KEVIN O’CONNELL – Page 4 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikes Coach: Suspended Jordan Addison Has ‘Heart of Gold’

Posted on August 6, 2025August 6, 2025 by David Shama

Vikings third-year wide receiver Jordan Addison received a three-game regular season suspension from the NFL yesterday for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, but head coach Kevin O’Connell is standing by his player because he sees accountability and behavior he likes. He referred today to Addison having a “heart of gold,” praising his relationships with teammates and his work ethic.

Addison pled guilty this summer to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a traffic incident last year in Los Angeles. O’Connell is a fan of Addison’s talent on the field but that wouldn’t cut it if he didn’t see that the 23-year-old USC alum has “taken full accountability” for his situation off the field.

O’Connell said the suspension is a “temporary setback” for Addison and he expects him to have a great season. The coach said it’s fortunate that Addison’s suspension will only prevent him from practicing for the first game, not the next two.

Injuries have caused multiple offensive players, including superstar WR Justin Jefferson, to miss stretches of training camp. A healthy unit might be more on O’Connell’s mind now than usual. “We want to make sure we’re as healthy as possible knowing that we’re going to be without Jordan there for not only the opener but for the first three,” he said.

Addison had 875 receiving yards last season, second on the team to Jefferson with 1,553. O’Connell wouldn’t speculate who will emerge to replace Addison for the first three games.

Kickoff Saturday for the opening preseason game against the Texans in Minneapolis is 3 p.m. with the game simulcasted on FOX 9 (television) and KFAN (radio). Announcers are Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber. The game will also air on NFL Network.

The view here is the Vikings will include rookie quarterback Max Brosmer on the final 53-man roster. The brass may be too impressed with the astute former Golden Gopher to risk losing him on waivers when the season roster is determined. The intent is likely to keep three quarterbacks on the roster: McCarthy, No. 2 Sam Howell and Brosmer, with veteran Brett Rypien cut from the team.

The annual NFL Draft has never been held in Minnesota but the Vikings and the Minnesota Sports and Events organization are working to change that. Vikings owner Mark Wilf made intentions clear recently at training camp.

“We certainly have been working with the Minnesota events group and the NFL to put our community out there to make sure we can get a draft,” Wilf said. “We’ve shown we can do big events, whether it’s a Super Bowl or Final Four. And I know our team is hard at work to putting an effort together. So, it’ll be an outstanding venue when we get it, and we’re working very hard to get it here.”

The 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit had a record reported attendance of 775,000, while Green Bay’s number earlier this year was more than 600,000. The 2026 draft will be in Pittsburgh, with the 2027 draft in Washington D.C.

Vikings NFL Hall of Famer and former NFL MVP Alan Page, once a Minnesota Supreme Court justice, turns 80 tomorrow.

The Vikings expect about 40,000 fans to visit training camp this year, a similar total as in the past. Among those in attendance today was Senator Amy Klobuchar.

The Gophers don’t have a lot in common with the all-time goliath of college football, the Alabama Crimson Tide, but there are a couple of timely notes. University of Washington transfer Kahlee Tafai, an offensive tackle who figures in Gopher plans this season, turned down Alabama, as did two prominent recruits who will be part of the 2026 prep recruiting class, Roman Voss and Ryan Estrada.

Tafai, listed at 6-5 and 340-pounds, will have three seasons of eligibility at Minnesota after starting four games last season for the Huskies. He was ranked as the No. 64 tackle in the nation coming out of high school in California.

Voss, the consensus No. 1 2025 football recruit in the state of Minnesota, reduced his final college choices to the Gophers and Crimson Tide. Then in June the coveted athlete from Jackson, who projects as a tight end in college, announced he will attend Minnesota.

Estrada, a highly recruited running back from El Paso, turned down blue-blood programs Michigan and Alabama. 247Sports ranks both him and Voss as composite 4-star players.

Kalen DeBoer, the Alabama head coach going into his second season, has recruiting roots in the five-state region that includes Minnesota. He once was head coach at Sioux Falls University where Tide offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb worked for him.

Let’s not get carried away with saying the Gophers have any significant edge on the Tide but it’s worth noting on the field the two programs have played once with Minnesota the winner. In the 2004 Music City Bowl Glen Mason’s Gophers defeated ‘Bama, 20-16.

In 2032 and 2033 Minnesota and Alabama will play a home and home series. The first game will be in Minneapolis.

Double-A Wichita outfielder Walker Jenkins was named Texas League Player of the Week on Monday. In six games, he hit .500 (12-for-24) with two doubles, three home runs, five RBI, eight runs scored, four walks, two stolen bases, a .552 on-base percentage, a .958 slugging percentage and a 1.510 OPS. He is ranked by MLB.com as the Twins top prospect and 12th-best in pro baseball.

Gotta figure the Pohlads are heavy favorites to win Patrick Reusse’s Turkey of the Year Award.

A Sports Headliners reader emailed with this comment: “Remember allowing Jack Morris to declare his free agency a few days after Game Seven, 1991 (World Series)? Allowing him to leave deprived the team of a good chance to repeat in 1992. That was a wake-up call per the Pohlads’ willingness to invest in their team.”

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Brian Flores Likes What He Sees in Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

Posted on July 29, 2025July 29, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

All eyes seemingly are on first-year Vikings starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy at training camp. Among those most qualified to give an opinion about the 22-year-old is defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Flores said yesterday part of the strategy in preparing the inexperienced quarterback is “giving him a lot of different looks” from the defense. “I think J.J. has done a great job. I really do. I think he’s got real good command of the offense. I think he’s throwing the ball really well. I think he’s doing a lot of nice things and I’ve liked watching him improve. That’s good for everybody.”

Seems like when, not if, Flores will leave from his successful run here and accept an NFL head coaching position elsewhere. As in past seasons, it appears likely Flores will hear his name speculated on for openings in the fall and early winter.

Flores had a head coaching job previously, leading the Dolphins from 2019-2021. That tenure didn’t end well with a 24-25 record and negative feelings about his dismissal.

Flores has flourished in two previous seasons as leader of the Vikings defense. In his first two seasons leading the defense (2023-24), Minnesota had 53 total takeaways, the third most in the NFL trailing only Buffalo (59) and Pittsburgh (57). The Vikings have also held foes to an average of 96.1 rushing yards per game under Flores. That’s the third-fewest rushing yards per game over the past two seasons, behind only Detroit (93.6) and Baltimore (94.7).

Flores, who was a finalist for the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year for 2024, has not only polished his resume here, but also assimilated the offensive wisdom and coaching prowess of head coach Kevin O’Connell. In three seasons O’Connell has dazzled as a quarterback developer and offensive strategist.

Flores praises the way the offense goes about its business, from leadership to how the unit practices. He is comfortable going into the boss’s office and “picking his brain” on things like pass protection or route concepts. He describes O’Connell’s relationships with others as a “super power.”

“My time with him has been incredible these last two years and this year as well,” Flores said. “I think I am pretty good in some areas. Areas I am not as good in, he’s really good in. So just kind of naturally I get better in those areas. …”

Flores describes a “bit of a chess match” between the Vikings offense and defense as both units work on details to improve themselves and each other. Flores knows O’Connell is loaded with football smarts. “X’s and O’s wise, he’s as good as they get,” Flores said.

No word on who will be replacing recently retired Joe Schmit as sports director at KSTP TV. If the successor comes internally, seems likely the choice could be Chris Long who was the No. 2 behind Schmit.

George Schauer, the point man on the Golden Gophers famous Harlem Globetrotters-like warmup show in the early 1970s, died earlier this month in Dallas. Coach Bill Musselman put Schauer on scholarship strictly because of his ballhandling skills and trickery as he led his teammates through a pre-game show set to music that packed Williams Arena and had fans roaring with delight.

Former Gophers assistant coach Kevin Wilson told Sports Headliners Schauer scored two points in his four-year career and that Schauer and the Williams Arena faithful went bonkers when he made his field goal.

Schauer entertained with his basketball wizardry after college with his most recent gig as an ambassador for the Frisco, Texas based Texas Legends of the G League. That’s the official minor league of the NBA.

New coach Niko Medved’s 2025 Gophers have their last day of summer practice Thursday. Medved meets with the media that day to provide an evaluation.

Cody Nagel from Cbssports.com ranked the 18 Big Ten football coaches last week and Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck is at No. 8. Coaches above Fleck starting at No. 1 are Ryan Day, Ohio State; Dan Lanning, Oregon; James Franklin, Penn State; Lincoln Riley, USC; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa; Curt Cignetti, Indiana; Bret Bielema, Illinois.

Pioneer League football coaches voted St. Thomas to finish third in the standings this fall behind San Diego and Drake. In four previous seasons in the league, head coach Glenn Caruso’s Tommies have finished top three each year including a championship in 2022.

Twins infielder Luke Keaschall (right forearm) remains on rehab assignment with the Saints after having only 19 at bats with Minnesota this season. Pitcher Bailey Ober (left hip impingement) is also rehabbing with the Saints and has a 1.00 ERA in nine innings and two starts.

Don’t look now but while Twins pitching ace Pablo Lopez is sidelined the man traded to obtain Lopez, infielder Luis Arraez, is hitting .322 in his last 30 games and lifted his season average to .292.

Twins legends and hall of famers Jim Kaat and Rod Carew speak to the Twin Cities Dunkers on August 15.

Congratulations to Jeff Maday on being inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame. The track’s media relations manager has been with the racing facility for more than 30 years and started as a groom.

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Looks Like Vikes Commit to Running Game Most in KOC Era

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

Enjoy a Monday notes column.

The Vikings’ recent contract extension with backup tight end Josh Oliver adds to speculation the offense will be more committed to the running game than at any time in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s three previous seasons. Oliver is a superb blocker and superior with that skill to starter T.J. Hockenson.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

According to Pro Football Focus, Oliver led NFL tight ends with a 74.2 run blocking grade in 2024 (minimum 50 percent block snaps played) and earned the fourth-highest grade during the 2023 season with a 73.9.

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips has indicated there will be times the Vikings will have both Oliver and Hockenson on the field to add size and muscle. While the two could be in the game for blocking, Hockenson is one of the NFL’s most gifted big yardage receivers and could break off the line of scrimmage and run an explosive pass pattern.

The Vikings are expected to emphasize the run game to ease the transition and workload on new quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The 22-year-old, who missed his rookie season after injuring a knee, figures to hand the ball off on at least 50 percent of the snaps to his running backs.

That RB roster includes Aaron Jones, last year’s starter. The Vikings signed him to a multi-year contract in early March before he could hit free agency. He started all 17 games for the Vikings, with career highs of 255 carries, and 1,138 yards. He also had 51 catches for 408 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

In another March move that has potential to aid the running game, the Vikings worked a trade with San Francisco involving draft choices and Jordan Mason, the 49ers RB who led the team in rushing last season with a career-high 789 yards. Mason, who will be in his fourth NFL season in 2025, ranked sixth in the NFL in yards after contact per rush (3.62) according to TruMedia, and seventh in yards per rush (5.2). Among players with a minimum of 150 rushing attempts last season, he led the NFL in missed tackles forced at 37.3 percent, according to Next Gen Stats.

Look for times next fall where both Jones and Mason are on the field together, Phillips indicated recently. Maybe with two tight ends, too.

College basketball coaches are usually former players, but the Golden Gophers program is a bit different. Head coach Niko Medved is a former student manager under ex-head coach Clem Haskins at Minnesota in the 1990s. Medved assistant coach Aaron Katsuma and his director of scouting and analytics Drew Evenson are both former managers with the Gophers.

Ryan Saunders, the former Gopher player and Timberwolves head coach, is no longer an assistant coach with the NBA Nuggets. New head coach David Adelman, son of former Wolves head coach Rick Adelman, has reorganized the staff.

At 39 Saunders is probably open to taking a college coaching position for the first time in his career.

Saunders’ wife Hayley gave birth to daughter Grace Leigh on February 23. That would have been the 70th birthday of Ryan’s dad Flip Saunders, the deceased former head coach of the Wolves and a savvy point guard who was a Gopher basketball favorite.

Tim Connelly, the Wolves president of basketball operations, should have fans on the edge of their collective seats as to what’s next with the roster. Since being hired in the summer of 2022, he has pulled off dramatic trades that first brought Rudy Gobert here and later traded away Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Twins, 5-9 in June, have pitching problems that probably have already sunk their chances of winning the Central Division and threaten earning a wild card entry in the playoffs. The starting pitching rotation is troubled, and third baseman Royce Lewis is sidelined with yet another hamstring injury.

Staff ace Pablo Lopez is on the 60-day Injured List. His replacement, Zebby Matthews, is on the 15-day. Bailey Ober, a mainstay in the rotation with Lopez, Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack, is struggling with his mechanics.

The Twins were swept by the Astros over the weekend. Minnesota entered yesterday’s game with a staff ERA of 6.39 in June. That compares with 3.11 in May and 3.54 March-April.

Minnesota is 3-8 in its last 11 games, and 8-13 in the previous 21. At 36-35, the Twins are barely holding on to second place and are nine games behind the Central Division leading Tigers.

FanGraphs gives the Twins a 7.2 percent chance of beating out the Tigers but 42.1 percent likelihood of making the playoffs. That could be optimistic for a pitching staff down two starters and a bullpen that while elite has been taxed with a lot of innings already this season.

The way it looks now the Twins will have at least two representatives on the American League All-Star team for the July 15 All-Star Game in Atlanta. Center fielder Byron Buxton, 31, should be a starter because of his hitting, fielding and base running this spring. Reliever Johan Duran, 27, has saved 10 games working out of perhaps baseball’s best bullpen, and has a 4-2 record with a 1.64 ERA.

This would be Buxton’s second All-Star Game, having homered in two at bats as a reserve in 2022. Duran would be making his debut.

Buxton signed a seven-year contract for $100 million in December of 2021, according to MLB.com. That deal includes staggered bonus amounts if he places in the top 10 for the league MVP Award. He won’t win the award this year (would bring $8 million) but he receives $3 million for a finish between sixth and 10^th.

Duran is a steal for the Twins at a reported $4.15 million.

Ryan, among the winningest pitchers in the majors this season, could also represent the Twins as a first-time member of the AL All-Star staff. Ryan, 29, with a 7-2 record and ERA of 2.93, is the club’s best pitcher with Lopez sidelined.

Sam Udovich, the Cretin-Derham Hall senior who recently won the boys’ golf 3A state tournament, will be on scholarship at TCU where the program celebrates its 100^th year in 2026.

Humor department: My friend Bob Klas remembered the late Murray Warmath’s take on golf. The Golden Gophers football coach said he’d do anything to improve, “except practice.”

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