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JLG’s Sports Studio is our dream team of visionaries, athletes, coaches, and lifelong fans. We are committed to collaborative design that balances youth athletics, entertainment, budget, operations/ sustainability, and revenue — keeping athletes safe, costs low, and the community coming back for more.
What do engineers have in common with quarterbacks?
As sales rep for makers of electromechanical components and systems, our logo could be said to represent a bolt of electricity—or a sales graph on the rise.
Know an engineer?
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Based in Mahtomedi, MN, with an office in Cedar Rapids, IA, we proudly serve OEMs and distributors in the upper Midwest, USA.
We wrote this joke to simultaneously demonstrate our humor, love of football, and geek-cred. We don’t actually know many engineers who still use pocket protectors.
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Your rep is on the line They both love pocket protectors.
by Bryan Zollman Let’s Play Football Publisher
Kickoffs are boring, aren’t they?
These days they usually end up well past the end zone. What used to be an exhilarating play, the kickoff return has become rare.
But kickoffs span far beyond the football field. It’s part of our everyday language. We kickoff each day, kickoff parties, kickoff our diets and kickoff new shows to watch on Netflix.
Shows have episodes, and episodes have seasons.
And that is why we are announcing a kickoff of our own.
This high school football season, Let’s Play Football, along with Pulltab Sports, will be producing four episodes of “The Program.”
The Program will be a 4-part video series highlighting four different high school football teams around the
Kickoffs
state. The focus will be on what makes the programs special.
Now, we think most, if not all high school programs are special. We understand the work that goes into each season, and the rewards that culminate from the toiling.
We know that coaches put their heart and soul not into just making their players win games, but making sure they win at life.
In an era where it has become tougher to coach, we have learned throughout our research, that the men who take on the tough task of leading a football program don’t do it just for wins in the fall. They do it for wins in life.
The Program will feature four football communities that do just that: Caledonia, Stillwater, Brainerd and Hutchinson.
Four programs that do things the right way. Four programs who don’t
just win on the field, but in other areas.
We have had so much fun putting these episodes together along with Pulltab Sports.
In the process we have learned that, in between the snaps and huddles, are snippets and snapshots of life.
Adversity faced.
Hurdles cleared.
Lessons learned.
And yes, kickoffs made.
And returned.
We ask you to watch these episodes understanding that while the players we feature are on their way to adult things, there are second graders diving for passes thrown from dad who look up to those high school players hoping to be them someday.
The commonality between the four programs we covered is: football culture.
A culture that is much more than Xs and Os on the field and translates
to Xs and Os in life.
From the starting quarterback to the third string special teams player, the great thing about high school football is there is a spot for everybody.
It’s an extension of the classroom, and more importantly it’s an extensive of family: a togetherness that is perhaps unmatched in any other high school realm.
Most of those who strap on the shoulder pads won’t sniff a down of college football. But that’s not what high school football is about. It’s not why players play and it’s not why coaches coach.
That is what we hope to capture on our series of The Program.
Yes, kickoffs are boring.
But as we kickoff The Program we couldn’t be more excited to give high school football fans a closer look on how high school football is not just a game, but a big part of life.
PROGRAM
Produced by:
Football communities are changing lives
by Mike Sonntag Let’s Play Football Publisher
Look around any football program, be it high school or college, and you will likely find a slogan or mantra the members of the team, coaching staff and fans buy into and make their own.
You will see it on t-shirts, wristbands, written on the walls of the locker room, or printed on season tickets. Notre Dame has its famous “Play Like a Champion Today,” Alabama has “Roll Tide,” closer to home St. Thomas has “F.A.M.I.L.Y” and the University of Minnesota has “Row the Boat.”
Whatever the slogan, at some point they were likely created by a coach or player with hopes of making a positive difference for the team through its meaning.
In 2012 an initiative with the slogan “Tackle Cancer” was created by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association (MFCA) and Randy and Roseann Shaver from the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund (RSCRCF) with the hopes of making a positive difference through not just a team, but every school and community in the state of Minnesota.
Now in its 13th year the results of the initiative are “nothing short of a miracle, and a story that must be told” said MFCA Executive Director Ron Stolski.
To date the Tackle Cancer initiative has raised an amazing $3,500,000 for the RSCRCF according to the MFCA website.
THE BEGINNING
Randy Shaver was a well-established sportscaster for KARE-11 and had built his Prep Sports Extra segment into the most watched coverage of Minnesota high school football. In 1994 Randy was asked by Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to host their golf fundraiser. He and his wife Roseann worked to help raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society until 2002. In 1998 Randy was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Disease.
He made his cancer fight public, and stayed so passionate with his Prep Sports Extra he scheduled his treatments around his broadcast. “I never missed airing a Prep Sports Extra show” Shaver exclaimed.
In 2003 Randy and Roseann formed RSCRCF after his cancer battle. They have hosted a celebrity golf event and gala at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove ever since.
In the spring of 2011 Dave Nelson, an MFCA Hall of Fame coach from Minnetonka was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Shaver through his years hosting KARE-11 Prep Sports had covered Nelson’s Blaine and then Minnetonka teams for years and they formed a friendship.
“In June of 2011 my wife Maureen and I were invited to the RSCRCF Gala” Nelson recalled. “During the Gala’s program, many different individuals and groups were recognized for their contributions to Randy’s Foundation.”
Impacted by the passion and support of RSCRCF event, Nelson began thinking of how his Minnetonka football program could contribute.
Then Nelson was approached by a local businessman who needed all the rock removed from his condominium complex.
“I brought the idea to our players and we agreed to the project. It took 5060 players and many dads over three days to complete the. We called it Rock Cancer and raised $5000 which we donated it to Randy’s foundation.”
It was at that point Nelson believed more could be done on a statewide level. In 2012 Nelson and the MFCA Executive Board met with Roseann Shaver.
“We discussed bringing the idea to all high school coaches in Minnesota, and Tackle Cancer was born!” Nelson said.
CREATING A THEMED GAME
It did not take long for schools and communities to embrace the idea after the MFCA took the idea to their coach-
es. Many fun ideas began to show up at high school stadiums across the state.
Schools and Booster Clubs sold pink t-shirts and wrist bands and set out buckets around the stands for donations.
Student sections hung pink streamers around the stadium to make it a festive atmosphere while players and coaches wore pink socks, used pink tape, and wore pink gloves to participate in the cause.
Even further, some schools have created competitions with opposing schools where the coach of the team who raised more funds has his lawn mowed by the opposing coach.
Often family members of coaches and players who are cancer survivors are celebrated at the Tackle Cancer Game.
During his Prep Sports Extra Randy Shaver introduced Tackle Cancer games as part of the highlights which further promoted the initiative.
Presently you can find where all the scheduled Tackle Cancer games are planned on the MFCA and RSCRCF websites.
“Nelson always preached to players to do something bigger than yourself” Shaver said. “And that message was sent to the community.”
BIG DEAL WHEN IT HITS CLOSE TO HOME
Our own talented Let’s Play Football photographer Libby Auger has been very involved with Tackle Cancer since its inception at St. Cloud Cathedral and St. John’s University. Auger, wife of a football coach and mother of a football player, is also a cancer survivor having beaten Breast Cancer in 2011.
“When you learn of your diagnosis your biggest fear is not being there for your kids” Auger recalled.
Her two children attended St. Cloud Cathedral high school during the early
years of Tackle Cancer. The head coach was Hall of Fame coach Dean Taylor. Taylorhad won state championships at Sartell High School in the early 1990’s, then came out of retirement to coach Cathedral.
Unfortunately, in 2012 Taylor was forced to step aside from coaching due to long term health issues after his long cancer battle.
“Dean was the most positive guy you’d ever meet, and the kids loved him!” Auger said. “The Cathedral community really rallied around Taylor and Tackle Cancer night was a big deal.”
Taylor passed away in April 2016.
When cancer hits close to home as it did at St. Cloud Cathedral, efforts like Tackle Cancer do not require a lot of coercing the community into helping as the disease touches us all in one form or another.
We can find stories like this all over Minnesota.
MONEY RAISED OVER THE YEARS STAYS HOME
The results of the Tackle Cancer Initiative have been incredible with yearly increases every year, except for the pandemic year of 2020.
The MFCA’s goal in the first year was to raise $100,000 (which they exceeded with $120,661). This year (per the MFCA website) the goal is to raise $600,000. Tackle Cancer is not limited to just high school football in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings, The University of Minnesota, and the schools who participate in the conferences of the MIAC, NSIC, and UMAC also put together events to raise funds through Tackle Cancer. “St. John’s University through the efforts of Cindy Fasching (wife of head coach Gary Fasching) and Libby Auger have been doing and incredible job through the years” Randy Shaver said. “They consistently
raise $20,000 each year.”
How the money is dispersed through the RSCRCF is also an important part of the success. According to Randy Shaver everything for our events is generously donated with $0.92 of every $1.00 made goes to cancer research projects and patient aide projects here in the state of Minnesota. “
We basically have two employees, Roseann, and an assistant” Shaver said.
Sponsors who raise over $30,000 are invited to an annual allocation meeting. The MFCA for their large contributions normally send 3-5 representatives to listen to 40-45 presentations from cancer researchers to state-wide patient aid projects and decide where the raised money goes.
“Much of the research is ongoing that we fund, some are new, but many are ones we have funded for a while, research takes time and money.” Shaver said.
Libby Auger believes the fact the cancer money and research stays right here in Minnesota is a key component to the success of Tackle Cancer.
“It is a big deal and I think a lot of people feel that way. It hits home whether sub-consciously or not and it means a lot.” Auger said.
What started as an idea to make a difference through coach Dave Nelson, the slogan and success of Tackle Cancer has become part of the fabric of Minnesota Football in the last 12 years and is here to stay.
All sports, not just football teach life lessons to the young athletes participating. Dave Nelson had it right in teaching his players to do something bigger than themselves, it is amazing how this message has spread throughout Minnesota.
If you have never attended a Tackle Cancer themed game and would like to donate, we have posted a link to the Tackle Cancer donation site on our website www. letsplayfootballmn.com.
Dave Nelson was a pioneer in the Tackle Cancer movement.
Vikings host girls flag tourney
Sport to debut at next Olympics
EAGAN, Minn. – The energy throughout TCO Stadium was contagious.
Twelve girls flag football teams converged at the Vikings team facility this summer for an all-day tournament. The competition was fierce, but a sense of unity also bonded the young women.
“It’s just a really great experience playing with all the girls,” said 12-year-old Anna, a Justice Page Middle School student and first-year flag football athlete. “Normally football is a male sport, so making it an all-female sport, too, has been really great.”
Anna’s sentiments were echoed by Dede, 13, who played for the Olson Middle School team.
“I think it’s important because it gives girls the opportunity to do what they like,” Dede said. “Most schools don’t have football teams for girls, and I think it’s a really great opportunity to grow this sport.”
While the Vikings youth football department supports girls teams and boys teams of all ages, they and the NFL have especially focused on the growth of girls flag. The Vikings have been working to foster a passion for girls flag in Minnesota middle schools with the goal of the sport becoming sanctioned at the high school level.
Vikings Youth and High School Football Coordinator Emily Weinberg explained the importance of creating a pathway for young women interested in the sport.
“Our thought was, if we start at the middle school level, they’re going to hopefully want to continue playing. And then eventually they’ll go on to high school, and they’ll be able to take advantage of postsecondary opportunities that come through flag football – and, who knows, maybe go to the Olympics one day,” Weinberg said. “We’re trying to start it from the grassroots level in that way.”
Flag football was approved in October 2023 by the International Olympic Committee as an official Olympic sport that will make its debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Opportunities around flag football continue to grow around the country and world, and the Vikings are proud to advance that progress.
“I think it’s important that we’re able to put our brand behind this and show the Vikings are fully supporting these girls who want to go out and try a new sport,” Weinberg said. “One interesting fact is that 50 percent of girls who play flag football aren’t involved in any other sport. So being able to provide this opportunity through the Vikings, to get involved in a team sport and reap all those benefits that come with being a part of a sport, where maybe they wouldn’t have had that experience otherwise, is really important to us.”
St. Anthony Village Head Coach Jesse Haas shares a similar desire to introduce young women to the sport.
Haas had very little football experience herself when in 2020 she decided to try
out for the Minnesota Vixen, a professional women’s tackle football team. Already in her mid-30s, Haas learned the sport and fallen in love with it.
“I’d never even touched a football before,” she said. “When the Vixen look for players and you do the combine, they’re looking just for athleticism, and then they seek to teach you everything after that.
“That has been a real benefit as a coach,” Haas continued. “Same thing – we’re dealing with a lot of girls who have never had the opportunity to play, but they’re 14 years old and they need to learn it from the ground up – and that’s exactly what the Vixen have to do with a lot of players. So it’s been a real parallel experience.”
Haas noted the broad spectrum of experience on her team and many others, as well.
“We have some girls who have played flag football with the boys, and we have some girls who have played tackle football with the boys, then all the way to the other end of the spectrum – never held a football before in their life,” she said. “So it’s been [great] to see them all come together and work together.”
For Keke, the 2024 flag season was her first – but it certainly won’t be her last. The 13-year-old helped Team Justice Page pull out a 2-point win in the final seconds of a game, while Vikings Ring of Honor member and Pro Football Hall of Famer Alan Page – the middle
“It’s been really great. I really appreciate the people who let us play at the Vikings facility. The game we just won, it was really shocking,” Keke recounted excitedly. “The first half, it was 0-0 and we were worried we weren’t going to win. … I’m really proud of our team.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned [this season] is that a lot of people are going to tear you down, especially since you’re playing football,” she added. “They’re going to tell you, ‘Oh, that’s not a girls’ sport. You can’t play that.’ But you just need to go out there and prove them wrong.”
While co-ed teams can provide equally positive experiences for youth, Haas pointed out the intentional timing of middle school for the all-girls flag teams.
“What we’re seeing happening in other sports they play, around fifth grade, boys and girls will split,” Haas said. “So I think to make football successful and allow it to continue at the high school level for girls, we need to give them a space of their own to play alongside one another.”
Haas and many others are grateful to the Vikings for their role in growing flag football for youth across the state – and specifically for young women.
“Just like young boys, girls love watching football, too. They grew up with the Vikings as a household name, they have their favorite players, they watch with their mom and dad,” Haas said. “They look up to a lot of the players in the organization. So to feel that the Vikings are willing to invest in you is something that’s really, really important to them.”
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The Minnesota Vikings hosted a 12-team girls flag football tournament at the team’s practice facility in Eagan, Minn.
school’s namesake – watched from nearby bleachers.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Moorhead standout sophomore Feeney leads Spuds to perfect start
touchdowns.
Moorhead is currently undefeated scoring 40 points or more within their six wins of the season. They piled up 372 yards of total offense against Rogers in week two, scoring 41 points while holding them to only seven points. In week three, they triumphed over Bemidji 57-28, collecting over 250 yards and five touchdowns.
Spuds Quarterback, Jett Feeney, has made his mark early in his sophomore campaign leading the state with 1,801 passing yards 32 touchdowns.
The Spuds are relying heavily on experience, bringing back nine out of eleven starters from a young squad the previous year. There were five receivers with 200plus yards last season, including three who had 500-plus yards. Four of the five receivers returned this season.
“I think me and my receivers had a good bond and our receivers were good last year,” Feeney said. “One of the best in the state. When I gave them the ball they could do stuff with it. We just had a good balance together.”
The 6-1, 185-pound rising star stepped onto the scene for the Spuds in their season opener last season. After the first two possessions, the freshman got his shot and never looked back. He threw for 205 yards and one touchdown in a 28-13 victory over the Spring Lake Park Panthers. He out-did that performance this year beating the Panthers 55-25 after throwing 258 yards and five touchdowns in week one.
Feeney’s ability to move around in the pocket and his throwing accuracy helped end his freshman campaign with 189 completions, 2,385 passing yards, and 29 touchdowns. In 10 games, he threw for more than 200 yards, placing him third in the state in completions, sixth in passing yards, and fourth in touchdowns. With an average of 239.7 yards per game, the Spuds were second in Class 5A and sixth in the state for pass offense.
Last Season, the Spuds went 5-5 losing in the Section Quarterfinals to Brainerd 42-21. This year, Moorhead got their revenge in Week 4 beating Brainerd 5015. Feeney put on an outstanding performance throwing over 350 yards for six
“Our team is locked in right now, especially in practice. They ended our season last year, so I think we just got a different fight in us right now from last year to this year,” Feeney said.
You will find several Feeney’s on the sideline for the Spuds with Kevin Feeney as the head coach and offensive coordinator and his other son Trey Feeney as a new addition to the coaching staff. In his 15th season as head coach, Kevin has taken Moorhead to five state tournaments including one state semifinal appearance. The most recent trips were in 2022 and 2019.
The Bismarck, North Dakota native played Quarterback at North Dakota State University from 1995-98. Throwing for 4,757 yards and 37 touchdowns, he left as the Bison’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He is now ranked sixth. He accomplished several single-game records, rushing for five touchdowns in one game in 1996 and a school record of an 88-yard completion that has since been broken.
Trey followed in his father’s footsteps playing quarterback for the University of North Dakota from 2021-23 before entering the transfer portal. He reached 6,900 throwing yards with 85 touchdowns in his career for Moorhead. He was named the 2020 PrepZone Minnesota Player of the Year, honored as a finalist for Mr. Football in Minnesota, Named 2020-2021 Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota, and made Offensive MVP honors by USA Today. He also earned three straight all-district selections and back-to-back district MVP honors.
“My brother is one of the coaches now, so they’re both on the sideline. My brother tries to push me every day and he’s a really competitive guy. It’s nice having him and my dad as coaches pushing me every day,” Feeney said.
Moorhead currently ranks second in the 5A rankings. They have a significant matchup with Alexandria, who tops the list, in week seven.
“I didn’t think we exceeded our standards last year going 5-5,” said Feeney. “We have a different fight this year. I’m looking forward to Brainerd and Alexandria, two competitive games.”
The Run Stopper: Cramps and how to prevent them
It is that time of year again! The fall season with cooler weather, back to school and of course, football! On Friday nights, stands are filled with students, family and friends and two football teams playing their hearts out. This is why we love fall and the opportunity to see our favorite teams play on the field. Unfortunately, there are some common injuries that can keep athletes off the field and on the sideline. My goal is for you, the reader, is to understand them, to prevent them or to return back from them quicker.
Welcome to the first article on a series of sports medicine topics that are common in the sport of football. During the first few games each year, there is one silent stopper of great athletes and their performance on the field. No, it is not a 300lb nose guard, though that would help most teams. No, the silent culprit is cramping. There is no quicker drive stopper than a skilled position player going down with cramps in their lower legs, usually the calf or hamstring. What do we know about cramping and how can we prevent it from happening and recurring in the first place?
A tonic muscle cramp is a contraction of the muscle fibers for an extended amount of time. The full-on constant contraction can last for a few seconds up to minutes, depending on severity. The most commonly affected muscle is the gastrocnemius or the calf muscle. This usually occurs after a player exerts a significant effort on a play, usually from running or cutting.
Why does this occur? There are a number of reasons that act alone or in
combination to create the muscle cramping of the athlete.
1. Deconditioned muscles. There is a reason that most of the cramping occurs in the first few weeks of the season and one might be because the athlete has not played or simulated the physical exertion of a game. Some players are just not in “game shape” yet.
2. Our bodies are made predominately of water. If it is warm out and excessive sweating occurs, we can lose significant fluids.
3. Electrolyte imbalance. Our muscles require a specific amount of sodium and other electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium to function correctly. If there is loss of electrolytes from sweating or not enough electrolytes in the body before the game, this can lead to cramping.The Run Stopper: Cramps and how to prevent them
What can we do BEFORE to decrease the probability or severity of cramping?
1. Preseason conditioning along with
2. Hydration with water starting the day before and with adequate electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade or electrolyte replenisher like Pedialyte.
The biggest key to preventing cramps is making sure the athlete has enough sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium in their bodies to prepare for excessive muscle usage. Most sports drinks will have all or most of the much-needed electrolytes but be aware of the sugar content in some of the drinks. Other nontraditional drinks and foods are coconut water and eating bananas a few hours before the game. They both contain high levels of potassium to decrease cramping.
What should you do when a cramp occurs?
1. Stop what you are doing and go down. Further damage to your body can occur by trying to run through a muscle cramp.
2. The sports medicine team will stretch and simultaneously massage the affected muscle to decrease the spams.
3. Massaging the muscle with ice on the sidelines has been shown to decrease the spasms.
4. Taking small sips of pickle juice or vinegar has not been proven effective through research, but there are some athletic trainers and athletes that feel it works for them. The proposed mechanism is throug ingestion of acetic acid that is in both liquids. This may decrease the alpha motor neurons through a reflex inhibiting excitability and thus decreasing the muscle cramp. This is still not supported by research, but when you see elite tennis players drinking pickle juice in between sets you start to wonder about effectiveness.
5. The use of warm Epsom salt baths have been known to decrease cramps due to the magnesium sulphate in the salt, but it also hasn’t been proven through research.
Take home points from all of this talk on cramping is to stay hydrated all of the time with a combination of water and electrolyte drinks 24 hours before the game, keep your muscles mobile and in good condition to prevent this silent run stopper.
Eric is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He practices at St Cloud Orthopedics in central Minnesota and is an adjunct professor at The College of St. Benedict/St John’s University.
Eric is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He practices at St Cloud Orthopedics in central Minnesota and is an adjunct professor at The College of St. Benedict/St John’s University.
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Moorhead sophomore quarterback Jett Feeney has the Spuds off to a perfect 6-0 start on the season.
mobility drills.
SUBMITTED Cramps are a part of football. Here’s how to avoid them and what to do if you get them.
by ERIC KOHN DPT, OCS, CSCS Let’s Play Football Contributor
by Malik Mitchell Let’s Play Football Contributor
Vikings off to great start SKOL VIKINGS
When Kirk Cousin signed with the Atlanta Falcons, water cooler talk by the Purple’s faithful centered around what the season would look like with a new quarterback. Those opinions were perhaps less than optimistic.
Five weeks in and those water cooler talks have turned into fist bumps and high fives.
The Vikings are off to a 5-0 start, most recently coming off a 23-17 win over the New York Jets in London as the Vikings and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are the only two unbeaten teams heading into Week 6.
Sam Darnold has been a strong leader on offense, utilizing his receiving corps and benefitting from a solid offensive line. He currently rank second in the NFL with 11 TD passes. Aaron Jones has proven to be a great addition to the backfield as well.
But perhaps the biggest story is how well the defense has played. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has proven to be a difference maker. The Vikings currently rank fourth in the league in points allowed at 15.4 per game. They rank second in rushing yards allowed and are a Plus-4 in turnover differential.
There is still plenty of season left to play, but the Vikings are off to a perfect start, and have given Vikings fans hope as they head out of the bye week as one of the top teams in the NFL.
POWER!
Johnnies roll in MIAC opener
Hoyt, defense help knock off Bethel
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Westin Hoyt (Forest Lake, Minn.) was riding in a car with friends Friday night when he received a text message that boosted his confidence sky high.
It came from senior linebacker and leader Hayden Sanders (Brooklyn Park, Minn./ Champlin Park), who wanted to let the Saint John’s University freshman cornerback know the rest of the defensive huddle was behind him as he prepared to make his first collegiate start in the Johnnies’ MIAC opener at Bethel Saturday afternoon.
“That meant the world to me,” said Hoyt, who officially found out he’d be starting in place of injured starter Mateo Cisneros (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) Friday afternoon. “I felt the emotions flood over me when I saw that.”
The emotion was evident as Hoyt went out and recorded three tackles and a pair of interceptions – including one that set up a key first-quarter touchdown - as SJU topped the Royals 45-20 before a crowd of 6,982 at a sunbaked Royal Stadium.
“I just wanted him to know we were all confident in him,” said Sanders, who led the SJU defensive effort with nine tackles, a fumble recovery and one of his team’s four sacks. “He believes in himself. He has that attitude and swagger to him and he brought it today.”
“I told him Friday, ‘Hey you’re going to start,’ and he’s a competitor,” SJU head coach Gary Fasching ‘81 added. “He didn’t flinch.”
After senior quarterback Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) connected with junior wideout Dylan Wheeler (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View) on a 15-yard touchdown pass that put the Johnnies on top 7-0, the Royals answered with a 69-yard scoring strike of their own from quarterback Cooper Drews (a transfer from SJU) to Matt Jung (a defensive back in on offense).
The Johnnies jumped back in front 14-7 on a 4-yard touchdown run by junior running back Caden Wheeler (Andover, Minn.), who was making his return after breaking his foot in the preseason.
Then, after Bethel got the ball back, Hoyt (who missed last season due to injury) picked off his first pass – returning the ball 24 yards to the Royals’ 14 to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Will Blakey (St. Paul, Minn./ Central) that extended SJU’s lead to 21-7.
Syverson again connected with Dylan Wheeler, this time on a 4-yard touchdown pass that made the score 28-7 in the second quarter. Syverson finished the day 28 of 38 passing for 362 yards and three touchdowns.
“Aaron played really well,” Fasching said. “When he plays like that, it’s going to be tough for other teams to beat us.”
A Bethel touchdown just before halftime cut the gap to 28-13, but the Johnnies scored on a 2-yard run by Blakey in the third quarter, then had the ball deep in
Royals’ territory on their next possession before an 84-yard interception return for a touchdown by Jung prevented them from throwing the knockout punch.
But senior defensive lineman Landon Gallagher (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) had an interception early in the fourth quarter that set up a 29-yard field goal by senior Conor Murphy (Sioux Falls, S.D./O’Gorman), which extended the SJU lead to 38-20.
Then Syverson connected with senior Marselio Mendez (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) on a 38-yard touchdown pass with 6:04 remaining to close out the scoring.
“I thought everyone just played really well,” Syverson said. “Nobody tried to do too much from the start. We stuck to the game plan, we were balanced and we wore
them down.”
Dylan Wheeler finished with nine catches for 113 yards. Caden Wheeler had 20 carries for 86 yards to lead the way on the ground five weeks and one day after preseason surgery that put a screw in his foot to repair his injury – known as a Jones fracture.
The finishing touches on the win were applied by Hoyt, who went up and took the ball away from the receiver for his second interception on Bethel’s final offensive series.
“At SJU, we kind of have a next-guyup mentality,” said Hoyt, who did have a chance to work with the first team after Cisneros was hurt in practice earlier this week.
Schwinghammer named to Good Works Team
St. John’s LB one of 22 athletes named to
team
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John’s University senior linebacker Jake Schwinghammer (Woodbury, Minn./Tartan) was one of 22 student-athletes across all divisions of college football named to the 2024 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team on Tuesday, Sept. 17. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the award, which was established in 1992 to recognize a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others. Schwinghammer is one of four honorees from the NCAA Division III level –joining running back Aaron Ellingson of Bethel, offensive lineman Matt Wrather of John Carroll (Ohio) and linebacker Thomas Grehan of Johns Hopkins (Md.).
Schwinghammer is the eighth Johnnie to be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the seventh in the last eight seasons – joining wide receiver Jimmy Buck ‘23, defensive lineman Michael Wozniak ‘22, quarterback Chris Backes ‘21, offensive lineman Ben Bartch ‘20, quarterback Jackson Erdmann ‘19 and wide receiver Will Gillach ‘19. Defensive end Kevin McNamara ‘07 was the first SJU student-athlete to receive the honor in 2006. The full list of SJU’s honorees and nominees is below.Jake Schwinghammer_ Libby Auger
St. John’s senior linebacker Jake Schwinghammer was named to the AFCA Good Works Team for his commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.
Over the summer, sports information directors from Division I, Division II, Division III and NAIA schools across the country submitted nominations of players they felt best embodied the spirit of the Good Works Team award. A voting panel was faced with a list of 178 nominees that was narrowed down to the 22 student-athletes and an honorary coach, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, named to the team.
The 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community service project ahead of the 2025 Allstate Sugar Bowl, where the entire team will also be recognized on the field at halftime on New Year’s Day.
Schwinghammer is currently tied for second on the team with nine tackles (six solo), including 1.5 for a loss, through the season’s first two games. He started all 10
games last fall and finished fifth on the team in tackles (53, 32 solo), including 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. The Johnnies’ defense finished second in the MIAC in all four statistics in conference play: total defense (275.0 ypg.), rushing defense (65.9 ypg.), passing defense (209.1 ypg.) and scoring defense (17.1 ppg.). He has 75 tackles (43 solo), including 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 25 career games. Off the field, Schwinghammer is in his first year serving as the president of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University’s St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Club on campus, taking over for 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member Jimmy Buck ‘23. The club holds bi-weekly meetings and contacts businesses to partner with for fundraising events. He is in his fourth year overall raising
money for St. Jude’s and is also the president of SJU Football’s St. Jude committee. Schwinghammer co-captained the team’s efforts with Buck and raised over $63,000 in 2023.
Jake Schwinghammer GuatemalaHe is the co-founder and vice president of the Johnnies and Bennies in Communities (JBIC) Club, which was established in February 2024. The club’s goal is community service with local organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Feed My Starving Children, as well as elderly groups.
Schwinghammer studied abroad in London during Spring 2024 and spent eight weeks from March-April working at a school that consisted of only adult students with special needs through an internship with Caritas Westminster. He worked hand-in-hand with the students by teaching classes, handling finances and dayto-day operations, as well as learning to communicate with deaf students via sign language and translating for students in Spanish. The goal of the school is to integrate the students into the community and help them reach their full potential.
Schwinghammer is a biochemistry major (pre-medicine emphasis) with a 3.33 GPA. From May 18-26 (2024), he was in Guatemala as a medical volunteer (left). He worked in medical clinics, providing free health care to the underprivileged residents who came from near and far (some from hundreds of miles away) for services. Schwinghammer spent time translating and speaking Spanish for his peers and doctors, as well as issuing diagnoses and treatments directly with the patients.
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Image courtesy of Ella Carlson
Freshman cornerback Westin Hoyt helped St. John’s to a 45-20 win over Bethel.
Namdi Obiazor’s Last Dance
Eden Prairie standout now a star at TCU
by MALIK MITCHELL Let’s Play Football Writer
In the 2023 season, Namdi Obiazor not only took the Texas Christian University program by storm, leading the Frogs defense with 84 tackles and four sacks, but also in the Big 12 conference, achieving 2023 Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 and 2023 Honorable-Mention Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
“I was confident going into the season that I could play in the Big 12,” said Obiazor. “I got my first couple of starts the year before at safety. So, coming into the season, it was going in and being a starter. I was confident in myself, knowing I could do the job. I was ready for the opportunity.”
The Eden Prairie native graduated with the class of 2020, which was a shortened season due to the Pandemic. He started most of his junior year and all of his senior year for the Eagles. He was an underlooked prospect receiving no scholarship offers with a couple of Division II looks out of high school. He eventually attended Iowa Western Community College where he began turning heads and acquiring offers from TCU, Southeast Missouri State, Florida International University, Ohio University, Akron, Western Illinois, and Youngstown State.
He played cornerback and safety and became a First-Team 2021 NJCAA All-American after recording 20 tackles, an interception, four pass breakups, and a blocked kick over his two seasons at Iowa Western. Obiazor is very agile for his 6’3, 220-pound frame, which can be a nightmare for offensive schemes. He’s great at reacting to the ball and able to sniff out plays quickly.
At TCU in 2023, after switching from safety to linebacker, Obiazor started all 12 games, achieving a career-best of 13 tackles. He stood out, posting a then-personal best of 11 tackles with a sack in the 34-17 win over SMU, nine stops against Nicholls, and seven the following week in the 3613 win at Houston. Adjusting to new positions doesn’t faze the rising star, switching from corner to safety and now linebacker, contributing to his versatility on the field.
“The biggest difference is I feel like you’re just a true complete football player just playing linebacker because you’re blitzing, taking on blocks, dropping into coverage, and playing man,” he said. “You’re in the secondary when playing safety, so you get some plays off. You don’t have to show up for every play, you’re just guarding receivers. I feel like when you’re a linebacker, you can be involved in every single play.”
On February 9, 2023, the Big 12 announced that the University of Oklahoma and The University of Texas at Austin were to leave the conference following the 2023-24 athletic year. The conference will see four new teams, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah, for this upcoming season. TCU was selected tenth in the Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll, with teams like Utah, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State leading the list. Weeks four through seven will be a test for the Frogs as they’ll face state rival SMU and then go on to play No. 4 Kansas and No. 1 Utah.
“For this year mainly it’s a new Big 12. We had some teams leave and some teams joined. I feel like this year is going to be important just figuring out who’s going to be the top runner and who’s going to run this league,” Obiazor added. “We play a lot of good teams, but I feel like we have a good opportunity to do that.”
Senior night will be a huge event for Namdi, as his family will be in attendance. Laurie, his mother, has made it a point to mark that day on the calendar and attempts to attend all of his games.
“We’re all looking forward to senior
night. I’m hoping they get a victory,” said Laurie. “I know that Namdi is looking to have a stellar season because he knows this is his last year at TCU, and he wants to make sure that he puts the cherry on top of what’s been a wonderful experience. I’m proud of him getting his degree from TCU and having the opportunity to play football there as well.”
New Defensive Scheme
On January 15, 2024, Ken Wilson joined as the new linebackers coach to the
coaching staff. Wilson served the previous two years as head coach at Nevada. The Frogs plan to use a new defensive scheme, switching from a three-down linemen set to a four-down front. Head coach Sonny Dykes seems to have his attention on the defense and is looking to make some noise this year. They intend to use specific game plans and a lot of different looks week after week. Obiazor has been a big part of the Frog’s linebacker core and will have some flexibility to make a bigger impact this season.
“I get to do a lot more things. Playing
defensive back helped me with my coverage drops or man-to-man against tight ends and running backs,” he added. “When I’m blitzing, I’m using speed and finesse rather than the bigger bodies on our team who would give them a power rush.”
Brotherly Love
While Namdi has gained significant recognition, he isn’t the only Obiazor making his mark in the Big 12. His younger brother Chiddi was a true freshman last season for Kansas State who saw time in three games as he retained his redshirt.He had a tackle in the season opener against SEMO and a half tackle for loss in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State. Chiddi is K-State’s first signee from Minnesota since linebacker Brandon Archer in 2002. On October 21, 2023, K-State beat TCU 41-3. However, Namdi put on a stellar performance with 13 tackles, a sack, and a tackle for a loss.
“They’ve created a true brotherhood between the two of them as far as the love and passion for the game, and they’re both kind of competitive because they have to play against each other,” Laurie added. “They do a lot of smack talking between each other, and now it’s been fun to see them both have characters on NCAA 25. It’s so surreal because when they were little kids, they would play all the time, and here they are now in college playing a video game that they’re one of the actual characters.”
In the past month, Namdi has received some interest at the next level but isn’t overly concerned about it yet. He rather has his sights on winning the Big 12 and the national championship.
“Yeah, I’ve been having a few people reaching out just telling me how things are looking and different things like that,” said Obiazor.
“I’m just focused on just handling my last year of college football, and I feel like if I just do what I’m supposed to do each week, every day, every game, I feel like it will all work out when it’s time for the draft.”
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Former Eden Prairie standout Namdi Obiazor has emerged as a top defender for TCU.
Namdi Obiazor (RIGHT) with his bother Chiddi and their father. Photo Submitted
Vikings legacy of captains
Team unveils Jim Marshall legacy display
EAGAN, Minn. — When Alan Page and Bobby Bryant arrived in Minnesota as members of a pivotal 1967 draft class, they quickly learned the value of learning from Jim Marshall.
The Vikings Ring of Honor defensive end was entering his second of 14 consecutive seasons as a team captain.
Marshall’s official tenure ended upon his retirement in 1979, less than two weeks before he turned 42, but his legacy of leadership has lasted in the hearts and minds of his contemporaries and inspired generations of players who followed.
Consider this interchange between Page and Bryant during a recent joint interview.
“He taught me how to be a professional football player, both in terms of attitude but also in terms of the nuts and bolts of being a defensive lineman,” said Page, the 1971 NFL MVP and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. “Between Jim and Carl [Eller] and Gary [Larsen] and Paul [Dickson], they taught me what it was to be a football player. You talk about Jim—”
“Jim was The Captain,” Bryant interjected.
Page, seamlessly continuing the thought, said, “If there was ever a leader, Jim was that. It’s sort of trite, but it’s also true when you look up leadership in the dictionary, what you’re going to find is Jim Marshall. It was just who he was, or who he is. There wasn’t anything forced or unnatural about it. It wasn’t based on arrogance or anything else. He was just a leader.”
Just as Marshall’s teammates continue to look up to him, current and future Vikings will be able to look to Marshall for inspiration through the installation of the “Jim Marshall Vikings Captains Legacy” display.
The wall display is the first and final thing players see as they walk through the hallway from their parking lot to the locker room. It features a tribute to Marshall, a listing of all season-long captains since the inaugural 1961 season and a photo of the 2024 captains, who were announced Wednesday by Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell filmed a special message to inform Marshall of the installation and recorded a separate video explaining the team’s desire to connect Marshall’s legacy with current leaders.
“It was really important as we get
ready to announce this year’s captains to find a way to honor the greatest captain in the history of our organization, Jim Marshall, a 14-time captain,” said O’Connell, who enjoyed weekly in-season lunches with Hall of Fame Coach Bud Grant before Grant’s passing in spring 2023.
Grant, who was hired in 1967, routinely pointed out Marshall’s impacts in those conversations.
“Nobody led a football team like Jim did, led this team and this organization to so much success during his career here, meant so much to so many Vikings fans, Coach Bud Grant, to everyone here at our organization,” O’Connell said. “We thought, ‘What better way to honor Jim and what we believe to be his Hall of Fame career not only as a player but as the genuine example we have all our captains strive to be like here at the Minnesota Vikings?’
“
Marshall began his NFL career in 1960 with the Cleveland Browns and started seven of 12 games. He was traded just before the start of the 1961 season, immediately drove to Minnesota and started in the first Vikings game, a roaring upset of the Bears on Sept. 17, 1961.
Marshall never missed a contest the rest of the way, starting 270 consecutive regular-season games and 19 postseason contests, including Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX and XI.
Eller, a 1964 first-round pick who played 228 Vikings games (including playoffs), and Scott Studwell, who suited up for 213 after joining Minnesota as a ninth-round pick in 1977, explained how much Marshall meant to their teams.
“We all looked to Jim, myself and the other guys. It was something about, ‘If Jim’s ready, we’ve gotta be ready.’ It was a motivator,” Eller said. “You can’t put a price tag on it; you can’t put a name or image, because it’s something that a guy has within him that he gives to the rest of the team. That’s something that we needed. We relied on that. We looked to Jim game after game, year after year.”
Studwell and Doug Sutherland hoisted Marshall on their shoulders on Dec. 9, 1979, after Minnesota edged Buffalo 10-3 at Metropolitan Stadium for a win in Marshall’s final home game. Studwell said what Marshall “accomplished and did for this team, and this organization, was unmatched.”
“He’s one of the most remarkable
people I’ve been around in this business,” Studwell added. “Bud kind of let Jim carry the torch, and he ran the locker room, and Bud ran the team. I have absolute, utmost respect for Captain Jim.”
When asked about being “Captain,” Marshall answered in the same way he led the team, by putting the focus on the team, not on himself.
“I saw it as my responsibility to ensure that everyone on the Vikings knew they were part of a team both on and off the field,” Marshall said. “We had fun, operated like a family, but on the field, everyone knew what they needed to do and came to play. We were successful because we trusted each man to do his job.”
Here is a bit more on each 2024 Vikings captain:
Sam Darnold (Offense)
New to the Vikings, Darnold has guided other newcomers in learning the offensive system and worked to build authentic and effective connections with returning players.
Andrew DePaola (Special Teams)
Also serving as a first-time team captain, DePaola’s influence on the team extends well beyond his consistency as a long snapper that garnered a First-Team All-Pro selection (2022) and consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl (2022-23).
C.J. Ham (Offense)
Lead blocker, runner, receiver, pass protector, special teamer and purveyor of quality dad jokes, Ham has been selected as a captain for the fourth consecutive season.
Justin Jefferson (Offense)
The phenom has blended generational
talent with a relentless desire to maximize his gifts through hard work and execution. He’s also remained humble and unselfish as his star has ascended quickly into NFL and team record books. This is Jefferson’s second consecutive season as a captain.
Joshua Metellus (Defense)
A former sixth-round pick, Metellus has been willing to do anything to help the team since his arrival in 2020. He showed in an increased role on defense that he is able to do almost anything for the group. Metellus was elevated to a captain by teammates at the end of 2022 after O’Neill was injured. This is his third season as a captain after he served in the role for special teams in 2023.
Brian O’Neill (Offense)
O’Neill is entering his seventh NFL season and fourth consecutive as a captain. He has started 89 of 93 games played and is looked to for leadership by younger offensive linemen.
Harrison Phillips (Defense)
The 2023 Vikings Community Man of the Year and nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, Phillips started all 17 games in each of his first two seasons for Minnesota.
Harrison Smith (Defense)
The Hitman has a distinguished run of picking of passes and zipping into the backfield for a tackle. He’s been a keystone of disguise efforts and come through in the clutch when the team has needed a stop. He’s also made sure to remain in Vikings Purple, showing continued loyalty and love for playing football.
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The Vikings Sam Darnold, Andrew DePaola, CJ Ham, Justin Jefferson, Joshua Metellus, Brian O’Neill, Harrison Phillips, and Harrison Smith continue the legacy of captains.
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A plaque commemorating the history of Vikings captains is on display at the team’s practice facility.
had more than 400 yards of offense in an impressive 24-14 win over Hamline on Sept. 28.
Knights top Hamline in MIAC opener
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Carleton College football team took an early lead over the Hamline University Pipers and never looked back en route to a 24-14 victory. Jack Curtis threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaden Coleman rushed for a career-high 88 yards and a touchdown.
“It was a total team win,” said Carleton head coach Tom Journell. “I’m very proud of our coaches developing a solid game plan and the execution of our team. You must be able to run the ball and stop the run if you want to be a championship team and we were able to do that today.”
The Knights (2-1, 1-0 MIAC) stifled the Pipers (2-1, 0-1 MIAC) on their first two drives, and on Carleton’s second drive they marched down the field in under three minutes. The Knights took it across mid-
field with a 30-yard gain on a pass from Curtis to Tyler Dimond. Two plays later, Curtis found Nathan Streiff for a 25-yard touchdown pass to give the Knights a 7-0 lead with 3:53 to go in the first quarter.
Having held the Pipers to just two first downs to this point, the Knights looked to capitalize on a drive that started at midfield with 12:08 to play in the second quarter. On a 3rd and 12, Curtis scrambled out of trouble and lobbed it to Streiff in the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, giving the Knights a 14-0 advantage with 7:58 remaining in the opening half.
The Pipers were able to piece together a scoring drive, marching 81 yards down the field, capped off by a three-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Schaffer, as the Pipers now trailed 14-7 with 1:56 to play in the half.
Mavericks battle past Concordia-St. Paul on road
Minnesota St. remains unbeaten
ST. PAUL, Minn. --- #7 Minnesota State picked up its fifth win of the season Saturday afternoon as it bested Concordia-St. Paul 33-20 on the road.
With the win, MSU improves to 5-0 on the season, including a 4-0 NSIC record. With the loss, CSP drops to 1-3, including a 1-2 conference record.
“It was a great team win and I am proud of our players and coaches who helped secure the win,” head coach Todd Hoffner said. “The points we got just before half after the challenge loomed large as it played a big part in the outcome of the game.
“We then scored early in the second half and then the onside kick set us up with a short field to let us go up 33-6 and that proved to be enough.”
The first quarter saw both teams score on their opening drives as the Mavericks led 7-3 after the first 15 minutes. CSP began the game with an 11-play drive that took more than six minutes off the clock before Jeff Isotalo-McGuire connected on a 29-yard field goal to put the Golden Bears up 3-0. The Mavericks answered right back on their opening drive as they drove 68 yards on 11 plays, including a two-yard touchdown carry from senior Tony Anger to put MSU up 7-3.
The second quarter saw the Mavericks add to their lead as they carried a 20-6 lead into halftime. Senior Hayden Ekern notched a two-yard touchdown run to cap off an 11-play scoring drive, before senior Christian Vasser finished an eightplay drive with a one-yard touchdown of his own. CSP’s lone score of the second quarter came via a 51-yard field goal from Isotalo-McGuire.
Minnesota State set the tone for the second half right away on its first drive as it marched 75 yards down field in 11 plays to take a 26-6 lead. The drive started with a 10-yard pass from Ekern to senior Gabe Hagen and ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Ekern to Hagen.
On the following kickoff, the Mavericks kicked it short and the ball was recovered by junior Richard Agyekum on the CSP 41. Seven plays later, MSU reached the end zone again as Vasser notched his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time from two yards out, to put MSU up 33-6 with 7:50 to go in the third quarter.
The Golden Bears managed to score a pair of touchdowns in the final 17 minutes of the game. Jackson Compton connected with Carter Ryan on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 2:09 to go in the third quarter, before hooking up with Jaylin Richardson
After a quick stop, the Knights were in a position to get on the board one last time with time winding down in the first half. The seven-play drive started on their own 47-yard line with 53 seconds left on the clock; and ended with a 39-yard field goal by Marcus Merkelbach with one tick remaining to give the Knights a 17-7 lead heading into the break.
The Pipers found the end zone quickly to start the second half after stopping the Knights on their opening drive. With 10:37 to play in the third quarter, Alejandro Villanueva found Schaffer in the end zone from eight yards out, pushing the Pipers closer, now trailing just 17-14.
The Knights answered, putting together 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a Coleman four-yard rushing touchdown, the second of his career, giving the
Knights a 24-14 lead with 6:17 to play in the third.
On the next drive, the Pipers were poised to score, sitting on the Carleton 17-yard line before Villanueva’s pass was intercepted by Eric Lail. The Knights’ defense added a second interception when Henry Detmer picked off a Piper pass with 3:15 remaining in the game. Henry Detmer also led the defense in tackles with eight on the day.
Streiff led all Knights receivers with 93 yards and two touchdowns on his six receptions. Streiff’s career total for receiving yards now stands at 1,520, moving him up to 15th all-time in Carleton football history. Obono hauled in nine receptions for 67 yards bringing his career total to 1,534 yards, just ahead of his teammate at 14th all-time in the record books.
on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 10:14 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Golden Bears reached the Maverick side of the field two more times in the fourth quarter, but the Maverick defense held firm each time as MSU came away with the 33-20 win.
Ekern finished his day throwing for 169 yards and a touchdown. Hagen led the Maverick receivers with 76 yards and a touchdown, while junior Grant Guyett added three catches for 48 yards.
Ekern notched 52 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Anger posted 43 yards
and a touchdown. Vasser finished with 42 rushing yards and two touchdowns also.
On defense, senior Antonio Alzheimer led the team with 10 tackles, while freshman Cade Stingle posted seven tackles. Senior Lorenzo jones notched one sack, while junior Edmund Ocansey broke up two passes.
Minnesota State returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 5, as it hosts Sioux Falls in its annual Homecoming Game. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m., at Blakeslee Stadium.
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Carleton
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Minnesota St. stayed unbeaten with a 33-20 road victory over Concordia St.
Bryant joins Ring of Honor
Former Vikings cornerback is 28th inductee honored by team
EAGAN, Minn. — Bobby Bryant found his way to the football and the end zone.
Now, he’s making his way to the Vikings Ring of Honor.
The cornerback who recorded two interceptions and a touchdown in the 1973 and 1976 NFC Championship Games will become the 28th inductee, third defensive back and first cornerback in the Vikings Ring of Honor.
A ceremony is scheduled for halftime of the Week 3 game between the Vikings and the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium as part of Legends Weekend.
Bryant, a seventh-round pick in 1967, was surprised with the news during a recent video conference with Pro Football Hall of Famers Fran Tarkenton and Alan Page, Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf and Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf.
“We are proud to recognize Bobby in the Vikings Ring of Honor,” Mark Wilf said. “Bobby overcame the odds as a seventh-round draft pick, going on to play at a high level and with great durability over his career. Off the field he was unwavering in his faith and his commitment to the community. He deserves to be honored as one of the all-time Vikings greats.”
Zygi Wilf noted Bryant’s “key role” in the team’s Super Bowl seasons.
“He was a natural leader that teammates gravitated to, and his knack for making the big play in the biggest games was a driving force in so many Vikings wins over that time,” Zygi Wilf said. “He is worthy of this recognition.”
The video call had been presented to Bryant as an opportunity to reconnect with his teammates.
“It’s an honor to be there. I never would have imagined I was good enough to be in that because that’s an elite group,” said the consistently humble Bryant, who totaled 174 games played (160 regular season; 14 postseason) and was named one of the 50 Greatest Vikings in 2010.
He recorded 51 interceptions in regular-season games, which ranks second
“He’s one of those players that just got the work done and in spectacular fashion,” Page said of Bryant. “The plays that I remember the most are the occasional blocked kick, and the next thing you know, Bobby’s in the end zone with a touchdown. That can only happen if you’re really connected to the game, being in the right place at the right time and being aware of what the possibilities are.”
Tarkenton told Bryant, “You made as many great plays as any great player we had” and said he is “richly deserving” of being in the Vikings Ring of Honor.
“Alan was talking about the NFC Championship Game in Minneapolis against the Los Angeles Rams. You got the ball and ran 90 yards, maybe 120, for a touchdown, and it turned that game around,” Tarkenton said. “It wasn’t unusual for you. Of all the players I’ve played with, you’re the unsung hero because you made more great plays than anybody I’ve ever played with.”
of Honor during halftime of the Vikings game against the Houston Texans. in franchise history behind Hall of Famer Paul Krause, who nabbed 53 for Minnesota to finish his career as the NFL’s all-time interceptions leader with 81.
“It was pretty easy being a defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings with Alan and Jim Marshall and Carl Eller and Gary Larsen and Doug Sutherland rushing the quarterback because as defensive backs, we knew if we could cover a receiver for four seconds, that’s all we needed to do,” Bryant said.
“On the other side of the ball, having a quarterback that is one of the GOATs of the game, greatest of all-time, Fran Tarkenton, we knew our offense was going to in most cases score enough points to win the game,” Bryant added. “I was very fortunate.”
The Vikings won 11 division titles during Bryant’s 14 seasons with the club and ranked first in the NFL in passing yards allowed five times from 1969-76.
Bryant’s 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame
was smaller than other players, but the plays he made loomed large in scale and significance.
In the 1973 NFC Championship, Bryant was heavily involved in a 27-10 win at Dallas to send Minnesota to Super Bowl VIII. He intercepted Roger Staubach at the Minnesota 2-yard line and played a part in another pass being intercepted by Jeff Siemon at the Minnesota 21-yard line.
He then iced the contest with a 63yard return of an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It meant so much to Bryant, who had missed Minnesota’s appearance in Super Bowl IV because of a knee injury.
In the 1976 NFC Championship, Bryant started the party when he scooped a football made available when Nate Allen blocked a short field goal and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown. Bryant added two more interceptions in the 24-13 Vikings win that advanced Minnesota to Super Bowl XI.
Page, a 1967 draft classmate and Bryant’s roommate while with the Vikings, and Tarkenton were just as elated for Bryant to receive this distinction.
“In terms of having somebody you could rely on in a very quiet but confident way, he went about doing phenomenal work,” Page said. “I was honored and privileged to have spent so much time with Bobby and to share roommate opportunities with him. I want to say thank you for being who you are and the friend that you are.”
Bryant is joining the following players in the Vikings Ring of Honor: Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page, Jim Finks, Bud Grant, Paul Krause, Fred Zamberletti, Jim Marshall, Ron Yary, Korey Stringer, Mick Tingelhoff, Carl Eller, Cris Carter, Bill Brown, Jerry Burns, Randall McDaniel, Chuck Foreman, John Randle, Scott Studwell, Chris Doleman, Matt Blair, Joey Browner, Ahmad Rashad, Randy Moss, Dennis Green, Steve Jordan, Kevin Williams and Jared Allen.
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Former Vikings cornerback Bobby Bryant was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during halftime of the Vikings game against the Houston Texans.
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Former Vikings cornerback Bobby Bryant was inducted into the team’s Ring
We all watched in Love
A closer look at the quarterback’s knee injury
by ERIC KOHN DPT, OCS, CSCS
We all watched in disbelief as they kept replaying the hit and subsequent knee angulation on Jordan Love’s knee when the Packers played the Eagles in Brazil. At first, the preliminary reports were not good with significant knee damage. Later that night, the trainers noted negative testing for ACL damage but the conclusive MRI would be performed the next day back in Green Bay.
Finally, after a long day of pacing for Packer fans, the best-case scenario would unfold for their injured quarterback, a grade 1+sprain to the MCL or medial collateral ligament. The MRI confirmed no damage to theACL or the knee cushion, better known as meniscus.
In this week’s article we will take a deep dive in to the injury to Jordan Love and why he was able to return back relatively soon following what looked like a season ending injury.
The MCL is a thick wide ligament that connects the femur to the tibia. There are some deep fibers of this ligament that connect to the medial meniscus in the knee joint. This ligament has a rich blood supply that allows the ligament to heal itself if damaged. The primary role of the ligament is to prevent a valgus or an inward collapse of the knee along with preventing excessive lateral or out-
zil. In this article, we take a deeper look
ward rotation of the tibia.
When we look at the injury to Jordan Love, his knee was completely straight, there was no rotation component and the pressure was from the outside toward inside of the knee or a valgus stress. The movement placed significant stress on the knee and you could see a slight buckle. The severity of the injury to a ligament can be graded into three levels.
Grade 1 Pain noted but no tearing of the ligament fibers and no laxity noted
Grade 2 Significant Pain and tearing present in the ligament fibers and laxity is noted
Grade 3 Severe Pain and complete tearing of the ligament with significant laxity
Numerous medical specialists stated his injury was between a Grade 1 and a Grade 2. The treatment plan for the MCL sprain
in football.
would be to have the knee placed in a brace with hinges on the sides to allow motion but not allow a valgus or an inward collapse of the knee. This will allow the ligament to begin to repair itself. During the initial 2-3 days, icing will be utilized to limit excessive swelling in the knee. A significant amount of swelling will limit motion and prevent muscles surrounding the knee to function correctly.
As a professional athlete, Love has access to state of the art and up to date treatments. More importantly it is his and the training staff’s job to return him back quickly and safely to the field. At the professional level this is a 24/7 job. He is rehabbing from the second he wakes up until he goes to sleep. His nutrition will be tailored to improve healing. After the first few days of limiting swelling and pain control, he will
begin the process of rebuilding strength and returning motion to the joint. The next progression in rehab is to return to functional movements such as squatting, straight line running and shorter passes. As he works through the phases of rehab, swelling and pain are the indicators of the healing ligament. An increase in either indicator will prevent the next phase from being started. The final phases of returning to all activities except contact and returning to full participation with contact will usually range form 3-6 weeks with the severity level that Jordan Love sustained to his MCL. In the first half of Jordan Love’s return from injury game, his accuracy was affected by the time off and getting used to the speed of the game. In addition, Love may have needed time to get use to the brace and landing on the affected le during his follow through. To his credit and the sports medicine team the helped return him to the field, he looked more like his old self in the second half of the game. Only time will tell when he is fully returned back to preinjury level. The rigors of the season will test his knee on a weekly basis.
Eric is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He practices at St Cloud Orthopedics in central Minnesota and is an adjunct professor at The College of St. Benedict/St John’s University.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Packers quarterback Jordan Love injured his knee in a game against the Eagles in Bra-
at common knee injuries
Let’s Play Football Contributor
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