May 12, 2008 5:50 PM
Herndon released from scholarship
The Gophers announced today that wide receiver Tray Herndon was granted a release from his scholarship.
"We appreciate the contribution Tray Herndon made last year as a true freshman," Gophers coach Tim Brewster said in a statement. "We wish him nothing but the best as he moves forward in his playing career."
Herndon, a Jacksonville, Fla. native, started seven of 12 games last season while catching 22 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown.
-- The Gophers named senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg, senior linebacker Steve Davis, junior wide receiver Eric Decker and sophomore quarterback Adam Weber as team captains for 2008.
-- Also, defensive line coach Tim Cross was promoted to associate head coach.
Posted by mfuller on May 12, 2008 at 05:50 PM
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White and Williams look to improve
The state's top two players Royce White and Rodney Williams Jr. hope to expand their games this summer playing with Howard Pulley.
The 6-foot-7 White is already a multi-dimensional scoring threat at the forward position, but he wants to be more than just an offensive player when he joins the Gophers in 2009-10. He wants to become a better defender and passer.
"In order to be good at the next level, I have to be way better than I am now," said White, who committed to the University of Minnesota last month. "I always keep that in perspective. I'm going to keep working, because everybody is an All-American at the next level."
Williams might be one of the most jaw-dropping athletes in the country, but he doesn't want to be labled as a dunker. He developed other areas of his game while leading Cooper High School to the Class AAAA state semifinals this year.
"My coaches and teammates had more confidence in me, so that boosted my confidence," said the 6-6 forward. "My outside shot, my defense and rebounding got a little better."
Now the Gophers' No. 1 local target, Williams doesn't have a clear favorite yet among the schools recruiting him like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Iowa State and Miami (Fla.), but he's been very impressed by Gophers coach Tubby Smith so far.
"He's a winning coach," Williams said. "He knows how to win and brings in good recruits."
-- Howard Pulley was upset by the Chicago Demons 65-62 in the 17 and under quarterfinals of the Sabes Invitational on Sunday at Bloomington Jefferson. White, who led his team in scoring during the tournament, had 17 points in the loss. What was surprising about the game was that the Demons loss by 50 points to Howard Pulley in pool play, but the Panthers were without Osseo guard Carrington Tankston, a starter.... The Illinois Warriors blew out St. Paul Grassroots in the title game.
-- Lee Summit West High School junior point guard Michael Dixon was probably the most impressive player at Sabes. The 6-foot-1,155-pound Dixon, who played for KC Pump N Run, said he did recently receive some interest from Minnesota. Dixon has been offered by Purdue, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas State.... After losing out on Verdell Jones, the Gophers will need to sign a point guard in the 2009 class. Dixon, a top 100 player, is a prospect they'll keep an eye on.
Posted by mfuller on May 12, 2008 at 01:09 PM
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May 9, 2008 11:49 AM
Next Gophers recruit at Sabes Invite?
At last year's Sabes Invitational all eyes were basically on Howard Pulley's dream team of Jared Berggren, Jordan Taylor, Armond Battle, Rodney Williams Jr. and Royce White as they marched on to the title over the Illinois Warriors.
Gophers fans studied Williams and White closely and steamed over letting Berggren, a Wisconsin commit and the tournament's MVP, get away. All the while some people surely missed out on watching South Dakota Heat's big man Colton Iverson, who eventually signed with the Gophers this year.
Although you might feel like just following the Williams and White show again with Howard Pulley, it might be worth your while to check out some other teams and players. You never know who could be the next Gophers recruit.
After losing recruiting battles for Krys Faber and Verdell Jones III in the 2008 class, the Gophers are now forced to look to 2009 and beyond for a big man and point guard outside of trying to land both White and Williams.
There aren't many big men at Sabes this year outside of 6-10 Delino Deer of the Illinois Warriors.
But the best point guards playing this weekend are 6-foot-1 junior Michael Dixon of Kansas City Pump N Run and 6-foot-1 junior Darius Smith from the Illinois Warriors. Dixon and Smith are blowing up right now with a bunch of high-major offers. There's also 6-foot-1 junior Mike Felt from the Dakota Schoolers. He averaged 30 points a game for Redwood Valley High School in Minnesota last season, but he isn't being recruited that heavily.
The top younger point guards are sophomore Anthony Johnson from the Warriors and sophomore Vander Blue from the Madison Spartans. Blue already committed to Wisconsin, but Johnson's probably a better prospect right now. There's also freshman Dyami Starks from Howard Pulley White and Trevor Releford from KC Pump N Run 16s.
Others to keep an eye on are 6-8 sophomore Cody Larson from the Dakota Schoolers, 6-6 sophomore Harrison Barnes and 6-5 junior A.J. Derby from All-Iowa Attack, 6-5 juniors Justin Clark and Jeff Reid from KC Pump N Run and juniors Cedric Martin and Mike Broghammer from Howard Pulley Black. Illinois commit D.J. Richardson from the Warriors also could be a tourney MVP candidate.
-- Also, Howard Pulley Black is expected to have its full roster after missing a few players last week at the Jayhawk Invitational in Kansas City. Howard Pulley has a chance to avenge a semifinal loss to KC Pump N Run. After those two teams, the Illinois Warriors have the best chance of winning the tournament after finishing runner-up at the Real Deal tournament in Arkansas.
-- White is still sporting a Mohawk with his hair shaved into the letter "M" for Minnesota on the back. You can tell he's excited about comitting to the Gophers.... Williams said that he won't be going to a prep school and plans to return to Cooper for his senior year.
Posted by mfuller on May 9, 2008 at 11:49 AM
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May 7, 2008 9:28 AM
Update on Tubby's incoming JC recruits
The Gophers' two junior college recruits Paul Carter and Devron Bostick can't wait to join the team next season, but they will be arriving at different times.
The 6-foot-5 Bostick, who was named junior college player of the year as a sophomore at Southwestern Illinois College last season, said he plans to start summer school at Minnesota on schedule next month. He's expected to be joined here by fellow recruits Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III this summer.
"I'm ready to be an impact player for Tubby and for the Gophers next season," Bostick said. "It did surprise me that I was named player of the year. I didn't even know I was nominated."
Carter, a 6-7 forward, won't get to Minnesota until the fall, because he has to finish two classes to graduate from Missouri State West Plains College. But he will have three years of eligibility.
Bostick averaged 18 points and five rebounds a game. Carter struggled a bit offensively last season with 12 points a game, but he also averaged nine rebounds, a steal and block. He also shot 80 percent on free throws.
"The whole season was a blessing," Carter said. "It was a learning process and I'm coming into my own as a player. I learned how to take my time and let the game come to me. I worked on moving without the ball, cutting and rebounding as well as getting others involved."
Carter met Bostick at the Jerry Mullens junior college showcase in Tulsa, Okla. last summer. They struck up a friendship and talked on a regular basis. West Plains and Southwestern Illinois even scrimmaged one another in the preseason and Bostick scored 35 points.
"He's fundamentally sound," Carter said about Bostick. "He's solid and he can shoot the lights out. After I committed, I told Devron we need to go to Minnesota and rip apart the Big Ten. I told him I really wanted him to be my teammate."
Bostick needs to improve defensively, but Carter said his future teammate has a complete offensive game, including the ability to post up taller defenders.
"He's only about 6-5 or 6-6, but he posts up more than I do," he said. "He goes inside and bangs with the big guys. He's got a sky hook and can get off jumpers inside. I was impressed."
Posted by mfuller on May 7, 2008 at 09:28 AM
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May 6, 2008 1:48 PM
No scholarships lost for football and men's basketball
The NCAA released its latest APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores today for the four-year period from 2003-07 and the Gophers men's basketball and football teams were not penalized with the loss of scholarships.
The football team improved eight points to 927. The men's basketball team saw the highest gain of any team at the University of Minnesota with 23 points to rise to 910.
Tubby Smith inherited a program that scored below the NCAA minimum APR of 925, but it didn't face any immediate penatly because the program didn't have any student athlete leave school academically ineligible.
“The scores in the latest APR report from the NCAA are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes, coaches and academic center staff," Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said in a statement. "There is always room for improvement and we will continue to follow our strategic plan for raising our student-athlete retention and graduation rates even further."
Purdue was the only Big Ten athletic institution to be penalized. The Boilermakers men's basketball team lost one scholarship with an APR of 894.
Posted by mfuller on May 6, 2008 at 01:48 PM
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May 5, 2008 5:56 PM
Jones picks Indiana
A 6-foot-4, 165-pound senior, Jones announced his decision at a press conference in Champaign, Ill.
Jones has the ball-handling skills and vision of a true point guard. The Gophers were hoping to add another player to provide depth behind freshman Al Nolen Jr. next season.
But the Hoosiers won the services of Jones even in the midst of recruiting violations from former coach Kelvin Sampson.
Jones visited new coach Tom Crean, formerly of Marquette, before making a trip to Minnesota on April 23.
I'm hearing that it was because Jones wanted more playing time. Indiana recently decided not to reinstate last season's starting point guard Armon Bassett. The Hoosiers only have a few scholarship players returning.
I'm pretty sure one of the main reasons Los Angeles big man Krys Faber chose DePaul over Minnesota was for more playing time as well. Oh well, Tubby still landed a superb class.
Posted by mfuller on May 5, 2008 at 05:56 PM
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May 4, 2008 7:26 PM
Jones to make decision official
Don’t be surprised if the Gophers add a sixth 2008 recruit when Champaign Central High School point guard Verdell Jones III announces his decision at 5 p.m. Monday at Jupiter’s Pizzeria in Champaign, Ill.
Jones, a 6-foot-4, 165-pound senior and three-star prospect, has Minnesota and Indiana as his final two schools. Despite being the clear favorite, the Gophers hadn’t received a commitment from Jones as of early Sunday night.
“He’s kind of keeping things close to the vest,” said Orange & Blue.com’s Brad Sturdy, who talked to Jones regularly during the high school season.
Jones’ second visit with the Gophers on April 23 might end up sealing the deal though. He met with Tubby Smith and Minnesota’s staff to talk about where he could fit in next season with returning guards such as Al Nolen Jr., Blake Hoffarber and Lawrence Westbrook, who all played significant roles last season.
Of the five players who signed with the Gophers in November, Canadian standout Devoe Joseph can play both guard positions. But Jones has the ball-handling skills and vision of a true point guard, something the Gophers are lacking outside of Nolen.
Jones, who averaged 18 points, five rebounds and seven assists per game as a senior, would obviously be a welcome addition.
“He’s a poor man’s Shaun Livingston, but he’s a little smaller,” said Hoopmasters.com recruiting expert Van Coleman, comparing Jones to the Los Angeles Clippers point guard. “I think he has a chance to be a really good Big Ten point guard.”
Posted by mfuller on May 4, 2008 at 07:26 PM
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Brewster gets four-star RB commit
Tim Brewster knows one great recruiting class won't be enough to turn around the Gophers football program, so he's already started to build a stellar class for 2009.
Houston Cypress Ridge High School running back Hasan Lipscomb gave an oral commitment today to play for the University of Minnesota, according to scout.com and rivals.com. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior also considered Louisiana State and Oklahoma among other top programs.
The New Orleans native moved to Texas after Hurricane Katrina. Lipscomb has the size, speed and versatility to be a dynamic back in the Gophers' spread offense when he joins the team in 2009.
Scout.com rates him as a three-star prospect, but rivals.com ranks Lipscomb as a four-star player and one of the top 250 juniors in the nation. He runs a 4.4 40 and rushed for 1,600 yards as a junior last season.
Posted by mfuller on May 4, 2008 at 04:31 PM
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May 2, 2008 4:01 PM
Iverson getting ready for college life
Of all the newcomers joining the Gophers next season could Colton Iverson be the most ready physically to handle the grinds of the Big Ten?
Iverson sure hopes to be. The 6-foot-10 forward from Yankton High School just finished wrapping up Class AA player of the year honors in South Dakota, but he has bigger goals in mind - literally.
He wants to be 250 pounds when he suits up for Minnesota next season. He's already around 240 after starting Gophers strength and conditioning coach Cal Dietz's workout program.
"I definitely feel bigger," Iverson said. "I don't feel slower or anything. I think it will help me be ready for college."
Playing in the this summer's Howard Pulley Basketball Pro-Am League could also prepare Iverson for the next level. He said Gophers assistant Ron Jirsa talked about Howard Pulley recently.
Iverson expects to move in to the Minnesota dorms with fellow freshman Ralph Sampson III around June 15. Howard Pulley starts around that time as well. It would be exciting to get a first look at both players before the season.
"That's something that would help me," Iverson said about Howard Pulley. "We'll have to see what happens when I get there."
-- Gophers recruit Paul Carter has a great relationship with fellow incoming junior college transfer Devron Bostick, because the two players met at a junior college showcase in Tulsa, Okla. last summer. They were staying in rooms across from one another and hung out a lot there. After Carter later comitted to Minnesota, he called to convince Bostick to join him. It might not have been the entire reason Bostick picked Minnesota, but it certainly helped.
Carter said Bostick called him to brag after he earned National Junior College Athletic Association player of the year honors. "I told him, whatever, man," Carter said. "We were just joking around though. I was proud of him. He's a talented player."
Posted by mfuller on May 2, 2008 at 04:01 PM
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May 1, 2008 4:08 PM
Jones a lock to Minnesota?
Rumors are circulating that Champaign (Ill.) Central point guard Verdell Jones is already a lock to sign with the Gophers, and that he's going to wait until Monday to announce his decision.
Jones told me today he definitely hasn't committed anywhere and he hasn't decided yet. He seemed sincere.
But you can't ignore the speculation out there. Orange & Blue News.com writer Brad Sturdy said he's hearing "pretty much it's going to be Minnesota."
"I think it was down to Minnesota and Indiana," said Sturdy, who has covered Jones since his freshman year in high school. "I don't know if (Jones) wants to get involved with that mess at Indiana."
Gophers Illustrated.com is also convinced it's a done deal. Jones was supposed to visit Arizona, but another Rivals site GOAZCATS.com said Lute Olson "ultimately decided he doesn't need another '08 recruit," so Jones' visit there is probably not going to happen this weekend.
Indiana offers the most playing time, but it's not certain whether starter Armon Bassett is coming back. The Hoosiers also just signed a junior college point guard from Indiana. The fact that Jones visited the Gophers a second time last week to "get another look" makes me think it's going to happen.
Tubby Smith's first recruiting class with the Gophers is already ranked as high as top 10 nationally with five recruits, including top 100 players Devoe Joseph and Ralph Sampson III. Now it might shoot up into the top five on many lists. That could rank as the program's best class since Jim Dutcher brought in Trent Tucker and company in 1978, which was ranked No. 1 by some experts.
Posted by mfuller on May 1, 2008 at 04:08 PM
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