Twins – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

J.J. McCarthy Might Have Made Vikings QB History

Posted on September 4, 2024September 4, 2024 by David Shama

In the 63-year history of the Vikings, no rookie quarterback has started every regular season game. That might have changed if 2024 first-round draft choice J.J. McCarthy wasn’t sitting out his first NFL season after right knee meniscus surgery in mid-August.

Journeyman Sam Darnold will start at quarterback on Sunday when the Vikings open their regular season against the Giants on the road. But going back to before training camp opened in late July, McCarthy’s potential teased at being the day one starter.

A former NFL executive with two clubs, who asked that his name not be published, said this to Sports Headliners in May: “I expect him to be the starter, maybe not week one, but I would say certainly by October. I think he’ll have taken over for Darnold, and I think he could beat him out in training camp. That they (the coaches) may just say hey, we’re going to go with the more talented guy here.”

In training camp, the 21-year-old McCarthy impressed head coach Kevin O’Connell and others inside the organization. In McCarthy’s only preseason game, he was 11 of 17 for 188 yards and threw two touchdown passes.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Shortly after McCarthy’s surgery O’Connell offered this highly favorable opinion of Minnesota’s No. 10 first-round selection (the highest drafted QB in franchise history): “As our fans either have already come to find out or will in the future, this guy is so motivated and so dialed in. As excited as I was to draft him, he’s confirmed everything that I hope to see not only early on through training camp, but through his performance last Saturday (August 10 preseason opening game). Our fan base and everyone should just be excited about the fact that we’ve got our young franchise quarterback, I believe, in the building.”

No one will ever know if McCarthy might have progressed so favorably after August 10 that O’Connell would have decided to make him the September 8 starter. What is certain is that the former quarterback for the 2023 national champion Michigan Wolverines is proclaimed the future starter and would have been given a lot of scrutiny between August 11 and September 8.

In the best of scenarios, McCarthy would have surpassed the stories of other Viking rookie quarterbacks including Teddy Bridgewater who started 12 games in 2014, his first season with Minnesota. Joe Kapp, who had played in Canada, started 11 games as a rookie in 1967.

Fran Tarkenton as a rookie didn’t start his first game but took over after it began and led the expansion 1961 Vikings to a stunning 37-13 win over the Bears in Minnesota’s NFL debut. The former Georgia third round draft choice went on to start 10 games as a rookie and is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Worth Noting

The Giants will be about a 1.5 underdog in the game with a roster that includes former Golden Gopher John Michael Schmitz Jr. as the starting center. Ex-Gophers and expected second teamers are inside linebacker Carter Coughlin and rookie safety Tyler Nubin.

The Gophers opening game loss to North Carolina last Thursday night at home was significant and follows a trend of so-so results against major competition. In recent years the program has been unable to match the success of the often-praised 2019 season when Minnesota was 11-2 overall, 7-2 in Big Ten games and finished No. 10 nationally in the final A.P. poll.

Minnesota’s 19-17 loss to North Carolina now gives the program a 21-18 record against Power 5 teams dating back to 2020. The Gophers are 14-13 in Big Ten games over that period.

The two point loss to the Tar Heels was clearly a missed opportunity for a win. North Carolina entered the game without an established quarterback and lost its starter in the second half. The Gophers had the better quarterback in newcomer Max Brosmer but frequently misfired on offense, defense and special teams.

Disappointments included offensive calling and absence of passing success. The offseason buzz was the Gophers would have an improved passing game but while Brosmer looked okay no receivers emerged to complement 2023 second team All-Big Ten wide receiver Daniel Jackson.

Minnesota’s passing game hasn’t drawn raves since 2019 when wide receivers Tyler Johnson, Rashod Bateman and QB Tanner Morgan dazzled, and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, now in his second season at Rutgers, was directing the show.

While the Gophers have an 11 a.m. start Saturday at home against FCS Rhode Island, St. Thomas hosts Northern Iowa looking for its first ever win against an FCS scholarship program. Rhode Island, 1-0, defeated Holy Cross 20-17 last Saturday. The Division I Tommies lost 34-13 at home last Saturday to Division II Sioux Falls, while Northern Iowa defeated Valparaíso 35-7.

The Twins, who are 5.5 games behind the Guardians in the race to win the AL Central Division title, need September to be their best month of the season. The second place Twins, 75-63, were 14-14 in August, the only month this season the club wasn’t over .500. Minnesota’s best record came in May, 16-12.

Third baseman Jose Miranda is second in batting average on the team at .299 (Carlos Correa, .308), after hitting .268 and .211 his first two seasons in the majors. A key reason for success is hitting off-speed pitches with a consistency few other MLB batters can match this season.

High-A Cedar Rapids outfielder Walker Jenkins, 19, hit .310 with a .909 OPS in August and is the Twins Minor League Player of the Month for August.

Travis Adams, 24, who appeared in five games for Double-A Wichita with a 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings, is the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Month.

Congratulations to the Waconia Lakers who won their first ever Class C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball championship Monday, defeating Jordan 5-2 at the Mini Met in Jordan. It was a rewarding outcome for Waconia, a team that finished second to Isanti in the 2011 Class C tournament. Town ball teams are comprised of players from various ages, ranging from teens to adults who are decades older.

The No. 18 ranked Gophers volleyball team, coming off its upset of No. 1 Texas in Milwaukee on Monday, has an opportunity to further its national reputation on Friday with a match against No. 23 Baylor in Waco, Texas. Minnesota is 1-1 in two nonconference matches, Baylor 3-0.

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Making the Case for Trading Viking WR Jordan Addison

Posted on August 27, 2024August 27, 2024 by David Shama

It’s interesting to consider the Vikings could trade second-year star wide receiver Jordan Addison.

Multiple factors make a trade plausible. The Vikings appear deep in wide receivers starting with 25-year-old superstar Justin Jefferson and moving through other players who impressed during training camp.

The list includes Jalen Nailor, “Speedy,” who lived up to his nickname in three preseason games as Minnesota went 3-0. Nailor, 25, caught four passes for 94 yards, an average per reception of 23.5 yards.

When the Vikings trim their roster to 53 today, the club could list three other wide receivers including Trishton Jackson, 26, who caught touchdown passes in all three preseason games—tops in the NFL. He totaled nine receptions for 154 yards in the games.

Brandon Powell, 28, is small at 5-8, 181 pounds but he is a physical player. The Vikings saw his production last year when he received increased playing time with Jefferson sidelined. He started two games, played in all 17 regular season games and caught 29 passes for 324 yards.

Trent Sherfield, 28, is another physical player and the coaches have to love his willingness and skill blocking, traits not all wideouts possess. The 6-1, 210-pound NFL veteran had one touchdown among his seven preseason receptions.

Jordan Addison image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings need draft choices in 2025 and an early round selection, preferably a first, could come in return for moving on from Addison. Minnesota has three selections for next year, a first-round pick and two fifth rounders. Expected bottom feeders like the Panthers and Patriots need wide receiver talent. It’s possible the Vikings might get creative and be able to make a trade involving Addison that returns a valued player and draft choice. The club could have needs at cornerback and interior offensive line not only this season but next when the Vikings will be well positioned with salary cap space to pursue free agents.

Addison’s two road incidents within 13 months of each other raise “red flags” about his judgment. He was cited for speeding and reckless driving at 140 MPH on Interstate 94 in St. Paul over a year ago. He later pled guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge, $686 fine and had his license suspended for six months.

Last month Addison was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving under the influence. His car was reportedly found blocking traffic on I-105 near Los Angeles International Airport while he was asleep in the driver’s seat.

If there is another incident this year or not too long after, that figures to diminish Addison’s trade value. Rather than gamble on future problems, the Vikings might test trade interest in Addison who could miss games this fall because of disciplinary action from the NFL. The Vikings find themselves in a position of apparent strength with their wide receiver corps and have other offensive playmakers including gifted tight end T.J. Hockenson and potential 1,000-yard rusher Aaron Jones.

There seemingly are always other teams willing to take on a talented player who has had off-field issues. Addison produced 70 receptions, 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Pro Football Writers Association named him to its All-Rookie team.

Addison and Jefferson form one of the best and explosive pass catching duos in the NFL. The Vikings might have an ego issue about trading Addison after having spent a first-round draft selection on him in 2023 and seeing his importance to the team. A former NFL executive with two clubs cautioned Sports Headliners earlier this summer when he said: “The reality is a first-round pick is different. And a first-round pick that plays well like he did last year—and we presume he will this year—it’s just different.”

The NFL trade deadline is November 5. The Vikings have time to work on an Addison trade if they choose to.

Worth Noting

Vikings reserve quarterback Jaren Hall led the NFL in preseason touchdown passes with four. Trey Lance, the Marshall, Minnesota native, led all the quarterbacks with 662 passing yards and topped rushers with 168 yards while playing for the Cowboys.

Dinkytown Athletes, the official Golden Gophers collective, reports for the most recent fiscal year it bettered the goal of 85 percent revenue going to student-athletes. That means an additional $150,000 will be provided to Gopher athletes for name, image and likeness opportunities.

Casey O’Brien, the former Golden Gophers football player who has inspired so many, is battling cancer again. O’Brien, a six-time cancer survivor dating back to age 13 when he was first diagnosed with bone cancer, is pursuing funds to pay for an alternative therapy not covered by insurance. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, he is known for the courage and optimism he has displayed facing his health challenges—a message he has shared in speaking engagements, conversations and fundraising. Now battling cancer in his lung, liver and low back, he has established a GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-casey-obriens-fight-against-cancer

Jim Brunzell reports Kevin Hamm, his friend and former Gopher football teammate in 1969 and 1970, has been battling leukemia for seven months. https://www.caringbridge.org/site/ac4809a5-5805-11ef-9ac3-53c8c09873a4

The Golden Gophers and North Carolina game Thursday night will be seen across the country on Fox. Jason Benetti, a familiar voice from his work on the Big Ten Network, will do play-by-play. Former Washington Huskies quarterback Brock Huard will offer analysis.

This will be the season opener for both teams, with the Gophers likely to be about a two point underdog. The outcome could turn on a couple of things depending on whose new quarterback plays better, and how the defenses contain the star running backs—North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Minnesota’s Darius Taylor.

As of Tuesday, tickets remained for the game with Gophersports.com reporting “low availability” in many sections at Huntington Bank Stadium.

My prediction for the Gophers’ season record: 8-5 including another bowl win running their streak to eight in a row.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck starts the season as the third fastest coach in Gopher history to win 50 games. Fleck, 50-34, needed 84 games to reach his total while Henry Williams did it in 58 and Bernie Bierman in 67.

North Carolina head coach Mack Brown’s birthday is today, August 27. At 73 he is the only Division I head coach in his 70s.

The Nevada team the Gophers play in their third game of the season opened its schedule last Saturday with a close loss, 27-24, to SMU. Nevada, playing on its home field and nearly a four-touchdown underdog, led 24-13 going into the fourth quarter. Preseason expectations were for Nevada to be among the worst FBS teams in the country.

Coach Dwight Lundeen goes for his 400^th career victory Thursday night when his Becker football team hosts Hill-Murray. After the 2023 season, his record was 399-167-3, ranking second all-time in state prep coaching history, and trailing Verndale’s Mike Mahlen at 432-132-3. Brainerd’s Ron Stolski and Delano’s Merrill Pavlovich, both retired, rank third and fifth respectively on the all-time wins list, with Eden Prairie’s Mike Grant, 388-80, fourth.

As of this morning the Twins’ biggest stars, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, had missed a total of 177 games. Here’s how it breaks down: Lewis 67 with a right quad strain and 20 with a right adductor strain; Correa 22 with a right intercostal strain and 35 with right plantar fasciitis; Buxton 20 with right knee inflammation and 13 with right hip inflammation.

Yesterday (August 26^th) was the anniversary date of the first no-hitter by a Twins pitcher. In 1962 Jack Kralick threw a near perfect game except for a walk as the Twins defeated the Athletics 1-0 at Metropolitan Stadium

The MIAC Sports Network can be found and installed free at various sources such as Apple TV as well as the web at https://miacsportsnetwork.com/.

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Middling Rankings for Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Posted on August 20, 2024August 20, 2024 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Dan Orlovsky, writing recently on ESPN.com, listed the NFL’s best quarterbacks in seven different categories: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction creativity. His top 10 lists in each category (based on current performance and expectations) included former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins in just one: “decision making with the football.”

Orlovsky defines decision making as knowing what the defense “is trying to get him (the QB) to do with the ball—and what it is trying to keep him from doing.” Add to that, Orlovsky writes, the QB needs to figure out whether the first read is “going to work given what the defense is showing.”

Cousins, who signed on with the Falcons in the offseason after being The Guy with the Vikings since 2018, checked in at No. 10 in the decision-making rankings. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow are the top three on the list.

Cousins, whose season ended last season in late October after tearing his Achilles, reportedly received a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. They are gambling the 36-year-old can recover from his serious injury and play at a high level for a team with playoff expectations. With a new Falcons coach in Raheem Morris and a top 10 2024 draft pick in rookie Michael Penix Jr. behind him, Cousins faces plenty of pressure to perform.

In the 2024 annual vote by NFL players ranking the top 100 players, Cousins came in at No. 81 after being 42^nd last year. In fairness to Cousins, only being able to play in eight games limited his impact but his peers also watched him get off to perhaps the best start of his career. He threw 18 touchdown passes for 2,331 yards and had just five interceptions.

A popular prediction is for the Falcons to win nine to 10 games. The Vikings six to seven.

It’s a good guess the Vikings added former UFL wide receiver Justin Hall to the roster on Monday partly for roster depth if Jordan Addison is suspended for regular season games because of his July driving incident in Los Angeles. Hall, 5-8 and 189-pounds, had the third most receiving yards in the UFL in 2024 with 603 playing with Houston.

ESPN.com also recently ranked the top 100 college football players going into the season, with Golden Gophers left tackle Aireontae Ersery the only Minnesota player listed. Ersery, Minnesota’s left tackle, is No. 59 on the list that has Tennessee defensive tackle James Pearce No. 1.

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who Minnesota will see in its August 29 opener, is the lone Tar Heel on the list at No. 29. Hampton is an Associated Press first team preseason All-American while Ersery is second team.

The Gophers gave up a Big Ten worst 165.9 yards per game rushing last season but could be much improved in 2024. Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said Monday “we’re swarming more and better than we ever have to the ball.”

The Gophers have their own featured back in sophomore Darius Taylor who despite limited play last season rushed for 799 yards in six games. Taylor was a wide out at times in high school and his ability to catch the ball prompts Fleck to describe him as adding “that full playmaker ability to our offense.”

Minnesota may also have one of the deeper running back rosters in the Big Ten with Fleck yesterday talking about multiple players including Marcus Major, the 6-foot, 220-pound graduate transfer from Oklahoma who the coach said has exceeded expectations. “Every time I see that (jersey) No. 24, I just think, man, looks like 24 (former Gopher record setter Mohamed Ibrahim), just bigger,” Fleck said.

If Gophers starting quarterback Max Brosmer is injured during the season his replacement could be true freshman Drake Lindsey. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said Monday Lindsey knew coming to Minnesota would be an opportunity to learn from Brosmer, the graduate transfer FCS All-American from New Hampshire. Harbaugh has been impressed with Lindsey’s learning curve and other skills.

“I sat him down right before he signed, and we talked about how we had to bring in a transfer at that time,” Harbaugh said. “And we were talking about Max and I explained to him that this is going to be a really big thing for you to learn from him, and then for Max to take him under his wing and Drake has done that.

“If you saw him in the spring, he was running the two (second unit) offense as a true freshman, and he should be a senior in high school. He’s done a great job…as soon as he got here in January, of learning the offense, understanding the offense, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes. He’s a natural thrower of the football.”

The Twins, 70-55, will only have to go 20-17 the rest of the season to reach the coveted 90 wins mark. Since the club’s last World Series championship in 1991 the Twins have had seven seasons where they won 90 games or more. They had a regular season 95-67 record in 1991.

Luis Arraez, the former Twin now with the Padres and trying to win his third consecutive batting title, has amazingly almost as many doubles at 23 as times he has struck out, 26, in 497 plate appearances.

Bailey Ober, 12-5 and the Twins starter tonight (Tuesday) against the Padres in San Diego, has 10 consecutive quality starts—tied with Corbin Burnes from the Orioles for the longest such streak in MLB this season. Quality starts mean at least six innings pitched, giving up three earned runs or fewer.

Birthdays: baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is 68 on Thursday and former Gopher women’s basketball coach Pam Borton 59.

Former Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill, now a top assistant at Vanderbilt, turns 63 on Saturday. For more on Kill’s life: https://shamasportsheadliners.com/jerry-kill-healthy-happy-cheering-for-gophers/

Hockey is the focus at the next gathering of the Twin Cities Dunkers on September 17 when TV’s Joe Schmit moderates a discussion with Brock Faber from the Wild, Gophers coach Bob Motzko and North Stars legends Lou Nanne and Tom Reid.

The Star Tribune has abandoned a long history of using Minneapolis in its name to become the Minnesota Star Tribune. It could be a cold day in hell when the Pioneer Press drops St. Paul from its nameplate.

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