David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Need a Lift at Quarterback

Posted on November 14, 2021 by David Shama

It’s time for the University of Minnesota football coaches to consider replacing Tanner Morgan at quarterback. A struggling Morgan has been too inconsistent this season and he faltered again yesterday in Minnesota’s 27-22 loss to Iowa.

With the Gophers leading 13-10 early in the third quarter, Morgan’s sideline pass to an open Chris Autman-Bell was too high, and the errant throw cost Minnesota a third down conversion. The Gophers punted to Iowa and the Hawkeyes scored on a 72-yard touchdown pass on their first play to take a lead they never gave up in the battle for possession of Floyd of Rosedale.

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said at his postgame news conference the timing of the throw was early. “That was a critical play in the game,” said Fleck who is now 0-5 in the border rivalry with Iowa.

Morgan’s passes were off-target throughout the game, including balls that just sailed beyond his receivers. He completed 14 of 30 passes for 183 yards including a 68-yard strike to Autman-Bell for a fourth quarter touchdown.

Morgan had multiple near interceptions in the loss that knocked the Gophers out of a four-way first place tie in the Big Ten West Division. A short quarterback by Big Ten standards, Morgan’s passes are frequently tipped by defenders rushing toward him with raised hands in the air.

After the Gophers scored late in the fourth quarter on the Autman-Bell pass, they trailed 24-22. That set up a two-point conversion attempt where Morgan rolled to his right and threw toward the end zone only to have his pass knocked down.

In the closing minutes, behind by two points, Morgan and the Gophers had opportunities to change the score. Not a playmaker with his legs, Morgan couldn’t create extra yards, or time to throw the ball, when plays broke down.

It wasn’t just the quarterback who was inconsistent in the passing scheme. The receivers dropped too many passes, or didn’t make difficult catches, or even get open. That kind of performance has been another flaw in the Minnesota offense this season. The Gophers have nowhere near the receiving talent of two years ago when Morgan was so impressive throwing to all-conference playmakers Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman.

“You’d like to be able to see more completions, that’s for sure,” Fleck said. “Too many drops.”

The coaching staff’s responsibility is to provide more capable receivers than Minnesota has shown. That has to be considered a recruiting failure and it’s uncertain how the receiver roster gets fixed in the offseason.

The Gophers, 6-4 overall, 4-3 in Big Ten games, have remaining games at Indiana and home against Wisconsin. Then there will be a yet to be determined bowl game. Morgan is a wonderful person, terrific leader and outstanding game manager, but the present circumstances and timing provide an opportunity for a shakeup at quarterback.

Fleck has four scholarship quarterbacks behind Morgan who to his credit has helped win a lot of games since becoming the starter after the 2018 season was underway. Two of them, redshirt junior Zack Annexstad and redshirt sophomore Cole Kramer, have game experience.

Annexstad lost his job to Morgan in 2018 after he was injured. Annexstad has started seven games for Minnesota and has a stronger arm than Morgan. Kramer has been effective in the wildcat formation this season and has thrown two touchdown passes. He is the best runner among the quarterbacks and has exceptional on-field poise.

A change in the quarterbacks now could spark a passing game that has struggled in painful close losses to Bowling Green, Illinois and Iowa. A quarterback who could provide an occasional running threat in the option offense will make the superb running game even better. Ability to throw with more arm strength can get the ball down the field faster.

Indiana, 0-7 in the Big Ten, was a preseason top 20 team but has been hit hard by key injuries. Yesterday the Hoosiers lost 38-3 to mediocre Rutgers. Although the Hoosiers will try to rally for their final home game next Saturday, their win probability is about 20 percent. That’s a prime stage and opponent to give a start to Kramer or Annexstad.

A solid contribution from the quarterback and a Gopher victory improves the possibility of an upset against a hot Badgers team on a six-game winning streak. Although the Gophers have home field advantage, Minnesota has about a 30 percent likelihood of winning the game as things appear now.

If the Gophers change quarterbacks for the last three games of 2021 and his play elevates the offense that will be welcome news for next season. The development would set expectations for a much more balanced offense that is likely to include the return of All-American tailback Mo Ibrahim.

In yesterday’s game a sideline TV shot of Fleck showed him wringing his hands on a crucial play. At his news conference, the frustration of the loss was perhaps more evident than any time in his Gopher career. Being 0-5 against Iowa is painful.

Fleck’s record against his other border rival is 1-3. The coaches need to decide if another QB gives them a better path to making their record 2-3 against Wisconsin and again taking possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

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U 4-Star Recruit List May Grow

Posted on November 10, 2021November 10, 2021 by David Shama

The Golden Gophers football program has 14 verbal commits for its recruiting class of 2022, with a list of 12 three-star players and two four-stars, per the composite rankings of 247Sports. Ryan Burns—the recruiting authority from GopherIllustrated that is affiliated with 247—told Sports Headliners three-star commits Zach Evans, Kristen Hoskins and Jacob Knuth will be in discussions later this month for four-star status.

Evans, a running back from Rockwall, Texas, plays in the most competitive classification in the Lone Star state. “He’s putting up gaudy stats in 6A Texas football,” Burns said.

Evans, listed at 5-9, 200, could figure prominently in coach P.J. Fleck’s plans for 2022 with the return status of injured tailbacks Mo Ibrahim, Trey Potts and Bryce Williams unclear. Burns expects Evans to enroll at the University of Minnesota in January and participate in spring football.

Hoskins, from Alexandria, Minnesota, played a major role in helping the Cardinals to a 43-35 section playoffs win over Bemidji last Friday, scoring four touchdowns and making a game-saving interception. Listed by 247Sports at 5-9, 160, the wide receiver is small by even high school standards but Burns raves about him.

“The kid is incredibly electric with the ball in his hands. He’s incredibly quick, incredibly fast,” Burns said.

Recruiting evaluators know Hoskins is one of the most explosive playmakers in the Midwest but Burns believes his commitment to Minnesota is for sure. “…I don’t think another offer would really sway him.”

Knuth, from Harrisburg, South Dakota, is 247’s No. 1 prospect in that state. The 6-4, 207-pound quarterback can make plays with not only his arm but his legs and could have his team headed to a state championship.

Burns said Knuth’s size and skill-set is similar to class of 2021 four-star QB Athan Kaliakmanis. With the addition of Knuth, who is expected to enroll in January, the Gophers will have six scholarship quarterbacks if redshirt senior starter Tanner Morgan decides to play another year. A Morgan return probably means at least one scholarship QB will transfer to another program.

Minnesota’s verbal commits can sign National Letters of Intent next month including current four-star defensive linemen Trey Bixby from Eden Prairie and Anthony Smith of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Burns said Penn State’s defensive coordinator recently watched Smith play but doesn’t believe anything has changed regarding Smith’s commitment. “All indications…from Anthony are that he is firm with Minnesota, and I haven’t heard anything to contradict that.”

Fleck and his staff aren’t done recruiting, with Burns expecting the 2022 class to have a few (if not several) more scholarship players even if a final total is months away. Positions targeted will include offensive line, linebacker and perhaps running back with the fluid situation regarding All-American Ibrahim’s decision to play another season.

Burns said the Gophers are looking at junior college defensive and offensive line prospects, too. Current d-linemen Nyles Pinckney, Micah Dew-Treadway and Val Martin won’t be back because their eligibilities are expiring. It’s not clear whether starting defensive end Boye Mafe and offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and John Michael Schmitz will return, according to Burns.

Decisions on return plans by those players and others who are veterans will be known within about two weeks after Minnesota’s bowl game. That timeline will allow whether to enroll in classes.

Burns has a prediction about how Saturday’s game against Iowa can go in the Gophers’ favor. “Score 20 points. 20 points against Iowa should win you a football game.”

Both teams are defense-first, with offenses not as reliable. Burns said the Gophers will have to use some creativity offensively and definitely not rely almost exclusively on their running game. “Tanner is going to have to throw it 25, 30 times,” he said while pointing out Purdue and Wisconsin passed effectively in wins over the Hawkeyes.

Iowa likes to pound the ball, too, and can be reluctant to open up the offense.

“I have more faith in Minnesota’s passing game, than I do Iowa’s,” Burns said.

Worth Noting

Max Shikenjanski, son of former Gophers basketball center Jim Shikenjanski, is an outstanding junior quarterback for Stillwater. “The thing for him is, is it going to be football or is it going to be basketball,” Burns said. He described the Stillwater guard as one of the state’s top basketball prospects in the class of 2023. As for football, Max visited campus for a game earlier this fall and will be evaluated more in the summer.

All the best to my good friend Charley Walters as he recovers from a recent medical procedure.

Don’t expect former Gophers head coach Jerry Kill, now interim head coach at TCU, to be leading the Horned Frogs next season. AD Jermiah Donati made it clear to the Star Telegram in a November 2 story that Kill isn’t a candidate to succeed Gary Patterson.

The U athletic department should initiate a fund-raising campaign to place the first statues outside of Huntington Bank Stadium. The vote here is for coach Bernie Bierman and players Bobby Bell, Bronko Nagurski and Bruce Smith.

Bierman coached the Gophers to five of their seven national championships from 1934-1941. Bell, twice an All-American tackle, was a ferocious pass rusher who had everything to do with Minnesota playing in two Rose Bowls, winning a Big Ten title and compiling a 22-6-1 record during his three seasons of eligibility (1960-1962).

Nagurski, named an All-American at both fullback and tackle, is a football immortal from the 1920s and 1930s who was named to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team. Smith played halfback on two national championship teams and won the 1941 Heisman Trophy—the only Gopher ever to do so. Hollywood made a movie about him, Smith of Minnesota. The handsome football star played himself in the film.

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Vikings Positioned for Future Rebuild

Posted on November 8, 2021 by David Shama

The Vikings, 3-5 after yesterday’s loss to the Ravens, are a long shot to make the playoffs and have missed the postseason in two of the last three seasons. The Vikings, although playing with effort, are a flawed team whose faults include not being able to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes and not finishing off games with a victory.

Embattled head coach Mike Zimmer probably not only needs to lead the Vikings to the playoffs but also win a couple of games to save his job. GM Rick Spielman, also the target of a highly critical fan base, has even a longer tenure in his position than Zimmer who he hired before the 2014 season.

The Wilf family could decide in January it’s time for new leadership on and off the field. Part of Mark and Zygi Wilf’s thinking might be prompted after reviewing a roster with several aging players among Minnesota’s impact performers.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Everson Griffen are both 33, safety Harrison Smith 32, cornerback Patrick Peterson and wide receiver Adam Thielen are 31, linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks and defensive tackle Michael Pierce are all 29.

There are longevity questions also about two of the team’s best performers, defensive end Danielle Hunter, 27, and running back Dalvin Cook, 26. Injuries have sidelined Hunter in both 2020 and 2021. Cook missed most of his rookie season in 2017 and injuries, including this season, have forced him out of the lineup numerous times in the last five years. NFL running backs have among the shortest of careers in the NFL.

None of this is to suggest the Vikings have to implode their roster next offseason. But except for 22-year-old wide receiver Justin Jefferson the Vikings don’t have any young stars on the roster, and whoever is managing the personnel will need to make decisions about aging players who have been major contributors in the past. In 2022 the club certainly could begin to transition its roster with aggressiveness while retaining the most valued players including Cook and probably Hunter.

The Wilfs might do a postseason audit, including review of the player roster and salary cap, and decide a new regime gets the opportunity to rebuild the Vikings during the next couple of years. The Wilfs are fans, too, and they have to be frustrated with mediocrity.

Worth Noting

The Twins announced this morning they have hired Jayce Tingler, 40, as bench coach and David Popkins, 31, as hitting coach. As manager of the Padres, Tingler led the team to the National League Division Series in 2020 and finished second in NL Manager of the Year voting. Popkins was hitting coach for the Great Lakes Loons, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ High-A affiliate. The Loons led the High-A Central Division in home runs (187), slugging percentage (.456) and OPS (.800) last season.

Yesterday Jefferson played in his 24th career game and increased his career receiving yards to 2,032 yards. He is the second-fastest player in the Super Bowl era to reach 2,000 career receiving yards (Odell Beckham Jr., 21 games).

Presuming the Vikings draft somewhere between 16 and 32 in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft, they might select a quarterback like Nevada’s Carson Strong or Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. It’s believed Spielman is evaluating both of them.

Among deer hunters planning to be out for the opener last weekend were Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant and his legendary dad Bud, 94 years old. Mike is chasing a 12th state football championship.

The Golden Gophers, 6-3, expectedly lost their opening game to Ohio State but their other two defeats, against lowly Bowling Green and mediocre Illinois, were major upsets. Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck said early last week that in nine years as a head coach his personal worst effort was for Bowling Green.

Gophers’ kicker Matthew Trickett, the Ken State transfer who was the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019 after making 82.5 percent of 57 attempts, is 10 of 17 for 58.2 percent through eight games at Minnesota. He is three of five from 40-49 yards, and one of four from 50 or more. He has also missed two extra points including one in Saturday’s 14-6 loss to Illinois.

One Stadium Village lot about three blocks from Huntington Bank Stadium is charging $30 for parking at Gophers football games. Any place asking more?

Congratulations to retired Gopher trainer Jim Marshall and wife Mary Lee who celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary November 16.

Minnesota native and Wild forward Nick Bjugstad, who scored the winning shootout goal Saturday night against the Penguins, made this promise to the fans before the season started: “I’ll do my best every day to bring the Stanley Cup to St. Paul.”

Jack LaFontaine, chosen last season as college hockey’s best goalie, had a season high 34 saves for the 6-4 Gophers in their 4-1 win over the Badgers Saturday night. Minnesota is 11-4-1 in its last 16 games against border rival Wisconsin.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated includes a photo and Faces in the Crowd story on Hopkins senior basketball star Maya Nnaji who will play next year for Arizona, becoming the highest ranked Wildcat in women’s program history, per the magazine.

Twins radio voice Cory Provus will do Big Ten Network men’s basketball play-by-play this season.

The Twins have two free agents in pitcher Michael Pineda and shortstop Andrelton Simmons. Wager on a Pineda return, but not Simmons.

Wonder if the Twins have interest in a short term contract for former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander? He will be 39 by Opening Day and has missed almost the last two seasons because of an injured elbow but maybe there is something “left in the tank” of the free agent right hander.

Skyline Division leader Bethel hosts Northwoods Division leader Saint John’s on Saturday for the MIAC football championship. The winner receives the MIAC’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Johnnies won the regular-season game between the two traditional powers, 31-25.

Football rosters for the annual Minnesota High School All-Star Game (December 4, U.S. Bank Stadium) will be announced Friday on Randy Shaver’s Prep Sports Extra show on KARE 11.

The November 11 CORES luncheon and program at the Bloomington Event Center is cancelled. The next CORES program will be January 13.

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