This is a big week for Augsburg senior hockey forward Chris Johnson, and not just because his dad Mark Johnson is coaching the U.S. women’s team in the Winter Olympics to a possible gold medal. Augsburg has an MIAC playoff game against St. Olaf on Friday and the winner plays No. 1 seeded Gustavus on Saturday. In 25 games Johnson led Augsburg with 16 assists and was third in total points, 26.
Johnson’s grandfather, Bob Johnson, was born in Minneapolis, played for the Gophers and coached at Roosevelt High School before winning national championships at Wisconsin and coaching the 1976 men’s Olympic team.
Freshman point guard Bryant Allen, a wide receiver and punt returner on the football team, played in his third basketball game for the Gophers on Saturday night against Indiana, scoring three points in seven minutes. Football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he will allow Allen to play basketball in future seasons if it doesn’t “detract” from football and Allen is making an impact. Brewster told Allen during recruiting that he could play basketball at Minnesota.
Brewster said wide receiver Eric Decker continues his rehabilitation from last fall’s surgery on his left foot and expects him to be drafted by an NFL team in April. Decker missed the last four games of the season, plus the Gophers bowl game. Brewster said he’s talked to several NFL representatives who are “excited” about Decker. He also said Decker would have been a “cinch” late first round or second round draft choice if not for the injury.
The Gophers begin spring football practice on March 23 and the spring game in TCF Bank Stadium will be April 24. Brewster said his quarterback depth chart looks like this: Adam Weber, MarQueis Gray, Moses Alipate and Adam Lueck. Tom Parish, from Hartland, Wisconsin, will join the team as a freshman in August. “The future is very good at the position,” Brewster said.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun will be the headline speaker at the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic March 25-27 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park and on the University of Minnesota campus. The annual clinic will have over 35 speakers and 70 sessions. More at www.mnfootballclinic.com.