Recruiting – Page 74 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Rod Carew: Aaron Hicks All-Star Talent

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015 by David Shama

Among those who have mentored Aaron Hicks in the past and are watching his improved season is Rod Carew. “I’ve always liked Aaron Hicks,” Carew told Sports Headliners by telephone last week.

The Twins 25-year-old center fielder flopped in 2013 and 2014 after making the club’s major league roster and becoming a starter. He hit .192 and .215 in 81 and 69 games those two seasons, and experienced demotions to Triple A Rochester. This year the switch-hitter and skilled fielder didn’t even start the season with the Twins but the way he’s played this summer indicates Hicks will fulfill the promise Carew and others have seen. “He’s got tremendous talent,” said Carew who is a special assistant for the Twins organization.

Carew played 19 seasons in the major leagues including 12 with the Twins. His lifetime average of .328 is among the best in baseball since 1950. He won seven batting championships and played on 18 All-Star teams.

Can Hicks become an All-Star? “Well, he’s got the talent,” Carew answered. “It’s all up to him.”

Hicks, who has been moved up from near the bottom of the batting order to the leadoff position, is hitting .272 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. He has 243 plate appearances, or close to the equivalent of a half season. His numbers in the last 30 games, including a .277 average and 17 RBI, are impressive. However, in the past 15 games the inconsistency that occurs during a long season is evident. In that stretch he is hitting .219, although he has homered three times including Monday night in New York against the Yankees.

Hicks has turned heads with his fielding. His spectacular catches have Twins fans also anticipating the arrival of Byron Buxton in the outfield. A combination of Hicks in left field and the even speedier Buxton in center will close down outfield space for opposing hitters. Hicks has no errors and eight assists this season.

Carew was famous for driving the baseball to all fields and he is seeing that trait in Hicks. “I think he’s using the whole field a lot better,” Carew said. “I think when he first came up he was trying to pull everything. He’s got some power and once he starts thinking about home runs, that’s when he starts getting into a rut. He just needs to continue thinking about driving the ball to all fields.“

In past years Carew believes the 6-2, 210 pound Hicks was putting too much pressure on himself including trying to hit balls over the fence. “Every time I see him I really stay on him and try to get him to maintain his focus,” said Carew who lives in California but travels to Minneapolis to assist the Twins. “I think Torii (Hunter) has been a great help for him too because Torii has that presence in the locker room to help the younger players out.”

Hunter has hit 18 home runs with 60 RBI as the Twins 40-year-old regular right fielder. No doubt Hunter, Carew and others in the organization who have mentored Hicks would like to see him playing at a high level when he is 40.

Worth Noting

Carew was born on a train in Panama in 1945. Early in his big league career fans knew him by the nickname “Choo-Choo” but he doesn’t answer to it now. “No one calls me that,” he said.

Florida wide receiver Dredrick Snelson is among the most hyped high school players who have made verbal commitments to sign with the Gophers next February but recruiting authority Ryan Burns told Sports Headliners Marshall, Minnesota WR Drew Hmielewski has the “potential” to be even better. Snelson, with three and four-star labels from recruiting sources, is also the “least solid” to keep his commitment among Minnesota’s recruits, according to Burns who is publisher of Scout’s GopherDigest.com. Snelson, described by Burns as an “excellent route runner,” is scheduled to visit Minneapolis for the Gophers game against Michigan on October 31.

Burns raved about Hmielewski, praising his athletic and leadership qualities. He can foresee maybe ranking Hmielewski a four-star recruit this fall. Like former Gophers All-Big Ten receiver Eric Decker, Hmielewski is an outstanding high school baseball player. Hmielewski also excels at basketball.

Last fall Burns was excited about quarterback Demry Croft who ended up signing with the Gophers and is now a freshman earning compliments from head coach Jerry Kill. Burns is even more enthusiastic about quarterback Tony Poljan who has verbally committed to be part of Minnesota’s 2016 class. He was impressed with Poljan’s throwing mechanics this summer and said the 6-6, 215-pound passer-runner from Lansing (Mich.) Catholic High School reminds him of a “young Ben Roethlisberger.”

Quoting Kill on Croft after last Saturday’s scrimmage: “He’s just an instinctive guy. He’s had a heck of a camp. It’s kind of like watching (Teddy) Bridgewater. He doesn’t get excited about anything. …There’s nothing that rattles the kid. He’s got an extreme amount of talent. He’s been very impressive in camp.”

Although the negative publicity about former Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague has been national news, Burns said the impact on football recruiting has been nil. He judges the 15 recruiting commits as the highest quality class yet in the Kill era that began in 2011.

Early speculation is the Gophers might have the best defensive secondary in the Big Ten, certainly ranking near the top. That’s a benefit and challenge for Minnesota starting quarterback Mitch Leidner—to practice against the skilled group of cornerbacks and safeties.

“You learn your progressions and reads better,” Leidner said. “You don’t see the coverages (in games) that they do. They disguise them well. …Some of the best athletes in the Big Ten are in our secondary, so it’s definitely helpful.”

While the Gophers may reach a final total of 4,500 or so student season tickets, some other Big Ten schools dwarf that number. Penn State has sold out its student allotment with 21,000 tickets, while last year Ohio State totaled over 29,000.

It will likely be a bittersweet homecoming for Christian Ponder on Saturday night when the former Vikings quarterback returns to Minneapolis with the Raiders. Ponder has friends here but he didn’t permanently win the starting quarterback position with the Vikings during a four-year career. His confidence couldn’t have benefited from booing and heckling Vikings fans. Ponder, who is projected as a reserve with the Raiders under former Vikings offensive Bill Musgrave, completed six of eight passes with one touchdown and one interception for Oakland last week in the team’s preseason win against the Rams.

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‘Sky’s the Limit’ for Vikings Defense

Posted on June 17, 2015June 17, 2015 by David Shama

Notes on the Gophers, Twins and Vikings.

The Vikings ranked No. 14 in total NFL defense last season. Minnesota was No. 25 among 32 teams in rushing defense and No. 7 in pass defense. This week the team is finishing mini-camp for the spring and veteran defensive end Brian Robison likes what he sees.

“I think the sky’s the limit for us (defensively),” Robison said yesterday. “I think we’ve got an opportunity to do some really special things around here.

“I think our DBs are playing tremendous right now. I think they’re even better than what they were last year. Defensive line wise, I think we’re rushing very well. Linebackers, having Chad (Greenway) back and having a few of those guys back in there doing the things they’re doing. Fifty-four (rookie Eric Kendricks) is doing some great things out here.

“Yeah, we’ve got very high expectations for our defense and now it’s just about going out there and doing it. We can always have high expectations but if you don’t put it on tape then it doesn’t matter.”

Contrary to a published report earlier this spring, J.D. Spielman hasn’t verbally committed to the Gophers. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told Sports Headliners yesterday the Gophers remain on the list of possible college destinations for his son who will be a senior football player at Eden Prairie High School next season.

Spielman said he and his son visited Michigan and coach Jim Harbaugh two weeks ago. Additional college visits are planned later this month but Spielman declined to identify the schools. J.D., who just finished his lacrosse season for Eden Prairie, has football offers from Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska. Spielman said his son is being recruited as an “athlete,” meaning he could play collegiately on offense, defense or special teams.

Zac Epping, the former Gophers guard, is working with Minneapolis-based agent James Selmer and drawing interest from several NFL teams including the Titans. Epping, who has lost weight since his Gophers days and feels quicker, now weighs 310 pounds and hopes to have a deal soon with an NFL club.

Teams are looking at Epping as either a guard or center. The 6-2 Kenosha, Wisconsin native impressed during his Gophers career with his work ethic and passion for competition. As a young college player, former Gopher offensive lineman Matt Carufel made an impact on Epping. “He kind of taught me, don’t take any crap from anybody,” Epping said.

The Vikings and U.S. Bank officially announced a 20-year naming rights deal on Monday for the new downtown domed stadium. U.S. Bank Stadium has long been rumored to be the name for the facility that opens next year. Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reported Monday the deal is for $220 million.

If an $11 million per year figure is accurate, the deal is by far the largest of its kind for a Minnesota sports venue. Target Field naming rights have been estimated in the $5 to $6 million range annually with Xcel Energy Center perhaps worth half that, and Target Center and TCF Bank Stadium under $2 million each.

Dave Mona is looking for auction items for the sixth annual Camden’s Concert on July 13 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Among items already secured are prime seats at Lambeau Field for the Packers and Vikings game. The concert features the Wright Brothers and is named after Dave and Linda Mona’s grandson Camden Mona. The event raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Anyone with ideas for auction items can call Dave Mona at 952-944-5344.

Phil Steele’s College Football Preview and Athlon Sports have named Gophers punter Peter Mortell first team preseason All-Big Ten, according to a June 1 Gophersports.com story. Both Steele and Athlon included Minnesota defensive backs Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Eric Murray on their All-Big Ten second teams. Defensive end Theiren Cockran made Steele’s second team and offensive tackle Josh Campion was on Athlon’s second unit.

Former Gophers associate athletics director Tom Wistrcill has resigned as Akron athletics director to become an executive with Learfield Sports, the national company that works with colleges and conferences developing sports related revenues including for broadcasting.

Whether 21-year-old rookie center fielder Byron Buxton goes back to the minor leagues will have a lot to do with if he can hit breaking ball pitches. Buxton debuted on Sunday, struck out twice and was hitless in four at bats. He saw plenty of breaking balls. He is hitting .200 in three games with the Twins.

Breaking balls are a challenge to most young hitters, and whatever the reasons the Twins organization is working on a string of promising prospects who have floundered early in their MLB careers. The list includes Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas. All but Hicks impressed with early hitting only to stumble later.

Part of hitting success is confidence and the Twins didn’t allow Arcia, Buxton, Hicks, Santana and Vargas to play and excel for a full season in Triple-A, baseball’s highest level in the minors. The suspicion here is Buxton will be dispatched back to the farm system in a couple of weeks if he doesn’t impress at the plate. No doubt that would be a good move for this highly scrutinized athlete who is rated among the top prospects in baseball.

Buxton is a social media hit with over 24,000 Twitter followers. Decades ago Buxton’s rookie trading card would have been a hot item but now sports memorabilia, including card collecting, has much less interest. The value of old baseball cards for the bigger names is still impressive, though. Harmon Killebrew’s rookie card could command $250, with Rod Carew’s at $150. Mickey Mantle’s rookie card still is the gold standard with a price that might exceed $25,000.

St. Thomas men’s basketball coach John Tauer has authored a book on youth sports and parents. “It’s a combination of psychology, motivation research, anecdotes from the playgrounds to the pros on how and why kids excel or get burned out on sports,” Tauer wrote in an e-mail to Sports Headliners. The book is titled Why LESS is MORE for WOSPS (Well-Intentioned, Overinvolved Sports Parents) and more information is available at Amazon.com. Dr.Tauer, a St. Paul native, has his doctorate in social psychology.

The Warriors likely wouldn’t have earned an NBA title if high scoring guard Klay Thompson had been traded last summer to the Timberwolves. There was interest inside the Warriors organization in sending Thompson—the son of former Gophers All-American center Mychal Thompson—to the Wolves in a deal involving disgruntled power forward Kevin Love who was later traded to the Cavs. But Warriors consultant Jerry West insisted Thompson not be traded and was ready to resign if the deal was made, according to a SI.com story last Thursday by Chris Ballard.

West is a brilliant talent evaluator, perhaps the best in NBA history. He played a major administrative role in the Lakers winning eight world titles in Los Angeles and more recently helped turn around both the Grizzlies and Warriors. The legendary West was drafted as an All-American guard out of West Virginia in 1960, the same year the Lakers left Minneapolis, so he never played here. Ballard wrote that West’s drive for perfection is still present and he can shoot his age, 77, on the golf course.

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50% of Coach Kill’s Time Spent Recruiting

Posted on April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 by David Shama

Gophers football notes.

The Gophers coaches finished spring practice last Saturday and won’t be engaged in formal practices on the field with players until August, but this is a busy time with various tasks including recruiting. The NCAA allows college football assistants to be on the road recruiting now and head coaches like the Gophers Jerry Kill can recruit via telephone during this period of the spring.

Kill told Sports Headliners recruiting is a 365 days activity, and he and his staff spend 50 percent of their collective time each year in that process including evaluation and contact with potential Gophers. He said the football office receives approximately 5,500 e-mails annually regarding recommended prospects.

From all their research the staff has to figure out who they want as players and who will accept Gophers scholarships. Multiple players each year also agree to walk-on without a scholarship. Kill has eventually rewarded some walk-ons with scholarships.

The Gophers have several verbal commitments for the class of 2016 but much more work remains before high school players can sign National Letters of Intent next winter. “Right now in recruiting, it’s a critical time,” Kill said.

Kill’s staff will be visiting areas of the country where high school players have spring practices. That aids the evaluation process but spring practices don’t go on in Minnesota so Kill’s summer camps are vital to the evaluation process, and possible scholarship offers.

The Gophers coaches evaluated existing personnel on their roster yesterday morning. Sometimes after several weeks of spring practices players are moved to different positions, but not now. “We’re not moving anybody,” Kill said.

Kill’s health has gained attention during his time at Minnesota but the news is all good now. “I have been seizure free for 18 months,” he said.

The coach praises epilepsy special Dr. Brien Smith from Grand Rapids, Michigan for helping him. In addition to medication, Kill tries to walk every day and is diligent about eating at regular intervals.

Kill’s youngest daughter, Tasha, 24, will be married in Marion, Illinois on May 23 to Jason Hines.

The Gophers aren’t boasting but a visitor at spring practices developed the impression players and coaches might be thinking Minnesota will have one of the Big Ten’s best defenses next season. “I think there’s a very good chance,” Hank Ekpe told Sports Headliners. “We’ve been working hard all spring. We’ve been committed to what coach Kill is saying and what coach Tracy Claeys has been telling us. I think we’ll have a very good defense.”

Ekpe, a junior defensive end next season, was a force in the spring game last Saturday. His older brother Scott Ekpe, a senior in the fall, could replace the graduating Cameron Botticelli at starting defensive tackle. The Ekpes were starters together at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas and could be regulars next fall, too.

Rodrick Williams, who will be a senior next season and likely the Gophers No. 1 running back going into August practices, is determined to maintain his weight at about 227 pounds after dropping 20 pounds since last season. He wants to avoid many carbohydrates. “…Like Little Debbie Snack Cakes,” Williams said, offering an example. “Too much bread, stuff like that.”

The 5-foot-11 Williams, who backed up David Cobb last year, said he’s faster than when he broke off late season touchdown runs against Nebraska and Missouri. “I still got my power. Little quicker, and I can move a little better, and I don’t get tired as quickly.”

The Big Ten Network announced this week there will be six Saturday night primetime football games including Minnesota at Iowa on November 14.

Worth Noting

Congratulations on another “great catch” by former Gophers and Vikings tight end Doug Kingsriter who is engaged to Kim Deason. Both are living in the Dallas area.

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame hosts its 8th Annual Minnesota Football Honors event May 3 at the Hilton Minneapolis. The event is open to the public and sponsored by the Vikings. The NFL club will announce its team awards for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Man of the Year, and Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

The following individuals will be presented awards by the Minnesota chapter: Tom Obarski, Concordia-St. Paul, Bob Stein Scholar-Athlete; David Cobb, Gophers, Bobby Bell College Impact Player of the Year; David and Janis Larson, Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan; retired coach Dick Hanson, Burnsville High School, John Gagliardi Legacy; Mike Max, WCCO radio & TV, Sid Hartman Media; Josh Benson, Hinckley-Finlayson, Courage; Garrett Gardner, St. Paul Central High School, Stacy Robinson Leadership; Nicole Dailey, University of Minnesota, Cheerleader.

Scholar-athlete award winners will be Trey Anderson, White Bear Lake Area High School; Tom Auger, St. Cloud Cathedral High School; Ben Ellefson, Hawley High School; Gunnar Grimsrud, Rochester Mayo High School; Ismael Kamara, Harding High School; Taylor Ottersetter, Mayer Lutheran High School; Ben Shoults, Maple Grove High School; John Solberg, Cambridge-Isanti High School; Mitchell Stangel, Crosby-Ironton High School.

The event includes a social hour starting at 5 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards program. More at Minnesotafootballhonors.com.

The St. Thomas football team will take a 13-day trip to Italy this summer with stops in several cities including Rome and Naples. An NCAA foreign travel policy allows the trip and coach Glenn Caruso’s Tommies will have a special cultural experience and also play a game against Giaguaire Torino.

The Big Ten placed two teams in this year’s Final Four and the conference could be impressive next season too. Sports Illustrated writer Seth Davis issued his “Way-Too-Early College Basketball Top 25” April 8 and included six Big Ten teams: Maryland, No. 5; Michigan State, No. 8; Indiana, No. 9; Michigan, No. 16, Wisconsin, No. 17; Purdue, No. 19. Virginia was No. 1, and Iowa State, coached by former Timberwolves guard Fred Hoiberg, ranked No. 6.

Tonight’s opening Stanley Cup playoffs game for the Wild and Blues is historic. The two franchises have never played against each other in the playoffs, although the North Stars and St. Louis competed in nine series. The last of those series was in 1991 when coach Bob Gainey’s Stars defeated the Blues in Game Six behind two goals from Bobby Smith.

Women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings today announced the signing of 6-foot-1 forward Kynadi Johnson and 6-foot-3 center Karley Barnes to National Letters of Intent to play for the Gophers beginning next season. Johnson is a transfer from Butler Community College in Kansas and Barnes is a transfer from Tallahassee Community College in Florida.

The Minnesota State High School League kicks off a 100-year celebration Friday and Saturday at the State Speech Tournament at Lakeville North High School. The Minnesota State High School Athletic Association, the forerunner of the MSHL, began in April of 1916. Today the MSHL annually serves over 400 high schools, and more than 200,000 participants in 42 activities. The 100-year celebration will extend into 2016.

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