Preps – Page 61 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Pressure on Vikings in 2019 Draft

Posted on January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 by David Shama

Enjoy a Friday notes column.

Expectations couldn’t be more intense among Vikings observers to see if the club uses its No. 18 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to select an offensive lineman. There is anticipation, too, about the franchise prioritizing offensive linemen in the subsequent rounds of the draft which will be held in Nashville, April 25-27.

The disappointing performance last year of the offensive line was a major factor in the club compiling an 8-7-1 record and missing the playoffs after preseason hype established the Vikings among Super Bowl favorites. Absence from the 2020 postseason is not an acceptable scenario to much of the club’s fanbase, and likely it’s not for the franchise’s owners who in the next 12 months have to decide about the futures of head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman.

Not surprisingly, Cbssports.com projected on Wednesday that the Vikings will choose Oklahoma tackle Cody Ford with their first round pick. This might be just an okay year for offensive line talent, with the CBS website forecasting four linemen being chosen among the 32 first round picks.

Offensive guard, tackle and center are very demanding positions to learn as NFL rookies. Former Vikings center Matt Birk reaffirmed that to Sports Headliners, but there are rookie exceptions. “It definitely can happen,” he said.

Birk referenced Colts rookie guard Quenton Nelson who has been part of a unit that for five games gave up no sacks. Nelson is the first Colts offensive lineman since 1983 to be named to the Pro Bowl.

Zimmer has had the Vikings more focused on choosing defensive playmakers in recent drafts, however that seems all but certain to change in 2019. The Vikings did have success with rookie tackle Brian O’Neill who they drafted in the second round in 2018.

Birk has been doing live comedy performances for about a year to generate funds for charity. He said working in front of a live audience was somewhat intimidating at first but he enjoys the performances which now total about 10. His next gig is January 19 at Union 32 Craft House in Eagan. More at Eventbrite.com.

Birk will be among the speakers at the annual Minnesota Football Coaches Association Clinic March 28-30 at the DoubleTree in St. Louis Park.

This year is the 150th anniversary of college football and it will be interesting to see what Big Ten marketers, including the Gophers, do to celebrate the milestone. Minnesota had a glorious football history between 1900 and 1970 including seven national championships, with that total still among the best in the country.

The Gophers want to sell more tickets for their high profile sports and yet over the years there are too many scheduling conflicts with Minnesota’s pro teams. Last Sunday the women’s basketball team tipped off at Williams Arena about 30 minutes after the Timberwolves-Lakers game began at Target Center. On the final Sunday in December the men’s team was playing at home the same afternoon as the Vikings and Bears were at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The MLS Draft starts at noon (today) in Chicago and Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright told Sports Headliners his club expects to be active during the league’s four rounds. That could mean a trade for better positioning including during the first round where the United currently has the No. 7 pick.

The United opens its first season at Allianz Field on April 13 in a match against New York. Wright said the club has capped its season ticket sales at 14,500 and has a waiting list of about 5,000 to purchase season tickets. Dates and details for purchase of single game tickets, stadium ribbon cutting and opportunity for the general public to see the new facility will be announced soon.

Wright, the former Timberwolves and Lynx president, grew up in England and has a passion for soccer as a former player, coach and front office executive in the sport. He has been involved with professional sports front office work for about 40 years, mostly with the Timberwolves. He said Minnesota’s MLS franchise is “the right place” for him now. He joined the franchise in October of 2017 but this will be the first draft and offseason where he has been fully positioned to make a greater impact on the club’s future success.

The Wild are home tomorrow night (Saturday) against the Red Wings, a team Minnesota is 6-3-3 against in the last 12 games. Seven of those games have been decided by one goal.

It will be interesting to see if the Rochester John Marshall basketball team can be a surprise entry in the state tournament and showcase its senior front court superstar Matthew Hurt. The Rockets haven’t qualified for the tourney during the Hurt era so most hoops fans have never seen the five-star recruit who ranks among the best basketball preps ever to play in Minnesota.

The Gophers’ lone men’s basketball commit so far for their class of 2019 is Marvin “Tre'” Williams III. The 6-5 guard from Dallas is currently enrolled at Wasatch Academy in Utah in 2019. Minnesota coach Richard Pitino is likely to expect immediate help from Williams, whose mother Kelly is from St. Paul and played basketball at Harding High School.

Between now and the home opener March 28, the Twins front office will probably focus on finding pitching help, rather than position players where the club appears pretty well set.

Anyone want to forecast the 2019 final stats for Twins cornerstones and comeback candidates Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano?

Comments Welcome

Fleck: U Recruiting Class ‘Historic’

Posted on December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 by David Shama

Enjoy a Wednesday notes column:

On National Signing Day today (Wednesday) the football Golden Gophers have another class ranked in the 30s by the 247Sports composite rankings. The 2019 class is currently at No. 33, while the 2018 class finished at No. 38, per 247.

“National Signing Day, it’s a very historic day for us,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said in video footage shown this morning on the Big Ten Network. “We’re looking to sign…recruiting classes that are arguably the greatest recruiting classes back-to-back in Minnesota history (Internet era).

“Coaches get a lot of credit when you win. … At the end of the day this is a players’ game. And we’ve got to find the best players and the best people that match our culture, match our university, match our state, and match this program as we continue to move forward.”

Because of technology and the fan interest in college football, recruiting rankings have become a phenomena of the new millennium. 247 reported the Gophers’ classes of 2017, 2016 and 2015 ranked No. 59, 46 and 63 nationally.

As of today Minnesota has the No. 8 class in the Big Ten, per 247. West Division rivals Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin rank higher but GopherIllustrated.com authority Ryan Burns thinks Minnesota’s class compares favorably, if not better. “I would put the offer list that Minnesota has for their commits versus any team in the Big Ten West (Division), and I think Minnesota would win,” Burns told Sports Headliners several days ago.

The Gophers have two four-star recruits, per 247Sports. They are Memphis defensive tackle Kristian Williams and Ellenwood, Georgia defensive tackle Rashad Cheney. Williams’ FBS offers included LSU and Mississippi, while Cheney turned down Alabama and Georgia.

Another signee, Jason Williamson, the state’s Mr. Football Award winner, will become a legend in his hometown of Owatonna if he has a big career at Minnesota. Williamson rushed for 3,009 yards and 46 touchdowns as a senior running back at Owatonna. During his career he ran for 7,009 yards and 102 touchdowns.

“Jason is an outstanding student (3.69 GPA) and a role model and leader in our hallways,” said Owatonna coach Jeff Williams in a statement after Williamson won the Mr. Football Award Sunday. “He is held in the highest regard by teachers and students alike. He is a favorite at our youth camp and in our elementary cafeterias. He is always willing to give of his time to work with the young kids in our district.”

Among Gophers signing today who could yet see their rankings increase by recruiting authorities is Rockwall, Texas quarterback Jacob Clark. The highly regarded Clark, a three-star recruit, will enroll at Minnesota soon and participate in spring practices.

The Gophers gave out their many annual awards at a banquet Sunday and senior linebacker Blake Cashman wasn’t among those honored. It’s surprising that with 19 different award categories that Cashman, who will skip the Quick Lane Bowl to avoid possible injury and prepare for the 2019 NFL Draft, wasn’t recognized with one or more awards.

The Outstanding Defensive Player Award went to junior end Carter Coughlin who led the team in sacks with 9.5. Cashman led Minnesota in solo, assisted and totals tackles with 104.

Coughlin is outstanding and could have made a difference for Ohio State this season. Coming out of Eden Prairie High School, he thought about becoming a Buckeye. His pass rushing skills would have nicely complemented the absence of OSU All-American defensive end Nick Bosa who missed most of the season for the 12-1 Buckeyes.

Junior Tyler Johnson, who won the team MVP Award Sunday, seems likely to consider declaring for the 2019 NFL Draft. Johnson was one of the Big Ten’s most productive receivers last season with 1,112 yards, 10 touchdown receptions and an average of 15.03 yards per catch.

Pro scouts, though, may question the speed of the 6-2, 200-pound former Minneapolis North athlete. Fleck and receivers coach Matt Simon could appeal to Johnson to play one more season at Minnesota to watch him mature, as did Corey Davis when he played for those coaches at Western Michigan. After Davis’ senior season he was an All-American despite generating minimal interest from college football programs coming out of high school.

Casey Mittlestadt, the former Gopher now an NHL rookie with the Sabres, has five goals and is only four goals behind the third leading rookies in that category.

Targeting 11? The Vikings had 10 sacks in their November 4 win over the Lions and possibly could top that total Sunday in Detroit. Minnesota had nine sacks, including two each from defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Anthony Barr, in last Sunday’s win against the Dolphins.

The North Dakota State Bison, who play next month for a seventh FCS national title in eight years, placed seven players on the Associated Press FCS All-American teams named last week, including three Minnesotans. Hutchinson senior safety Robbie Grimsley was named to the All-American first team defense; senior defensive end Greg Menard from Lakeville North was second team defense; and junior Zack Johnson of Spring Lake Park was honored as a third team offensive tackle selection.

Grimsley and Johnson were named Walter Camp FCS first team All-Americans on Monday. Grimsley has made 51 consecutive starts, Johnson, 29, for NDSU.

Twins front office executives Derek Falvey and Thad Lavine have placed the emphasis on taking a youthful roster into 2019. Pitcher Kyle Gibson at 31 and catcher Jason Castro, 30, are the only players on the club’s 39-man roster 30 or over. Pitcher Addison Reed turns 30 on December 27.

The Twins are offering a 19 percent discount on single game home tickets for March, April, May and September of next year. Excluded is the team’s home opener on March 28.

Dave Joerger, the Minnesota native and NBA Kings coach whose team split two games with the Timberwolves in the last several days, might have been the Wolves head coach if the late Flip Saunders hadn’t wanted the job in 2014.

Comments Welcome

U 2019 Recruiting Class a ‘Big Deal’

Posted on December 16, 2018December 16, 2018 by David Shama

National Signing Day for high school football players is a couple of days away on Wednesday, December 19. Recruiting authority Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated.com will tell you Golden Gophers fans have reason to celebrate.

Minnesota’s 2019 class is ranked No. 31 nationally by Rivals.com. That source has the Gophers ahead in the recruiting rankings of traditional football powers Miami and USC. The Gopher group of 24 commits has a composite ranking of 34 by 247Sports, setting up the second consecutive year that coach P.J. Fleck and his staff have landed a class ranked in the 30s.

That is impressive for a program like Minnesota that historically often hasn’t signed classes ranking in the 30s. “Any time you can sign 35 (ranked) back-to-back classes, which Minnesota is on line to do, that’s a big deal,” Burns told Sports Headliners.

Making an impression, too, on Burns is many players in Minnesota’s 2019 class were pursued by Power Five programs including a few elite schools. “I would put the offer list that Minnesota has for their commits versus any team in the Big Ten West (Division), and I think Minnesota would win,” Burns said.

Nnamdi Adim-Madumere, a Rivals four-star wide receiver commit from Fort Worth, “continues to turn down” Alabama and Texas A&M, per Burns. Those two programs are having elite recruiting success with their 2019 classes, but yet they are in pursuit of the 6-3, 226-pound Madumere who could be bumped up to four-star status by 247.

Adim-Madumere is not only big for a wide receiver but runs a 4.5 in the 40, Burns said. He describes the young Texan as “an absolute nightmare” matchup for opposing defenders.

Earlier this month Fleck attended a Georgia prep state title game where he watched Lee County defensive tackle DeAngelo Carter (also known as DeAngelo Griffin). He won an MVP award for his play and Burns said that has prompted Pac-12 power Oregon to become interested.

Six of the Gophers’ recruits are defensive linemen and five are tackles. The line was a priority need and it looks like help is on the way for Minnesota. Among the linemen is Ellsworth, Iowa Community College defensive tackle Keonte Schad. “They are (the Gophers) beating out big time schools like Oklahoma for Keonte Schad,” Burns said.

Defensive line, at least according to some recruiting authorities, is the most difficult area to find quality Division 1 football players, and particularly defensive tackles. It takes numbers and quality to build a strong defensive line and Fleck could be establishing a more than solid foundation.

When Burns was asked who might be the Gophers’ best player in a couple of years from the class of 2019, he said three-star cornerback Tyler Nubin from Saint Charles, Illinois. He said it’s a “big deal” to sign Nubin who at a “legit” 6-foot-2 is long and athletic. To convince a player with his skill-set to become a Gopher and pass over Michigan State and other Big Ten schools is not “something Minnesota traditionally does,” Burns added.

Next year the Gophers will have one of the deeper and more talented running back units in the country with veterans Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith, and Mohamed Ibrahim who as a redshirt freshman this fall established himself as a starter. More talent is on the way in the class of 2019 including Owatonna’s Jason Williamson whose gaudy numbers included a single game state record of 477 rushing yards. Burns said Williamson will be given an opportunity at running back in the spring and also be looked at as a receiver.

Running back Treyson Potts from Williamsport, Pennsylvania is referred to by Burns as “absolutely a dynamic player” in space. He describes Cameron Wiley, a running back from Las Vegas, as one of the “most athletic kids” in the country. “He ran an electric 4.49 time,” Burns said about the recruit who was pursued by Oregon, a program that has built much of its success on speed.

The Gophers’ 2019 class includes holdover recruit and defensive tackle Logan Richter from Perham, Minnesota. He was recruited by Minnesota for the class of 2018 but decided to wait until 2019 to become a Gopher player.

The final number of recruits in the 2019 class is yet to be determined, with the possibility the class could be larger than the present total of 24.

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