Recruiting – Page 90 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings to Evaluate WR Webb Differently

Posted on June 3, 2013June 3, 2013 by David Shama

As the Vikings practice this spring, Joe Webb will be evaluated differently than the team’s other wide receivers but it’s no cinch he will make the final roster in September.

Webb, 26, is trying to make the transition from NFL quarterback after three seasons. He has much to learn and George Stewart, the team’s wide receivers coach, admitted he views Webb differently. “Absolutely, and the reason being, it would be unfair to evaluate him as a receiver like I evaluate the rest of them because they’ve been receivers all their lives. Joe has been a quarterback.

“It’s like me trying to be a chef. It’s not going to work. I got to burn some stuff up (becoming a chef), but Joe he is going to help us. The question is a great question. A lot of people don’t see things in those eyes. …”

Webb won’t be returning to the quarterback position. “Absolutely (not),” Stewart said. “That’s the way coach Frazier has termed it. We moved him to receiver permanently. He’s not going back to quarterback as far as I know. He’s looking forward to it. He’s excited about the move.”

Although the football world knows Webb has great hands for receiving, and is tall at 6-4 and runs with speed and power, he has much to learn about his new position. Stewart deferred to head coach Leslie Frazier and general manager Rick Spielman when asked about Webb being on the team’s final roster.

“That’s not my job,” Stewart said. “That’s Rick Spielman’s job. That’s the head coach’s job. I am just going to coach him.”

Worth Noting

The Vikings continue with Organized Team Activities this week and next at Winter Park. The team also has its mini-camp in two weeks. Players report to training camp in Mankato on Thursday, July 25 with the first practice on Friday, July 26.

The Vikings were 3-13 in 2011 and 10-6 last season. Minnesota will again have one of the more inexperienced NFL rosters. Veteran linebacker Chad Greenway was asked how the Vikings can continue to improve. “Just growing up. We’re young and just maturing, and taking it to the next level. I think we can do that.”

Greenway is the No. 70 player in the NFL, according to a league player poll to determine the NFL’s top 100. Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is No. 60 on the list that so far has counted down to players 100 through 41 on the NFL Network.

The Vikings are working with Minneapolis officials to bring the 2018 Super Bowl here. A vote of NFL owners next spring is expected to determine the site, according to Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson.

The new downtown football stadium is scheduled to open in 2016. Minneapolis hosted the 1992 Super Bowl and there is probably more acceptance now among NFL decision makers to play the big game in northern cities since Detroit, Indianapolis and metro New York have also been awarded Super Bowls.

The Twins will choose fourth on Thursday’s opening day of MLB’s amateur draft. Bleacherreport.com’s mock draft from last Friday has the Twins selecting outfielder Clint Frazier from Loganville, Georgia.

After yesterday’s 10-0 win over the Mariners, the Twins have won six of their last seven games and seven of the previous nine. Saturday’s comeback in the ninth inning from a 4-2 deficit was the kind of dramatic win that can give a team extra confidence. Ryan Doumit’s delivered the winning runs on Saturday in the 5-4 game and homered yesterday. Six of his last eight hits are for extra-bases.

Brian Dozier, Chris Hermann and Josh Willingham also homered yesterday. The Twins have hit eight home runs in their last four games.

Among the celebrities at the Bruce Smith Golf Classic at Faribault Golf Club on June 17 will be Gophers coach Jerry Kill and all-time leading rusher Darrell Thompson. The fundraising event honors Bruce Smith who won the 1941 Heisman Trophy playing for the Gophers. More information about participating in the golf event and attending the dinner is available by e-mailing Bruce Krinke, contact@fctv10.org.

The Big Ten announced the 2015 conference football schedule this morning. All league teams play eight games each before going to a nine game Big Ten schedule in 2016. The Gophers open league play in 2015 on October 3 at Northwestern.

Although the baseball Gophers aren’t participating in the 2013 NCAA tournament, Minnesota leads all Big Ten teams in appearances with 30. Michigan is second with 21 and Ohio State has 19. The Gophers last played in the tournament in 2010.

For the sixth consecutive season St. Thomas men and women finished first in MIAC all-sports competition. The placements are based on performances by conference teams in 22 sports. In the men’s final standings the Tommies finished ahead of Saint John’s, St. Olaf, Gustavus, Bethel, Concordia, Carleton, Augsburg, Hamline, Saint Mary’s and Macalester. After St. Thomas in the women’s standings are St. Olaf, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, Concordia, Carleton, Bethel, Hamline, St. Catherine, Macalester and Saint Mary’s (tied), and Augsburg.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien e-mailed that Lakeville junior shooting guard J.P. Macura now has a scholarship offer from Butler to consider along with others including from Kansas State and Boston College.

Phoenix rookie Brittney Griner, the first WNBA player to ever dunk twice in a WNBA game, will be at Target Center Thursday night for a game against the Lynx. Griner is only the third player to ever dunk in a WNBA game.

Registration for Grandma’s Marathon (Two Harbors to Duluth) is open through Friday. More than 17,000 runners are expected to participate in the June 22 event, the country’s 14^th largest marathon.

Comments Welcome

Greenway: Henderson to be ‘Great’

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

Opinion, news and notes from Chad Greenway, Rene Pulley and Joel Maturi.

Chad Greenway said after practice this afternoon at Winter Park he expects Erin Henderson will be “great” at middle linebacker during the 2013 season. Henderson is moving from weakside linebacker to middle linebacker and the transition will be among the most scrutinized Vikings moves between now and the end of the season.

Greenway said learning pass coverage responsibilities will be a challenge but Henderson has “great instincts.” Greenway, the Vikings’ Pro Bowl strongside linebacker, will be surprised if Henderson doesn’t play well. “He’ll be on it and will be great,” Greenway said.

Henderson, 26, knows there are doubters but said he isn’t upset with them. “It doesn’t anger me. I can’t get mad at people for having their opinions and having their beliefs and how they view things.”

Henderson has been dedicated to his conditioning during the offseason. He knows he will be on the field for three downs at a time and doesn’t want a lack of conditioning to interfere with his “technique.”

Greenway, 30, said his offseason included activities to make him more effective within the “10-yard box” that he so often plays in during games. “Worked on little things that can make my game a lot better. Just balance, footwork.”

Youth basketball authority Rene Pulley told Sports Headliners prep point guard Tyus Jones is already an extraordinary player. “He is like a pro now,” said Pulley who is executive director and CEO of Howard Pulley Basketball.

The Apple Valley High School junior is a target of new Gophers coach Richard Pitino, along with Robbinsdale Cooper shooting guard Rashad Vaughn and DeLaSalle forward Reid Travis who are other members of the state’s super class of 2014. Pulley said it’s difficult for a young coach at a new school to recruit against coaching legends like Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

Pulley doesn’t know if the Gophers will land any of the Big Three but Vaughn might be the most likely to play at Minnesota. “He has always wanted to embark on his own trail,” Pulley said. “Since the U is down on talent, he could trail blaze.”

Former Gopher Rodney Williams, trying to interest NBA teams, was scheduled to workout for scouts today at Target Center. Pulley has observed the high potential, low performance four-year career of Williams at Minnesota.

“I think he was way under his potential, and I am not placing blame anywhere,” Pulley said. “He has the athleticism of the LeBron Jameses, Kobe Bryants and Michael Jordans. He can be a very fantastic player.”

Pulley expects his Pro City League at the High Performance Academy in Eagan to begin its schedule in late June. Jones, Travis and Gophers players are among those expected to participate. As in the past, the public is welcome.

Joel Maturi has spoken to new Texas Tech basketball coach Tubby Smith. “He feels good about another opportunity,” the former Gopher athletic director told Sports Headliners.

How does Smith feel about his six seasons at Minnesota and being let go in March? “He has nothing but good things to say about Minnesota,” Maturi said.

Although Smith was a national championship coach at Kentucky, he struggled at Minnesota winning just one NCAA Tournament game and had a losing record in the Big Ten. Maturi, who hired Smith, declined to talk about why he believes the coach wasn’t more successful here. “I have my own feelings but I don’t want them in print,” Maturi said.

Smith will have a more difficult time winning at Tech than he did at Minnesota. The Red Raiders were 11-20 overall, 3-15 in the Big 12 Conference last season, and counting Bobby Knight employed five head coaches since 2007.

Smith has been a head coach at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and now Texas Tech. In a mid-May story by the Amarillo Globe-News he was asked how the Tech job compares to the others. “It’s tough. This is probably the toughest,” he said.

Smith has yet to complete his staff and recruiting seems to be off to a slow start. Former Gopher assistant Joe Esposito, who has connections in Texas, is on the Tech staff.

Comments Welcome

U RB Target Likes Iowa State

Posted on May 22, 2013May 22, 2013 by David Shama

Washburn High School four-star running back Jeff Jones is still verbally committed to the Gophers but there is no guarantee yet he will play for Minnesota, and Iowa State is a school of interest, too, according to Millers’ coach Giovan Jenkins.

“I would consider it a soft verbal,” Jenkins said about the Gophers. “He (Jones) went to coach Kill and told him he committed too early.”

The Washburn junior first verbally committed to Minnesota coach Jerry Kill last year but since then realized he wants more time to decide on the college he will enroll at next year. Jenkins told Sports Headliners on Saturday that Jeff’s father is “getting out of jail” and wants to be part of the recruiting process, so that is also a factor.

Jenkins believes Iowa State is a “soft” No. 2 behind the Gophers on the list of possible choices. “He likes the staff and proximity (of Ames) to Minneapolis,” Jenkins said.

In addition to Minnesota and Iowa State, Jones has offers from Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan State, Syracuse and Wisconsin. Although Wisconsin has a great tradition of running backs, Jenkins believes Jones is likely to choose Minnesota if he decides on a Big Ten school.

Rivals.com labels Jones a four-star prospect and ranks him No. 17 among running backs in the class of 2014. Jenkins said Jones is a “once-in-a lifetime talent.”

The 6-foot, 190 pound prep is the first four-star running back to commit to Kill since he started coaching at Minnesota in 2011.

Jenkins described Jones as “big, strong, (with) excellent vision, great burst, very explosive — kind of a one-stop shop.” But the coach said Jones has to determine how close he will come to fulfilling his potential. If the desire and hard work are present, Jenkins projects Jones as a 220 pound runner in college. “If he works hard, he could be the best at that level, too,” Jenkins said.

Jones has been a starter for Washburn since ninth grade and a major contributor to the Millers’ success. In today’s world of transfers, Jones has been a target of other high schools. “He gets approached every year,” Jenkins said.

Jones lives in the Washburn district and likes playing for the Millers. He heard from former Miller David Gilreath that he regretted leaving Washburn for Robbinsdale Armstrong, according to Jenkins. Gilreath is now in the NFL with the Steelers after a college career at Wisconsin.

“Everything he’s got (Jones), he’s got from Washburn,” Jenkins said. “He is a loyal kid.”

Worth Noting

Washburn coach Giovan Jenkins has two other players he expects will have college offers following summer camps, running back Raymonte Maynard and defensive end Clayton Burton. Maynard could end up at a MAC or WAC school, according to his coach, while he identifies Burton as a “BCS kid.”

Bruce Feldman, writing yesterday for Cbssports.com, put Gophers defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman No. 2 on his annual college football “Freaks” list that recognizes players for their extraordinary athleticism. Feldman wrote that Hageman can do a “360 dunk” and is the Big Ten’s most athletic defensive lineman. “Not only does he have the 36-inch vert, but he also has bench-pressed 465 pounds and clocked an electronically timed 10-yard sprint in 1.57 seconds. For comparison sake, no DT at this year’s NFL Combine jumped higher than 33 inches, and Terron Armstead, the offensive tackle who ran the blazing 4.71 40 at the combine, did a 1.64 in his 10.”

Former Vikings coach Bud Grant turned 86 on Monday. Rick Reilly, writing for Espn.com yesterday, ranked Grant No. 11 on his list of the 20 greatest NFL coaches ever.

The basketball Gophers are looking at Rivals.com four-star center Dominic Woodson who no longer is committed to Baylor for next season. Incoming Gophers freshman guard Daquan McNeil played with Woodson in 2011 at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont.

Quinton Hooker will be presented with the Mr. Basketball trophy on May 29 at an invitation only reception in Brooklyn Park. Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien will make the presentation. Hooker, a shooting guard, scored 2,147 career points and will attend North Dakota. He is the 39^th recipient of the award recognizing the best boys senior player in the state.

Last night’s NBA Draft Lottery telecast prompted memories from years ago when league commissioner David Stern mistakenly referred to the Minnesota Timberwolves as the “Minnesota North Stars” on national TV.

The Gophers baseball team plays its opening game in the Big Ten Tournament today against Illinois at Target Field, a facility Minnesota used for one game last year and the entire 2011 season. How much of an advantage is that for the Gophers?

“None,” assistant head coach Rob Fornasiere told Sports Headliners. “The tournament is wide open. The league has improved so much the last five years. Teams one through six are so evenly matched.”

The Gophers, the No. 4 seed, have lost six of their last eight games. “We haven’t hit or caught the ball very well (lately),” Fornasiere said. “We’re second in the league in ERA but have struggled on offense all season. We’re second to the bottom in hitting (average) and home runs.”

Fornasiere predicted the Gophers “will play hard” and be in close games during the double elimination tournament. The Gophers’ pitchers in their first two games will be Tom Windle and DJ Snelten. Fornasiere expects Windle will be taken in the first or second round of next month’s MLB amateur draft while Snelten will be among the first nine players selected.

Next year’s Big Ten tournament will be in Omaha before returning to Target Field in 2015.

A respected baseball source who has been involved with and followed major league baseball e-mailed Sports Headliners after reading Monday’s column about the length of MLB games. He asked that his name not be used but wrote the following:

“MLB should demand that umpires enforce the rule of pitchers having to deliver the next pitch within 12 seconds of getting the ball back from the catcher with no runners on base, as it states in the rules. The umpires never enforce this. For example, (Jose) Valverde, the Tigers’ closer, takes about 30 seconds between every pitch, even with nobody on base.

“It’s a joke how umpires break up conferences on the mound: They walk slowly out to the mound, tell them their time is up and then jog back to the plate to make it seem like they are hustling and that will speed up the game — which it doesn’t.

“They also need to cut down on players stepping out of the box after every pitch. Remember (Chuck) Knoblauch stepping out after every pitch and readjusting his batting gloves?”

Expect an announcement soon by the city and Timberwolves regarding a $100 million renovation of Target Center.

Former Wayzata High School tennis player Karl Gregor is the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year. He is an assistant at Tufts.

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