MIAC – Page 36 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Face Tougher Schedule Now

Posted on September 9, 2013September 9, 2013 by David Shama

A worrisome September schedule became a bigger concern for the Vikings after they lost their NFL regular season opening game on Sunday in Detroit against the Lions. “We need to win these first two,” Jared Allen said last week from Winter Park.

Instead the Vikings’ All-Pro defensive end and his teammates lost 34-24 to the Lions with another road game ahead next Sunday in Chicago against the Bears. After that the opponent is the Browns and the Vikings’ only home game of the month. September closes with a game in London versus the Steelers.

Vikings NFC North Division rivals Detroit and Chicago won games yesterday. Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson pointed out last week games within the division “count double,” so the first two games on Minnesota’s schedule have added significance for a team hoping to win the NFC North and have guaranteed entry into the NFL playoffs.

“It’s a tough situation (the early schedule) but not all bad,” Henderson told Sports Headliners. “Get the away games out of the way early. Really learn a lot about your team and what kind of people you have on your roster early on. Deal with some adversity and be up against some tough situations…some tough crowds. I think we’ll find out how resilient we are and what kind of team we’re trying to be and what direction we’re trying to head in.”

The Lions had more production from their offense yesterday than the Vikings with Detroit having 469 total yards versus Minnesota’s 330 while dominating time of possession. Vikings’ quarterback Christian Ponder had a mixed performance that included passes totaling 140 yards to wide receiver Jerome Simpson but he also had three interceptions and a first half ball that might have been picked off and returned for a touchdown.

Probably the biggest miscue of the day, though, came in the fourth quarter with the Lions ahead by only three points, 27-24. Ponder tripped over Vikings’ lineman Brandon Fusco and stumbled trying to hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson. The Lions recovered Ponder’s fumble at the Vikings 39 yard line.

Then third down penalties by the Vikings helped set up Detroit’s last score of the day. First defensive tackle Letroy Guion was flagged for a late hit on Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford. Three plays after that a pass interference play on Vikings rookie cornerback Xavier Rhodes—trying to cover All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson—gave the Lions a key first down at the Minnesota 15 yard line. Four plays later the Lions scored a final touchdown to make the score 34-24.

Rhodes, of course, had a difficult assignment facing Johnson but not a surprising one. “If you look…at the history of the NFL, they always target rookies,” Rhodes told Sports Headliners last week. “You do good (even) in the first five games, they’re still going to target you because they feel like you’re a rookie and you don’t know what you’re doing out there.”

Rhodes and the rest of the Vikings will learn more about how resilient they are next Sunday in Chicago.

Worth Noting

While trying to pass, Ponder often had pressure from the Lions’ talented defensive line. His offensive line, particularly left tackle Matt Kalil, had difficult moments.

Vikings’ second-year placekicker Blair Walsh kicked a 52 yard field goal yesterday. He is now 11-11 on field goals of 50 or more yards in his NFL career.

Rookie punter Jeff Locke was unimpressive yesterday averaging 34.8 yards. Walsh, though, likes the potential. “I think the sky’s the limit for him this year,” Walsh said recently.

Philip Nelson has become friends with Adam Weber who was the Gophers quarterback from 2007-2010. “He offered a lot of help,” said Nelson, the Gophers sophomore starting quarterback.

Nelson is a business marketing major with a 3.5 GPA. He is interested in becoming a high school coach.

Gophers senior tackle Ra’Shede Hageman said despite his success as a prep tight end at Washburn he wasn’t recruited by other high schools. He did think about DeLaSalle but didn’t pursue the downtown Minneapolis Catholic school. “I didn’t want to wear uniforms,” he told Sports Headliners.

Last Saturday night’s telecast of the Gophers-Aggies game was produced by AggieVision, a video production group from New Mexico State. Poor camera angles left viewers fortunate enough to see the game on DirecTV frustrated. The camera work just added to the frustration endured by those watching the game on the Big Ten Network website. The visual over the Internet continually had missing action. Fox Sports North will replay the game today starting at 2 p.m.

Could Iowa State football fans already be worrying about their opening game next year against North Dakota State? The FCS Bison have wins against four FBS schools since 2010—Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado State and Kansas State. All were on the road and so too will the August 30, 2014 game in Ames against FBS member Iowa State. The Bison have 32 Minnesota natives on their roster.

The Pirates, competing in the closest division race in the National League, will have their postseason ambitions at least partially determined by former Twins Garrett Jones, Justin Morneau and Francisco Liriano. Jones has pretty much been replaced at first base by Morneau but he could contribute in the outfield or pinch hit. His stats include 13 home runs and 49 RBI. Morneau is off to a slow start with the Pirates with no home runs or RBI in his first seven games. Liriano is 15-7 with a 2.98 ERA and could end the season leading National League pitchers in wins.

MIAC football teams that played nonconference games last weekend all had wins. In a preseason coaches poll, St. Thomas was the unanimous choice to finish first in the league followed by Bethel, Augsburg, a tie between Concordia and Saint John’s, and then St. Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus, Carleton and Hamline. Conference games begin September 21.

Congratulations to Marcia Bach, former executive director of the USTA Northern Section, who will be inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame on September 27 at the Minneapolis Club. More information is available by calling the USTA Northern office, 952-887-5001.

Minnesota tennis legend David Wheaton is helping host a clinic and pro-am September 23 on the clay courts at Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie to benefit the nonprofit Word Servants organization. The same day World Servants will also hold its annual golf event at Bearpath. For more information contact Michael Minich via email, mminich@worldservants.org.

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Williams Wants to Help Set Legacy at U

Posted on September 6, 2013September 6, 2013 by David Shama

Redshirt freshman tight end Maxx Williams impressed with his blocking and also making a difficult touchdown catch in last week’s Gophers win over UNLV. He hopes the win and his four seasons of eligibility is the beginning of a new era for Minnesota football.

“I want to know I was part of something that became great,” Williams told Sports Headliners. “I think that would be one of the best things that I can do. I helped build that program.”

The 6-4, 254-pound Williams from Waconia High was recruited by other schools including Gophers’ rivals Wisconsin and Iowa but he was never serious about any college but Minnesota. He realized he wanted to help turn around a program that has struggled for decades trying to win Big Ten games.

He also has affection for his home state. “I love it here,” Williams said. “It’s where I always wanted to be.”

Williams’ dad, Brian, played football for the Gophers and so did his uncle, Ron Goetz. His mom, Rochele, was a volleyball player at the U. Those “bloodlines,” as Jerry Kill described them, had the Gophers coach almost gushing about Williams the other day, talking about “great instincts” and the running ability of his 19-year-old tight end.

Williams impressed Gophers quarterback Philip Nelson a few years ago. Nelson’s Mankato West team beat Waconia three consecutive seasons. “He was the whole offense,” Nelson said. “When Waconia was running the ball he was the running back. When they were throwing it he was either the tight end or the quarterback. I’ve known since day one that guy can make plays. I think he’s going to be a big role in this offense.”

Nelson said injuries held Williams back last season but now there is an opportunity for the two to help improve a Gophers offense that often struggled last season and at times against UNLV. Test No. 2 comes tomorrow night in Las Cruces when Minnesota plays at New Mexico State.

Worth Noting

The Aggies better not conclude from scouting the Gophers in the UNLV game that they have seen all of Minnesota’s offense. Nelson said his team “probably showed about 50 percent of the offense” in last week’s opener. “We’re always kind of switching things up running our offense,” he said.

The Gophers may use some no-huddle offense during the season, according to Nelson.

Sophomore Rodrick Williams, who may start tomorrow night at running back in place of the injured Donnell Kirkwood, is nicknamed “Nugget” because he ate so many chicken nuggets on his recruiting trip to Minnesota while in high school. Linebacker James Manuel is nicknamed “Mule” because of his physique.

With Kill declaring Andre McDonald off the team indefinitely, the Gophers are now without three wide receivers who a year ago looked like major contributors for a few seasons. McDonald, A.J. Barker and Devin Crawford–Tufts are no longer with the team.

It’s for certain the Lions will try to exploit the inexperienced Vikings cornerback group including Josh Robinson (two years experience) and Xavier Rhodes (rookie) on Sunday in Detroit. “This is going to be a big week for them (the cornerbacks) but they’ll do a good job,” said Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier. “They’ll be ready.”

Former Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick said yesterday morning on ESPN Radio with hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic that Adrian Peterson had a “stunning” total of 33 runs of 20 yards or more last season. “At best, a team will average 11 or 12 a year,” said Billick, who will provide commentary on the FOX telecast of Sunday’s game.

Peterson, who was NFL MVP for the first time after last season, said yesterday he deserved to win the award earlier in his career.

Former Gopher Keith Ballard believes controversial and aggressive forward Matt Cooke will play a major part in the Wild’s success next season. Ballard told Sports Headliners any grievances Wild players had with Cook in the past will be forgotten in the locker room. Both Cooke and Ballard, a defenseman who contributed to national titles with the Gophers, are off-season acquisitions. The Wild open training camp next Thursday.

St. Thomas, hoping to compete again for a Division III national football championship, opens its season tomorrow with a 1:10 p.m. home game against UW-Eau Claire. The Tommies home and away games will be broadcast on WCCO Radio.

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Hageman Draws Comparisons with Suh

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

When Darrell Thompson talks about Gophers defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman he mentions Ndamukong Suh. Playing at Nebraska a few years ago, Suh earned a reputation as one of college football’s most dominant defensive tackles ever.

Suh was a much more developed player going into this senior season at Nebraska than Hageman is now but Thompson sees similarities in skill sets and physical size. “I feel like they’re fairly similar,” Thompson told Sports Headliners. “He (Hageman) is not as compact (as Suh), but he’s rangier and might even be a hair more athletic.”

How dominant can Hageman be as a senior? “As dominant as he wants to be,” answered Thompson, the former Gophers record setting running back and now the game analyst on Minnesota radio broadcasts. “The only person that can hold him back is himself. He can do it. If he plays with leverage and comes off the ball the way he can, he can be an extremely disruptive force. You can’t ask for anything more than a disruptive force right in the middle of your defense.”

UNLV was introduced to Hageman last night including when the former Washburn High School all-state tight end not only blocked a field goal attempt but pushed the ball forward helping Minnesota’s Martez Shabazz scoop it up and run 51 yards for a touchdown. That score was among the biggest plays of the evening as Minnesota increased its third quarter lead to 30-13 before going on to win the opening game 51-23.

Thompson thought Hageman started slowly but became more effective as the game continued. Inconsistency has characterized Hageman’s career with the Gophers but Thompson said it’s understandable given the position switch to defense at Minnesota after being a tight end in high school and early in his college career.

Suh, by contrast, was a defensive tackle and a beast in that role back in high school in his hometown of Portland. Playing at Nebraska, his size, 6-4, 300 pounds, strength and agility made him a dreaded player for offensive linemen to block.

Hageman is 6-6 and 311 pounds. Thompson describes Hageman as a player with a vertical jump in the “mid-30’s” able to bench press over 400 pounds who is explosive and can run while playing with a “little bit of a mean streak in him.”

Thompson said the Gophers’ tackle is still in the “middle of the learning process.” Maximizing technique and learning all the ways of playing his position takes time. “But even this year if he takes the throttle off of himself and plays hard and plays smart and plays with leverage and runs to the ball I think he can be special,” Thompson said. “He can get away without actually having great technique when you’re bigger and stronger than everyone. …There’s not many people like him playing college football.”

Worth Noting

Sources told Sports Headliners this week that Roger Schipper will not return as Gophers athletic trainer. Schipper completed his 28^th season last March as the Minnesota trainer.

David Benedict, deputy athletic director for the Gophers, said last week that the public season ticket sale for football was about 29,000 including 1,800 new tickets. He also said student season tickets may total 5,000.

Gophers freshman Donohvan Jones, the quarterback turned wide receiver, has a 40 inch vertical jump.

Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague speaks to the C.O.R.E.S. group on Thursday, September 12 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Reservations for the luncheon and program should be made by Monday, September 9. For more information contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Stillwater-based Creative Charters has sold-out its fan trips to New Mexico State for the Gophers and to London for the Vikings. Working with the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, Creative Charters has a discount price through next Wednesday on travel to the Gophers game at Northwestern on October 19.

The Seahawks, including Vikings alums Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice and Antoine Winfield, are among the most mentioned teams to win the NFC and the Super Bowl.

The Big Ten’s biggest game of the opening weekend is tomorrow night when Northwestern, an underdog pick to win the Legends Division, plays at California where pass-happy Golden Bears head coach Sonny Dykes makes his debut in Berkley.

Minneapolis attorney Bob Stein, the former Timberwolves president and ex-football player with the Gophers and NFL Chiefs, is part of the legal team representing retired NFL players who have filed a lawsuit against NFL Films regarding their publicity rights.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners this morning not to expect phenoms Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton to be part of the team’s September 1 call ups of minor league players. Both will be in spring training, though, with the Twins next year.

Circle it date for prep football: Wayzata at Eden Prairie, 7 p.m. on October 11.

With the MIAC starting another school year, the conference hopes to build on its success in athletics that includes 43 NCAA team national championships and 243 individual national titles.

The Wild will introduce a new white road jersey at the Minnesota State Fair’s FAN Central building on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The building is located at the intersection of Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street.

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