MIAC – Page 28 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

New Gophers Football Facility Set for 2015

Posted on December 28, 2014December 28, 2014 by David Shama

Ground breaking and construction on the much talked about and coveted new Gophers football facility will begin next year, according to a donor who is providing $15 million.

Although the Athletic Department has yet to make an announcement, Janis Larson told Sports Headliners Gophers football coach Jerry Kill will get the facility he says is needed to make his program competitive with others in the Big Ten. The building will be named the David and Janis Larson Football Performance Center.

Janis is the widow of David Larson who passed away unexpectedly at age 70 last fall. Her husband was a University of Minnesota regent and loyal Gophers football fan. He raved about Kill’s work in turning around the football program and praised the coach’s high character. “He had my back,” an appreciative Kill said last fall.

The two men became friends not long after Kill was named the Gophers coach in late 2010. Larson, who had been one of Cargill’s top executives, once gave $500,000 to the football program to pay for tutors, laptops and also enhancements to the weight room.

The new football performance center will make a lasting statement about the Larsons’ commitment to Gophers football. “We talked about it before he passed away,” Janis said. “He knew about it.”

The facility will be three stories high, Janis said, and with all its components—including much needed indoor practice space—will put the Gophers in a competitive recruiting situation with other Big Ten programs. The total cost for the building, according to another source, could be at least $25 million.

The Gophers’ present indoor facility was built in the 1980s at a cost of $5.5 million. It has many deficiencies including a roof so low punts bounce off the ceiling. The building is acknowledged to be at or near the bottom when compared with those of other Big Ten schools.

This year Kill reportedly told recruits the Gophers would start breaking ground on a new facility in 2015. He also voiced confidence about the building becoming a reality when talking with Howard Griffith from the Big Ten Network last August. “There’s no question I am looking forward to the new facility,” Kill said. “We have to have that. That’s been kind of a deal in recruiting, and so coach Kill has put a lot of pressure in that situation. That’s going to come through.”

But Gophers fans have rightfully fretted about whether the facility would become a reality for Kill’s 2015 timeline. The football building is part of an overall $190 million campaign to upgrade athletic department facilities. Department officials have been mostly quiet about fundraising progress—and regarding the football complex a spokesman recently said construction will start “as fast as humanly possible.”

The concern has been that if Kill doesn’t see the football facility become a reality he will leave Minnesota and find a program where resources are in place and winning is more of a priority. Gophers’ fans don’t want to lose a popular coach who delivered trophy game wins over Michigan and Iowa this season, and now is preparing his team for the school’s first January 1 bowl game since 1962.

“I can’t imagine him leaving now,” Janis said. “He is a genius.”

That’s how her husband thought of Kill, too. David and Janis have also been admirers of the coach and his wife Rebecca for their volunteerism and caring for others inside and outside of football.

The Larsons wanted to make sure their friends are here for a long time.

Worth Noting

Janis Larson will be the guest of University of Minnesota regents for Thursday’s Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl game in Orlando when the Gophers play Missouri. Buffalo Wild Wings is based in the Minneapolis area. Sally Smith, CEO and president, is expected to attend the game and present the bowl trophy to the winning team.

Sports handicapper Kelly Stewart made the Gophers her top pick against the spread in 38 college bowl games, according to the December 19 Reviewjournal.com. The Gophers have been a 5 to 5½ point underdog to Missouri but Minnesota has excelled this season at beating the spread.

Before the season the number was set at six by handicappers for the Vikings’ total wins this season. Gamblers who took the “over” six on wins are celebrating the Vikings’ victory today against the Bears and final season record of 7-9.

The Bears finished 5-11 and in last place in the NFC North Division. Rumors are Minneapolis-born Marc Trestman and his coaches will be dismissed soon.

Fox color commentator Brady Quinn had the understatement of the telecast today when he said this about Vikings rookie Teddy Bridgewater: “This is the quarterback of the future.”

First-year Vikings coach Mike Zimmer raved about Bridgewater after the game on KFAN Radio, but said the 22-year-old does need to improve during the offseason including becoming stronger. “I love this kid,” Zimmer said. “He’s got so much composure. He’s so accurate. …He’s everything you want your quarterback to be and he’s a winner.”

Bridgewater completed 17 of 25 passes for 209 yards. The 68 percent completion percentage was the first time in the last five games he has been under 70 percent.

Adam Thielen, the Detroit Lakes native who was bypassed by Division I schools coming out of high school and was on the Vikings practice squad last year, was all smiles after catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater. The reception was his first NFL touchdown catch and the Vikings lone TD in their 13-9 win today.

The Gophers basketball team was impressive again on Saturday, winning 108-82 over UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks lost at No. 4 ranked Louisville earlier this month by only 11 points but the Gophers used a 34-9 late first half run to easily win their eighth consecutive game. Minnesota now has an 11-2 record, finishing its nonconference schedule with wins by 28 points or more in five of the last six games.

Gophers senior point guard DeAndre Mathieu, who scored 13 points and had 11 assists against UNC, left the game late in the second half and didn’t return. He was hit on his right elbow and some fingers became numb. Both he and coach Richard Pitino said there are no concerns about Mathieu’s right hand as the Gophers prepare for Wednesday’s Big Ten opener at Purdue. “He likes attention,” Pitino teased.

Senior guard Andre Hollins said his right turf toe injury didn’t slow him down on Saturday. He doesn’t expect the toe, which he hurt in the Seattle game on December 10, to be a problem at Purdue.

The Gophers were outrebounded by UNC 39 to 27 and Pitino said if there is a concern going against Purdue it’s on the boards. He described the Boilermakers as a “very, very physical” team. Freshman forward Vince Edwards leads the Boilers in rebounds at 6.1 per game but they also have a pair of 7-footers in freshman center Isaac Haas and junior center A.J. Hammons. The 7-2 Haas and 7-foot Hammons are both averaging 5.2 rebounds.

WCHA commissioner and former Angels communications executive Billy Robertson is an avid baseball fan who predicts the Twins will be the “most improved team” in the American League in 2015. He believes the Twins will tie for third place in the AL Central with the Indians. He projects the Tigers will win the Central with the other AL division winners being the Angels and Red Sox. The A’s, Orioles and White Sox will be AL Wild Card entries for the playoffs. In the World Series it will be the Red Sox over the Dodgers in seven games.

Coach John Tauer’s St. Thomas men’s basketball team is 8-1 and ranked No. 6 nationally by D3hoops.com. No other men’s MIAC team is in the D3hoops top 25.

The Tommies are the only Division III men’s team in the country with six players averaging in double figures. Those players are Marcus Alipate, Bloomington, Jefferson; Taylor Montero, Cretin-Derham Hall; Conner Nord, Eden Prairie; Ryan Saarela, Lakeville North; Grant Shaeffer, Eden Prairie; and Cortez Tillman, Cretin-Derham Hall.

During the past six-plus years the Tommies’ 87 percent winning percentage is the best in the country among 417 Division III programs. UST has won nine consecutive MIAC titles, with nine straight NCAA tournament appearances and 20-plus wins during those years.

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Zimmer ‘Glad’ Teddy Playing as Rookie

Posted on December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 by David Shama

Mike Zimmer is now comfortable with the decision to make Teddy Bridgewater his starting quarterback. The Vikings coach has seen rookie quarterbacks “get the heck beat out of them” and the resulting damage to their careers.

When Zimmer lost veteran Matt Cassel to a season ending injury in September, he was concerned about exposing Bridgewater, his first year QB, to the learning curve and pressures of the NFL. “I know this guy’s got a chance to be the guy for a long, long time here, and what I was nervous about at the beginning of the year is I didn’t want to get him beat up,” Zimmer said. “I didn’t want to get him a bunch of bad outings where he didn’t have that confidence and that attitude (to be successful). …”

The Vikings have tried to create an environment where Bridgewater, despite his inexperience, can avoid trauma and progress positively. “I think in the long run his playing and going through all of these experiences, and getting a chance to play against Green Bay and Chicago and Detroit, will be a big factor for us in the future because he’s been through these things now,” Zimmer said. “It’s not new.”

Zimmer has seen Bridgewater learn from being on the field and is “glad” the 2014 first round draft choice is playing so soon. Bridgewater has quarterbacked the team to five wins and six losses. Yesterday he had interceptions on consecutive possessions in the first half and that changed the momentum of a Vikings lead but overall he made plays with his arm and legs. He completed 31 of 41 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. He ran three times for 30 yards. Two of his last three games his passing rating has impressively been over 115.

Bridgewater has helped lead the Vikings, 6-8 overall, to comeback wins in previous weeks but couldn’t yesterday. The game ended with a 16-14 loss to the Lions when Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed what would have been an NFL record field goal of 68 yards. Walsh said this afternoon he “lobbied” for the opportunity to try the kick.

Although it’s not reasonable to expect a record game winner, the last two weeks—by Walsh’s admission—have been “tough.” He missed a potential 56 yard game winner in regulation a week ago Sunday against the Jets before the Vikings scored a touchdown to win in overtime. He was one for three on field goals in that game and yesterday didn’t connect in three tries including a 26-yard attempt that was blocked.

“I don’t feel like I am hitting the ball poorly but the results say otherwise right now,” he said. “So it’s something I gotta get shored up and fixed.”

Trailing 16-14, the Vikings didn’t make enough productive offensive plays on their final drive—and really all game—to defeat the Lions, now 10-4 and tied with the Packers for first place in NFC North. But Zimmer did praise his rebuilt offensive line that is without three starters. “I thought they battled their rear ends off,” Zimmer said. “I think they competed. I thought they fought like crazy to give us the opportunity to get the ball in the right place.”

One replacement is Mike Harris who has taken over at right tackle for Phil Loadholt. Harris said the coaches gave his work yesterday the best evaluation he’s received this season. He thought his run blocking and physical play was evident against the Lions.

“My pass blocking was okay,” Harris said. “It‘s something I continue to work on with timing, with my punch.”

Worth Noting

When the Vikings prepare this week for the Dolphins, Minnesota defensive coordinator George Edwards will have knowledge of Miami’s personnel since he was that team’s linebackers coach last season.

Rookies Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon have received more attention but the Vikings have other first-year players they like, too, including seventh round pick Shamar Stephen. A defensive tackle at 6-5, 310, Stephen was in on 10 tackles in the game against Carolina last month and he has become a starter replacing the injured Shariff Floyd.

Jerry Kill gave an answer that couldn’t resonate better with Gophers football fans when asked by L. Jon Wertheim in the December 1 issue of Sports Illustrated about the program’s long-term goal. “Our long-term goal is to continue to get better. Our mission is to win the Big Ten championship. It’s not easy to do, but that’s what our mission is.

“The next stage is, we haven’t been to the Rose Bowl—I get reminded every day—since (1962). So everybody wants to get that accomplished. The ultimate thing is to win it all. But we’ve got to take steps. We have to improve our operating facilities because in recruiting that’s what kids look at. …”

The Big Ten Conference has 10 teams in bowl games, a total that ties the league’s previous high set in 2011. A difference, though, is three years ago the conference had 12 teams and now has 14.

After bowl matchups were announced, odds-makers had all of the Big Ten teams as underdogs in the 10 games. Dating back to 2000, the conference is 38-62 in bowl games.

Bobby Bell ranks among the greatest Gophers football players ever. He was a two-time All-American tackle and 1962 Outland Trophy award winner. Yesterday he posted the following news on Facebook: “I went back the past seven months to the University of Minnesota after 52 years in order to complete my college degree. It feels so good to be a college graduate. …”

Dave Stead, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, said he doesn’t have a final figure but he expects ticket sales revenue from the 2014 Prep Bowl to be down about 50 percent. Attendance and ticket revenues will significantly increase when the Prep Bowl leaves outdoor TCF Bank Stadium for the enclosed Vikings stadium in 2016. Stead said although the Prep Bowl normally is a profitable event, he’s not sure if it will be in 2014.

Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins is on the cover of Mpls.St. Paul Magazine’s best of the year issue. The article on Wiggins, who last June was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, discusses the 19-year-old’s life as a professional and living in a new community.

While Wiggins has been a regular starter, rookie guard Zach LaVine, also 19, has started just 11 games. But that is 10 more than at UCLA last season, and before the Timberwolves made him a first round choice.

A local pro hockey source said Thomas Vanek’s slow start scoring goals for the Wild can be explained by off-ice distractions including his transition back to Minnesota where he knows so many people. He predicted Vanek could be productive, though, by playoff time when things have settled down and the 30-year-old forward knows his teammates better. Vanek has only three goals in 28 games but does have 14 assists and is fourth on the team with 17 points.

The same source said the Wild have been looking for goalie help and doesn’t believe the team is committed to starter Darcy Kuemper. The franchise decision makers, though, are “solid” in their commitment to fourth season coach Mike Yeo and the players like him.

It wouldn’t be surprising if former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who has been offered a role with Minnesota, ends up working for the Rangers, Astros or Mets. Gardenhire grew up in Oklahoma and the two Texas teams, the Rangers and Astros, provide proximity to home while the Mets were the team Gardenhire played for in the major leagues.

Former Gustavus Adolphus golf coach Whitey Skoog was recently inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Skoog, who retired in January of 1995 after 22 seasons, coached the Gusties to 17 MIAC titles and 12 NCAA Division III tournaments including second place finishes in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The former Gophers All-American basketball player also coached basketball at Gustavus after his NBA career with the Minneapolis Lakers.

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Gophers Want Citrus Bowl on January 1

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

The Gophers athletic department will learn on Sunday what bowl destination the football team will have, and the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on January 1 in Orlando is the preferred site.

The Citrus is the highest-ranking bowl possibility for the Gophers based on their record and the complicated bowl agreements and factors involving the Big Ten Conference. When bowl invitations are extended, more than team records and conference finishes can be involved. A disadvantage potentially influencing a Gophers bowl invitation is the fan base’s reputation for not following the team in large numbers to postseason games. That stigma will follow the program until attendance counts tell a different story.

Athletic department officials are excited about possible bowl destinations—even if the Citrus invitation doesn’t materialize. The potential bowls for the Gophers are all in Florida or California. Minnesota’s last seven bowl games have been in Arizona, Tennessee or Texas, so a change to either coast is welcome.

In addition to wondering about a bowl destination, some Gophers fans fret about head coach Jerry Kill leaving for another job. Speculation has included the opening at Michigan—and until yesterday Nebraska, too, which just hired Oregon State coach Mike Riley. Both schools are Big Ten rivals of Minnesota and history indicates it’s unlikely a league school will pursue another’s coach. It’s been more than 35 years since that happened in the Big Ten. The Big Ten promotes unity among its members and hiring away someone else’s coach would stir up resentment among a group with shared interests and values.

There are also coaching opportunities at schools outside the Big Ten including Kansas. Kill denies interest, though, in going anywhere else. He addressed the feelings of he and his wife Rebecca on WCCO Radio’s Dave Lee program earlier this week.

“This is where Rebecca and I want to be, and we love it here,” Kill said. “The big thing is, I hope the University wants me, and the commitment to where we want to go. There’s a lot of things we gotta do. We need to take those steps.”

Kill said to recruit “great players,” the Gophers need “good facilities” to effectively compete against other programs. “I know our people are trying to get that done so I am looking forward to being here,” he said.

Kill, selected earlier this week as Big Ten Coach of the Year, has been campaigning for a new indoor football practice facility. The Gophers facility that opened in 1985 is inferior to many others in college football. Kill wants ground broken next year on a new facility that could cost about $25 million. Such action will signal a commitment to football resources at Minnesota and that is important for Kill to see.

An athletic department spokesman said the new practice facility will be built “as fast as humanly possible.” That’s not a commitment to next spring, although someone in authority may have told Kill awhile ago spring was a circle-it-time on the calendar.

The practice facility is part of a master plan to improve athletic facilities at Minnesota and is tied to a $190 million fundraising campaign. Sources report progress continues to be made on the fundraising. Major help from at least one local corporation and also a private source (reportedly $15 million) is said to be in place.

Earlier this year Land O’ Lakes made a $25 million commitment to support a wide range of University of Minnesota activities, but the centerpiece will be building the Intercollegiate Athletics Center for Excellence that will benefit over 700 student-athletes through academics and nutrition.

Sources indicate, though, that to reach $190 million the University will have to borrow money as part of the funding mix. Kill won’t make final decisions on fundraising, but knowing the coach I believe eventually he could become restless regarding his job here if he doesn’t receive the resources he wants.

In a couple of years the Kansas State head coaching position is almost certain to open up. Wildcats coach Bill Snyder is 75 years old. Kill has roots in Kansas and grew up in Cheney, about 158 miles from Kansas State’s campus in Manhattan. Snyder is a great coach and one who will leave a lot of resources behind for his successor.

But remember this when speculating Kill will leave the Gophers: he is 53 years old and has overcome cancer and battled epilepsy. Some schools looking for coaches will see the health history as a red flag. Kill has suffered multiple seizures in four seasons as Gophers coach, although this year hasn’t been a problem.

The Gophers stood by Kill when fans and media suggested he wasn’t up to the job. Kill remembers the loyalty of administrators at Minnesota and his many supporters in the community. He is a good man with the right values. He will be the Gophers coach for a long time if he believes football is important at the University.

Worth Noting

Kill’s battle with epilepsy has been an inspiration to his players. Gophers senior defensive tackle Cameron Botticelli said the players have experienced difficult times including the death of teammate Gary Tinsley in 2012 and Kill’s seizures on and off the field.

“You look at coach Kill’s overcoming epilepsy and living with that. This program has been surrounded by people who are models of resiliency in fighting back against adversity,” Botticelli said. “You don’t coach that. That’s a mindset. I think it’s been ingrained by the great people that we have in our program.”

The Gophers were 5-3 in the Big Ten this year, the program’s best conference record since 2003. A major contributor to the success was senior running back David Cobb who gained 1,548 yards, a single season school record. Washburn High School football coach Giovan Jenkins believes former Miller Jeff Jones will contend to replace Cobb as the starting running back next season. “There aren’t too many people out there that are as good as him (Jones),” Jenkins told Sports Headliners.

Cobb’s skills include exceptional vision—being able to see tacklers and openings to gain yards. “I think Jeff’s vision is equally as good as David Cobb’s,” Jenkins said. “He’s a little bit quicker, I believe, in terms of his first couple steps. He gets to full speed a little faster than Cobb. …Jeff has that ability to make the second guy miss when he’s running by the first guy. The first guy is not really going to get him.”

Cobb runs with patience and Jenkins said that Jones will learn the skill. “That’s coaching. Jeff will have that when he gets coached by the coaching staff at the University of Minnesota. That’s what a senior should be able to do, is wait until that thing (the hole) opens up and then hit it full speed.”

Jones isn’t academically eligible for football this semester but is off to a good start in the classroom during his first few months at Minnesota as a freshman. Jenkins said Jones had a 3.2 GPA earlier in the semester and appears on track to be eligible for spring football. If so, Jenkins is enthusiastic about what Jones can do.

“With him having an opportunity to run the ball next year, I don’t think there’s going to be much drop off in terms of production,” Jenkins said. “He might not be a thousand yard guy because they still have (All-Big Ten tight end) Maxx Williams and some other options, but he’s definitely going to help out and relieve the pressure on everybody else on offense.”

The Western Carolina basketball team the Gophers play tonight at Williams Arena doesn’t have name recognition but the Catamounts only lost by six points to Alabama and 10 to Mississippi State, with both games on the road. The Catamounts are 3-5 this season.

The Gophers, 5-2, most recently defeated Wake Forest, 84-69, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge series. Minnesota guard Andre Hollins was impressive making seven of 10 three point shots and scoring 27 points in the road win. Guard Carlos Morris was second in scoring with 15 points but had six turnovers. Excessive fouling continues to be a problem for Minnesota and Wake Forest was shooting bonus free throws before 12 minutes had elapsed in the second half. For the game the Demon Deacons had 31 foul attempts, but made only 18.

Defensive end Everson Griffen talking to Sports Headliners about the 5-7 Vikings: “We have a good team here. We’re a quarter away to being a great team each and every Sunday. Our biggest thing is that we gotta clean up our mistakes and quit beating ourselves.”

Adam Thielen received a game ball for blocking a punt and returning it 30 yards for a touchdown last Sunday in the Vikings win over the Panthers. Thielen, who had never blocked a punt before, said he it’s the third game ball he’s received as a Viking. He is the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Vikings defensive end Brian Robison caused a stir in the locker room earlier this week when he appeared without his signature ponytail. Robison started growing the ponytail in 2009 but tired of the excess hair and decided to have it cut. He donated his hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to disadvantaged children.

Kevin McHale, in town tonight coaching his Rockets against the Timberwolves, still has a home in North Oaks.

Bloomington native and University of Minnesota graduate Brian Dutcher joked that his job title at San Diego State should be changed after the school extended head coach Steve Fisher’s contract through 2018. “The head coach still in waiting” is Dutcher’s new description of his job status. His official title is associate head coach/head coach in waiting. Dutcher is Fisher’s top assistant and it’s been known for years he will eventually become head coach. He will be 58 if Fisher, now 69, coaches until 2018. Brian’s dad, Jim Dutcher, resigned from the Gophers job when he was 53.

Torri Hunter probably should have tutor attached to his job title with the Twins. The 39-year-old free agent signed a one-year $10.5 million contract this week. He could contribute with his bat and outfield work but it seems likely he will also mentor the organization’s brightest prospects like Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas.

Hunter hit 17 home runs with 83 RBI last season for the Tigers. Those totals would have ranked third and first for the Twins in 2014.

Augsburg junior quarterback Ayrton Scott is featured in this week’s Sports Illustrated magazine as part of its “Faces in the Crowd” section that spotlights the athletic accomplishments of amateur athletes. Scott made news with his performance in Augsburg’s 62-61, two-overtime win at No. 18-ranked Bethel on November 15. He completed 28 of 41 passes for a school-record 563 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing 18 times for 67 yards. His school and MIAC record 630 yards of total offense were the most by an NCAA Division III player this season, with his 563 passing yards third-best.

Hamline will sponsor varsity women’s lacrosse starting in 2016. The Pipers will join Augsburg as the second Minnesota D-III school to offer women’s lacrosse. A head coach will be hired by Hamline and the team will practice and play games at Klas Field.

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