Posted September 7, 2009    

•Tim Brewster

•Todd Richards

•Adrian Peterson

•Joe Nathan

•Devron Bostick

Gray to Be Scout QB for U Practices 

MarQueis Gray will emulate Air Force quarterback Tim Jefferson in practice this week as the Gophers prepare for the academy’s much publicized triple option offense that produced the largest victory margin in school history last Saturday in a 72-0 Falcons win.   

Minnesota coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he will use Gray, the Gophers’ much publicized second team quarterback, to give his defense a feel for the run- oriented Air Force offense.  Jefferson completed five of seven passes for one touchdown against hapless Nicholls State but, as usual, it was the Air Force ground game that dazzled with the Falcons running for 474 yards while producing 576 yards in total offense.  

Brewster said Gray won’t be tackled in practice this week but his athleticism figures to help the Gophers prepare for the unorthodox Air Force offense that features multiple runners and option decisions by the quarterback. The Gophers play their first game ever in TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday with kickoff at 6 p.m. 

Gray, a freshman, was rated among the best dual threat quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school.  He played briefly last Saturday in the Gophers 23-20 overtime win at Syracuse, but didn’t attempt a pass or run.     

Gray will play more in future games, giving the Gophers another playmaker along with quarterback Adam Weber, and wide receivers Eric Decker and Troy Stoudermire.  Brewster expects his offense, which struggled last Saturday with penalties and passing miscues, to play better against Air Force.   

Brewster said a huge storyline coming out of the overtime win was the psychological element and the Gophers writing an ending to their liking in a raucous environment that forced Minnesota into mistakes.  “Syracuse had its first sellout in 10 years and the crowd was tremendous,” Brewster said.   

The Gophers won their first road opener in 20 years against a BCS school by keeping their poise in the Carrier Dome against a Syracuse team that was trying to win a first game for new coach Doug Marrone and home town quarterback Greg Paulus who was making his college football debut. The Orange led 20-14 at halftime after the Gophers struggled on offense and defense in the first half.  “I told them at half time there was no reason to flinch,” Brewster said.  “There was a tremendous calmness among our players and coaches.” 

Past Minnesota teams sometimes seemed to have a “woe is me” and the “sky is falling” attitude facing such adversity but Brewster said the Gophers made a statement on Saturday.  “This team found a way to win it with its chemistry and belief,” Brewster said.  “There’s been a hope for the best and expect the worst (approach in the past).  It felt good how we responded.”

 

 "I told them at halftime there was no reason to flinch.  There was a tremendous calmness among our players."
Tim Brewster on last Saturday's game
 

Adam Weber

Tombstone Pizza & Other Stuff on Todd Richards 

The Minnesota Wild opens its season next month with a new coach, 42-year-old Todd Richards.  He’s been a winner as a player and coach, and hopes to continue that experience with the Wild where he will be an NHL head coach for the first time. Although Richards is a Minnesota native and former second team All-American with the Gophers, his hockey career has taken him to other places and the public’s “learning curve” about him is just beginning.  Sports Headliners interviewed Richards last week, asking him both personal and hockey questions: 

Best hockey advice: “Keep your head up when you’re coming across the middle.” 

Favorite late night snack:  “When I came home after playing hockey games…I was big into Tombstone Pizzas.” 

First hockey memory:  “I just remember skating outside (in Crystal)…and using the big steel cage nets with the fence in the back and lots of snow on the ice.” 

What motivates me: “My competition level that I have.  That’s what’s always kept me motivated to try to be the best.  If there’s something out there that I haven’t mastered or I am not good at, I am very motivated to try to either acquire the skill or the talent of whatever it takes.” 

All-time favorite song: “If I am allowed to pick two, I would probably say ‘Band on the Run’ and ‘Joy to the World’ just because of my getting the 45 (records) as a young kid and playing it on my little stereo.” 

You can be certain the 2009 -2010 Wild will: “We’ll be prepared.  I’ve got a great staff here in Dave Barr, Bob Mason, Mike Ramsey and P.J. DeLuca, and we’ve got a great training staff.  I know that the guys will be prepared and ready to go.” 

The best part of my job: “I get to be in hockey.  It’s a game.  I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, and it’s something that I love and I am still part of it.” 

The most difficult thing as a coach: “There’s a lot of difficult things as a coach.  A lot of times there’s tough decisions that have to be made, and sometimes…certain situations happen where a guy doesn’t deserve the fate that he’s getting, but it’s just the set of circumstances that have come up.  It’s never an easy conversation.  It’s a difficult conversation because I used to sit in that chair across the desk from where I am sitting now.” 

I can’t wait for:  “I can’t wait for the start of the year.  Game No. 1.” 

Four historical figures I would love to spend a day with: "Obama.  I would love to sit and talk to him.  And I don’t want this to come across as a bad thing; I am fascinated by Adolph Hitler.  I am just amazed that he got a whole country, a population, to believe in his lunacy and his ridiculous thoughts.  Bobby Orr would be a great one, and…probably general (George) Patton.”  

 I get cranky when:  “When people don’t do, or live up to the things that they said they will do.” 

I would pay money to watch:  “I would pay money to watch the Minnesota Wild play hockey.” 

The next big thing in the NHL is:  “I have a couple ideas, but I can’t share them with you because I would be giving the competition my ideas.” 

I am in bed and catching my beauty rest on most nights by: “Especially during hockey season it probably won’t be until midnight; 1 o’clock after games.”   

My view on twitter is: “I don’t even know what twitter is.  Honest to God.  I know what I need to do on the computer and I stay in that realm.  I don’t get too far outside that.”  

The media might be surprised that:  “That I have a sense of humor.” 

My biggest concern about being confused with Todd Richards the snowboarder is: “That I can actually skate, or snowboard.  And I won’t be at the X Games.”

   

New Wild coach Todd Richards said the media might be surprised that he has a sense of humor.

"I don't even know what twitter is. Honest to God."
Todd Richards

Worth Noting

The NFC North might be the NFL’s best division this season.  Renowned Sports Illustrated writer Peter King predicts the Bears, Vikings and Packers will make the playoffs, and the NFC North will be the only division in the NFL with three teams in post season.  He believes the Bears will win the division but writes in the magazine’s NFL preview issue that the “Vikings now have arguably the best roster, top to bottom, in the league—one good enough to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.” 

King predicts the Bears will defeat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. 

With Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young and rookie Ian Johnson, the Vikings probably had the most talented group of running backs in training camp ever.  Johnson was cut over the weekend, then added to the eight-man practice squad.  He's a slashing runner who can be effective.  Young was on the practice roster last year before making the team this year. 

Former Gopher Mark Setterstrom is a reserve with the Rams, listed on the team’s Web site as the second team center. 

The Twins Joe Nathan, who has never finished better than third in saves among American League relievers, is third this season, too, but only three behind leader Brian Fuentes of the Angels who has 39. 

USA Today Sports Weekly chose Anthony Slama as the Twins representative for its listing of “every big-league team has its minor league hope.”  The 25-year-old relief pitcher has been impressive this season with stops in both AAA and AA.  Since being promoted to AAA Rochester he has struck out 19 in 15.2 innings.  At New Britain he struck out 93 in 65.1 innings. 

Here’s the predicted order of finish in the MIAC preseason football coaches poll: Saint John's, St. Thomas, Bethel, Concordia, St. Olaf, Gustavus, Carleton, Augsburg and Hamline.  

Saint John’s led NCAA Division III schools in attendance last season, averaging 7,694 fans per game.  The Johnnies have been No. 1 in attendance 12 of the past 16 seasons, including the last eight. 

The Gopher basketball newsletter reports that Devron Bostick spent part of the summer working out with NBA All-Star Caron Butler in their home town of Racine, Wisconsin.  “He showed me how my shot can be more consistent,” Bostick told the publication.  “I think it’s working.” 

Bostick, who came to the Gophers last year after being a junior college All-American, averaged 4.0 points per game.  The team’s other junior college transfer, Paul Carter, averaged 5.3.  Collectively the Gophers only had one player, Lawrence Westbrook, who averaged in double figures (12.6).  Bostick and Carter could be major contributors to an improved Gopher offense next season.  

Explorer and environmental activist Will Steger will be among the speakers at the Big Green Conference on October 15 at the Mall of America.  The event is being co-hosted by MOA and Larkin Hoffman.

Thank you to our new advertisers, Washburn-McReavy (see below) and TCF Bank (top of page).

 

Adrian Peterson

Lawrence Westbrook