Minnesota spring game recap

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
No matter what happened this spring, Minnesota knew it would enter the fall with a proven quarterback in Adam Weber and a dynamic wide receiver in Eric Decker. But with Decker playing baseball this spring and Weber limited following shoulder surgery, there were opportunities for those behind them to step up.
That's exactly what backup quarterback…
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Gophers’ Decker continues to do double duty

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
MINNEAPOLIS — Eric Decker looks for a place to sit down and chat, so he enters Minnesota's football offices and pokes his head in the team meeting room.     Bruce Kluckhohn/US Presswire   Eric Decker led the Big Ten with 84 receptions in 2008.
Hearing the booming voice of a coach going over film with a group…
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Brewster updates personnel, injuries for spring

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota will open spring practice Tuesday with a new offensive coordinator (Jedd Fisch), a new run game coordinator (Tim Davis) and a new offensive philosophy (pro-style sets, power run, physical play). 
Given all the changes, it doesn't seem like an ideal time to have star wide receiver Eric Decker playing baseball or veteran…
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Outlook for national awards in 2009

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Thanks to Mike from Cincinnati for posing an interesting question on an otherwise lazy Friday. 
Hey Adam- Who from the Big Ten would you put on watch lists for national awards next year? Some names my friends and I have thrown around for their respective positions are: Zoltan Mesko, Sean Lee, Cory Wootton, Regis Benn, and Eric Decker.
Mike…
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All-Big Ten: Who’s back? Who’s not?

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As spring practice approaches, it's time to review the 2008 All-Big Ten teams and see who will be back and who won't for the 2009 season. To avoid confusion, I'll stick with the media's picks for all-conference. 

FIRST TEAM

Gone (17)

• RB Shonn Greene, Iowa
• RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State
• C A.Q. Shipley, Penn State
• G Seth Olsen, Iowa
• G Rich Ohrnberger, Penn State
• T Alex Boone, Ohio State
• T Gerald Cadogan, Penn State
• K Kevin Kelly, Penn State
• DT Mitch King, Iowa
• DE Willie VanDeSteeg, Minnesota
• DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State
• LB Brit Miller, Illinois
• LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
• CB Vontae Davis, Illinois
• S Otis Wiley, Michigan State
• CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
• CB Allen Langford, Wisconsin 

Back (7)

• QB Daryll Clark, Penn State
• WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois 
• WR Eric Decker, Minnesota
• TE Garrett Graham, Wisconsin
• DE Jammie Kirlew, Indiana
• LB Navorro Bowman, Penn State
• P Zoltan Mesko, Michigan

SECOND TEAM

Gone (14)

• RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State
• WR Deon Butler, Penn State
• WR Derrick Williams, Penn State
• C Ryan McDonald, Illinois
• C Rob Bruggeman, Iowa
• G Roland Martin, Michigan State
• G Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin
• T Xavier Fulton, Illinois
• T Jesse Miller, Michigan State
• TE Jack Simmons, Minnesota
• DT Matt Kroul, Iowa
• LB Marcus Freeman, Ohio State
• CB Lydell Sargeant, Penn State
• S Anthony Scirrotto, Penn State

Back (12)

• QB Juice Williams, Illinois
• RB Evan Royster, Penn State
• T Kyle Calloway, Iowa
• K Brett Swenson, Michigan State
• DE Brandon Graham, Michigan
• DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern
• DT Jared Odrick, Penn State
• LB Pat Angerer, Iowa
• LB Greg Jones, Michigan State
• CB Traye Simmons, Minnesota
• S Kurt Coleman, Ohio State
• P Aaron Bates, Michigan State

Teams most affected by All-Big Ten losses: Penn State (9), Ohio State (5), Iowa (5)

Teams returning most All-Big Ten players: Penn State (4), Michigan State (3)

Positions most affected by losses: Tackle (4), guard (4), cornerback (4), center (3), running back (3)

Positions returning most All-Big Ten selections: Quarterback (2), wide receiver (2 first teamers), linebacker (3), punter (2)

Notes

• Co-champ Ohio State returns only one All-Big Ten selection (Coleman). Freshman of the Year Terrelle Pryor also is back.
• No team returns two first-team All-Big Ten selections.
• Michigan State returns both of its all-conference specialists.  
• For the second straight year, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year was a junior running back who entered the NFL draft. Iowa's Greene followed Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall in 2007. 

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Minnesota assistant leaves for Browns job

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Minnesota wide receivers coach George McDonald has left to take a position with the Cleveland Browns, the team announced today. 

McDonald spent the last two seasons at Minnesota and tutored All-Big Ten performer Eric Decker, among others. A former wideout at Illinois, McDonald previously served as offensive coordinator at Western Michigan and has done three internships with NFL teams. 

"Good people are always in high demand and George did a fantastic job for us here at the University of Minnesota," Gophers head coach Tim Brewster said in a statement. "This is a tremendous opportunity for him to continue to grow as a coach and I wish him nothing but the best." 

Brewster will conduct a national search for McDonald's replacement and hopes to fill the position soon. This marks Minnesota's fourth staff change since the end of the 2008 regular season, as the team two new coordinators (Jedd Fisch and Kevin Cosgrove) and a new offensive line coach/run game coordinator (Tim Davis). 

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Examining the Big Ten sleeper recruits

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Wisconsin's addition today of tight end Jacob Pedersen, an unheralded recruit from Michigan who reportedly received no other FBS offers, got me thinking about the so-called sleeper pickups in the Big Ten.

Recruiting rankings are the rage right now, as prospects and classes are dissected before national signing day. While the rankings often prove true, they often miss the mark as well. Some of the best college players go largely unnoticed in high school, only to blossom in college thanks to hard work and excellent coaching. Wisconsin hopes Pedersen can become one of these guys.

Here are one or two sleeper recruits from each Big Ten team now playing a significant role. 

ILLINOIS

Tackle Jeff Allen – Allen was a two-star prospect who emerged as one of the Big Ten's top young offensive linemen this fall.

INDIANA

Defensive ends Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew – Both players have earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, and both were not highly rated coming out of high school.

IOWA 

Cornerback Amari Spievey – Spievey will enter 2009 as one of the Big Ten's top corners, but he wasn't considered an elite prospect coming out of Middletown, Conn.

MICHIGAN

Linebacker Obi Ezeh — Michigan rarely gets true "sleepers," but Ezeh was nowhere near the top of his class in 2006. The former running back led the team in tackles with 98 this fall. 

MICHIGAN STATE 

Linebacker Greg Jones — Jones wasn't the Michigan State's lowest-rated recruit in 2007, but he got largely overlooked coming out of Ohio and didn't receive a ton of BCS offers. He's now one of the Big Ten's top linebackers after leading Michigan State in tackles in each of his first two seasons.

MINNESOTA

Wide receiver Eric Decker – One of the Big Ten's top wide receivers earned only two stars as a prep prospect. Decker is likely ticketed for the NFL as a slot receiver after recording 151 receptions the last two seasons.

NORTHWESTERN

Cornerback Sherrick McManis — McManis was an 11th-hour commitment who received no other FBS offers. He made an immediate impact on special teams as a freshman and will enter his third year as a starter this coming season.

OHIO STATE

Wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher — Ohio State doesn't recruit many sleepers, but Sanzenbacher somewhat qualifies after receiving offers mostly from MAC schools. Sanzenbacher emerged as a tough and reliable target this fall and enters 2009 as a potential starter. 

PENN STATE

Running back Evan Royster — We'll have a better idea about other Penn State sleepers this year (Drew Astorino, Stephfon Green), but Royster didn't arrive with the same hype as several of his 2006 classmates. He flew under the radar until this season, when he finished 28th nationally in rushing and averaged 6.47 yards a carry. 

PURDUE

Defensive end Ryan Kerrigan — Kerrigan was a big deal in the state of Indiana, but that didn't translate to tons of BCS offers. He'll enter 2009 as one of the Big Ten's top pass rushers after tallying seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss this fall. 

WISCONSIN 

Cornerback Niles Brinkley — Largely overlooked coming out of St. Louis, Brinkley became one of the Badgers' top playmakers on defense this fall. He led the team with four interceptions and ranked second with nine pass breakups.

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Bond with Brewster brings Fisch to Gophers

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Tim Brewster's first offer came seven years ago over a dinner in Houston.

Jedd Fisch had just landed his first NFL job with the Houston Texans, who were entering their inaugural season. Brewster, then an assistant with the University of Texas who recruited the Houston area, called the Texans and asked to meet with head coach Dom Capers. Fisch set up a dinner for the three of them.

Afterward, Brewster presented Fisch with two tickets to the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. Fisch took his father to the game and sat with Brewster's family.

"I've got to remember if they were free or not," Fisch said with a laugh. "Nah, I'm kidding. It was outstanding. It was a great first impression."

Brewster offered Fisch an even better view of the college game this week, and the promising NFL assistant who coached the Denver Broncos' wide receivers this season agreed to become the University of Minnesota's offensive coordinator.

After eight years as a pro assistant with three organizations, Fisch returns to the college ranks and takes on his first coordinator job for a Gophers team hoping to build off this season's six-win improvement. He agreed to a two-year contract that could earn him as much as 0,000.

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Minnesota lands Fisch as offensive coordinator

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Minnesota's extensive search for an offensive coordinator ended today as head coach Tim Brewster hired Jedd Fisch. 

Fisch spent the last eight seasons in the NFL, most recently as wide receivers coach with the Denver Broncos. He interviewed Monday for the Detroit Lions' offensive coordiantor vacancy and likely would have been on other teams' radar if he didn't accept Brewster's offer to join the Golden Gophers. 

"Jedd possesses a vast understanding of offensive football and has worked alongside three outstanding football coaches in the National Football League, as well as working with Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida," Brewster said in a statement. "In addition to his background, Jedd has tremendous people skills and will be an excellent recruiter. He is a young, rising star in the profession who is committed to helping us build a winner here at Minnesota. I could not be more excited that he has agreed to join our staff." 

Fisch, who replaces Mike Dunbar as Gophers' offensive coordinator, said in a statement that he has known Brewster, a former NFL assistant, for seven years and expects to help Minnesota win its first Big Ten title since 1967. The 32-year-old Fisch last coached in college as a graduate assistant at Florida from 1999-2000.  

The Gophers started 7-1 this season before dropping their final five games. They finished last in the Big Ten in rushing offense (103.8 ypg), prompting Brewster to hire offensive line coach/run game coordinator Tim Davis to restore Minnesota's reputation as a power run team. 

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Recruiting needs: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Minnesota needed a quick fix last year and got it in the form of seven junior college transfers. The strategy paid off as the Golden Gophers improved their win total by six and received solid production from players like cornerback Traye Simmons and safety Tramaine Brock.

But head coach Tim Brewster will build his program with top high school talent, and his 2009 class will provide a better barometer of what to expect from the recruiting whiz.

Despite returning the nucleus from a bowl team, Minnesota has gaps to fill going forward, especially as it returns to its roots as a power run team. Offensive line depth was a major problem this season, and Brewster will try to add several big pieces up front. The defensive line loses All-Big Ten performer Willie VanDeSteeg, but Minnesota returns several rising seniors who should fill out the depth chart this fall.

Another spot that needs a few more bodies is the secondary, which will lose Simmons, Brock and cornerback Marcus Sherels after the 2009 season. Expect Brewster to load up on defensive backs or players who have the athleticism to eventually shift to cornerback or safety.

Minnesota's offense returns virtually intact, and quarterback MarQueis Gray, who is now eligible, likely will succeed Adam Weber as the starter in 2011. But wide receiver and running back remain areas that could use an immediate contributor. Wideout Eric Decker won't be there forever, and Minnesota needs to plan ahead to replace his remarkable production.

The Gophers also lose their starting punter and starting kicker, so expect them to add a specialist on National Signing Day.

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