Vikings – Page 157 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Leidner Not in McShay’s 1st Round Now

Posted on October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 by David Shama

Todd McShay made news in Minnesota last spring when he projected Mitch Leidner as a No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The ESPN college football authority has revised his opinion this fall.

McShay overrated the Gophers senior quarterback and no longer projects him as a first round draft choice. Last month a Sports Headliners reader told me he heard McShay on ESPN Radio in September predict Leidner as a possible fifth rounder in 2017.

Leidner hadn’t dazzled during his junior season at Minnesota but did show improvement in final games. He ranked 10th in Big Ten efficiency among passers, with a rating of 121.2. In 13 games he completed 59.5 percent of his passes and threw 14 touchdown passes. But in early May McShay wrote that the 6-4, 230-pound Minnesota native had “ideal size” for a quarterback, and labeled him a “late riser.”

McShay used a disclaimer in his “Way-too-Early NFL 2017 Mock Draft”, writing on the ESPN website that he hadn’t “studied tape” on the players he projected 1-32. In fairness to McShay he had just finished his assignments with the recently completed 2016 draft.

In his May 5 article this spring McShay had two quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson from Clemson, and Brad Kaaya of Miami, projected as the first two picks in next year’s draft. Leidner, projected as the No. 25 pick, was the only other quarterback in McShay’s mock first round.

McShay offered a revised mock draft for ESPN late last month. The top projected quarterback was Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer at No. 18. The other first round quarterbacks were Watson at 24 and Kaaya at 30. …

It’s time for another Sports Headliners Big Ten power rankings—and Gophers fans should brace themselves. Minnesota is no longer deserving of the No. 7 listing in the last rankings of 14 conference teams. Not after an unimpressive 3-0 nonconference start and last Saturday’s 29-26 loss to Penn State in Minnesota’s league opening game.

It’s far from a perfect process comparing scores, but the Gophers didn’t earn any bragging rights last Saturday when a couple of interesting scores from out West became finals. Wyoming, with a 3-2 record, defeated Colorado State 38-7 and Colorado, 4-1, beat up on Oregon State 47-6. Minnesota, playing at home, won games against Colorado State, 2-3, and Oregon State, 1-3, by a touchdown.

Coach Tracy Claeys’ team has some strengths, including the kicking game. Placekicker Emmitt Carpenter made four field goals in the loss to PSU and is nine-for-nine in his career. He leads the Big Ten in points with 43. Punter Ryan Santoso ranks sixth in Big Ten punting with a 41.9 average and he has shown touch in booting balls inside the opposition’s 20-yard line.

Leidner’s senior experience and leadership is a major asset. Shannon Brooks, recovered from a broken foot, is one of the Big Ten’s most explosive running backs. Defensive tackle Steven Richardson has been called “unblockable” by a rival coach. But this team has issues including an inconsistent offensive line that too often can’t open holes for runners like Brooks, and is flagged for false starts and holding. The defense is vulnerable to big plays because of mistakes in the secondary and not enough pass rush.

Put the Gophers at No. 11 in the power rankings. Ohio State is an easy choice for No. 1. It’s not a layup, though, to rank Michigan No. 2 and Wisconsin third. The Wolverines won 14-7 against the Badgers last Saturday in Ann Arbor. Both teams have elite defenses, lesser offenses.

Here’s how the rest of the Big Ten teams rate: No. 4 Nebraska; No. 5 Maryland; No. 6. Northwestern; No. 7 Iowa; No. 8. Michigan State; No. 9 Penn State; No. 10. Indiana; No. 11 Minnesota; No. 12 Illinois; No. 13 Rutgers; and No. 14 Purdue. …

The Gophers hockey team opens its season with Alaska-Anchorage in Anchorage on Friday and Sunday. Minnesota goalie Eric Schierhorn is from Anchorage and his parents will host a dinner in their home for the Gophers travel group on Saturday night.

The nonconference game against Alaska-Anchorage is likely to be Minnesota’s last with the Seawolves. Budget cuts in the Alaska university system may end the men’s college hockey programs at Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska-Fairbanks. A source said the hockey programs account for about five percent of the university system’s budget.

Eden Prairie forward Casey Mittelstadt, who is expected to sign with the Gophers in November, is highlighted by NHL Central Scouting as a player to watch in rankings released earlier this week. He received an A rating. …

Vikings rookie wide receiver and 2016 No. 1 draft choice Laquon Treadwell has only been on the field for a few plays through four regular season games but receivers coach George Stewart has a message for worrisome fans. Don’t fret because the Vikings like what they see of the 21-year-old who was the 23rd pick in last spring’s draft.

“He is fine. He is a smart kid,” Stewart told Sports Headliners. “The problem is Rick Spielman, our GM, has assembled a lot of talent (among receivers) in that room.

“He’s a rookie. Just because you are a first round pick, doesn’t guarantee you’re going to come in and play. He’s the future of our football team. We have a lot of guys right now that are playing at a high level (like)—Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. We just have one football now, too. …It’s hard to spread that thing around.”

Treadwell, 6-2 and 215 pounds, has yet to catch a pass in a game and part of his very limited playing time has been on the punt coverage team. Stewart praised Treadwell’s attitude and willingness to work.

He said Treadwell’s limited game action shouldn’t be interpreted as the Vikings being disappointed in the former Ole Miss star who gave up his final season of college football to enter the draft. Treadwell, Stewart explained, is getting a how-to on life in the NFL as a receiver including adjusting to a different offense than the one he knew in college and learning about defensive coverages.

Could Treadwell some day be a Pro Bowler? Achieving that honor will have a lot to do with desire, and Stewart talked about how Thielen has progressed from an undrafted free agent to a playmaker for the Vikings. “…If you would have told me that Adam Thielen from Minnesota State would be the player he is four years ago I wouldn’t have said so. It’s the want-to. He (Treadwell) has to want to. So hopefully if that’s a goal of his, hopefully he gets a chance to attain it.”

Treadwell broke his leg as a junior at Ole Miss and it’s a fair question to ask if that has diminished his speed. NFL.com reported that Treadwell ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at his Pro Day before the draft last spring. Stewart said the Vikings weren’t concerned about Treadwell’s speed when they chose him and aren’t now. “I believe it’s healed now because he’s out doing good things,” Stewart said.

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Vikings Know Things Change Fast in NFL

Posted on October 3, 2016October 3, 2016 by David Shama

Don’t blink. In the NFL things change fast.

Teddy Bridgewater (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

The Vikings play the Giants tonight at U.S. Bank Stadium. When the Vikings defeated New York 49-17 last year at TCF Bank Stadium the Minnesota offense included quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson and tackle Matt Kalil. All are out for extended periods because of serious injuries.

Prior to the 2015 game, the Vikings and Giants had last played in 2013. Vikings starting lineups have changed a lot since that away game. On offense, only guard Brandon Fusco and tight end Kyle Rudolph remain starters going into tonight’s game. Three starters from the defense are still around, linebacker Chad Greenway, end Brian Robison and safety Andrew Sendejo.

That doesn’t surprise Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph, a seven-year veteran who played in that October 2013 game for the Giants. “It’s a revolving door (the NFL). The average career is three years,” he told Sports Headliners.

The Giants will see a much better Vikings team tonight than they defeated 24-7 three years ago. That Vikings club experimented with new quarterback Josh Freeman who had joined the team only a few days prior to playing. Freeman gave an embarrassing performance, and it was that kind of year for the Vikings who finished the season 5-10-1.

After the season Leslie Frazier was fired as coach and replaced by Mike Zimmer.It hasn’t taken Zimmer long to make an impression with a rebuilt roster and starters.

His 2014 team was 7-9, and then last year came a division championship. After a 3-0 start this fall the Vikings are near the top of anybody’s power rankings of NFL clubs and perhaps are a better group than the 2015 team that finished 11-5 during the regular season and lost a first round playoff game against the Seahawks.

No one questions Zimmer’s coaching and that of his staff but general manager Rick Spielman and his personnel decision makers have made a lot of the right moves either through the draft or acquiring veteran players. Sometimes change is good and it certainly looks that way in Minnesota this fall, but Zimmer wants to keep his team hungry for more wins and isn’t ready to point any of his players toward the Hall of Fame right now.

“I don’t think we have anybody like that yet,” he said. “We have good players that are good team guys. They care about doing things right. They’re competitive, they’re smart. We definitely have not arrived. I think that it’s a long season, we have to continue to play good.”

Worth Noting

For all the reasons the Gophers lost their Big Ten opener to Penn State on Saturday, none probably stands out more than their inability to contain Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley. Minnesota couldn’t keep the elusive quarterback in the pocket and never sacked him in the 29-26 road loss to PSU.

That was a demoralizing loss for hardcore Gophers fans who knew their 3-0 favorites could create local excitement with a win and get more followers behind the team heading into next Saturday’s home game with Iowa. Penn State, 2-2 including a 49-10 loss to Michigan and a close win over Temple, is a middle-of-the-standings Big Ten team. The Gophers can’t be labeled any more than that either.

Minnesota’s Emmitt Carpenter was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his four field goals performance at Penn State. The sophomore from Green Bay converted on every attempt, kicking field goals of 35, 37, 37 and 46 yards.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated includes two stories on retiring Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. His big league memories include how hard Tom Kelly was on young players but Ortiz doesn’t complain about his former Twins manager.

Ortiz might have been on the magazine’s cover except for the unexpected passing of golf legend Arnold Palmer who got top billing with a photo and the headline “King of Kings.”

In the same issue Minnesota native and S.I. staffer Steve Rushin pays tribute to Kevin Garnett in a two-page story. He writes that Garnett’s height was publicized at 6’ 11” but the former NBA superstar was 7’ 1” in basketball shoes. “In conversation he liked to say he was 6’ 13”,” Rushin writes.

The Gophers hockey team opens its season with Alaska-Anchorage in Anchorage on Friday and Sunday. Minnesota goalie Eric Schierhorn is from Anchorage but hasn’t played a hockey game there since seventh grade. He decided to develop his hockey skills outside of Alaska including by attending Shattuck-Saint Mary’s in Faribault.

Gophers captain and forward Justin Kloos has played in all of Minnesota’s games (117) during the previous three years. With 107 points, he is the leading career scorer in the Big Ten among active players and ranks second in the nation.

Former Gophers basketball players playing in other countries include Maverick Ahanmisi, Philippines; Andre Hollins, France; Austin Hollins, Finland; Colton Iverson, Israel; Trevor Mbakwe, Spain; Carlos Morris, Turkey; Joey King, Finland; Rick Rickert, Japan; and Mo Walker, Latvia.

The William V. Campbell Trophy annually recognizes the nation’s best football scholar-athlete. The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame recently announced the names of 156 semifinalists including Carter Hanson, Saint John’s; Drew Neuville, Bethel; and Forest Redlin, Macalester.

Brainerd and North Dakota State alum Joe Haeg, a 2016 fifth round draft choice by the Colts, not only made the team but has become a starter at right guard.

The Twins confirmed this morning with a news release that Derek Falvey, 33, is the team’s new executive vice president and chief baseball officer. He will assume his responsibilities after the Indians playoff games end. He is assistant general manager with the Indians.

St. Paul-born Dave Winfield turns 65 today. Winfield is the only athlete ever drafted by four different professional leagues—the ABA, MLB, NBA and NFL.

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Kill Not Buying Limegrover Edge Saturday

Posted on September 28, 2016September 28, 2016 by David Shama

Matt Limegrover coached 16 years for Jerry Kill. Limegrover was a leader of the Gophers program from the time the two arrived in Minneapolis for the 2010 season, but now he works as the offensive line coach for Penn State, the team Minnesota opens its Big Ten season against Saturday in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Does Limegrover’s experience with the Minnesota program and knowledge about players give the Nittany Lions a significant edge in preparations this week? “I don’t think that’s (going to be) a major factor in the game,” Kill told Sports Headliners.

Kill said college coaching staffs are so thorough in their evaluations of opponents through films and general scouting that having someone who worked for the opposition just isn’t a big deal. But Kill does expect Limegrover, his former assistant and friend, to be motivated Saturday.

After Kill resigned as the Gophers head coach in October last year, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys was named interim coach. A few weeks later University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler removed the interim in Claeys’ title. Then after the regular season ended Claeys fired Limegrover.

“There’s that natural instinct that you want to go beat the team that you were let go from,” Kill said. “That’s self-motivation, but that’s not going to affect how his kids play at Penn State. I think all that stuff is overrated. I think the team that prepares the most is the team that is going to win.”

With all his titles, Limegrover had a business card challenge at Minnesota. He was assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. If that sounds like a lot of responsibility and work, it was. Early in the 2015 season the Gophers were struggling offensively and the pressures on both Kill and Limegrover were significant. The two were working unusually long hours trying to find answers and Kill, whose workload was also burdened by not having a permanent athletic director, resigned because of health issues.

Claeys decided he didn’t want one person serving as both offensive coordinator and line coach. He announced in late November Limegrover wasn’t going to be on his staff, preferring to eventually hire Jay Johnson as offensive coordinator and Bart Miller as line coach. It was a move that upset Limegrover loyalists but generally was supported by the media and public who understood a new head coach needs to make decisions he believes are best for the program.

Anyone who knew Limegrover, though, extended compassion to the well-liked 47-year-old. Kill wasn’t surprised about his friend’s response to the dismissal.

“Matt is a great person and I think that showed up when he was let go of his job and how he handled it,” said Kill who also remains close to Claeys. “He handled it first-class all the way, and that’s why Penn State hired him—I really do (believe). One of the things coach Franklin talked about was Matt being a first-class person. You could tell that after the situation he had. He could have come out and been very bitter. …”

Penn State head coach James Franklin created a homecoming for Limegrover when he hired him last winter. Limegrover is a Pennsylvania native and now is back in his home state able to concentrate on one task—coaching the offensive line.

The Nittany Lions, 2-2 this season, have scored over 30 points in three of their four games. With a defensive unit that has been hit hard by injuries, PSU may have to score more than 30 to beat the Gophers. That’s part of Limegrover’s mission on Saturday, even though he will be coaching against a lot of faces he knows and players he cares about.

Gophers like tight end Nate Wozniak plan to greet Limegrover sometime on Saturday but their focus will be on the Nittany Lions players. “We just know he’s there,” Wozniak said.

Worth Noting

The 3-0 Gophers will play on the road for the first time Saturday. About 100,000 fans will “welcome” Minnesota to Beaver Stadium. Wouldn’t a road game have helped the Gophers prepare for a raucous environment? “It would have been nice but at the same time it’s always fun to have played at home,” said Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner.

Brandon Lingen, the Gophers tight end with All-Big Ten potential, is still about three weeks away from playing because of his broken clavicle, Claeys said yesterday. Other Gophers not expected to play Saturday are Carter Coughlin, Ta’yon Devers, Coney Durr, Nick Rallis, Ace Rogers, Alex Starks and Rashad Still.

Marshall, Minnesota athlete Drew Hmielewski who is missing his freshman season with the Gophers football team following shoulder surgery, will play baseball at Minnesota starting in January. Gophers assistant baseball coach Rob Fornasiere told Sports Headliners the receiver and outfielder will split time in the spring between football practice and baseball. “He’s an Eric Decker-type clone,” Fornasiere said.

Decker was drafted twice by major league baseball teams as an outfielder while at Minnesota but mostly drew attention as an All-Big Ten wide receiver for the Gophers. Fornasiere said the Gophers offered a baseball scholarship to Hmielewski before the football program did.

Gophers second team redshirt freshman punter Jacob Herbers, from Battle Creek, Michigan, was a first baseman on the baseball team last season and is expected back next year. Gophers running back Rodney Smith hit .587 as a baseball middle infielder in his senior year of high school in Georgia. Fornasiere said Smith hasn’t asked about coming out for baseball.

Fornasiere’s daughter Katie will be married Saturday in the Twin Cities area to Steve Mathei.

The attitude of Cordarrelle Patterson was questioned in his first three seasons with the Vikings but he seems different this year. Patterson looks better as a route running wide receiver, remains explosive on kickoff returns and even is willing to take a spot on the kickoff coverage team.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer admitted the coverage role is one Patterson probably wouldn’t have accepted in the past. Why the change? “I think he wants to play,” Zimmer said.. “I think he’s trying to do everything he can to get on the field.”

The 3-0 Vikings, who have defeated two of the better teams in the NFL in the Packers and Panthers, have created a lot of hype with their impressive defense that has allowed a league second-best 13.3 points per game. Zimmer, though, isn’t interested in listening to gushing praise. “Typically, I don’t even look at the stats until at least Thanksgiving. So, I don’t know where we fall defensively or anything like that. I just try to get us better each day in the things that we’re doing,” he said.

Lynx owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners his WNBA club will have its most profitable year ever in 2016. He expects the profit to be between $1 million and $2 million for his defending WNBA champion franchise. The Lynx has its first 2016 playoff game tonight at Xcel Energy Center against the Mercury. The Lynx had a league-best regular season record of 28-6.

Media and coaches polls have made Bowling Green the preseason choice to win the WCHA. Bill Robertson, the league’s Edina-based commissioner, said several schools will compete for NCAA berths next March. “It will come down to the last weekend,” he said.

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