David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Coach Not Hyping Denver Altitude

Posted on September 28, 2015September 28, 2015 by David Shama

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer talked about Denver’s altitude, team identity, injuries and more at his news conference this afternoon at Winter Park.

The Vikings play the Broncos in Denver next Sunday. The Mile High City has an altitude of over 5,000 feet but Zimmer isn’t offering negative thoughts about oxygen to his players who will make a quick trip in and out of Denver. He said it’s scientifically proven that in a 24 hour period the altitude there isn’t problematic.

The Vikings’ challenge next Sunday will be to clarify their identity. After losing 20-3 to the 49ers in their opening game earlier this month, the Vikings have come home to play impressively in wins over the Lions and Chargers. Zimmer said the team he watched play poorly in California isn’t the club he saw in training camp and during the last two weeks. The Vikings he wants to continue seeing are a good football team, a physical and attacking group that yesterday punished the Chargers defensively and offensively.

“I do like the physical nature of our team the last couple of weeks,” Zimmer said. “Football has been around so long and it always comes down to a physical game at the end. I want us to continue that way. I hope that that is our identity going forward, but we’ll see. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

The Vikings need to prove they can play at a high performance level away from Minneapolis. Part of the test, too, is the Broncos appear to be the best team Minnesota has faced so far. The Broncos are 3-0, winning by six points at home against the Ravens and earning seven and 12 point victories on the road at Kansas City and Detroit. The Broncos defense has been outstanding versus both the run and pass. Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning and the offense have struggled. Still, most NFL authorities would put the Broncos on a short list of Super Bowl favorites.

The Vikings defense pounded Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers yesterday in a surprisingly easy Minnesota win, 31-14. The intense pressure and physical play of the front four literally had Rivers trying to catch his breath. That could be a bad omen for the 39-year-old Manning and his aging arm.

Zimmer praised his front four and has observed they like to please. “They’ve got a lot of pride amongst themselves,” Zimmer said.

Regarding injuries, Xavier Rhodes suffered a concussion yesterday but Zimmer said his starting cornerback is “feeling great today” and indicated he could play at Denver. Wide receiver Charles Johnson has injured ribs and Zimmer didn’t predict his availability.

Adrian Peterson gained 126 rushing yards yesterday, his second consecutive 100-plus yards game this season. Zimmer said Peterson put in extra work last week and expects additional efforts to follow.

“He looks good to me and I like what he brings to this football team, the mindset, the intensity, the viciousness that we have,” Zimmer said. “I think it carries over throughout the team.”

Worth Noting

It will be interesting to see ESPN.com’s NFL power rankings when they come out tomorrow. Last week the Chargers were ranked No. 13, three spots ahead of the Vikings. The Broncos were No. 5.

The Broncos sell their media guide to the public for $28. The publication is 696 pages and has so much information it’s more than one inch thick.

Mike Wallace (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Mike Wallace is in his seventh season in the NFL and was asked what factors cause a team to play poorly. “Chemistry, confidence and injuries,” the Vikings wide receiver said.

How does Wallace define chemistry? Whether players get along and are concerned about each other, he said.

Terence Newman, the Vikings 37-year-old cornerback, hasn’t decided how many more NFL seasons he will play. He emphasizes rest while at home and said that helps a lot with the physical demands of football.

Although there was speculation coach Jerry Kill would use true freshman quarterback Demry Croft for the first time against Ohio last Saturday, it didn’t happen. Redshirt junior Mitch Leidner played the entire game in Minnesota’s 24-21 win. Leidner has played all but a few snaps in Minnesota’s first four games as Croft, redshirt sophomore Chris Streveler and redshirt freshman Jacques Perra have watched from the sidelines.

All the quarterbacks on the roster have remaining eligibility and the Gophers have a verbal commitment from Lansing (Mich.) Catholic High School star Tony Poljan. Kill is believed to be high on Poljan’s potential but can’t talk about high school players because of NCAA recruiting policy.

Recruiting authority Ryan Burns praised Croft a year ago and likes the athletic 6-7, 230-pound Poljan just as much. He told Sports Headliners Michigan and Michigan State have quarterback commitments for their 2016 recruiting classes, and that helped create an opportunity for the Gophers who offered the dual-threat Poljan a scholarship awhile ago. Poljan also received Division I basketball offers.

Burns believes Poljan will be physically ready to play as a freshman, but the learning curve is a challenge for a first-year quarterback. “I really like what this kid could be,” said Burns who is publisher of Scout’s GopherDigest.com.

Frank Solich, the Ohio head coach, almost got the Minnesota job after the 1996 season, according to Mike Max. The WCCO TV sports anchor told his audience on Friday night Solich, then an assistant coach at Nebraska, was going to be hired at Minnesota until Kansas coach Glen Mason became available.

Congratulations to Rochester Lourdes head coach Mike Kesler on his 100th career win achieved Friday night in a 52-42 victory over La Crescent. His career record over 11 seasons (all at Lourdes) is 100-25.

The Timberwolves, who open training camp tomorrow at their new downtown practice facility, will have a free scrimmage open to the public on Monday, October 5 beginning at 7 p.m. Fans must reserve tickets in advance at Timberwolves.com.

NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who has type 2 diabetes, speaks about his experiences at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes EXPO on Saturday, October 10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. His father and grandfather also had diabetes. Admission to the EXPO is free.

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Norv Turner Offers Chargers Connection

Posted on September 24, 2015September 24, 2015 by David Shama

A notes-filled column with info on the Gophers, Lynx, MIAC football, Twins and Vikings—plus, Sports Headliners’ Big Ten power rankings.

The Vikings might have an edge in preparing for the Chargers this week because of Norv Turner. The second-year Vikings offensive coordinator was head coach of the Chargers for six seasons and his players included quarterback Phillip Rivers. Turner has knowledge about Rivers including tendencies and mechanics. His input might help the Vikings defensive backs anticipate Rivers’ passes on Sunday when the two 1-1 teams play at TCF Bank Stadium.

Turner was fired by the Chargers after the 2012 season despite having a 56-40 regular season record dating back to 2007. He won three AFC West Division titles and was popular with players who reportedly gave him a standing ovation at his final team meeting. Dean Spanos, who fired Turner, is still the Chargers owner. There might be extra satisfaction for Turner if the Vikings win on Sunday.

“You always want to do that for your coaches, try and go out and get a win like that if you know they’ve been at a place as a head coach,” Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace told Sports Headliners. “…He (Turner) would never say anything about it, but obviously I know he would like to get that win.”

Head coach Mike Zimmer (a career defensive specialist), after being asked how much input he gives Turner about the offense: “There is some each week. We sit and talk every Tuesday and then we talk throughout the course of the week. I have ultimate confidence in everything that he does. We discuss all the different things. And I (also) sit down with (quarterback) Teddy (Bridgewater) and watch tape with him every week. So I’m involved, but I’m more involved with the defense.”

Two years ago Zimmer was the defensive coordinator of the Bengals. Last week his old team defeated the Chargers and their talented offense. Does that help prepare the Vikings for Sunday?

“The good part is that I know what Cincinnati is doing defensively. The bad part is they (the Chargers) get to practice against it two weeks in a row,” Zimmer said. “I guess there’s a little give and take on both sides there. It doesn’t hurt.”

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson rushed for an NFL single game record 296 yards against Turner’s 2007 team. Peterson had 30 carries in the game and scored three touchdowns.

Regis Eller, the Minneapolis native and son of former Vikings and Gophers great Carl Eller, is a college scout for the Chargers.

Gophers football fan and University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler turned 59 yesterday.

Gophers student season ticket sales have increased from 6,100 last year to 8,400. Athletic department leaders are hoping for a third consecutive sellout crowd on Saturday when Minnesota plays Ohio starting at 2:30 p.m.

Sean Engel, a senior wide receiver at Chaska High School, received multiple college offers including from Wyoming, but on Sunday verbally committed to North Dakota State. He is the brother of former Gophers wide receiver Derrick Engel.

Ex-Badgers coach Bret Bielema is having a painful September. Bielema’s Razorbacks are 1-2 after home losses to Toledo and Texas Tech. The Tech win last Saturday was led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, son of former Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes. The younger Mahomes also plays baseball for the Red Raiders.

ESPN’s “SportsCenter on the Road” broadcasts live from Saint John’s University in Collegeville on Saturday, adding to the hype for the Johnnies-St. Thomas football game in the afternoon. The ESPN broadcast will air from 6 to 8 a.m. with anchors Matt Barrie and Sara Walsh hosting. The event is free and open to the public, with the Clemens Stadium gates opening at 5 a.m.

The 2-0 Tommies and the 3-0 Johnnies are ranked No. 12 and 8 respectively in the latest D3football.com top 25 poll. The historic football rivalry between St. Thomas and Saint John’s is always special but this year commands more attention than some previous matchups. “This one is so big because of its national and playoff implications,” Tommies coach Glenn Caruso told Sports Headliners.

Caruso knows his to-do list on Saturday includes stopping preseason Johnnies All-American running back Sam Sura who makes rushing for more than 100 yards per game a habit. “I don’t know if you stop him completely,” Caruso said.

Sura excels in gaining extra yardage. “He is very creative in tight spaces,” said Caruso who doesn’t think Sura receives enough credit for his speed.

The Tommies had a bye last Saturday and Caruso said there is “no question” the extra preparation time for the Johnnies helps. Kickoff Saturday is at 1 p.m.

Brittney Griner, the 2014 and 2015 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, had nine blocks for the Mercury when her team played the Lynx on August 30. The two teams split four games during the regular season and Griner blocked a total of 23 shots. The 6-foot-8 center will lead the Mercury defense tonight in Minneapolis when her team and the Lynx start the best of three games Western Conference Finals playoffs. The two clubs play in Phoenix Sunday, and if necessary, back in Minneapolis Tuesday.

KSTP sports anchor and motivational author Joe Schmit speaks at the MVP (Men, Value, Purpose) dinner Tuesday night. The event will be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater with more information available by contacting Dana Johnson, danar90@yahoo.com.

The Twins, 78-73, have earned their way back over .500 after four consecutive 90-plus losing seasons even though no pitcher has won more than 11 games. Phil Hughes got his team-leading 11th win last night with five shutout innings in a 4-2 victory over the Indians.

First baseman Joe Mauer has a 42-game on-base streak and is now tied with the late Bob Allison for the longest streak in franchise history. Mauer has the longest active streak in the majors.

Eduardo Escobar has quietly won over the Twins shortstop job. He drove in two runs last night. He has a hit in 10 of his last 11 games at Target Field, batting .326 with seven RBI.

It was 47 years ago this week when the Twins Cesar Tovar became the second player in major league history to play all nine positions in a single game. The Athletics Bert Campaneris was the first.

After three weekends of following Big Ten football teams, here are the first power rankings by Sports Headliners for 2015:

1. Ohio State (3-0): Close call against Northern Illinois last Saturday. Guess three potential Heisman Trophy quarterbacks on one roster isn’t enough.

2. Michigan State (3-0): The late Bubba Smith would be proud of MSU’s place at No. 2 in the A.P. poll behind Buckeyes. Smith’s size and prowess playing for MSU’s great teams in the 1960s prompted the chant “Kill, Bubba, Kill.”

3. Wisconsin (2-1): Badgers working on third coach in four years but still a Big Ten force.

4. Northwestern (3-0): If Cats can avoid their injuries curse, they have enough talent and coaching to win Big Ten West Division.

5. Michigan (2-1): The Jim Harbaugh magic? Believe it.

6. Iowa (3-0): Hawkeyes unbeaten in three games but better not count on winning another game with a 57-yard field goal.

7. Penn State (2-1): If Nittany Lions have for sure patched up their pass protection, quarterback Christian Hackenberg will damage Big Ten secondaries.

8. Nebraska (1-2): Not a very impressive start for new coach Mike Riley when his talented team loses two of three games in the closing seconds—although Brigham Young and Miami are no “cupcakes.”

9. Minnesota (2-1): With a great defense and top kicking game the Gophers have West Division title potential but a struggling offense sends Jerry Kill’s team into the No. 9 spot for now.

10. Illinois (2-1): Illini looked like a surprise success story in the first two games including a 52-3 whipping of Kent State but last Saturday’s 48-14 loss at North Carolina doesn’t inspire confidence.

11. Maryland (2-1): The Terps, despite a 21-point loss to 1-2 Bowling Green at home, are no pushovers and may tease all fall with their consistency.

12. Rutgers (1-2): This program is Suspension U with even the head coach sidelined and former Gopher lineman Norries Wilson in charge on Saturdays as interim coach.

13. Indiana (3-0): Another re-run production in Bloomington where the Hoosiers entertain offensively but can be a horror show on defense.

14. Purdue (1-2): Who wants to wager whether coach Darrell Hazell will be leading the Boilers after this season?

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Croft Debut for U? Don’t Be Surprised

Posted on September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 by David Shama

Circumstances could be right for true freshman quarterback Demry Croft to play his first minutes and make his initial start for the Gophers on Saturday.

Minnesota, 2-1, plays Ohio, 3-0, in the Gophers final nonconference game on Saturday. The crowd at TCF Bank Stadium will be ready to second-guess a Minnesota offense that has produced only five touchdowns this season, including just one score against mediocre Kent State last Saturday.

Boos at the Kent State game seemed mostly directed at starting quarterback Mitch Leidner and the play calling of the coaching staff. Leidner, now in his second season as a full-time starter, has long been a target of critics because of inconsistent passing. He has sometimes received blame when it was the failure of others who didn’t complete their assignments.

Fans—many of whom have minimal understanding of football—focus comments on the quarterback of any team because it’s the most visible position on the field. Minnesota’s problems on offense go way beyond Leidner, including the unit’s well documented injuries in the offensive line and tight end positions.

Head coach Jerry Kill and his staff have met with the players since the Kent State game. He said on WCCO Radio this morning he solicited their opinions on how things can improve. He also told them “everybody’s job is on the line” this week as the Gophers prepare for Ohio. He wants to encourage competition for playing time.

Starting Croft on Saturday might give the offense a spark, and the change doesn’t have to be an indictment of Leidner. Against Ohio, the Gophers will still be playing with a rebuilt offensive line and the blocking could again be problematic, but sometimes changing quarterbacks provides a lift. If Croft takes the field and makes successful plays he will energize the crowd, and that might give the players an emotional boost.

Kill acknowledged the psyche of his players on WCCO Radio last Sunday morning. “I think the kids right now, on the offensive side of the ball, are in the tank. We gotta get them out of the tank and get them to believe that they can do it. That’s the No. 1 issue that we gotta do this week.

“They (the players) get accustomed to social media—all the things that are being said about them. When you start thinking you’re not very good, that’s not a good deal.”

The oldest story in football might be fans demanding the backup quarterback when the starter doesn’t meet their standards. Fans in Minnesota have been clamoring for Croft’s debut, and expectations about the 18-year-old Rockford, Illinois native have been partially created by his coaches. Kill described the under recruited Croft as a “steal” last winter after signing him to a national letter of intent. “We feel like the sky’s the limit for him,” offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover told Sports Headliners in the spring. And last month, when the Gophers began practices, Kill praised the 6-foot-5 Croft’s athleticism and poise.

Croft may prove to be a better runner than Leidner. If the Gophers commit to running their quarterback more on Saturday than in the past, that could give the offense a new dimension and cause a breakout day by the offense.

Don’t count on Kill making an announcement before Thursday at the earliest about who starts at quarterback in the next game. By using that strategy he can keep the Ohio coaches and players guessing. There may also be value in not announcing the starter to his own players until late in the week or on game day—allowing Croft to avoid worrying too long about his debut.

If Croft starts the game and falters it could take future pressure off Leidner. When fan criticism becomes ugly, it can get the attention of even a professional—just ask former Viking QB Christian Ponder what his Minnesota boo-bird experience was like. A scenario where Leidner replaces Croft in the second half and leads the Gophers to a win over Ohio would give the former Lakeville South QB a higher approval rating.

The Gophers schedule of upcoming games adds to the case for starting Croft on Saturday. Let him start in the final nonconference game at home before Minnesota goes on the road the next two Saturdays for Big Ten games. Croft, who if he does play is likely to be given a simplified offense, could shake rust off against Ohio and gain experience. If he and the offense are successful, that establishes confidence going against nationally ranked Northwestern a week from Saturday.

If Croft struggles, then the Gophers can start over with Leidner either this Saturday or next week. They will have the comfort of knowing that for the first two Big Ten Saturdays they can avoid the maroon and gold critics in the stands.

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