The contact period starts tomorrow and doesn't stop until January 31. Here's where the coaches will be.
Thursday
Weekend Visitors
I just spoke with Dredrick Snelson, who tells me that the visit last night with Johnson and Phelps went very well. He and his mom like Jay Johnson. They thought he was honest and upfront. Snelson liked how he'd be used in the offense, and said Johnson planned to get him the ball however possible. A handful of other schools were in Thursday and Friday, and he'll visit Penn State the weekend before Signing Day. I'll have a full story on Snelson up tonight.
St. Paul's (Ala.) middle linebacker South Alabama Bryce Huff tells me that Sawvel visited him in school today. He says Minnesota is serious about him and they're looking at him as a DE/OLB hybrid. I'll have a story on Huff probably tomorrow.
@Baldy1 I did confirm that Watts received a visit from Phelps. I believe Phelps was the only coach on that visit. Watts has had Iowa State, Pitt, Penn State, and Missouri in as well. Missouri is a school I hadn't heard attached to Watts' name before now.
Also confirmed what Hawkeye Report told me which was that Reeves and Phelps would see Noah Fant tonight.
Antoine Winfield Jr. tells me that the visit went well. "It was good. He just checked in to see how I was doing, and we talked about plans for our in-home visit." That in-home visit will occur on Tuesday.
Huff says his teammate BJ Edmonds was in on the visit too. Edmonds is a three-star athlete with offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, and more. "I talked to Sawvel. We talked just about how he really likes me, and they're having a coaches conference about recruits. He's gonna hit me up this weekend and let me know what's going on."
1/16 UPDATE
Simeon Smiley says he didn't end up getting a visit from Sawvel.
It wasn't an all-star game that Sawvel watched Tyrez Lindsey at, but a basketball game. I got that confused because of the way Tyrez worded that. "It went well. We talked after the game, and that went well. I'm getting to know him a little bit better...My parents like him and are impressed by him."
Here's what Kamal Martin told me about his in-home visit from O'Brien and Claeys: "It was awesome. We had a great time! Talked some good football and watched the Gophers basketball game." On his impression of O'Brien... "He is a great guy and he bleeds Minnesota maroon and gold! You can just tell he is all about the kids!"
Also talked with Sam Schlueter and will have that story up in a bit. He said the visit from Miller and Sherels went very well. He liked how Miller presented himself and thinks he's a great, intense coach. Also said that Miller said he'll definitely be a tackle.
Thursday
- Coney Durr is receiving a visit from Sawvel. I imagine Cushenberry will receive a visit too, but haven't confirmed that yet. Durr will be taking a visit to UNC this weekend, and tells me he "might visit Virginia Tech the next weekend, will know by this weekend for sure".
- Antoine Winfield Jr. is also receiving a visit from Sawvel.
- Trystan Castillo is receiving an in-home visit from Miller at 7:30 PM. That's a big visit, as it will be the first time Castillo talks with Miller. Castillo visits Iowa State this weekend.
- Dredrick Snelson will receive a visit from Anderson and Johnson. I haven't heard back from the Daniels yet, but I recently heard something that would make me very surprised if they were to become Gophers. I think we can turn the page with the Daniels.
- Tyrez Lindsey will receive a visit from Sawvel. The visit will apparently be to watch him in some all-star game, so that's a good eval opportunity for Sawvel. No word yet from Nick Fields, but I'd imagine he'll get a visit too.
- Sam Schlueter and Patrick Kasl will receive visits from Miller. Key thing to look for after the visit will be if Kasl gets an official visit set, which I bet happens.
- DeMarcus Williams is receiving a visit from Johnson. GI spoke with Williams today, and you can read that story here. Johnson visiting Williams on the second day of the contact period is quite telling, so I'd say he's on offer watch or at the very least I think an official visit will be set up.
Weekend Visitors
- Like I had a thread about, many of the preferred walk-on targets are taking their officials this weekend. Commits Nick Kramer and Danny Pietruszewski along with targets Connor Novak-Goar, True Thompson, and Calvin Swenson will all be on campus. I anticipate True Thompson pulling the trigger, but I'm not sure about the others.
- Ko Kieft and Rhashaun Epting are the scholarship official visitors. I think if the staff likes Epting's build, personality, and character, he'll leave the visit as a Gopher. It's not set in stone that he'll be a defensive end anymore. Tight end and outside linebacker are other possibilities.
I just spoke with Dredrick Snelson, who tells me that the visit last night with Johnson and Phelps went very well. He and his mom like Jay Johnson. They thought he was honest and upfront. Snelson liked how he'd be used in the offense, and said Johnson planned to get him the ball however possible. A handful of other schools were in Thursday and Friday, and he'll visit Penn State the weekend before Signing Day. I'll have a full story on Snelson up tonight.
St. Paul's (Ala.) middle linebacker South Alabama Bryce Huff tells me that Sawvel visited him in school today. He says Minnesota is serious about him and they're looking at him as a DE/OLB hybrid. I'll have a story on Huff probably tomorrow.
@Baldy1 I did confirm that Watts received a visit from Phelps. I believe Phelps was the only coach on that visit. Watts has had Iowa State, Pitt, Penn State, and Missouri in as well. Missouri is a school I hadn't heard attached to Watts' name before now.
Also confirmed what Hawkeye Report told me which was that Reeves and Phelps would see Noah Fant tonight.
Antoine Winfield Jr. tells me that the visit went well. "It was good. He just checked in to see how I was doing, and we talked about plans for our in-home visit." That in-home visit will occur on Tuesday.
Huff says his teammate BJ Edmonds was in on the visit too. Edmonds is a three-star athlete with offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, and more. "I talked to Sawvel. We talked just about how he really likes me, and they're having a coaches conference about recruits. He's gonna hit me up this weekend and let me know what's going on."
1/16 UPDATE
Simeon Smiley says he didn't end up getting a visit from Sawvel.
It wasn't an all-star game that Sawvel watched Tyrez Lindsey at, but a basketball game. I got that confused because of the way Tyrez worded that. "It went well. We talked after the game, and that went well. I'm getting to know him a little bit better...My parents like him and are impressed by him."
Here's what Kamal Martin told me about his in-home visit from O'Brien and Claeys: "It was awesome. We had a great time! Talked some good football and watched the Gophers basketball game." On his impression of O'Brien... "He is a great guy and he bleeds Minnesota maroon and gold! You can just tell he is all about the kids!"
Also talked with Sam Schlueter and will have that story up in a bit. He said the visit from Miller and Sherels went very well. He liked how Miller presented himself and thinks he's a great, intense coach. Also said that Miller said he'll definitely be a tackle.
Last edited:
