per Sid:
Praises Hageman
Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, who has been a member of Jerry Kill's coaching staff for 17 years, ranks redshirt junior Ra'Shede Hageman "as good a defensive tackle as we've been around. He can be as good as anybody around; I really believe that. He has the size [6-6, 305 pounds] and athletic ability and continues to improve each week."
Claeys added: "He has that explosion and [is one of] those D-linemen that can get off the ball when it moves. I think his vertical [jump] is like 37 inches and for a 305-pound guy, that's an explosive person. Very quick, uses his hands, gets off the block well. He's everything you look for in a D-tackle."
Claeys said the former Minneapolis Washburn star, a converted tight end, is constantly drawing double teams.
"We've tried to do some slants and stunts and do some things to help him out so they can't double him. We'll have to continue to look at that and don't let them put two people on him because one-on-one he'll get [past] most people."
Changed life
Personal problems almost ended Hageman's football career, but he has really got his life straightened out and is doing great not only on the football field but in the classroom.
"I was just being immature. I was trying to really get my life together," Hageman said. "I really wanted to play football and do college. Coach Kill gave me a second chance and, I mean, it was more of a chance that if I mess up, I'm done. It was a tight chance, but he really gave me a chance to turn my life around.
"Football really saved me and just school-wise, I'm more into it and willing to get my head into it to play football. I'm taking things more seriously."
Hageman was arrested in May of 2010 on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge after a fight broke out in Dinkytown. The media played the story up in a big way at the time, but the charges were dropped in June because of insufficient evidence. Hageman was said to have actually been trying to break up the fight instead of participating in it.
But Hageman, who has 14 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in four games, said he understands why his involvement was misinterpreted.
"That's just the part of [the media] doing their job," he said. "Everybody wants to hear about the negative things you do because you're an athlete and kind of under the microscope, [but] because I was innocent, it made me feel a lot better. I just kind of moved on and am not really worried about that."
http://www.startribune.com/sports/171442631.html
Go Gophers!!
Pretty big time for the Gophers?