Link: Leidner talks fit into pistol, improved footwork and anticipation

Watching what little they had on the Gophers, I was surprised to hear DiNardo spent the entire visit in the press box/concourse because of the rain.

Does anybody think he would have done that at tOSU, Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, or Nebraska.

Pisses me off just a little.

Justin Gaard only asks four questions in these shows. Fans can ask questions in the comments section that Claeys will answer.

There were about 6,000 views as of this morning.

"Camp has been one of the more stranger camps." Happy to hear Sherels was released from the hospital. "There's light at the end of the tunnel now." Coach Sawvel's father passed away this past weekend. "Those are two things we've had to work through and the kids have learned." Having gone through Coach Kill's situation prepared them a little bit. You don't get any extra days to prepare for football. "There's nothing you can do about (others' health situations). When you're here, let's focus on football, be the best you can be...But make sure when you get away from football, take time to have those people in your thoughts. They're good people and have done an awful lot of good for the University of Minnesota."

Jay Johnson coming in is a two-way street. He has things he wants to do, but at the same time, you have to do what the kids do best. Not having Mitch in the spring slowed down that process a little bit, but gave Rhoda, Croft, and Green more reps.

Kobe McCrary is "ready to go...He's an awfully good running back...has done well in pass protection."

Tyler Johnson has been the biggest surprise on offense. "The thing I didn't realize is he's come in and competed in every day. He's had success and made us better in certain situations." Thinks it goes back to AAU basketball -- knew he wouldn't have the strength of other kids because he was playing year round, but AAU basketball has been used to competing. "Doesn't phase him one bit, from day one, he stepped up and made plays."

Named Kamal Martin, Antoine Winfield, Kiondre Thomas, Coney Durr, Taiyon Devers, and Carter Coughlin as other freshman that have impressed. "We have a handful of kids who are in position to help us."

Melvin Holland and Isaiah Gentry "are better players...They had good springs." Gentry is back to full speed. "But along with ability comes reliability. They have to show that they can handle the grind and stay healthy." It's hard to get timing of routes with someone who's not at practice all the time.

Who are the best pass rushers? "Gaelin Elmore has continued to improve...Hank Ekpe has had his best fall so far...We'll have to see where that goes, but for the most part, Hank has done well...We have a lot of linebackers that run well too."

Meeting tomorrow (now today) about roles and depth charts.

"I don't feel our offense as near as far behind our defense as in the past." Defense is pretty much the same system as last five years. Offense made changes that will take time. Defensive front seven has a lot of depth, offensive line doesn't. "Now, we have very good young players there; they just need a chance to grow up a little bit. Those young guys on the offensive line have to grow up fast."

Who replaces KJ Maye? Rashad's had a good camp. It's amazing how many times Lingen moved the chains at scored last year. I'm not worried about depth. Drew Wolitarsky's had a good camp. Want to move the chains and don't need one main receiver.

Athletes Village is a great project. "It's not an arms race; it's an investment...This will definitely put us at the top."

What's the biggest hurdle to improve this season? "We have to improve on offense...We can't finish 102nd, 103rd, 108th on offense. We don't need to get top 10, but we need to get in the middle at least, then we'll have the opportunity to accomplish our goals."

Oregon State is athletic on offense. "They can spread the field on you, make you defend the whole field. We're going to have to tackle awfully well." We're not sure what they'll do quarterback-wise.

"I still believe we have the best personnel since I've been here."

thread not sure if this will catch on but I thought we could post bar/restaurant recommendations after going to places.

I went to mucci before the big title game last night. Highly recommend. Everything was great especially the pizza. I've heard the weekend am donuts are unbelievable as well.

Link: Big Ten breakdown: The league's top newcomers for 2016

Helmholdt says it's Coughlin. I'll say Coughlin for defense and McCrary for offense. What do you guys think?

He hadn't had a tread in a while. I wonder what he's up too?

Sitting at lunch, being good, drinking a nutrition shake.

In walks a female. The males I am with duly comment on how hot she is, etc. Blonde, late 20s, apparently better than any of us could ever do in real world.

All I see is the hated badger sweatshirt. What a waste. Next.

What time is practice today....only ask because coach said depth charts will be released prior to practice today.

A really good independent look at how our favorite squad is developing...

Dienhart: Here's what I learned at Minnesota football practice

• By Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer - 3 hours ago

MINNEAPOLIS — Tracy Claeys has his chance to make an impact in his debut season. He has a nice collection of talent to work with. Most notable is the presence of senior QB Mitch Leidner, who some think is an NFL signal-caller. Claeys also has altered his staff, looking to amp up what has been a middling offense. There is a new offensive coordinator in Jay Johnson and a new line coach in Bart Miller. Will the alterations pay off?

Here is what I learned at a Golden Gophers’ scrimmage on Saturday.

1. The offensive line looks good. This unit needed to make a move for the offense to improve. New line coach Bart Miller has done a nice job. Tracy Claeys wants big linemen who are maulers in hopes of improving a rushing attack that needs punch. This unit is showing some toughness, some nastiness. That’s a good thing. In 2015, Minnesota’s offense was in the bottom 20 percent in the nation — in total yards (359 per game), rushing (144) and scoring (22.5 points). They didn’t crack the top 100 in any of those categories. Tyler Moore is at center; Jonah Pirsig is the right tackle; Vincent Calhoun at right guard; Connor Mayes at left guard; Garrison Wright is left tackle. Calhoun and Wright are JCs who have added a lot of strength, toughness and attitude.

2. This is a nice collection of running backs. But the unit received a blow when Shannon Brooks was lost for three-to-five weeks with a fractured foot. He led the team in rushing last season as a freshman, but the injury will cause him to miss the non-conference. With Brooks out, Rodney Smith, who ran for 609 yards last season, is expected to start at tailback. JC Kobe McCrary is another option. I like him, as McCrary is a big back who reminds some of David Cobb.

3. Mitch Leidner seems a fit for the new offense of coordinator Jay Johnson. Leidner is moving well after having surgery on a left foot that had nagged him each of the last two seasons. Now healthy, Leidner looks confident directing this attack. He could be poised for a big senior season as one of the nation’s most underrated signal-callers.

4. The receiving corps needs to step up. The unit had focused on improving its hands in camp. Rashad Still, Drew Wolitarsky, Eric Carter, Isaiah Gentry and Hunter Register are in the mix. Who will be the No. 1 option? Wolitarsky may be the man, but keep an eye on the 6-5 Still. He’s a good athlete. Tight end Brandon Lingen has been slowed by a shoulder injury but played on Saturday. He looks good and may end up being one of the Big Ten’s best. NFL scouts love him.

5. The secondary is being reworked but has potential. Getting back safety Damarius Travis is huge. He got hurt vs. TCU last season and missed the rest of the season. It impacted the defense. He’s a special player who directs traffic and leads. Jalen Myrick is a swift corner, with Ray Buford and KiAnte Hardin battling at the other spot. This could end up being a great group. Defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel does a great job.

i know we lost some talented guys in the secondary. But weren't we younger last year after Travis and Ace went down? They keep talking about how young we are at DB, but we return some good talent. Travis is ESPN preseason All B1G, Kunle started most of last year, Myrick was ranked as the top CB in the country before getting hurt, Hardin & Shenault did well as true frosh and Ace looked good in his limited action. Too in RS frosh Buford, Johnson and Zo. Add in Amaoku, Winfield, Deur and Thomas as frosh and I'm not concerned. There might be a few mistakes, but we had that last year with an injured BBC playing and a raw Kunle

i know football season is getting close when I start having football dreams. Last night I dreamt that Claeys announced on the BTN show that this year would be his last year coaching football. He said that he had achieved his dream of becoming a HC and was retiring to his farm. Then they cut to the players all watching in a meeting room and there was chair throwing, swearing, crying and Fat Pat was in the room laughing. One of the lineman took it upon himself to put his fist in Fat Pat's face. Woke up freaking out. Football needs to get here soon!

I saw this tweet...anyone have other news? Is this legit?


Andy Greder‏@andygreder
Good news: #Gophers linebacker coach Mike Sherels has been released from hospital, coach Tracy Claeys said on Facebook Live show.

Link: Elite sophomore taking off

The line has moved dramatically since the first odds were posted. The Gophers have moved from 7 1/2 point favorites to 13 point favorites. Given the Brooks injury is the only significant development, which is obviously a negative, it is interesting that the line has surged that much.

Link: Claeys talks Oregon State preparation, comments on Sherels' situation

I know I have read threads on redshirting this guy and that guy.. I hear Rhoda could be the backup.. Do we have a guy that we are confident in if Mitch gets banged up?? I know the timing patterns are big in our offense, so they have to be practiced. I am sure all the throwing arms of our QBs are plenty strong. But are they developing in their reads on the deep balls?? And if they are getting their reads correctly, are they executing well?? I also know the receivers have a large part in the execution of the plays so that is another question I have at this point. Maybe these questions have been answered in other threads but I know that this is one of the biggest question marks(backup QBS) in any program with a returning starter, so I am wondering how we are doing in this area.

We're only 2.5 months away from signing day and many feel we have 3 scholarships to give. There appears to be 5 identified plan A* basketball recruits that are still on the board; Wright, Washington, Bede, Sims, John. How many of these 5 will the hoops program sign and who are your picks?

Did not include Davison or Ruevers as they've commited elsewhere, and no Trent Jr. for obvious reasons. I think Terrance Lewis was a high priority guy too but he's chosen Iowa St.

gents - just a brief farewell. Didn't meet many (or any?) of you but it's been a pleasure being on Rivals and TGR for 10+ years through all the good and let's be honest, mostly bad.

I'm taking my lowgrade .gif and meme talent over to Scout for the forseeable future under the moniker SpiralsbyLeidner (because we all know that is what matters most in a QB). Yes their message board format sucks but I'm hoping that changes with new investment. I decided to hang it up here after everything that happened with AZJ / Nick Williams and the second straight signing day crash.

Until next time...

I just watched the end of the Michigan game again on BTN. Yes, if Drew takes one more half step on the catch at the end we win, better clock mgt we probably win, or if Lauer can block his guy on the delayed fade back to the TE - just watched this play three times. Lauer's guy comes in practically unblocked and Mitch is forced to throw too soon. If you look at the Lingen side of the field Mitch with time could have let the pattern develop or run left and either had Lingen block for him or force the coverage to stop the run, thus Mitch can dump it to Lingen. OK I'm going to try and not talk about this game anymore. Game day a week from Thursday!

Dear all my gopher Brothers and sistren,

I had returned. After many years of leading the dark tooooooooooooooo the light, I have returned to once again lead Gopher football nation to the promise land. Some may say is this Moses returning from the Old testament or Jesus Christs second coming. Some Jewish brethren and sistren may say interesting, Jesus Christ hasn't returned yet.

Have I not prophesied to you that the Gophers would be Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, and win several games many of you have doubted. I believed for you, when your belief was in the puddles. I say puddles because although you were in the mud, water was still dripping from my bean stock to your eyes to read.

You all have sprouted up quite feverishly with each Gopher football win. I do not doubt your loyalty and dedication any longer. You have reached my approval. Which is a very good thing. I do see a national championship on the horizon. I believe money making Mitch Leidner has a sliver of a chance to lead us to a national championship this year. I said it flubheads, the national championship. Minus the crack cocaine sales from that movie if you know what I'm talking about.

If you don't, it is o.k. If you do let's embark together, no matter the weather, rain or shine, sleet or snow, my light will glow, all over your mind and heart. Let's rally around are troops like never before. Let's ease up on the liquor from the store. Put cigarettes away for another day, let's do spring Gopher football together.

I will not let you down, I will not punch a guy in the face. My prediction is even a little bit more rambuctious when brewster was in the rooster cock a doodle doo, my words are true. My thoughts are pure, your friend is near. Near as the wind blowing on your shoulder,

National championship, I love you.

TNM

Link: Friday Night Lights: Opening Weekend

Hawes was the only commit to play this past weekend. Jeffery Burley, Bryant Ftizgerald, and Ryan Glover all played, as well.

101st Gopher's daughter verbally commits to Minnesota for softball

I'm a Gopher! I am so excited to announce that I have verbally committed to play softball at the University of Minnesota 〽️ a big thank you to my momma and papa for their continued support. I am so lucky to have parents who believe in me and push my to the best of my abilities. Thank you to all of my coaches from 10u to now 18u who have encouraged me through the good and the bad to keep working hard and to never give up. God has a plan, and I am so excited that this one is mine

here is our plan. Me Claeys & Johnson have decided to redshirt these two guys if we can. It's best for our future. So if Leidner gets hurt...Mitch don't screw the plan up.

Gary Moore got his redshirt year in, which was the right thing to do. This program owes this to Croft. He got screwed last year by losing a season. Kill's emotions got the best of him. Totally irrational use of Croft. I'll hang up and listen.

While the U works on JRob's buyout, U administrators are also now zoning in on the wrestlers who took Xanax and whether they will be suspended. Really?? It took them until now...3 months into the investigation to finally get to interviewing the wrestlers who used? That sure seems just a little bit SLOW!!!

I said in an earlier thread that I thought there would be suspensions for the 4 drug sellers and also lesser suspensions for the 12 other wrestlers who used drugs. So this may not be "Breaking News" except for the snail's pace of all of this.

I think there should be suspensions, but I am inclined to be lenient...as all of the guilty wrestlers were first time offenders. These are good, hard working kids that made a big mistake, and they have learned their lesson. I say one month for the 12 users and 2-3 months for the sellers.

Here's the KSTP article:


Serious Discipline Potentially For Some U of M Wrestlers As Drug Investigation Enters New Phase

KSTP.com
Stephen Tellier
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 18:05:33 CDT



A source with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigation into whether University of Minnesota wrestlers used illegal drugs told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the inquiry is entering a new phase, and that serious discipline could be on the horizon for some wrestlers.

Gophers Wrestling Coach J Robinson has been on paid administrative leave all summer. Documents show he had a list of sixteen wrestlers he said admitted to using or selling Xanax last season, and that he refused to provide details to police unless his players were given immunity.

State and federal prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against Robinson or any Gophers wrestlers.

But now, the source said that, in the next few weeks, university officials will begin interviewing all wrestlers suspected of using the often-abused prescription drug last season, and that any wrestler who is found to have been less than truthful could face suspension or a loss of their scholarship.

That could potentially throw the coming season into disarray before it even begins.

Emails and text messages, also released by the university on Friday, include an email from Brandon Eggum, Head Assistant Wrestling Coach at the time, and now the Acting Head Coach of the team, apparently written to many wrestlers. It states that someone with the Office of General Counsel may be contacting them about the internal investigation, and that it's a personal decision whether they want to meet with them.

The newly released documents also provide a closer look at what top university officials were saying to each other just after the entire wrestling team was drug tested.

On March 24, two days after the testing, Moira Novak, the university's Director of Athletic Medicine, forwarded the drug test results to Beth Goetz, the Interim Athletic Director at the time, adding, "I just want to make sure that this information is being reported to you."

Three wrestlers failed the drug test, even though they weren't tested for Xanax.

Police documents show that the three wrestlers were supposed to get drug and alcohol assessments.

On March 28, Robinson texted the wrestling team's assistant athletic trainer, saying, "These are the guys that should come see you today and get an appointment." The names that followed that portion of the text were redacted.

Two days later, the trainer told Robinson, "I was told I need to wait for the (Athletics Department's Drug and Alcohol Standards) review board to give sanctions before I can proceed."

Robinson replied, "Not concerned so much about sanctions. I don't believe there's many except meeting with someone and maybe some community service. Just wanted to get it in the pipeline and get it started. No sanctions from my part as I told them amnesty if they came in Saturday or Sunday."

On April 4, the trainer updated Robinson, "The review board has met but was waiting to speak to you before moving forward."

Robinson replied, "What's there not to move forward on... What's the concert (sic)."

The trainer's response was redacted.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the university on Friday, but it would not confirm that interviews of many wrestlers are imminent, and declined to comment on the status of the internal investigation because it is still ongoing.

Last month, Robinson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that he expected to return as head coach next season. But earlier this week, sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the university and Robinson's attorney are currently negotiating a buyout, which would end Robinson's 30-year tenure with the Gophers.

Why no coverage of yesterday's scrimmage?