Vikings – Page 36 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings’ Must-Win, Gophers’ Uniforms Headline Worthy

Posted on September 19, 2023 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Coach P.J. Fleck is a creative thinker, and that includes how he approaches the uniforms his players wear. His commitment to putting the Gophers in various color combinations has been so extensive since becoming head football coach in 2017 that the athletic department communications office publishes a “Gopher Uniform Tracker” in its weekly news release for the media.

Frequently the Gophers wear combinations of maroon and gold, but black on black has been worn at Minnesota and by other Power Five teams who find the look appealing among players, coaches and younger fans. At the last home game, the Gophers unveiled their new all-black dark mode uniforms for an evening match up with Eastern Michigan. The look prompted both favorable and critical comments sent to Fleck and Sports Headliners.

Fleck said yesterday respect for the school’s maroon and gold colors remains in place and always will. “…We’re adding a little flavor to it (the uniforms). That’s…because it’s all about the players. Everything we do is about the players that are on that field. The student athletes love it. Our student body loves it. The young people love it, and I get it.”

Uniform colors vary most weeks because the players like that and they have a constant voice in what they wear. “…And I don’t think there was one email from our players that said I didn’t like those (the dark-mode uniforms),” Fleck said. “And that’s with no disrespect to our fans. We have the best fans, and we have the best supporters. I had a lot of emails about it, and I feel it. I appreciate that. But I also got just as many, if not more, by how much people liked them.”

This week Dinkytown Athletes, the official Name, Image and Likeness Collective of Golden Gopher Athletics, is introducing a retro merchandise collection featuring “M” Club Hall of Fame Gopher athletes. The first merchandise offering features Gopher football greats Marion Barber, Jr. (‘77-’80), Rickey Foggie (‘84-’87) and Pete Najarian (‘82-’85). Retro jerseys and shirts are available for a limited amount of time with a portion of the proceeds donated to DA.

“This is a great way to celebrate the achievements of past Gopher athletes while supporting the current ones,” Najarian said in a DA news release. “We need to embrace our alumni and get them involved. Let’s remember the past and support our future at the same time!”

Led by co-founders Derek Burns and Robert Gag, DA started about a year ago and directly supports current student athletes with NIL deals. In the highly competitive world of college sports, NIL is a continuing priority for DA and the Gophers.

Watch for merchandise offers in the coming months featuring Gopher basketball and hockey greats. More on the new initiative at https://athletesthread.com/collections/gopher-legend

The Vikings need to duck almost certain disaster by not losing to the Chargers on Sunday and starting the season 0-3. ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell wrote yesterday that since 2002 99 NFL teams have started their seasons 0-3 but only one (the 2018 Texans) has made it to the playoffs. The Chargers are also 0-2 and have lost those games by a total of five points.

A cheery stat is that 0-2 NFL teams do go on to make the playoffs, with that happening seven of the last 10 seasons. Last season eight of the 14 teams making the playoffs started either 1-1 or 0-2. That includes the Bengals who started 0-2 and won the AFC North.

The Vikings must show they can do better at stopping the run, while also rushing more effectively. The Vikings were gouged by the Eagles’ run game last Thursday night and rank 29^th among 32 NFL teams giving up 332 yards rushing this season.

Look for Minnesota to commit more to running the ball at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday against a Chargers’ defense not that formidable against the rush, allowing 211 yards in two games and 3.9 yards per carry. The Vikings so far this season are passing 77.9 percent of the time, the most in the NFL, per Teamrankings.com.

It’s evident the Vikings miss the explosive run production of Dalvin Cook, who was released in the offseason and is now with the Jets. Not working in their favor either is left tackle Christian Darrisaw (ankle) and center Garrett Bradbury (back) could be sidelined on Sunday. The reported signing of free agent guard Dalton Risner, a consistent player who figures to be the best of the pass blockers on the roster of guards, should help.

Former Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks, now with the Chargers, will be dealing with a hamstring injury this week that kept him out of last Sunday’s game against the Titans. The 31-year-old veteran has been outstanding against the pass during his career.

Chargers’ starting offensive tackle Trey Pipkins III is from Apple Valley and played collegiately at Sioux Falls. The 27-year-old started 14 games for the Chargers last season and has two starts in 2023.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who connected on 26 of 31 passes last week and 331 yards against the Vikings, is on the cover of Time Magazine for the feature 100 of the “world’s rising stars.” Peyton Manning wrote a profile about Hurts and referred to him as “a model of how to approach a job.”

Detroit can claim the most NFL players among American cities. The NFL reports that after analyzing the 2023 opening week rosters of all teams and where the players come from, Detroit was first with 19, followed by Bradenton, Florida with 17 and Houston at 16.

Gophers’ true freshman tailback Darius Taylor is a Detroit native. He was again named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after he ran for 138 yards last Saturday against North Carolina. A week ago he won the honor for the first time after a 193 yard performance versus Eastern Michigan. Taylor is the program’s first Freshman of the Week in consecutive weeks since running back Shannon Brooks in November of 2015.

Sports Headliners reader and Gophers’ basketball fan Scott Ballou emailed news about former Minnesota head coach Clem Haskins who turned 80 on August 11. Ex-Gophers Walter Bond, Randy Carter, Ariel McDonald and John Thomas travelled last month to Campbellsville, Kentucky to celebrate their coach’s 80^th birthday. “Other former players had contacted him as well,” Ballou said via email while noting he had spoken by phone last month to Haskins. “He was very proud that many of his former players were still close and had stuck together over the years. He said he and his family were doing well and his son Brent lives in Hudson and works for the Cleveland Cavaliers.”

Happy birthday to talented St. Thomas men’s basketball coach John Tauer who turned 51 yesterday. His Tommies won the 2016 Division III national title.

Friends have been looking for former Gophers’ basketball assistant coach Jimmy Williams for about 12 months and he has been found at the Brynwood Health and Rehabilitation facility in Monticello, Florida. Jay Pivec, who coached with Williams on the 1982 Big Ten champion Gophers, said Williams suffered a stroke last week but is thinking clearly while struggling with his speech. Williams was an assistant coach at Minnesota for 15 seasons including for the 1972 and 1982 Big Ten title teams.

The Twins will face starting right hander Hunter Greene on Wednesday in the closing game of their series with the Reds in Cincinnati. The Twins had to choose between Greene and Royce Lewis in the 2017 MLB Draft, taking Lewis as the No. 1 overall pick while Greene went second. They made the right choice with Lewis, an everyday player, and now among baseball’s most promising young players, while Green has a career record of 9-19 and 4.45 ERA. Bailey Ober, 7-6 with a 3.67 ERA, will oppose Greene Wednesday.

With the popularity of the Gophers volleyball team, you might wonder if the U athletic department is considering an outdoor match for Huntington Bank Stadium after the Cornhuskers drew an announced attendance of 91,648 for a match on August 30 in the Nebraska football stadium. That was a world record attendance for a women’s sports event.

It will be interesting to see if the Wednesday night best of three WNBA playoff series game at Target Center between the Lynx and Sun sells out. The Lynx website lists available tickets from $24 to $334.

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Gophers on Spot to Fix Offense Before Mighty Michigan

Posted on September 17, 2023September 17, 2023 by David Shama

The Golden Gophers, with a 2-1 record, have scored only four touchdowns in their first three games and are averaging a paltry 17 points (including two points from a safety in the Eastern Michigan win). They have two games ahead to improve production before national championship contender Michigan comes to Huntington Bank Stadium on October 7.

Minnesota will have the most minimal of chances to hang with the Wolverines if the offense struggles like it did in home wins over Nebraska and Eastern Michigan, and yesterday’s embarrassment at North Carolina when the Tar Heels won 31-13. There’s not been enough efficiency with the offense other than the field goal kicking of Dragan Kesich who has converted on seven of eight attempts.

What the Gophers have done consistently is fail to score touchdowns inside the red zone. They have turned to first-year field goal specialist Kesich when unable to get six points. That reality may change in the next two games against opposition the Gophers should be able to handle, at Northwestern next Saturday and home against Louisiana on September 30. The 1-2 Wildcats are giving up 45.67 points per game, while 2-1 Louisiana is yielding 24.

Right now the Gophers have no identity offensively. Known for years as a program that pushes opponents around with its run game, Minnesota is trying to rediscover its former muscle. The Gophers averaged 207.5 yards rushing last season and had 33 touchdowns in 13 games. So far Minnesota is averaging 173.7 yards rushing, with three touchdowns.

In the last two games true freshman Darius Taylor has given the run game life and he looked improved yesterday not only running with power and speed but showing the patience to find openings like All-American predecessor Mo Ibrahim. He ran for 193 yards against Eastern Michigan and 138 versus the Tar Heels.

The offensive line, despite using replacements from last season, has often been okay in the first three games. There is enough talent under the superb direction of line coach Brian Callahan to expect continued improvement. One of the best developing stories will be true freshman Greg Johnson from Prior Lake who saw extensive playing time yesterday in a three guards rotation and he projects as an award-winning lineman before his college career ends.

Kaliakmanis photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

But what hasn’t been okay is the passing game that hit a season low in yesterday’s loss. Receivers dropped passes and starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw too high and too low while missing targets. He completed just 11 of 29 passes for 133 yards, and the Gophers converted on only three of 12 third downs.

After the game the redshirt sophomore was highly critical of his performance and blamed himself for the loss, calling it probably the “worst game” he’s ever played. “…I came up very short. That falls on me,” Kaliakmanis said at a postgame news conference (YouTube).

Playing in heat and humidity, Kaliakmanis was one of multiple Gophers who had to briefly leave the game with cramps. His replacement, Cole Kramer, threw an interception in his one passing attempt.

The cramps weren’t an excuse for the Gophers losing the game, coach P.J. Fleck said on the Gopher Radio Network after the game. In preparation for playing in the weather the Gophers had turned up the heat in their indoor practice facility. Interestingly, Fleck said his team didn’t have full use of the facility last week but wouldn’t detail why. “We only got to practice in the indoor for half the week,” he said. “We just weren’t able to.”

The defense, the strength of the team in the 13-10 and 25-6 victories over Nebraska and Eastern Michigan, didn’t measure up in Chapel Hill with blown assignments that led to a 21-10 first half lead by the Tar Heels. The Gophers, who were bothered by the hurry up offense and Heisman hopeful pass-run skills of quarterback Drake Maye, gave up an uncharacteristic 519 yards and 31 points.

The defense did make adjustments, playing better in the second half but not only couldn’t the offense produce more than three points, it didn’t stay on the field long enough to keep the ball from going back to the potent Carolina offense. Out of character, too, was Minnesota losing the time of possession battle, 33:10 to 26:50.

While the offense didn’t execute anywhere near its potential, the play-calling was worthy of praise. The offense has new leadership in gameday play caller Greg Harbaugh Jr. who replaced Kirk Ciarrocca now at Rutgers. Not enough right calls seemed to be in place during the first two games but yesterday Harbaugh dialed up plenty of opportunities. The players just didn’t make good on them.

Fleck said during his postgame interview on the Gopher Radio Network that the Tar Heels and Minnesota are “evenly matched teams” while also talking about all the mistakes his Gophers made and faulting himself for not coaching better. “We’re a really good football team,” he said later at his news conference (YouTube).

Jordan Addison Plea Bargain This Week

Minneapolis attorney Marshall Tanick has a letter in today’s Pioneer Press about the “kid gloves” treatment given Vikings rookie WR Jordan Addison who in late July was arrested for driving his Lamborghini 140 miles per hour on Interstate 94 in St. Paul. Addison reportedly hasn’t faced much discipline from the Vikings or NFL, and the courts may be going in a similar direction.

“…Charged with misdemeanors of reckless driving and greatly exceeding the limit, he speedily cut a sweetheart deal with the compliant Ramsey County Attorney’s Office to plead guilty to speeding, while the reckless charge will be dropped,” Tanick writes in part of his letter. “The offense, if the arrangement is approved by a Ramsey County District Court judge, will be treated as a petty misdemeanor, a non-criminal offense equivalent to walking a dog without a leash.

“His punishment: losing his license for the duration of the football season and a fine of $686, (which is) pocket change that he should easily be able to pay from his nearly $7 million signing bonus as part of his $13+-million-dollar four-year Vikings contract.

“The prosecutorial authorities will probably defend their lenity as being standard for first-time offenders like Addison. But, if that’s so, then they need to re-think their templates for hazardous conduct of this type.

“The plea bargain is still subject to approval by a judge, who is scheduled to hear it this week. …”

Tanick, a journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota, Stanford law graduate and longtime sports fan, questions whether the celebrity status of Addison and the Vikings is influencing the case of the 2023 first round draft choice. “It makes one wonder how a person of lesser renown would have been treated for similar aberrant behavior in Minnesota’s form of dual-track injustice,” Tanick wrote at the end of his letter.

The law firm of Meyer Njus Tanick is a Sports Headliners advertiser.

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Twins Shortstop Correa Impresses with High Character

Posted on September 12, 2023 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Carlos Correa, with the richest contract on the team and a disappointing .228 batting average, has frustrated Twins fans during a difficult season but he has demonstrated leadership and high character. The club’s 28-year-old shortstop has experienced a painful summer playing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot but yet he has started 129 games for the Twins, a total no other teammate even comes close to.

In an era when fans complain about the constant injuries sidelining players, Correa’s will to play is admirable. He has shown a commitment to lead by example and an impact on teammates predicted by club president Dave St. Peter even before his first full season with the Twins in 2022. St. Peter told Sports Headliners in April of last year that he also expected the bilingual former Astros star to make an impact in the community.

Correa is the Twins’ nominee for the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award that annually recognizes the MLB player best representing the game with superb character, community involvement, philanthropy and other desirable behaviors on and off the field. On Correa’s resume of good deeds is a family foundation whose focus includes non-medical costs associated with pediatric cancer diagnosis.

For several years, considered one of baseball’s best shortstops, Correa has obviously struggled at the plate, but he does lead the team in RBI with 67. His hitting mechanics and balance have to be impacted by his sore foot. Known for producing in big moments in September and October, Correa is hitting .257 in his last 30 games as the Twins move toward clinching the AL Central Division title and playing in the postseason.

Although his running speed has slowed, Correa is having one of his best fielding seasons statistically. He has committed only six errors. His fielding average of .986 is near his MLB best for any season when he played in over 100 games.

Outfielder Walker Jenkins, the Twins’ first round draft selection this summer, is hitting a gaudy .362 for Single-A Fort Meyers. The 18-year-old has a .988 OPS, with three home runs and 22 RBI in 105 at bats.

With 333 career receptions Vikings WR Justin Jefferson can become the third player with at least 400 receptions in his first four career seasons and can surpass Michael Thomas (5,512) for the most receiving yards by a player in his first four career seasons in the NFL.

Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson had nine receptions for 150 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Bucs. He has at least 100 receiving yards in 25 of his first 51 career games. He has surpassed Lance Alworth as the fastest player in NFL history to reach 25 career games with at least 100 reception yards.

Jefferson, 24, also surpassed Randy Moss’s record as the youngest NFL player to reach 25 career games with at least 100 receiving yards. Moss was 25 when he set the record.

Leslie Frazier, the former Vikings head coach and now out of coaching, is appearing on various NFL Network studio shows, including NFL GameDay Live.

That was 84-year-old Owatonna native Tom Moore, who was a top assistant for the Gophers in the 1970s, on the sidelines in the Vikings-Bucs game on Sunday. Moore is in his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Bucs and 45^th in the NFL.

Former Viking Matt Birk is a partner in Heritage Gear, an Edina-based firm that creates only American made premium accessories in the licensed sports merchandise industry. Heritage Gear creates high end wool and leather duffels and totes, cashmere scarves, merino wool blankets and other crafted goods for 50 major colleges, the NFL and most recently expanded to Major League Baseball. https://www.heritagegear.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw6eWnBhAKEiwADpnw9sXpjrlO72SJf8tM6g07MFtOQvOLqFyAyqvE-MprOKoO9OUD5X1VohoCJIcQAvD_BwE

The 2-0 football Gophers are about a touchdown underdog at North Carolina Saturday, but my view is the game is tossup. The Carolina cornerbacks could be vulnerable to Minnesota’s passing game and the Gopher defense has allowed one touchdown in two games.

A win over the 2-0 Tar Heels, ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll, could put Minnesota into the national top 25.

Darius Taylor, who rushed for 193 yards last Saturday against Eastern Michigan, is the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Taylor’s total is the second highest in school history for a true freshman, trailing only Darrell Thompson’s 205 against Bowling Green in 1986. Taylor has impressed with his maturity and attitude on and off the field.

Taylor is likely to be the Gophers’ lead running back this season. Minnesota’s quality and depth at running back was hurt after the 2021 season when major contributors Bucky Irving and Ky Thomas transferred. Irving is at Oregon and Thomas plays for Kent State after first transferring to Kansas.

Dinkytown Athletes, the Gophers’ official collective, has helped WR Daniel Jackson, who made an extraordinary toe-tapping TD catch against Nebraska, connect with Athlete’s Thread to sell clothing celebrating the extraordinary reception. https://athletesthread.com/collections/daniel-jackson

DA hosted over 100 guests at a tailgate party before the Minnesota-Eastern Michigan game, most of them members of the collective that started about a year ago to benefit Gopher athletes. Players from the Gopher men’s basketball team also attended the event.

It wouldn’t be surprising if former Gophers guard Andre Hollins is the new analyst on University of Minnesota basketball radio broadcasts next season, working with play-by-play voice Mike Grimm.

Signaling plays on the sidelines for Eastern Michigan Saturday was Jeremiah Salem, grandson of former Gophers’ head coach Joe Salem. Jeremiah, a sophomore quarterback, is the son of Brad Salem, tight ends coach at Memphis.

Minneapolis native and longtime college basketball coach Jay Pivec (most recently a men’s assistant at St. Thomas) is working on his autobiography, The Book of Piv. It’s a delightful collection of stories from a colorful and high character coach who made his coaching mark in the five-state area. “All the stories are as true as they need to be,” Pivec writes. “With the exception of my own, some names have been changed to protect the stupid.”

Armstrong High School alum Cameron Hodges, who played for Pivec at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, has joined the NBA Houston Rockets as an assistant coach after previous positions in the league including with the Clippers, Sixers and Spurs.

Edina native Anders Nelson, who played collegiately at St. Thomas and most recently for William & Mary, signed a professional basketball contract last month to play in Switzerland. Playing as a grad student in 2022-2023, the 6-foot-1 guard led William & Mary with an 11.2 points per game average.

It looks like sophomore Mason West, already a hockey star and now throwing touchdown passes as Edina High’s quarterback, is on his way to a place among the Hornets’ greatest athletes.

Abbey Murphy, who scored 29 goals last season for the Gopher women’s hockey team, has been named to the All-WCHA preseason team.

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