KEVIN O’CONNELL – Page 17 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

The Bet Here: A Nick Mullens Start at QB in Las Vegas

Posted on December 3, 2023December 3, 2023 by David Shama

It will be surprising if Nick Mullens isn’t named the starting quarterback for the Vikings in their next game, December 10 in Las Vegas against the Raiders. Head coach Kevin O’Connell declined to name a starter during last week’s bye period, but Josh Dobbs is 2-2 in leading the offense and is coming off a four interception performance against the Bears November 27.

Mullens’ back injury likely prevented him from being the starter after Kirk Cousins suffered his torn Achilles season-ending injury against the Packers October 29. Mullens has the best understanding of the offense on a quarterback roster that also includes rookie Jaren Hall.

Dobbs was acquired in an October 31 trade with the Cardinals. Mullens came to Minnesota in a trade with the Raiders in August of 2022. Both he and Dobbs are 28 years old, have been with multiple NFL teams and are considered journeymen.

Nick Mullens image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Mullens’ experience with the offensive system could give the Vikings the best outcome in getting the ball to superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson in Vegas and for the rest of the season. Jefferson is expected to play next Sunday after being sidelined with a hamstring injury for almost two months. The whole offense is predicated on passing success with other superb targets in rookie WR Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Likeable and soft spoken, Mullens has been a supportive backup to Cousins. If he starts next Sunday it will be his first for the Vikings during the regular season. In 24 previous games in the NFL, including 17 starts, he has thrown 27 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions.

The future status of the Vikings quarterback leadership beyond this season is muddled. The club seems almost certain to take a quarterback in the first round. Minnesota could be on pace to draft around No. 20 and the best available then might be J.J. McCarthy of Michigan. He not only has passing skills but has the mobility to add another option to O’Connell’s creative schemes and play calling. He is young (turns 21 in January) and will need developmental time.

The Vikings and Cousins have to determine if they can figure out a new contract. Cousins is a free agent and a proven top 12 NFL quarterback but his bargaining power will be diminished coming off such a severe injury. Still, he would be valuable to the Vikings for a season or two while they groom a McCarthy.

But how do the Vikings determine their salary cap and budget challenges in 2024 with expensive new contracts that could start with Cousins at $35 million, Jefferson at $30 million and pass rushing whiz Danielle Hunter at $25 million.

Worth Noting

McCarthy’s coach at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh, is likely to leave the controversies of college coaching behind and take an NFL job in the coming weeks. Harbaugh interviewed with the Vikings two years ago with a resume that included taking a so-so 49ers team to the Super Bowl. Last week Yardbarker was quoting 5-1 odds he will be the next coach of the NFL Panthers.

Speaking of quarterbacks, a lot of fans have to be rooting for Cole Kramer to have a successful game leading the Gophers in their bowl game. The former Eden Prairie star enrolled at Minnesota in January of 2019 and has seen minimal playing time during his career including brief appearances in two games this season. He’s been the definition of the “loyal trooper” and it will be interesting to see if with starter Athan Kaliakmanis in the transfer pool he chooses to use his last year of eligibility at Minnesota in 2024.

The Gophers are targeting FCS passing leader Max Brosmer, the quarterback from New Hampshire who has entered the transfer portal. He was the team’s captain and is originally from Georgia. Brosmer was a semifinalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy recognizing the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule told reporters recently “a good quarterback” costs $1 million to $2 million in NIL money. Presumably he’s talking FBS, not FCS, because the Gophers can’t afford that kind of money.

Dinkytown Athletes, the official collective of Gopher athletics, is making progress in generating NIL money including with creative ideas partnering with businesses. It’s believed NIL money will first be a priority here in retaining players on the roster.

Quarterback Hank Bachmeier, who once had an interest in the Gophers, is in the transfer portal and leaving Louisiana Tech. Coming out of high school in California in 2019, Bachmeier was one of the nation’s top ranked pro style quarterbacks and chose Boise State.

The Gophers haven’t played in the Rose Bowl since January of 1962 when they defeated UCLA in the “grandaddy” of all bowl games. That changes next year when Minnesota plays at UCLA on the Bruins’ home field, the Rose Bowl. Stillwater-based Creative Charters is already promoting a fan-trip to Southern California October 9-13.

Bill Guerin has fired two head coaches since becoming the Wild’s GM, Bruce Boudreau in 2020 and Dean Evason last week. If new hire John Hynes doesn’t last at least a few years, scrutiny will focus on Guerin who has yet to see one of his Wild teams make a deep playoff run.

After last night’s win over the Hornets in Charlotte, the Timberwolves are 15-4, the best record through the first 19 games of a season in franchise history.

Cleveland.com reports former Gopher and Minnesota native Jamison Battle is making a career high 38.6 percent of his three-point shots. Stephen Means of the website predicts Battle’s new team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, will win 73-61 against the Gophers tonight in Columbus in the first Big Ten game for both teams on the 2023-2024 schedule.

Popular emcee and former Gophers public address announcer Dick Jonckowski had a checkup last month and continues to be cancer free from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Dick was told he won’t need another checkup for a year.

David Mackay produced and directed a movie he filmed in Norway and Ireland titled “My Norwegian Holiday” which debuted Friday night on the Hallmark Channel. David is the son of Minnesota icon Harvey Mackay who has been a prominent booster of local sports and confidant to Gophers sports leaders over the years.

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Quarterback Josh Dobbs Reverts to Past Play in Loss to Bears

Posted on November 28, 2023November 28, 2023 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

The Vikings, now with a 6-6 record, produced one fourth quarter touchdown and a first half field goal in last night’s 12-10 loss to the 4-8 Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. In his fourth game with the Vikings, journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs threw four interceptions and other balls that were off target as Minnesota’s struggling offense was limited to 169 net yards passing and 73 yards rushing.

Dobbs, now 2-2 with Minnesota, transformed from hero to troublesome with his performance. The 28-year-old fit the labels that have followed him during his NFL career with other teams. He has been profiled as a QB who makes poor decisions and has ball security issues.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

After the game Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about his quarterback: “Yeah, Josh, as much as he’s done some really good things for us, he is still getting comfortable in our pass game, play-pass game, knowing where quick eligibles are to put the ball in play. Drop back pass, taking the right footwork, feet, and eyes, all those things. We’re working through that. Just, I think three of the interceptions were off of tip balls. Rhythm and timing of our offense just not feeling as crisp as we want to. …”

The Bears had seven penalties for 76 yards in the game. Their offense, with 317 net yards, was better than the Vikings at 242 but produced no touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Fields fumbled twice in the fourth quarter, once killing a drive that figured to set up an easy field goal.

Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is an admirer of versatile teammate Josh Metellus who forced two fumbles last night. Metellus can play multiple positions on defense and also contribute on special teams. “It’s a big deal,” Smith said recently about Metellus’ versatility. “He can play pretty much any role you want on defense, and he’s a really good specials teamer when you need hm out there. He’s just a football player. A really good one. You can put him anywhere and he’s going to affect the game. That’s really valuable. …”

Labeled the “Swiss Army Knife” by teammates, Metellus is used at nickelback, cornerback, linebacker and safety. He told Sports Headliners recently it can be challenging getting enough reps in practice at multiple positions. Not being able to “fine tune everything” on the field, Metellus will mentally rehearse to prepare. Regardless of position, he wants to play relaxed. “Just run around and hit,” he said.

Smith played eight seasons with Anthony Barr before he left the Vikings during the 2022 offseason. When the Vikings needed a linebacker earlier this month Smith put in a word to O’Connell and Barr was signed to the practice squad. He was elevated to the playing roster before last night’s game.

“I am a little biased because we’ve been good friends for a while, but yeah I told him (O’Connell) what I know about him as a player and a guy,” Smith said. “He’s a guy you want on your side. Big body, athletic, smart. You can do a lot with him.”

Smith, BTW, remains an avid golfer with a low handicap. His golf buddy on the team is linebacker Jordan Hicks.

St. Paul native Phil Housley, an assistant coach with the Rangers and former NHL great player, would have been a popular fan choice to succeed Dean Evason as Wild head coach. A hockey insider said Housley shares a friendship with Wild GM Bill Guerin who has hired former Predators’ coach John Hynes.

High school football players can sign national Letters of Intent on December 20. The Gophers’ 2024 class has 22 verbal commits and local recruiting authority Ryan Burns told Sports Headliners this group is “potentially the best one” of the P.J. Fleck era dating back to 2017.

There are no guarantees (as usual) that all the verbal commits will sign their paperwork. Other programs will be in pursuit of Minnesota commits in the weeks ahead. Defensive lineman Jide Abasiri from Eden Prairie High School recently received an offer from USC. The Gophers’ highest ranked commit by 247Sports, safety Koi Perich from Esko, has offers from USC, Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State.

Another Gopher commit receiving attention is quarterback Drake Lindsey from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Burns said Lindsey was using a Gopher towel a few days ago when his team won its state semifinals game and advanced to this week’s championship.

The Minnesota class is No. 30 in the 247Sports national composite rankings for 2024. Burns predicts the Gophers could add another commit or two. Possible positions? “You can’t take enough quality offensive and defensive linemen,” he said.

Brian Dutcher, the Bloomington native who coached the San Diego State Aztecs to the Final Four last spring, is featured in the CBS Sports series “Home Court.” Earlier in the year filming was done in California, Michigan and Minnesota where Brian sat on camera with his father, former Gophers Big Ten championship coach Jim Dutcher.

Brian was with three Final Four teams as an assistant at Michigan. He waited during part or all of four decades as an assistant at Michigan and San Diego State before getting his first head job at age 57 with the Aztecs. “He doesn’t chase other jobs,” said Jim who got his first head job at age 20 coaching Alpena Community College.

The Aztecs home games are sold out for the season. They are playing one of the most difficult nonconference schedules in the country with opponents that include Gonzaga, California, Stanford and Washington.

With starting pitchers Kenta Maeda and Sonny Gray headed to other teams, have to wonder if the Twins won’t trade veteran second baseman Jorge Polanco for mound help. Polanco, 30, is expected to make $10.5 million next season, according to Mlb.com/news who pointed out Monday the Twins have talented young infielders in Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee and Austin Martin.

Condolences to family and friends of Ed Cohen, 92, who passed away recently. A Twin Cities attorney, Ed served over 65 years as a member of the Gophers football gameday statistics crew.

Ed loved to tell stories and one of his tales was about Sid Hartman who in addition to being a newspaper man was an executive for the Minneapolis Lakers. Hartman was so critical of the officiating during a game that the referees wanted him ejected from the building. Hartman, sitting near courtside, refused. The refs had a crew remove the bolts from Hartman’s seat and he was carried out of the arena, Ed said.

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O’Connell’s Viking Culture Fosters ‘Clear Minded Football’

Posted on November 12, 2023November 16, 2023 by David Shama

Kevin O’Connell and his staff have created a thriving atmosphere for the Vikings. Call it environment, culture, relationships, or what have you, the players are comfortable with their coaches, teammates and themselves.

Prior to O’Connell becoming head coach in February of 2022 there was criticism of the team culture. Linebacker Eric Kendricks talked about a “fear-based” organization under head coach Mike Zimmer. Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins had a contentious relationship per numerous media reports.

But under new leadership the Vikings overachieved last season going 13-4 and winning the NFC North Division. After a 0-3 start this season, they showed resolve by bringing their record to 5-4 after last week’s improbable win over the Falcons when quarterback Joshua Dobbs played hero ball after joining the team mid-week to replace the injured Cousins.

O’Connell could have contributed to a potential panicky environment with the loss of Cousins for the season and a new quarterback who had the most minimal knowledge and familiarity with the plays and personnel. Instead, Dobbs played with poise and success like he was on the school playground with old friends, rallying Minnesota to a 31-28 win despite his situation and having replaced injured starter Jaren Hall in the first quarter.

“…I know K.O. believes that you play your best when you’re enjoying yourself and having a good time and playing free,” offensive tackle Brian O’Neill told Sports Headliners. “The last thing anybody wants is to be afraid to make a mistake, and they’ve cultivated a culture in that we can feel confident that they believe in us, and we believe in ourselves, and just go out and play clear minded football.”

Guard Dalton Risner signed with the Vikings as a free agent after the first two games of the season. He had visited the Vikings in the summer and been impressed with O’Connell when the coach agreed to pray with him. Risner said the gesture was “pretty awesome” and suggested to him the kind of organization he could be joining.

The positivity that Risner found in the locker room was evidenced by how Cousins connected with Dobbs and welcomed him. “…He’s been awesome,” Dobbs said. “The first thing he said was, ‘If you need anything, want to know more about the offense, whatever you need – don’t hesitate to call, text.’ And he’s been in our meetings. So just being able to bounce ideas off him, ask him how he sees different plays that we’re installing, it’s been awesome, and I’ll continue to use him as a resource.”

Kevin O’Connell photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Success can’t be realized, of course, without preparation and game plans. “I think it’s a credit to both the players and the coaches for being ready to roll and consistently having that standard of preparation that we kind of hang our hat on around here,” O’Connell said. “It’s on us as coaches to have a game plan that our guys can absorb and then go thrive in, whether they get the reps or not, and then players making it come to life by their execution. …”

O’Connell’s savant like work as an offensive strategist, play caller, quarterback developer and team leader have positioned him among the early favorites for NFL Coach of the Year. You can be sure he will have the “vote” of his players.

Worth Noting

NFL media authority Mike Florio, talking on Paul Allen’s KFAN show last week, said Dobbs is faster than elusive Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Fans are often impatient but Gophers’ redshirt sophomore QB Athan Kaliakmanis deserves understanding. Going back to his junior year of high school in Illinois he missed part of the schedule because of injury. COVID dictated a reduced senior season schedule in the spring of 2021. That fall he redshirted with the Gophers before getting five starts in 2022. A starter in 10 games this season, Kaliakmanis is working under his third offensive coordinator in three years.

Recall that Bo Nix was a struggling quarterback for Auburn when the Gophers won the 2020 Outback Bowl. Fast forward to this fall when Nix, now playing for Oregon, has started more college games at QB than any collegian ever and is forecasted as an NFL first round draft choice.

Matt Millen, who was here November 4 to work the Minnesota-Illinois game for the Big Ten Network, waited about 100 days in 2018 to receive a heart from a donor and have a successful transplant.

Joe Mauer is eligible for election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame with an announcement coming in January as to who will be inducted in the summer of 2024. It’s certainly possible the former Twins catcher, whose accomplishments include three batting titles and the 2009 American League MVP Award, will not make it on his first try. Famous players who didn’t receive enough votes in their first year of eligibility include Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Harmon Killebrew. It’s fair to say, though, that in the present era voters (baseball writers) aren’t as persnickety as they once were.

The Brewers would be savvy to consider Paul Molitor as their next manager. His knowledge of baseball is extraordinary, and he has the experience of managing the Twins for four seasons. A former Brewers star, Molitor’s name is legendary in Wisconsin as it is in Minnesota, including from his playing days with the Twins.

Molitor is 67 but older managers can have success. Dusty Baker just retired at 74 and three years ago the White Sox hired Tony La Russa at age 76. Both had storied managerial careers. The Angels hired Ron Washington, 71, as their new manager several days ago.

Jack Wilson, the 6-11, 285-pound grad transfer center, plays hard for the Gophers and with his hulking appearance, effort and limited finesse could become a fan favorite coming off the bench. He may follow in the legacy of past reserves who were fan favorites like Hosea Crittenden, Russ Archambault, Rob Schoenrock, Ryan Saunders and David Grimm.

Kyle Counts, the 6-7 basketball forward from Wilsonville, Oregon who signed with St. Thomas last week as part of the Tommies’ 2024 recruiting class, is the grandson of Mel Counts, the former 7-foot NBA center and 1964 Olympian.

Astute hockey observer and Sports Headliners reader and advertiser (Iron Horse) John Justice points out this state has a history of on-ice tragedies with the most recent being Adam Johnson. The Hibbing native died last month in England while playing hockey and having his throat slit by an opposing player’s blade.

Hockey historians will remember in January of 1968 Bill Masterton, 29 and playing at Met Center for the expansion North Stars, hit his head on the ice during a game and died about 30 hours later. Another North Star from the 1970s, Warroad native Henry Boucha, tragically was poked in the eye by the hockey stick of Dave Forbes from the Bruins and the resulting blurred vision curtailed his promising career.

Duke Pieper was only 15 in 2008 and about to play his first varsity game for Hill-Murray when he suffered a brain bleed and was given about a five percent chance to survive. Surgeries and multiple complications made his life extraordinarily difficult for years, but he earned a college degree at Minnesota and has written an inspiring book called I’m Alive: Courage, Hope and a Miracle.

In 2011 Jack Jablonski, playing on the Benilde-St. Margaret’s junior varsity, suffered a neck injury that left him paralyzed. His spirit for life continues, though, including with his efforts to raise money for spinal cord injury research.

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