Stadiums – Page 8 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings’ Must-Win, Gophers’ Uniforms Headline Worthy

Posted on September 19, 2023 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Coach P.J. Fleck is a creative thinker, and that includes how he approaches the uniforms his players wear. His commitment to putting the Gophers in various color combinations has been so extensive since becoming head football coach in 2017 that the athletic department communications office publishes a “Gopher Uniform Tracker” in its weekly news release for the media.

Frequently the Gophers wear combinations of maroon and gold, but black on black has been worn at Minnesota and by other Power Five teams who find the look appealing among players, coaches and younger fans. At the last home game, the Gophers unveiled their new all-black dark mode uniforms for an evening match up with Eastern Michigan. The look prompted both favorable and critical comments sent to Fleck and Sports Headliners.

Fleck said yesterday respect for the school’s maroon and gold colors remains in place and always will. “…We’re adding a little flavor to it (the uniforms). That’s…because it’s all about the players. Everything we do is about the players that are on that field. The student athletes love it. Our student body loves it. The young people love it, and I get it.”

Uniform colors vary most weeks because the players like that and they have a constant voice in what they wear. “…And I don’t think there was one email from our players that said I didn’t like those (the dark-mode uniforms),” Fleck said. “And that’s with no disrespect to our fans. We have the best fans, and we have the best supporters. I had a lot of emails about it, and I feel it. I appreciate that. But I also got just as many, if not more, by how much people liked them.”

This week Dinkytown Athletes, the official Name, Image and Likeness Collective of Golden Gopher Athletics, is introducing a retro merchandise collection featuring “M” Club Hall of Fame Gopher athletes. The first merchandise offering features Gopher football greats Marion Barber, Jr. (‘77-’80), Rickey Foggie (‘84-’87) and Pete Najarian (‘82-’85). Retro jerseys and shirts are available for a limited amount of time with a portion of the proceeds donated to DA.

“This is a great way to celebrate the achievements of past Gopher athletes while supporting the current ones,” Najarian said in a DA news release. “We need to embrace our alumni and get them involved. Let’s remember the past and support our future at the same time!”

Led by co-founders Derek Burns and Robert Gag, DA started about a year ago and directly supports current student athletes with NIL deals. In the highly competitive world of college sports, NIL is a continuing priority for DA and the Gophers.

Watch for merchandise offers in the coming months featuring Gopher basketball and hockey greats. More on the new initiative at https://athletesthread.com/collections/gopher-legend

The Vikings need to duck almost certain disaster by not losing to the Chargers on Sunday and starting the season 0-3. ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell wrote yesterday that since 2002 99 NFL teams have started their seasons 0-3 but only one (the 2018 Texans) has made it to the playoffs. The Chargers are also 0-2 and have lost those games by a total of five points.

A cheery stat is that 0-2 NFL teams do go on to make the playoffs, with that happening seven of the last 10 seasons. Last season eight of the 14 teams making the playoffs started either 1-1 or 0-2. That includes the Bengals who started 0-2 and won the AFC North.

The Vikings must show they can do better at stopping the run, while also rushing more effectively. The Vikings were gouged by the Eagles’ run game last Thursday night and rank 29^th among 32 NFL teams giving up 332 yards rushing this season.

Look for Minnesota to commit more to running the ball at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday against a Chargers’ defense not that formidable against the rush, allowing 211 yards in two games and 3.9 yards per carry. The Vikings so far this season are passing 77.9 percent of the time, the most in the NFL, per Teamrankings.com.

It’s evident the Vikings miss the explosive run production of Dalvin Cook, who was released in the offseason and is now with the Jets. Not working in their favor either is left tackle Christian Darrisaw (ankle) and center Garrett Bradbury (back) could be sidelined on Sunday. The reported signing of free agent guard Dalton Risner, a consistent player who figures to be the best of the pass blockers on the roster of guards, should help.

Former Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks, now with the Chargers, will be dealing with a hamstring injury this week that kept him out of last Sunday’s game against the Titans. The 31-year-old veteran has been outstanding against the pass during his career.

Chargers’ starting offensive tackle Trey Pipkins III is from Apple Valley and played collegiately at Sioux Falls. The 27-year-old started 14 games for the Chargers last season and has two starts in 2023.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who connected on 26 of 31 passes last week and 331 yards against the Vikings, is on the cover of Time Magazine for the feature 100 of the “world’s rising stars.” Peyton Manning wrote a profile about Hurts and referred to him as “a model of how to approach a job.”

Detroit can claim the most NFL players among American cities. The NFL reports that after analyzing the 2023 opening week rosters of all teams and where the players come from, Detroit was first with 19, followed by Bradenton, Florida with 17 and Houston at 16.

Gophers’ true freshman tailback Darius Taylor is a Detroit native. He was again named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after he ran for 138 yards last Saturday against North Carolina. A week ago he won the honor for the first time after a 193 yard performance versus Eastern Michigan. Taylor is the program’s first Freshman of the Week in consecutive weeks since running back Shannon Brooks in November of 2015.

Sports Headliners reader and Gophers’ basketball fan Scott Ballou emailed news about former Minnesota head coach Clem Haskins who turned 80 on August 11. Ex-Gophers Walter Bond, Randy Carter, Ariel McDonald and John Thomas travelled last month to Campbellsville, Kentucky to celebrate their coach’s 80^th birthday. “Other former players had contacted him as well,” Ballou said via email while noting he had spoken by phone last month to Haskins. “He was very proud that many of his former players were still close and had stuck together over the years. He said he and his family were doing well and his son Brent lives in Hudson and works for the Cleveland Cavaliers.”

Happy birthday to talented St. Thomas men’s basketball coach John Tauer who turned 51 yesterday. His Tommies won the 2016 Division III national title.

Friends have been looking for former Gophers’ basketball assistant coach Jimmy Williams for about 12 months and he has been found at the Brynwood Health and Rehabilitation facility in Monticello, Florida. Jay Pivec, who coached with Williams on the 1982 Big Ten champion Gophers, said Williams suffered a stroke last week but is thinking clearly while struggling with his speech. Williams was an assistant coach at Minnesota for 15 seasons including for the 1972 and 1982 Big Ten title teams.

The Twins will face starting right hander Hunter Greene on Wednesday in the closing game of their series with the Reds in Cincinnati. The Twins had to choose between Greene and Royce Lewis in the 2017 MLB Draft, taking Lewis as the No. 1 overall pick while Greene went second. They made the right choice with Lewis, an everyday player, and now among baseball’s most promising young players, while Green has a career record of 9-19 and 4.45 ERA. Bailey Ober, 7-6 with a 3.67 ERA, will oppose Greene Wednesday.

With the popularity of the Gophers volleyball team, you might wonder if the U athletic department is considering an outdoor match for Huntington Bank Stadium after the Cornhuskers drew an announced attendance of 91,648 for a match on August 30 in the Nebraska football stadium. That was a world record attendance for a women’s sports event.

It will be interesting to see if the Wednesday night best of three WNBA playoff series game at Target Center between the Lynx and Sun sells out. The Lynx website lists available tickets from $24 to $334.

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U Season Ticket Sales at Best Total in P.J. Fleck Era

Posted on August 29, 2023August 29, 2023 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota had sold 25,317 public season football tickets as of last week, a record total during the coach P.J. Fleck era. With the seven game Golden Gophers season not beginning until August 31, aditional public season tickets will be sold and further surpass last year’s total of 24,551.

This year and in the past Sports Headliners requested and received ticket sales information from the University through the discovery process. In Fleck’s first three seasons with the Gophers of 2017-2019, the totals for public season tickets (not including student season tickets) were in the 21,000 to low 22,000 range. This year is the third consecutive year where totals will exceed 23,500 at the 50,905-seat capacity Huntington Bank Stadium. (Note: the public couldn’t attend games during the COVID season of 2020).

The Gophers have the fourth best winning percentages for nonconference and league games among Big Ten teams dating back to the 2019 season, as pointed out this summer by Lindy’s Sports in its Big Ten football preview. The Gophers trail only Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa with their .696 percentage in all games and .618 against Big Ten opponents.

The Gophers are 21-13 in league games during this stretch. Minnesota’s 21 Big Ten wins over four years is the most ever for the football program that began in 1882, although it needs to be noted that in this era of expanded schedules college teams are playing more games than they often did in the past. The Gophers are 32-14 overall, including three consecutive bowl wins during the last four-years. Throw out the COVID season of 2020 when the Gophers were 3-4 (all Big Ten games) and the numbers are even better.

Riding the winning seasons and popularity of head coach Jerry Kill, the Gophers sold 27,885 season tickets in 2015. That was the year he resigned in late October for health reasons. The next year, under first-year head coach Tracy Claeys, season ticket sales declined by several thousand.

In 2015 Minnesota had a home attendance average of 52,355, the best in stadium history for the facility that opened in 2009. Capacity was larger than now because of expanded seating back then in the west bleachers.

The 2023 public season ticket total includes 1,002 tickets sold via the Gopher Pass and 1,197 to the faculty. Those totals last year were 737 and 1,170. The Gopher Pass is a mobile ticket that allows fans access to all home games with either a reserved seat or standing room if the game is sold out.

The U attributes the increase in public season ticket sales to the program’s consistent winning (nine or more wins three of the last four years) and attractive schedule of opponents including Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin. The Nebraska game is sold out and anticipation is the other three games will sell out or come close. The most recent sell out at Huntington Bank Stadium was in September of 2021 against Ohio State.

Season ticket prices didn’t increase from 2022 but average single-game price is up. That’s because prices vary per game based on the opponent, date and demand.

As of last week, 6,886 student season tickets were sold, but that total will increase. Last year 8,370 student season tickets were sold. Free tickets to first year-students are being distributed for Thursday’s season and home opening game.

A student football season ticket costs $99. Packages that include season tickets to other sports are priced at $175 and $272.

Worth Noting

If the Gophers are in on a close game Thursday night the outcome could be decided by Dragan Kesich who has only one previous field goal attempt in his college career. The 6-4, 240-pound senior, the team’s kickoff specialist last season, is replacing the departed Matthew Trickett for field goals and Fleck said the Wisconsin native has improved in “leaps and bounds.”

Fleck added that while Kesich must prove himself in games, his specialist has a “huge leg” and made himself into a “really good, solid, reliable kicker.”

Kesich averaged 64.6 yards on kickoffs last season, tied for best in the nation. His 59 touchbacks ranked third.

Minnesota does have its punter returning, 30-year-old Australian native Mark Crawford whose parents have been visiting him. “Talk about a mature person being able to handle that role,” Fleck said about his punter who has added two percent hang time and four yards further on punts.

Fleck also said last week he had a “pretty healthy team” headed into the opener, but he wasn’t going to detail injuries.

Fox brings its lead TV crew of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft to call the Minnesota-Nebraska game before a national TV audience.

Bryce Benhart, the Lakeville North alum, has started most games the last three seasons at right tackle for Nebraska and is expected to be part of the first-team offense Thursday night.

Omar Brown, a Nebraska defensive back from Minneapolis North who played three seasons at Northern Iowa where he was an FCS All-American, is back for a second season with the Huskers and is an expected starter at safety.

Emmett Johnson, the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football from Minneapolis, and Holy Angels, is a reserve running back expected to return kickoffs Thursday night.

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Receiver Jalen Reagor Targets Breakout Year with Vikings

Posted on August 22, 2023August 22, 2023 by David Shama

Jalen Reagor, the reserve wide receiver who the Vikings acquired almost a year ago in a trade with the Eagles, is on the spot as he prepares in training camp for his fourth NFL season. There is no guarantee he will make the final roster and even if he does this is the final year of his contract, with free agency ahead in 2024.

Reagor is receiving opportunities in the preseason. He is tied with tight end Nick Muse for most receptions on the team with six. His 65 yards in catches is tops on the Vikings.

August is the time for the 24-year-old former first round draft choice to prove his value and set the stage for what he hopes will be a breakout season even though it will likely be as a sub behind starters Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison.

“Last year I got here the week of the first game, so it was kind of hard to adjust but having a full offseason, you know, (with) K.O. and the guys helping me I feel pretty good,” Reagor told Sports Headliners.

K.O, head coach Kevin O’Connell, is an offensive guru with a talented group of playmakers including the peerless Jefferson, veteran Osborn and promising rookie Addison. The wide receiver roster includes four former first round draft choices in Jefferson, Addison, Reagor and N’Keal Harry.

The talent in the WR room is a plus to Reagor. “It just breeds competition,” he said.

Reagor’s value to the Vikings includes his speed. He can “take the top off defenses” and he said there might not be anyone on the roster who could motor faster in the 40-yard dash. “There’s not many receivers (in the NFL) that can run like I can,” he said. “I feel like that’s what I bring to the game, and then being able to do the in between stuff, the reverses, the tosses, the little trick stuff and be a complete receiver. So I feel like all around (talent).”

Reagor’s versatility could work in his favor in being able to make the team. He has 18 career rushes for 83 yards. He also returned both punts and kickoffs for the Eagles. With the Vikings last season, he returned 26 punts for 167 yards in 17 games.

Critics have said the 5-11, 197-pound former TCU star is slowed in his routes by physical defenders and that he doesn’t block effectively. The Eagles, who drafted him in 2020 ahead of Minnesota selecting Jefferson, gave up on him when they made the August 31 trade to the Vikings in return for draft choices.

Jalen Reagor photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

This summer Jefferson was voted by his NFL peers as the No. 2 player in the league behind only quarterback Patrick Mahomes from the Chiefs. Although Jefferson is 24 also and entering his fourth NFL season, Reagor said he can learn from the team’s superstar receiver.

“Being No. 2 (ranked) as a receiver, that’s just like a receiver winning the Heisman (Trophy),” Reagor said. “He’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing. I am proud of him. It’s good to be on the team with him and watch and learn from him every day.”

The Vikings could have an explosive offense, just like last season. With a wide receiver group that wants to be the best in the NFL, a deep tight end roster, five returnees in the offensive line, a quality quarterback in Kirk Cousins and veteran running back in Alexander Mattison, the Vikings will score impressively like they did in 2022 when they won 11 one-score games and averaged 24.9 points per game.

Minnesota seemingly took a page from the NBA with a “if we have the ball last, we’ll win” approach while pulling out six fourth quarter wins. No wonder Reagor said if his offense has the last possession in a tight game “it’s going to be a problem.”

And he hopes to be part of the solution this fall.

Worth Noting

The Athletic asked its NFL writers to vote on the best stadiums in the league and U.S. Bank Stadium is No. 1. “This wasn’t even close,” Jon Machota wrote in an article posted yesterday by the Athletic. “Half of the voters placed it No. 1 in their rankings.”

SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles ranked second, with Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, third. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and Lumen Field in Seattle rounded out the top five.

Gopher senior safety Tyler Nubin is receiving a lot of preseason hype. Publicity includes second team (The Athletic) and third team (Phil Steele) All-American recognition, and listings on watch lists for three prestigious national awards honoring defensive players: Chuck Bednarik, Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski.

Nubin admits the attention “is cool” but tempers his enthusiasm. “It doesn’t really matter because like you said it’s preseason so it’s just a guess. I have to go out there and perform. …”

Nubin will be a playmaker and leader for the Gophers’ defense. So, too, will redshirt junior linebacker Cody Lindenberg. “It’s great to see his growth for sure,” Nubin said.

Lindenberg brings the “juice” to practices. “His energy, you can really feel it,” Nubin said.

Gophers’ multi-positional offensive lineman Nathan Boe, now in his sixth year with the program, comes from a family that has long followed Minnesota football including during its glory days. When coach P.J. Fleck was recruiting Boe out of Lakeville North the coach told him the Gophers were a “sleeping giant.”

That resonated with Boe whose grandfather and great grandfather listened to the Gophers on the radio. Boe said: “We have a long tradition here and it’s really fun to be part of it. …”

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, who the Gophers face in Chapel Hill September 16, is the No. 5 player in college football, per ESPN.com who rated the top 100. Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, the Totino-Grace alum and North Oaks resident, is No. 11 on the list. Former Gopher running back Bucky Irving, who gained over 1,000 yards last season for Oregon, is No. 77.

The Twins open a two-game series in Milwaukee tonight against a Brewers team that is No. 10 in the MLB.com power rankings. The Twins are No. 13 in the latest rankings.

Trevor May, who pitched for the Twins from 2014-2020, has 12 saves while holding opponents to a .220 batting average this season with the Athletics. Will the Twins have interest in signing the 33-year-old right hander as a free agent in the offseason? He makes $7 million with Oakland, per Spotrac.com and is the highest paid player on the budget conscious team’s roster.

The Northwoods League, that includes teams from Minnesota and showcases college baseball players in the summer, set a new attendance record with a total of 1,313,916. The old record was 1, 262, 610 set in 2019.

Wild preseason and regular season tickets go on sale Thursday, with availability via Wild.com/tickets and Ticketmaster.com.

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