The return this Saturday of Gophers senior safety Kyle Theret from suspension will help the secondary where true freshman James Manuel and junior college transfer Christyn Lewis have been the starting safeties. Senior Kim Royston, who like Theret was expected to be a starter, probably won’t play against USC because he’s still recovering from a broken leg, according to coach Tim Brewster. The starting secondary could eventually have Lewis and Ryan Collado as cornerbacks, with Theret and Royston at the safeties.
The Vikings face a Miami team on Sunday with a reputation for being a physical group, even by NFL standards. Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams, about 317 pounds, expects to be ready. “I like to mix it up,” he said. “I just go out there and play dirty. I am just an old fashioned, dirty player.”
Williams is a car collector and his eight automobiles include a Rolls Royce. He’s “fixing” his cars and is a seller, not a buyer. The goal is to reduce inventory to four. Williams said total value of the eight cars is about $700,000, with the Rolls Royce accounting for about half. “I am about to get rid of my Rolls Royce and sell it,” he said. “I am kind of tired of it.”
Vikings offensive tackle Steve Hutchinson, who joined the Vikings in 2006, likes this area so well he and his family are building a home on Lake Minnetonka.
Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie redshirted at the University of Miami before becoming a first round NFL draft choice. Redshirting might have been a smart move for another Hurricane offensive tackle, former Cretin-Derham Hall prep All-American Seantrel Henderson but Henderson has already played some game minutes and is no longer redshirt eligible.
Hopkins basketball coach Ken Novak told Sports Headliners that his senior guard-forward Joe Coleman will likely decide on a college choice by month’s end. He’s already visited the Gophers, with upcoming stops at Santa Clara and Iowa State.
Novak said one of his former players, Royce White, is adjusting well to school and surroundings at Iowa State. Novak helped White choose a school earlier this year and said Kentucky coach John Calipari wanted him “pretty bad” but Iowa State was a “better fit.”
Novak became involved in White’s decision because of concern that the former Gopher, who never played here as a freshman last season, would opt for the NBA draft or pro ball in Europe. “I thought it would be in his best interest to go to school,” Novak said.
Bob Zender, the 6-7 center for the great Edina High basketball teams in the mid-1960s, passed away in Kansas on Sunday.
Dave Stead, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, will be the speaker at the next CORES luncheon on November 11. CORES members can make reservations by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES had an attendance of 147 last week to hear Brewster talk about the Gophers. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, educators, reporters and sports fans.
Quarterback Michael Dunham and defensive end Perry Patterson, both from Concordia College in Moorhead, and Saint John’s kicker Jimmie Mattson are the MIAC offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week. Dunham threw three touchdown passes while Patterson had eight tackles in Moorhead’s 35-0 win last Saturday against Valley City State. Mattson was perfect on two field goals and two extra points in his team’s overtime loss to Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
While Vikings coach Brad Childress and Brewster have their critics in Minneapolis, it’s difficult to believe there’s much negative said in Duluth about Bulldogs football coach Bob Nielson who has UMD ranked No. 2 in the Division II national coaches poll. UMD won the national championship in 2008 and made the quarterfinals last year.
The Minnesota Swarm selected a familiar local name when the franchise chose Eagan native Ryan Hurley of Cornell University in the third round of the National Lacrosse League Entry Draft last week. A high-school All-American at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Hurley made a reputation nationally during his four-year career at Cornell, which included leading his team to the 2009 National Championship game against Syracuse. https://www.mnswarm.com/news/news.asp?news_id=783