Preps – Page 111 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Need to Draft QB for System

Posted on March 7, 2014March 7, 2014 by David Shama

Former Vikings defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema remains close to the team and has advice regarding the upcoming NFL Draft.

“With Norv Turner (offensive coordinator) you have got to draft a quarterback that fits his system. …Don’t draft the best available quarterback.”

Many college quarterback prospects are scramblers but taking one with the Vikings’ No. 8 pick in the first round of the May 8 draft might be a mistake. “That’s not what Turner wants,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners. “Turner wants a guy who reads (situations) quick. Throws the ball like a bullet. There are certain things he wants because of the way he coaches.”

Lurtsema said it’s crucial for a franchise’s draft success to have the general manager, head coach and offensive coordinator on the “same page.” Will that be true of the Vikings on draft day with general manager Rick Spielman, new head coach Mike Zimmer and new offensive boss Turner?

“No idea,” Lurtsema said. “I sure hope so.”

The Vikings have devoted much of this century searching for a franchise quarterback. Daunte Culpepper’s success ended in 2004. Except for a couple of seasons with Brett Favre, it’s been pretty much trial and error with the Vikings while clubs like the Seahawks and 49ers found quick fixes when they changed head coaches.

Lurtsema said Turner, who has the reputation of being among the NFL’s best offensive minds, has to decide if he wants to make a commitment to Christian Ponder, currently the only quarterback signed for 2014, or to find another QB already in the league. If he does want to make such a commitment, the Vikings could draft a player other than a quarterback with their first choice on draft day.

Whatever the decision, Lurtsema is optimistic about Zimmer and Turner. He is convinced the club has upgraded its coaching talent. “Coaching is 60 to 65 percent (of success),” Lurtsema said. “I’ve told you that. I say it on TV. I say it to everybody.”

Lurtsema is excited about the offensive potential of next year’s team even without knowing the quarterback situation. Turner’s NFL experience includes head coaching and his resume documents high production offenses in previous employment. His mantra is a balanced offense and commitment to keeping defenses guessing. “He really mixes it up very well,” Lurtsema said.

Lurtsema was impressed with Zimmer soon after he was hired earlier this winter. “He (Zimmer) said he wants to give some guys a big, swift kick in the butt. …There wasn’t a lot of second effort a lot of the time (last season). You can tell second effort when they’re hauling their fanny.”

Coach Bud Grant won 11 championships with the Vikings. Lurtsema played for Grant and reveres him. “He (Zimmer) has a lot of Bud Grant in him,” Lurtsema said. “You know he’s the boss. If I was to deal with Zimmer (play for him) and make a couple of mistakes, he wouldn’t tell me about it. He’d cut me (from the team). That’s the part that sticks out. You don’t have to go up and cradle a lot of these spoiled athletes. They make the dumb mistakes—adios amigo.”

Worth Noting

Lurtsema likes the competitive attitude of Central Florida’s Blake Bortles and predicts he will be the first quarterback selected in the draft.

Derek Carr is a pocket passer and there’s been speculation the Fresno State quarterback could be available to the Vikings at No. 8. He fits the non-scrambler style Lurtsema said Turner wants to avoid for his system.

Joe Schmit will autograph copies of his new book, Silent Impact, a week from today starting at noon at Barnes & Noble downtown. The next day, March 15, the KSTP TV sportscaster will be at the Mall of America Sears Court starting at 1 p.m.

Schmit has written a lively, easy to read self-help book about how we impact others including non-verbal communication. The book’s cover jacket makes this point: “The words we say or don’t say, the things we do or don’t do, and the ways we react or don’t react can have a tremendous influence on those around us.”

Schmit has won 15 Emmys in his broadcast career but has faced challenges including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The disease is in remission and Schmit credits his attitude in battling the cancer.

Minnetonka High School alum Will Leer is competing in the 1500 meters for the U.S. track team at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. Leer, who excelled in track and cross country at Pomona College in California, is among the world’s elite runners in the mile, 1500 meters, and has advanced to the finals in Poland.

Leer is the nephew of former KSTP-TV reporter Robb Leer who is in the public relations business with Minneapolis-based Leer Communications & Consultants.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams is recruiting Hopkins sophomore guard Amir Coffey and attended the Royals-Eden Prairie section title game on Wednesday night.

Today 1980 Olympic hockey gold medalists Bill Baker, Steve Christoff, Dave Christian and Rob McClanahan will be at the Herb Brooks Foundation booth at the Let’s Play Hockey Expo in St. Paul’s RiverCentre. Baker, Christoff, Christian and McClanahan will be autographing commemorative hockey pucks that have inspirational Herb Brooks quotations. Baker is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Christoff 11 a.m. to noon, Christian 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and McClanahan 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This weekend eight wrestlers who won titles last year will try to repeat as Big Ten champions including Minnesota’s Tony Nelson, Dylan Ness and Kevin Steinhaus. The Big Ten Wrestling Championships are tomorrow and Sunday at Wisconsin. Penn State has won four consecutive team titles but the Gophers are ranked No. 1 nationally in the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll. Penn State is ranked No. 2, Iowa No. 3.

Hammond Stadium, the Twins spring training home in Fort Myers, is being renovated and changes include a walkway around the field providing fans with various views of the gameday action while enjoying more concession options. Minnesotan Rolf Bjelland praised the walkway in an e-mail and offered other comments after attending a recent game:

“Our arrival was effortless with good parking direction and very friendly parking attendants. There is ample parking and an oversupply of handicap parking. Walking from the parking lot to the stadium, one has the feeling of a county fair with wonderful colors, crowds of people and various outside vendors. …

“They now have two grass slopes for spectators—great for sunbathing and child play. The field looks like a carpeted checkerboard in green and the infield like a well-manicured golf bunker.”

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Mpls. Super Bowl Final Bid Due in May

Posted on February 7, 2014February 7, 2014 by David Shama

Vikings executive Lester Bagley returned from Sunday’s Super Bowl in the New York area optimistic the 2018 game will be awarded to Minneapolis. “I think we have a very strong chance,” Bagley told Sports Headliners.

Bagley is on a five-member Minnesota Super Bowl steering committee that includes Meet Minneapolis president Melvin Tennant and Timberwolves CEO Rob Moor. The steering committee is part of a larger Minnesota Super Bowl group led by local business leaders including Doug Baker, Richard Davis and Marilyn Carlson Nelson.

“We’re going to hire an executive director to run the bid process for the next four months because we all have aggressive day jobs,” Bagley said.

The Vikings open their new indoor stadium in 2016 and last fall Minneapolis was named a finalist for the 2018 Super Bowl along with Indianapolis and New Orleans. Preliminary bids are due April 1 and then negotiations lead up to a final May 7 deadline for offers to be submitted. Those bids will be discussed at the NFL owners meetings May 18-21.

The NFL has awarded Super Bowls to northern cities in the past, sometimes a few years after their domed stadiums opened. Detroit hosted the 2006 Super Bowl at Ford Field. Indianapolis was the site of the 2012 Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium. Minneapolis hosted the 1992 Super Bowl at the Metrodome.

Both prestige and economic benefit result from hosting the game that has grown into a week full of related activities. “The Super Bowl is like the world’s grandest event,” Bagley said.

Last Sunday’s Super Bowl was the most watched U.S. TV program ever, drawing an audience of 111.5 million. The game was played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and Cynopsis Sports calculated in its Monday newsletter MetLife received “$32.4 million in exposure as a result of its naming rights deal.”

Asked about the anticipated economic benefit to this community, Bagley said a study from the Indianapolis Super Bowl calculated a figure of $324 million. By comparison the Twins have estimated the economic impact of MLB’s 2014 All-Star game in Minneapolis at about $85 million.

Bagley said the local Super Bowl committee will “regroup” if they are turned down for 2018 but he is optimistic. “We think 2018 is the year.”

Worth Noting

Alan Roach, who attended high school in Brainerd, was the public address voice for eight Super Bowls until last Sunday’s game. Roach is also the public address announcer for Broncos home games and that caused a potential conflict of interest with being assigned to Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Roach was invited to a party where the Minneapolis group pitched the 2018 Super Bowl to NFL decision makers.

Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant will speak at the March 13 CORES luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Grant had 11 championship teams with the Vikings and coached Minnesota to four Super Bowls. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations (by March 10) for the lunch and program can be made by contacting dotsethj@comcast.net.

The Vikings new coaching staff includes head coach Mike Zimmer and three coordinators—George Edwards, defensive coordinator; Mike Priefer, special teams coordinator; and Norv Turner, offensive coordinator. Other assistants: Robb Akey, assistant defensive line; Jeff Davidson, offensive line; Ryan Ficken, assistant special teams; Jonathan Gannon, assistant defensive backs/quality control; Jerry Gray, defensive backs; Jeff Howard, defensive assistant; Klint Kubiak, assistant wide receivers/quality control; Andre Patterson, defensive Line; Drew Petzing, coaching assistant; Kevin Stefanski, tight ends; George Stewart, wide receivers; Scott Turner, quarterbacks; Kirby Wilson, running backs; Adam Zimmer, linebackers.

Willie Schneider, the senior fullback on the Tommies football team last fall, is the nephew of Seahawks general manager John Schneider who is receiving so much credit for personnel decisions that helped Seattle win the Super Bowl.

Gerry DiNardo, analyzing Big Ten Conference recruiting on the Big Ten Network Wednesday, raved about Connor Mayes, the center from Van Alstyne, Texas who signed a National Letter of Intent with the Gophers. “I think this guy has the potential to be one of the best freshmen in the entire Big Ten class this year,” DiNardo said.

Jeff Jones, the Washburn running back who also committed to the Gophers on Wednesday, said whether coaches care about him determines motivation. “…That gives me the fire and the will to be able to go out and play my heart out for that staff,” he told Sports Headliners.

Asked if he would have a special meal to celebrate Signing Day on Wednesday, Jones said no but he often enjoys “a cold bowl of cereal” with Reese’s Puffs a favorite.

Gophers fans might be upset Minnesota high school offensive linemen J.C. Hassenauer and Frank Ragnow chose Alabama and Arkansas for their college careers but Hawkeyes fans are probably even more troubled about Ross Pierschbacher from Cedar Falls going to Alabama. He is a first team Parade magazine All-America offensive lineman.

Philip Nelson, the former Gophers quarterback, isn’t the only name Minnesotans will recognize if they follow Rutgers football. Ex-Gophers offensive coordinator Mitch Browning is the offensive line coach and former Gopher Norries Wilson is the running backs coach. Nelson will be eligible to play for Rutgers in 2015.

Former Gophers, Badgers and Vikings assistant Phil Hueber is on the University of Pittsburgh staff as offensive line coach.

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill and Eden Prairie High School coach Mike Grant are on a panel for the “Breakfast with the Champions” program February 19 at Target Field’s Metropolitan Club. The program is a project of the Positive Coaching Alliance Minnesota and the purpose is to help develop team leaders. Coaches and others who are interested in more details can contact Deborah_edwards@positivecoach.org.

The Minnesota Minute Men announced the 10 finalists (only seniors are eligible) for the 30th Annual Mr. Hockey Award: Philip Beaulieu (Duluth East), Tyler Cline (Blaine), Spencer Naas (Benilde St. Margaret’s), Tyler Nanne (Edina), Avery Peterson (Grand Rapids), Mitch Slattery (Hill Murray), Steven Spinner (Eden Prairie), Luc Snuggerud (Eden Prairie), Nick Wolff (Eagan) and Zach Yon (Roseau).

The Minute Men also announced Maclean Berglove (Elk River) and Hunter Shepard (Grand Rapids) are the finalists for The Frank Brimsek Award recognizing the state’s top senior goaltender. The Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet will be held on March 9 at RiverCentre.

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Coach Likens Jeff Jones Style to A.P.

Posted on February 5, 2014February 6, 2014 by David Shama

Jeff Jones, the Washburn High School running back who is the state’s top prospect, officially committed to the Gophers today on national Signing Day but he will have to improve academically before he can fulfill “the sky’s the limit” potential predicted by his prep coach Giovan Jenkins.

Jones has to improve either his GPA or ACT score before the Gophers open their preseason camp next summer to be eligible for playing time. Jenkins told Sports Headliners he is confident Jones will do the necessary work. “He will do that between now and the end of the school year,” Jenkins said.

Jones told Sports Headliners he needs to raise his ACT score to a 19, two points better than his best right now. He is determined to become eligible and has no thoughts about attending junior college.

Jones decided over the weekend to choose the Gophers over Iowa State. The relationship he built during the recruiting process with the Gophers staff including head coach Jerry Kill was a deciding factor in selecting Minnesota. “I don’t want to pick a school where a coach is happy now and he loves the way I play now, but when I get there he’s a totally different person,” Jones said. “I didn’t see that in coach Kill at all.”

As a Minneapolis native, Jones is aware of the post graduation opportunities that attending college in his hometown can provide. He said only “one percent” of football players go on to a career in the NFL.

Why did he wait until this morning to announce his decision in front of an audience including media at Washburn High School? He wanted to add a little theater to the process and “keep Minnesota fans on their toes.”

Jones is the only Rivals.com four-star prospect in the Gophers 2014 recruiting class. He’s also the biggest name among Minnesota prep players that Kill has signed since taking over as Gophers coach in December of 2010.

Jenkins compares his all-state, Mr. Football award winner to a runner Minnesota sports fans know all about. “His running style is similar to Adrian Peterson. He’s big and strong and fast. I think he may have a little bit better vision. He might have a better first step in terms of his explosion.

“His top-end speed might not be quite as good as Adrian Peterson but in terms of just being dominating and people not wanting to stand in his way and tackle him, he reminds me most of Adrian Peterson with his running style.”

Jenkins said Jones loves competition. Even at football camps Jones will identify the better defenders and want to compete against them in drills. And although the Gophers have a returning starter in David Cobb, who rushed for 1,202 yards last season, Jones will push for playing time. “That’s just going to make him come in and work harder,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins believes Jones could also challenge for playing time as a slot receiver. At Washburn, Jones was a valuable pass receiver because of his running ability and exceptional hands. “He can catch the ball with the best of them,” Jenkins said.

Jones could also make big plays for the Gophers returning kickoffs like he did in high school. Will he be used in that role at Minnesota? “I sure hope so because every time he has the ball in his hands he has the possibility of taking it to the house,” Jenkins said.

At Washburn, the 6-foot, 200-pound Jones scored 44 touchdowns his senior season including 34 rushing and eight receiving, according to MaxPreps.com. He averaged 9.13 yards per carry rushing and helped the Millers to a fifth straight Minneapolis City Conference title under Jenkins.

Jones was a last minute invite to the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game in Florida last month but he made a big impression, gaining 72 yards and being named Team Nitro MVP. Jenkins attended the prep all-star game and observers couldn’t believe Jones came to the event as a reserve.

Jenkins said the Washburn coaches have held Jones accountable for his behavior, wanting to make sure he carried himself with the right attitude. “It would be easy for a young man with his athletic ability to be, let’s just say, pretty cocky and that’s not the case with him,” Jenkins said.

The Gophers have been recruiting Jones for a couple of years and offered him a scholarship after his sophomore season. Becoming involved early with Minnesota led to a verbal commitment by Jones about a year ago. Then later Jones opened up the recruiting process, exploring other schools but the Gophers didn’t waver in their commitment to him.

Jones is aware of Kill’s reputation for taking care of his players, looking out for their best interests. Loyalty is important to Jones who could have left Washburn and not finished his football career there. Instead of choosing a state power program, he stayed with Jenkins and Washburn, a program that doesn’t have the roster depth of long ago when the Millers could play with any team in Minnesota.

Jones admired Kenith Pope, the former Iowa State running backs coach no longer with the program. Pope’s departure may have hurt the Cyclones’ chances of getting him.

“Jeff Jones is a relationship kid,” Jenkins said.

The Gophers found that out today.

Worth Noting

The Gophers basketball team can enhance their chances of making the NCAA Tournament next month with a win tonight at Purdue where they have lost six consecutive games. The Gophers, 4-5 in the Big Ten and 15-7 overall, have lost two straight after upset wins at home against Ohio State and Wisconsin last month.

Minnesota has won only one Big Ten road game so far. The most recent road defeat came in Lincoln against a mediocre Nebraska team. “We’re struggling on the road right now so we gotta get a big road win,” said Gophers point guard DeAndre Mathieu.

Mathieu was a hero in the Wisconsin victory, frequently driving the lane to score and finishing the game with 18 points. Since then defenses have paid more attention, often having two defenders ready for him in the lane. Mathieu said the strategy stops him from driving all the way to the basket but he can adjust. “I just gotta get better at finding guys (passing to teammates) and shooting pull-up jump shots.”

The Gophers were able to win the Wisconsin game without leading scorer Andre Hollins after he was injured in the opening minute. However, their drive for the NCAA Tournament likely will be determined by how soon he plays again after missing two games since, losses to Nebraska and Northwestern. Hollins, averaging 15.4 points per game, might play this week—if not tonight then on Saturday at home against Indiana.

Austin Hollins’ dad, Lionel Hollins, coached the NBA’s Grizzlies last season before being replaced by Staples, Minnesota native Dave Joerger. Hollins said his dad, 60, is taking “it easy” but hopes to coach again.

Brainerd High School coach Ron Stolski is proud of Logan McElfresh who will walk-on with the Gophers as a punter. Stolski e-mailed that McElfresh, 6-2, 205, punted, kicked off, played tight end, quarterback and running back for last year’s 12-1 Warriors team.

“Averaged around 38 yards per punt with outstanding hang time,” Stolski wrote. “Highly rated punter by several kicking ‘experts.’ Attended a number of kicking camps in off-season and performed very well. Gophers plan to try him as punter only. Will need to develop consistency. Could be a real find!”

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame will have seven inductees at a banquet on March 29 at the DoubleTree Hotel in St. Louis Park. Being honored are: Jon Bakken, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown; Dave Fritze, Eagan; Mike Grant, Forest Lake and Eden Prairie; Tom Idstrom, Anoka and Irondale; Dave Nelson, Blaine and Minnetonka; Larry Thompson, Lakeville and Lakeville South; Marc Trestman, St. Louis Park and Chicago Bears. Tickets are $35 each and available at MFCA.com (click on advertisement on this page).

Cretin-Derham Hall alum and former Viking center Matt Birk will be the headline speaker at the MFCA Clinic March 28 at the DoubleTree Hotel. The full clinic will take place March 27-29. The Gophers and Vikings will partner with the MFCA on the clinic.

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