As a recruiter Davis will focus on offensive linemen. He will recruit nationally and be assigned selected Minnesota high schools including Cretin-Derham Hall where offensive tackle Seantrell Henderson, a senior next fall, is a highly sought player.
Brewster expects all his players to be healthy for the bowl game. This includes wide receiver David Pittman, who has played minimally because of a hamstring injury.
Brewster was scheduled to fly back from New York this morning where he attended the College Football Hall of Fame awards dinner last night. Among those honored was former Gopher coach Lou Holtz, an inductee into the 2008 hall of fame.
The 10 finalists for the prep Mr. Football Award are quarterbacks James Peterson, Blaine High School; Anders Lee, Edina; and Tydan Storrusten, Pelican Rapids; running backs Jake Gibbons, Becker; Kurtis Huisman, Atwater Cosmos Grove; and Colby Ring, Brainerd; offensive tackle Casey Dehn, Owatonna; linebackers Cole Jirik, Northfield, and Brett Skoog, Orono; and defensive back Varmah Sonie, Apple Valley. The winner will be announced on Sunday at the Mr. Football banquet at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. The Mr. Football program is sponsored by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Minnesota Vikings.
Bad timing: the Gophers Insight Bowl game starts at 5 p.m. on December 31, the same day and time as Minnesota’s Big Ten home basketball opener with Michigan State.
The Gopher basketball team, 8-0, is off to its best start since the 1976-77 season when Minnesota won its first 11 games. Coach Tubby Smith was asked after Saturday’s comeback 71-54 win over Cornell if the progress has exceeded expectations. He answered by talking about not being satisfied with execution of the team’s offense. “I expect more but it’s efficient enough right now,” he said.
The Gophers have four nonconference games remaining including tonight against South Dakota State. The one anticipated game is December 20 against No. 9 ranked (AP poll) Louisville. The game will be played in Glendale, Arizona as part of the Stadium Shootout doubleheader. “I wish the game were tomorrow,” Gopher guard Lawrence Westbrook said on Saturday.
Detroit quarterback Daunte Culpepper talking about his search for employment during the last off-season and whether he spoke with his former team, the Vikings: “Yes, I did talk to somebody up there but the conversations didn’t really go too far.”
Four MIAC players have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Concordia’s Levi DeVries was a first team selection while Saint John’s Jeff Schnobrich, Bethel’s David Benjamin, and Gustavus’ T.J. Ridley were named to the second team.