The Gophers football team has a nickname for an entire side of the ball for the first time: the “havoc” defense.

It’s actually an acronym (HAVOC) that’s fittingly constructed because new coordinator Danny Collins has been with head coach P.J. Fleck  — a fan of wordplay — since Collins started his coaching career with Fleck at Western Michigan in 2015.

Fleck promoted Collins, the Gophers’ safeties coach last season, to defensive coordinator after Corey Heatherman took the same role at Miami (Fla.) in January. Collins also follows Joe Rossi, but Collins is the first to outwardly set out principles for how he wants his unit wants to play.

The H is for how much effort the defense will play with; the A is for an attacking style; the V is for violence; the O is for playing together as one; and C is its level of competition.

In other words, Collins wants his defense to be “controlled chaos.”

Collins said his advantage over bringing in another coordinator from an outside programs is his knowledge  of the U’s existing personnel. “I know exactly how they play the game and how exactly we can plug them into a scheme to create that HAVOC defense,” he said.

Fleck added that the majority of the defensive scheme — a base 4-3 front — will remain the same under Collins, but both of them think the U can be more flexible than in previous years.

“I think this has the opportunity to be one of the most versatile defenses that we have had here,” Collins said after Tuesday’s practice. “Guys flying around different fronts, guys all over the place, different types of packages. … I think the versatility will be huge for us this season.”

Two of the key pieces are first-team all-Big Ten safety Koi Perich and honorable mention all-conference defensive lineman Anthony Smith.

“(Collins) knows the defense so well, and he’s tweaked it so well,” Smith said. “I’m so excited to be in the defense.”

Five ball, corner pocket

Quarterback Drake Lindsey had a handful of highlights during Tuesday’s practice, including connections in the corner of the end zone with Le’Meke Brockington, Javon Tracy and Jalen Smith.

“I think Drake is playing at a really high level,” Fleck said Tuesday. “I’ve got to give him his dues (through practice No. 9 of spring ball). Probably higher than any younger player I’ve ever had at that position.”

Jalen Smith, a redshirt freshman from Mankato, is one of the most-improved players on the team, Fleck said. Collins added that a defensive candidate for that distinction would be safety Garrison Monroe, a redshirt sophomore from Shakopee.

Briefly

The highlight of Tuesday’s practice was a one-handed catch from Purdue transfer tight end Drew Bieber. It came in the corner of the end zone from backup quarterback Max Shikenjanski. …. Key injured players: CB Jai’Onte McMillan, OL Kahlee Tafai, RB Fame Ijeboi and WR Malachi Coleman. DL Riley Sunram has returned to practice after being limited; CB ZaQuon Bryan left Tuesday’s practice. … Roman Voss and a few family members were at the U on Tuesday as the Gophers continues to recruit the No. 1 prospect in the state of Minnesota in the 2026 class. The athlete from Jackson County Central recently received offers from Alabama, Oklahoma and Southern Cal. … Former quarterback Max Brosmer attended practice while wearing a Vikings shirt. … Approximately 175 former U players took part in an alumni event held last week. …. UCLA transfer Logan Loya is a candidate for punt returner. … LB Joey Gerlach and CB Naiim Parrish had pass break-ups on consecutive plays Tuesday, each drawing praise from Fleck. … LB Matt Kingsbury had some bright moments, as well.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After further review, maybe the Twins didn’t do everything possible to avoid a pitch-clock violation in the series opener Monday night.

Instead of rushing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson into throwing a pitch with time running out after the PitchCom glitched out, catcher Christian Vázquez told the Pioneer Press on Tuesday he should have called for a mound visit instead.

Doing so would have paused Jonathan India’s at-bat with a 3-2 count and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and given umpire Nic Lentz no reason to issue an automatic ball call. The call resulted in a walk to India and sparked an argument with manager Rocco Baldelli that included his first ejection of the season and 15th of his career.

India was stranded at first when reliever Scott Blewett retired the next batter. Twins fell 4-2, dropping their record to 3-7.

Woods Richardson tapped his head as if to say he couldn’t hear a signal with about 7 seconds on the pitch clock. He also disengaged the rubber — commonly understood as a pitcher’s way to call time — but Lentz didn’t stop play. The next move likely belonged to Vázquez.

“I was thinking about that last night after the game,” Vázquez said. “‘Maybe if this happens again, burn a mound visit.’ It was 3-2, not 0-2, when it’s not as bad to lose a pitch.”

Vázquez, Woods Richardson and Baldelli asserted that Lentz should have granted time with 7 seconds left, and the manager said his mind hadn’t changed on Tuesday.

“The more I reflect, the more I come back to the fact that I don’t think that any call probably should have been made there,” Baldelli said. “And if there was any issue with a hitter, or the pitcher, or even the umpire being thrown off by what was going on out there, the resolution is, almost always, just to reset the clock and to let the players play and let the pitch be thrown.”

Buck trucked

Byron Buxton regretted not catching India’s first-inning leadoff double on Monday. Buxton ran a long way to track it down in left-center, but said he probably took his eyes off the ball at the last moment as he braced himself for impact with the wall.

He had it in his glove but couldn’t hold on after crashing.

“But that’s no excuse,” Buxton said. “I’ve made that play enough times to know I should have caught it.”

Baldelli said Buxton played it the right way, and will make the play most times.

“He’s also one of the harder guys outwardly emotionally on himself of any guy that I’ve ever managed,” Baldelli said. “I’m never surprised to hear that he’s (angry) when he doesn’t make a play. I’m always expecting it. He makes most of the plays, to say the least.”

India hit the ball an estimated 402 feet, per MLB Statcast, and the ball had an expected batting average of .610.

“I was a little bit more worried about staying on the field rather than making the play,” said Buxton, who has missed his share of games because of injury. “But as an outfielder, and who I am, and how I was raised, if it touches the glove, you’ve got to catch it.”

Buxton has had harder crashes, but it still felt jarring.

“Me taking my eyes off the ball allowed me to slow down a few steps before I did hit it as hard as I did,” he said. “Younger me was going on the IL. I’m in the lineup today.”

Twins add left-hander

The Twins have signed free-agent left-hander Richard Lovelady and assigned to Triple-A St. Paul.

Lovelady, 29, has six seasons of MLB experience and pitched in two games this season for the Toronto Blue Jays after making their Opening Day roster. He elected free agency after the Blue Jays tried sending him to Triple-A, but Lovelady’s three seasons of service time allowed him the decision to leave.

He owns a 5.29 ERA, with 93 strikeouts, 38 walks and 12 home runs allowed and in 101 career innings. He’s also played with the Royals, Rays, Athletics and Cubs since 2019.

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Minnesota was among several states to push back this week on an order by the Trump administration that K-12 schools certify they follow federal civil rights laws and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion practices or risk loss of federal funding.

“MDE has consistently complied with and continues to comply with applicable federal law,” wrote state Education Commissioner Willie Jett in a response to the U.S. Department of Education. “The requested, additional certification seemingly seeks to change the terms and conditions of federal financial assistance awarded to MDE without formal administrative process. Adherence to rulemaking procedures is required in order for a federal agency to make improvisatory changes to legal assurances and impose new requirements on recipients.”

A U.S. Education Department order on Thursday initially gave states 10 days to sign and return a document saying they will follow federal antidiscrimination laws and to gather signatures from local school systems certifying compliance with civil rights laws. The document threatens to cut federal money for violations, including using DEI practices “to advantage one’s race over another.”

In the Monday letter, Jett said MDE has consistently complied with and certified its compliance with “all required assurances for federal programs, all of which have been approved by ED,” and that remains in effect, Jett added.

“Federal funds provide critical resources for students with disabilities, early learning programs, transportation, career and technical education, and teacher training — all of which strengthen Minnesota schools, workforce, and communities. Congress directs the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to pass these federal investments on to states so local leaders can plan and make decisions that are best for our communities,” Jett wrote.

The Trump administration has overstepped its authority with the demand, Jett wrote.

“Threats to this funding without backing in law or established requirements put key programs at risk that students and schools depend on every day,” Jett added.

Grants, contracts

Other states pushing back on the order include New York, California and Vermont. Chicago’s mayor has promised to sue over any cuts. Others are moving forward with the order, including Virginia and Arizona. Many said they are still reviewing it.

While Thursday’s letter from the Education Department does not carry legal force, schools that continue DEI practices “in violation of federal law” could face Justice Department litigation and a termination of federal grants and contracts.

The initial 10-day deadline for states to submit the certification was extended Monday by federal officials to April 24.

Several national organizations, including the nation’s largest teachers union, have sued the U.S. Department of Education in response to its threats of funding cuts for schools that engage in DEI practices. The union also has asked a federal court to block Thursday’s order.

John Thein, St. Paul Public Schools interim superintendent, thanked Jett and other state education officials during a board meeting on Tuesday.

“This letter from Commissioner Jett will be sent to all (St. Paul Public Schools) staff members and their families to ensure the district commitment to each member of our learning community will be provided with a safe, secure environment, treated in a respectful and equitable manner, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, social economic status, disability, homeland, religion, national origin, age or physical appearance,” Thein said.

This story contains information from the Associated Press. 

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By NADIA LATHAN, Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate in a primary challenge against Republican Sen. John Cornyn, setting up what is likely to become one of the GOP’s most contentious and expensive contests of 2026.

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Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump, announced his decision Tuesday in an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham after spending more than a year openly flirting with a Senate challenge. During that time, Paxton has sought to position himself as a national leader among the GOP’s ascendant hard right, launching some of the first criminal investigations in the U.S. over abortions and gender-affirming care for transgender youth.