David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Blogging on a Football Weekend

Posted on November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 by David Shama

With the Vikings and Gophers playing out of town last weekend, I can’t give you reports from TCF Bank Stadium, but here’s a recounting of how I kept myself occupied the last few days.

On Thursday I listened to 83-year-old former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher speak to the CORES group (coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans). He last spoke to CORES in 1986. This prompted Dutcher to quip: “The next time I talk to this group I will be 112.”

The University of Iowa sent a news release late in the week warning fans to beware of counterfeit tickets for Saturday night’s Hawkeyes-Gophers game. This made me wonder what to do if I had purchased tickets for the game and then encountered strangers sitting in what I thought were my seats. How to decide who would stay, and who would move on?

Rock-paper-scissors?

Maybe, but the ideal situation would be learning these strangers were music teachers who mostly had come to Kinnick Stadium to watch the Iowa marching band before the game, at halftime and post-game. Does a negotiation where my group sat in the seats for the first, second, third and fourth quarters sound unreasonable?

Not sure how Friday the 13th went for you but Brock Vereen will remember the day for awhile—maybe a long time. The Vikings released the former Gophers safety on Friday.

News of Vereen’s departure came via e-mail but there were other e-mails last weekend much more important than football.

Minneapolis advertising legend Pat Fallon, an alumnus of Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota, died unexpectedly on Friday. Heart-felt condolences to Pat’s family and many friends. He was 70 years old.

The Timberwolves sent word about a presentation prior to their home game Sunday against the Grizzlies. Chris Herren, former NBA player and ex-drug addict, came to Target Center to tell his story about addiction and recovery—and his mission to help others by speaking to the public.

I learned via e-mail former Gopher and Viking tight end Doug Kingsriter got married in Dallas on Sunday. Anyone who knows Doug enjoys his wit and wisdom. He was a 1971 All-American at Minnesota and later played for Bud Grant with the Vikings.

I was trying to be on a no-football “diet” during the day on Saturday—saving my brain cells for analysis of the Gophers and Vikings—but a friend phoned and was raving about the performance of North High School’s Tyler Johnson. I turned the TV on when North’s Class 1A state title game against Minneota was in the late second quarter. Right on cue Johnson the quarterback made an elusive run for a touchdown. A couple of moments later Johnson the defensive back intercepted a pass and made an electrifying run where he seemingly left almost every Minneota tackler grabbing for air before finally going to the ground.

Johnson, a Gophers recruit, looks like he has the athleticism to play at a high level in the Big Ten. He won’t be a quarterback but whatever his position he sure looks like a playmaker.

About 4 p.m. on Saturday I received the perfect warm-up text for the Gophers-Iowa game from my son: “Big upset tonight.”

Earlier in the week he predicted a Vikings win in Oakland: 34-31.

Couldn’t help but notice coach Richard Pitino scheduled the Gophers basketball team for a game on Sunday, just an hour before kickoff in Oakland. Coach, I know you have only lived here a couple of years but the Vikings are kind of a big deal.

Umm. The Timberwolves also played Sunday afternoon. Guess they use the same schedule maker the Gophers have. And is that the person who schedules the Wolves and Wild on the same nights?

It was a good weekend to be a Hawkeyes fan. The wrestling team defeated No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State in Kinnick Stadium Saturday afternoon, drawing an NCAA dual match record attendance of 42,287. Then Saturday night at sold out Kinnick Stadium the Hawkeyes hung on to defeat the Gophers 40-35 and stay unbeaten with a 10-0 record.

Quarterbacks are always a focus and certainly were on Saturday night. Iowa’s C.J. Beathard has become one of the better quarterbacks in the country during his first full season as a starter. His passing and running were a problem all night for Minnesota, but the Gophers Mitch Leidner may have played the best game of his career completing 19 of 27 passes with no interceptions and running for a score. His passing rating was 163.2, according to ESPN.com.

Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover, often a target of critics, impressed with play calling that frequently had the Iowa defense off balance. Minnesota scored three touchdowns rushing against a defense that had given up only three all season. The Gophers had 301 yards passing including a touchdown throw from running back Shannon Brooks to wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky.

Credit too goes to the offensive line that played its best game of the fall. The line gave Leidner more opportunity than in the past to throw and at times opened big holes for Brooks. But while the offensive line had a good performance, the defensive line didn’t. The Hawkeyes were forced to punt only two times all night and Iowa rushers had huge holes including a 51-yard run late in the game when the Gophers were trying to get the ball back while trailing 33-28.

Minnesota is playing through a difficult season characterized by an abnormal loss of starters to injuries and a schedule of nationally-ranked opponents. But Minnesota has played through it all with much more determination and execution than a lot of teams would. The team’s 4-6 overall record and 1-5 Big Ten record doesn’t reflect the team’s quality. There’s reason for optimism in the two remaining games of the season against Illinois and Wisconsin at home.

I missed church on Sunday morning but tried to make up for it by listening to Greg Coleman’s “Pregame Preach” on KFAN prior to kickoff in Oakland. The former Vikings punter quotes scripture each week while talking football. Yesterday he was inspiring listeners while referencing King David and imploring Vikings fans to have faith in the presence of the “Black Hole,” otherwise known as the notorious south end zone section of the Oakland stadium where rowdy fans clad in all kinds of outfits reside.

And now about that Vikings game…and yesterday’s Packers-Lions game…and those NFC North standings…and about next Sunday’s Vikings game with the Pack in Minneapolis.

Remember that famous Al Michaels quote in 1980 when Herbie Brooks and his U.S. Olympic hockey team stunned the world? “Do you believe in miracles?”

Well, the 7-2 Vikings might not be a miracle forming in the northland but they’re a darn good team that just happens to be on a five-game winning streak, partially earned with three consecutive wins on the road including yesterday’s 30-14 victory over the Raiders. Meanwhile, in Green Bay, the Packers lost to—gulp—the lowly Lions, 18-16, and increased their losing streak to three straight.

All of a sudden the “Perfect Packers” are imperfect and are looking up at the Vikings in the standings. The Packers, 6-3, come to town having fallen from their spot among the NFL elite and at best are a shaky favorite in Sunday’s game.

The Packers figure to be a determined bunch next Sunday but the Vikings defense looks like it will carry this team into the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Yesterday in Oakland that defense held a Raiders offense that had scored 34 points or more in three consecutive games to just two touchdowns.

Those who had faith in the Purple before the game were rewarded.

Amen.

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U Center’s Bond with Jerry Kill Special

Posted on November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 by David Shama

Gophers freshman center Tyler Moore received the kind of news he didn’t expect and want on his 19th birthday last month.

Tyler’s father, Samson Moore, told Sports Headliners about how the first hours of October 28 developed involving his son and Jerry Kill. “He was waking up happy about his birthday, and then he gets called into a 7:30 a.m. meeting, (and) his coach is telling him he’s got to retire due to his health,” Sam said in a telephone interview last week. “That hit them (all the players) hard. I know it hit Tyler especially hard…because of that bond they had (Tyler and Kill). I know it still bothers him to now. He’s just trying to focus on football as much as he can. Keep that out of his mind.”

Mary Moore, Tyler’s mom, had a traumatic brain injury as a child. She has struggled with seizures—just like Kill who resigned because of his battles with epilepsy and seizures. When Kill was recruiting Tyler last year in Texas a connection was created between the coach and the Moore family.

“Tyler had been through and seen a lot of things that his mom had dealt with—and knowing what coach Kill was living with as well—I think they had that extra connection between them,” Sam said.

Kill has dealt with seizures for years. As he got to know the Moores he expressed a willingness to help Mary. “He always told her if there is anything that we can do, or any procedure, or a doctor you need to see, you just let me know,” Sam recalled. “(He said) we’ve got great facilities up here and everything. I can get you to the right people.”

October had begun with excitement and promise for the Moores. Tyler, only a true freshman and 18 years old, made his first start for the Gophers at Purdue on October 10. Prior to that start Sam reminded his nervous son he had been playing football with success since he was seven years old. He also told him how unusual it is for a freshman offensive lineman to start for a Big Ten team. “That’s a badge of honor,” Sam said.

Tyler, 6-4, 311 pounds, was ranked among the top 10 high school center prospects in the country while playing for North Shore High School in Houston. He’s started at center for the Gophers in their last four games.

North Shore High School coach John Kay told Sports Headliners “the sky’s the limit” on Tyler’s potential. Tyler was a three-year starter at North Shore, playing both guard and center.

Kay praised Tyler’s work ethic and “physical stature.” The coach hadn’t predicted Tyler would start as a true freshman, but he’s not that surprised either.

Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said that as expected with a player so young and inexperienced there are “ups and downs” in game day performances. But Limegrover also used the “sky’s the limit” tag for Tyler. “Overall, I’ve been really pleased with what he’s been able to do this year,” Limegrover said.

In high school Tyler’s offensive line coach was Ben Wilkerson who was co-winner of the 2004 Rimington Trophy as the nation’s outstanding center while playing for LSU. Wilkerson is now an assistant coach with the Bears in the NFL.

If Tyler—who Limegrover noted has yet to have a bad snap in a game—is to one day be considered for the Remington, he will have to prove himself without Kill. He will have to succeed when confronted with problems like the morning of his birthday when he heard the news about the coach. “He took it really hard,” his dad said. “He’s a big guy; he’s got a soft heart. Coach Kill was the one that really put it over the top for him as far as committing to Minnesota. They used to talk quite a bit before his commitment. …”

Sam remembered Tyler told him in the days leading up to Kill’s resignation the coach’s physical appearance was different. “He said he (Kill) just didn’t look right. He just didn’t seem himself—(and Tyler) came to find out he’d had some seizures that week already.”

Like so many people, the Moores were admirers of both Kill and his wife Rebecca. During the last several years in Minneapolis-St. Paul, the Kills have bettered the community including establishment of the Chasing Dreams Fund through the Epilepsy Foundation.

“They’re regular people,” Sam said about Kill and his wife. “What you see is what they really are. It’s a tough loss for everybody, and the University. I hope the University can bring him back in some fashion so that he can be around the game that he loves. …I think that will make him feel some kind of normalcy.”

Worth Noting

An injury to starting center Brian Bobek, a redshirt senior, gave Moore the opportunity to play with the No. 1 offense. Moore is backed up by redshirt sophomore Matt Leidner, the younger brother of Gophers redshirt junior quarterback Mitch Leidner. At 21 years old, Mitch is just 16 months older than 20 year old Matt.

Gophers senior wide receiver KJ Maye had a personal-best 116 yards in receptions last Saturday against then No. 1 ranked Ohio State. Maye has improved his route running in the last couple of weeks. “Yeah, you should see that guy in practice,” Mitch Leidner said. “He goes constantly. He doesn’t take reps off because he doesn’t want to. Just how competitive he is. That’s why it pays off on the field on game day. He’s a heck of a player.”

Leidner talking about running the read-option against Ohio State All-American defensive end Joey Bosa who could be the first player chosen in next year’s NFL Draft: “As far as pulling it on a guy like Bosa, good luck with that. He plays the zone-read best out of anyone I’ve ever seen.”

The Gophers and Iowa renew their rivalry and possession of Floyd of Rosedale tomorrow night in Iowa City. Gophers senior redshirt punter Peter Mortell is from Green Bay and he’s learned about the rivalry’s intensity and keeping possession of the bronze pig. “I didn’t know about it as much before I got here but no one likes Iowa,” Mortell said. “No one in the locker room and (no one) outside it. …”

Mortell is on the Ray Guy watch list to possibly win the award for the nation’s best punter. He led the Big Ten in punting last season averaging 45.1 yards per kick. The former walk-on had minor knee surgery earlier this fall but is still averaging 43.7 yards per punt—third best in the Big Ten. He has been disappointed in “maybe” three of his punts this season.

“I try to look forward and not backward,” Mortell said. “The fact of the matter is that when I am healthy I think I am one of the best punters in the country—and I think my teammates and coaches would echo that. …”

The Gophers have lost three consecutive Big Ten games including the last two against nationally-ranked Michigan and Ohio State. Minnesota, though, played competitively in those games and had opportunities to win in the fourth quarter.

“Before that (Michigan and Ohio State) we weren’t playing up to our potential, and if we were playing like that against Michigan and Ohio State we probably would have got…run off the field,” said Gophers sophomore defensive end Gaelin Elmore. “I think we feel like we’re starting to play a little bit more like we’re capable of. We’re starting to catch the momentum and the ball will fall our way here eventually.”

Elmore was initially a tight end with the Gophers but was quickly switched to defense where his athleticism was needed. His roommate at Minnesota is former Wayzata High School tight end Brandon Lingen who is developing into a playmaker as a sophomore starter. Elmore was asked if he could catch the ball as well as his roomie.

“Oh yeah,” he answered. “People forget that I can catch the ball. Especially the D-linemen, they try to say I got moved (to defense) because I can’t catch the ball but it’s quite the opposite.”

At his Tuesday news conference Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz was full of praise for Kill. He talked about what a special person Kill is, and lauded the lifetime coach’s ability to build programs including at places he coached before coming to Minnesota.

“They got on our radar at Southern Illinois, really got on it at Northern Illinois,” Ferentz said. “We’d see them on film playing very well, and…I was hopeful Minnesota wouldn’t hire him. I was hoping nobody in the Big Ten would, but Minnesota figured it out. They hired a great coach and a great staff. The work that they’ve done up there, the improvement they’ve made is really clear to see. You don’t have to be an expert to figure that out.”

Teddy Bridgewater is expected to make his ninth start of the season on Sunday in Oakland against the Raiders. The second-year quarterback only has six touchdown passes and the same number of interceptions but the Vikings do have a surprise 6-2 record after going 7-9 last season. With the first half of the schedule completed, offensive coordinator Norv Turner was asked yesterday for his evaluation of Bridgewater.

Teddy Bridgewater (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

“We’re 6-2 and that’s to me the evaluation that matters,” Turner said. “I think Teddy has had a lot to do with that record. I think he’s an opportunistic guy. I think he’s making very few negative plays. He’s not making plays that cost us games, and obviously in the most critical situations when we’ve been behind, whether it be early in the fourth quarter, or late in the fourth quarter, he’s put together drives. He’s put together plays that have given us a chance to win.

“As coach (Mike Zimmer) says, we’re still growing in the passing game, and when you’re not having the kind of success that you want, or having the kind of numbers that you want, obviously it always goes back to the quarterback. But for us to continue to get better in the passing game…we’ve got to do all of the little things in all areas—whether it be protection, route running, getting the right plays called at the right time, all of those things.”

Comments Welcome

U Hires Quiet & Strong Coach in Claeys

Posted on November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 by David Shama

A news conference this morning to announce Tracy Claeys as the Gophers new head football coach isn’t surprising. Multiple sources indicated his interim tag was to be removed last week or this week, and that the 46-year-old Claeys met with University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler on Monday.

Claeys worked for former Gophers head coach Jerry Kill as an assistant for 21 seasons including five at Minnesota as defensive coordinator. During that time Claeys demonstrated his football intelligence and ability as a teacher. He comes across as analytical and authentic. He can figure out schemes and game plans, but he is also personable. He deserves much of the credit for turning the Minnesota defense into the pride of the team.

Former Gophers captain Jim Carter told Sports Headliners this morning he thinks the hire is the “right choice” and the news likely is well received by most ex-players from the U. “I’d be really surprised if it’s not,” Carter said. “There maybe a couple naysayers.”

Carter was close to Kill and the program during the last several years. He’s been impressed with the ability of Claeys as a teacher, not just a coach. He sees a studious teacher in Claeys who watches things on both the field and film room, then instructs.

“They coach them up that way rather than hollering and screaming,” Carter said. “He’s an introvert, quiet but strong. I like him. I admire the way he works.”

Claeys might turn out to be a better head coach than Kill—and that’s saying a lot.

Here is the point: Claeys has never been a head coach before. Beware of anyone who tells you he will be a disappointment, or guarantees he will be a success.

No one can predict with certainty Claeys will shine as Minnesota’s coach. There are indications, though, this is a good hire. Although Kill gave Claeys the team’s better athletes, he got results as defensive coordinator. The Gophers were often an embarrassment defensively before Kill and Claeys arrived. In the last couple years highly ranked opponents like TCU and Ohio State have come to know Minnesota’s defense was going to challenge them.

He took over as interim coach for Kill in 2013 and impressed leading the Gophers to wins. Since Kill resigned on October 28 the Gophers have played with effort in losses to Michigan and Ohio State.

Claeys admits his mistakes and a lot of coaches aren’t willing to do that. He took responsibility for Minnesota’s out of position defense in a 48-25 loss to Nebraska last month. He blamed himself for the poor clock management at the end of the Michigan game.

What Claeys knows going forward is he will have the support of a staff already in place. New head coaches often have to assemble a staff of assistants but Claeys takes over a group that generally won praise working for Kill. Claeys also has the advantage of dialing up Kill any time he needs support or advice. No doubt he will.

Because Kill rebuilt the Gophers program and left Claeys all his assistants he will be compared to his mentor. It’s a fair comparison. Claeys needs to put his own mark on the program and there are a couple of areas that deserve to be at the head of the line.

Recruiting has to continue to improve at Minnesota. The Gophers will never become an annual threat to win the Big Ten title and play in New Year’s Day bowl games without better personnel than what this program has known for decades.

Claeys has the momentum of a program that nationally has a much better reputation than five years ago when Kill arrived. He has to show he and his staff can keep the promising 2016 recruiting class in place and make the 2017 class even better.

Carter doesn’t know a lot about Claeys as a recruiter but is optimistic he can be effective. “To me a good recruiter is a person that is sincere and tells the kids the truth and shows them how they can improve their lives by going to his school,” Carter said. “I think Tracy is very capable of doing that.”

The other area that needs major work is the offense. In five years Kill never stabilized the quarterback position to the point where the Gophers had a top performer who was on the roster for awhile and had a quality backup or two. The offense has also been characterized by inconsistent offensive lines. Those lines quickly became the heart of Wisconsin’s offensive success in the 1990s and continue to this day. The Gophers so far haven’t found that same success.

Hiring Claeys was the easy choice for interim athletic director Beth Goetz and Kaler. Finding a replacement outside the staff would have required more homework and perhaps more risk than promoting Claeys whose character is already vetted. Waiting a few or several weeks likely would have resulted in losing high school recruits who made verbal commitments for 2016.

Sometimes the simple way is the better one. The University chose to go with Claeys who will be compared in the seasons ahead with other Big Ten coaches and Kill. I suspect Kill is not only smiling but hoping that his former D-coordinator turns out to be a better head coach than he was.

Gophers & Vikings Notes

Gophers senior running back Rodrick Williams carried the ball five times for nine yards against Ohio State last Saturday. He also caught two passes for 44 yards. It was his first game appearance since Purdue on October 14. When Williams was in high school in Lewisville, Texas his college choices came down to the Gophers and Iowa. When a Hawkeyes recruiter was critical of the Gophers, it tipped his decision to attend Minnesota.

The Gophers, 4-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten, play at Iowa, 9-0 and 5-0, on Saturday night. Despite both being in the Big Ten West Division, the teams so far have only one common opponent. Minnesota lost to Northwestern 27-0, while Iowa defeated the Wildcats 40-10.

With a win over the Gophers, Iowa can be 10-0 for the first time in school history, but head coach Kirk Ferentz was the target of criticism from Hawkeyes fans going into this season after his past four teams had records of 7-6, 8-5, 4-8 and 7-6.

On their two-deep offensive and defensive listings the Hawkeyes have 18 players from the state of Iowa. Seven of them are starters, with 11 others reserves among the 44 players on the two-deep roster. The Gophers don’t list two-deeps but of their 22 starters seven are Minnesota natives. It’s an interesting comparison since Iowa’s state population is about three million while Minnesota’s is over five million. Also, the Gophers are the only Division I school playing football in Minnesota while Iowa has to compete with Iowa State and Northern Iowa for high school players.

The Vikings haven’t played the Raiders since 2011 and the two franchises last met in Oakland in 2003. This Sunday in Oakland the Vikings will have to contend with second-year quarterback Derek Carr who ranks among NFL leaders in touchdown passes with 19 and QB rating at 104.3.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer evaluated Carr prior to the 2014 NFL Draft, but Minnesota opted to use a first round pick on Teddy Bridgewater while the Raiders chose Carr in the second round. “I’ve watched three games on him (Carr) so far,” Zimmer said on Monday. “I think he’s playing very well—gets the ball out quick, seems like he has a good understanding of where the ball needs to go and how to get it out quickly. (Has a) strong arm, accurate. We did a lot of work on him when he came out.”

Adrian Peterson has rushed for 326 yards in his last three games. He leads the NFL in rushing with 758 yards. Zimmer said Peterson and the offensive line have made improvements lately.

“We’ve worked on some of the things with his footwork a little bit, but I think the offensive line is doing a better job of handling some of these run blitzes that we’ve been getting, and coming off and seeing things better,” Zimmer said. “Just something we’ve been working on. …”

The Vikings are the only team in the NFL to hold opponents to 23 points or fewer every game this season.

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