Vikings – Page 220 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Iowa Recruiter Put Down Gophers

Posted on September 27, 2013September 27, 2013 by David Shama

Gophers, Vikings and other notes leading up to the first official fall football weekend:

When Rodrick Williams was in high school his college football choices came down to Minnesota and Iowa. He told an Iowa recruiter he was interested in the Gophers.

“What he told me was, ‘I thought you liked to win.’ He laughed at me,” Williams said earlier this month. “So then it got in my head I am going to go to Minnesota and we’re going to beat Iowa. Let him know we’re the ones winning.”

Two years ago Williams was being recruited out of Lewisville, Texas. Back then the Gophers were experiencing what would turn out to be their second consecutive 3-9 season. Iowa, though, had records of 11-2 in 2009, 8-5 in 2010 and 7-6 in 2011.

Iowa was 4-8 last season while Minnesota finished 6-7 including the Gophers’ first bowl game appearance since 2009. This year Iowa is 3-1 and Minnesota 4-0 in nonconference games.

Williams, a sophomore running back, didn’t play last season when the Hawkeyes defeated the Gophers 31-13 in Iowa City. But Williams is expected to play tomorrow when Iowa comes to Minneapolis. He is the second leading Minnesota rusher with 277 yards.

Williams and the other Gophers are excited about tomorrow. The two teams are playing in their 2013 Big Ten Conference opening game. The winner of the annual border rivalry gets to keep Floyd of Rosedale, the bronze pig and trophy that dates back to 1935.

“I’ve been thinking about the Iowa game since this summer,” Williams said. “Try to get the pig back.”

Both programs want to move past recent mediocre seasons, making this perhaps the most important Minnesota-Iowa game in years. The winner makes a statement about not being suspect No. 1 to finish last in the Legends Division that also includes Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern — all teams considered superior in personnel to Minnesota and Iowa.

The winner of tomorrow’s game, of course, will dream bigger than just avoiding a last place finish in the division. In September there are ambitions about winning a lot of conference games and earning a trip to a big-time bowl.

And then there’s the emotion of the Iowa-Minnesota rivalry. Minnesota students annually chant, “We hate Iowa!” In recent days Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner said he’s heard those three words on campus. “It’s all in good fun,” Leidner said.

Leidner, the Gophers’ redshirt freshman starting quarterback, will play in his first Iowa-Minnesota game. The importance of it, the atmosphere on campus, the sellout crowd and Floyd of Rosedale have him looking forward to kickoff. “It’s going to be awesome,” Leidner said. “Can’t wait.”

Leidner also said he has a close relationship with his teammates and has fun with them. “I wrestle Isaac Hayes quite a bit. There was one night that I pinned him five times in a row.”

Senior safety Brock Vereen said the Gophers don’t want their emotions to overtake their decision making against Iowa. “Sometimes it’s good to have emotion. Sometimes it’s not,” Vereen said. “Too much of it is a bad thing.”

Gophers coach Jerry Kill doesn’t seem too concerned about his team being distracted and not able to execute assignments tomorrow. “We’ve had enough distractions and things around here for a lifetime for the last two years,” Kill said. “…When we have control of them (the players) I feel very good about it. When we don’t have them and they’re not here, you worry about them if you’re playing Iowa or anybody.

“You don’t sleep when you’re in charge of 115 players. It doesn’t matter who you play, or what you do, you’re uncomfortable.”

Minnesota defeated Western Illinois two weeks ago, a team with a similar offense to Iowa’s. “Even though the personnel is very different, just to have the same looks and stuff…it will give us a lot more confidence going forward,” Vereen said. “But at the same time you can’t really compare the personnel.”

If you judge the personnel of Iowa and Minnesota by comparing players named to preseason awards candidates lists, the Hawkeyes are superior. Iowa linebacker James Morris and Minnesota tackle Ra’Shede Hageman are both being considered for the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy, annually awarded to the nation’s best defensive player. The Gophers’ Williams is a candidate for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award given to the player who best exhibits the on and off the field characteristics of Campbell.

But Iowa’s Mark Weisman is on the Doak Walker list for best running back, Mike Meyer is a candidate for the Groza Award recognizing the top placekicker, C.J. Fiedorowicz could win the Mackey Award for best tight end, and not only is Morris up for the Butkus Award given to the best linebacker but so, too, are linebacker teammates Anthony Hitchens and Christian Kirksey. That’s six Hawkeyes to two Gophers.

Unlike many observers, former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton doesn’t agree the team’s offensive line is playing subpar. He told Sports Headliners that defenses are crowding the line of scrimmage, making it more difficult for Adrian Peterson to rush for big yards. “You should be able to stretch the field,” Dalton said.

The line has been criticized for not only run blocking but also allowing too much pressure from pass rushers on quarterback Christian Ponder. But Dalton said the pressure is often caused by Ponder who needs to more quickly find a receiver, or throw the ball away. Instead, Ponder frequently holds the ball too long in the pocket.

The potential is present to “stretch the field.” Dalton likes the receiver group of tight end Kyle Rudolph, 2012 carryover wide receiver Jerome Simpson and offseason wide receiver acquisitions Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson.

The 0-3 Vikings play the 0-3 Steelers in London on Sunday. Because of a rib injury, Ponder isn’t expected to play and will be replaced by Matt Cassel who started eight of 16 games for the Chiefs last year. He threw 12 interceptions and six touchdown passes.

The Steelers are led by former Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh’s head coach since 2007. He is a boss who Matt Spaeth admires.

“I love him,” Spaeth told Sports Headliners this week. “I don’t think it gets much better. He’s very real, speaks the truth. He always knows the right thing to say whether it’s good, bad or indifferent. I’ve got a ton of respect for the guy.”

Spaeth, the former Gophers tight end from St. Michael, Minnesota, is on injured reserve. He has an injured right foot and has been unable to play in any games in what is supposed to be his seventh NFL season.

Spaeth doesn’t know when he will return to game action and although he has been rehabbing after surgery, he isn’t even running yet. “Trust me. It’s a very difficult time for me,” Spaeth said. “All the injuries I’ve had, I’ve never had an injury like this. It’s tough to watch (my teammates). I could be helping these guys. I want to be out there showing what I am capable of.”

Spaeth said the Steelers have been making too many turnovers. “Ball security has to be job No. 1,” he said.

A few years ago former Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith said, “I don’t do the tweet.” But now Smith, soon starting his first season as Texas Tech head coach, has a Twitter account, @coachTubbySmith. He has sent eight tweets and has 13,776 followers but is following no one on Twitter.

The Timberwolves will have their media day in Minneapolis on Monday, then four days of training camp at Minnesota State, Mankato. The Tuesday through Friday practices are closed to the public.

The latest D3football.com poll has Bethel ranked No. 5, St. Thomas No. 6 and Saint John’s No. 21. Bethel plays at Carleton in a MIAC game on Saturday while St. Thomas has a bye.

Saint John’s takes on Concordia in its first conference home game under new head coach Gary Fasching.

Twins rookie catcher Josmil Pinto homered last night in the 6-5 loss to the Indians. It was his fourth home run in 80 at bats for Minnesota.

Rookie Michael Tonkin pitched in relief last evening and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 10.1 innings.

Comments Welcome

Vikings Make History But Won’t ‘Panic’

Posted on September 23, 2013September 23, 2013 by David Shama

The Vikings are making history. Just the wrong kind.

After yesterday’s 31-27 loss to the Browns at Mall of America Field, the Vikings are off to a 0-3 regular season start. That’s a number only four other Vikings teams have put in the record book.

The 1962, 1967, 2002 and 2011 Vikings all started 0-3. I know what you are thinking: none of those teams made the playoffs. And in NFL history only three teams have started the season 0-3 and qualified for the playoffs.

The Vikings have lost three games by a total of 15 points. That’s enough to indicate the 2013 team isn’t the NFL equivalent of the Twins but 0-3 almost dooms this team to missing the playoffs.

NFC North Division rivals the Bears (3-0), Lions (2-1) and Packers (1-2) all have better records. The Vikings almost certainly won’t qualify for the playoffs as a wild card team and winning the division title will be a major challenge after yesterday’s loss.

It was the second consecutive Sunday the Vikings defense couldn’t stop the opponent from scoring the winning touchdown in the game’s last minute. It was another Sunday when the performance of quarterback Christian Ponder was spotty. But it was also an unusual day when the Browns used a fake punt to set up a field goal and a fake field goal attempt to score a touchdown—all in the second quarter.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton told Sports Headliners after the game he thinks the Vikings are a good team with a chance to be better than last season’s 10-6 club but they’ve lost close games and are playing in an improved NFC against formidable opposition. He isn’t giving up on the season after three games and predicted the Vikings, including head coach Leslie Frazier, won’t either.

“This group won’t panic,” Dalton said. “They’ve been in three games where they’ve had to fight it out all 60 minutes. It’s a very balanced group. The veteran leaders that they have are rock solid. The leadership of…Leslie Frazier is rock solid. He won’t flinch. He’ll be upset. He’ll be frustrated. He’ll make the corrections but he won’t panic.”

Worth Noting

The 1962 club, a second year expansion group of misfits, holds the franchise record for worst start ever at 0-5.

The Vikings play the Steelers in London next Sunday in a regular season game where Minnesota is the home team. The Vikings will be guaranteed monies equal to their average revenue for a game at Mall of America Field.

The Vikings leave Minneapolis Monday night and arrive in London Tuesday morning. The Steelers won’t be in London until Thursday but as the home team the Vikings want to arrive earlier in the week and help with promotion. General manager Rick Spielman told Sports Headliners the Vikings will stay at a hotel about one hour from London and practice at a nearby field. A tent-like facility will serve as a locker room.

The game represents ongoing marketing by American sports to expand global identity. Next year, for example, MLB will send the Dodgers and Diamondbacks to Australia for regular season games March 22 and 23.

London is a likely eventual home for an NFL team and a MLB team in Mexico could happen some day. MLB has opened seasons in Monterrey, Mexico, Tokyo, Japan and San Juan, Puerto Rico. MLB might like to open a season in Europe but spring weather poses a problem.

Jashon Cornell is ESPN.com’s No. 1 ranked high school football player nationally in the class of 2015. The Cretin-Derham Hall defensive end has 21 college offers, according to former Gophers center and Raiders offensive line coach Ray Hitchcock.

Hitchcock said Gophers coach Jerry Kill was the first to offer Cornell a scholarship. Does Hitchcock believe Cornell is serious about the Gophers? “Yes, I do,” Hitchcock said. “It would be great to get him and stay home… .”

Hitchcock describes Cornell as sometimes “unblockable.” Cornell particularly excels in rushing the passer.

Last week Kill likened Mitch Leidner, his 6-4, 230-pound redshirt freshman quarterback, to Collin Klein, the similarly sized former Kansas State quarterback who was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012. “Mitch runs like Collin,” Kill said.

Both are punishing runners, particularly for quarterbacks. Leidner rushed for 151 yards and four touchdowns last Saturday in his first college start to lead the Gophers to a 43-24 nonconference win over San Jose State.

Leidner said Kill even compared him to Klein last year. “Toughness is something I definitely try to model myself after and be a physical player,” Leidner told Sports Headliners.

How did he develop that toughness? “Probably growing up with brothers and all of us just pounding the crap out of each other all of the time,” Leidner said.

Today the Big Ten Conference selected Leidner as Freshman of the Week for his performance against San Jose State. He tied a school record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game.

Sign of the times: “Can Souhan.” That was the message on a sign displayed by fans during the Gophers game Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium referring to Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan who wrote a controversial column last week about Kill.

Gophers defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman will sometimes play defensive end where he is more difficult to double team. Hageman, a likely NFL draft choice next year, values his school work and is majoring in urban youth studies.

“I could walk down a flight of stairs and break my leg. I can always have my degree,” Hageman said. “Football isn’t promised but just having an education, having something to fall back on is always a good thing.”

Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover will speak at Friday’s Goal Line Club luncheon at Jax Café in Minneapolis. Limegrover will have comments about the Gophers prior to Saturday’s Big Ten opening game with Iowa at TCF Bank Stadium. The luncheon is open to the public. More about the noon luncheon and program at Goallineclub.com.

Volleyball is important in Darrell Thompson’s household. Thompson was a record setting running back for the Gophers but daughters Indigo and Dominique, and wife Stephanie, have excelled at volleyball. Indigo, a senior at Armstrong High School, has accepted a volleyball scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth. Dominique is on scholarship at Wisconsin where she is a redshirt junior. Stephanie played volleyball for Iowa from 1987-1990.

Congratulations to Edgerton/Ellsworth football coach Andrew Fleischman for winning his 100^th career game with a victory on Friday night over Westbrook-Walnut Grove.

New Timberwolves center Rony Turiaf throws out the ceremonial first pitch at tonight’s Twins-Tigers game at Target Field.

The Capitals will host the January 1, 2015 NHL Winter Classic, a date the Wild had targeted for the outdoor event in Minneapolis. The local NHL team will now presumably try for 2016.

Rochester radio commentator Ed Rauen emailed with news about two of his city’s outstanding girls tennis players, both high school juniors. Ingrid Neel has been working on her game at the IMG Academy in Florida. Jesse Aney played in Florida summer tournaments and this school year will be on the girls hockey team at Rochester Century High School.

Canterbury Park’s 69-day racing season, the longest since 2006, concluded with gains in average handle and attendance. Off-track wagering (dollars bet on Canterbury races at other tracks and through Internet sites) increased by 46.7 percent while average daily on-track wagering was up 4.8 percent. Average daily attendance was 6,656, a Canterbury Park record since the track re-opened in 1995.

Comments Welcome

U President Speaks Out Praising Jerry Kill

Posted on September 20, 2013September 21, 2013 by David Shama

University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler staunchly expressed support for football coach Jerry Kill at a fundraising event earlier this week at the Calhoun Beach Club. Addressing influential University supporters and donors, Kaler made clear how highly he regards his third year coach who suffered another game day seizure last Saturday.

Among those in attendance at the event on Monday night was Rebecca Kill, the coach’s wife. Kaler’s message was certainly reassuring to the Kills and would draw approval from thousands of Minnesotans who want to see Jerry Kill continue coaching. Kill has left no doubt in the past or this week that he doesn’t plan to let seizures drive him out of coaching, but some friends are less worried about his health and more concerned that another school will entice him to coach elsewhere.

Additional resources are needed to make the Gophers football program more competitive and on a par with the quality programs in the Big Ten Conference. Kill knows a better indoor practice facility, state-of-the-art weight room, upgraded training table facility and a better academic center can help attract recruits. Another issue is improving salaries for his assistant coaches, and that’s not to mention Kill’s salary ranks at the bottom of the Big Ten among head football coaches.

Kaler’s message the other night and statements by athletic director Norwood Teague this summer that the Gophers need a $190 million upgrade in facilities (for football and other sports) are messages that register positively with Kill. But eventually the talk will need to turn into action to retain Kill who has dramatically improved the classroom attendance and performance of his players while sending a more competitive football team out on the field each season.

The support for Kill among the public seems to have grown this week as talk shows, online messages and newspaper letters have encouraged Kill to keep coaching while praising him for his persistence and values. Even the Star Tribune lead editorial on Tuesday had a supportive article headlined: “Epilepsy does not define the Kill era.”

What the public has learned since Kill was hired in December of 2010 is he is a good football coach with rock solid values who thousands of Minnesotans can identify with. His work in the community, including on behalf of epilepsy, could one day become legendary and already he deserves a place among Minnesota’s most active and effective high profile volunteers.

“What he does is fairly remarkable,” Dave Mona said. “He is a poster child for what people are capable of.”

Mona assisted then athletic director Joel Maturi with the Gophers’ head coaching search that led to Kill’s hiring. The two asked Kill about his health during the interview process and found the coach welcoming questions. He talked about his experiences with losing consciousness and also his cancer.

That openness is who Kill is. He wouldn’t want the Gophers job if he didn’t believe he was fully capable of doing it. He might label it “stealing money” if he wasn’t able to work almost 24-7 like he does.

Mona and others see a coach who is doing all kinds of good things for the football program, University and community. The buy in is strong and probably gained momentum during the difficult days since last Saturday. “I think he’s on the path that made him attractive to us in the first place,” Mona said.

Worth Noting

Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague told the CORES luncheon group last week he is “bullish” on football coach Jerry Kill and his assistants. “I am thrilled with where we’re at,” Teague said last Thursday.

Teague said former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez told him walk-ons were the key to rebuilding the Badgers football program.

Teague expects North Dakota to eventually return to the Gophers hockey schedule. He said the atmosphere for a Gophers-North Dakota game is the best he’s experienced for hockey.

CORES emcee and funnyman Dick Jonckowski opened the luncheon with a story about a guy who shot a loon and later was questioned by a game warden. The warden was curious about what a loon tasted like. “Kind of a cross between a trumpeter swan and bald eagle,” the hunter answered.

San Jose State has won 14 of its last 17 games including a 1-1 record this season. Starting quarterback David Fales, who will face the Gophers tomorrow at TCF Bank Stadium, is 12-3 in the last 15 games.

“We’re going to play a quarterback that most people who come through here from the NFL feel like is going to be a first round draft pick,” Kill said. “He throws the back shoulder throw as good as anybody in the country.”

The Gophers’ depth chart released this morning had Mitch Leidner listed as the No. 1 quarterback, and either Philip Nelson or Chris Streveler at No. 2.

David Benedict, the Gophers’ deputy athletic director, said fewer than 1,000 tickets remain for Minnesota’s home Big Ten opener with Iowa on September 28. The Nebraska game at TCF Bank Stadium on October 26 is sold out. Benedict said attendance for tomorrow’s game with San Jose State will easily exceed last Saturday’s announced attendance of 42,127 for the Western Michigan game. Stadium capacity is 50,805.

The Vikings’ John Sullivan is one of four NFL centers endorsing Dollar Shave Club’s One Wipe Charlies, “a flushable wet toilet-paper product launched in June,” according to a September 16 article on Adage.com. The website reported the players will endorse the product in radio commercials with the tag line: “Every great play starts with a clean snap.”

The Vikings are trying to avoid an 0-3 start to the season Sunday against the Browns, also 0-2. The Vikings lost their first three games in 2011 when the eventual final record was 3-13. In 2008 the Vikings made the playoffs despite a 0-2 start.

Former Vikings coach Bud Grant signs copies of his new book I Did It My Way starting at noon today at Barnes & Noble downtown, 801 Nicollet Avenue.

Highly sought Brooklyn, New York prep shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead, who had interest in the Gophers, announced yesterday he will attend Seton Hall next year.

Hamline honors its 1988 football team at halftime tomorrow night at Klas Field. That team tied for the MIAC championship with Concordia and was led by coach Dick Tressel, the Pipers’ all-time winningest football coach. Tressel is now an assistant with Carleton, Hamline’s opponent tomorrow night. Hamline’s head coach is Chad Rogosheske who played for Tressel. Also on the Piper staff is Luke Tressel who is Dick’s son.

Ken Norton, the heavyweight boxer who died this week, is best known in this area for his 1979 draw with Minnesota native Scott LeDoux at Met Center. It was one of Norton’s last fights.

The mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul will declare next Thursday Roy Griak Day in the two cities. There will be a 50 year celebration of Griak’s service to the Gophers that day and Governor Mark Dayton will issue a certificate of recognition. More than 500 Griak admirers are expected at an on-campus celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. next Thursday. More information is available at GoldenGopherFund.com.

Griak was the Gophers’ men’s cross country and track and field coach for 33 years from 1963 to 1996. He is now an administrative assistant for those programs. He said remaining in athletics and staying active beats the alternative of “playing bridge with old ladies.”

Griak exercises most days with activities that include biking, 60 modified pushups and 80 modified sit-ups. Griak will be 90 years old on October 5.

Comments Welcome