Vikings – Page 242 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Linebackers U Recruiting Priority

Posted on November 30, 2012November 30, 2012 by David Shama

Ask prep recruiting authority Zach Johnson where he thinks the Gophers personnel priorities are for 2013 and he emphasizes junior college linebackers. The Gophers are losing two of their three starting linebackers, seniors Mike Rallis and Keanon Cooper. Junior Aaron Hill returns next season but Spencer Reeves, a key reserve behind Hill, is also a senior.

Jerry Kill and his coaches have long known about those departures but they didn’t expect to see reserve junior linebacker Brendan Beal, Rallis’ backup, suffer yet another knee injury this month which prompted speculation about his future.

“The key (for 2013 recruiting) is finding a running back, and finding linebackers, and not only linebackers but linebackers that are ready to play next year,” said Johnson, the publisher for Gopherillustrated.com. “When you look back at last year (2012 recruits), they (the coaches) went and got what? Three or four defense backs. I think they’ll go and get probably two juco linebackers, a juco defensive tackle, and that might be about all they need out of the juco ranks.

“If they could find the right juco receiver and juco running back that falls in their laps, they might take them. But as far as need goes, I think they need to go get a junior college defensive tackle and two junior college linebackers.”

Johnson said last weekend in an interview with Sports Headliners that the linebacker unit in 2012 wasn’t all that outstanding and if the coaches had reserves who were better they likely would have put those players on the field. Kill lifted the redshirt status off freshmen in other positions who could help the team.

Rivals.com lists nine players who have made verbal commitments for Minnesota’s 2013 recruiting class. Only one, Wayzata’s Chris Wipson, is a linebacker. But before National Signing Day on February 6, the Gophers will finalize a lot more than nine players and for sure more than one linebacker.

Six of the players on the Rivals list are three-star recruits while three others receive two-stars. “I don’t see any major four-star guys even on our (the Gophers) radar right now,” Johnson said.

The Gophers 2012 recruiting class was ranked last in the Big Ten by Rivals. Johnson thinks the 2013 class might also finish 12^th among the conference programs.

“Until they turn into a Big Ten legitimate team—you’re talking eight, nine wins—I think you’ll see Kill’s recruiting continue to be under the radar guys—sleepers, guys that might be an inch or two shorter than what the big teams want at their positions. And just using their (Gophers coaches) connections to find these guys that are not on the typical recruiting trail.

“I think you can win to a point in the Big Ten with that. I think you can go 6-6 and 7-5 and maybe on a good year get to 8-4, but I don’t think you can win consistently in the Big Ten when you’re competing against the likes of Wisconsin and Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State. …”

There’s hope and optimism among the Gophers faithful the 2012 class will ultimately prove it was judged way too low in comparison with other conference recruits. Johnson is not ready to conclude it will happen.

“I mean we know that they can win at Southern Illinois and at Northern Illinois but we don’t know if they can recruit (outstanding) under the radar guys (at Minnesota). Sure we’ve got some nice players but we don’t have any proof that they can find those guys and turn them into eight, nine win teams.

“We don’t even know if we can turn them into six win teams because a lot of the top players on the team right now are (former coach Tim) Brewster’s guys, at least defensively. So we really don’t know if they (Kill and his coaches) can use the same (under the radar) formula and compete at the Big Ten level. We’re assuming they can. But we’ll see what happens.”

Gophers coaches are recruiting this week while the team has the week off before bowl preparations begin. Johnson said Fairhope, Alabama cornerback Nate Andrews is expected to visit here this week. The 6-foot Andrews reportedly has offers from Florida State and Mississippi.

Gophers, Vikings & Other Notes

Former Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi told Sports Headliners he was aware of Jerry Kill’s health history before he hired Kill away from Northern Illinois in 2010. While Maturi did his “due diligence” about Kill, he said the health factor didn’t give him pause before making him the new Gophers coach.

“I knew he had seizures and was a cancer survivor. We checked with the medical people at Northwestern (where Kill was treated) and with doctors here,” Maturi said.

Maturi was told Kill is healthy enough to coach. Since coming to Minnesota Kill has experienced three game day seizures but has missed minimal coaching time at games and practices.

The Big Ten will add to its 12 schools membership with Maryland and Rutgers joining the conference in 2014. Maturi wouldn’t be surprised to see further expansion to 16 teams. Who might the next two schools be? “You have to look at who brings in television sets,” Maturi said.

Speculation about additional Big Ten members includes Boston College, Kansas, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

ESPN.com’s November 20 Big Ten Blog, using USA Today as its source, lists annual salaries of Big Ten football coaches. Now fired Purdue coach Danny Hope was last at $970,000 while Kill was 11th at $1.2 million. Indiana’s Kevin Wilson and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald are just ahead of Kill at $1.26 million each. Ohio State’s Urban Meyer earns a league-leading $4.3 million.

The Vikings and Packers make history on Sunday when the two teams play in Green Bay. Never before have the two rivals played their first game of the year against one another in December. When the Packers come to Minneapolis on December 30 for a second game, it will be the first time the two franchises have played both games in December.

Adrian Peterson’s 1,236 yards not only leads all NFL runners, but his yardage is more than the totals of 18 other league teams. He has rushed for over 100 yards in five consecutive games and is now tied with Robert Smith for the Vikings franchise record.

Peterson said “he’s been preparing as if” Packers All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews was playing on Sunday but an ESPN report yesterday morning predicted Mathews will be sidelined. “He’s one of their playmakers on defense,” Peterson said. “He’s a talented guy. It will definitely be easier with him not out there.”

Peterson missed the team bus from the hotel on Sunday when the Vikings travelled to Soldier Field for their game against the Bears. He said he slept through his wake- up call.

Defensive end Jared Allen said he doesn’t expect the Bears to pursue revenge against him when Chicago plays here a week from Sunday. Although Allen said there was “no ill intent in it,” the NFL fined him $21,000 for the blow he delivered to Chicago offensive lineman Lance Lewis who suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season. “You never want to injure anybody,” Allen said.

Asked whether he budgets for NFL fines, Allen said he will check to see if the money can be deducted under the “tax code.”

Wide receiver Percy Harvin is 12^th in league receptions with 62 despite missing two games. It’s uncertain whether he will play against the Packers because of his injured ankle.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway is second in the NFL in tackles with 107. He should be a Pro Bowl selection for the second time in his career.

Center John Sullivan and other Vikings Notre Dame alums will take a private jet to Miami for the January 7 BCS title game to watch the Irish play if there’s not a conflict with the Vikings’ playoff schedule.

The North Florida team the Gophers play in basketball tomorrow afternoon at Williams Arena is 2-4 including a 15 point loss to Memphis and eight point defeat against Florida State. Minnesota, 7-1 and ranked No. 21 nationally by Associated Press, has played four teams highly regarded by Sports Illustrated in its November college basketball preview issue. The Gophers lost to Duke, but have wins over Memphis, Stanford and Florida State.

The Nebraska-Omaha team that plays the hockey Gophers tonight and tomorrow night at Mariucci Arena is 2-0 in road games this season while Minnesota is 5-0-1 at home. Mavericks head coach Dean Blais is a 1973 Minnesota graduate while assistants Steve Johnson and Troy Jutting have previous experience coaching respectively at St. Cloud State and Minnesota State.

When the Twins acquired right-handed pitcher Alex Meyer yesterday from Washington in exchange for center fielder Denard Span they received a player ranked earlier this year as the sixth best prospect in the Nationals organization by Baseball America. The 22-year-old Meyer pitched collegiately for Kentucky and was drafted 23rd overall by the Nationals in 2011. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound right-hander was 10-6 with a 2.86 ERA, 45 walks and 139 strikeouts in 25 starts with Single-A Hagerstown and Single-A Potomac last season.

Outfielder Nate Roberts and pitcher Kyle Gibson from the Twins organization were included on the 22 member Arizona Fall League’s Top Prospects Team announced this week, according to mlb.com. Roberts led the AFL in batting with a .446 average. Gibson, who had a 3-2 record, was among the league’s winningest pitchers.

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Vikes Receivers ‘Huge Disappointment’

Posted on November 26, 2012November 26, 2012 by David Shama

If the Vikings (6-5) are going to qualify for the playoffs they will need much more production from their pass receivers than Minnesota had yesterday in a 28-10 loss to the Bears in Chicago.

The receivers, led by Jerome Simpson’s three drops, couldn’t catch numerous passes. The Vikings had 159 yards in passing offense while rushing for 114 yards. The offense converted on only 37 percent of third down plays (33 percent on fourth downs). The team played without injured wide receiver Percy Harvin who has been the most effective Viking this season making longer receptions.

“I put this loss on the receiving corps not making enough plays down the field,” said Dean Dalton, the former Vikings assistant coach who now has an NFL show on Sirius Satellite Radio. “In a passing league, if you don’t have that threat you become one dimensional no matter how great Adrian Peterson is.”

Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder completed 22 of 43 passes and threw one touchdown pass and one interception. His stats probably looked worse than how he performed. “I think Christian Ponder made reasonably good decisions today,” Dalton said. “The receiving corps has been a huge disappointment (this season) because they haven’t been able to make explosive plays. They (the Vikings) have got to find a way to get production out of the vertical passing game. Peterson can (then) be even more productive.”

Simpson’s first drop yesterday came in the opening quarter. On a third down and four yards to go he couldn’t catch a ball that would have sustained a drive, and the Vikings then settled for a field goal.

Simpson, an offseason free-agent acquisition, has caught just 12 passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns in seven games this season. “He’s a leader of the clubhouse,” Dalton said. “This kid has great speed. He has great athleticism. We have not seen that productivity, that consistency (needed).”

Tight end John Carlson (a more costly 2012 free-agent acquisition) and wide receivers Stephen Burton and Michael Jenkins also dropped balls yesterday. The best receivers were tight end Kyle Rudolph and wide receiver Jarius Wright who combined for 12 receptions and 104 yards.

Dalton said the Vikings “defense can be outstanding” and the “rushing game excellent” but the downfield threat in the passing game has to emerge in the team’s remaining games. He also said receivers coach George Stewart is “outstanding” but the players have to execute better including the most basic of fundamentals like looking the ball into their hands.

Yesterday the Vikings did give up 28 points but the Bears sometimes only had to move the ball short distances to score. The defense, Dalton said, was also on the field too long because the offense couldn’t sustain drives.

With five regular season games still on the schedule, the offense, including Ponder and the receiver corps, will have some make-good opportunities including next Sunday in Green Bay against the Packers.

Worth Noting

Dalton’s son Devon Dalton plays the tuba in the Auburn marching band. Dalton is a season ticket holder for Tigers’ home football games and said it was hardly a secret this fall that head coach Gene Chizik was going to be let go despite winning the national championship only two years ago. Dalton was amused recalling some band members were promoting his name as Chizik’s successor. “They’ll find a southern fella,” Dalton said.

An NFL college scouting executive told Sports Headliners he doesn’t think Gophers senior MarQueis Gray will be drafted by an NFL team. The 6-4, 250-pound Gray is unlikely to have a professional opportunity to play quarterback but might get a free agent look as an H-back, or tight end, according to the authority.

He projects 50 or more underclassmen leaving school early for the 2013 NFL Draft. He said defensive tackle has the potential to be a particularly deep position.

Here are Sports Headliners’ final Big Ten football power rankings: Ohio State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois.

Look for the Gophers coaches, with the players off this week before beginning preparations for their bowl game, to emphasize recruiting including junior college prospects.

John Revere, father of Twins outfielder Ben Revere, has been named Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association among schools in the Football Championship Subdivision. He is the running backs coach at Eastern Kentucky.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association will announce its 2012 Mr. Football winner on December 9. The 10 finalists are Marley Allison, Edina; Jake Disterhaupt, Moose Lake-Willow River; Chase Morlock, Moorhead; James Onwualu, Cretin-Derham Hall; Noah Scarver, Washburn; Shaun Schindler, Hutchinson; Bridgeport Tusler, Osseo; Brett Watercott, Becker;Jake Wieneke, Maple Grove; Alex Wood, Lakeville North.

Noel Mazzone, who was an assistant coach for the Gophers from 1992-1994, is in his first season as offensive coordinator at UCLA and is being credited with the Bruins’ turn-around season that includes a Pac-12 South Division championship. UCLA plays at Stanford for the Pac-12 championship on Friday night.

John Gagliardi, who retired earlier this month as the winningest college football coach of all time, has seen his Saint John’s teams struggle the last few seasons but as recently as 2007 was the Liberty Mutual Division III College Coach of the Year.

The Gophers basketball team plays at Florida State (4-1) tomorrow night on ESPN2 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge series. The Seminoles are a potential top 25 team led by senior Michael Snaer who is making almost 41 percent of his three point shots and could be one of the nation’s best shooting guards. The game starts at 6:15 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Minnesota (6-1) won fifth place in the Battle 4 Atlantis with an opening game loss to top 10 ranked Duke and victories over Memphis and Stanford. Minnesota’s good fortune against Stanford included more than Andre Hollins being fouled on a desperation shot from near mid-court at game’s end, and then converting three free throws for a 66-63 victory. Maverick Ahanmisi, Hollins’ backup at point guard and a 5.4 points per game scorer, came off the bench in the first half to make five free throws by throwing his body into the Cardinal defense and drawing fouls.

Apple Valley High School’s Tyus Jones is one of only two juniors included on the preseason prep All-American team announced earlier this month by USA Today High School Sports. Jones is one of three point guards on the 10-player roster. The Eagles open their season on December 4 at St. Louis Park High School.

Former Timberwolves assistant coach Eric Musselman is now an assistant at Arizona State.

Gophers baseball coach John Anderson said his team has 38 games scheduled for next year, with 22 at the Metrodome and 16 at the new Siebert Field including the opener on April 5. The $7.2 million facility will seat about 1,500 fans.

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A&M’s Sumlin Didn’t Pursue U

Posted on November 16, 2012 by David Shama

On the college football beat including the Gophers:

Kevin Sumlin is the biggest name in college football coaching this week after his Texas A&M team upset undefeated and No. 1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa last Saturday. Although Sumlin has Minnesota and Big Ten connections, the first-year A&M head coach reportedly wasn’t interested in coaching the Gophers before Minnesota hired Jerry Kill in December of 2010.

A trusted source with knowledge about Sumlin told Sports Headliners the then University of Houston coach didn’t want to be considered as a replacement for Gophers coach Tim Brewster. The source didn’t offer an explanation but it’s believed Sumlin was waiting for a head coaching opportunity at a program better positioned to win on the national stage.

Sumlin played college football at Purdue and his assistant coaching positions included five seasons with the Gophers, working for head coaches Jim Wacker and Glen Mason from 1993 to 1997. Sumlin met his wife Charlene in Minnesota, and now they have four children.

At Houston, Sumlin became the first African-American head coach of a major college football program in the state of Texas. In four seasons at Houston, Sumlin developed a reputation as an offensive wiz while leading the Cougars to a 35-17 record and three bowl games. Twice he was a finalist for national coach of the year before taking the A&M job where the Aggies are in their first season playing in the SEC. Texas A&M, 8-2, is No. 8 in the BCS rankings after defeating Alabama, 29-24.

The No. 1 team in the BCS rankings is Kansas State. The amazing history of Wildcats football under 73-year-old coach Bill Snyder should be a source of encouragement to Gophers fans that have seen Minnesota absent from national prominence since the 1960s.

Snyder’s record at Kansas State is 169-82-1 and in several weeks he could have the Wildcats playing in their first national championship game. His first season as Kansas State coach was in 1989 and in the previous 27 games the Wildcats were 0-26-1. From 1938-1988 Kansas State won only 130 games, an average of about 2.5 wins per season. For decades the Wildcats were quickly mentioned in any discussion of college football’s worst programs.

Snyder, who had been an assistant coach for Hayden Fry at Iowa before taking the Kansas State job, retired after the 2005 season only to become head coach again in 2009.

Gophers freshman quarterback Philip Nelson said “nobody expects” Minnesota, 6-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten games, to win tomorrow’s game in Lincoln against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers, 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten, could finish the season after two more league games as Legends Division champions, advance to the conference championship game and eventually land in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

If that weren’t enough incentive to win, Nebraska has 29 seniors to be recognized tomorrow in the team’s last home game for 2012. And legendary former coach Tom Osborne, who is retiring as athletic director on January 1, 2013, will be honored at the game.

But Nelson said the Gophers, who defeated Illinois last Saturday for their first conference road win since 2010, are gaining confidence. “I think it’s a confidence builder knowing that we could go into somebody else’s place and pull out a victory. This is something (at Nebraska) where nobody expects us to win this game, and we’re back to where we always have been (underdog). It’s something that this team has to prove some people wrong…and in a big game like this we feel like we can surprise some people on the road.”

Nelson said the Illini “were catching on” to some of the Gophers’ offensive hand signals. The Gophers adjusted in mid-game but for awhile there was some confusion among Minnesota players, according to Nelson. “We have to switch up some things from game to game so film doesn’t give away too much what we’re trying to do,” he said.

Because of injuries, Zac Epping was the only center available to the Gophers in last Saturday’s game. Kill said earlier in the week a non-center will be taught the position to backup Epping. The major adjustment for a novice?

“Just being consistent, always getting the ball perfectly back there (on the snap) wherever it needs to be,” Epping said.

Worth Noting

Tartan High School defensive back Keelon Brookins, perhaps the best Division I senior prospect in the state, signed his letter of intent this week to attend Wisconsin. Brookins emailed he will be enrolled and attending classes in Madison in January.

The Gophers, 6-4, have only one win over a team with a better than .500 record—a victory against Division I FCS New Hampshire (8-2). Minnesota’s other wins are over UNLV (2-9), Western Michigan (4-7), Syracuse (5-5), Purdue (4-6) and Illinois (2-8). Syracuse impressively defeated then No. 9 ranked Louisville last Saturday, 45-26.

The Vikings, 6-4, have six games remaining on the regular season schedule (two games each against the Bears and Packers, plus games with the Texans and Rams). In their first 10 games the Vikings have played nine different teams (twice defeating the Lions), and those clubs have a combined record of 39-43-1. Minnesota’s remaining opponents have a total record of 24-11-1.

The Vikings are playing three of the top six teams in espn.com’s NFL power rankings starting November 25 versus the Bears (7-2) in Chicago, and ending against the Packers (6-3) on December 30 in Minneapolis. The Bears are No. 3 in the rankings, the Packers No. 6. The Vikings play in Houston on December 23 versus the No. 1 ranked Texans (8-1). The Rams (3-5-1) are ranked No. 23.

The Richmond Spiders, the Gophers basketball opponents at home on Sunday night, are 3-0 with nonconference wins over Liberty, UNCW and Hampton. Although the Spiders are off to their best start since 2006-2007, they look like another warm-up game for 3-0 Minnesota before next Thursday’s test against nationally ranked Duke (2-0) in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas.

The college basketball issue of Athlon Sports now on newsstands includes a list of the top 25 coaches in the country. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo is No. 1 and other Big Ten coaches included are No. 9 Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), No. 14 Thad Matta (Ohio State), No. 17 Tom Crean (Indiana), No. 18 John Beilein (Michigan) and No. 24 Matt Painter (Purdue).

Kevin Love’s annual coat drive started earlier this week and continues until December 12. Partnering with the Salvation Army and Comcast, the public is invited to donate new and “gently used coats” at the Target Center box office, or at several Comcast service centers in the metro area. Coat donations can also be made on December 1 at the Best Buy in Inver Grove Heights when the Wolves’ All-Star forward will make an appearance and pose for photos. Call the store in late November for exact times.

There will be some grumbling coming from Mariucci Arena if the Gophers don’t sweep the Badgers tonight and tomorrow evening. Wisconsin, 1-4-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the WCHA, is off to a slow start and reportedly will be without the injured Mark Zengerle, a top point producer. Minnesota, ranked No. 3 in the nation in two different polls, is 6-2-1 and 3-2-1.

Wisconsin is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Badgers hockey this season. The Badgers have won six national championships. The Gophers, who started playing hockey in 1921, have five titles. However, the NCAA’s major college hockey tournament didn’t begin until 1948, according to wikipedia.org.

St. Thomas has 10 fall or winter teams included in top 25 rankings. Football is No. 3 and 4 in the two national polls; volleyball is No. 8; and women’s and men’s golf are both ranked in coaches’ polls. Women’s basketball is No. 3; women’s hockey No. 10; men’s hockey No. 12; men’s basketball No. 11; men’s swimming and diving is No. 18 and women’s S&D No. 23.

Dick Jonckowski, the Shakopee-based banquet emcee and public address announcer for Gophers basketball and baseball, was inducted recently into the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. At the induction Jonckowski quipped: “Here’s a man who needs no introduction.”

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