North Dakota State’s football team upset top-15 ranked Iowa in Iowa City last Saturday with a roster that includes 37 players from the state of Minnesota. The Bison have won five consecutive FCS national championships while going undefeated against FBS programs including the Gophers during that period.
The Gophers—who struggle every fall to win half of their Big Ten games—have 35 Minnesota natives on their roster. Do the Gophers need to recruit better and perhaps more players from Minnesota high schools?
Recruiting authority Ryan Burns annually evaluates Minnesota prep football players including when Gophers coaches look at prospective players during offseason camps. He doesn’t view the Bison’s success against FCS and FBS teams as reason to fault the Gophers for their home state recruiting. “Minnesota has made it a point to make sure they know of every kid in the state,” he told Sports Headliners.
NDSU has used Minnesota prep players in large numbers during its championship seasons and continues to do so. A lot of those players have provided depth, many have been starters, and a smaller number have been nationally recognized including junior defensive end Greg Menard who was an FCS All-American last season. He played for Lakeville North High School.
Burns, who has written extensively online about both the Bison and U programs, said many players who accept scholarships to North Dakota State aren’t offered by the Gophers. Minnesotans who become Bison may be judged a step slower, a couple inches shorter, or have less wingspan than what the Gophers and other Big Ten talent evaluators are searching for. North Dakota State coaches have repeatedly proven, though, they can take the “leftovers” and make them into players that now have the Bison ranked No. 27 in the Associated Press poll for FBS schools.
Burns said the Bison won last Saturday with 23 fewer scholarship players than the Hawkeyes. Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin reportedly earns $1.4 million—about three times more than Bison head coach Chris Klieman who has directed the last two NDSU national title teams. With fewer scholarship players and less money, the Bison defeat Power Five Conference teams, including two straight over Minnesota.
“They play with this big chip on their shoulders,” Burns said. “They know what they do well and try to play to their strengths.”
Burns said the Gophers didn’t think Menard was “explosive” enough when they evaluated him. Another Bison standout is safety Robbie Grimsley, a sophomore from Hutchinson. Burns described Grimsley as a player doing a “great job” as a Bison starter but the Gophers saw the former state Mr. Football as a little undersized at 6-feet.
Among the Gophers starters on their depth chart prior to their last game, only four were from Minnesota— safety Adekunle Ayinde, quarterback Mitch Leidner, offensive right tackle Jonah Pirsig and defensive tackle Andrew Stelter. Burns, though, points out the Gophers have since 2010 made a bigger commitment to recruiting Minnesota preps than previous coach Tim Brewster. He also said what contributes to a perception the Gophers haven’t received a lot of production from in-state players is that high profile recruits like running back Jeff Jones from Minneapolis and quarterback Phil Nelson from Mankato left the program early and without major success.
While talking about NDSU’s resume, Burns speculated that maybe the Gophers staff could take more chances on Minnesota preps. The conundrum, though, is if Gophers talent evaluators are convinced they have players from outside the state who are superior, they’re going to offer scholarships to them.
Over the years a lot of the Bison players, like Brainerd offensive tackle Joe Haeg who ended an All-American career last season, have come from outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Because players from small high schools don’t play against the same level of competition found in the metro area, there can be a perception and often a reality those players aren’t Big Ten worthy. But Burns insisted the Gophers coaches are looking for players even in the rural areas.
“Just because they’re from out of state, I don’t think there is a bias towards them at all,” Burns said. “If anything, they (the Gophers) want them more because they want to make sure they’re covering this entire state.”
Tracy Claeys was named Gophers head coach last November. Going back to 2011 he was Jerry Kill’s defensive coordinator. Claeys isn’t second-guessing Minnesota’s commitment to high school players in the state.
“I think we’ve done a good job evaluating kids since we’ve been here, and more and more have chosen to stay home,” Claeys said. “I don’t think you’ll ever bat a thousand and get everybody because there’s some kids that for whatever reason want to get away from home, or whatever.”
After North Dakota State’s six consecutive wins against FBS teams—including the last second 23-21 victory over then No. 13 ranked Iowa last Saturday—it’s legitimate speculation that the Bison could win the Big Ten West Division. What is fair to question, though, is whether the Bison have the roster depth to sustain success playing a more physical schedule than NDSU has in the Missouri Valley Conference.
NDSU has proven that in a small sample size the Bison can defeat Power Five conference teams. But playing week after week against FBS schools isn’t an opportunity coming to Fargo anytime soon.
Worth Noting
NFL.com is reporting Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will be out for an indefinite period after expected meniscus surgery later this week. Offensive tackle Matt Kalil has been placed on the injured reserve list because of a hip injury.
Variety’s website reported Monday that the Emmy’s had an all-time TV ratings low Sunday evening while matched against the national telecast of the Vikings-Packers game. NBC’s Sunday night NFL games are consistently the most watched weekly programming in the fall.
Tre Roberson, the former Indiana quarterback now on the Vikings practice squad as a cornerback, has never played defensive back in organized football including on the youth level.
Former Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace, now with the Ravens, already has three touchdown receptions in two games and is averaging 18.9 yards per catch. In 16 games with the Vikings last season he had two touchdown catches and averaged 12.1 yards per reception.
NBC and the Golf Channel will provide about 25 hours of live coverage later this month for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska.
As of last week the Minnesota Wild had renewed approximately 93 percent of its season tickets. The club sold about 15,000 season tickets in 2015-2016.
The late Herb Brooks enjoyed drinking a Moscow Mule cocktail. Promoters of Herbie’s On The Park claim the vodka-based drink was the famous hockey coach’s favorite adult beverage. The Moscow Mule is part of the offerings at Herbie’s On The Park, the new restaurant and bar opening Saturday in the historic Minnesota Club at 317 Washington Street in Saint Paul. Herbie’s will be open to the public seven days per week serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. More at Herbiesonthepark.com.
The Wild will hold a free, open practice from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday. Fans can enter through Gate 1 and concessions will be available.
Local author and historian Frank White speaks Thursday night starting at 7:30 p.m. for the Washington County Historical Society. At the Water Street Inn in Stillwater White will talk about his new book, “They Played for the Love of the Game—Untold Stories of Black Baseball in Minnesota.” Reservations available on the WCHS website.
Minneapolis-based Buffalo Wild Wings has renewed its partnership with the NCAA as the “Official Hangout for NCAA Sports.” This means marketing, media and activation rights involving 90 NCAA Championships (24 sports), including the men’s and women’s basketball Final Fours.
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