Twins – Page 29 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Strange Calls Slow Vikings’ Playoff Push in Loss to Bengals

Posted on December 16, 2023December 16, 2023 by David Shama

The reputation of Kevin O’Connell as a superb play-caller took a hit this afternoon in Cincinnati when the Vikings lost 27-24 in overtime to the Bengals. Consecutive short yardage tush-push calls in OT failed and turned the ball over to the Bengals who went down the field to kick a 29-yard winning field goal.

On third down in OT Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens tried tush-push No. 1 and came up short of a first down. Strangely, the fourth down play call was more of the same as Mullens lost yardage and was stopped inches short of a first down at the Bengals’ 42 yard line.

O’Connell indicated on the KFAN postgame radio show that the ball placement by the officials after the third down try may not have been accurate. Maybe that gave him confidence to use the same play again but why use Mullens in that kind of situation?

The backup quarterback was making his first start in a game in almost two years. At 6-1 and 210 pounds, the inexperienced Mullens isn’t a powerful runner. And among the tush-pushers was wide receiver Brendon Powell, one of the smaller NFL players at 5-8 and 181 pounds.

Ty Chandler, starting in place of the injured Alexander Mattison, had a breakout day for the Vikings rushing for 132 yards. It made sense to have Chandler, perhaps running behind fullback C.J. Ham, carry the ball on at least one of those vital downs.

Now the Vikings are 7-7, with three games remaining. They still have an opportunity to make the playoffs with home games against the Packers and Lions, and an away matchup with the Lions who lead the NFC North Division.

But this loss will rightfully have Purple followers wondering if the best outcome in the weeks ahead is to lose games and improve draft position. With a muddled quarterback future, the world knows the Vikings are interested in choosing a top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.

More losses could push Minnesota toward a place among the top dozen or so draft selections. It will be interesting to see if the Vikings slide in that direction or continue their roller-coaster season with enough success to make the playoffs.

Worth Noting

Vikings fans can worry a bit more now about losing defensive coordinator Brian Flores after the season. The best head coaching job opening could be the Chargers with talented quarterback Justin Herbert. Playing without Herbert, the now 5-9 Chargers got thrashed last Thursday night by the Raiders, 63-21. Yes, that Raiders team which managed zero points in a 3-0 loss to the Vikings December 10.

Koi Perich, the Gophers’ highest ranked verbal commit, is reportedly considering signing with Ohio State next Wednesday. Here are a few points the Gophers can make to the sought after Esko, Minnesota safety:

Go to Ohio State and you will be known here as the high school superstar who said no to the home state team. Choose the Gophers, have a solid career in Dinkytown and you will be known as a home state hero—and that can present opportunities for life.
The Buckeyes, per 247Sports, already have three safeties among their verbal commitments. The opportunity to play sooner and longer could well be better in Minneapolis than Columbus.
Safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tyler Nubin were honored as All-Americans in 2019 and 2023. That’s a statement about the coaching system and development at Minnesota.
Don’t choose a school just for Name, Image and Likeness rewards but do think of the NIL potential in your home state, including in northeastern Minnesota where the Gophers seldom find football players.

Name, Image and Likeness benefiting Golden Gophers athletes is doing well through the start-up Dinkytown Athletes. One challenge DA doesn’t face in the state is that Division I St. Thomas doesn’t have an NIL collective to compete with the Gophers.

Cole Kramer, the Gophers quarterback for the Motor City Bowl December 26, has one more season of eligibility but may not use it choosing to move on from college football. The former Eden Prairie star will marry Katie Miller in Rochester, Minnesota February 3.

Word is Eden Prairie defensive lineman Mo Saine, verbally committed in the Gophers 2024 recruiting class, is solid on his pledge.

Dating back to its inception in 2011 the Big Ten football championship game has been held in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. With the Big Ten expanding to 18 teams, that will change in the future, probably after 2028. The title game is booked in Indy through that year, but Minneapolis (U.S. Bank Stadium) and Las Vegas (Allegiant Stadium) seem likely future sites.

Justin Dungy, a high school senior cornerback in Florida and son of Gopher football alum and Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy, visited Montana State with his dad earlier this month. Justin is about 5-10, 155 pounds.

Dan Stoltz, SPIRE Credit Union president, and Kirk Cousins, Vikings quarterback, are good friends. After Cousins injured his Achilles earlier this fall, Stoltz stopped by his friend’s house to offer support.

Fans and media are skeptical, but the Twins and Byron Buxton are determined he will be the starting center fielder in 2024.

Future candidates to play that position could include Ricardo Olivar who was in 100 games last season for Single-A Fort Myers. He impressed offensively and the Twins appreciate his versatility in the field, playing catcher and center field!

Buxton, Royce Lewis, Pablo Lopez and many other players are scheduled for TwinsFest January 26-27 at Fillmore Minneapolis and Target Field.

The Twins and the other sports organizations in town continue to monitor the prospect of sports wagering becoming legal in Minnesota. It’s a good bet that it’s approved by the state in 2024. Minnesota is now surrounded by states who have already legalized sports wagering.

Have to think Timberwolves GM Tim Connelly strategizes everyday how he can acquire a quality backup point guard like native Minnesotan Tyus Jones with the Wizards. It’s a nightmare scenario if the Wolves lose 36-year-old Mike Conley Jr. for an extended period.

Gophers’ basketball forward Parker Fox, unselfish with a pass first, shoot second approach, had made 20 of his 26 field goal attempts, a gaudy .769 percentage. And better than his free throw percentage at .615.

Good-guy Dave Stead, the retired former executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, will take over the one-year volunteer position of Head Coach of the Twin Cities Dunkers in 2024. He will have program meeting responsibilities for the organization that through its Dunkers Fund provides financial assistance to the athletic programs of public Twin Cities high schools.

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Quarterback Josh Dobbs Reverts to Past Play in Loss to Bears

Posted on November 28, 2023November 28, 2023 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

The Vikings, now with a 6-6 record, produced one fourth quarter touchdown and a first half field goal in last night’s 12-10 loss to the 4-8 Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. In his fourth game with the Vikings, journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs threw four interceptions and other balls that were off target as Minnesota’s struggling offense was limited to 169 net yards passing and 73 yards rushing.

Dobbs, now 2-2 with Minnesota, transformed from hero to troublesome with his performance. The 28-year-old fit the labels that have followed him during his NFL career with other teams. He has been profiled as a QB who makes poor decisions and has ball security issues.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

After the game Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about his quarterback: “Yeah, Josh, as much as he’s done some really good things for us, he is still getting comfortable in our pass game, play-pass game, knowing where quick eligibles are to put the ball in play. Drop back pass, taking the right footwork, feet, and eyes, all those things. We’re working through that. Just, I think three of the interceptions were off of tip balls. Rhythm and timing of our offense just not feeling as crisp as we want to. …”

The Bears had seven penalties for 76 yards in the game. Their offense, with 317 net yards, was better than the Vikings at 242 but produced no touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Fields fumbled twice in the fourth quarter, once killing a drive that figured to set up an easy field goal.

Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is an admirer of versatile teammate Josh Metellus who forced two fumbles last night. Metellus can play multiple positions on defense and also contribute on special teams. “It’s a big deal,” Smith said recently about Metellus’ versatility. “He can play pretty much any role you want on defense, and he’s a really good specials teamer when you need hm out there. He’s just a football player. A really good one. You can put him anywhere and he’s going to affect the game. That’s really valuable. …”

Labeled the “Swiss Army Knife” by teammates, Metellus is used at nickelback, cornerback, linebacker and safety. He told Sports Headliners recently it can be challenging getting enough reps in practice at multiple positions. Not being able to “fine tune everything” on the field, Metellus will mentally rehearse to prepare. Regardless of position, he wants to play relaxed. “Just run around and hit,” he said.

Smith played eight seasons with Anthony Barr before he left the Vikings during the 2022 offseason. When the Vikings needed a linebacker earlier this month Smith put in a word to O’Connell and Barr was signed to the practice squad. He was elevated to the playing roster before last night’s game.

“I am a little biased because we’ve been good friends for a while, but yeah I told him (O’Connell) what I know about him as a player and a guy,” Smith said. “He’s a guy you want on your side. Big body, athletic, smart. You can do a lot with him.”

Smith, BTW, remains an avid golfer with a low handicap. His golf buddy on the team is linebacker Jordan Hicks.

St. Paul native Phil Housley, an assistant coach with the Rangers and former NHL great player, would have been a popular fan choice to succeed Dean Evason as Wild head coach. A hockey insider said Housley shares a friendship with Wild GM Bill Guerin who has hired former Predators’ coach John Hynes.

High school football players can sign national Letters of Intent on December 20. The Gophers’ 2024 class has 22 verbal commits and local recruiting authority Ryan Burns told Sports Headliners this group is “potentially the best one” of the P.J. Fleck era dating back to 2017.

There are no guarantees (as usual) that all the verbal commits will sign their paperwork. Other programs will be in pursuit of Minnesota commits in the weeks ahead. Defensive lineman Jide Abasiri from Eden Prairie High School recently received an offer from USC. The Gophers’ highest ranked commit by 247Sports, safety Koi Perich from Esko, has offers from USC, Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State.

Another Gopher commit receiving attention is quarterback Drake Lindsey from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Burns said Lindsey was using a Gopher towel a few days ago when his team won its state semifinals game and advanced to this week’s championship.

The Minnesota class is No. 30 in the 247Sports national composite rankings for 2024. Burns predicts the Gophers could add another commit or two. Possible positions? “You can’t take enough quality offensive and defensive linemen,” he said.

Brian Dutcher, the Bloomington native who coached the San Diego State Aztecs to the Final Four last spring, is featured in the CBS Sports series “Home Court.” Earlier in the year filming was done in California, Michigan and Minnesota where Brian sat on camera with his father, former Gophers Big Ten championship coach Jim Dutcher.

Brian was with three Final Four teams as an assistant at Michigan. He waited during part or all of four decades as an assistant at Michigan and San Diego State before getting his first head job at age 57 with the Aztecs. “He doesn’t chase other jobs,” said Jim who got his first head job at age 20 coaching Alpena Community College.

The Aztecs home games are sold out for the season. They are playing one of the most difficult nonconference schedules in the country with opponents that include Gonzaga, California, Stanford and Washington.

With starting pitchers Kenta Maeda and Sonny Gray headed to other teams, have to wonder if the Twins won’t trade veteran second baseman Jorge Polanco for mound help. Polanco, 30, is expected to make $10.5 million next season, according to Mlb.com/news who pointed out Monday the Twins have talented young infielders in Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee and Austin Martin.

Condolences to family and friends of Ed Cohen, 92, who passed away recently. A Twin Cities attorney, Ed served over 65 years as a member of the Gophers football gameday statistics crew.

Ed loved to tell stories and one of his tales was about Sid Hartman who in addition to being a newspaper man was an executive for the Minneapolis Lakers. Hartman was so critical of the officiating during a game that the referees wanted him ejected from the building. Hartman, sitting near courtside, refused. The refs had a crew remove the bolts from Hartman’s seat and he was carried out of the arena, Ed said.

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O’Connell’s Viking Culture Fosters ‘Clear Minded Football’

Posted on November 12, 2023November 16, 2023 by David Shama

Kevin O’Connell and his staff have created a thriving atmosphere for the Vikings. Call it environment, culture, relationships, or what have you, the players are comfortable with their coaches, teammates and themselves.

Prior to O’Connell becoming head coach in February of 2022 there was criticism of the team culture. Linebacker Eric Kendricks talked about a “fear-based” organization under head coach Mike Zimmer. Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins had a contentious relationship per numerous media reports.

But under new leadership the Vikings overachieved last season going 13-4 and winning the NFC North Division. After a 0-3 start this season, they showed resolve by bringing their record to 5-4 after last week’s improbable win over the Falcons when quarterback Joshua Dobbs played hero ball after joining the team mid-week to replace the injured Cousins.

O’Connell could have contributed to a potential panicky environment with the loss of Cousins for the season and a new quarterback who had the most minimal knowledge and familiarity with the plays and personnel. Instead, Dobbs played with poise and success like he was on the school playground with old friends, rallying Minnesota to a 31-28 win despite his situation and having replaced injured starter Jaren Hall in the first quarter.

“…I know K.O. believes that you play your best when you’re enjoying yourself and having a good time and playing free,” offensive tackle Brian O’Neill told Sports Headliners. “The last thing anybody wants is to be afraid to make a mistake, and they’ve cultivated a culture in that we can feel confident that they believe in us, and we believe in ourselves, and just go out and play clear minded football.”

Guard Dalton Risner signed with the Vikings as a free agent after the first two games of the season. He had visited the Vikings in the summer and been impressed with O’Connell when the coach agreed to pray with him. Risner said the gesture was “pretty awesome” and suggested to him the kind of organization he could be joining.

The positivity that Risner found in the locker room was evidenced by how Cousins connected with Dobbs and welcomed him. “…He’s been awesome,” Dobbs said. “The first thing he said was, ‘If you need anything, want to know more about the offense, whatever you need – don’t hesitate to call, text.’ And he’s been in our meetings. So just being able to bounce ideas off him, ask him how he sees different plays that we’re installing, it’s been awesome, and I’ll continue to use him as a resource.”

Kevin O’Connell photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Success can’t be realized, of course, without preparation and game plans. “I think it’s a credit to both the players and the coaches for being ready to roll and consistently having that standard of preparation that we kind of hang our hat on around here,” O’Connell said. “It’s on us as coaches to have a game plan that our guys can absorb and then go thrive in, whether they get the reps or not, and then players making it come to life by their execution. …”

O’Connell’s savant like work as an offensive strategist, play caller, quarterback developer and team leader have positioned him among the early favorites for NFL Coach of the Year. You can be sure he will have the “vote” of his players.

Worth Noting

NFL media authority Mike Florio, talking on Paul Allen’s KFAN show last week, said Dobbs is faster than elusive Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Fans are often impatient but Gophers’ redshirt sophomore QB Athan Kaliakmanis deserves understanding. Going back to his junior year of high school in Illinois he missed part of the schedule because of injury. COVID dictated a reduced senior season schedule in the spring of 2021. That fall he redshirted with the Gophers before getting five starts in 2022. A starter in 10 games this season, Kaliakmanis is working under his third offensive coordinator in three years.

Recall that Bo Nix was a struggling quarterback for Auburn when the Gophers won the 2020 Outback Bowl. Fast forward to this fall when Nix, now playing for Oregon, has started more college games at QB than any collegian ever and is forecasted as an NFL first round draft choice.

Matt Millen, who was here November 4 to work the Minnesota-Illinois game for the Big Ten Network, waited about 100 days in 2018 to receive a heart from a donor and have a successful transplant.

Joe Mauer is eligible for election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame with an announcement coming in January as to who will be inducted in the summer of 2024. It’s certainly possible the former Twins catcher, whose accomplishments include three batting titles and the 2009 American League MVP Award, will not make it on his first try. Famous players who didn’t receive enough votes in their first year of eligibility include Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Harmon Killebrew. It’s fair to say, though, that in the present era voters (baseball writers) aren’t as persnickety as they once were.

The Brewers would be savvy to consider Paul Molitor as their next manager. His knowledge of baseball is extraordinary, and he has the experience of managing the Twins for four seasons. A former Brewers star, Molitor’s name is legendary in Wisconsin as it is in Minnesota, including from his playing days with the Twins.

Molitor is 67 but older managers can have success. Dusty Baker just retired at 74 and three years ago the White Sox hired Tony La Russa at age 76. Both had storied managerial careers. The Angels hired Ron Washington, 71, as their new manager several days ago.

Jack Wilson, the 6-11, 285-pound grad transfer center, plays hard for the Gophers and with his hulking appearance, effort and limited finesse could become a fan favorite coming off the bench. He may follow in the legacy of past reserves who were fan favorites like Hosea Crittenden, Russ Archambault, Rob Schoenrock, Ryan Saunders and David Grimm.

Kyle Counts, the 6-7 basketball forward from Wilsonville, Oregon who signed with St. Thomas last week as part of the Tommies’ 2024 recruiting class, is the grandson of Mel Counts, the former 7-foot NBA center and 1964 Olympian.

Astute hockey observer and Sports Headliners reader and advertiser (Iron Horse) John Justice points out this state has a history of on-ice tragedies with the most recent being Adam Johnson. The Hibbing native died last month in England while playing hockey and having his throat slit by an opposing player’s blade.

Hockey historians will remember in January of 1968 Bill Masterton, 29 and playing at Met Center for the expansion North Stars, hit his head on the ice during a game and died about 30 hours later. Another North Star from the 1970s, Warroad native Henry Boucha, tragically was poked in the eye by the hockey stick of Dave Forbes from the Bruins and the resulting blurred vision curtailed his promising career.

Duke Pieper was only 15 in 2008 and about to play his first varsity game for Hill-Murray when he suffered a brain bleed and was given about a five percent chance to survive. Surgeries and multiple complications made his life extraordinarily difficult for years, but he earned a college degree at Minnesota and has written an inspiring book called I’m Alive: Courage, Hope and a Miracle.

In 2011 Jack Jablonski, playing on the Benilde-St. Margaret’s junior varsity, suffered a neck injury that left him paralyzed. His spirit for life continues, though, including with his efforts to raise money for spinal cord injury research.

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