ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Gophers coach P.J. Fleck was not willing to publicly wade into it, but FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira dove right in. And the Big Ten Conference mostly abstained on the topic.

The Gophers had scored 14 straight points to cut Michigan’s lead to 27-24 on Saturday when Matt Kingsbury was called offsides on an onside kick attempt with 1:37 remaining in the game. Minnesota had recovered the kick and would have had possession at the Wolverines’ 39.

But after the 5-yard penalty, Michigan recovered the re-kick and iced the win at Michigan Stadium.

“I don’t think he’s offside,” Pereira said as replays were shown on the TV broadcast. “If you take a look at the high shot, the all-22 (players view), I don’t think he is breaking the plane.

“It’s so technical,” Pereira added. “To me, he’s not. It’s awfully close. Nothing can be done: not reviewable, obviously.”

Color commentator Joel Klatt wanted more, with the replay far away on the other sideline. “Boy, you would love it to be something that was clear and obvious,” he said. “That one, it looked like just a hair.”

If that. But Fleck was not willing to get close to a call that came down to a foot or maybe inches.

“I have not seen the last play, nor does one play win or lose you the game,” Fleck said. “Everyone is going to focus on that. I’m not going to sit here and get fined and all those other things. I have more respect for my boss and the University of Minnesota and the Big Ten to say that is one play.”

Fleck was asked by a reporter to share what he saw and heard from officials on the U sideline about the under-the-microscope call at the Big House.

“I was 10 yards away,” Fleck said. “I was down where the ball was going to be received because that is (what) I really want to see.”

It was the official standing on the U sideline at the kickoff line who made the call. It was directly in front of him. Kingsbury was on the near-side numbers when the call was made. The flag was thrown immediately after Kingsbury and teammates crossed the line.

The official told Fleck that Kingsbury “broke the plane.”

And that is pretty much that, according to the Big Ten Conference.

The Big Ten has a pool report policy for reporters to ask officials questions about calls in games, but that is reserved for clarification or explanation of rules, not questions with binary answers to, for example, whether a player was offsides or not, Big Ten spokesman Paul Kennedy told the Pioneer Press on Saturday evening.

The conference also doesn’t give statements on judgement calls in games because the multitudes of those calls across the schedule each Saturday, Kennedy shared. That policy doesn’t change for calls when the stakes are magnified in late and close games such as Saturday in Michigan.

Related Articles

A controversial, close call leads to Gophers’ 27-24 loss to Michigan

Gophers secondary shorthanded again vs. Michigan

Gophers football: Tough love at home helped Danny Striggow form thick skin

Analysis: Why the Gophers football team’s 2-2 start has been so disappointing

Gophers football at Michigan: Keys to game, how to watch and who has the edge

NHL teams placed another 29 players on waivers Saturday as the league pares down its training camp rosters. The Wild were not one of them, but that will change, in one form or another, on Sunday.

The Wild will play the fourth of their six preseason games Sunday evening at Xcel Energy Center, triggering the first big camp cuts of the fall. Some might come before a 5 p.m. puck drop against Dallas, some after.

“It could be a little bit of both depending on who’s in the practice group and who’s in the game group,” coach John Hynes said Saturday after a pair of practices in front of season-ticket holders at the X.

The Wild’s AHL team in Des Moines begins camp on Monday morning.

Because this is a team heavy with veterans on long-term deals, it was evident when camp started Sept. 19 that there were only one or two spots open for a prospect or free agent to make the NHL roster out of camp. That remains the case with less than two weeks before the Oct. 10 regular-season opener against Columbus in St. Paul.

At season’s end last spring, there was a sense that rookies Marat Khusnutdinov and Liam Ohgren had the inside track, but that has changed during camp. Instead, forward Jakub Lauko, acquired in the trade that sent Vinni Lettieri to Boston, has made the best early impression among young players, and veteran free agents signed to lucrative two-way deals have made strong cases, as well.

Lauko, 24, scored a goal in each of his two preseason games and will be in the lineup against the Stars on Sunday. He has been conspicuous in games and in practice, eager to show his new team that he’s ready for his first permanent promotion after playing 60 regular-season games with the Bruins (2-8–10) last spring.

“He’s got a motor. You can tell that he loves the game. He asks questions, you know, in meetings,” Hynes said. “I like his drive on the ice, his ability to skate, compete and impact the game. You’ve seen it, really, every day. Every time we’ve seen him practice, or the games, he has made an impact.”

If Lauko seems to be cementing that fourth-line winger role opposite Freddy Gaudreau, a few of the veterans who signed free-agent contracts in July are making a case to center that line when the season starts.

Brendan Gaunce, 30, and Ben Jones, 25, have played well in games. Jones scored on a breakaway in Friday’s 8-5 victory over Winnipeg at the X, two days after missing on a breakaway in a 5-2 loss at Dallas — and he acknowledged that went through his head as he charged at Jets veteran Connor Hellebuyck on Friday.

“I was trying not to miss again,” he said.

Instead, he faked with his forehand and scored on the backhand.

“I’ve just kind of been taking every day by day, take it kind of one step at a time, and see what each day brings,” Jones said. “See if I’m going to be able to play another game, and just bring what I bring and try and be a Swiss Army Knife for this team and help wherever I can.”

Jones, Gaunce, Travis Boyd, Devin Shore and Reese Johnson all signed two-way contracts this summer that combined are worth more than $2 million in minor league dollars. That’s a lot of money, a clear indication that Wild general manager Bill Guerin wants physical forwards he can trust — and can contribute — when they’re called up this season.

Gaunce, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward, has a two-way, two-year deal after spending last season in the Columbus organization. He played two games for the Blue Jackets but had a strong year at AHL Cleveland, 19 goals and 39 points in 46 regular season games, and five points in six playoff games.

“I had a good season last year, good playoffs, kind of came in confident,” said Gaunce (pronounced GAWNS). “I know how I had to play, and I think they do, as well; I’m just trying to show that.”

On the other end, Ohgren and Riley Heidt, a prospect who must return to juniors if he doesn’t make the team, have failed to make an early impression, although Ohgren had a goal and assist in an out-of-control second period against a prospect-heavy Jets team on Friday. Both played against the Jets, Hynes said, because they looked out of sorts in the Dallas game.

Khusnutdinov scored Friday, as well, but has been mostly inconspicuous. He’s 22, and Ohgren 20. Neither has played in the AHL, and if the coaching staff isn’t entirely confident in their readiness for the NHL, starting them there makes more sense for the Wild than putting them on the roster.

Ohgren will get another chance to make a good impression on Sunday against the Stars. So will Shore, Gaunce, Jones and former Gopher Travis Boyd, who played well in the team’s first preseason game.

Jesper Wallstedt will play his second preseason game, and Lauko his third.

“You come here trying to make an impression from the get go, so happy with the way things are going so far,” Lauko said Friday. “But, you know, it’s still preseason. Two preseason games. It just barely started. I just wanted to start strong, so it’s going well so far. But, like I said, it’s just the beginning. Nothing’s done.”

Related Articles

Wild growing fond of their ‘grape dealer,’ forward Jakub Lauko

Wild get to work on fixing beleaguered penalty kill

For Travis Boyd, Wild provide a fit and an opportunity

Some of Wild’s top prospects will play Wednesday at Dallas

Matt Boldy injury is a setback for Wild special teams, an opening for prospects

Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is playing for $10 million on a one-year contract. If he continues his proficiency — and that will be hard to do — his next contract could be worth at least $50 million a season over three or four years, with at least $100 million guaranteed.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates his 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers after a third a NFL football game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept., 15, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

That’s the market these days for competent NFL quarterbacks.
Darnold, who has guided the Vikings to a surprising 3-0 start headed to Green Bay on Sunday, is just 27 years old.

— In 2019, Darnold also quarterbacked the Carolina Panthers to a 3-0 start. However, he finished 4-7 before a shoulder injury and was replaced by Cam Newton, who finished 0-5. The Panthers finished 5-12.

— The great unknown in any week in the NFL is injuries. They can change virtually everything week to week.

— The prudent move for Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf is to wait until the end of the season to consider contract extensions for Darnold and coach Kevin O’Connell, who has 2025 remaining on his deal at $4 million a season. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, after a devastating first-time draft in 2022, could need a superb draft in 2025 to warrant an extension.
Remember, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer had two years remaining on his contract when fired in 2022. The Wilfs fired coach Brad Childress in 2010 with two years left on his contract.

— Since O’Connell has been coach of the Vikings, the team has won every game when they’ve won the turnover battle or when the turnover battle was even. That amounts to nearly 20 victories.

— Football’s best play-by-play talent, Kevin Harlan, will work the Vikings-Packers game for CBS.

— The Twins’ Byron Buxton, who turns 31 in December, has four years remaining on his guaranteed $100 million contract. Teammate Carlos Correa, who turned 30 last week, has four years remaining on his $200 million contract.
Some baseball people wouldn’t be surprised if next season the Twins consider moving Buxton from center field to right to replace Max Kepler, the same way Kirby Puckett was moved from center to right in 1994.
A move of Correa, who has slowed at shortstop due to foot injuries, to third base or first base would also seem worth considering, with Royce Lewis, 25, a possible move to first base and Brooks Lee, 23, possibility moving to shortstop.

— Buxton has a full no-trade clause, but it wouldn’t surprise if he were to agree to a trade with home state Atlanta.
For the first time in seven seasons this year, Buxton played in more than 100 games, but he had just 384 plate appearances. For 502 PA, he would have received a $500,000 bonus.

— Those were members of Herb Brooks’ 1980 Olympic gold medal hockey champions golfing at Hazeltine National the other day. Among the 20 players who upset the Russians 44 years ago at Lake Placid. N.Y., two are deceased, Bob Suter and Mark Pavelich. The youngest player on the team — Mike Ramsey — is 63. Oldest — Buzz Schneider — just turned 70.

— Happy birthday: Twins hall of famer Rod Carew turns 79 on Tuesday.

— Golf hall of famer Davis Love III, in Minneapolis on Friday to help design an ancillary short course at Hazeltine, was an entertaining speaker at a Dunkers breakfast at Interlachen Country Club. Among anecdotes, he told of Tiger Woods’ absolute insistence that he play with Steve Stricker for the U.S. in the 2012 Ryder Cup that Love captained in Medinah, Ill.

— Simley grad Michael Busch of the Chicago Cubs, after going 11 for 23 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in on a recent six-game road trip, was named National League Player of the Week. The first baseman, 26 years old, for the season has 21 homers and 65 RBIs while hitting .250. Two of Busch’s homers traveled 468 feet and 453 feet.

— Attending the Twins-Miami Marlins series at Target Field last week was Erik Bremer, son of retired Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer. Erik, 29, a Rogers High grad, just completed his seventh season as a minor league broadcaster, recently the voice of the Marlins’ Class AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Not at Target Field with the Marlins was former Gophers star Max Meyer, back in Florida recuperating from an inflamed biceps and throwing a bullpen session. The Woodbury grad who underwent Tommy John surgery two years ago finished 3-5 and will rest this winter.

— Jim Jaros, the 1964 Minnesota state high school golf champion at Minneapolis Edison and son of former Gophers-Lakers great Tony Jaros, died the other day at age 77.

— It was 58 years ago last week that Jim Kaat won his 25th game of the 1966 season against 13 losses for the Twins.
Kaat, 85 and now a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was 27 years old and in his prime in 1966. His 25 victories, 41 starts, 19 complete games and 305 innings pitched with a 3.73 earned-run average led the American League.
For that season, Twins owner Calvin Griffith increased Kaat’s salary from $38,000 to $54,000.
Kaat, a former Twins teammate of mine, laughed when he recalled the contract, then said, “Camilo (Pascual) won 20 games back-to-back (1962-63).”
Disgruntled about Griffith’s ensuing contract offer, Kaat said, “Camilo cut the contract up in little pieces and sent it back. Calvin had his secretary tape it back together and send it back to Camilo.”
More laughs.

— Don Berry, 62, the head golf professional at Edinburgh USA and 17-time Minnesota PGA Professional of the Year, qualified for the PGA National Senior Club Pro tournament this weekend in Sunriver, Ore.

— Already 2,800 tickets have been sold for the Gophers men’s hockey game Oct. 11 against Air Force at 7,773-seat Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

— Dave Metzen, the former Gophers hockey captain who went on to become superintendent of South St. Paul Public Schools and chairman of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, on Thursday received the Forrest Glewwe Visions of Excellence business leader award from the River Heights Chamber of Commerce.

— Wishing the best for former Wild assistant general manager Tommy Thompson, who the other day required more than 100 stitches to his nose and mouth when attacked by a pitbull in Hastings.

Don’t print that

— Friday night’s Timberwolves trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks had been anticipated for nearly two years. Reasons: Towns is from New Jersey. Knicks President Leon Rose used to be his agent. Gersson Rosas, who was the Wolves’ top basketball executive, now works for the Knicks. Towns is to make $49.3 million this season and is guaranteed $62.1 million in 2027, when he’ll be 32 years old.
A little birdie whispered Saturday it was the Knicks who initiated the trade only days before trading camp this week, asking if the Wolves would make Towns available. The deal came together quickly in the past few days, and the Wolves jumped on the opportunity.
Before moving Towns, the Wolves had a luxury tax bill of $105 million due next July. The trade will reduce that amount.
The Wolves have not been thrilled with Towns’ proneness to injuries, and he underperformed in last season’s playoffs.
The Wolves have a younger, much less expensive ($13.9 million this season) replacement for Towns in fan-favorite Naz Reid, who has a free-agent option after the coming season and will be re-signed. The team gave up four future first-round draft picks for Rudy Gobert in 2022 and, until Friday, had none until 2028.
Until last June, the Knicks owned eight first-round draft picks. Then they traded five of those picks to Brooklyn for Mikel Bridges, and signed forward Ogugua Anunoby to a $212.5 million, five-year contract.
The Anunoby signing, however, made it seem unlikely that Towns could be traded to the Knicks, at least for draft picks. But Wolves President whiz Tim Connelly was able to get a first-round draft pick plus Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo — two serviceable players — in the deal.
A 6-foot-8, 250-pound power forward, Randle, 29, will make $29 million this year and becomes a free agent after the season, so that will be a money saver. The 6-4 shooting guard DiVincenzo, 27, under contract for $11.5 million this season, wasn’t thrilled about limited minutes with the Knicks.

— The long-anticipated Timberwolves ownership dispute between Taylor and the Alex Rodriguez-Marc Lore-Michael Bloomberg group is to begin with arbitration on Nov. 4.

— It’ll be interesting to see how soon Towns sells his 19,000 square-foot Orono home and for how much. Peter Eckerline, a top Minnesota financial advisor, sold the home to Towns for $4.6 million in 2018, just months before Towns signed a $190 million contract with the Wolves. Towns financed it for two years before paying it off full in 2020. The home once belonged to ex-automobile mogul Denny Hecker and was bought through the bank by Eckerline for $3.5 million.
Meanwhile, Towns and girlfriend-model Jordyn Woods last week purchased a $14 million, 11,000 square-foot, 17-bathroom mansion in Los Angeles, TMZ reports.

— Twins executive management Derek Falvey and Thad Levine and field manager Rocco Baldelli seemingly will return for the 2025 season. At least it appears that way to Jim Pohlad.
“In my view, there’s nothing going on,” Pohlad told the Pioneer Press at Target Field last week.
But he cautioned.
“I have nothing to do with it anymore,” he said. “It’s Joe and Dave (president-chief executive officer St. Peter).”
Joe is Pohlad’s nephew Joe Pohlad, who became the team’s executive chairman when Jim Pohlad, still a co-owner, retired from his chief ownership role in 2022. Jim Pohlad still makes regular visits to his office.

— As for the Twins’ TV dilemma with Diamond-Bally Sports, Jim Pohlad suggested that MLB Network might be the club’s best option going forward.
“Maybe there’s a bit of a downturn for a little while, but there’s a lot of upside,” he said. “There’s no sugarcoating it — everybody’s frustrated. It’s not good. It’s bad.”

— The Twins this season cut payroll by $30 million.
Next year’s payroll?
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Jim Pohlad said. “I don’t talk to those people (club executives) that much, honestly. I wish they would come (for advice). I said to Joe I’m not going to step into your territory, but I’ll be happy to be of counsel for anything you want. So far, that hasn’t happened.”
As for the Twins’ lack of movement at last month’s trade deadline, Jim Pohlad said, “I love the trade deadline, and I want us to do more. But they didn’t do more. I get that — you always want it coming in, but you don’t want it going out. You don’t want to give up prospects.”

— Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, who fly to their teams’ games in separate private jets, will attend the game against the New York Jets next Sunday in London.

— It was 40 years ago that the Gophers hired Lou Holtz to coach football. Upon his hiring, Holtz quipped that the heart and soul of the Gophers team would have to come from Minnesota, but the arms and legs would have to come from somewhere else.
Apparently Holtz, now 87, was right. Among the 107 roster-listed Gophers players for the recent loss to Iowa, 33 are from Minnesota.
As for Iowa, among the Hawkeyes’ 134 roster-listed players, 57 are from Iowa.

— If P.J. Fleck is still Gophers’ football coach through Dec. 31, he’ll receive a $700,000 retention bonus to go with his $6 million salary. If he’s still coach through 2027, he’ll receive retention bonuses totaling another $2.7 million.

— The Gophers scored 17 points in their season-opening home loss to North Carolina. A week ago, James Madison scored 70 points against North Carolina in a 70-50 victory.

— The University of Lindenwood football team that defeated St. Thomas 64-0 a week ago will be the Gophers’ opponent in Minneapolis for a game on Sept. 18, 2027.

— Minnesota fell to 2-3 on Saturday when an overrated Michigan team escaped with a 27-24 victory in Ann Arbor.
“I’m not very happy with the performance,” first-year Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said.

— After four games, ex-Gophers QB Athan Kaliakmanis of Rutgers has completed 59 of 96 passing attempts, including seven TDs, with one interception.
Kaliakmanis’ successor at Minnesota, Max Brosmer, after five games has completed 102 of 154 passes, with six TDs and four interceptions.

— New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil, the favorite for American League Rookie of the Year, in 2018 was traded by the Twins for outfielder Jake Cave. Gil, 26, is 15-6 with a 3.27 ERA. Today, Cave, 31, is hitting .253 with seven home runs for Colorado.

— Word is a prominent retired athlete is selling his suburban St. Paul home to a notable current Viking.

— Cretin-Derham Hall’s 6-10 Tommy Ahneman, the state’s top-recruited basketball player, has completed his official Iowa and Nebraska visits and this weekend is to be at Notre Dame. His Gophers visit is next weekend, completing his final four recruiting trips.

— Stillwater’s 6-3, 205-pound junior QB Nick Kinsey has offers from Miami, Mississippi, UNLV and Georgia Tech — but not the Gophers.

— The Gophers’ total men’s basketball name, image and license (NIL) budget last year, a little birdie says, was $422,000. It turns out that’s when Minnesota lost 6-9, 255-pound incoming junior Pharrel Payne to Texas A&M for a $660,000, one-year deal. Also-transferred Gophers guard Elijah Hawkins left for Texas Tech for $500,000 plus a luxury car.

— Don’t think Wild coach John Hynes wasn’t a little nervous when star Kirill Kaprizov headed back to Russia in the offseason to visit family.
“More Russian players went back this year,” Hynes said. “I’m happy for him, because it means a lot to him.”

—Sadly, before a large contingent of family and friends at Target Field for the Twins game on Thursday, Marlins second baseman rookie and Brooklyn Park native Connor Nobby struck out five times and was 0 for 6.

— Minnesota, which at one time had six NFL on-field officials, this season has two — side judge Dave Meslow from Mahtomedi and line judge Jeff Seeman from Chaska.

Overheard

— Retired Twins executive chairman Jim Pohlad, asked last week what it would mean if the Twins didn’t get into the playoffs: “It means we’re all disappointed.”

Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up prior to Game Five of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center on May 30, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
In this image from video, Lou Holtz speaks from Orlando, Fla., during the third night of the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020.. (Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via AP)
Twins owner Jim Pohlad smiles as the Minnesota Twins practice a day before the season opener at Target Field in Minneapolis, April 2, 2017. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)

Related Articles

Charley Walters: Foreman nominated for Hall of Fame under seniors category

Charley Walters: J.J. McCarthy’s future as Vikings quarterback is far from certain

Charley Walters: Signs point to this being make-or-break season for Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell

Charley Walters: Vikings could really use Adam Thielen now

Charley Walters: From start, Mauer had Cooperstown potential

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Gophers lost a fumble and had a punt blocked to put them a 21-3 hole to Michigan at halftime on Saturday.

In the second half, the Wolverines threw an interception and conceded a 60-yard punt return to help Minnesota get back in the game at 24-17 with 11 minutes left.

Michigan’s run offense led to a late field goal, and Minnesota threw for a touchdown before another special teams play shrouded the outcome.

An onside kick attempt was recovered by Minnesota, and the U sideline went wild at the chance to pull off an upset. But it was called back for Gophers’ Matt Kingsbury being called offside.

No. 12-ranked Michigan recovered the re-kick and was able to ice a 27-24 win in the Little Brown Jug game Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

The Gophers (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) were a 10-point underdog against the Wolverines (4-1, 2-0), who have won five straight and lead the all-time series 78-25-3.

After Minnesota cut the lead in the fourth quarter, Michigan ran the ball nine times on a 14-play, 48-yard drive to add a 35-yard field goal and make it 27-17.

But Max Brosmer found Daniel Jackson for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:37 left.

In the first half, Jackson lost a fumble and the U punt team allowed a blocked punt — both inside their 20-yard line — and Michigan scored touchdowns on both plays to take a 21-3 halftime lead while needing only 107 yards of offense.

Roles reversed in the second half.

After Ethan Robinson’s interception, the Gophers cut Michigan lead to 24-10 with a 3-yard touchdown run from Darius Taylor with 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Gophers scored a touchdown after a Michigan interception and used a 60-yard punt return from Koi Perich. Taylor scored again from 4 yards out to make it 24-17.

After struggling against Iowa and North Carolina in the season’s opening month, the Gophers’ run defense was touched for a touchdown on the opening drive. Kalel Mullings ran through an enormous hole and was untouched on a 27-yard TD run.

Then Minnesota did Michigan favors, giving them short fields for a 16-yard and 11-yard touchdown drives.

Jackson’s second-quarter fumble led to Mullings’ second touchdown. Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck protested that Jackson’s forward momentum was stopped without a whistle.

Then Mark Crawford’s punt was blocked as multiple Wolverines broke through the line. Alex Orji then threw an 11-yard touchdown to Tyler Morris.

Michigan’s offense needed only 107 yards of offense to take a 21-3 lead at halftime.

The Gophers scored on the final play of the half. Max Brosmer heaved a Hail Mary completion to Nick Kallerup for 44 yards down to Michigan’s 1. Dragan Kesich hit a 20-yard field goal as time expired.

Related Articles

Gophers secondary shorthanded again vs. Michigan

Gophers football: Tough love at home helped Danny Striggow form thick skin

Analysis: Why the Gophers football team’s 2-2 start has been so disappointing

Gophers football at Michigan: Keys to game, how to watch and who has the edge

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson shares some truth about NCAA transfer portal