Gopher Football
Two newsworthy items relating to the wide receiver position took place in the first practice of the week Tuesday. First of all, red-shirt freshman J.D. Pride — who was a quarterback through his first season with the Gophers – worked out with the wide receivers. Secondly, about midway through the practice, star wideout Da’Jon McKnight went down clutching his knee.
So, the media and the few others who braved the raw, sometimes rainy weather were keenly aware of and focused on what was going on with the receivers Thursday. Following practice, head coach Jerry Kill addressed the wide receiver situation.
“We need depth,” Kill said. “We’ve got to find people, so we’ve got to keep working.”
Kill then delivered the news everyone wanted to hear.
“Da’Jon … he’ll be all right,” Kill said. “He got boogered up a little bit. But he’ll be all right. That’s the good news. The other news is that we’ve got to develop other players.”
The end of that statement led naturally into a question about Pride’s move to receiver.
“That’s a coach’s decision,” Kill said. “I’m trying to get players and see where they can play, see what they can do. You’ve got to find places to get people on the field. We’re thin out there. We moved MarQueis in, Da’Jon being hurt, we’re playing tight ends at receiver. We’re just thin at that position. We’re just trying to find spots and fill in, give some kids some opportunities to see what they can do.”
Of course with a great deal of discussion focusing on the pass catchers, the conversation inevitably turned to the guy who is throwing those passes – MarQueis Gray.
“He’s a good football player,” Kill said. “There’s no secret that he’s a good athlete, a gifted kid, he’s a good kid, he comes to work every day. He’s done well. He’s learned well for a kid that hasn’t played quarterback in a long time on an every-day basis. He is being pushed very hard. We’re throwing it all at him to see how far he can go. We’re not backing off him at all. He’s done good. Give the kid credit. He’s got something to him, there’s no question about that.”
Following Thursday’s workout, Coach Kill kept the team on the field for a little longer than usual. His voice could be heard throughout the complex and it was clear he wasn’t completely happy with how the practice went.
“I was just visiting with them a little bit,” Kill said. “Talking about they have to come to work every day. In spring ball … the 10th or 11th practice, you get beat up, guys are hurt and tired. But this is when you find out who you are. This is when you’ve got to learn to fight back. The message is we’ve got to continue to work hard. We’ve got four practices left, so we’ve got to make sure we do a good job of delivering the message of what we want.”
Thursday’s practice was the 11th of the 15 allowed by the NCAA in the spring. The Gophers will go away from their regular Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule to wrap up this week. Minnesota will practice at 7:15 p.m. Friday, under the lights at TCF Bank Stadium. There are a few reasons for Friday’s practice being at night and being at the stadium.
First of all, the Gophers are planning a recruiting visit this weekend. The night practice allows some out-of-town recruits – and fans – to get to town and see the team work out. Plus, it gives them yet another look at a different feel for practice. The Gophers have practiced inside at Gibson-Nagurski, outside at Gibson-Nagurski, outside at TCF Bank Stadium in daylight and now they will go under the lights at The Bank.
“It just allows some people to be here who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to come watch us practice,” Kill said of the later start time. “It’s probably good. We’ve practiced indoors, in three different spots, we’ve practiced when it’s cold, not cold. That’s how you’re going to play in games. It’s kind of a good deal.”
Moving Friday’s practice — as well as both of next week’s practices leading up to the Spring Game – is beneficial in another way. It allows the crews coming in to work on installing new outdoor turf at the Gibson-Nagurski Complex to get started on tearing out the old turf. That work is slated to begin Friday.
-By Andy Seeley, Associate Director of Athletic Communications