Preps – Page 112 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Austin Hollins Gives Gophers B- Grade

Posted on January 1, 2014January 1, 2014 by David Shama

The Gophers, 11-2 in nonconference games, begin their Big Ten schedule tomorrow night against Michigan, 8-4. Two months ago this looked like a game Minnesota was unlikely to win but the Gophers impressed during the nonconference schedule while the Wolverines, a preseason top 10 choice, are without center Mitch McGary, the 6-10, 255-pound potential All-American forward-center who has back problems.

The Gophers surprised with their performance during November and December. Preseason predictions had the Gophers, who lack size, skills and depth in the frontcourt, finishing near the bottom of the Big Ten. But during the nonconference the Gophers played to their strengths including harassing defense, three point shooting, fast breaks, maximum effort from players and making good use of their talented backcourt personnel. The focus was evident to new coach Richard Pitino who said “no eggs were laid mentally” during the nonconference schedule.

The Gophers won all their games at home including a Big Ten/ACC Challenge win over Florida State. In the Gophers’ only road game they defeated a now 10-4 Richmond team at Richmond. The Spiders also have an overtime loss at Wake Forest and 10 point neutral court loss to North Carolina. In neutral court games in Hawaii the Gophers put a scare into now No. 2 ranked Syracuse, and also lost to Arkansas, and defeated Chaminade during the Maui Invitational.

Guard and captain Austin Hollins said confidence is “very high” as the Gophers get ready to open their conference season with home games tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon with Purdue. How does he grade the Gophers so far?

“I would say like a B minus,” Hollins answered. “We can get a lot better, and this is just the beginning. We’ve got a long season ahead of us, the Big Ten season, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Gophers 6-11 junior center Elliott Eliason has been the MVP in the front court. Among Big Ten players during nonconference games he ranked second in blocked shots at 2.3 per game and fourth in rebounds per game at 8.2.

Eliason has observed the progress of a roster that only has a few returning players with experience who produced in past seasons. “We’ve come a long ways from the summer,” he said. “We didn’t know coach Pitino. It’s a new everything (including philosophy and style of play). You kind of have a little chip on your shoulder when you’re picked ninth in the Big Ten. (But) we handled our business in the nonconference pretty well and now we need to handle our business in the Big Ten. We’ve got two tough tests at home right away.”

The Gophers use a lot of energy with their max effort style of play, running and jumping at both ends of the court. To be successful in the Big Ten, Eliason said Minnesota will typically need eight or nine players to contribute each game. Those contributions could range from chasing down loose balls to making free throws.

“We’re gonna have to have it. It’s what it’s going to take to be successful,” said Eliason. “Every guy is gonna have to give something every night.”

Eliason knows from previous seasons how important it is to win at home. “It’s so hard to play on the road. Every time you get a road win it’s gravy.”

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher has been impressed with Pitino’s coaching. “For this team to be 11-2, I think Pitino has really managed the team well. He’s not bullheaded. He’ll do whatever he has to do to get the win. Change defenses, change lineups. I think it’s encouraging.”

Dutcher predicts the Gophers will finish seventh in the Big Ten. If so, that will compare favorably with last season’s more talented team that tied for seventh in the league standings.

Dutcher believes Michigan State is the Big Ten’s best team and he also predicts Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois will finish ahead of the Gophers. Michigan State “played the best schedule” among Big Ten teams during the nonconference season and has talented starters. “Their history (as a program) is they get better,” Dutcher said. In a league game yesterday, MSU defeated Penn State.

Dutcher likes Ohio State’s quickness and conference best defense giving up 54 points per game during the nonleague schedule. The Buckeyes were 13-0 during a soft nonconference schedule before defeating Purdue on the road yesterday in their Big Ten opener. “They really didn’t play anybody,” Dutcher said.

“Wisconsin is the surprise team,” Dutcher said. “They graduated four starters and here they are again.” The Badgers have impressive nonleague wins including over Florida, and Dutcher said sophomore forward Sam Dekker is the league’s best player so far.

“Iowa is close to the most talented team in the league,” Dutcher said. “I think Iowa can be good.” The Hawkeyes defeated Nebraska in their Big Ten opener yesterday.

Michigan sophomore guard Nik Stauskas is making 47 percent of his three point shots. He typifies a Michigan offense that emphasizes three pointers. Although the Wolverines don’t have McGary, Michigan’s front court depth eases the transition, Dutcher said.

Illinois gave up only 60.6 points per game during the nonconference schedule, tied with Wisconsin for second best in the league. The Illini scoring is led by junior guard Rayvonte Rice who averaged 18.2 points in nonconference games. Illinois defeated Indiana yesterday in a Big Ten opening game.

Ohio State is ranked No. 3 in the country, Wisconsin No. 4 and Michigan State No. 5. Iowa is No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Worth Noting

Washburn running back Jeff Jones has received a scholarship offer this week from the University of Florida. Jones, a four-star recruit who has a soft verbal commitment to the Gophers, has been practicing in the Orlando area for the Under Armour All-America Game, a national prep all-star game to be played tomorrow on ESPN.

“Jeff Jones was offered by Florida as a result of all his hard work down here the last couple days,” Washburn coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners. “I guess he’s just been tearing it up from what I heard.”

Tommy Davis, a former all-conference guard for Dutcher who played on Minnesota’s 1982 Big Ten championship team, was in town last weekend. Davis played pro basketball in France until he was 40 and now coaches in Bordeaux. Davis is now a French and American citizen. “He speaks and writes and is fluent in French,” Dutcher said.

In his final game of the season Vikings rookie wide receiver and kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson left fans with a can’t wait attitude for 2014. Patterson scored the team’s only touchdowns in the 14-13 win over the Lions including a spectacular club record 50 yard run, the longest ever by a Vikings receiver. He also added 51 yards to his season total for kickoff returns setting another team record. For the year Patterson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including one for an NFL record 109 yards, and totaled 1,393 return yards.

The Vikings Greg Jennings, an NFL wide receiver for eight seasons, has a nickname for Patterson. “I call him The Special. Special people do special things and you see it every time you get the ball in his hands. He’s a highlight reel waiting to happen.

“I’ve seen a lot of players come through this league and I can’t say I’ve seen one that has been more explosive. There may be some that have been as special but he’s right there with them.”

Vikings reserve quarterback Josh Freeman is a free agent in 2014. He told Sports Headliners in coming weeks he will work on physical conditioning and “evaluate the situation” regarding where he to play in 2014.

The Vikings 5-10-1 record this season means they will have the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Locally there will be support to choose dynamic Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel who is an underclassman but is expected to enter the draft. His scrambling is reminiscent of Vikings Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin play in bowl games today. Only Wisconsin is favored to win, but a couple of victories today would provide a boost to the Big Ten’s sagging football reputation. For years the conference has disappointed in postseason games and in 2013 Minnesota and Michigan have already lost. Maryland and Rutgers, two programs that join the Big Ten next fall, have also been defeated in bowl games.

Ex-Becker High School tight end Matt Veldman moved up from the Lions practice squad last week and played on special teams in Detroit’s loss to the Vikings on Sunday at Mall of America Field. A former captain and tight end at North Dakota State, Veldman is the 76^th former player from the Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game to play or coach in the NFL.

Mike Tyson holds a news conference tomorrow afternoon in Minneapolis to enhance interest in the ESPN Friday Night Fights event at Target Center January 3. The evening’s 12-round main event will be an IBF Super Featherweight Championship fight between champion Argenis Mendez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) from Brooklyn versus No. 1-ranked and undefeated challenger Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) from Miami.

The card includes several Minnesotans and features a 10-round televised semi-final non-title bout between USBA Middleweight Champion Caleb “Golden” Truax (23-1, 4 KOs) from Osseo against Ossie The Ghanaian Gladiator Duran (28-11-2, 11 KOs) from Patterson, New Jersey. A crowd of about 4,000 is expected to produce one of the largest ticket revenues in local boxing in a decade.

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Reports Heat Up on Leslie Frazier

Posted on December 29, 2013December 29, 2013 by David Shama

Decisions about the Vikings coaching staff — including head coach Leslie Frazier’s future — will be made now that the 2013 season is over but there will be a lot of disappointed players if Frazier doesn’t return next year.

Speculation increased today that Frazier will not return as coach. Commanding the most attention this afternoon was a report by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports that Frazier will be dismissed tomorrow.

Frazier said at his post game press conference today he “doesn’t get concerned about reports about my job.” He also said he hasn’t been told about a meeting with ownership tomorrow.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf watched today’s Vikings-Lions game at Mall of America Field. He declined to talk with media about Frazier’s future.

“I think the guys in this locker room all support coach Frazier,” Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph told Sports Headliners on Friday.

Frazier was a defensive back on the 1985 Bears Super Bowl champions and Rudolph said the Vikings appreciate the playing experience of their coach. “There’s nothing worse than a coach that’s never played the game; (someone) that kind of expects things from you that are not realistic.

“He knows what it’s like to be in our shoes. He has realistic expectations from us. It’s out of our control what happens in the next couple weeks but I think he definitely has the support of the guys in this locker room.”

The Vikings, who were 10-6 last season and made the playoffs, finished their year with a 14-13 win over the Lions. The 2013 season record was 5-10-1. Asked if the team psyche could be described as shocked, Rudolph answered: “Definitely.”

The Vikings lost four games by four points or less, plus a tie with the Packers. If those games had been wins, the Vikings would have won the NFC North and made the playoffs again.

Rudolph said before the season expectations were for a deep playoff run. “If your expectations weren’t to win the Super Bowl this year, then I don’t know why you would have been here,” he said.

Instead, Frazier has finished up his second losing season in the last three (3-13 in 2011). The disappointment of 2013 hasn’t changed the admiration Rudolph and others have of Frazier, though.

“I don’t think you can find a better person,” Rudolph said. “You may find other people as good as him in that (coaching) profession, but you won’t find anyone that’s a better person than he is.”

Worth Noting

The outside temperature at kickoff for today’s game was about minus four. The Vikings are likely to play in that kind of cold next year at outdoor TCF Bank Stadium. Spokesman Jeff Anderson said the club expects to soon choose a state-of-the-art heating system for the stadium field that will be installed for next season. Without such a system, the playing surface would be too hard and unsafe for December and January games.

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart joking after being asked about the team playing outdoors next season: “A lot of Minnesotans think we’re soft playing at the dome.”

Gerhart, a free agent for 2014, is not sure where he wants to play next season but when asked said he could be interested in joining his ex-college coach Jim Harbaugh with the 49ers. “I had a good relationship with him,” Gerhart said. “It would be fun to reunite.”

Former Viking Robert Smith addressed the Mall of America Field crowd today at the final game ever in the Metrodome, a facility that opened in 1982. He quoted Dr. Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Joe Webb, another Vikings free agent, has finished his first NFL season as a wide receiver but admitted quarterback is still in his “heart” after playing the position “all my life.” Has he considered Canadian pro football where running quarterbacks are valued? “I’ve never been in Canada a day in my life,” he said. “God’s will. Whatever he has in store for me, that’s what I’ll take.”

Quarterback Josh Freeman was acquired by the Vikings in October but except for one game didn’t play. Webb, who played quarterback for the Vikings from 2010-2012, said it can “take a year” before a quarterback masters a team’s offensive system.

Former Vikings Pro Bowl running back Dave Osborn, who played in three Super Bowls, will be the CORES luncheon speaker on Thursday, January 9 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. A social period from 11:15 a.m. to noon will precede the lunch and talk by Osborn. More information, including reservations, is available from Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Gophers radio analyst and all-time leading rusher Darrell Thompson after being asked how many times Minnesota would beat Syracuse if the two teams played 10 games on a neutral field: “They are (Syracuse) better than they look on film. Gophers probably win six of 10 times.”

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said this morning on WCCO Radio star tight end Maxx Williams will not need knee surgery after being hurt in the Texas Bowl loss to Syracuse Friday night.

Washburn running back Jeff Jones plays in the Under Armour All-America High School Football Game in St. Petersburg on Thursday. Jones hasn’t made all his official visits to colleges that interest him so it’s unlikely he will announce his choice at the prestigious prep all-star game that will be televised on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Marv Wolfenson, the original Timberwolves owner who died earlier this month, once told me he thought about naming his NBA expansion club the Polars. Wolfenson attended North High School and played basketball for the Polars.

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Claeys High on Hageman NFL Draft

Posted on December 13, 2013December 13, 2013 by David Shama

Gophers defensive coordinator and acting head coach Tracy Claeys doesn’t hesitate when talking about senior defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman being chosen during the first round of next spring’s NFL Draft.

“He will be a first round draft pick. I don’t see 20 teams passing him up, let alone 32 once they get a chance to work him out,” Claeys told Sports Headliners this week.

If Claeys is correct, Hageman will be the first Gopher selected in the first round since running back Laurence Maroney in 2006. Hageman became the first Minnesota player to be chosen first team All-Big Ten since 2009 (wide receiver Eric Decker) when he made both the media and coaches all-conference teams.

Hageman finished the 2013 regular season with 34 tackles, a team-high 11 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, one interception, eight pass breakups, one fumble recovery, one blocked field goal and one blocked extra point.

A converted tight end, the 6-foot-6, 311-pound Hageman was announced as the Gophers’ MVP and outstanding defensive player at the team’s awards program on Sunday. “I think he’s improved a lot since we got here,” said Claeys who came to Minnesota with head coach Jerry Kill for the 2011 season. “Each year he’s made leaps and bounds (improvement). I think this year he made a lot more individual plays than he has in the past, and that caused people to have to double team him more.”

Claeys said Hageman has “tremendous upside” and will benefit from playing in the NFL where he won’t face as many blocking schemes. “He’s right up there with the best that is in the Big Ten and I think that will show on draft day,” Claeys said.

Media specializing in draft analysis have varying opinions on where Hageman will be selected, with Dane Brugler from CBSsports.com among the more optimistic. He projects Hageman being selected No. 29 in the first round by the Patriots. He also ranks him No. 2 among projected defensive tackles available for the draft.

Claeys also believes senior Gophers defensive back Brock Vereen will be drafted. He projects Vereen as a “middle rounds” choice because of his abilities including experience playing both cornerback and safety for the Gophers.

Worth Noting

Chris Werle, Gophers senior associate athletic director, e-mailed that as of Wednesday morning 40,000 tickets had been sold for the outdoor Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium. The doubleheader, featuring the Gophers men’s and women’s teams, will be played the evening of Friday, January 17. If severe weather causes postponement, the classic will be rescheduled for Sunday, January 19.

The athletic department is looking for financial help with the cost of busing students to the Texas Bowl where the Gophers play Syracuse in Houston on Friday, December 27. The Gophers football marching band will fly to Houston.

Big Ten Network football analyst Gerry DiNardo said on Sunday after the announcement of the seven Big Ten bowl game assignments that the Gophers have the most favorable match-up. The Gophers are 4 ½ point favorites to defeat Syracuse, according to yesterday’s Linemakers story on Sportingnews.com.

Jeff Jones, the state’s 2013 Mr. Football, visits Iowa State this weekend. He visited the Gophers last weekend. Other official visits aren’t scheduled yet.

Last night legendary former Saint John’s head football coach John Gagliardi received the Contributions to College Football Award during the Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN. Gagliardi retired after the 2012 season as the winningest coach in college football history.

The Eagles team that plays the Vikings on Sunday at Mall of America Field has won five consecutive games and owns a league best 5-1 road record. On Sunday the Eagles, led by new head coach Chip Kelly, will try to become the fifth team in NFL history to have 11 games of 400-plus yards in a single season.

Nick Foles has emerged as the Eagles quarterback and he is featured in this week’s Sports Illustrated. Kelly is quoted in the story as saying Foles will be the team’s quarterback “for the next thousand years.”

Gophers basketball players heard from Louisville coach Rick Pitino when he was in town earlier in the week to watch Minnesota play South Dakota State at Williams Arena. Gophers forward Oto Osenieks said Pitino told the players that to be a better team they have to improve defensively. “He said he watches us all the time on TV,” Osenieks said.

Asked about the similar mannerisms and appearances of Pitino and his son Richard Pitino, the Gophers coach, Osieneks said: “You can tell they’re related.”

Phil Jackson includes Minnesota connections in his bestselling new book Eleven Rings. The NBA coaching legend writes about his Williston High School team losing in the North Dakota state tournament finals to Rugby led by Paul Presthus who went on to become captain of the Gophers. Jackson also writes about the “my way or the highway” style of Bill Fitch, his University of North Dakota coach, who after going to Bowling Green coached the Gophers. After a great career at North Dakota, Jackson chose the New York Knicks of the NBA over the ABA’s Minnesota Muskies.

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love is fourth among front court players and guard Ricky Rubio is eighth among backcourt players in voting for Western Conference players to determine who will participate in the Sunday, February 16 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. The NBA issued the first of voting updates yesterday. Balloting concludes on Monday, January 20.

Former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher has high praise for Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones. “I think he is the best (prep) guard in state history,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners. “He has great court awareness and when he needs to take over the game he does. I think he will play well immediately for Duke (next year). An NBA friend told me he thinks he can play at the next level.”

Saint John’s men’s basketball coach Jim Smith is one victory away from tying Ed Diddle (Western Kentucky, 1923-64) for 17th on college basketball’s all-divisions win list. Smith has a 758-538 career record in 50 seasons.

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