Today's Sports Huddle segment with Jerry Kill returned to its 9:30 a.m. time slot. Whether or not it'll be the same next week remains to be seen. If I receive a notice regarding Kill's appearance, I'll post it as I did last night.
Dave Mona opened the segment saying the long range forecast for next Saturday's spring game at TCF Bank Stadium will be warm - 68 degrees.
1) Sid's first question was about yesterday's indoor scrimmage: Kill responded, "Thought it went really well . . . Appreciate the people that came out . . .Both sides of the ball had their (positive) moments." He finished his comments to Sid's query talking about the kicking game. He had the fans come onto the field with the players to put pressure on the kicker, Chris Hawthorne. He made made the two kicks.
2) Sid asked what players stood out in the scrimmage: He sounded very high on the quarterback play of Philip Nelson and Mitch Leidner, "Did some good things . . . were sharp."
Players he named on the offensive side of the ball:
a) K J Maye has looked good.
b) (Derrick) "Engel has stepped up."
c) TEs mentioned: Lincoln Plsek and Maxx Williams. Coach Kill sounded very pleased with their play, especially when he was discussing Maxx Williams' play.
d) Mike Henry did a good job coming out of the backfield.
e) Later in the broadcast, Kill cited Ben Lauer's play and his progress at offensive tackle.
Defensive side of the ball:
a) Kill sounded excited and high on the secondary. He said the secondary was the team's strength on the defensive side of the ball . . . there's depth and talent.
b) Kill said they need improvement at linebacker because of the players that graduated. He cited Damien Wilson, saying, he's learning the system.
c) Kill mentioned Theiren Cockran and his play with his long arms at defensive end. Sounded positive about Cockran; however, he didn't focus much on the defensive line with his comments.
Kill closed out the question by saying, "our kids are getting better . . . 14 players not participating because of injuries . . . Ben Lauer has been improving . . . more reps the better you get." The last comment was about the players getting reps because of the injured players not participating.
3) Sid then asked about a player that had been hurt in a car accident: Coach sorted out the question stating there wasn't a player hurt in a car accident; however, he started talking about Peter Westerhaus and the head injury that he suffered when he was at the Grand Canyon a couple years ago. Since then, Westerhaus developed a "unique illness" and is not practicing this spring. He has lost 20-30 pounds because of the illness, "He's going through advesity." Kill said he told Westerhaus he has had some tough breaks and he's due to have some good things happen.
4) Dave Mona queried Kill about running back Cole Banham of Lakeville, Minnesota: "Has done some good things . . . has learned to pass block." Banham has put on 20 pounds since his arrival at Minnesota; he now weighs 190.
Kill then started citing the coaching staff . . . Eric Klein for developing the players physically . . . the coaches as teachers, "Our coaches are good at teaching."
Kill sounded pleased with the depth at running back and the progress of the players,"A lot of the kids are progressing well."
5) Mona asked if the players are getting fatigued (getting tired of being housebound) because they haven't been practicing outside: "Players have really been good . . . Great competition . . . great crowds (very appreciative of the many fans that are showing up for practices) . . . People get to hear everything that goes on in practice . . . kids don't want to embarass themselves (they're focused because of the crowds).
Kill said he called Coach Fitzgerald at NW and they have 14 missing because of surgeries . . . Minnesota has about 9 players out and three more players will be undergoing surgery due to recent injuries. He briefly mentioned Devon Wright being injured and needing surgery. He hopes to have everyone back and ready to go at the start of two-a-days, including Jonah Pirsig. He also said, if Pirsig isn't ready August 1st, he should be ready for the Big 10 season.
6) Sid then asked about Damien Wilson and his progress at linebacker: Kill responded, "Jack Lynn is (now) the starting Mike Linebacker." Lynn is 6-3 and 225 pounds. Damien Wilson is about 250. Kill said both are very athletic. He also said both Lynn and Wilson are "Learning how to play within a scheme."
7) Kill then started talking with praise about the secondary: "Very talented in the secondary . . . can run, play man-to-man coverage."
He then focused his comments on the linebacking positions. He mentioned losing players through graduation and the players needing to step up and that 4 possibly 5 players coming in that need to help right away, "Four or five coming in have to be good."
8) Dave Mona asked about Cobb's running and Eric Murray: "Eric Murray is a big time player out of Milwaukee . . . weighs 190 pounds . . . fast, gifted and is going to be a great player . . . has a great attitude . . . quiet . . . comes to work everyday." Kill is very high on Murray's athletic abililties and love for the game.
Damien Wilson is David Cobb's cousin. Kill credits Wilson with getting Cobb to focus. He said, "He's (Cobb) has had a good spring . . . competition is a good thing, brings out the best."
He concluded the question saying, "Everybody is being held accountable, including coaches."
9) Kill said the Gophers "Haven't had a winning record in the Big 10 in ten years." He didn't sound pleased with that fact and wants to change the dismal record. He did sound pleased, however, with the players attitude, progress and the competition on both sides of the ball.
He then talked about the upcoming spring game that will take place next Saturday. Scrimmage will start at 1:00 p.m.; however, he hopes the fans arrive early to tailgate and participate in the fanfest events of the day. They will split up the team for the scrimmage. The parking lots will open at 9 a.m.
10) Sid asked about the kicking game and Mona asked about the return game: Kill said being inside has been a problem in evaluating the return game. He mentioned and sounded pleased with Marcus Jones' rehab from his ACL injury. He is being withheld from contact.
Kill sounded happy about the team's coverage of punts and kicks.
He also mentioned, again, yesterday's placekicks at the end of the scrimmage . . . and that he has some kicking and punting recruits coming in this summer.
11) Sid asked about upcoming clinics: Kill said they'll busy in June with their summer camps. He also mentioned that many of the fans that have been attending the open practices this spring are high school students, 9-12 grades.
He closed the program and question saying how proud he is of the players and the work they do (community service). He was especially proud of the players and the work they did with a group a youngsters yesterday that have had a history of seizure problems.
Go Gophers!!
Dave Mona opened the segment saying the long range forecast for next Saturday's spring game at TCF Bank Stadium will be warm - 68 degrees.
1) Sid's first question was about yesterday's indoor scrimmage: Kill responded, "Thought it went really well . . . Appreciate the people that came out . . .Both sides of the ball had their (positive) moments." He finished his comments to Sid's query talking about the kicking game. He had the fans come onto the field with the players to put pressure on the kicker, Chris Hawthorne. He made made the two kicks.
2) Sid asked what players stood out in the scrimmage: He sounded very high on the quarterback play of Philip Nelson and Mitch Leidner, "Did some good things . . . were sharp."
Players he named on the offensive side of the ball:
a) K J Maye has looked good.
b) (Derrick) "Engel has stepped up."
c) TEs mentioned: Lincoln Plsek and Maxx Williams. Coach Kill sounded very pleased with their play, especially when he was discussing Maxx Williams' play.
d) Mike Henry did a good job coming out of the backfield.
e) Later in the broadcast, Kill cited Ben Lauer's play and his progress at offensive tackle.
Defensive side of the ball:
a) Kill sounded excited and high on the secondary. He said the secondary was the team's strength on the defensive side of the ball . . . there's depth and talent.
b) Kill said they need improvement at linebacker because of the players that graduated. He cited Damien Wilson, saying, he's learning the system.
c) Kill mentioned Theiren Cockran and his play with his long arms at defensive end. Sounded positive about Cockran; however, he didn't focus much on the defensive line with his comments.
Kill closed out the question by saying, "our kids are getting better . . . 14 players not participating because of injuries . . . Ben Lauer has been improving . . . more reps the better you get." The last comment was about the players getting reps because of the injured players not participating.
3) Sid then asked about a player that had been hurt in a car accident: Coach sorted out the question stating there wasn't a player hurt in a car accident; however, he started talking about Peter Westerhaus and the head injury that he suffered when he was at the Grand Canyon a couple years ago. Since then, Westerhaus developed a "unique illness" and is not practicing this spring. He has lost 20-30 pounds because of the illness, "He's going through advesity." Kill said he told Westerhaus he has had some tough breaks and he's due to have some good things happen.
4) Dave Mona queried Kill about running back Cole Banham of Lakeville, Minnesota: "Has done some good things . . . has learned to pass block." Banham has put on 20 pounds since his arrival at Minnesota; he now weighs 190.
Kill then started citing the coaching staff . . . Eric Klein for developing the players physically . . . the coaches as teachers, "Our coaches are good at teaching."
Kill sounded pleased with the depth at running back and the progress of the players,"A lot of the kids are progressing well."
5) Mona asked if the players are getting fatigued (getting tired of being housebound) because they haven't been practicing outside: "Players have really been good . . . Great competition . . . great crowds (very appreciative of the many fans that are showing up for practices) . . . People get to hear everything that goes on in practice . . . kids don't want to embarass themselves (they're focused because of the crowds).
Kill said he called Coach Fitzgerald at NW and they have 14 missing because of surgeries . . . Minnesota has about 9 players out and three more players will be undergoing surgery due to recent injuries. He briefly mentioned Devon Wright being injured and needing surgery. He hopes to have everyone back and ready to go at the start of two-a-days, including Jonah Pirsig. He also said, if Pirsig isn't ready August 1st, he should be ready for the Big 10 season.
6) Sid then asked about Damien Wilson and his progress at linebacker: Kill responded, "Jack Lynn is (now) the starting Mike Linebacker." Lynn is 6-3 and 225 pounds. Damien Wilson is about 250. Kill said both are very athletic. He also said both Lynn and Wilson are "Learning how to play within a scheme."
7) Kill then started talking with praise about the secondary: "Very talented in the secondary . . . can run, play man-to-man coverage."
He then focused his comments on the linebacking positions. He mentioned losing players through graduation and the players needing to step up and that 4 possibly 5 players coming in that need to help right away, "Four or five coming in have to be good."
8) Dave Mona asked about Cobb's running and Eric Murray: "Eric Murray is a big time player out of Milwaukee . . . weighs 190 pounds . . . fast, gifted and is going to be a great player . . . has a great attitude . . . quiet . . . comes to work everyday." Kill is very high on Murray's athletic abililties and love for the game.
Damien Wilson is David Cobb's cousin. Kill credits Wilson with getting Cobb to focus. He said, "He's (Cobb) has had a good spring . . . competition is a good thing, brings out the best."
He concluded the question saying, "Everybody is being held accountable, including coaches."
9) Kill said the Gophers "Haven't had a winning record in the Big 10 in ten years." He didn't sound pleased with that fact and wants to change the dismal record. He did sound pleased, however, with the players attitude, progress and the competition on both sides of the ball.
He then talked about the upcoming spring game that will take place next Saturday. Scrimmage will start at 1:00 p.m.; however, he hopes the fans arrive early to tailgate and participate in the fanfest events of the day. They will split up the team for the scrimmage. The parking lots will open at 9 a.m.
10) Sid asked about the kicking game and Mona asked about the return game: Kill said being inside has been a problem in evaluating the return game. He mentioned and sounded pleased with Marcus Jones' rehab from his ACL injury. He is being withheld from contact.
Kill sounded happy about the team's coverage of punts and kicks.
He also mentioned, again, yesterday's placekicks at the end of the scrimmage . . . and that he has some kicking and punting recruits coming in this summer.
11) Sid asked about upcoming clinics: Kill said they'll busy in June with their summer camps. He also mentioned that many of the fans that have been attending the open practices this spring are high school students, 9-12 grades.
He closed the program and question saying how proud he is of the players and the work they do (community service). He was especially proud of the players and the work they did with a group a youngsters yesterday that have had a history of seizure problems.
Go Gophers!!
