MIAC – Page 44 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

A&M’s Sumlin Didn’t Pursue U

Posted on November 16, 2012 by David Shama

On the college football beat including the Gophers:

Kevin Sumlin is the biggest name in college football coaching this week after his Texas A&M team upset undefeated and No. 1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa last Saturday. Although Sumlin has Minnesota and Big Ten connections, the first-year A&M head coach reportedly wasn’t interested in coaching the Gophers before Minnesota hired Jerry Kill in December of 2010.

A trusted source with knowledge about Sumlin told Sports Headliners the then University of Houston coach didn’t want to be considered as a replacement for Gophers coach Tim Brewster. The source didn’t offer an explanation but it’s believed Sumlin was waiting for a head coaching opportunity at a program better positioned to win on the national stage.

Sumlin played college football at Purdue and his assistant coaching positions included five seasons with the Gophers, working for head coaches Jim Wacker and Glen Mason from 1993 to 1997. Sumlin met his wife Charlene in Minnesota, and now they have four children.

At Houston, Sumlin became the first African-American head coach of a major college football program in the state of Texas. In four seasons at Houston, Sumlin developed a reputation as an offensive wiz while leading the Cougars to a 35-17 record and three bowl games. Twice he was a finalist for national coach of the year before taking the A&M job where the Aggies are in their first season playing in the SEC. Texas A&M, 8-2, is No. 8 in the BCS rankings after defeating Alabama, 29-24.

The No. 1 team in the BCS rankings is Kansas State. The amazing history of Wildcats football under 73-year-old coach Bill Snyder should be a source of encouragement to Gophers fans that have seen Minnesota absent from national prominence since the 1960s.

Snyder’s record at Kansas State is 169-82-1 and in several weeks he could have the Wildcats playing in their first national championship game. His first season as Kansas State coach was in 1989 and in the previous 27 games the Wildcats were 0-26-1. From 1938-1988 Kansas State won only 130 games, an average of about 2.5 wins per season. For decades the Wildcats were quickly mentioned in any discussion of college football’s worst programs.

Snyder, who had been an assistant coach for Hayden Fry at Iowa before taking the Kansas State job, retired after the 2005 season only to become head coach again in 2009.

Gophers freshman quarterback Philip Nelson said “nobody expects” Minnesota, 6-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten games, to win tomorrow’s game in Lincoln against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers, 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten, could finish the season after two more league games as Legends Division champions, advance to the conference championship game and eventually land in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

If that weren’t enough incentive to win, Nebraska has 29 seniors to be recognized tomorrow in the team’s last home game for 2012. And legendary former coach Tom Osborne, who is retiring as athletic director on January 1, 2013, will be honored at the game.

But Nelson said the Gophers, who defeated Illinois last Saturday for their first conference road win since 2010, are gaining confidence. “I think it’s a confidence builder knowing that we could go into somebody else’s place and pull out a victory. This is something (at Nebraska) where nobody expects us to win this game, and we’re back to where we always have been (underdog). It’s something that this team has to prove some people wrong…and in a big game like this we feel like we can surprise some people on the road.”

Nelson said the Illini “were catching on” to some of the Gophers’ offensive hand signals. The Gophers adjusted in mid-game but for awhile there was some confusion among Minnesota players, according to Nelson. “We have to switch up some things from game to game so film doesn’t give away too much what we’re trying to do,” he said.

Because of injuries, Zac Epping was the only center available to the Gophers in last Saturday’s game. Kill said earlier in the week a non-center will be taught the position to backup Epping. The major adjustment for a novice?

“Just being consistent, always getting the ball perfectly back there (on the snap) wherever it needs to be,” Epping said.

Worth Noting

Tartan High School defensive back Keelon Brookins, perhaps the best Division I senior prospect in the state, signed his letter of intent this week to attend Wisconsin. Brookins emailed he will be enrolled and attending classes in Madison in January.

The Gophers, 6-4, have only one win over a team with a better than .500 record—a victory against Division I FCS New Hampshire (8-2). Minnesota’s other wins are over UNLV (2-9), Western Michigan (4-7), Syracuse (5-5), Purdue (4-6) and Illinois (2-8). Syracuse impressively defeated then No. 9 ranked Louisville last Saturday, 45-26.

The Vikings, 6-4, have six games remaining on the regular season schedule (two games each against the Bears and Packers, plus games with the Texans and Rams). In their first 10 games the Vikings have played nine different teams (twice defeating the Lions), and those clubs have a combined record of 39-43-1. Minnesota’s remaining opponents have a total record of 24-11-1.

The Vikings are playing three of the top six teams in espn.com’s NFL power rankings starting November 25 versus the Bears (7-2) in Chicago, and ending against the Packers (6-3) on December 30 in Minneapolis. The Bears are No. 3 in the rankings, the Packers No. 6. The Vikings play in Houston on December 23 versus the No. 1 ranked Texans (8-1). The Rams (3-5-1) are ranked No. 23.

The Richmond Spiders, the Gophers basketball opponents at home on Sunday night, are 3-0 with nonconference wins over Liberty, UNCW and Hampton. Although the Spiders are off to their best start since 2006-2007, they look like another warm-up game for 3-0 Minnesota before next Thursday’s test against nationally ranked Duke (2-0) in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas.

The college basketball issue of Athlon Sports now on newsstands includes a list of the top 25 coaches in the country. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo is No. 1 and other Big Ten coaches included are No. 9 Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), No. 14 Thad Matta (Ohio State), No. 17 Tom Crean (Indiana), No. 18 John Beilein (Michigan) and No. 24 Matt Painter (Purdue).

Kevin Love’s annual coat drive started earlier this week and continues until December 12. Partnering with the Salvation Army and Comcast, the public is invited to donate new and “gently used coats” at the Target Center box office, or at several Comcast service centers in the metro area. Coat donations can also be made on December 1 at the Best Buy in Inver Grove Heights when the Wolves’ All-Star forward will make an appearance and pose for photos. Call the store in late November for exact times.

There will be some grumbling coming from Mariucci Arena if the Gophers don’t sweep the Badgers tonight and tomorrow evening. Wisconsin, 1-4-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the WCHA, is off to a slow start and reportedly will be without the injured Mark Zengerle, a top point producer. Minnesota, ranked No. 3 in the nation in two different polls, is 6-2-1 and 3-2-1.

Wisconsin is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Badgers hockey this season. The Badgers have won six national championships. The Gophers, who started playing hockey in 1921, have five titles. However, the NCAA’s major college hockey tournament didn’t begin until 1948, according to wikipedia.org.

St. Thomas has 10 fall or winter teams included in top 25 rankings. Football is No. 3 and 4 in the two national polls; volleyball is No. 8; and women’s and men’s golf are both ranked in coaches’ polls. Women’s basketball is No. 3; women’s hockey No. 10; men’s hockey No. 12; men’s basketball No. 11; men’s swimming and diving is No. 18 and women’s S&D No. 23.

Dick Jonckowski, the Shakopee-based banquet emcee and public address announcer for Gophers basketball and baseball, was inducted recently into the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. At the induction Jonckowski quipped: “Here’s a man who needs no introduction.”

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10 Wins Ahead for U Football?

Posted on November 2, 2012November 2, 2012 by David Shama

The Gophers might be working on a 10 wins season two years from now, according to J Leman. The former Illinois linebacker is a Big Ten Network sideline reporter and admires Gophers coach Jerry Kill.

Before Leman committed to Illinois, Kill tried to recruit him at Southern Illinois where he was then head coach. Leman has known about Kill not only for his work in turning around a horrible Southern Illinois program but also his success with other teams.

“I think he’s won everywhere he’s went,” Leman told Sports Headliners prior to last Saturday’s Minnesota win over Purdue. “I don’t think coach Kill is flashy but he’s blue-collar and he will win football games. That’s the way he wants it.

“Frankly, I think most college football fans are sick of flashy. They just want wins, and that’s what coach Kill does.”

The Gophers are 5-3 this season and 1-3 in Big Ten games. This is Kill’s second year coaching Minnesota and Leman described the program as making “sold progression” with a chance to qualify for a bowl game.

“I think next year seven or eight wins is definitely not out of the question, and I think in year four you’re going to see a team that is competing in the upper echelon of the Big Ten (Conference). I think eight to 10 wins during that year—year four—is not out of reach with the amount of freshmen and sophomores they have playing right now.”

Worth Noting

Redshirt freshman Jon Christenson started the season as a reserve but the former walk-on became a starter at guard and now is the Gophers center. He’s earned praise from coach Jerry Kill and new starting quarterback Philip Nelson.

“He’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever met,” Nelson said. “In the hotel (last) Friday night he’s snapping to me, making sure his snaps are perfect, exactly wherever I want them. He didn’t have any bad snaps throughout that whole game (Purdue last Saturday).”

Nelson expects the extra time spent snapping the ball at a hotel on Friday nights will continue. “John loves feeling confident the night before,” Nelson said. “I can see why. He wants to make sure he’s perfect and that’s something we all want to do. He cares so much that he’s always finding me trying to get more snaps in, and that’s a great thing as a quarterback.”

Nelson, a true freshman, makes his third start for the Gophers tomorrow at TCF Bank Stadium against Michigan. If Nelson were injured, MarQueis Gray told Sports Headliners he could switch from wide receiver to quarterback. “I feel like I am good enough health wise to go out there and play quarterback again,” Gray said.

Would Gray, who was the Gophers starter at quarterback before missing games because of a high ankle sprain and knee injury, be asked to replace Nelson? Or would the replacement be sophomore Max Shortell, leaving Gray at wide receiver?

“I really don’t know,” Gray said. “Most likely be Max—probably because he’s the No. 2 and I am strictly the receiver, but who knows? Time comes, and they need me to play quarterback, I’ll be ready.”

Gray was optimistic about beating Michigan for the first time in Minneapolis since 1977 and claiming the Little Brown Jug: “I know that’s going to be good for us—and plus, the alumni who hasn’t won it.”

Gophers senior Troy Stoudermire entered this season needing only 315 more kickoff return yards to set the NCAA record for total yardage. But with four games remaining, he is 129 yards short of the 315. “I feel I will crack it open,” said Stoudermire. He made it clear, though, that seeing the Gophers play in a bowl game is more important to him.

Here are Sports Headliners’ weekly Big Ten power rankings: Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Purdue and Illinois.

St. Thomas, 6-0 in the MIAC standings, heads to Concordia, Moorhead this morning for a game tomorrow afternoon against the 5-1 Cobbers. Concordia and Bethel are tied for second place in the league football standings.

The first place Tommies also have a game remaining against 4-2 St. Olaf. “It seems like every week is a big game,” St. Thomas coach Glenn Caruso told Sports Headliners. “We know we get everybody’s ‘A’ game.”

Concordia sophomore quarterback Griffin Neal had almost 300 yards in total offense last week and accounted for five touchdowns in a 51-27 win over Carleton. “We knew he was good,” Caruso said. “We recruited him as well. He’s a nice combination passer and runner.”

Caruso likes the Cobbers’ defensive experience. “They return 10 starters and seven are seniors,” he said.

St. Thomas has been hit by injuries, particularly on offense where eight backups have stepped in as starters over the course of the season (five on defense). “It’s been a tumultuous year for injuries. We finished with our third string quarterback last Saturday,” Caruso said.

But the Tommies keep winning with amazing personnel balance. No St.Thomas player has more than 500 rushing or receiving yards. No Tommie is averaging more than five receptions per game. (See the St. Thomas football website for a more complete description of how so many players have contributed to the team’s success.)

Although the trip to Moorhead is the longest of the year, Caruso enjoys the outing. He met his wife in Fargo and the couple still has friends in the area. With a nationally ranked Division III team, and friends to see, not even the prospect of gloomy weather in the North Country can deter the coach’s enthusiasm.

Caruso has been checking weather forecasts since Sunday and has steadily seen predicted temps for Saturday go down and skies darken. Saturday could be a high of 36 degrees with snow. “I look at the weather about eight times per day,” he said. “I should stop looking.”

The American Hockey League announced yesterday that Aeros center Mikael Granlund is the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for October. The 20-year-old Granlund, the Wild’s No. 1 draft pick in 2010, had three goals and seven assists in seven games, along with a plus-five rating.

Maybe Adam Wilcox can record a second career shutout tonight at Mariucci Arena or Saturday evening in Mankato. The Gopher freshman shutout Canisius 1-0 last Sunday and could win the job as Minnesota’s regular goalie. Minnesota hosts Minnesota State, Mankato tonight before playing on the Mavericks’ home ice Saturday. The No. 2 ranked Gophers have 15 players on the roster who have been drafted by NHL teams.

USA Today columnist Michael Hiestand reported in Monday’s edition that the seven lowest television ratings for the World Series are the last seven years. Multiple sources reported the 2012 World Series drew record-low ratings.

If Twins manager Ron Gardenhire resigned or was fired next season, a guess is the leading candidates to replace him will be minor league manager Gene Glynn or Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.

Minnesotan Thomas Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize winning author and New York Times columnist, was in Minneapolis this week. Friedman said he and WCCO TV’s Mark Rosen attended journalism class together at St. Louis Park High School.

David Jones will speak to the C.O.R.E.S. group at a noon luncheon on Thursday, November 8 in Bloomington. Jones is known for his presentations on historical figures and will talk to C.O.R.E.S. about factors influencing ongoing discussion and debate of President John Kennedy’s assassination. Anyone interested in further information can contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

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U Likely in Tyus Jones Top 5

Posted on October 29, 2012October 29, 2012 by David Shama

Debbie Jones told Sports Headliners she hopes her son Tyus Jones can narrow his college choices to five finalists in the coming weeks. “I would probably say in the next month or so,” Debbie said.

Tyus, with a reputation as the best high school point guard in the country for the class of 2014, is considering the Gophers and many other schools. His mother wasn’t specific about how many schools but said the decision to arrive at a list of five will be made by Tyus and family members.

Will the Gophers be among the final five? “I can’t say for sure. I would think they would be in the five,” Debbie said.

Debbie also said there’s no target date as to when a final college choice will be made by Tyus who is becoming a prep legend in Minnesota and will lead an Apple Valley High School team with ambitions to become state champions. She acknowledged her son’s popularity and support among Minnesotans is a factor in the Gophers favor.

“That’s the hardest part for all of us because that is there and it is a pretty big deal,” Debbie said. “It comes down to taking everything into consideration.”

Before narrowing the choices of colleges to five, Tyus wants to visit Kansas and Kentucky. Travel dates haven’t been established.

Worth Noting

Philip Nelson had one of the best passing games ever by a true freshman Gophers quarterback on Saturday against Purdue. Nelson, starting his second game, passed for 246 yards (all in the first half) and in one stretch completed 12 consecutive passes. Rickey Foggie passed for 281 yards in a game as a true freshman in 1984. The school record for consecutive passes is 14 set by Adam Weber in 2008 when he was a redshirt sophomore.

Cornerback Michael Carter also had an extraordinary performance in the Gophers 44-21 win over Purdue. At times he was all over the secondary breaking up passes, and he returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. He tied Michael Lehan’s school record for six pass breakups in a game set in 2001.

Carter was among the last players to commit to the Gophers in 2009 and then coach Tim Brewster was excited about Carter’s potential. But Carter didn’t emerge as an impact player until Saturday, more than halfway through his senior season and after playing in only five games last season, starting none.

Nelson was announced this morning as Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week, while Carter is the Co-Defensive Player of the Week in the conference.

The Vikings offense has produced four touchdowns in the last two games, but the results haven’t diminished the confidence of Adrian Peterson who said the team has to sustain long drives. “We’ve got great potential offensively,” Peterson said. “Confidence is there.”

Peterson has rushed for 276 yards in the last two games. That’s his best two-game total of the season.

A Sports Headliners reader after watching quarterback Christian Ponder face a persistent pass rush in last Thursday night’s Vikings-Bucs game, emailed this: “I guess he has to learn to throw from his back.”

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart hasn’t fumbled since the closing minutes against the 49ers on September 23 when he had two fumbles. He told Sports Headliners that was “dumb running” because instead of making ball security the highest priority he was trying to have a big gain.

“I’ve become a smarter runner in that situation,” he said. “Four minutes (to the) end of the game. There’s no reason to try to make a big play. Get what you can and get down (on the turf). We’re (the Vikings) just trying to run out the clock. Now I’ve tried to look at situations more for what they are and be smart about it. …”

The Vikings play the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, going against coach Pete Carroll. When Gerhart was at Stanford he played against Carroll, the USC coach.

“He’s a good coach,” Gerhart said. “He gets his guys fired up to play and they play for him. …Just his personality from what I’ve seen across the field, it seems like he’s a good motivator.”

Carroll was a Vikings assistant coach in the 1980s under head coaches Bud Grant and Jerry Burns.

Tartan High School defensive back Keelon Brookins emailed news that his rehabilitation from a torn ACL is going well and he remains verbally committed to Wisconsin where he plans to enroll in January. He attended the Gophers-Badgers game in Madison on October 20.

If the Timberwolves are going to make the playoffs, they might have to beat out Northwest Division rival Utah, a team led by former Wolves center Al Jefferson. Also on the roster is ex-Wolves guard Randy Foye. Former Wolves forward Tyrone Corbin is Utah’s head coach. The Wolves open their regular season at home on Friday night against the Kings.

Wolves forward-guard Chase Budinger might have a career scoring year. He scored 21 and 20 points in the team’s last two preseason games. In Budinger’s first three seasons in the NBA, all with the Rockets, he didn’t average more than 22.4 minutes and 9.8 points per game, but his skills, including three point shooting, are a solid fit in Wolves coach Rick Adelman’s offense.

Former Wolves forward Michael Beasley averaged 12.7 in preseason games for the Suns, although he had 29 points on Friday night against Denver. In the October 29 issue of Sports Illustrated an anonymous scout said this about Beasley: “I am not a fan of Michael Beasley. It’s his personality. He just doesn’t seem to care. He doesn’t play hard.”

Ex-Wolves guard Wes Johnson averaged 8.6 points in preseason for the Suns.

Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press preseason college basketball poll, but the Gophers aren’t included. The Big Ten is the first conference since the Big East in 2008-2009 to have three teams in the AP preseason top five: Indiana at No. 1, Ohio State No. 4 and Michigan No. 5.

The American League champion Tigers open the Twins regular season schedule next year as part of a series of games against attractive teams at Target Field in April. The Mets, Angels, Rangers and Marlins will also be in Minneapolis that month. Single game tickets are expected to go on sale in February.

Patrick Klinger is no longer vice president of marketing with the Twins after 14 consecutive years with the organization. Klinger, whose responsibilities included oversight of advertising, broadcasting and special events, may start a public relations firm.

St. Thomas is the preseason choice to finish first in MIAC men’s hockey, according to a league poll. Following the Tommies are Gustavus, St. Olaf, Saint John’s, Concordia, Hamline, Augsburg, Bethel and Saint Mary’s.

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