Vikings – Page 140 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Frustrated Fans Target Fleck, QB

Posted on October 8, 2017October 8, 2017 by David Shama

Gophers football fans are understandably frustrated after two consecutive defeats, including Saturday’s 31-17 loss to Purdue. Communications sent to Sports Headliners focus on coach P.J. Fleck and quarterback Conor Rhoda.

No surprise there.

Football fans typically direct attention to the head coach and quarterback, two of the most visible and important positions on any team. The Gophers, 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten, have lost to mediocre league rivals in Maryland and Purdue. The remaining seven teams on the schedule are more formidable than the first five opponents and that prompts pessimism about Minnesota qualifying for a bowl game—something the program has achieved for five straight years.

The feedback received here is fans want to know why Fleck doesn’t use another quarterback, or have Rhoda become a running threat. Those questions are understandable and expected when after a 3-0 nonconference start the Gophers lose games late in the fourth quarter they could have won.

Let’s start with this. Fleck and his assistant coaches are with the players, including the quarterbacks, every day. That constant exposure gives the coaches the best possible opportunity to evaluate personnel. Fans don’t have that advantage, nor are most fans professionally qualified to make such evaluations.

Fleck is earning a $3.5 million salary and he better know what he is doing. He is charged with choosing a quarterback who best fits his system—a scheme that doesn’t emphasize the quarterback running the ball. His starter must have the knowledge to run the offense, make impromptu and correct decisions on the field, and be a strong and exemplary leader.

Through five games the coaches have determined Rhoda best fits the job description. They have also decided backups Seth Green and Demry Croft aren’t ready to play. They are better runners than Rhoda but Fleck and his assistants have so far decided Rhoda has the best command of the offense, and is the better leader and passer.

Rhoda is instructed by the coaches to use caution when making decisions to run on option plays. Fleck’s concern about Rhoda sustaining an injury sends a message about the lack of QB depth on the roster.

Saturday Rhoda made a first half run and fumbled the ball, killing a scoring drive inside the Boilermakers’ 10-yard line. Late in the game Rhoda came up limping after taking a blow trying to pass, according to KFAN Radio. His physical skills and body don’t appear well suited to running and absorbing a lot of hits during a game. Even in high school at Cretin-Derham Hall Rhoda didn’t make his reputation as a running quarterback.

Rhoda has been an effective game manager and he has completed some timely passes, although he has a few he wishes he could take back. He has demonstrated poise and command. Overall, he has played well within his abilities and what the coaches have asked him to do.

During a football season things evolve, so maybe Rhoda will be directed to run a dozen times per game in the future instead of handing the ball off to his running backs. That could be an indication Fleck is more comfortable using Green or Croft if needed. Perhaps the coach will see enough improvement in either or both of them to provide playing time.

Whatever the quarterback decisions going forward, it’s suggested fans take a deep breath and trust that the coaches have the expertise to know who their best candidate is for the job and what he is capable of doing.

Worth Noting

New Vikings running back Stevan Ridley seems like a third option to play Monday night against the Bears but he’s ready for whatever workload comes his way. “As many as the coaches throw my way, man,” Ridley said. “I really feel confident in that.

“I can’t say an exact number (of carries). I just know that it was more than I was getting last week at the house. I am really anxious and ready to get out there and do whatever I can.“

Ridley was home in Mississippi and football-unemployed last weekend, hoping to hear from an NFL team. He played in one game last season for the Falcons. The 28-year-old former LSU running back was among the final cuts by the Broncos in training camp last summer.

Ridley, who ran for 1,263 yards with the Patriots in 2012, has had two ACL surgeries but believes his physical abilities are the same as five years ago. Ironically, the Vikings added him to their roster because rookie running back Dalvin Cook is out for the season because of a torn ACL.

Being without a team didn’t discourage Ridley from taking care of his body but he’s been frustrated after playing for four teams. “It’s been tough, man. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of different stops,” he said. “A lot of hoping and praying that things work out.”

Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon will get the first opportunity to replace Cook but with 12 games remaining in the regular season, Ridley could see the field sooner or later.

Ridley has a passion for not only football but hunting and had a new bow he was planning to try out soon. He has been hunting ducks, deer and turkey since he was a child. “Everything I kill, I eat, man,” he said.

Dalvin Cook (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Cook’s explosive running made him an early season candidate for NFL Rookie of the Year. His absence could cost the Vikings a couple of wins because he’s that effective of a playmaker. While Cook goes off the roster, the Vikings do add a potential points-producer in wide receiver Michael Floyd who was suspended for the first four games but seems likely to play Monday night.

Floyd, at 6-3, 220 pounds, brings size to the Vikings’ wide receivers roster in his first year with Minnesota. In three of Floyd’s six seasons with the Cardinals he averaged 16 yards or more per reception.

“Mike is a little faster than people will give him credit for,” said Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. “That’s sort of what I factored in after watching him here in the training sessions.”

Floyd is living with Vikings tight end and former Notre Dame teammate Kyle Rudolph and his family. Do the two players talk football around the house?

“From time to time but not a whole lot,” Rudolph said. “I really don’t see him much. He kind of just hangs out in the basement, and comes up for dinner—and that’s about it.”

Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph will get an early birthday present if the Vikings win against the Bears. Joseph turns 29 on Tuesday.

A local sports industry source believes the Twins may sign manager Paul Molitor to a new contract for two or three years at about $1.5 to $1.8 million annually. MLB manager salaries aren’t well document but the source said Molitor’s old contract was for three years and worth about $4 million. Ron Gardenhire, who Molitor replaced in the fall of 2014, is believed to have made $2 million annually.

The Twins and Molitor, 61, seem likely to reach a deal this week or next.

Executive Dana Warg, who used to be with Target Center, now makes booking and entertainment decisions for the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Congratulations to high school football coaches David Haugen of Pelican Rapids and James Semmen of Lanesboro on earning 100th career wins earlier this season. Both have known career postseason success including Semmen’s second place state tournament finish in nine-man football in 2010, and Haugen’s 1997 Class 2A title in 1997.

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Twins Win Tonight Won’t Surprise

Posted on October 3, 2017October 3, 2017 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column, with analysis and reporting on the Twins, Vikings and Gophers.

The Twins have been surprising both supporters and critics all season. They could do more of that tonight in their American League Wild Card game against the Yankees in New York.

While fans and oddsmakers understandably dwell on the Yankees superior overall personnel, few will argue the underdog can win in a one-game playoff to determine who advances in the postseason. For that to happen tonight, the Twins most probable path to victory is a dominant performance by starting pitcher Ervin Santana.

Close to ideal will be six or seven innings from Santana, with him yielding a run or two at most. Twins hitters need to produce at least a few runs in the game’s early or middle innings. What Minnesota wants to avoid is playing from behind and facing the Yankees superb bullpen.

Look for the Twins to strategically be prepared. This season it seems like the organization has improved its advance scouting including the use of metrics. Maybe that hasn’t translated into more victories during the regular season against the Yankees (New York was 4-2 versus Minnesota) but it could pay off tonight. There are so many subtleties in baseball that might impact the outcome of a game. Things like how to position fielders, or strategic pitching to a batter with two strikes.

This Twins team has told the baseball world all season “don’t sleep on us.” Critics buried them before the season started and during the summer when the club’s decision makers dumped All-Star closer Brandon Kintzler on July 31. If there was a Minnesota postseason bandwagon back then it was pretty empty, but the last two months of the season the Twins played some of their best baseball.

During the month of August the Twins were 20-10 and hit .280 as a team. The overall ERA was 3.78. The club had some big wins in September too but was 0-3 against the Yankees. Last Sunday the Twins finished a turnaround year where they won 26 games more, and lost 26 fewer, than in 2016.

The Twins made believers out of their fans and media. Whatever happens tonight is another positive in a successful year. And if you’re looking for a good omen consider this, the 1987 World Series champion Twins went 85-77 during the regular season, just like the 2017 club.

Mike Zimmer is in his fourth season as head coach of the Vikings and the ultimate goal is to play in next February’s Minneapolis Super Bowl. The odds are against that happening because of injuries to quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Dalvin Cook that are limiting the Vikings offense, but it would be ironic if Zimmer could win the Super Bowl like his mentor Bill Parcells did in his fourth season as Giants head coach.

The Giants won the 1986 Super Bowl, defeating the Broncos. Later when Parcells was coaching the Cowboys, Zimmer was his defensive coordinator. He worked four seasons for Parcells who usually texts the Vikings head coach after games.

“I have a book…of things he told me to remember as a head coach,” Zimmer said. “He talked a lot about field position. He talked about doing your job the right way, preparation and making players accountable and things like that.”

The Vikings are 2-2 after four games and their record characterizes the parity of the NFL. After four weeks the 4-0 Chiefs are the league’s only undefeated team. The opportunities most immediately ahead for the Vikings are winning in Chicago next Monday night against an inferior 1-3 Bears team, and then playing consecutive home games against the Packers and Ravens before visiting London and facing one of the league’s worst teams, the Browns.

No definitive news on whether Bradford’s troublesome knee allows him to play against the Bears after missing the last three games. Bradford excels under pressure from defenses, even setting an NFL single season record for completion percentage (71.6) last season despite playing behind a leaky offensive line. Profootballfocus.com reports that backup Case Keenum was “4-of-11 for 63 yards while under pressure” in Minnesota’s 14-7 loss to the Lions last Sunday.

Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant told Sports Headliners yesterday that Benny Sapp III, who is out for the season because of meniscus surgery on his left knee, should be recovered by late this year, but not in time to play for the Eagles. Sapp, who has also had two ACL surgeries on the same knee, is verbally committed to the Gophers as part of their 2018 recruiting class.

The loss of Sapp, a playmaker at cornerback and receiver for Grant, is unfortunate but the 5-0 Eagles could still win the 6A state title. Among their interesting standouts is running back Solo Falaniko who rushed for 187 yards last week against Maple Grove. Falaniko missed practice time this summer when he returned to his native Samoa after the death of his grandfather.

The Gophers’ fragile path to enough wins for bowl eligibility took a hit with their loss to Maryland last Saturday. Minnesota, 3-1 and 0-1 in Big Ten games, probably can’t withstand another defeat this Saturday in a winnable game against Purdue. Here is how Sports Headliners ranks the Gophers, Boilermakers and the other 12 Big Ten football teams starting with the West Division:

1.Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0). Badgers are good but are playing Charmin-soft nonconference and league schedules.

2. Iowa (3-2, 0-2). Hawkeyes have elite defense but struggle to score against quality opponents.

3. Nebraska (3-2, 2-0). Unpredictable Cornhuskers will answer more questions at home Saturday against Wisconsin.

4. Northwestern (2-2, 0-1). The Wildcats have gone from West Division title dark horse to the Big Ten’s most disappointing team but don’t discount the possibility of a mid-season comeback.

5. Purdue (2-2, 0-1). The best new coach in the Big Ten might be Purdue’s Jeff Brohm who took over a horrible program and has impressed in losses to nationally ranked Louisville and Michigan.

6. Minnesota (3-1, 0-1). Yup, P.J. Fleck, maybe not Brohm, could prove to be the league’s best newcomer in 2017, and he can boost his resume with a win Saturday at Purdue.

7. Illinois (2-2, 0-1). Year two in the Lovie Smith coaching experiment and he receives no vote of confidence from this keyboard.

East Division

1.Michigan (4-0, 1-0). It’s Harbaugh time in Ann Arbor, with the Wolverines probably winning their first conference title under “coach Khaki” this fall.

2. Ohio State (4-1, 2-0). Yes, the Buckeyes are loaded with talent but lost a few too many players to the NFL last spring.

3. Penn State (5-0, 2-0). Defending Big Ten champs get upset at Northwestern on Saturday. (Maybe).

4. Michigan State (3-1, 1-0). The college football world knew the Spartans and feisty coach Mak Dantonio weren’t going to have another 3-9 season.

5. Maryland (3-1, 1-0)). The Terps have an athletic roster and road wins at Texas and Minnesota.

6. Indiana (2-2, 0-2). IU used to be all about offense, and now the strength is more on defense, but Hoosiers still don’t have the balance and personnel to contend in the East.

7. Rutgers (1-4, 0-2). Offensive coordinator Jerry Kill coached in the press box for the first time last Saturday but the hapless Scarlet Knights lost 56-0 to Buckeyes.

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Big Ten Title Team to Motivate Gophers

Posted on September 28, 2017September 28, 2017 by David Shama

More than 35 players from Minnesota’s 1967 Big Ten championship football team will be in Minneapolis Friday and Saturday to celebrate their 50th anniversary. That was the last Gopher football team to win the conference title and new head coach P.J. Fleck values the link to the past.

“I think it’s incredibly important,” Fleck said Tuesday. “We talked to them (his players)…about embracing your past to create your future. We want to bring the championships back to Minnesota.

“That doesn’t happen overnight. I said that from day one in my press conference, and every time I’ve talked. …But the one thing I’ll say is, we want to make sure, when the 1967 team watches our game (Saturday), they’re inspired. It brings them back to their day.”

Fleck and some players will attend a reception for the 1967 alums on Friday night at TCF Bank Stadium. Lockers at the stadium will temporarily have nameplates with names of the ex-Gophers and a gift in each space.

Prior to Saturday’s 11 a.m. home game against Maryland the ’67 champions will hear Fleck’s pregame speech. Then between the first and second quarters the ’67 group will be recognized on the field.

Minnesota quarterback Conor Rhoda said he and teammates are grateful to have the legacy players back in town. The 3-0 Gophers, going into their opening Big Ten game against the 2-1 Terps, want to show their elders how much they’ve accomplished in the last eight months.

“Hopefully, we’re able to do that Saturday and be able to show them that this program has taken the steps to get back to how it was in the ‘60s when they won the championships,” Rhoda said.

The 1967 group was the last of coach Murray Warmath’s championship teams from that decade. He has passed away and so has most of his staff, although former assistant Mike Reid will attend the reunion. Deceased players include Mike Condo, Ron Kamzelski, Charlie Sanders and John Williams.

Worth Noting

Fleck has travelled to high school games in the metro area via helicopter. Rhoda said the expense of using a helicopter sends a message. “For those kids that he was out recruiting it would show how important they are to him and how badly he wants them,” Rhoda said.

Fleck said a helicopter allows him to use his time efficiently. He not only wants to see players but engage with coaches and fans at high school games. “The more places we can see, the more benefit we have,” he said.

Rhoda talking about second team quarterback Seth Green, a redshirt freshman who so far has minimal college game experience: “He’s got all the skills in the world.”

It would be interesting if either Iowa or Wisconsin tries to hire popular former Gophers linebackers coach Mike Sherels. He isn’t coaching now but has a great reputation in the state of Minnesota where both the Hawkeyes and Badgers recruit.

The Vikings and Lynx games were both televised in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market last Sunday afternoon. How did TV audiences in the 18-plus category compare? The Vikings telecast averaged 665,500 viewers, the Lynx 40,700.

Profootballfocus.com gave third-year cornerback Trae Waynes the fifth highest grade among Vikings after last Sunday’s win against the Bucs. The former 2015 first round draft choice has been known for his inconsistency.

“Trae seems to be getting better all the time,” said head coach Mike Zimmer. “I think he’s starting to develop more confidence. There’s still things he needs to work on, but he’s got such great athletic ability that he just needs to continue to use it. Sometimes he overthinks a little bit—just go out and play.”

Zimmer, known for his defensive coaching, can appreciate the seven interceptions the Lions have in three games. “They do a good job of getting pressure on the quarterback,” he said. “They play tight in coverage. They are very well coached scheme-wise—fundamentally sound and they are around the football so they end up getting a lot of picks.”

The Lions and Vikings are both 2-1, and Sunday’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium is probably anyone’s guess as to the winner. The Lions won both games last season.

Despite starting quarterback Sam Bradford missing two games, the Vikings have the third most passing yards through three games in franchise history. They have 882 yards, compared with 982 in 2004 and 988 in 1981.

After last Saturday’s “Holy Grail” game won by St. Thomas, the D3football.com national rankings have the Tommies No. 3 and Saint John’s ninth.

The Twins, who play their final regular season game on Sunday, have four players with 20 home runs or more. If Max Kepler hits one more home run to total 20 he will make the 2017 season only the third time in club history five players have reached that level. Brian Dozier (33), Miguel Sano (28), Eddie Rosario (27) and Eduardo Escobar (20) are the 2017 home run leaders.

Gophers sophomore basketball forward Eric Curry, who had successful reconstructive knee surgery September 20, is on crutches and attending classes, but will miss the upcoming season.

The 35 players expected at Big Ten Media Day October 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York will include Gopher center Reggie Lynch and guard Nate Mason. Lynch was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season, while Mason was All-Big Ten.

Condolences to Gophers center and Norway native Matz Stockman, the Louisville transfer, who lost his father Eirik last summer. Stockman, who is redshirting this season, returned home to Norway for awhile because of his father’s death.

Athlon’s college basketball magazine ranks Rochester John Marshall’s Matthew Hurt the No. 5 prep player nationally in the class of 2019. Because his brother Michael is already on the team, the Gophers might be favorably positioned to land Matthew.

Kevin Burleson, who played guard for the Gophers from 1999-2003, is an assistant coach for the NBA Rockets.

Mike Hastings is among the best coaches in men’s college hockey so it wasn’t surprising this week when both a coaches poll and media poll ranked his Minnesota State team most likely to win the WCHA’s regular season championship in 2018. His teams have won 122 games, the fourth most nationally, since he took over the program for the 2012-13 season. Bemidji State was voted No. 2 in the polls.

The WCHA offices are based in the Twin Cities and the men’s administration is led by commissioner Bill Robertson, a former executive with the NHL Wild.

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