 class.

Debbie said it’s “doubtful” her son and Okafor will choose separate schools, and acknowledged the Chicago superstar doesn’t have the Gophers on his final list of possible colleges. “If they go together to school that unfortunately would eliminate the Gophers,” Debbie said.

Okafor’s list of schools is reportedly Baylor, Duke and Kansas. He and Tyus visited Kansas together last weekend and over Labor Day weekend were at Baylor. Okafor is expected to join his friend at Duke this weekend.

Jones and his mom leave tomorrow for Duke, the last official visit the two will make in narrowing down the list of schools. On Saturday they will watch the Blue Devils in an exhibition game against Bowie State.

Tyus has been one of the most coveted athletes in Minnesota prep history. Debbie said the family is appreciative of all the attention but it will be a relief to end the selection process.

She also said there haven’t been any offers from schools that are in violation of NCAA rules. “I think people kind of know who we are. They know they’re dealing with people who don’t operate that way.”

Worth Noting

Debbie Jones’ youngest son, eighth grader Tre Jones, starts tryouts with the Apple Valley High School varsity on November 11. She said Tre will know after the first week of practice whether he made the team — as older brother Tyus did as an eighth grader.

The Timberwolves play the Sixers tonight who have a preseason roster that includes former Gophers Royce White and Rodney Williams. White leads the Sixers in personal fouls per game, 4.25. In five games he is averaging five points. Williams has played in one game for 19 minutes and didn’t score but had one block, rebound and assist.

Look for the Vikings to honor Cris Carter at their home game on November 7 against the Redskins. The former wide receiver was enshrined earlier this year in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Despite the combined dismal 1-10 record of the Vikings and Giants, their Monday night game was the most watched NFL telecast on ESPN in three weeks, according to a story yesterday on Sportsmediawatch.com.

Fans are welcome at the Gopher Gridiron Luncheon program starting at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at Jax Café in northeast Minneapolis. The program includes a Gophers coach and two players with Mike Grimm as emcee. More information is available at GoalLineClub.com. Membership in the Goal Line Club is not required to attend the luncheon which previews Minnesota’s game at home on Saturday against Nebraska.

A hockey source requesting anonymity told Sports Headliners that Wild owner Craig Leipold’s “patience” with coach Mike Yeo may not last more than a few more weeks. “They should be (playing) better than they are,” the source said earlier this week before the Wild defeated Nashville 2-0 last night.

The Wild is 4-3-3 in the first few weeks of the season. Not only is the win total disappointing but the team isn’t reaching its potential in creating “scoring chances,” the source said. The Wild had one goal last night until scoring on an empty net with 24 seconds remaining.

This is Yeo’s first NHL employment as a head coach and third season with the Wild. The team made the playoffs last season after a five year absence but the source suggested the Wild isn’t playing at last year’s level when the final record was a mediocre 26-19-2.

With a ho-hum start, the Wild has been behind the Vikings, Gophers football and even the Timberwolves (season hasn’t started) in generating local sports interest.

Sam Warning, the Gophers 21-year-old junior wing, is tied for the nation’s scoring lead in points with Kevin Roy from Northeastern. Warning has nine points in four games after scoring 23 last season in 29 games. He is the first Missouri native to ever play for the Gophers.

The Gophers men’s and women’s hockey teams are ranked No. 1 in the country in the USCHO.com polls.

Daydreaming about the Twins? What if the front office used some Target Field revenues to acquire Tigers stopper Max Scherzer who is expected to sign with another MLB team during the offseason. Scherzer in a Twins uniform gives the club a No. 1 starting pitcher and signing with Minnesota weakens Central Division rival Detroit. Thoughts of a starting staff in a few years of Scherzer as the No. 1 guy, Alex Meyer No. 2 and Kyle Gibson No. 3 is intriguing.

Yesterday’s announcement that Paul Molitor will join the coaching staff with responsibilities that include in-game strategy leaves Twins followers wondering just how “hot” Ron Gardenhire’s manager seat is.

Local business leaders Dave Mona and Susan Adams Loyd are volunteer co-chairs for the National Senior Games to be held at various Twin Cities venues during July of 2015. The National Senior Games is the largest multi-sport event in the world for adults 50 and over, and 12,000 athletes and 30,000 guests are expected to attend the 2015 gathering. Loyd competes in track and field events for seniors, while Mona’s sports interests include co-hosting WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle.”

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