Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill landed another commitment as the Golden Gophers work towards the national signing day, which is February 2nd. There was also some big changes with some previous commitments under former head coach Tim Brewster.
Minnesota has 20 commitments to date after landing Quentin Gardener, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound wide receiver from Denton (TX) Guyer. Gardener visited Minnesota for the USC game, but was re-recruited by new Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill and wide receivers coach Pat Poore.
Gardener caught 20 passes for 325 yards (16.3 yards per reception) with three touchdowns. He had three rushes for 24 yards for the Wildcats, who finished 13-3 losing to Cibolo Steele in the Class 5A Div II State Championship Game.
Gardener will likely take the roster spot of fellow Texas wide receiver Cameron Brown, a 6-foot-2, 210 pounder from Frisco Liberty, who de-committed from the Gophers this week.
Russell Haughton-James, an offensive tackle from American Heritage and Brookfield (Wis.) Central tight end Sam Rohr are also no longer part of the Class of 2011.
Haughton-James was expected to visit West Virginia this past weekend and Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic the next two weekends. He had committed to Minnesota in September.
Rohr, who verbally committed to Minnesota last June, committed to Northern Iowa last week.
The Golden Gophers had five visitors this past weekend. Recent commitment Drew Goodger, a 6-foot-5, 234-pound tight end from Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Northwest was joined by Rosemount offensive tackle Joe Bjorklund and Florida linebacker Arrington Jenkins and preferred walk-on candidates Graham Glasgow, an offensive tackle from Aurora, Illinois and BemidjiÂ’s Ernie Heifort.
Bjorklund helped lead the Irish to the Minnesota Class 5A title game. He had committed to Toledo, but several bigger programs have jumped in the mix
Jenkins of Miami Coral Park, who previously visited Florida State, will also make trips to Illinois Nebraska and West Virginia.
Glasgow has a scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan and interest from Big Ten rival Michigan State. Kill is hoping that his Illinois ties will sway the 6-foot-7, 295-pounder.
Heifort was committed to the Golden Gophers Sunday as a preferred walk-on and will play a new position in college. He played linebacker and defensive end and led the state of Minnesota in tackles as a junior.
Heifort will move to tight end in college, but he thinks the move could land him a scholarship early in his playing career from head coach Kill.
“They said that they have three senior tight ends on scholarship right now, so they can’t offer me a scholarship now,” said Heifort. “But he said if I worked at it, I can more than likely earn one next year. I wanted the opportunity to play at the highest level. My family lives real close around the “U,” so it has always kind of been my dream to come here.”
The Golden Gophers will have at least four visitors next weekend, including recent commitment Tamani Carter and preferred walk-on punter Peter Mortell, a 6-foot-2, 193-pounder from Green Bay (Wisc.) Notre Dame Academy.
NOTES:
The Minnesota coaches will be off the road Monday to meet with the current players. Classes start Tuesday and this meeting will give some players their first chance to meet with their new position coaches.
The Golden Gophers could possibly lose one or two players to academics with the new semester starting Tuesday. Michael Carter and Ra'Shede Hageman, were suspended the final three games of the season by interim head coach Jeff Horton "so they can focus on academics."
The Big Ten is not having a great recruiting season. Only Ohio State, who is ranked second in the country by Scout.com, has a Top 25 recruiting class. The Buckeyes have five Top 100 players, compared to five by the other conference teams. They have three other five-stars recruits (compared to just one from the other Big Ten schools) and 11 four-star recruits (compared to 14).
Newest Big Ten member NebraskaÂ’s recruiting class is currently ranked No. 26, followed by Michigan State (28); Iowa (29); Wisconsin (34); Michigan (36); Illinois (37); Penn State (47); Indiana (53); Northwestern (58); Minnesota (62) and Purdue (75).
Minnesota doesnÂ’t have a four or three-star recruit, according to Scout.comÂ’s rankings.
This upcoming Saturday the Goal Line Club will be hosting a “Meet & Greet Gopher Football Staff” in the DQ Club Room at the TCF Bank Stadium from 4:30 - 6:30.
The National Signing Day 'Sota Social will also be held in the DQ Club Room at TCF Bank Stadium Wednesday, February 2nd from 5:00 - 8:00. The event is being moved from the practice facility, which will be hosting the baseball team with the collapse of the Metrodome.
FOXSportsNorth.com is your source for all the latest information of Minnesota Gopher basketball and football recruiting.
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