The Vikings’ new left tackle, Charlie Johnson, could be more productive than the dismissed Bryant McKinnie but is that good enough?  Johnson might be a candidate to start at right guard if the Vikings find a left tackle they like.  Second year right tackle Phil Loadholt doesn’t have quick enough feet to play the vital pass-protecting left tackle spot.

The offensive line seems like a preseason experiment.  Reserve guard Chris DeGeare has been getting some work at tackle, and another backup, Jon Cooper, is playing center and guard as the Vikings sort out their options.  Starting center John Sullivan, entering his fourth season, is so far no Matt Birk.

Former Breck star and Minneapolis native Dominique Byrd is a tight end with the Seahawks.  He had two catches for 52 yards in Seattle’s first preseason game.

Sporting News Magazine features its college football preview in the August 15 issue.  The magazine ranks USC, the Gophers season opening opponent, No. 25 in the country behind Big Ten teams Nebraska (No. 9), Wisconsin (No. 10), Michigan State (No. 14), Ohio State (No. 17) and Penn State No. 24.

“Probation-strapped USC” is projected by the magazine to finish third in the Pac-12 South Division behind Utah and Arizona State.  The publication predicts the Gophers will be last in the six team Legends Division.  None of coach Jerry Kill’s players are included on the magazine’s Big Ten all-conference team.

Former Vikings quarterback Brooks Bollinger is starting his first season as Hill-Murray head football coach.

KARE 11 sportscaster Randy Shaver, a passionate prep football observer, announced his preseason all-metro team this week on the station’s website.  Included on the team are three players who, according to Rivals.com, have verbally committed to the Gophers, Edina’s Nick Rallis, Lakeville’s Mitch Leidner and Isaac Hayes from St. Thomas Academy.  All 25 players selected are seniors.

Okmagazine.com reports that PETA is giving a “faux fur throw blanket” to Kim Kardashian and former Gophers basketball player Kris Humphries as a wedding gift.  The two will marry tomorrow.  The animal rights organization is “pals” with Kim’s sister, Khole Kardashian Odom.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Will Dunn from Benilde-St. Margaret’s has verbally committed to Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne.  Will’s father, Brian, is CEO at Best Buy.

The Yankees, who defeated the Twins 8-4 last night at Target Field, have out- homered Minnesota 7-0 in four games this season.  New York has won 14 of the last 17 regular season games against the Twins.

The Twins are 9-22 against the American League East this season.

Local college football recruiting authority Zach Johnson told Sports Headliners the Gophers already have nearly 20 verbal commitments for 2012 but most of the players don’t have offers from BCS schools other than Minnesota.

Rivals.com includes 18 players on the Minnesota commitment list and none are rated with more than three-stars on the five-star system.  There are eight prep players rated as three-star performers including Blue Earth offensive tackle Jonah Pirsig, the prize among the commitments so far.

Pirsig is one of only four players who have offers from other BCS schools, according to Rivals.  The others are offensive tackle Isaac Hayes of St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, defensive tackle Jordan Hinojosa from Miami and defensive back Dinero Moss of Sunrise, Florida.

The lack of four or five-star players doesn’t catch Johnson’s attention as much as the absence of competition the Gophers had for most of their commits.

“This is probably odd coming from me since I work for Rivals and Rivals is built on the star system, but I typically don’t look at the stars when I look at a kid who is committing,” Johnson said. “I’ll take a look at what other schools have offered the kid.  So I guess I would be more concerned (with Gophers commits) that a good chunk of these kids didn’t have any other BCS offers other than their offer from Minnesota.

“Now granted, the other thing you gotta look at, too, is (coach Jerry) Kill is recruiting kids that fit his system.  No one knows his system more than he does.  Still, you need talent to win.

“I know he had mentioned a few times before that he doesn’t buy into the star system.  And I can agree with that, but there’s 11 other coaches in the Big Ten that passed on these kids…and that might be an indicator as well.”

There’s a trend in college football for programs to have a large number of commitments from high school and even community college prospects several months in advance of the winter signing date for scholarships. The Gophers’ total of 18 is high compared to past Minnesota totals and the number tops that of all other Big Ten schools except Michigan at 23.  Minnesota neighbors Wisconsin and Iowa have eight and nine commitments respectively.