David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Need to (Finally) Excel at QB

Posted on March 3, 2014March 3, 2014 by David Shama

Jerry Kill needs Mitch Leidner to be the best quarterback he’s coached with the Gophers.

If the Gophers, who open spring practice tomorrow, are to improve their inconsistent offense then Leidner will be expected to be the leader. In three previous seasons at Minnesota, Kill hasn’t had a quarterback seize the job—either because of injuries or performance.

Last year Leidner and the now departed Philip Nelson competed for the starting position and both struggled with passing. Leidner threw for only 61.9 yards per game and three touchdowns, while Nelson’s numbers were 108.8 and nine. Leidner, who started and played less than Nelson, threw only one interception in 10 games while Nelson had six in 12.

Leidner, the only quarterback on the 2014 roster with Big Ten experience, is the team’s No. 1 quarterback now but will be pushed for the job if he falters. Behind him is redshirt freshman Chris Streveler and true freshman Dimonic Roden–McKinzy.

The best storyline for Leidner and the Gophers is his career eventually will invite comparison with Jordan Lynch who became an All-American and also Heisman Trophy candidate at Northern Illinois. Kill recruited Lynch when he was the Huskies coach and mostly kept him on the bench as the former Chicago prep quarterback learned the ways of major college football.

Leidner, like Lynch, was redshirted and both are physical runners. Leidner, who sometimes is more likely to welcome contact than avoid it, was Minnesota’s second leading rusher last season with 407 yards and tied David Cobb for a team high seven rushing touchdowns.

At Northern Illinois Lynch had to wait for an opportunity until Chandler Harnish moved on to the pros. His patience paid off with outstanding seasons in 2012 and 2013 including rushing totals each year approaching 2,000 yards.

Nelson wasn’t willing to stay at Minnesota, instead transferring to Rutgers. He is part of a long list of college quarterbacks who chose to leave their teams after last season. Kill had one quarterback transfer on him at Northern Illinois, plus Nelson here.

“We don’t live in a patient world—period,” Kill said.

But Leidner, the former Lakeville South quarterback, was willing to be patient at Minnesota and this spring and next fall he can prove the opportunity to be the Gophers No. 1 QB was worth the wait for him and the coaches. He doesn’t have to be Lynch. Just performing like the best Gophers quarterback in years will be more than enough as Minnesota tries to better last year’s 8-5 record, the best so far of the Kill era.

Worth Noting

The Gophers will have six football practices between now and March 13. Then March 25 they resume workouts with the first of eight practices before the Spring Game at TCF Bank Stadium on April 12.

Kill said on WCCO Radio yesterday morning tight end Alex Bisch, center Brian Bobek, center Jon Christenson and defensive back Derrick Wells will be held out of spring practice.

Frank Lenti, who coached Lynch at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, will be one of the speakers at the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Clinic March 27-29. The clinic, at the DoubleTree Hotel in St. Louis Park, will also include high school coaches from Florida, Michigan and Texas. For a complete list of speakers and session topics visit the MFCA website.

The Gophers have pro day today at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex. Former Gophers expected to work out for NFL teams are Jeremy Baltazar, Jake Filkins, Ra’Shede Hageman, Aaron Hill, Roland Johnson, James Manuel, Martez Shabazz and Brock Vereen.

Ex-Gophers quarterback and Vikings defensive coordinator Tony Dungy and his wife Lauren will speak about leadership and ministry at the Uncommon Award Dinner March 21 at Bearparth Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie to benefit Athletes in Action. The Uncommon Award will be presented to CBS NFL analyst James Brown. More information is available by contacting Paul Olson, plholson@aol.com.

As Vikings season ticket holders go through the new stadium preview center they will likely have the same reaction as media who toured the facility last week. Impressive! The interactive center, located in the Metrodome Square Building overlooking the stadium construction site, provides fans a gameday feel including views of how the field will look from their seats. The 7,500 square foot center, the largest ever built by an NFL club, also offers visual experiences of the locker room, suites and stadium exterior.

For the first year or so only season ticket holders will be able to visit the preview center. A couple dozen fans per day will take the 45 minute interactive tour of the stadium that is scheduled to open in July of 2016. After the tour, while at the preview center, season ticket holders can make commitments for their seat locations.

The tour is free, of course, but watching the Vikings in the new facility won’t be. There will be personal seat licenses varying in cost from $500 to $9,500. Most suites will be in the $100,000 range per season with the most expensive at $500,000.

Gophers leading scorer Andre Hollins said he isn’t sure but thinks former teammate Wally Ellenson, who left the team last month, may eventually transfer to another school where he can play basketball. This winter Ellenson is high jumping for the Gophers track team after winning a gold medal last year in the Pan American Junior Championships.

Hollins, who dates Gophers women’s leading scorer Rachel Banham, said his teammate, Mo Walker, is dating Kionna Kellogg who used to play with Banham and the Gophers.

In the March 3 issue of Sports Illustrated, writer Michael Farber included the Wild’s Mikael Granlund (Finland) on his all-tournament hockey team for the Winter Olympics. Granlund was the left wing on the six-man team and a key contributor to Finland winning bronze medals.

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U Teammates High on Buggs’ Potential

Posted on February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 by David Shama

If Charles Buggs’ teammates and head coach are correct, the Gophers redshirt freshman forward has a lot of productive moments ahead in his Big Ten career.

Buggs, who had only played in six games all season while scoring five total points, stunned an appreciative Williams Arena audience on Tuesday night by coming off the bench in the first half to make four of five field goal attempts. He finished the game converting five of six shots, scoring 13 points and was the team’s fourth leading scorer despite playing only 19 minutes in Minnesota’s 95-89 win over Iowa.

The performance that had the crowd roaring with approval didn’t surprise junior guard Andre Hollins, Minnesota’s leading scorer this season. “He’s athletic as hell,” Hollins said. “There’s just tons of upside.”

“Buggs is a talented player,” senior guard Malik Smith said. “One of the most talented players in the league if he just gets his mind right. Gets confident, he will be good for a long time.”

Among the most talented players in the Big Ten Conference? Smith believes Buggs has talent that ranks among the 10 best in the league. “He is one of the most athletic guys I’ve ever been around, and I’ve been around this game for a long time. I am 23 years old. He’s a super athlete. If he continues to work…he will be great.”

Gophers coach Richard Pitino is impressed, too. He said his inexperienced forward has the “best potential” of anyone on the team.

Buggs is a late developer and that’s why he was redshirted for the 2012-13 season. He has played in only seven games for a total of 40 minutes during 2013-2014. He averaged a modest 11.4 points per game as a senior for Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. Buggs’ build, 6-9 but only about 210 pounds, isn’t imposing either.

“His body is a little bit too thin but he’s continued to gain weight throughout the season,” Hollins said. “They’ve (the staff) been on him really tough about that. He’s been handling it well. He’s just been getting better.”

Buggs, who attended prep school for one year after high school, had to learn a new system under Pitino after being brought to Minnesota by former coach Tubby Smith. It’s taken time to learn what to do and play with confidence.

“He has confidence in practice but when he gets in the games he really doesn’t have a lot because he hasn’t been playing a lot,” Smith said. “With more playing time I think his confidence will build.”

Buggs played with energy and confidence on Tuesday night. That energy makes him popular with teammates off the court.

Hollins enjoys watching Buggs dance at a University residence hall. “You put on music and he’ll start dancing,” Hollins said.

Despite having large feet, Buggs is adept at dancing. “He makes it work,” said Hollins who believes his teammate might be good enough for TV’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

Buggs, who didn’t make himself available to media following his breakout performance Tuesday night, will probably be needed if the Gophers are to play competitively with first place Michigan tomorrow evening in Ann Arbor. Minnesota, with two regular season conference games remaining, has a 7-9 record and an upset over the first place Wolverines, 12-3, would be a big step toward an NCAA Tournament invitation next month.

Pitino doesn’t talk about tournament ambitions. He did, however, laud his team’s improved focus and energy in the upset win over nationally ranked Iowa, now 8-6 in Big Ten games.

The coach will take more of the same from Buggs and his other players.

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Twins Pondered Re-Signing Morneau

Posted on February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 by David Shama

Contrary to what fans may believe, the Twins were interested in signing Justin Morneau during the off-season. Team president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners this week there were discussions last fall before Morneau accepted instead an offer from the Rockies.

“This is a guy that we have a very close relationship with,” St. Peter said. “Wore our uniform since day one as a pro player and won an MVP for us.”

St. Peter also said moving Joe Mauer from catcher to first base was “going to impact Justin’s role with the team.” Morneau would have been a DH, pinch hitter and part-time first baseman.

No doubt the Rockies offered more money to the 32-year-old Morneau who was the American League MVP in 2006 when he was a major contributor to Minnesota’s Central Division title. Morneau reportedly has a two year $12.5 million deal with the Rockies, or $1 million less than he was paid last season by the Twins, according to a December 4, 2013 story by Cliff Corcoran on Mlb.si.com.

Morneau hasn’t been an MVP type hitter for years and the Twins traded him to the Pirates late last season. With the Rockies he’s found a familiar face in former Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer who at age 34 won the NL batting title last season.

“[Having Cuddyer] makes the transition a little easier,” Morneau said in Ben Haber’s story on MLB.com Tuesday. “He is a guy I have looked up to in the past and that I can go to if I need anything.”

Morneau has the opportunity with the Rockies to replace the retired Todd Helton at first base.

Twins Notes

The Twins have produced consecutive season records of 66 wins and 96 losses. St. Peter acknowledges the need for improvement but won’t put a number on how many games he wants the Twins to win.

“I want to see us take a step forward,” St. Peter said. “The way I define it is we obviously need to be playing meaningful games in the sense that we feel as though we are contending in the months of August and September. If we’re doing that I think we’ve taken a significant step forward and that’s ultimately what we’re hoping for.”

Baseball has made a commitment to regular season international games. In late March the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will play in Australia. St. Peter believes next year two MLB teams may play in South Korea.

“We’ve expressed interest in that (a foreign game) to the league,” he said. “I think it requires the right players on your roster to play in those games.”

Participation by the Twins in such a game could be three, four or five years away, St. Peter said. A fit for Minnesota may develop if minor league prospect Max Kepler eventually plays for the major league club and MLB approves a game in Europe. Kepler, a native of Germany, could potentially be a big draw in his home country.

Kepler, who has played first base and in the outfield during his pro career, may start this season in Class A at Fort Myers. “He’s a very impressive physical specimen,” St. Peter said. “Strong young man, great runner. Just a really, really, solid athlete.”

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