David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Dutcher Picks Gophers for Third in Big Ten

Posted on January 5, 2015January 5, 2015 by David Shama

Minnesota is 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference heading into tomorrow night’s first conference home game at Williams Arena but Jim Dutcher is optimistic about the Gophers. The former Gophers coach predicts Minnesota will finish third in the Big Ten standings, perhaps with an 11-7 record. “I like their roster,” said Dutcher, who coached the Gophers to the 1982 Big Ten championship.

Dutcher looks at the Gophers and sees a veteran team (five seniors on the 12-man roster) with “great guard depth” and valuable size with experienced centers Mo Walker and Elliott Elliason, both nearly 7-feet tall. “The question mark is forward play,” Dutcher said.

The Gophers, who have only unproven Charles Buggs behind Joey King at forward, opened their Big Ten schedule last week with losses at Purdue and Maryland. That makes tomorrow night’s game against Ohio State a big opportunity for Minnesota. “To win in the Big Ten you need to split (games) on the road and win your home games,” Dutcher said.

Wisconsin is Dutcher’s pick to finish first in the Big Ten and he has Ohio State at No. 2. OSU also has five seniors but a lot of the news about the Buckeyes focuses on freshman guard D’Angelo Russell who is third in Big Ten scoring at 17.7 points per game. The Buckeyes are 1-1 in league play, having lost to Iowa and beating Illinois, with both games at home.

Dutcher said the Big Ten has seen 11 players leave their schools early for the NBA in the last couple of years, including 10 No. 1 draft choices. This year Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky might be the league’s only No. 1 pick. With more mediocre talent spread throughout the league, the jockeying for high finishes in the conference behind consensus title choice Wisconsin figures to be entertaining and unpredictable.

The Gophers’ chances for a third or fourth place conference finish will partially be determined by stopping long scoring runs by opponents. The Gophers, for example, had a 55-44 lead with 9:37 to play in the second half against Purdue. A couple minutes later the Boilermakers trailed by three points, 56-53, before going on to win, 72-68.

Purdue had lost three consecutive nonconference games before playing Minnesota and the Boilermakers presented a major opportunity for a Gophers’ win. “A lot of time teams will get a run on them (the Gophers) and they really have some trouble just knuckling down and getting the key defensive stop,” Dutcher said.

Dutcher believes coach Richard Pitino should upgrade his nonconference schedule, taking on higher quality opponents that can help the Gophers ready themselves for the competition of the Big Ten, including playing on the road. “It doesn’t hurt…to lose to good competition early,” Dutcher said. “I just think it helps your preparation, particularly when somewhere along the line you gotta play a tough road game.”

Dutcher predicts Pitino will lead the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament after he coached Minnesota to the NIT title in his first season in 2014. To do that the Gophers will have to receive much better scoring production from three of their four outstanding guards than they saw against Maryland in a 70-58 loss. Seniors Andre Hollins, DeAndre Mathieu and freshman Nate Mason totaled six points on four of 21 shooting. The fourth guard is junior Carlos Morris, a player Dutcher likes a lot, and he scored 18 against the Terps, second to Walker’s team high 20 points.

Despite the 0-2 start, Dutcher isn’t backing off his optimistic prediction about this team that features talented guards and an inside scoring presence with Walker. But it’s no surprise he labels tomorrow night’s game “big” for 0-2 Minnesota.

Worth Noting

Dutcher said Big Ten Network basketball analyst Jim Jackson also predicted the Gophers will finish third in the conference.

Wisconsin, 14-1, is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll and has all of its key players returning from last year’s Final Four team except guard Ben Brust. Dutcher said the Badgers, though, have “trouble with quick guards,” and can also be vulnerable if preseason player of the year candidate Kaminsky, the 7-foot center, is in foul trouble because Wisconsin doesn’t have a replacement with his size. “They’re not unbeatable,” Dutcher said.

Larry Davis, who was a Gophers assistant coach in the 1990s and credited with recruiting All-Americans Bobby Jackson and Quincy Lewis, is now interim head coach at Cincinnati because Mick Cronin won’t be coaching for awhile due to a health issue.

Gophers sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. today was named the National Player of the Week by espnW after averaging 17.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 4 blocks per game in wins over Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin last week.

The 75th annual banquet for the “Original Baseball Old Timers Hot Stove League” will be at the Prom Center in Oakdale next Monday. Sports celebrities will include former and present baseball players. Twins manager Paul Molitor and relief pitcher Glen Perkins will be among the head table speakers. Event and ticket information is available by calling Rudy Jannetto, 651-379-2325.

With the smallest stadium capacity in the NFL, the Vikings had the lowest average per game attendance during the 2014 regular season. Playing at TCF Bank Stadium, the Vikings averaged 52,238 fans, according to ESPN.com. However, the website also reported the Vikings were No. 5 in the 32-team NFL for percentage of capacity at 104.5.

The Raiders, averaging 53,699 for regular season home games in Oakland, were 31st in attendance. The Rams, averaging 57,018 in St. Louis, ranked 30th. There is speculation those two franchises will relocate to Los Angeles. For a few years Los Angeles was rumored to be the new home of the Vikings and now it seems possible the city will have two teams based there. It will be ironic if the teams turn out to be the Raiders and Rams since both franchises once were based in Los Angeles.

The Gophers and Union played for the NCAA hockey title last spring but both programs are struggling this season. The Gophers are 10-5-1 while Union is 10-7-2.

It will be 35 years next month that Minnesotans such as former Gophers and North Stars coach Herb Brooks helped lead the U.S. hockey team to their stunning Olympic upset of the Soviet Union. ESPN Films has produced a show to air on February 8 as part of its acclaimed 30 for 30 series that will reveal how the game impacted the lives of the Soviet players.

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Tigers Growl When ‘Script’ Calls for Yawn

Posted on January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 by David Shama

Missouri didn’t follow the “script” and left no doubt today the Tigers are a superior team to the Gophers. Missouri defeated Minnesota 33-17 in the Citrus Bowl and the Gophers lost their seventh consecutive postseason game.

This writer and others who follow the Gophers passionately thought the Tigers might sleepwalk their way through the game but after a sluggish start Missouri sharpened its play. The “script” was for the Tigers—10-3 and SEC East Division champs—to be disinterested at the Citrus Bowl. The Gophers—the 8-4 underdogs from the mediocre Big Ten and playing their first New Year’s Day bowl game in 53 years—figured to be primed for the “kill” against a good team from the mighty SEC.

The Gophers were impressive early in the game and the Tigers were “yawning” for awhile but by halftime Missouri had a 10-7 lead. Minnesota trailed only 19-17 when the fourth quarter started but Missouri’s superior personnel wore down the Gophers and by the closing minutes the game wasn’t even close.

At most positions the Tigers were better offensively and defensively. And they were better in special teams, too. Missouri, trailing 7-0 in the first half, used a fake punt to gain a first down and change momentum. Then to start the second half the Tigers surprised the Gophers with an onside kickoff and moved down the field to kick a field goal to increase their lead to 13-7.

The worst special teams goof up of the day came on a horrendous fumble by Gophers punt returner Marcus Jones. The senior tried to catch a short punt with Tigers converging around him. His fumble and later a Minnesota personal foul led to a Missouri touchdown and 19-14 lead.

Not long before Jones’ fumble, the Gophers had moved ahead of Missouri 14-13 on a 54 yard touchdown by redshirt sophomore tight end Maxx Williams. He made a spectacular run and effort, eluding and jumping over Tigers defenders.

The Gophers had the best tight end on the field in the All-American Williams. Minnesota’s defensive backs gave an elite performance, too, but overall Missouri had better players and the game was a reminder that coach Jerry Kill and his staff have to continue upgrading personnel.

The Gophers never lacked for effort this season. Sometimes, including today, they often missed in their execution. And other times, like against Missouri, Ohio State, TCU and Wisconsin, they just didn’t have enough playmakers.

The Gophers and their fans dreamed big about a Citrus Bowl win but Minnesota’s nightmare run of bowl losses continues.

Worth Noting

Stubhub.com listed tickets yesterday morning for the Citrus Bowl ranging in cost from $13.95 to $399.99. The website also had tickets for the Rose Bowl starting at $144.34 and going up to $2,813.25. The price ranges for the Sugar Bowl—the other semifinal college football playoff game—were $167.94 to $2.051.99.

Former Viking Bob Lurtsema will speak at the January 8 CORES luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington, 1114 American Blvd. Lurtsema remains close to the Vikings and before this season predicted the team’s record would be 8-8. In Mike Zimmer’s first season as coach the Vikings finished 7-9. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations for the Lurtsema event should be made by Monday. Contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Zimmer’s most immediate predecessors as Vikings head coaches were all assistants this past season for NFL teams that didn’t make the playoffs. Brad Childress and the Chiefs finished 9-7, while Leslie Frazier was 2-14 with the Bucs, and Mike Tice and the Falcons had a 6-10 record.

Zimmer said he will be out of town this weekend with some season-ending relaxation plans that include a “little red wine.”

Former Gophers offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who had the same title with the NFL’s Jaguars, was dismissed earlier this week.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal website reported Monday ex-Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham is the new head football coach at Silverado High School in Las Vegas.

Ryan James from GopherIllustrated.com writes that Malik Ellison, son of former NBA overall No. 1 NBA draft choice Pervis Ellison, will be in Minneapolis for the Gophers-Ohio State game at Williams Arena next Tuesday night. The younger Ellison plays at Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey and is rated a three-star player by Rivals.com. The high school senior is a small forward.

ESPN’s Dick Vitale, during the Tuesday telecast of the Maryland-Michigan State game, described the Terps as the “surprise team” of college basketball. The Terps are 13-1, ranked No. 12 in the country by Associated Press, and host the Gophers on Saturday. The Terps had five players transfer out after last season but have been winning including a double overtime victory at Michigan State on Tuesday. The Gophers are 0-1 in the Big Ten after losing to Purdue on Wednesday.

The Gophers hockey team plays its opening game of the Mariucci Classic tomorrow night against Merrimack but will be without three players competing at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto. Hudson Fasching and Ryan Collins will play for the U.S., while Leon Bristedt competes for Sweden.

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is offering a half-season subscription package for WCHA.tv that provides fans up to 99 remaining games for the price of $69.99. The package starts Friday and includes the WCHA Final Five semifinal games in March at Xcel Energy Center. Subscribers will watch games streamed live to a PC, tablet or phone (or archived for later viewing). More at WCHA.tvlandingpage.

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Bowl Worth Bonuses to Gophers Kill

Posted on December 30, 2014December 30, 2014 by David Shama

Financial incentives in coach Jerry Kill’s contract include a $50,000 payout if the Gophers win Thursday’s game against Missouri in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.

The new contract Kill and the University of Minnesota agreed to last February includes a two-page Exhibit A document detailing “annual incentive bonuses” that can boost his income beyond the over $2 million guaranteed compensation he receives. Among those bonuses is $50,000 for a bowl victory against a team from the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC. Missouri is a member of the SEC, or Southeastern Conference.

Just by getting the Gophers to a bowl game, Kill earned a $50,000 payout. Other $50,000 bonuses achieved in 2014 are for being named Big Ten Coach of the Year and leading the Gophers to five conference wins (5-3 record). It’s common for major head coaches like Kill to have incentive bonuses.

Kill’s guaranteed compensation total for 2014-15 is $2.1 million. That amount increases through the duration of his contract to $2.5 million in 2018-19. Kill’s $2.1 million is less than seven other Big Ten head football coaches receive, according to a November 20 article by USA Today detailing compensation earned by college coaches nationally.

Prior to his new contract, Kill was once the lowest paid head football coach in the conference at $1.2 million. Gophers fans have seen him resurrect the program including trophy game wins this year over Iowa and Michigan, and earning an invitation to the school’s first January 1 bowl game in 52 years. His accomplishments include dramatically raising the grade point averages of players and keeping them away from off-field problems. He has also endeared himself with the public in his battle against epilepsy while being active in volunteerism.

In the high-paying world of college football coaches, Kill is far from a leader in compensation among his peers. Reportedly at the top of the list is Alabama’s Nick Saban at $7.1 million.

Kill is loyal to his assistant coaches, most of whom have been with him for years. His contract states the University “will provide an assistant coach (nine assistant football coaches) salary pool that shall place the school within the top 6 salary pools in the Big Ten. …” Those salaries for assistants currently include $600,000 for defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys and $550,000 for offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover.

The 2014 Gophers team is Kill’s fourth at Minnesota and his best. The team’s 5-3 league record was the program’s best since 2003. The yearly progress made by Kill and his staff is consistent with his track record at four previous schools including Southern Illinois where his teams were in the FCS playoffs five consecutive years.

Claeys said the staff could be at Minnesota for a long time, noting that other schools they have coached at haven’t been in college football’s elite conferences. “As a staff we love it here,” he said. “You can’t play at a higher level (of college football). That’s what’s different than all the other moves that we’ve made.”

Claeys also said the Gophers coaches “want a chance to compete with the big dogs” in college football. That means a commitment to win by the University and outside community, and for the program to have the necessary resources. “So far the people have shown that commitment and as long as that continues…this will be a great place,” Claeys said.

Gophers fans at Thursday’s game in Orlando could total between 12,000 and 15,000. It appears certain Minnesota will have its largest bowl game turnout since 1962 when the Gophers played in the Rose Bowl.

“We’re just as excited as everybody else is,” Claeys said. “We think we got a bright future.”

Worth Noting

Oddsmakers have consistently had Missouri as almost a six-point favorite since the Citrus Bowl matchup was announced. Claeys knows not only will the Gophers be facing a formidable team in the SEC East Division champions, but the 10-3 Tigers are likely to show surprise formations or plays—or both—at Minnesota. “I am sure they’ll have a curveball or two…and hopefully it goes our way,” he said.

A new “wrinkle” is common for teams playing in bowl games because they have more preparation time than during the regular season. Claeys doesn’t become upset with the thought of seeing something new.

“You’ll play scared if you worry about it. …Anytime you have 30 days you’re going to do something new. We feel like our (defensive) concepts are sound. You just gotta play fast and furious and believe in your keys. If you sit around and play like you wonder what they’re going to do, it will slow you down.”

The Gophers gave an underwhelming effort in last year’s 21-17 loss to a mediocre Syracuse team in the Texas Bowl. “I think this year’s group is more focused,” said Gophers defensive tackle Cameron Botticelli. “I think this year’s group is more task oriented. I think this year’s group is more disciplined. I am not sure if that has to do with us being selected for the Citrus Bowl (a New Year’s Day game), or just having another year under coach Kill’s coaching, but you definitely do sense a difference in this locker room than you have years past.”

Claeys is looking forward to coaching Iowa Western Community College recruit Charlie Rogers who will be eligible to participate in Minnesota’s spring practices. The defensive back and Iowa City native started his college career at Iowa State. His experience and athleticism, and football IQ, are likely to provide immediate help to the Gophers secondary next year. “I think he’s an all-conference type of player,” Claeys said.

Another player the Gophers are enthusiastic about is true freshman Connor Mayes who played this season because of injuries to more experienced offensive linemen. “He is going to be a great player,” Kill said. “It’s one of those things he’s sacrificed a lot…because of the injuries we’ve had and so forth. He’s learning on the run and that’s not easy to do.”

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer held his season-ending news conference today, talking about a number of subjects including the futures of Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway and Cordarrelle Patterson. He said Peterson, the NFL suspended Vikings running back, adds “value to any team” and that he will be in Peterson’s “corner” whatever the decision is about the future including where he plays. “That’s the most important thing, he gets his life in order,” Zimmer said.

Greenway, who turns 32 on January 12, is still capable of being a starting linebacker next season, Zimmer said. “He’s the kind of guy we’d like to have.”

Patterson, the second-year wide receiver and kickoff returner, had a disappointing season despite his immense talent. Zimmer has an offseason plan for Patterson with a mentor the coach wouldn’t identify. Zimmer said Patterson’s issues are “not really about life” and described him as a “good kid.”

Thee basketball Gophers (11-2) have a winnable game tomorrow (2:15 p.m. BTN) at Purdue. The Boilermakers were only 8-5 during nonconference games with losses at home to Gardner-Webb (8-5) and North Florida (7-7) at home. Purdue is also on a three- game losing streak.

The challenge, though, is winning at a place where the Gophers have struggled over the years. Senior guard Andre Hollins has never been on a Gophers team that has won at Mackey Arena and he said the crowd can make it difficult for the visiting team. Minnesota hasn’t won a game at Purdue since 2002.

Isaac Haas, a 7-foot-2, 297-pound freshman center, leads Purdue in scoring at 11.5 points per game. Another freshman, 6-7 forward Vince Edwards, is best in rebounding at 6.1.

After the Gophers open their conference schedule tomorrow, they play at No. 12 ranked (AP poll) Maryland on Saturday. The league home opener is next Tuesday night with Ohio State.

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