The Minnesota-Wisconsin game figures to be one of the most important contests in recent Gopher history. It also could be the most important recruiting weekend in some time as well.
Minnesota is expected to host nine official visitors and many other players who are making unofficial trips (including Frank Ragnow) to TCF Bank Stadium, which may make this the biggest recruiting weekend since the Ohio State-Minnesota game on September 29, 2007.
The Gophers lost to the Buckeyes 30-7 that Saturday night, but scored big as official visitors Gary Tinsley, Troy Stoudermire, Traye Simmons, Spencer Reeves, Da’Jon McKnight, MarQueis Gray, Jewhan Edwards, Tim Dandridge and Keanon Cooper all signed with Minnesota.
The Gophers are hoping that their better than expected 8-2 start and a festive, loud crowd could help them land several of their talented visitors.
Wichita Northwestern running back Deron Thompson has offers from Army, Colorado State, Idaho, Kansas State, Minnesota and Western Michigan. Northwest finished 5-5, losing to Garden City 40-36 in the playoffs. Thompson finished with 162 carries for 988 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and 17 rushing touchdowns. He had four games of over 100 yards.
Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb running back J’Vonte Herrod has offers from Minnesota, Utah State, Georgia State and Western Kentucky.
Jonesburo (GA) Mundy’s Mill running back Rodney Smith has paced the Tigers to a 7-4 mark this season. They face Lee County Friday in the second round of the playoffs. He rushed 28 times for 348 yards and four rushing touchdowns in their 33-12 win over Houston County in the first round. Smith has rushed 206 times for 1709 yards and 20 rushing scores. He has offers from East Carolina, Jacksonville State, N.C. A&T, Samford, Savannah State, South Alabama and Southern Mississippi.
Linebacker Christian Russell from East Mississippi Community College has paced the NJCAA second-ranked Lions to their third state football title in five years with a 61-24 home victory over fourth-ranked Jones County. Russell had a 25 yard interception in the win, his second touchdown on the year. He was named to the NJCAA All-Region 23 Football Team. Russell, who will graduate in December, has offers from Minnesota, Tennessee and Central Florida, where he is expected to visit next weekend. East Mississippi will play Georgia Military College in the NJCAA title game December 8th
Khari Blasingame, a 6-foot-1, 202-pound safety from New Market (Ala.) Buckhorn, attended the Gopher spring game and has been thought to a strong Minnesota lean. He has offers from Appalachian State, Mercer, Middle Tennessee, Minnesota, South Alabama and UAB. Blasingame has become friends with Gopher commit Dimonic McKinzy, who will visit this weekend. The two meet at the spring game and have kept in contact throughout the fall.
Here is a link to a story on Blasingame.
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/272064?referrer_id=388419
Dimonic McKinzy committed to the Gophers a few months back and led the Bulldogs to a 4-5 mark this season. He completed 156 of 295 passes for 2527 yards and 26 passing scores. McKinzy rushed 92 times for 519 yards and nine more touchdowns.
Here is a link to a story on McKinzy.
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/250971?referrer_id=331171
Julien Kafo, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end from Mont-Tremblant (Quebec) Vanier, attended the Minnesota Gopher Friday Nights football camp and will make a return trip to the Twin Cities this weekend.
Here is the link to a story on Kafo.
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/274189?referrer_id=388419
Cody Poock, a 6-foot-3, 230 pound freshman linebacker from Iowa Western Community College. Has helped lead the NJCAA #3 Reivers to a 10-1 mark. They will face #5 Butler Community College in the Graphic Edge Bowl at the UNI Dome December 8th. Poock, who is from Spirit Lake, Iowa, was a full qualifier. He is visiting TCU next weekend and has offers from Georgia State, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Old Dominion and added an offer from Illinois earlier today.
James Folston Jr. a 6-3, 202-pound from Cocoa (FL), visited Pittsburgh two weeks ago to watch the Panthers play Notre Dame. His older brother Tarean is a freshman running back for the Fighting Irish. He comes from an athletic family. His father James Folston Sr., was a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Raiders and played eight seasons in the NFL. His sister, Jazzmine, runs track at TCU.
Only time will tell if this weekend rivals the Ohio State-Minnesota game of six years ago, but Gophers fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about their favorite team on and off the field.