Gopher football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he’s concerned about the team’s punting and placekicking.  Recent Gopher seasons have at times been characterized by both short distances or accuracy of punts, kickoffs, extra points and field goals.  As sophomores last season punter Justin Kucek averaged 40.3 yards per punt,  ranking eighth in the Big Ten Conference, while place kicker Jason Giannini missed three extra points and eight in 2005.  Giannini was 7-12 on field goals and ranked 10^th in the conference in field goal percentage.  Joel Monroe, another sophomore last season, handled all kickoffs in 2006 (27 of 69 went for touchbacks) and some field goal/extra point work, going 2-3 on field goals and making all four extra points. He’s on the team again as a complement to Giannini. 

The Gophers will be far from the most talented team in the Big Ten Conference this fall and Brewster is determined to use special teams, including punting and kicking, to gain an edge against opponents.  Whether it’s covering punts and kickoffs, or consistently making field goals, Brewster hopes superior special teams can help the Gophers to wins they might otherwise not earn. 

“We’ve put tremendous emphasis on the kicking game (in pre-season workouts),” Brewster said.  “We’ve allocated more meeting time, more field time.  Now I am going to be honest with you.  I have a concern with our kickers and punters. They have not been consistent since this camp has opened.   

“I am very pleased with what we’re doing with coverage.  Our attention to detail, our attitude in the kicking game has been outstanding.  But we need…Kucek to step up.  He needs to be a more consistent punter.  We need…Joel Monroe to do a great job.  We need Giannini to be more consistent. He’s got to make every P.A.T.  That part of it has been a work in progress but we’ve made up a lot of ground.” 

Improvement will need to happen soon because the Gophers open their season in about two weeks, on September 1 against Bowling Green at home.   

In recruiting news, the Gophers have a verbal commitment for next season from an outstanding high school punter.  Rivals.com reports Bradley Nortman of Brookfield, Wisconsin has recently committed.

Steve LaCroix, vice president of sales and marketing, reported via e-mail that like a year ago at this time the Vikings have tickets remaining for their season opener.  He wrote that the top five of 10 price levels for season tickets are sold out, and that 98 percent of the new $196 season ticket inventory is sold.  “These have been a big hit with our fans,” according to LaCroix.

Friday night’s 7 p.m. pre-season game at New York against the Jets is nationally televised with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman providing commentary on Fox.  Brooks Bollinger is familiar with the Jets defense having been with the team for three seasons before coming here last year.  The game could be his only pre-season start.   

Viking trivia:  Tony Richardson is the oldest player at 35.  Sidney Rice is the youngest at 20.  Richardson has played the most seasons in the NFL, 13.  Matt Birk has played the most with the Vikings, 10.  Bryant McKinnie is the biggest Viking, 6-foot-8, 335-pounds, while Antoine Winfield is the smallest, 5-foot-9, 180-pounds. 

Mike Morris, former long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings and now a KFAN talk show host, told Sports Headliners that an NFL player today with eight to 10 years in the league could expect to draw a pension at age 55 of $10,000 or more per month.  Age 55 is full retirement age, although players can draw partial pensions starting at 45.  

Jonas Gray, an outstanding running back from Detroit who the Gophers were pursuing, has committed to Nebraska, according to rivals.com. 

Don’t be surprised if the Timberwolves make more player acquisitions.  The team needs improvement at center and a healthy Joel Przybilla, the former Gopher stuck in Portland behind No. 1 pick Greg Oden, could help here.  The “welcome mat” is probably out, too, for a good point guard. 

Last week’s Sporting News includes a small photo of Twins reliever Pat Neshek on the cover, referring to him as a “weird and wired pitcher.”  A flattering feature story describes Neshek’s unusual sidearm delivery, high socks, low cap and passion for his Internet site.  

Canterbury Park’s annual Minnesota Festival of Champions is Sunday, with 11 races and a purse of $425,000.  The festival is for Minnesota bred horses and showcases the state horse racing industry.

The Minnesota Vikings have four quarterbacks on their roster,Tarvaris Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, Tyler Thigpen and Drew Henson.  All are 27 or younger, with a combined 12 starts in the NFL.  Is there a likelihood the Vikings will try to add a more experienced quarterback before the season begins?

Former Viking Mike Morris, who follows the team closely now as a talk show host on KFAN Radio, said lack of experience at quarterback is an issue.   He thinks the Vikings “would welcome the opportunity” to add a veteran quarterback “if things weren’t working out for the four games of the pre-season.”

Such a player, according to Morris, would be a reserve, not a starter, an experienced NFL veteran ready to mentor, teaching on and off the field.  Morris said the Vikings are committed to Jackson and Bollinger.  “They’ve got a couple  of kids that they like and if they play within themselves and within the system you might have something, but you have to find out what that is right now,” he said.  “(If) you have an older guy in the room that can help them along that would be fantastic.  They won’t be looking for anything else as far as full time work.”

Speculation is Kelly Holcomb, 34, could be cut by the Philadelphia Eagles and picked up by the Vikings.  The Eagles have two other veteran quarterbacks in Donovan McNabb and A. J. Feeley, plus they used a No. 2 draft choice on Kevin Kolb, a rookie from the University of Houston.

What does Morris think of Holcomb?  “I don’t,” he answered. “I try not to think of Holcomb as being any sort of upgrade or help to anyone in that room (the Vikings). … I think you’re looking for someone with a little more experience, a little more knowledge of the game.  I wouldn’t mention that name in that list. … I can’t think of a name I would rather not have here.”

Holcomb only has 21 career starts in 11 seasons.  He did complete 67.4 percent of his passes starting 10 games for Buffalo in 2005.

Morris said the Vikings could benefit from a veteran quarterback like Kurt Warner, the former Super Bowl quarterback now in Arizona.  He also mentioned Drew Bledsoe who announced his retirement in April.   A visitor even offered up the name of 40-year-old Jeff George.  The former Viking had the “strongest arm I‘ve ever seen,” according to Morris, and as recently as last year attempted a comeback with Oakland.             

“I would take him right now above Holcomb,” Morris said. “He can still throw the ball.  I know that would still work. …”