Golden Gophers – Page 8 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Perich on Potential Path to Be Most Decorated Gopher Ever

Posted on July 27, 2025July 27, 2025 by David Shama

Koi Perich could become the most decorated player in the history of University of Minnesota football, a program that dates back to 1882. The Golden Gophers safety and return specialist earned numerous honors as a freshman in 2024 and he is identified by many sources this summer as a national player to watch during the coming season.

His 2024 recognition included:

Sporting News Second Team All-American
FWAA Freshman All-American
All-Big Ten First Team, Defensive Back
All-Big Ten Second Team, Return Specialist
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Shaun Alexander (National) Freshman of the Year Award Finalist

This summer college football magazines are touting Perich as a 2025 preseason All-American safety. One of the magazines, Phil Steele Publications, also named Perich as a third team All-Big Ten punt returner.

Perich is included on the recently announced Big Ten football Honors List of the top 16 players for the coming season. He is also on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy Award, presented annually to a defensive player for his character and athletic abilities. He is also expected to be on the watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s premier defensive back.

Perich presumably will play this season and next for the Gophers before entering the NFL Draft. He could become the all-time aggregator of football awards in Dinkytown, partially because of his excellence and also because through the decades more and more honors have been created for college football players to win.

Koi Perich photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

No football freshman at the U ever had the decorated season that Perich earned. Looks like he will rule the sophomore category, too. Center Greg Eslinger, who would go on to win the prestigious Outland Trophy and Remington Award later on in his career, was named All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2003, but based on pre-season hype Perich could do more than that.

The legendary Paul Giel had some serious hardware in his possession, but the great halfback earned his major honors as a junior and senior in the 1950s. The two-time All-American was also twice named the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player. Despite playing on a mediocre team, Giel was runner-up for the 1953 Heisman Trophy in possibly the closest vote ever for the award.

The intrigue about Perich, who could become Minnesota’s first three-time All-American, certainly goes beyond what he showed last season. Yes, his athleticism and heady play helped him lead the Big Ten in interceptions with five. And, yes, he had a mesmerizing 82-yard punt return against defending national champion Michigan in the “Big House.” But this year coach P.J. Fleck is making it known his versatile star will be asked to be a playmaker on offense, too.

Expectation is that while Perich won’t be an every down player on offense, he could have numerous touches in each game as a receiver and runner. “Koi is very explosive,” said first-year quarterback Drake Lindsey.

Lindsey and Perich have been working together in the offseason. Lindsey, an Arkansas native, has become close friends with Perich. The two were down in Arkansas during the offseason where Lindsey threw to Perich.

It’s been apparent to Lindsey that Perich’s football gifts include his sure hands. He has also seen Perich’s successful assimilation of the formations and nuances of the Gopher offense. “He’s really smart,” Lindsey said.

If Perich, who is about 6-1 and 215 pounds, takes to offense like he has defense and returning punts and kicks, he could follow a similar path to Travis Hunter who won the Heisman Trophy after last season. In the almost unheard-of age of players contributing on both offense and defense, Hunter was elite playing cornerback and wide receiver for Colorado.

It’s premature and irresponsible to make comparisons between Perich and Hunter. But Perich, the small-town kid from near Duluth, has already put his name on the national stage.

And it looks like he will bring fame to not only the Gophers but to Esko, Minnesota, population of about 2,000. Esko came up in a recent interview with Big Ten Network host Dave Revsine who asked what he should see in the small town if he had a week there.

“Oh, not much,” Perich quipped.

Revsine then said what if he had just a “few hours” to check out the town.

“Hey, that’s all you need,” Perich replied. “Got one stop light. Go check out the school. We got Tequilla Town (restaurant). I think that’s what it’s called now. …”

Indeed, that’s what the restaurant name is. Perich recalled that the Mexican cuisine restaurant replaced the pizza place in town. He usually gets things right on and off the field.

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‘Slap in the Face’ Motivates Gophers New QB Drake Lindsey

Posted on July 16, 2025July 16, 2025 by David Shama

Drake Lindsey, the presumptive starter as the Golden Gophers quarterback for the August 28 opening game against Buffalo, certainly doesn’t lack motivation. Big-time college football players always talk about excelling and being elite, but there’s something more involved with Lindsey—the redshirt freshman from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Lindsey told KFAN Radio this morning it was a “slap in the face” that he wasn’t recruited by his hometown Arkansas Razorbacks. Lindsey grew up dreaming of playing for the Hogs. His high school is located a short walk to the Arkansas campus. He comes from a family of Arkansas alums.

Yet it was head coach P.J. Fleck and assistant coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. who committed early to Lindsey and made him feel wanted at Minnesota. Lindsey said he will use the Arkansas snub to push himself.

Lindsey told the radio audience he’s excited about his college choice and sees his destination as something meant to be. He also knows being a first-year starter will be challenging after playing only limited minutes last season as Max Brosmer’s backup.

Brosmer was an acclaimed leader and accomplished player who is now trying to make the Vikings roster. Lindsey, who describes himself as more extroverted than Brosmer, learned a lot from last year’s star QB.

Lindsey said at a media gathering this morning it was a “blessing to have that guy,” praising how Brosmer led the team, performed and put such effort into preparation. Lindsey doesn’t think anybody in the country “prepared like Max.”

Lindsey said back in January he was trying to act like Brosmer but since then has learned to be himself. He has impressed teammates with his development.

Defensive end and upper classman Anthony Smith believes Lindsey has “really stepped his game up” as the months have gone by. “On the field I think he’s an awesome leader,” Smith said.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Lindsey came on strong his senior season and led Fayetteville High School to a 13-0 record and state championship. He threw for 3,941 yards in his senior season while completing 69 percent of his passes (264-for-383), tossed 54 touchdown passes and had just three interceptions.

Minnesota started recruiting Lindsey in April of 2023, before his senior season. He said the Gophers showed him “love” and made him feel special.

With ambition to be a “great quarterback,” Lindsey will have the opportunity to show the Razorbacks what they missed.

Worth Noting

The Gophers Koi Perich, who was the No. 1 recruit in the state two years ago out of Esko, continues to receive lots of summertime recognition after his breakout freshman season in 2024. Among the latest honors is Lindy’s Big Ten preview magazine selecting him as a second team preseason All-American safety.

Perich is also second team All-Big Ten while defensive teammates Anthony Smith (end) and Maverick Baranowski (linebacker) are third team selections by Lindy’s.

The magazine picks the Gophers 11^th in the 18-team Big Ten, one spot behind Iowa and one ahead of Wisconsin.

The publication quotes an anonymous NFL scout as saying the Gophers could push into the national top 25 conversation. “When you look at what P.J. Fleck has done at Minnesota, it’s impressive,” the scout said. “Even without the NIL resources to push them into the top tier of the Big Ten, he’s managed to keep the program competitive. …”

Scott Dochterman, writing in The Athletic last week, ranked college football’s 100 best rivalries and has Minnesota-Wisconsin at No. 10. Minnesota-Iowa is No. 34.

Congratulations to Sports Headliners advertiser Blaze Credit Union on its recent honors. The Falcon Heights-based company was recently named Minnesota’s best in five categories in the Star Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards. Blaze earned Gold for Credit Union, Home Mortgage, Wealth Management, and Financial Services Customer Service, and Silver in the overall Customer Service category.

Blaze has also been named a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union for the third consecutive year. Partnering with the market research firm Statista, Forbes annually recognizes the best banks and credit unions across the nation. Financial institutions have been evaluated via survey by approximately 26,000 U.S. residents.

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Ready for a Top 25 List for The Last Six Months of 2025?

Posted on July 10, 2025July 10, 2025 by David Shama

The calendar shows we’re halfway through the year and I am listing 25 things I am hoping for in the next six months.

Alert: recognizing the varied tastes of readers regarding humor, please note the word “wink” will be used to indicate anticipated levity. Feel welcome to use this as a prompt to laugh (howl?), like in the TV studio when a sign says: “APPLAUSE!”

Well, it’s already July 10 so best get to these 25 gems whether they be well-intended, sarcastic or funny.

1. The Timberwolves are bringing back 36-year-old Joe Ingles for another season at a reported $3.6 million to provide karma in the locker room and cheerleading from the bench. How cool would it be for the seldom used Ingles to have a double-digit scoring game playing in front of his autistic young son Jacob?

2. New Wolves owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez could have a “wandering eye” when it comes to keeping the team in Minneapolis. Hoping the replacement for Target Center will stay in the city rather than be built in the ‘burbs. The city is the economic hub of the region, and a new arena is vital to its future as a place where Minnesotans want to be.

3. Let’s hope when the 2025-2026 schedules come out, there are fewer same night home conflicts involving the Wolves, Wild and Golden Gophers men’s basketball than ever before. Also, we can do without those Gopher basketball games on the same Sundays the Vikings play.

4. A longshot, but how inspiring it would be to see all the NHL Russian hockey players join with North American-based past and present Ukrainian amateurs and pros in leading a public peace vigil to encourage an end to the brutal war that has saddened the world for years.

5. Wink: Wondering if Wild GM and woodworking enthusiast Bill Guerin might send me a table for outside grilling. Por favor, have the table on wheels, with a butcher block top, hooks and a beer bottle opener.

6. Wink 2: Hoping our area can attract an American Cornhole League franchise so we can move a step closer to having every kind of sports franchise under the sun.

7. Any chance Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, among the highest paid at his position in MLB, can hit like a $33 million player?

8. Fingers crossed that center fielder Byron Buxton plays a career high 140-plus games this season.

9. It will be a classy union if anticipated new Twins franchise buyers include Joe Mauer in the ownership and he becomes a prominent face of the franchise for decades to come.

10. Hoping for more games where the Twins use former manager Paul Molitor as the analyst on broadcasts. His insights are among the best in Twins broadcast history.

11. Get ready to applaud if the Vikings announce plans for statues outside U.S. Bank Stadium including one for legendary coach Harry Peter Grant. At the same time also commit to honoring the famed “Purple People Eaters” with a statue. That defensive line scared the deuce out of opposing offenses for about a decade and consisted mostly of Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen.

12. The Gophers need to get into the statue-erecting business too outside of Huntington Bank Stadium. There are a lot of ultra worthy names to choose from starting with Bobby Bell, Bernie Bierman, Greg Eslinger, Paul Giel, Bronko Nagurski and Bruce Smith.

13. Shocking: 2016 Vikings No. 1 draft pick Laquon Treadwell, considered a consensus bust in Minnesota, has stayed in the NFL playing for five other teams including in two games with the Colts last season. But, no, he isn’t returning here in 2025.

14. Fingers crossed Jordan Addison doesn’t have a three-peat of summer driving incidents.

15. More fingers crossed: Quarterback Max Brosmer makes the Vikings’ 53-man roster or at least the practice squad.

16. Miracle: Vikings fans choose not to boo the snot out of first-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy when he screws up. And he will.

17. Miracle 2: the football Gophers win either at Oregon or Ohio State.

18. Happy Birthday, Reusse: Coach P.J. Fleck and the Gophers defeat Nebraska on Patrick Reusse’s 80^th birthday, October 17. (For the unaware: Google Reusse on Fleck.)

19. Networking: let’s get new Golden Gophers basketball coach Niko Medved together with Jim Dutcher, the 92-year-old wise man who was head coach of the 1982 Big Ten title team.

20. Bulletin board locker-room material: In the last 20 men’s basketball seasons the Gophers have one winning season in conference games, while neighboring rivals Wisconsin and Iowa have 17 and nine respectively.

21. Wink 3: Potential speaking invitations for yours truly? Nope. Don’t like speaking and no good at it. (Available, though, for a five-figure fee!)

22. Appropriate: The Lynx win the WNBA championship against the Liberty on a controversial call by the refs.

23. Appropriate 2: The Lynx acquire Minnesota native Paige Bueckers prior to next season.

24. Canterbury Park and Running Aces get dealt in on sports wagering when state legislation is finally approved.

25. And we all need to remember this quote from Samuel Johnson in the next six months and beyond: “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”

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