Covering the Gophers’ spring football game on Saturday:
Gophers’ executive associate athletics director David Benedict told Sports Headliners the University of Minnesota will designate a parking lot just for students as an incentive to increase ticket sales for football games this season.
Last week athletic department officials met with 55 student leaders representing various groups to talk about the idea. Benedict also said the student season ticket sale will begin next month. Student season ticket totals have been declining in recent years despite the move of football to campus from the Metrodome.
Last year the department contracted with the Aspire Group to sell tickets. Benedict said Aspire has sold approximately $1 million in tickets since last September, including 600 new football season tickets.
He also said the department hosted 100 potential purchasers of premium football seating at Saturday’s spring game. Those seating areas include suites and outdoor locations.
The Gophers had a large turnout of high school prospects on Saturday but Washburn High School running back Jeff Jones, who has verbally committed to play for Minnesota, didn’t attend the game. The junior recruit was playing in a basketball tournament.
GopherIllustrated.com reported three-star quarterback Dimonic McKinzy from Kansas City, Kansas, committed to the Gophers on his unofficial visit to campus last weekend.
Among those in the crowd of several thousand spectators at the game were University president Eric Kaler and members of the Board of Regents. After being told the Gophers’ opening game at TCF Bank Stadium on August 29 will be played at the same time as the Vikings’ final preseason game at Mall of America Field, a regent said: “I am not happy about it.”
The Gophers’ game has long been scheduled for that date but the Vikings finalized their date earlier this spring.
Gophers coach Jerry Kill said he didn’t allow more than a dozen players to participate in the spring game including two of his best defensive players, senior tackle Ra’Shede Hageman and senior safety Brock Vereen. Hageman is a consensus pick as the team’s top NFL draft prospect. “Brock Vereen is, in my opinion, one of the better secondary players in the Big Ten,” Kill said.
Kill told his players after the game he was proud of their spring efforts and he “loved” them. He urged players to be accountable in their off-field activities including attending class.
Later he told the media: “You go to bed every night worrying about something. Nothing is ever perfect.”
This week the Gophers, who have now completed their 15 spring practices, will hear about mental toughness from motivational speakers Kill has asked to address the team.
A replay of the spring game will be shown on the Big Ten Network starting at 7 p.m. tonight.
Worth Noting
Jim Dutcher followed with interest the recent University of Minnesota hiring of assistant basketball coach Kimani Young who many years ago was arrested for possession of 96 pounds of marijuana. In 2007 the University wouldn’t allow the hiring of assistant coach Jimmy Williams who decades before had allegedly been involved with NCAA rules violations at Minnesota.
“That was a gutsy move (hiring Young) after the way they treated Jimmy Williams — and I fully support it because I always believe in giving people second chances,” said Dutcher who had Williams on his staff in the 1970s and 1980s when he was the Gophers’ head coach.
Dutcher expects Michigan State and Michigan to be favorites to win the Big Ten title next season. He also said the hiring of young head coaches at Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern and Rutgers could change the style of play in the league, moving away from the “grind it out” offenses to faster play.
Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire has sold his home in Little Canada for $751,000.00, according to a Bizjournals.com story on Friday. Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal also reported the sales price was $1,100.00 more than the initial asking price in February.
After yesterday’s 5-0 win over the Rangers, the Twins are above .500 in both overall record (11-10) and at Target Field (7-6). Starting pitcher Kevin Correia shutout the Rangers for eight innings. He’s the only Twins’ pitcher in history to start his career with five straight outings of seven innings or more.
Twins’ second baseman Brian Dozier is batting .364 in eight games as the team’s leadoff hitter. He has reached base in 10 consecutive games.
Watch Twins’ farm players like Chris Colabello (six home runs) and Clete Thomas (.340 average) when Triple-A Rochester hosts Buffalo starting at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday in a MLB Network telecast.
Paul Allen, the radio play-by-play voice of the Vikings, will speak to the C.O.R.E.S. group on Thursday, May 9 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Allen is also a radio talk show host on KFAN and track announcer at Canterbury Park. Anyone interested in attending the luncheon and program can contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.
Canterbury Park is the only location in the state where there is legalized wagering for this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Admission is free at the Shakopee facility where live horse racing returns on Friday, May 17.
WCCO Radio’s Dave Lee has been honored with awards from both the Associated Press and the Northwest Broadcast News Association for his play-by-play broadcast of the St. Thomas and UW-Oshkosh football playoff game last year.
Dave Mona, public relations executive with Weber Shandwick-Minneapolis, was honored by Minnesota Business Magazine last week as part of its power 50 list. Mona is retiring from the international public relations agency on July 1 but will consult for the company.
Weber Shandwick announced this month that it has added the Big Ten Conference to its client list. Mona said much of the work will be done by Weber Shandwick in Chicago.
When the Blue Jackets didn’t qualify for the playoffs, it probably cost Columbus coach and former Wild coach Todd Richards a realistic opportunity to win the NHL Coach of the Year award.
Tim Leiweke, the former Timberwolves marketing executive, has been hired in Toronto to run Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. He will have NBA, NHL and facility responsibilities.