training camp 2009

www.msureporter.com Minnesota State University, Mankato

2009 TRAINING CAMP EDITION

MISSION:MIAMI

Coaching from the hot seat

The player they thought he could be

The new kids on the block

The true Minnesota Viking

The other side of the line

The unsung hard-hitter

Giant shoes to fill

Plus:depth charts,

rosters, schedules, fantasy

predictions & more

• Reporter Vikings Training Camp 2009 Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Page 3 Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Page 3

TABLE OF CONTENTSMeet the coaches ........................... 3

NFC North .................................... 4

On the hot seat ............................. 5

Big shoes to fill ............................. 6

QB quest ....................................... 7

Udeze ............................................ 8

Favre circus .................................. 9

Rookies ........................................ 10

Sophomore surprise .................... 11

Shiancoe ...................................... 12

Fantasy preview ......................... 13

The other side of the line ............ 14

Depth chart ................................. 15

Photos from camp ....................... 16

Schedules .................................... 18

Unsung hard-hitter .................... 19

Reporter picks ............................. 20

Welcome back E.J. ...................... 21

True Viking ................................ 27

Kickin’ it with Kluwe ................. 30

Pulse ........................................... 31

dan moen • msu reporterFans packed the stands while the Vikings opened up their training camp on the campus of MSU-Mankato. Camp opened July 31st and will end August 12th.

• Reporter Vikings Training Camp 2009 Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Page 3

Welcome to training camp

from the official Beer of the

Brad ChildressHead coach

The Childress file: The offensive minded Childress is entering his fourth season as the Vikings head coach and has an overall record of 24-24 with the club. Childress brought the Vikings to the playoffs last sea-son while guiding them to their first division title since 2000.

Before coming to Minnesota Childress spent seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles — the last four of those years as offensive coor-dinator. While an Eagle, Childress helped the team reach four consecutive NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl in 2005.

Childress started his coaching career in 1985 as the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. Before that, he played quarterback and receiver at Illinois. He then transferred to Eastern Illinois and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Born June 27, 1956 in Aurora, Ill., he and wife Dru-Ann have four children.

Darrell BevellOffensive coordinator

The Bevell file: The former Green Bay Packers quar-terbacks coach will look to continue the success he has had throughout his last three seasons with the Vikings.

Bevell has conducted one of the best rushing games through-out the last few seasons having either Adrian Peterson or Chester Taylor rush for more than 1,000 yards since he’s been here. The team ran for 2,643 yards last season.

There were dramatic leaps made in the passing game during the 2008 season with both Tavaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte behind center. The team threw 10 more touchdowns than the 2007 season.

He played college football at Wisconsin and was ironically coached by Childress. Bevell received his first opportunity in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers in 2000. He was the quarter-backs coach from 2003-05.

Bevell and his wife Tammy have three chil-dren.

Leslie FrazierDefensive coordinator

The Frazier file: Frazier enters his third season with the Vikings, and has helped put to-gether one of the best defenses in the league during the 2008 season.

Frazier’s unit was ranked sixth overall last season, and first against the run, led by defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. The Vikings haven’t ranked sixth in the league on the defense side of the ball since the 1994 season.

There were four players on defense that were named to the pro-bowl including the Williams’, defensive end Jared Allen and cornerback An-toine Winfield.

Frazier was the defensive backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts before coming to the Vikings. He helped win Super Bowl XLI as assistant head coach to head coach Tony Dungy.

Frazier was also defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2003-04.

He has three children with his wife Gale.

The people on the sidelineA quick look at the 2009 Minnesota Vikings coaching staff

Linebackers coach: Fred PagacQuarterbacks coach: Kevin RogersQuality control-defense/linebackers coach: Jeff ImamuraQuality control-offense/running backs coach: Ryan FickenOffensive/defensive assistant coach: Ryan Silverfield

Special teams coordinator: Brian MurphyRunning backs coach: Eric BieniemyDefensive line coach: Karl DunbarOffensive line coach: Pat MorrisTight ends coach: Jimmie JohnsonDefensive backs coach: Joe Woods —compiled by Kyle Ratke


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The Breakdown: It’s safe to say that after a brutal winless season, things can’t get any worse for the Detroit Lions. After hauling out most coaching personnel and bring-ing in a young and energetic head coach, Jim Schwartz, things are looking up.

Detroit decided to pick quarterback Matt Stafford with their first pick in this year’s draft.

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson is arguably the most talented receiver in the game and will help Stafford im-mensely in his first year in the NFL.

Running back Kevin Smith had a successful rookie campaign as he rushed for 976 yards and eight touch-downs. Chances are that he will improve those numbers as the Lions add Maurice Morris from Seattle to help carry the load in the backfield.

But the biggest issue for the Lions is their defense.The Lions defense gave up an average of 8.82 yards per pass last season, which was a half-yard worse than the next worst team.

Bringing on linebackers such as Julian Peterson and Larry Foote will help the team, but it will still be tough to turn this into even a top-20 defense.

Even if everything goes according to plan, look for Detroit to be the NFC North’s bottom feeder once again.

Detroit LionsLast season: 0-16 (fourth in NFC North)Head coach: Jim SchwartzCoordinators: Scott Linehan (offensive), Gunther Cunningham(defensive)Key additions: LB Julian Peterson, LB Larry Foote, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Anthony HenryKey departures: CB Leigh Bodden, DT Shaun Cody, DT Cory Redding, DE Corey Smith The Breakdown: The Green

Bay Packers had plenty of prob-lems during their disappointing 6-10 season last year, but Aaron Rodgers wasn’t one of them.

His 93.8 passer rating ranked sixth in the NFL.

Other areas of the team weren’t so impressive, however. The defense that helped lead the Packers to a 13-3 record in 2007 collapsed at critical periods during 2008. The offensive line struggled to protect Rodgers. The running game was inconsistent and frequently inef-fective. Still, Green Bay lost seven games last season by only four points or fewer.

The biggest change will be on defense, where new defensive coordinator Dom Capers is installing a 3-4 scheme to replace the Packers’ longtime 4-3 system. The switch means Aaron Kampman, who had a team-high 9.5 sacks last year, will move from defensive end to outside linebacker. It also means the No. 9 overall pick in the 2009 draft, lineman B.J. Raji, could see immedi-ate playing time.

On offense the biggest question mark will be the line, which allowed 34 sacks last season, tied for 14th-most in the league. The Packers return one of the NFL’s most formidable receiving corps in 11-year veteran Donald Driver (1,012 yards, five TDs last season) and Greg Jen-nings (1,292 yards, nine TDs).

Rodgers has proven himself, now it’s the defenses turn.

Green Bay PackersLast season: 6-10 (third in NFC North)Head coach: Mike McCarthyCoordinators: Joe Philbin (offensive), Dom Capers(defensive)Key additions: S Anthony SmithKey departures: OT Mark Tauscher, DT Colin Cole

The Breakdown: The Bears are perhaps the most improved team in the NFC North after trading for pro-bowler Jay Cutler and signing one of the best offensive tackles over the last 10 years in Orlando Pace.

The one thing holding the Bears back over the last few years has been consistent quarterback play out of Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman. It looks like Chicago finally has the quarterback that they’ve been waiting for, but there’s still one problem.

The only receiver on the Bears roster that an average fan has heard of is Devin Hester, who is not known for catching the ball, but instead running with it. Second year running back Matt Forte will look to build on his impressive rookie season.

The Bears defense has been their strong part over the years and don’t expect much to change. Lovie Smith has always been defensive minded, but it’s worth noting that the defensive leader Brian Urlacher is not getting any younger. Last year was the first time Urlacher played all 16 games and finished with fewer than 100 tackles.

If the Bears hope to make a run at the NFC North title, they will need to have one of their young receivers to break out and become a main target for Cutler.

Chicago BearsLast season: 9-7 (second in NFC North)Head coach: Lovie SmithCoordinators: Ron Turner (offensive), Bob Babich (defensive)Key additions: QB Jay Cutler, OT Orlando Pace, OT Frank Omiyale, OT Kevin ShaferKey departures: QB Kyle Orton, QB Rex Grossman, OT John Tait, OT John St. Clair

Prediction: 3-13 (fourth in NFC North)

Prediction: 9-7 (second in NFC North)

Prediction: 8-8 (third in NFC North)

NFC North — The black and blue division

— by Kyle Ratke and Derek Wehrwein


The Breakdown: The Bears are perhaps the most improved team in the NFC North after trading for pro-bowler Jay Cutler and signing one of the best offensive tackles over the last 10 years in Orlando Pace.

The one thing holding the Bears back over the last few years has been consistent quarterback play out of Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman. It looks like Chicago finally has the quarterback that they’ve been waiting for, but there’s still one problem.

The only receiver on the Bears roster that an average fan has heard of is Devin Hester, who is not known for catching the ball, but instead running with it. Second year running back Matt Forte will look to build on his impressive rookie season.

The Bears defense has been their strong part over the years and don’t expect much to change. Lovie Smith has always been defensive minded, but it’s worth noting that the defensive leader Brian Urlacher is not getting any younger. Last year was the first time Urlacher played all 16 games and finished with fewer than 100 tackles.

If the Bears hope to make a run at the NFC North title, they will need to have one of their young receivers to break out and become a main target for Cutler.

Chicago BearsLast season: 9-7 (second in NFC North)Head coach: Lovie SmithCoordinators: Ron Turner (offensive), Bob Babich (defensive)Key additions: QB Jay Cutler, OT Orlando Pace, OT Frank Omiyale, OT Kevin ShaferKey departures: QB Kyle Orton, QB Rex Grossman, OT John Tait, OT John St. Clair

NFC North — The black and blue division Coaching from the hot seatEntering the last season of his contract, Brad Childress will have all eyes on him

When Brad Childress came to Minnesota three seasons ago, the Vikings were not a complete wreck.

In fact, they were 9-7 in 2005 under former head coach Mike Tice. Many thought that the Vikings were a few players away from making big advances — Childress thought otherwise.

Childress wanted to get rid of the negativity and had a no-tolerance attitude in the locker room. The ball coach has gotten rid of players like Fred Smoot and Dwight Smith in his short time here, mostly because of their off-the-field antics.

Minnesota took a step back in Childress’ first season with the club, as they finished 6-10 overall, which was seventh worst in the league. But the season wasn’t entirely a failure as the Vikings took running back Adrian Peterson at the seventh spot, and since Peterson has looked like he could be Minnesota’s savior.

While Peterson is used to seeing eight guys in the box, new acquisitions have changed things a little bit for the Minnesota offense.

“The potential is great with the guys we have out there,” Peterson said.

While Childress has made jumps in every year with the club finishing 8-8 in 2007 and 10-6 last season, “Chilly” is in the last year of his contract, and could be on the chopping block after this season.

Looking at the numbers, one may ask how that could be. But others are focusing on a few

things Childress has done that have haunted him over the last few seasons.

The biggest cloud over his head may be not only drafting raw quarterback prospect Tavaris Jackson out of Alabama State, but sticking by his side for so long. While Jackson

wasn’t developing according to plan, it didn’t’ seemed like Childress cared, and it was easy to see that Childress wanted to see a little bit of Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb in the young quarterback.

It is to Childress’ benefit that the Vikings front office has made some great signings over the last few years, bringing in players such as Steve Hutchinson and Bernard Berrian — two talented offensive players.

Another ongoing debate is that the so-called “offensive minded” head coach has made

very poor decisions calling plays for the team and hasn’t opened the offense up. Drafting speedy wide receiver Percy Harvin out of Florida

has definitely turned some heads and could be a sign that Childress is planning on opening the offense up a bit.

At a July 30 press conference in Mankato, Childress was asked about the possibility of

KYLE RATKEsports editor

“The potential is great with the guys we have out there.”

- Adrian Peterson

Childress / page 25wale agboola • msu reporterBrad Childress is entering the final year of his contract.


GIANT SHOES TO FILLThe Minnesota Vikings will

have a new starting center for the first time in eight years. All indications are that it will be John Sullivan who the Vikings picked in the 2008 NFL draft. However, Sullivan doesn’t think he feels it’s his job yet.

“I still feel like I have to earn the job, since I’ve never started a game,” Sullivan said.

That may be true for Sullivan but if you look at his biography, it looks fairly similar with the last center for the Vikings, six-time Pro Bowler Matt Birk. Birk was drafted in the sixth round with the thought that he could be the heir apparent to longtime Vikings center Jeff Christy.

Sullivan was also drafted in the sixth round with the thought that he could be the heir to Matt Birk. Birk and Sullivan were both known for their supreme intelligence, having both played for

prominent academic colleges, — Birk at Harvard and Sullivan at Notre Dame.

The man that Sullivan will likely be battling with is Ryan Cook who has switched

positions on the Vikings line over the last few season and is trying to earn himself a starting spot.

Since Birk departed for Baltimore, Sullivan has been expected to continue to help this offensive line produce. Each of the last three seasons

the line has been fantastic at opening up holes for running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor.

“I’ve worked hard all offseason to help the offense pick up where it left off,” Sullivan said.

The supporting players around Sullivan should make his job a little easier. Aside from having arguably the best running back in the NFL with Peterson, Sullivan will also have the opportunity to line up next to Steve Hutchinson,

who has been arguably the best guard in the NFL over the last six seasons.

Sullivan also has two other solid veterans in Bryant McKinnie and Anthony Herrera joining him on the line, who will both be beneficial to Sullivan’s learning curve. “It’s nice to have the veteran leadership; it kind of helps take the burden off,” Sullivan said.

The concerns

around Sullivan will still have to be his lack of playing time.

You never know what you’re going to get out of a guy

who has not started yet, but at least Sullivan did dress for every game last season.

This is an important factor in looking at Sullivan as a player. While he learned behind Birk last season, he also helped contribute on special teams, a job some players simply aren’t fit for.

Not only does this show that Sullivan has talent but also that he is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.

Matt Birk was a fan favorite for 10 years and will most likely be missed, but Sullivan seems capable of taking over where Birk left off. The only difference one might notice in the offensive line this season is the No. 65 in the middle.

dan moen • msu reporterSullivan (65) has never started a game in his NFL career, but hopes that he will be the man to replace Matt Birk.

Birk

PAT DELANEYstaff writer

As the Vikings move on from Matt Birk, expectations don’t get much higher for John Sullivan


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Now, after all the commotion has finally come to an end, the faces that were throwing passes at Winter Park in Eden Prairie during minicamp remain identical to the trio wearing red shirts at training camp in Mankato.

“(Favre) has gone his way and we are going our way,” said Vikings head coach Brad Childress. “I am more than content with these two guys (Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson) competing with each other and throwing (John David) Booty in the mix.”

And so, the competition for winning the most crucial position on the field and leading the Vikings come opening day Sept.13 against the Cleveland Browns begins.

“It will be a fun training camp from that standpoint,” Childress said of the QB battle. “Both guys are excited to get out there and compete.”

The Vikings are one of only a handful of NFL teams dealing with having no established starting quarterback, but still remain optimistic that they’re not behind the 8-ball.

“It’s important to establish a No. 1 quarterback and in a perfect world that would be great,” Childress said, “but that’s not the situation and I think with a number of other squads there are people competing for other jobs. That’s the nature of the beast.

While the Vikings have had a busy offseason, the quarterbacks have had one hing on their mind.

wale agboola• msu reporterSage Rosenfels is entering his first year with the Vikings.

wale agboola• msu reporterTavaris Jackson is entering his fourth season with the Vikings.Quarterbacks / page 23

• Reporter Vikings Training Camp 2009 Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Page PB

ready for the 2009 season by participating in mini-camps and organized team activities.

“His feet felt like cinder blocks, he fell over the bags, but for him to get back to the football field, he was all smiles,” said Vikings coach Brad Childress.

The beating his body took from the chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant from his brother proved too much to handle, however, and on July 29, Kenechi Udeze retired from football.

“My leukemia is still in remission and I am well,” Udeze said in the statement to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Unfortunately, however, I have decided to retire due to certain side effects from my pre-transplant treatment. I would like to thank the Wilf family and the Minnesota

Vikings organization for their support. I would also like to thank my fans, friends and family for supporting me

through everything,” he said. “Last but not least, I would

like to thank all of the medical professionals and staff in Minnesota who worked tirelessly to give me a second chance at life. God bless.”

According to Childress, Udeze was unable to get leverage and stick his feet in the ground without pain, a crucial necessity for an NFL defensive lineman.

“You can do all the conditioning and weight lifting you want, but (Udeze’s) feet betrayed him,” Childress said.

He added, “(Udeze having to retire) is hard, he’s been through a tough battle.”

When asked if the possibility of Udeze rejoining the Vikings in a non-playing position had been discussed, Childress said it hadn’t been, but that he’s sure “(Udeze) won’t be a stranger.”

The trials and tribulations of Kenechi UdezeThe former Vikings first round draft pick retires after battling Leukemia

Only a few years ago, Kenechi Udeze was on the fast track to success in the National Football League.

The defensive end set the school record for career sacks at the University of Southern California. With enormous and apparent talent, he left college early and entered the 2004 NFL Draft, and it wasn’t

long into the draft before the Minnesota Vikings took him with the 20th overall pick.

After four respectable seasons, Udeze was a starter on a threatening Vikings defense and primed to let his talent loose on unsuspecting offenses in what would be a Vikings playoff season, until a February 2008 visit to the doctor found Udeze diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

With a white blood cell

count of 190,000 and a 50 percent chance of long-term disease-free survival, Udeze remained tough throughout and vowed to return to the NFL.

After beating his cancer and his leukemia going in remission, Udeze returned to his old stomping grounds at USC and attempted to get back into shape. In just more than a year following his diagnosis, Udeze was back with the Vikings and getting

NATE BRENNANvariety editor

2004 - 36 tackles, 5 sacks2005 - 5 tackles, 1 sack2006 - 29 tackles, 0 sacks2007 - 47 tackles, 5 sacks

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web photoKenechi Udeze (95) recorded 11 sacks in 51 games with the Vikings.

Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter •

The circus is finally over — right?Favre has got the Vikings once again, without even stepping on the field

The Vikings have had more hype drawn to their training camp during the last two weeks than they have had in their history. But by looking at the fans and the overall mentality, one would be hard-pressed to say there’s much hype at all.

The one man that was the cause of all this excitement wasn’t even signed to the Vikings.

Heck, he wasn’t even in the NFL. But the impact this player was greater than Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson combined.

Of course, this player

is retired quarterback Brett Favre. Favre has beaten down the Vikings for the last 17 seasons, minus last season while he was a Jet. But the greatest damage the future Hall of Fame gunslinger has done to the boys in purple, may have occurred over the last six months.

It finally seems like the Favre circus is over, for now at least.

“That is exactly how it should be, at

least in my opinion. My teammates are the ones in that building (Gage Hall) and that’s the way I look at it,” said defensive end Jared Allen. “No disrespect to Brett. The hoopla is over and we

have a phenomenal team and we have high expectations.”

Favre has toyed with not only the hearts of Minnesota fans, coaches and the front office, but more importantly, the players. The two most important players to this team’s success may be damaged the most, the quarterbacks that weren’t on ESPN’s bottom line; Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

The biggest question

going into camp, thanks to Favre, is will the Vikings quarterbacks be in the dumps after the quarterback speculation?

The Favre situation with the Vikings looked like a relationship

in which one side was totally dedicated (Minnesota), while the other side was not completley convinced he wanted in (Favre). The Vikings dedication to Favre may have done more damage than it did good to the team, now that Favre is not wearing purple.

Head coach Brad Childress looks at the situation differently. Childress sees things as purely business and that

both quarterbacks understand the Vikings were trying to improve not only the position, but also the team as a whole.

“His record speaks for itself

as a Hall of Fame quarterback,” Childress said. “I work for this organization and I work for this football team to bring in the best players that I can bring in here.”

Jackson has gone

through confidence troubles in his career, and Sage Rosenfels went to being the teams answer at the quarterback situation, to a back up to Favre, back to a candidate for the position.

“I’m happy it’s over

with and it’s good it happened before training camp to give us an extra day to catch our breath a little bit and go to work,” Rosenfels said on the Favre situation.

KYLE RATKEsports editor

web photo

“I’m happy it’s over with and it’s good it happened before training camp to

give us an extra day to catch our breath...” - Sage Rosenfels

Favre / page 25


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New kids on the blockThe Vikings draft picks seem to have found the perfect fit with their new team — Only time will tell

Percy Harvin was a couple of days late for the start of training camp in Mankato, but

as soon as a 5-year deal was finalized Sunday the

rookie receiver wasn’t about to waste any more time.

“I was up at 3:30 in the morning looking

for flights and caught one at 6:30 [Sunday] morning,” he said Sunday after his first training camp practice. “I don’t think there was nobody more anxious to get on the field than

me.”Harvin, who the Vikings

drafted 22nd overall out of the University of Florida, missed the first two days and four practices of

training camp as his agent Joel Segal worked with the team to sign the last of the Vikings unsigned draftees.

The 21-year-old slipped to the Vikings toward the end of the first round in April’s draft after some off-the-field issues

were thought to have dropped the talented offensive weapon. It was reported that Harvin tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. But still, Vikings coach Brad Childress saw enough out of Harvin prior to the draft when he made a personal visit to Harvin’s home.

The 5-foot-10, 184 pound Harvin participated in other offseason workouts with the Vikings, and was excited to get the call about his contract being finalized.

“I was just studying my playbook, conditioning, working out with UF just waiting for the call,” he said, “because it was back and forth and back and forth.”

Harvin was used as a receiver and running back in his three seasons at Florida, scoring 32 touchdowns and was just the second Division I-A football player since 1996 to accumulate more than 1,500 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards in his career.

“[He will] definitely [help],” said tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. “The more pressure

we have on offense the better it is ‘cause defenses can’t key on just one guy.”

Harvin can be used in a variety of ways on the field, both on offense and on special teams. He’s a candidate to return kicks and punts — although he did neither in college — and gives the Vikings a player compatible with the ever-growing Wildcat formation.

“I’m exactly what you see,” Harvin said. “Definitely a return man, slot, a little bit in the back field, the motions, screens and some of the reverses, so I’m looking to be all over the field.”

Aside from Harvin, the Vikings also drafted offensive tackle Phil Loadholt (Round 2, 54th overall), cornerback Asher Allen (Round 3, 86th overall), linebacker Jasper Brinkley (Round 5, 150th overall) and

safety Jamarca Sanford (Round 7, 231st overall).

Loadholt, who attended the University of Oklahoma, is expected to be the front-runner for the starting right tackle position. At a massive 6-8 and 343 pounds, Loadholt mirrors starting left tackle Bryant

1st round - Percy Harvin WR (Florida)2nd round - Phil Loadholt OL (Oklahoma)3rd round - Asher Allen CB (Georgia)5th round - Jasper Brinkley LB (South Carolina) 7th round - Jarmarca Sanford FS (Mississippi)

2009 VIKINGS DRAFT PICKS

JOSH BERHOWstaff writer

Allen

New Kids / page 24


Sophomore SurpriseTyrell Johnson will look to make an impact on a talented defense

wale agboola• msu reporterTyrell Johnson showed signs of struggle last season as a rookie. This year,

the starting safety spot will be his to lose after Darren Sharper departed.

Purple people eaters.

That was the name for the great Minnesota Viking defenses of the ’70s. And it’s not far fetched to say the Vikings defense of the last three years has been great as well.

There is no question that the defense has been a huge reason why the team’s record has improved in each of the last three seasons. The defense has been No. 1 in the league in stopping the run the last three seasons — now most teams end up abandoning the run from their game plan when they play Minnesota.

This year’s defense could

be the best one yet with middle linebacker E.J. Henderson returning from a foot injury that cost him 12 games last season, and Jared Allen and Madieu Williams coming into their second year in the system after both were brought in as free agents.

The Vikings didn’t sign any major free agents for the

defense this season, but the team does have one new starter they will be counting on, in last year’s second round pick Tyrell Johnson.

Johnson will be taking over at the safety position that Darren Sharper previously held. While

Johnson is new to being a full time starter, he is no stranger to this defense. He filled in 8 games last season for an injured Madieu Williams.

“That experience paid off tremendously for me,” Johnson said. “Being able to get that experience last season has really prepared me to be able to be a full time starter.”

The experience has also paid off for the entire defense as well. While Sharper will be missed, the defense doesn’t feel like they will lose any momentum

with a new guy lurking in the back of the field.

“I thought Tyrell played really good last season,” said linebacker Ben Leber. “I don’t think anybody feels uncomfortable with him back there.”

“I don’t think anybody is

uncomfortable with him back

there...” - Ben Leber


The Vikings liked Johnson enough to make him their first pick in the 2008 NFL draft even though he was coming out of a smaller school, Arkansas State. But the school didn’t

hinder Johnson last season — he performed well enough in practice to earn himself a spot in the starting lineup when

Sophomore / page 24

Percy Harvin was a couple of days late for the start of training camp in Mankato, but

as soon as a 5-year deal was finalized Sunday the

rookie receiver wasn’t about to waste any more time.

“I was up at 3:30 in the morning looking

for flights and caught one at 6:30 [Sunday] morning,” he said Sunday after his first training camp practice. “I don’t think there was nobody more anxious to get on the field than

me.”Harvin, who the Vikings

drafted 22nd overall out of the University of Florida, missed the first two days and four practices of

training camp as his agent Joel Segal worked with the team to sign the last of the Vikings unsigned draftees.

The 21-year-old slipped to the Vikings toward the end of the first round in April’s draft after some off-the-field issues

were thought to have dropped the talented offensive weapon. It was reported that Harvin tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. But still, Vikings coach Brad Childress saw enough out of Harvin prior to the draft when he made a personal visit to Harvin’s home.

The 5-foot-10, 184 pound Harvin participated in other offseason workouts with the Vikings, and was excited to get the call about his contract being finalized.

“I was just studying my playbook, conditioning, working out with UF just waiting for the call,” he said, “because it was back and forth and back and forth.”

Harvin was used as a receiver and running back in his three seasons at Florida, scoring 32 touchdowns and was just the second Division I-A football player since 1996 to accumulate more than 1,500 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards in his career.

“[He will] definitely [help],” said tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. “The more pressure

we have on offense the better it is ‘cause defenses can’t key on just one guy.”

Harvin can be used in a variety of ways on the field, both on offense and on special teams. He’s a candidate to return kicks and punts — although he did neither in college — and gives the Vikings a player compatible with the ever-growing Wildcat formation.

“I’m exactly what you see,” Harvin said. “Definitely a return man, slot, a little bit in the back field, the motions, screens and some of the reverses, so I’m looking to be all over the field.”

Aside from Harvin, the Vikings also drafted offensive tackle Phil Loadholt (Round 2, 54th overall), cornerback Asher Allen (Round 3, 86th overall), linebacker Jasper Brinkley (Round 5, 150th overall) and

safety Jamarca Sanford (Round 7, 231st overall).

Loadholt, who attended the University of Oklahoma, is expected to be the front-runner for the starting right tackle position. At a massive 6-8 and 343 pounds, Loadholt mirrors starting left tackle Bryant


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The player they thought he could be Visanthe Shiancoe steps up following a frustrating 2007 season

A modest 42-catch season that was just a few yards shy of 600 might not be a jump-off-the-page stat to the common eye, but it was a substantial jump for Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe last season.

Entering his third season with the Vikings and seventh overall, the 6-foot-4 Shiancoe made a drastic jump in his production, nearly doubling his totals from a season ago and totaling seven touchdowns.

Shiancoe set career-highs in catches and yards (596), and his seven TD catches were five more than his previous high he set in his rookie season with the Giants in 2003-04.

Shiancoe’s biggest statistical jump, though, was an important one. Of his 42 catches, 30 of them were for first downs. His highest previous total in that category was just 11, which he obtained a season ago.

“It was mainly getting comfortable in the offense and doing the extra work after practice,” Shiancoe said. “It’s knowing the game and knowing how to treat the

profession.”Shiancoe played collegiality

at Morgan State, and was used sparingly in New York before signing with the Vikings as a free agent two seasons ago.

After leading all NFC tight ends in TD catches last season, Shiancoe is no longer being seen as just a simple role player in the Vikings’ offense — but as a threat.

Shiancoe says his speed and quickness is what he’s been working on during the offseason to help him get to the next level.

“My main focus has been to get a little faster and a little more explosive,” he said. “A little stronger.”

With Shiancoe’s emergence, a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back, a solid receiving unit and a brand-new weapon in rookie Percy Harvin, to say the Vikings will have legitimate offensive options might be an understatement — a big one.

“We have very good players all across the board offensively and defensively,” said quarterback Sage Rosenfels. “It’s us going out there and being on the same page and executing on a high level.”

wale agboola • msu reporterVisanthe Shiancoe emerged as an offensive

threat last season.

JOSH BERHOWstaff writer


Percy Harvin Picture: One of the more versatile players in the NFL, Harvin has lightning speed and the chance to be successful as a rookie. And with whispers the Vikings plan to use him running the Wildcat offense, it could be a pretty exciting rookie season for Harvin owners.

Rushing: 45 carries, 350 yds, 1 TD, Receiving: 60 rec, 650 yds, 2 TDs — 118 FP

Visanthe Shiancoe picture: A big surprise at tight end last year was Visanthe Shiancoe and his soft hands near the endzone. It’s hard to fathom him repeating seven touchdowns this year when more talented players are clearly ahead of him in red-zone targets. He should still put up decent yardage, but don’t expect more than a few touchdowns.

Receiving: 40 rec, 550 yds,

4 Tds — 79 FPChester Taylor Picture:

With plenty of quality starting experience under his belt, you grab Taylor as a handcuff to Adrian Peterson, making him very valuable.

Rushing: 100 car, 400 yds, 2 Tds, Receiving: 20 rec, 175 yds, 1 TD — 75 FP

Sidney Rice Picture: The cover-boy of a Reporter fall issue certainly disappointed a bit last year in an injury-plagued season and that trend is likely to continue.

Receiving: 30 rec, 325 yds, 2 Tds — 44 FP

Devensive Picture: The Vikings defense is a perennial top-5 defense and has the privilege of being known as the most stubborn against the run.

16 INT, 16 FR, 2 TDs, 22 PA/gm — 104 FP

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Vikings fantasy football previewPredictions for the upcoming season

Gather ‘round you fantasy football acolytes and listen to my sage words on how the Minnesota Vikings will fare in the 2009-2010 fantasy football season.

Now that the atrocious Sage Rosenfels pun is out of the way, let’s get down to business.

We all know who “the man” in Minneapolis is.

Whether you call him AP, All Day or the upper-middle-class man’s Walter Payton, Adrian Peterson is the focal point of the Minnesota Vikings offense. And who can blame them when he is arguably the best running back in the National Football League.

However, anyone who “owned” him on their fantasy team last year knows that the guy struggled at various times throughout the season, suffering from bouts of fumblitis and succumbing to the surprisingly stubborn New Orleans Saints run-defense.

But things look good for the former Oklahoma Sooner this year. Peterson only faces three tough run-defenses and with the additions of long-tossing Sage Rosenfels and burner (in more ways than one) Percy Harvin, those defenses will have to stack the box less and less, allowing Peterson to run further.

Adrian Peterson Picture: Peterson did have a grueling

363-carry season last year and that tends to break running backs down. But with Harvin and Chester Taylor spelling his carries once in awhile, Peterson should be able to hold up well with around 345 carries and save more of them for the red zone, increasing his touchdowns in the process.

Rushing: 345 car, 1725 yds, 15 TDs, 3 fumbles, Receiving: 20 receptions, 80 yds, 1 TD — 270 Fantasy Points (FP)

Bernard Berrian Picture: Bernard Berrian must have been exhilarated to see Gus Frerotte leave and Sage Rosenfels enter the picture in the offseason. With the old man gone, Berrian is likely to see increased targets downfield where he really excels.

Receiving: 50 rec, 1050 yds, 8 Tds — 153 FP

Sage Rosenfels Picture: The image of Sage Rosenfels flying through the air like a rag doll while the Indianapolis Colts defense forces his third turnover in less than three minutes is burned in the quarterback’s reputation forever. But going from a team that’s always coming from

behind like the Texans to a team with a defense that will keep the offense in the game

is sure to cut down on Sage’s turnovers and allow him to be a very capable and strong-armed QB with limited upside in fantasy football leagues.

Passing: 275com/450att, 2200 yds, 20 TDs, 14 Int, 80 yds rush — 148 FP

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wale agboola • msu reporterAdrian Peterson will likely be the No. 1

overall player in most fans’ fantasy leagues.


had their helmets strapped.“It feels really good to be

on the field and be healthy, just laughing and hanging out with the guys”, Edwards said.

Edwards was very good down the stretch last season, recording five sacks. The Vikings will need continued production if they plan on building their already stout defense.

If Edwards could get to the same level of the three guys next to him, it would be a huge benefit, but the main

concern for the defensive end is to keep improving the already great defense.

“We have to keep building if we want to move beyond the defense that we’ve had,” Edwards said. “all of us are working hard we just have to keep

looking to get better.”A healthy Ray Edwards

could bring the team over the edge from being good to elite. For right now though, Ray Edwards is just trying to be the final piece to an historic defensive line.

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The other side of the lineEdwards is a quiet contributer opposite Pro-Bowler Jared Allen

When you think of the Minnesota Vikings, great defense comes to mind.

Kevin Williams has been one of the best defensive tackles in NFL since he entered the league in 2003 and Pat Williams has been

one of the most dominant run stoppers since he became a Viking in 2005.

Jared Allen fits the need for a great defensive end and the Vikings brought him in as a free agent to work with the Williams wall and to help continue a dominant presence in the trenches.

But there’s another guy who works the other side of the line to complete the foursome.

It’s Ray Edwards — the promising young rookie of three years ago, now in his fourth season with the Vikings. Ray has had an interesting career to say the least.

He left the University of Purdue after his junior season after disputes with the head coach.

He came to the Vikings as a guy who could potentially be a spark to the pass rush. After a promising rookie season, Edwards went through a suspension, injuries and controversy over remarks he has made.

He caused a stir last season when he planned on breaking the single season sack record of 22.5 set by Michael Strahan. Edwards came nowhere close to that number, but still proved to be a vital player in the defensive line.

The sack record may have been out of reach but this defense needs a healthy Ray Edwards if it wants to continue its dominant defensive line play.

Last year, Edwards spent most of his training camp jogging around the field while his teammates

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wale agboola• msu reporterRay Edwards recorded five sacks during the 2008 season. He along with Jared Allen, Kevin and Pat Williams will hope to carry on that success.

Jared Allen - 14 sacksKevin Williams - 8 sacksRay Edwards - 5 sacksChad Greenway - 5 sacksAntoine Winfield - 2 sacksBrian Robison - 2 sacksEllis Wyms - 2 sacks

Vikings Sack Leaders


2009 Vikings DepTh CharT

2009 Vikings nUMeriC rOsTer

r = rookien = new to team

free safeTy20 M. Williams 637 E. Frampton 3

sTrOng safeTy25 T. Johnson 239 H. Abdullah 2

COrnerbaCk26 A. Winfield 1121 M. McCauley 3

TaCkle74 B. McKinnie 860 D. Radovich 2

wiDe reCeiVer87 B. Berrian 612 P. Harvin R

kiCker8 R. Longwell 13

kiCk reTUrner29 C. Taylor 8

pUnTer5 C. Kluwe 5

pUnT reTUrner12 P. Harvin R

gUarD76 S. Hutchinson 979 A. Hicks 8

fUllbaCk38 N. Tahi 483 J. Dugan 6

CenTer65 J. Sullivan 2

qUarTerbaCk7 T. Jackson 42 S. Rosenfels 94 J.D. Booty 2

rUnning baCk28 A.Peterson 329 C. Taylor 8

gUarD64 A. Herrera 663 B. Daniels 1

TighT enD81 V. Shaincoe 740 J. Kleinsaser 11

TaCkle71 P. Loadholt R62 R. Cook 4

wiDe reCeiVer18 S. Rice 319 B. Wade 7

COrnerbaCk23 C. Griffin 431 K. Paymah 4

MiDDlelinebaCker

56 E.J. Henderson 658 D. Herron 2

DefensiVeTaCkle

93 K. Williams 794 P. Williams 1398 L. Guion 271 J. Kennedy 6

weaksiDelinebaCker

51 B. Leber 859 H. Farwell 4

DefensiVe enD91 R. Edwards 492 J. Mitchell 4

sTrOngsiDelinebaCker

52 C. Greenway 450 Erin Henderson 2

DefensiVe enD69 J. Allen 696 B. Robison 3

2 Rosenfels, Sage QB 6-4 225 03/06/1978 9 Iowa State3 Mehlhaff, Taylor K 5-10 184 08/25/1985 0 Wisconsin4 Booty, John David QB 6-3 213 01/03/1985 2 USC5 Kluwe, Christopher P 6-4 215 12/24/1981 5 UCLA7 Jackson, Tarvaris QB 6-2 225 04/21/1983 4 Arkansas8 Longwell, Ryan K 6-0 200 08/16/1974 13 California11 Johnson, Jaymar WR 6-0 176 07/10/1984 1 Jackson State12 Harvin, Percy WR 5-11 184 05/28/1988 0 Florida13 Williams, Bobby WR 6-2 194 11/26/1985 North Alabama14 Moore, Nick WR 6-2 186 06/25/1986 0 Toledo15 Perretta, Vinny WR 5-9 186 10/14/1985 0 Boise State16 Holt, Glenn WR 6-1 193 07/31/1984 4 Kentucky18 Rice, Sidney WR 6-4 202 09/01/1986 3 South Carolina19 Wade, Robert WR 5-10 186 02/25/1981 7 Arizona20 Williams, Madieu FS 6-1 203 10/18/1981 6 Maryland21 McCauley, Marcus CB 6-1 203 09/03/1983 3 Fresno State22 Sapp, Benjamin DB 5-9 190 01/20/1981 6 Northern Iowa23 Griffin, Cedric CB 6-0 203 11/11/1982 4 Texas24 Walker, Marcus CB 5-11 191 05/23/1986 1 Oklahoma25 Johnson, Tyrell FS 6-0 207 05/19/1985 2 Arkansas State26 Winfield, Antoine CB 5-9 180 06/24/1977 11 Ohio State27 Roberson, Derrick CB 5-10 185 03/12/1985 1 Rutgers28 Peterson, Adrian RB 6-1 217 03/21/1985 3 Oklahoma29 Taylor, Chester RB 5-11 213 09/22/1979 8 Toledo30 Allen, Asher CB 5-9 194 01/22/1988 0 Georgia31 Paymah, Karl CB 6-0 195 11/29/1982 4 Washington State33 Sanford, Jamarca S 5-10 200 08/27/1985 0 Mississippi34 Young, Albert RB 5-10 209 02/25/1985 1 Iowa36 Broughton, Nehemiah FB 6-0 260 11/04/1981 3 The Citadel36 Bell, Kahlil RB 5-11 212 12/10/1986 0 UCLA37 Frampton, Eric DB 5-11 205 02/06/1984 3 Washington State38 Tahi, Naufahu FB 6-0 254 10/30/1981 4 Brigham Young39 Abdullah, Husain S 6-0 204 07/27/1985 2 Washington State40 Kleinsasser, James TE 6-3 272 01/31/1977 11 North Dakota42 Johnson, Ian RB 5-11 212 09/25/1985 0 Boise State44 Hall, Devon S 6-3 212 09/08/1987 0 Utah State45 Mills, Garrett TE 6-1 235 10/12/1983 4 Tulsa46 Loeffler, Cullen LS 6-5 241 01/27/1981 6 Texas49 Anderson, Colt S 5-10 194 10/25/1985 0 Montana50 Henderson, Erin OLB 6-3 244 07/01/1986 2 Maryland

51 Leber, Benjamin OLB 6-3 244 12/07/1978 8 Kansas State52 Greenway, Chad OLB 6-2 242 01/12/1983 4 Iowa54 Brinkley, Jasper LB 6-1 252 07/12/1985 0 South Carolina55 Onatolu, Kenny LB 6-2 225 10/08/1982 1 Nebraska-Omaha56 Henderson, Eric MLB 6-1 245 08/03/1980 6 Maryland57 Francois, Robert LB 6-2 244 05/14/1985 0 Boston College58 Herron, David MLB 6-1 239 06/17/1984 2 Michigan State59 Farwell, Heath LB 6-0 235 12/31/1981 4 San Jose State60 Radovich, Drew T 6-5 305 06/20/1985 2 USC61 Burnett, Martail DE 6-3 262 01/10/1985 1 Utah62 Cook, Ryan T 6-6 328 05/08/1983 4 New Mexico63 Daniels, Brian G 6-4 303 10/31/1984 1 Colorado64 Herrera, Anthony G 6-2 315 06/14/1980 6 Tennessee65 Sullivan, John C 6-4 301 08/08/1985 2 Notre Dame66 Urban, Nick G 6-4 309 04/22/1986 0 Winona State67 Garcia, Juan C 6-3 294 04/24/1984 0 Washington67 Johnson, Tremaine DT 6-2 285 09/26/1985 0 Louisiana State68 Cooper, Jon C 6-2 291 10/01/1986 0 Oklahoma69 Allen, Jared DE 6-6 270 04/03/1982 6 Idaho State71 Loadholt, Phil T 6-8 343 01/21/1986 0 Oklahoma71 Kennedy, Jimmy DT 6-4 320 01/15/1979 6 Penn State73 Grigsby, Otis DE 6-3 260 11/19/1980 3 Kentucky74 McKinnie, Bryant T 6-8 335 09/23/1979 8 Miami75 Clark, Chris T 6-5 290 10/01/1985 1 Southern Mississippi76 Hutchinson, Steve G 6-5 313 11/01/1977 9 Michigan78 Kemp, Andy G 6-5 313 03/12/1987 0 Wisconsin79 Hicks, Artis T 6-4 335 11/28/1978 8 Memphis81 Shiancoe, Visanthe TE 6-4 250 06/18/1980 7 Morgan State82 Reynaud, Darius WR 5-9 201 12/29/1985 2 West Virginia83 Dugan, Jeffrey FB 6-4 258 04/08/1981 6 Maryland84 Allison, Aundrae WR 6-0 198 06/25/1984 3 East Carolina87 Berrian, Bernard WR 6-1 185 12/27/1980 6 Fresno State90 Evans, Frederick NT 6-4 305 10/06/1983 4 Texas State-San Marcos91 Edwards, Raymond DE 6-5 268 01/01/1985 4 Purdue92 Mitchell, Jayme DE 6-6 285 03/15/1984 4 Mississippi93 Williams, Kevin DT 6-5 311 08/16/1980 7 Oklahoma State94 Williams, Pat NT 6-3 317 10/24/1972 13 Texas A&M96 Robison, Brian DE 6-3 259 04/28/1983 3 Texas97 Holmes, Antoine DT 6-2 289 03/25/1986 0 North Carolina State98 Guion, Letroy DT 6-4 303 06/21/1987 2 Florida State

• Reporter Vikings Training Camp 2008 Reporter • Page 17

Tight end Vicanthe Shiancoe holds onto a pass during individual drills. Members of the Vikings defensive unit line up for conditioning drills.

Wide receivers huddle around each other and watch other teammates. Speedy rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin goes in motion while the Vikings offense comes together to work on plays.

Jeff Dugan (83) gets ready to wind up while practicing blocking drills against a defender. Tight end Jeff Dugan is about to catch a pass as veteran tight end Jimmy Kleinsasser (40) looks on.

Right tackle Ryan Cook hits the sled with some force as fellow offensive linemen observe. Percy Harvin catches one of his first passes while wearing a purple uniform. Hopefully there will be more to come.

Vikings running back Chester Taylor adjusts his shoulder pads at the end of practice.

A young Vikings fan does his best Viking impersonation.

Rookie right tackle Phil Loadholt seems a little drained at his first training camp.

Defensive end Ray Edwards leans on a member of the Vikings staff for some relief.

TRAINING CAMP SCRAPBOOK

Photos by Wale Agboola / MSU Reporter


2009 Vikings sCHEDULE

2009 nfC nortH sCHEDULE

8/14/09 6:30 p.m. @ Indianapolis Colts8/21/09 7:00 p.m. vs. Kansas City Chiefs

8/31/09 7:00 p.m. @ Houston Texans9/4/09 7:00 p.m. vs. Dallas Cowboys

9/13/09 Noon @ Cleveland Browns9/20/09 Noon @ Detroit Lions9/29/09 Noon San Francisco 49ers10/5/09 7:30 p.m. Green Bay Packers10/11/09 Noon @ St. Louis Rams10/18/09 Noon Baltimore Ravens10/25/09 Noon @ Pittsburgh Steelers11/1/09 Noon @ Green Bay Packers11/8/09 -- BYE WEEK

11/15/09 Noon Detroit Lions11/22/09 Noon Seattle Seahawks11/29/09 Noon Chicago Bears12/6/09 3:15 p.m. @ Arizona Cardinals12/13/09 Noon Cincinnati Bengals12/20/09 7:00 p.m. @ Carolina Panthers12/28/09 7:30 p.m. @ Chicago Bears1/3/10 Noon New York Giants

PrE-sEAson

rEgULAr sEAson

PrE-sEAson8/15/09 @ Buffalo Bills8/22/09 New York Giants8/30/09 @ Denver Broncos9/3/09 Cleveland Browns

rEgULAr sEAson9/13/09 @ Green Bay Packers9/20/09 Pittsburgh Steelers9/27/09 @ Seattle Seahawks10/4/09 Detroit Lions10/11/09 BYE WEEK10/18/09 @ Atlanta Falcons10/25/09 @ Cincinnati Bengals11/1/09 Cleveland Browns11/8/09 Arizona Cardinals11/12/09 @ San Francisco 49ers11/22/09 Philadelphia Eagles11/29/09 @ Minnesota Vikings12/6/09 St. Louis Rams12/13/09 Green Bay Packers12/20/09 @ Baltimore Ravens12/28/09 Minnesota Vikings1/3/10 @ Detroit Lions

PrE-sEAson8/15/09 Atlanta Falcons8/22/09 @ Cleveland Browns8/29/09 Indianapolis Colts9/3/09 @ Buffalo Bills

rEgULAr sEAson9/15/09 @ New Orleans Saints9/20/09 Minnesota Vikings9/27/09 @ Washington Redskins10/4/09 @ Chicago Bears10/11/09 Pittsburgh Steelers10/18/09 @ Green Bay Packers11/8/09 BYE WEEK11/1/09 St. Louis Rams11/8/09 @ Seattle Seahawks11/15/09 @ Minnesota Vikings11/22/09 Cleveland Browns11/26/09 Green Bay Packers12/6/09 @ Cincinnati Bengals12/13/09 @ Baltimore Ravens12/20/09 Arizona Cardinals12/27/09 @ San Francisco 49ers1/3/10 Chicago Bears

PrE-sEAson8/15/09 Cleveland Browns8/22/09 Buffalo Bills8/28/09 @ Arizona Cardinals9/3/09 @ Tennessee Titans

rEgULAr sEAson9/13/09 Chicago Bears9/20/09 Cincinnati Bengals9/27/09 @ St. Louis Rams10/5/09 @ Minnesota Vikings10/11/09 BYE WEEK10/18/09 Detroit Lions10/25/09 @ Cleveland Browns11/1/09 Minnesota Vikings11/8/09 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers11/15/09 Dallas Cowboys11/22/09 San Francisco 49ers11/26/09 @ Detroit Lions12/7/09 Baltimore Ravens12/13/09 @ Chicago Bears12/20/09 @ Pittsburgh Steelers12/27/09 Seattle Seahawks1/3/10 @ Arizona Cardinals

CHiCAgo BEArs DEtroit Lions grEEn BAY PACkErs


GOOD LUCK VIKINGS!

HAVE A GREAT SEASON!

The unsung hard-hitterVikings see something in cornerback Cedric Griffin,

that may be why they gave him a contract extension this offseason

Vikings training camp has seen many high profile stories; the non-signing of future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, the injury to Tarvaris Jackson and the signing of the first round draft pick Percy Harvin. Lost in the shuffle once again was the contract extension of Cedric Griffin, one-half of the leagues hardest hitting cornerback duo.

Griffin was drafted by the Vikings with the 48th overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. As a rookie, Griffin gave the team some well-needed depth behind then starters Antoine Winfield and Fred Smoot. Straight out of the University of Texas, Griffin managed to start seven games in the 2006 season. He has compiled 224 total tackles, 198 solo tackles and

three interceptions in three full seasons.

A senior at the University of Texas, Griffin was one of the defensive leaders in its run for the 2005 BCS National Championship, a game that

will go down as one of the greatest college football games of all-time.

Griffin and Winfield started all but one game together last season. They became a vital part of the

leagues eighth ranked defense last year. Griffin recorded 91 tackles, a huge part of the leagues toughest run defense.

“There are so many teams that are always looking for corners,” said defensive

coordinator Leslie Frazier. “Knowing we have two great guys who play at a high level for us, it solidifies things when you start thinking about the future, preparing things for the long run.”

Griffin and Winfield have been a force to deal with for the past three seasons. They have helped solidify the run defense on the outside and are

not afraid of contact. “That’s a beautiful thing,”

Winfield said. “Me and Griffin have been the starting corners for the last three years and we both signed 5-year extensions. Hopefully we’ll

LEVI ZIMMERstaff writer

wale agboola• msu reporterCedric Griffin talks to reporters after Friday’s practice. Griffin signed a 5-year contract extension this off-season.

be here for the whole five together.”

Griffin’s contract extension is reportedly worth just more than $25 million, $10 million guaranteed, according to USA Today.

During Monday morning practice, Griffin came up a little gimp. After testing it on the sideline he decided to sit out the rest of morning practice.

“I am feeling alright, it was

just a little roll-up,” he said. “I am going to put some ice on it and come back out here

and see what’s going on.”

The loss of Griffin would be a big blow to the best rush defense in the league. But if Griffin can’t go, expect to see Marcus McCauley fill the void.

Most young cornerbacks have watched and studied one of the all-time greats at the position, Deion Sanders, and

Chad Greenway - 115 Antoine Winfield - 95Cedric Griffin - 91Ben Leber - 64Kevin Williams - 60Jared Allen - 54Madieu Williams - 42

Vikings tackle leaders

Unsung / page 22


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Reporter expert picksWe can at least pretend to be experts

KYLE RATKE | sports editor JOSH HEBRINK | staff writer DEREK WEHRWEIN | staff writer

NFC EAST- NEW YORK GIANTS

NORTH- MINNESOTA VIKINGS

SOUTH- CAROLINA PANTHERS

WEST- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

WILDCARD-CHICAGO BEARS

WILDCARD- ARI. CARDINALS

NFC CHAMPIONS: PANTHERS

AFC

EAST- N.E. PATRIOTS

NORTH-PITTSBURG STEELERS

SOUTH- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

WEST- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

WILDCARD- BUFFALO BILLS

WILDCARD- BALT. RAVENS

AFC CHAMPIONS: STEELERS

SUPERBOWL CHAMPION: STEELERS

NFC EAST- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES


SOUTH- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

WEST- ARIZONA CARDINALS

WILDCARD-N.Y. GIANTS

WILDCARD- CAR. PANTHERS

NFC CHAMPIONS: EAGLES

AFC

EAST- N.E. PATRIOTS


SOUTH- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS


WILDCARD-BALT. RAVENS

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AFC CHAMPIONS: PATRIOTS

SUPERBOWL CHAMPION: EAGLES

NFC EAST- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES


SOUTH- CAROLINA PANTHERS

WEST- ARIZONA CARDINALS

WILDCARD-N.Y. GIANTS

WILDCARD- N.O. SAINTS

NFC CHAMPIONS: CARDINALS

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SOUTH- TENNESSEE TITANS


WILDCARD- BALT. RAVENS

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The early favorites��New England Patriots 6/1 Pittsburgh Steelers 7/1 New York Giants 8/1 Philadelphia Eagles 12/1 Indianapolis Colts 8/1 Dallas Cowboys 9/1 San Diego Chargers 14/1 Minnesota Vikings 22/1 Baltimore Ravens 11/1 Carolina Panthers 12/1 Chicago Bears 28/1 Tennessee Titans 12/1 Atlanta Falcons 16/1 Green Bay Packers 20/1 New Orleans Saints 18/1 Arizona Cardinals 15/1 Washington Redskins 25/1 Miami Dolphins 25/1 Houston Texans 40/1 Buffalo Bills 50/1 New York Jets 28/1 San Francisco 49ers 40/1 Jacksonville Jaguars 30/1 Kansas City Chiefs 100/1 Denver Broncos 35/1 Seattle Seahawks 60/1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35/1 Cleveland Browns 60/1 Cincinnati Bengals 75/1 Oakland Raiders 100/1 St. Louis Rams 100/1 Detroit Lions 150/1

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WELCOME BACK E.J.

Missing 12 games does a lot to a man.

Linebacker E.J. Henderson learned that the hard way last year when a foot injury ended his season after only four games.

“You realize how much you do love and miss football and how big a part of your life it is,” said Henderson, who led the Vikings in tackles in both 2006 and 2007.

“E.J. Henderson’s a little more hungry, man.”

That will come as good news to a Vikings defense that still managed to rank sixth overall in the league last year, including first against the run, allowing only 76.9 rushing yards per game.

Now, with Henderson back and healthy, the defensive unit has set an even loftier goal for itself this season.

“I think the sky’s the limit,” Henderson said. “We’ve got a chance to do a lot of big things. Our goal is to come out and be the No. 1 defense in the league.”

Henderson’s 2008 season ended when he tore ligaments on a big toe and then dislocated a second toe. He recorded 27 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble through four games, putting him on pace to match his stellar 2007 season, when the Vikings named him the team’s defensive MVP.

“It was a tremendous loss a season ago not to have him and to lose him as early as we did,” Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie

Frazier said. “He raises everyone else’s level of play because he is a splash-play type of guy. He makes a lot of big plays for our defense. To have him back it should help our entire defense, not just our linebacker corps.”

“It’s going to be good to have the old defense back from the beginning of last season and hopefully stay healthy,” added fellow linebacker Chad Greenway. Head coach Brad Childress, meanwhile, called Henderson a “big-time player” who doesn’t appear to have lost a step despite his injury and time off.

Now in his seventh year in the league, Henderson appears to have grown more conscious, not just about what football means to him, but also about what his leadership means to the Vikings. Before the first training camp practice, for example, Henderson gathered the defense and gave the players a pep talk.

Henderson’s actions surprised the Vikings’ coaching staff and even his teammates, who aren’t used to seeing the middle linebacker take on such a vocal leadership role.

“It’s rare that he will bring everyone together and say a whole lot,” Frazier said. “He does it by his performance. For him to do that, it makes everyone feel as if this is for real. No more playing around. Let’s do what we have to do.”

Henderson tends to downplay his return to the Vikings. Asked this week if he’s the “missing piece” for the defense, Henderson demurred, saying only that he contributed to the team and its goals.

DEREK WEHRWEINstaff writer

Henderson missed 12 games last season but hopes to return strong this year

dan moen • msu reporterE.J. Henderson has spent seven years in the NFL, all with the Vi-

kings. He has recorded 455 tackles to go along with 10.5 sacks.

Welcome back / page 22

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Griffin was no exception.“I am sure all young

corners looked to Deion because he was a play maker,” Griffin said. “He always use to dance and showboat.”

The Vikings have watched

Griffin blossom into one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks in the league. Hopefully that intensity will keep him in the purple in gold for many years to come.

UnsUng Griffin compiled 224 total tackles, 198 solo tackles and three interceptions in three seasons continued from 19

WELCoME BACk “When you miss (football) ... a big piece of your life is gone ...” continued from 21

wale agboola• msu reporterHenderson is all smiles while giving fans autographs outside of the Gage building.

But Henderson, who turned 29 earlier this week, did admit he is trying to become more of a leader on a team that features a relatively young linebacker corps and secondary.

“I remember when I was a rookie, I used to look at the seventh-year players like, ‘man, they been in the league a long time,’” Henderson said. “So I’m going to take on that responsibility and try to

mentor a lot of these young guys.”

Most of all, Henderson is eager for the opportunity to play again.

“When you miss [football], when it’s gone, a big piece of your life is gone, so I’m excited to get back,” he said.

E.J. Henderson is back and healthy this season — and a little more hungry. Missing 12 games will do that to a man.

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Griffin was no exception.“I am sure all young

corners looked to Deion because he was a play maker,” Griffin said. “He always use to dance and showboat.”

The Vikings have watched

Griffin blossom into one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks in the league. Hopefully that intensity will keep him in the purple in gold for many years to come.

Competition is a good thing.”In the early stages of training

camp, second-year backup Booty has been clearly designated to third string, leaving Rosenfels and Jackson as the primary candidates.

“I just look at it like it’s 50-50,” Jackson said of his chances. “If I was already named the starter, it wouldn’t be any different. I’d work hard anyway.”

Jackson’s counterpart and teammate, Rosenfels, who was acquired in the offseason via trade with the Houston Texans, also feels his hard work over what will be his ninth NFL season will factor in on the final decision.

“I think my game has gradually gotten better and better and I’m finally in a position after those eight years to have an opportunity to start,” said Rosenfels, who had his best season last year throwing for 1,431 yards and six touchdowns in six games with Houston. “I’m going to work my tail off to make the most of this opportunity.”

Taking a glance at the pros and cons of each quarterback, Jackson seems to have the upper hand over Rosenfels. He undoubtedly has a stronger arm and his mobility is something to behold. Jackson’s experience with his teammates and the playbook also gives him an advantage.

“At this time, Tarvaris has a little bit more knowledge of our system,” said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. “He

is an athletic quarterback and has very strong arm and those would be the positives about him.”

Yet, his pocket presence really has not been much of a presence at all. In 21 games in two seasons in 2007 and 2008, Jackson was sacked 33 times and threw 14 interceptions.

His saving grace, however, was his ability to find ways to win as he finished the 2008 season with a 9-2 record, which helped the Vikings take home the NFC North Division crown and clinch a playoff berth. Jackson also had a solid QB rating at 95.4.

Rosenfels, on the other hand, finished 2008 with a 79.5 rating with the Texans and threw a 10 picks, leaving his consistency in question.

“We are looking for a level of excellence at (quarterback) and a level of consistency that we can count on day in and day out,” Bevell said. “Does that mean that the quarterback is never going to have a bad play? Absolutely not.”

But that one bad play could be the difference as both quarterbacks

remain at a standstill as far as the coaches are concerned.

“(Jackson) probably has a little better understanding when we start, but Sage has played in a very similar system,” Childress said. “He will get up to speed very quickly.”

And with Jackson coming down with a mild MCL sprain on Saturday morning after colliding with a teammate, Rosenfels’ familiarity could come even faster than expected as his reps have nearly doubled with Jackson sidelined.

“For (Booty) and I it always helps to get more reps,” said Rosenfels, who also pointed out the difficulty of watching Jackson get hurt. “You can’t have too many reps so I’m going to try and take advantage of every rep.”

Rosenfels, who seemed a bit

QUArtErBACks “I think my game has gradually gotten better and better and I’m finally in a position after those eight years to have an opportunity to start.”

continued from 7flat to begin training camp on Friday and Saturday morning, unleashed a solid performance on Saturday night under the lights at Blakeslee Stadium, possibly turning momentum in his favor and giving him the edge.

But the competition is far from over as Jackson’s status is merely day-to-day.

“Tarvaris is a tough guy, he’ll be back,” said Letroy Guion, the 303-lb defensive tackle involved in the collision with Jackson.

Meanwhile, Booty, the former University of Southern California standout, has been given unexpected, yet appreciated attention.

“We hate that Tarvaris is out right now but that’s allowed me to get more reps and some opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten if he was still out here,” said Booty. “I’m really trying to take advantage of those and learn as much as I can while I’m in there because I haven’t

been given this chance to get this many reps in practice.”

Barring a more serious injury than first reported, Jackson’s return should help alleviate the pressure on the arms of Rosenfels and Booty and put the competition on an even keel once again.

But no matter who comes out on top of the quarterback decision, the Vikings are confident that their teammates on both the defensive and offensive sides will provide the support to give Minnesota a shot at a championship season.

“I’ll tell (the quarterbacks) that we got their backs,” said defensive end Jared Allen. “One of them is going to be our quarterback and we are cool with that. So, it’s just one of those things where they just have to go out there and play their game. I’m excited for it.”

wale agboola• msu reporterThird string quarterback John David Booty looks on as Sage Rosenfels goes through drills.

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McKinnie and his 6-8, 335 pound frame.

“It’s exciting,” Loadholt said of his chance to start right away. “I know I have an opportunity to compete so I am looking forward to that from Day 1.”

Asher Allen, who played at Georgia for three years, will battle for playing time at the nickel and dime positions. Allen played the last half of last season with a fractured hand, but still finished with 53 tackles and broke up seven passes. Allen already missed some time in the offseason with a knee injury but defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier says he “is a bright young man, who has tremendous athletic ability,”

and “although it was a bit of a setback he will get caught up in no time.”

Brinkley, who played at South Carolina, and Sanford, who played at Mississippi, will add defensive depth. Brinkley will backup E.J. Henderson at middle linebacker, and Sanford will battle with second-year player Husain Abdullah to backup Tyrell Johnson. Both could see special-teams action right away.

Besides the five draftees, the Vikings brought 14 undrafted rookie free agents to the start of training camp.

nEW kiDs “(Allen) is a bright young man, who has tremendous ath-letic ability. Although it was a bit of a setback, he will get caught up in no time.”

continued from 10

Williams went down.While Johnson had some

rookie growing pains, he continued to improve his game and found himself still playing in nickel and dime packages, even after Williams returned.

Johnson, who is known for his terrific tackling ability, recorded 24 solo tackles on the year. The question is whether

or not he will be as good of a playmaker as Sharper was.

“I’m feeling good running around out there,” Johnson said. “I feel I can make an impact in the passing game.”

Being valuable in coverage will be the first priority for Johnson. While the Vikings defense has been unstoppable against the run, they have at

times been vulnerable against the pass.

The Vikings hope a more experienced Tyrell Johnson will help end that trend. Whatever the case, in a defense filled with superstars, Tyrell Johnson looks the part.

soPHoMorE First year starter Tyrell Johnson will likely hit learning curves, but teammates have his back continued from 11

wale agboola • msu reporterPhil Loadholt will be looking to win the starting right tackle position previously held by Ryan Cook.

Vikings Training Camp 2009 Reporter • Page 25

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Michael Vick joining the Vikings and possibly running the Wildcat offense. Although Childress shut down the chance of Vick joining the Vikings, he never said no to the risky but exciting Wildcat formation.

“I think we have other athletes that I believe can do the things we need to do back there right now,” Childress said.

There are reports that the Vikings have been designing plays especially for Peterson, Berrian and Harvin, with the goal of speeding the offense up.

Childress’ hope will likely fall on one position, that being the quarterback decision. While Childress spent most of his off-season chasing retired quarterback Brett Favre, Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels have been working with a chip on their shoulder, both looking to win the starting quarterback position.

“You want to know what you can expect each and every time you go on the football field,” Childress said of the quarterback situation. “I talk all the time about making the routine plays routinely. That’s huge.”

Jackson would certainly be the early favorite being that he’s familiar with the offense, but Rosenfels has been making steady steps to learn the offense.

“I actually feel real comfortable with it; there are a lot of similarities between this offense and my last offense in Houston,” Rosenfels said. “I feel confident with what we do and I have confidence in the players.”

This season will have implications of all kinds for the Vikings, but one man will be affected the most by the

end result of the 2009 season. If Childress can once again

show signs of improvement then chances are the old ball coach will be back for a few more years.

If not, he could be gone.The pressure’s on Chilly —

that’s why they call it the hot seat.

Favre situation.Rosenfels also might be

speaking for the rest of Minnesota fans who have been waiting for the Favre decision virtually since he retired. Did Favre really need to wait two days before camp to make his decision? That will be an ongoing question. Favre was lights out last season early on with the Jets, but faltered down the stretch and was said to tear apart the team’s chemistry.

We may have witnessed damage to the Vikings, without Favre even stopping on the field in a Minnesota jersey.

“It has been a few months now that we have been going

on with this situation,” said fullback Naufahu Tahi. “To have him probably would have been a good thing with his leadership, experience and his presence. At the same time I still feel we have a great team and we can win with or

without him.”Well, unless the Vikings get

that coveted Super Bowl ring, fans, players and coaches will always wonder what could have been.

CHILDRESS “You want to know what you can expect each and every time you go on the football field ... ” continued from 5

FAVRE “It has been a few months now that we have been going on with this situation ... we can win with or without him.” continued from 9

dan moen • msu reporterWideout Bernard Berrian will have a big say on how succesful

the Minnesota Viking offense is during the 2009 season.

Tahi


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Off-beat Photos

wale agboola • msu reporterDefensive end Ray Edwards puts on his game face after a morning practice.

dan moen • msu reporterDefensive tackle Pat Williams takes a little breather after a hot day on the Mankato practice fields.

wale agboola • msu reporterDefensive end Jared Allen cruises around the MSU campus with a new mobile device — not to mention a new haircut.


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The true Minnesota VikingTight end Jimmy Kleinsasser is the longest tenured Viking on the roster

wale agboola• msu reporterKleinsasser is enterting his 10th season with the club.

When you think of the Minnesota Vikings offense you generally think of the impact players. Such players like Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian, and Chester Taylor dazzle fans with their electric plays and terrific touchdowns.

However, the offense would not run nearly as smoothly without unsung hero Jim Kleinsasser. Kleinsasser has been one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL since he came to the Vikings in 1999 after being drafted in the second round out of North Dakota. While the Vikings missed out on resigning Matt Birk, they made sure to get Kleinsasser signed to a new deal making him now the Viking with the longest tenure on the roster. While some fans were disappointed that the Vikings did not sign any big free agents this off season, resigning Kleinsasser may have been the best move they could have made.

“My goal was to always stay in Minnesota, I’ve been here my whole career and want to retire a Viking,” said Kleinsasser.

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have employed one of the best running attacks the last 3 seasons and I think most players would agree that the blocking of Kleinsasser has been a big reason for that.

Kleinsasser doesn’t catch a lot of balls but there may not be a more versatile player on the Vikings offense. You can see number 40 line up nearly anywhere on the field, whatever best suits the play.

Going into his ninth year, no player might be itching more for a championship. Kleinsasser has gone through a lot of change with this franchise. He has had 3 different head coaches, 10 different starting quarterbacks, and has been teamed with a fair share of characters.

There have been doubts by many when considering Kleinsasser a receiving tight en. Fans have found out that isn’t his specialitly, but to make up for it Kleinsasser does everything else any between to help the Vikings.

Through all of these years, Kleinsasser may be the closest he has ever been to getting a Super Bowl. Adding Percy Harvin to the offense will bring more excitement to the team, and we already know what Peterson brings.

But don’t forget about Kleinsasser, he may not get a lot of attention but his play will be crucial to the Vikings offense.


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Straight from the blogPackers- The entire

defenseLions- Well, to be

honest — a team.After T-Jack got hurt

Bernard Berrian said on his Twitter that he was out for the year. He later said it was just a joke.

That’s a really funny joke, Berrian.

Imagine if Jackson read the “tweet” before he actually found out what was wrong with him, kind of funny to think about. I bet he was freaking out and trying to call the training staff over the dorm payphone.

Childress probably read the “tweet” and im-mediately texted Favre saying, “How about now?

If we can get Jack-son or Sage to throw for 2,500 yards and 18

touchdowns I will be a happy man. That’s 156 yards per game and a little over one touch-down. Is that really too much to ask?

I bet Jeff George could still do that, who needs Brett Favre?

Here are my predic-tions for the NFC North:

Vikings 11-5Bears- 9-7Packers- 8-8Lions- 0-16 (just for

fun)Could you imagine

if the Lions didn’t win a game for two straight years? I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry, probably a combination. More than likely the Vikings will give them a game, but hopefully not two. We barely won both last season.

Calvin Johnson is

easily one of the top five wide outs in the league, but he had a peewee quarterback throwing him the ball. Daunte Culpepper and Dan Orlovsky? Sounds like a real dangerous tandem. This year Matt Stafford will be an upgrade by default.

The Bears don’t scare me just because accord-ing to Viking Bobby Wade, Brian Urlacher has been very critical of new quarterback Jay Cutler. Anytime the teams defensive leader goes after the new guy, things generally don’t end well. It doesn’t ex-actly sounds like Cutler is Mr. Popular around the league.

That’s why I like the Vikings in this division, but in order for them to

win a play-off game they will need above average play from the quarter-backs, or will need to hold the op-posing team to under 10 points per game. I love you Jared Allen, but I don’t think you guys can do that.

This has been a fun training camp and I am sure it will turn into a fun and frustraing year — as they all are.

I hope Percy and Bernard are riding their

bikes around town teach-ing routes to eachother.

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web photoHow about a comeback for Jeff

George?

Earlier this week Tavaris Jackson went down at training camp with a sprained MCL. It didn’t look bad and it looks as if he’ll be back on his feet in a few days. But this actually could be a good thing for the boys in purple.

Tavaris has looked good in the pre-season over the past two years, but seems to struggle later on in the year.

Maybe if he just skips pre-season, he will light it up at the beginning of the year.

Probably not.This also give Sage the

chance to take snaps with the first team, even though he shouldn’t be a part of any teams’ first team. Sage has only 12 starts in an eight-year career. What made us think that he was the franchise quar-terback we needed?

I am flustered. I feel like Doug Flutie would be a bet-ter option. Kordell Stewart anyone?

If only John David Booty was a starter, I could sing his song at every game.

“Booty Booty Booty, rockin’ everywhere.”

Kyle Robert Booty —That’s an awesome name. I

am jealous John David Booty, I really am.

I do think that the Vikings are the early favorites in the division, but each eam is miss-ing something.

Vikings- QuarterbackBears- Wide receiver

Sports Editor Kyle Ratke takes an inside look from the perspective of a fan.

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Variety Editor Nate Brennan writes a mock letter to Favre from Childress

wale agboola • msu reporterSage Rosenfels will be fighting for

the starting QB job.

stop by dairy queen east

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for Lunch, Dinner or your FavoriteDQ Treat while in town for

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- By Nate Brennan

fulfill the loneliness in my heart that you created.

Then of course, my pet-proj-ect Tavaris Jackson, goes down with a sprained MCL on the second day of training camp.

Now I’m left with Sage Rosenfels to take your place. I mean, come on — did you see him get helicoptered by the

Indianapolis Colts defense for his third turnover in like two minutes? I did. And let me tell you, it doesn’t really give m confidence to name him the guy running the Vikings offense.

I’d be remiss if I didnt’ tell you that I’m saddened at the situation your betrayal has left the MInnesota Vikings and me

with. But I hope you’ll know that I’m doing fine without you. An old friend has come back into my life and assured me that I’ll never have to speak with you again. Zygi Wilf now serenades me every night at press confer-ences when he lets all those re-porters know that if you get the “itch” to get back in the NFL,

you better scratch it elsewhere.So I bid farewell to you,

you Wrangler jeans-plugging, cheese-head loving, Mississippi- everyman tease!

Never again yours,Brad Childress


Located at the corner ofMonks & Stadium

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Age: 27 College: UCLAYears in NFL: 5

Josh Hebrink: Chris, what’s the worst part about staying in the dorms at Minnesota State University?

Chris Kluwe: You mean other than the fact that they’re a slightly upscale prison cell? Actually they’re not too bad. When you think about where you could be it’s ok because we’re going to play football anyway.

JH: With that said, is there anything good about living in Gage?

CK: Um … no, not really. I mean, if someone asks you to choose between sleeping in your own house and your own bed or the dorms, you’re obviously going to pick your own bed. JH: Now, Tarvaris Jackson went down today so if your name gets called to take some snaps, how confident are you in your throwing arm?

CK: I’ve actually got a fairly decent throwing arm. I played pitcher in baseball for quite

a long time but I’m a bit worried about my mobility. I don’t think I can scramble around quite as well as they would need me to.

JH: So what position would you be playing if punting didn’t exist?

CK: Kicker. I’d be taking (Ryan) Longwell’s job for sure. JH: Has the team been appreciating the mild weather here in Mankato?

CK: Yes. It’s been a welcoming change because I know the last couple of years have been in the 100s or so and it’s been pretty hot. I think today was the

first day I’ve ever been in Mankato and said I wished it was hotter here.

JH: I can’t help but look at how big some of these guys are and I see Jerad Allen, who has a huge upper body but also has unusual chicken legs. Do you guys ever give him a hard time for that?

CK: I don’t think anyone ever does because your eyes are more attracted to the mullet than anything else. It’s hard to get passed that thing. JH: Ever tried punting barefoot?

CK: When I was in

high school I tried it.

JH: How did that feel?

CK: As a matter of fact, it stung. So I decided I was going to wear a shoe. I mean, every kicker has tried it at some point but I prefer a shoe.

JH: I’ll be honest, you and Longwell look like you get pretty bored during practice. Do your teammates ever harass you about not participating in heavy-duty drills?

CK: Always. It’s a part of being a specialist. They’re always going to give you crap because you’re not doing as much but on the flip

side, when we do go out there, we have to be perfect every single

time. But obviously with less reps, we don’t do near as much work.

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Kickin’ it with KluweStaff writer Josh Hebrink has a few questions for Vikings punter Chris Kluwe. He also managed to get a few laughs out of him.

wale agboola• msu reporterKluwe signs autographs outside of the Taylor Center after the Vikings practice on Saturday night.

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Centennial Student Union 293 - 507.389.1776 - www.msureporter.com

compiled by Kyle Ratke

What’sthe best thingabout

Vikings training camp?

“I like watching them play football and playin in the

sandbox”

Isabelle Knutsonage:2

Wells, MN

“Going to play in thePlay 60 area.”

Zach olsonage:9

Rochester, MN

“Watching their offense and Adrian Peterson.”

Ryan KIRchenage:9

Ramsey, MN

“Getting autographs.”

alex WeaveRage:15

Chaska, MN

• Reporter Vikings Training Camp 2009

training camp 2009

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