Hey guys, Woody the Southeast Analyst here, you might remember me from such hit stories as the time I suggested Javan Hawes was leaning toward the Gophers earlier in the summer prior to his commitment.

Anyway, Matt has been on me about getting Hawes' ranking updated and I wanted to let you guys know it's coming soon and he will be ranked as a three-star prospect. While I was going through some stuff I also found a few video clips I shot of him during the spring and I wanted to share those here as well.

Here's the video:

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Tracy Claeys

• Camp can get long, need to get everyone focused. These first practices will set the tempo for all year long. I'm very pleased with how the summer's gone and the work our team has put in. Seniors have done a great job of leading the team.
• Talked with volleyball coach Hugh McCutheon and will change up practices. In other countries, they probably spend more time learning behaviors. Competing at a high level and learning should match in practice. Hugh will watch on Friday. Kids are more tired at the end, and that's not the best time to be teaching things. We'll move that to the middle of practice. At the end of practice, we'll do more full-speed competing.
• Coach Miller met with the strength staff and told them what he would like them to do this summer. It's a lot more demanding and challenging.
• Nobody's locked in as a starter. We don't make any decisions until we get through about 18 practices. Then you have to. Guys need about ten practices. I tell kids that you don't have to like your roles but I ask that you accept them the first game and do your best. Roles can change.
• I was just watching some film of Rashad Still, and he made some really big plays last year. There's a big change between freshman and sophomores even mentally. I feel good about our receiving corps, but we have to prove it on gameday.
• We definitely have to play better on the O-Line, and we don't have much depth there. We need five to step up and play all the time. We have some awfully good freshman and even good redshirt freshman but it's always better to wait a little bit.
• If someone watches us practice and says it's the same as Jerry Kill, that's a hell of a compliment to me. Kill kept every document in these three-ring binders as he went through the season, and thank God he did. There's personality things that change, but I'm glad he kept those three ring binders. They came in helpful.
• I'm really excited because Mitch is healthy. He hasn't been healthy in a long time. I'm glad we have him back. We're pretty young at quarterback after that.
• Our strength staff says the guys up front have had a great summer and great mentality. We bought a new sled to make them work. I know they've been putting in time. Two days a week they were putting in time on their own besides captains' practices. Everyone who's been working with them this summer says there's no question they've made progress.
• We get awful young in a hurry at safety, but they have the skill to play the position. They get everyone lined up and all the motions, and that's my concern with the young guys.
• There are no new injuries heading into fall camp.
• Gaelin and Hank have worked awfully hard this summer. We don't have a lot of depth there, but we have some bigger linebackers that could step in if injuries happen.
• I'd like to see both Rodney and Shannon on the field at the same time. You have to get the ball to your playmakers in space.
• Whatever works for a run/pass balance.
• Kind of all teams are moving towards playing multiple backs. It will get interesting once we get down to the redzone. I don't think with Rodney and Shannon it will be a problem. They have a good relationship and are both extremely talented.
• I get confused about high expectations. We're first now, some have us last. Hell, I'm glad we play the games. I always say preseason predictions don't win you any games. It's all about who works hard, respects their opponents, and comes to play.
• I hate to take away games on campus. TCF, it's a great stadium. I would hate to take away anything from our own campus. I think it's great to play here. I think it would be great to host a national championship at US Bank Stadium, as long as we don't lose a home game at TCF.
• Donnell Greene has to finish up school. I think he finishes today.

It's already been a month since all the changes here at "The Gopher Report," and I think it's been a good month!

Matt and his team have been pumping out quality content, and the tone of discussion in the forums has improved greatly.

Keep up the great work!

Link: Fast-rising JUCO DE talks Gopher offer

I have a feeling that Clemons could really blow up when the season starts and he has JUCO film to send out. Smart for Minnesota to get in on him early.

I was having a discussion/arguement with my wife about Hillary. Hillary said her nomination shows little girls that anything is possible. I said Hilary's nomination shows girls anything is possible if you marry a powerful man because there is no way she would be in this position if she was not Mrs Bill Clinton. Thoughts?

You can't make this stuff up:

http://deadspin.com/ndsu-effectively-bans-media-from-covering-bison-sports-1784581476

I know we have done this before, but I have now changed a few, so let's do it again...what are your Top 5 Sports ...

I will start with mine.

1) College Football
2) NFL Football
3) NCAA Basketball
4) PGA Golf
5) UFC / International Soccer

What have you ?

Link: OL/DL Green hits the road

Minnesota's recruiting Green as a defensive tackle, and he gives a quote about wanting to visit Minnesota. He visits UCF on Wednesday. Syracuse is the other team heavily involved.

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Cisco College DE Michael Clemons picked up an offer from Minnesota today. He holds other power five offers from Kansas State and Ole Miss. You can watch his Hudl here.

He'll visit Dayton September 9. It's his only official visit set.

Sounds like he's not getting charged I saw on Twitter. pioneer press story. But great news for him and team.

Insufficient evidence.

I have started a tweet poll on topic. for those inclined go over and vote.

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Last year there was much discussion that officiating was a bit sketchy when conference interests were on the line. would a pooling of officials at least remove a layer of doubt, remove any possible claim on conference interference? generate hopefully consistent standards etc?

discuss here>?

vote/RT there.

cheers.

Nice picture of Floyd on the Iowa ticket.

I'll hang up and listen. If you nitwits just took notes you'd learn from 55. Claeys is about to let this offense be free like Kunta Kinta. Limegrover & Kill choked that thing until the life was out of it. Now they are gone. If you cross 55 and his wisdom. You're in jeopardy too. Boom!

Claeys knew what 55 knew. Over coaching was Kill's undoing. He worked himself into a tissy trying to control EVERYTHING! He crippled our QB and WRs
The WRs weren't bad kids....just bored as hell.
In 5 games Leidner is a projected 1st rounder?
Child please!

Link: Adidas Nations: Recapping the performances of Bede, Carr, Hurt, and Sims

Link: Summer Heat: New Yorkers whose stock went up in July

Minnesota offered French last June and has tracked him ever since, although I would not say he's on the same level as Wright, John, Bede, Washington, Sims, etc. for 2017 targets the Gophers want the most. I remember Ben Johnson watching French once in Las Vegas, although they may have watched him more than that.

NYC Hoops saw French play multiple times in July and wrote this on him:

Hasahn French, 6'7" PF, PSA Cardinals 17u (Commonwealth Academy, MA '17)- Before April came around French held just 1 high major offer, Providence. He was viewed as a tweener by most college coaches who did watch him before the AAU season began, but when he got a chance to prove what he could do against players his size and bigger, he showed he was stronger, and more physical against near everyone, proving that he is a clear high major talent, and throughout the past couple months offers rolled in fromOklahoma State, UNLV, Arizona State, SMU, and Virginia Tech showing that the coaches watching came around and saw that he is an elite level player.

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Link: Texas QB Willie Cherry talks Gopher interest

Cherry is a phenomenal scrambler and another name to add to the QB list. He spoke about his Gophers interest inside.

Practices open to the public will be August 6th, 9th, and 12th at 10:00 am at Gibson-Nagurski, and the 13th at 4:45 pm in TCF Bank Stadium.

55's post matters too. I'm bacckkkkk nitwits!

Link: Adidas Nations: Marcus Carr eval

Sean Moran used to write for Scout and Zags Blog but is now an MBA student at USC and doesn't write too much anymore. He was at Adidas Nations this weekend though, and did a great job for us on this Marcus Carr eval.

ICYMI, you can also read yesterday's article on Carr from Adidas Nations here.

Link: Iowa State commit Quran Hafiz talks Gopher interest

Where do you think this Iowee writer has us before you open the link?




http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...ohio-state-jim-harbaugh-predictions/87683378/

I'm told Jacksonville cornerback Quran Hafiz will take an official visit here September 1-2 for the Oregon State game. Hafiz was a name mentioned a lot earlier this summer, and Minnesota was a finalist before he committed to Iowa State. He also holds offers from Boston College, Duke, Indiana, NC State, Oregon State, Purdue, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech.

I just read on a site that Colton and the Celtics have agreed to a deal. Looking at his stats the one year he played at Colorado St he performed really good. I really don't think he was given much of a chance here.