New coach Jerry Kill and his staff open spring practice tomorrow, but don’t expect to be dazzled by the Gophers personnel at the April 23 spring game or during the 12 game schedule starting in September.

Multiple football sources have told Sports Headliners the Gophers team that lost to Kill’s Northern Illinois group last September had inferior talent to the Huskies.  Former Gophers’ head coach Tim Brewster hyped his recruiting classes but reality is he didn’t leave Kill with the type of talent Minnesota will need against many opponents including Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, USC and Wisconsin.

Northern Illinois, a non-BCS school from the Mid-American Conference, beat the Gophers, 34-23, last September at TCF Bank Stadium.  The low profile Huskies ended their season 11-3, including a bowl win.  The Gophers pulled off two late season surprise wins against Illinois and Iowa (programs with superior players) and finished the season at 3-9.

The Gophers will have most of their starters back on defense and about half on offense.  Northern Illinois is expected to have similar numbers of returnees on offense and defense, but a major difference is not just better overall talent.  The Huskies have an outstanding returning senior quarterback in Chandler Harnish, while the Gophers are trying to figure out how to replace four-year starter Adam Weber.

Minnesota won’t have to contend with Kill’s former team but the schedule includes more bullies than softies.  Minnesota opens at national power USC, then plays three winnable nonconference games at home against New Mexico State, Miami (Ohio) and North Dakota State.  Big Ten road games follow at Michigan and Purdue before playing at home against Nebraska and Iowa.  The remaining league schedule is at Michigan State, home against Wisconsin, away for Northwestern, and then a final game in Minneapolis versus Illinois.

Expectations for fans should include improving last season’s 3-9 record while watching a more fundamentally superior team than anything seen here in awhile.  Kill and staff will need time not only to instill their systems and work ethic, but also to attract talent.

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Kill said at his news conference today that each player will have to “earn” playing time and there are no starters going into spring practice including quarterback MarQueis Gray.  “We will not give away playing time,” Kill said.

 

He acknowledged concern about academic performances of players, but didn’t specify the number of players who might be struggling, or identify anyone in particular.  He wants to learn which players can handle the challenges of school work and playing football this spring so that he knows who to count on in the fall.

 

Former Gophers and others are impressed with Kill and the reputation he earned turning out winning teams at other schools.  He has a record of 127-73 in 17 seasons as a head coach.

 

Bob Stein, a Gophers All-American defensive end in 1967, describes Kill as a “real football coach” and “real good guy.”  Kill has earned admirers for his work on and off the field.

 

“Everyone who has seen him, likes him,” Stein said.  “Everyone hears back the same reports from people throughout football.  He’s very respected as a person and as a coach.”

 

There’s no doubting the effort put in by Kill and his staff since coming to campus.  Some coaches are in the office before dawn, and everyone reports by 7 a.m. Dan O’Brien, the director of football operations under both Brewster and Kill, said the new staff drinks more coffee than the old, with an emphasis on 20 ounce containers, not 12.

 

New staff hire Mike Sherels, the former Gophers linebacker, has been organizing gatherings with Kill and former players.  Kill will also spend time with high school coaches at the Minnesota Football Coaches Association’s clinic during the weekend of March 31-April 2.

 

 

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Kill’s former team, Northern Illinois, will play Wisconsin at Solider Field in Chicago on September 17.

Kill attended the funeral of former Gophers national championship coach Murray Warmath on Monday.  Also in attendance was Governor Mark Dayton.

Former Gophers coach Joe Salem, who attended the funeral, said his beginning salary in 1978 was $38,000.  Famous NFL coach Mike Shanahan was a young assistant to Salem but earned only $27,000 and Salem couldn’t afford to keep him.

A tribute to Warmath on April 30 is being planned by former players.

Local emcee Dick Jonckowski recalled a funny Warmath story. The coach was reviewing empty lockers and saw the names of various players he recognized.  Then he came upon a locker he thought was labeled “Bustad.”  He wanted to know who this Bustad was?  An aide replied, “That’s not Bustad.  It says ‘busted.’  That locker doesn’t work.”

Former Cretin-Derham Hall All-American tackle Seantrel Henderson is among six Miami players suspended for undisclosed reasons for the team’s opening game next season, according to multiple media reports.

Gophers’ athletics director Joel Maturi said on KSTP TV’s Sports Wrap on Sunday he expects basketball coach Tubby Smith, 59, will finish his career at Minnesota.  That’s what Smith told Maturi last week.  Maturi said negotiations for a Smith contract extension are ongoing.

The Twins website is reporting that Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau will all play in tonight’s spring training game against Baltimore televised in this area by FOX Sports North beginning at 6:05 p.m.

Mauer ranked No. 2 behind Yankees superstar Derek Jeter in Majestic Athletic jersey sales during 2010, according to a story today by MLB.com.

Kevin Garnett, who turns 35 in May and is averaging only 15 points per game, could be making one of his last appearances ever at Target Center on Sunday when he and the Celtics play the Timberwolves.

Here are the five finalists for the prep Mr. Basketball award and their college choices: Lucas Brown (from Roseville), Wofford; Joe Coleman (Hopkins), Gophers; Shelby Moats (Waconia), Vanderbilt; Kyle Noreen (Minnesota Transitions), undecided on college to attend; Jake White (Chaska), Wichita State.

Ingrid Neel, the Rochester Mayo 12-year-old who is playing on the school’s boys’ team, attended John McEnroe’s tennis academy in New York last fall and impressed the legendary star, according to a New York Times story published in the Rochester Post Bulletin last week.

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