Gophers sign Kill to 7-year contract

[zepman]

Maturi will not be the AD next year....

[CJH]

Mankato West's Philip Nelson plans to compete for Gophers' starting quarterback job right away

By Marcus R. Fuller

[email protected]

Updated: 01/06/2012 11:22:54 PM CST

Mankato West quarterback Philip Nelson officially will be a University of Minnesota student after he enrolls in classes next week.

The first thing Minnesota's Mr. Football will do when he joins the Gophers is get his hands on a playbook - probably even before he starts working out with teammates.

That's because during spring practice in March, Nelson expects to compete for the starting quarterback job.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill told Nelson he would get a shot at beating out last season's starter, MarQueis Gray. Nelson said he's under the impression he'll either start or redshirt in 2012. And he's comfortable with that.

"Coach Kill and (quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski) told me on my home visit that come springtime, I should come prepared to take some first-team reps," Nelson said. "They told me to be prepared to compete, and they're going to play whoever gives them the best chance to win ballgames. If it's me, then that's great. If it's not, I'll get to redshirt. So it's a win-win for me."

Gray started every game in which he was healthy for the 3-9 Gophers as a junior last season and broke the school's single-season rushing record for a quarterback with 966 yards. Max Shortell showed promise and started two games as a true freshman when Gray was hurt.

Nelson showed off his passing ability Tuesday by throwing a 48-yard touchdown pass at the inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Phoenix. Fellow Gophers recruit Max Williams, a tight end from Waconia, also played in the game.

Nelson has good size for the position at 6 feet 2, 225 pounds. But the 6-4, 240-pound Gray has an edge as a runner, Nelson said.

"He's been there a long time, and he's a big guy," he said. "He ran the ball like about 20 times a game. But that's something I'm used to, too. So it should be a good fit."

Kill's multiple formation offense might be complex for a freshman to digest right away, but Nelson said it will be easier because the line calls, formations and motions are similar to what he ran at Mankato West.

Nelson is planning to be roommates with Rochester Community College receiver Isaac Fruechte of Caledonia, Minn. He also hopes Hopkins receiver Andre McDonald, the state's top prospect, decides to join him in the fall.

McDonald recently reneged on his commitment to Vanderbilt because an assistant coach he was close to now is at Illinois.

McDonald helped persuade Nelson to commit to Minnesota a year ago after doing so himself. So now Nelson hopes to get his potential future go-to target on board again.

A four-star recruit, McDonald is expected to visit Minnesota and Illinois.

"I must have been one of the first ones he told he was open again," Nelson said. "He said he'll be taking a visit to Minnesota, so that's pretty cool."

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If Kill can get McDonald to recommit, this will be the best in-state recruiting class in a long time.

[Triple_D]

Personally I'd like to see Nelson redshirt next year and have Shortell back up Gray again so Nelson gets a full 4 years, but if we can have Nelson throwing to Gray and McDonald and Harbison if he comes I'm OK with that.

I have a gut feeling McDonald will sign here now and who knows, if he does maybe Will Johnson thinks long and hard about staying home too and not going to West Virginia.

[CJH]

Hopkins wide receiver Andre McDonald will play football for Gophers

By Marcus R. Fuller

[email protected]

Posted: 01/27/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Tim Brewster couldn't get Michael Floyd to stay home.

Four years later, Brewster's replacement as Gophers football coach, Jerry Kill, landed the next-best thing in Hopkins High School wide receiver Andre McDonald.

McDonald, the top player in the state, announced Thursday night he would play for the University of Minnesota next season. He made his decision Tuesday and told Kill and three Gophers assistants during a home visit Wednesday night.

"He gave me a big, big hug," McDonald said of Kill. "Everyone was really excited. It's great to know that I'll have the people that care about me the most right here."

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound McDonald picked the Gophers over UCLA, Vanderbilt and Illinois. He made an oral commitment last year to play for Kill but switched to Vanderbilt before opening up his recruitment again.

McDonald is arguably the best receiver the state has produced since Floyd went from Cretin-Derham Hall to Notre Dame in 2008. McDonald has heard the comparisons, although Floyd was better known nationally.

"People are talking about it," McDonald said. "But I'm Andre. I want to make my own name."

On national signing day Wednesday, Kill is expected to sign seven of the top 10 players in the state, including three of the top four: McDonald, Mankato West quarterback Philip Nelson and Blue Earth offensive tackle Jonah Pirsig.

Nelson, Minnesota's Mr. Football, already is enrolled in spring

classes.

McDonald persuaded Nelson to make a commitment to Kill last spring.

"I was just really preaching to him on what coach Kill was preaching to me about starting the rebuilding phase in the state by getting the best guys in-state," McDonald said. "I also talked about him and I playing together, and it helped we were training together for a while, too.

"He's a tremendous quarterback. He's always encouraging people to do better. He does whatever he can do to make the people around him better. That's just the kind of the guy you want to play with."

After bonding with Vanderbilt wide receivers coach Chris Beatty, McDonald reneged on his commitment to the Gophers. But after Beatty left for Illinois, McDonald told Nelson a few weeks ago he would consider Minnesota.

"I know there are a lot of good receivers coming in that the coaching staff has recruited with (Caledonia, Minn., native) Isaac Fruechte and (North Carolina native) Jamel Harbison," Nelson said. "Andre makes it even better."

McDonald is a big-play threat with a 40-inch vertical jump and a recently timed 4.5-second 40-yard dash. He had 1,253 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior.

Nelson, McDonald and Waconia tight end Maxx Williams, also a Gophers recruit, were selected by CBS College Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming to play in the inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Phoenix earlier this month.

"I think (McDonald) is a big-time player," Lemming said. "He's got real good length, strong hands and he runs well. He does everything very well. He's definitely a four-star talent."

[SkunkedAgain]

Brewster was a mouthpiece recruiter for Mack Brown at Texas and that's all he ever was here. Once players looked under the hood of Brewster's jalopy, they realized that he couldn't coach.

Kill has the coaching credentials and the heart of a coach. Now he's proving to have the recruiting touch as well. It makes my decision about whether or not to keep my tickets a little easier.

[BuckSutherland]

I have to say that I am impressed if he gets all these guys to play for him. Personally I think if he were to keep getting 7 of 10 a year for the next three to four years we will be a top ten team eventually. MN has produced some really good players. Would be nice to land some of those speed guys from Dixie.

[zepman]

The top guys can only take you so far...it's the one's who come out of nowhere that makes a program....a "program".

Kill and his staff can coach...the next 5 years should be really interesting here in Minnesota.

Best of luck to them!!