With that in mind, here are 5 questions facing the latest edition of Bill Guerin’s Minnesota Wild:

1. Is head coach Dean Evason’s on the hot seat?

Dean Evason & Co have shown that they can and will compete in the regular season, as long as they play “their” game. Question remain, however, on the Wild’s ability to win in the postseason as currently constructed.

Because that hasn’t been the case during the Bill Guerin, Dean Evason era, up to this point. Last postseason, Minnesota led Dallas 2-1 in their opening series, and Game 4 was at home.

Related: Wild Re-Sign Calen Addison on Eve of Training Camp

But poor play and dumb penalties cost the Wild a 3-1 1st round lead and they never recovered, instead losing three-straight for another insufferably early playoff exit. So if Evason, now in his 3rd season as head coach, can’t lead the Minnesota Wild to postseason success, Guerin may have to start a search for someone who can.

I think Dean Evason has done some good things and been very steady over the past couple of seasons, but do wonder if he’ll be on the hot seat given Guerin’s public call-out last season that the special teams need to improve. https://t.co/MYkc0BKhuY

— Brandon Mileski (@BMileskiKFAN) April 26, 2023

2. Will investing in veterans pay off?

The Wild have been very careful about where they are spending their dollars, over the last couple of years, including when and how to extend the contracts of aging veterans who provide just as much locker room stability as they do effectiveness on the ice.

But all that went out the window on Friday, when Bill Guerin inked Mats Zuccarello to a 2-year contract extension hours before giving Marcus Foligno four more years too. Both guys got $4 million per season. The Wild GM made it clear, however, that it’s just a matter of time before Ryan Hartman gets a new deal of his own.

GM Bill Guerin indicated that Ryan Hartman is next to get extended. They’re in talks and it’s “heading that way.” Not sure if it’s coming in next few days or a week, etc. “He’s an identity player for us.” #mnwild.

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) September 29, 2023

Foligno claims he is healthy, after a significant fall off to his game in 2022-23. Guerin is betting on that being the case. If Marcus returns to his 2021-22 self, the next four years will look like highway robbery.

3. Can Minnesota Wild new faces make needed contributions?

The Minnesota Wild added a couple of pieces this off-season via trade as well as free agency. The Wild acquired Pat Maroon and Max Cajkovic from Tampa Bay for a 2024 7th round pick. Tampa Bay also retained 20% of Maroon’s salary in the deal.

The 3-time Stanley Cup Champion will bring experience to the dressing room as well as knowing what it takes to not just win a series but go on a run in the postseason. There is no doubt those teams in Tampa were special, but as we saw with the Panthers in ’22-’23 sometimes you just the right group of guys with talent mixed in and you find yourself in a Stanley Cup Final.

Excelsior, MN native Vinni Lettieri found his way back home after spending time with the Rangers, Ducks and Bruins. Lettieri spent most of last season with the Providence Bruins where he played in 48 games scoring 23 goals and adding 26 assists. Lettieri has shown in the AHL that he can find the back of the net. The Wild are hoping that can translate to the NHL where he has played in 83 games, with 7 goals and 11 assists.

Related: Bill Guerin Nearly Loses Cool on Michael Russo at Press Conference

4. Can Filip Gustavsson be a reliable No. 1 Goalie?

Filip Gustavsson was rewarded with a 3 year $11.25 million dollar contract this off-season after posting a 22-9-7 record 3 shutouts with a .931 SV% and a GAA of 2.10. Gustavsson also appeared in 5 postseason games and was in net for their 2 wins in the opening round series against Dallas.

There are a few questions about how the Wild will use both him and Marc Andre-Fleury in 2023. Gustavsson started 39 games last year, and given his overall numbers it makes sense to think that the Wild are going to stretch him out a bit more this season. Marc Andre-Fleury remains on the roster, and is a guy who can start here and there, but I believe the Wild are better off letting Gustavsson dive in, and see if he can sustain those numbers as a true number 1.

5. Can Kirill Kaprizov be even better?

As the Superstar Kirill Kaprizov returns for his 4th season in Minnesota the question is what else can he do. Kaprizov comes in looking for his 3rd consecutive 40 goal season, for a franchise that doesn’t have another player with more than one.

Check the highlights from The Kirill Kaprizov Show as the Wild beat the Canucks! #mnwild pic.twitter.com/h9Gx8GALNF

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) March 3, 2023

It’s not so much about if he can keep up this pace, but more about what can the team do with this consistent production. An injury slowed him last year, and it seemed to something that he was laboring in the postseason.

If the Wild are able to get another 80+ game season from the Superstar, we could see a 50 goal scorer for the first time in franchise history. Bill Guerin signed Kaprizov’s linemate and best friend, Mats Zuccarello to a contract extension on Friday, which probably doesn’t happen if those two facts weren’t in play.

6. Is Marco Rossi a bust?

Marco Rossi is a player who everyone seems to keep waiting for to have that welcome to the NHL moment, including Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin. After being regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2020 NHL draft Rossi fell to 9th where he was selected by the Minnesota Wild.

Even though Rossi hasn’t found his footing in the NHL in 19 career games as he’s registered just 1 assist he has had no issues in the AHL playing for the Iowa Wild. In 116 games for Iowa Rossi has 34 goals, and 70 assists. The potential seems to be there, and the hope that Rossi is able to make that jump to the NHL.

It remains a big if for the organization. As the 9th overall pick, the Wild are hoping he is helping the club in St. Paul and doesn’t become a career AHL all-star.

Related: Bill Guerin Wants Some “F*** You” in Marco Rossi’s Game

2023 Minnesota Wild Expectations

ESPN came out with a Top 10 NHL Teams for the next 3 seasons the Minnesota Wild were listed as 7th. There is still the shadow of the Parise/Suter buyouts, but the Wild won’t be able to hide behind that.

As far as the regular season goes, I believe that we will see a very competitive team, and one that finds their way into the postseason. The regular season isn’t where the questions are. The postseason is when we will see if this team is ready to take a step forward and win a series and see what happens. It starts with a trip to Round 2.

Brian Heintz | Minnesota Sports Fan

Astros win AL West, Twins Land Blue Jays in 1st round

It was the Houston Astros who entered Sunday as the 6-seed in the American League but their 8-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, combined with a Toronto Blue Jays loss vs Tampa Bay, meant a last moment season finale mix up in the AL Wildcard standings.

Related: Alex Rodriguez Will Call Minnesota Twins AL Wildcard Series

In fact, the Texas Rangers lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Seattle Mariners, so not only did Houston surpass Toronto in the Wildcard standings. They stole the AL West and a 1st round playoff bye from the Rangers, who were forced to settle for the 5-seed (2nd wildcard).

That leaves the Toronto Blue Jays as the AL’s 6-seed (3rd wildcard), meaning they will jump the border to Target Field to play the Twins in the 1st round best-of-three ALWS. The series will start on Tuesday and all three games will be broadcast at 3:38 p.m. on ESPN.

Related: How to watch the Minnesota Twins in the 2023 Playoffs

Quick Facts on 2023 Toronto Blue Jays

The 2023 Toronto Blue Jays finished the season with an 89-73 record, good for 3rd place in a weird American League East that saw both the Yankees and Red Sox finish in the basement of the division.

Bo Bichette is Toronto’s best hitter (.307 BA, .812 OPS, 20 HR, 72 RBI) but he hates walking (26 BB, 114 K on season). He’s surrounded by a lot of all or nothing bats including Matt Chapman, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Brandon Belt and Carlos Correa’s former World Series teammate, George Springer.

The Blue Jays rank 6th in the MLB in OPS and 5th in batting average but they’ve also struckout 3rd most in the league this season. Still, as a whole, Toronto has one of the more potent lineups in Major League Baseball. It will be a huge test for the Minnesota Twins pitching staff, both the starters and bullpen.

Related: Royce Lewis Injury Could Cost Byron Buxton a Spot on Twins’ Wildcard Roster

Toronto pitching

The Toronto starting staff is led by four workhorses, including Chris Bassett (200 IP), Kevin Gausman (185 IP) and former Twin, Jose Berrios (189.2 IP), who has had a big time bounceback season, after a disappointing start to his career in Toronto.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

19-year-old ???????? Leonard Miller is an orthodox prospect. 6-foot-10 lefty with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a 9-foot standing reach. Attacks the glass and loves igniting the break as a ball-handler in the open floor. Unique athlete. Passing vision. Good touch around the rim. Scrappy… pic.twitter.com/ei2iyHivTo

— League Him (@League_Him) June 19, 2023

Leonard Miller G-League stats:

16.9 PPG
10.1 RPG
0.9 SPG
0.8 BPG
55 FG%
33 3P%
19 Years Old
6’10

Grade this pick: pic.twitter.com/3dLGQaq7Ob

— MNMuse (@statmusewolves) June 23, 2023

Both Miller and Clark have been seen widely as steals, given where they were drafted (#33 and #53, respectively), but both guys will much of the next two seasons in the G-League, too. Still, that hasn’t stopped draft experts across the internet from praising Tim Connelly and the rest of the Timberwolves scouting staff on how this whole thing shook out.

ESPN draft analyst, Kevin Pelton, had both guys in his top-30 overall and The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had Leonard Miller ranked as the 13th best prospect available last night. If a grade was given, you’ll see it in parenthesis.

Timberwolves draft (team) grades/analysis

Kevin Pelton – ESPN (B+) : Starting the night with only the 53rd pick after the Rudy Gobert trade, the Timberwolves somehow came away with two of the top 30 players in my projections. Clark being available at No. 53 was unsurprising given questions about his shooting (30% career on 3s), but Minnesota needed to package future picks to move into the early second round to select Miller. Like Clark, Miller must improve his shooting at the NBA level.

Kyle Irving – Sporting News (B) : The Timberwolves traded into the early first round to select Miller, a jack-of-all-trades and high-energy forward who can fill a role off the bench immediately. They stuck with defense with their late second-round pick, taking a former Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in Clark, who should have a chance to work into Minnesota’s guard rotation.

Charles Curtis – USA Today (B) : Love both these picks. Big value here!

No. 33: Leonard Miller (G-League Ignite) grades/analysis

Sam Vecenie – The Athletic (ranked Miller #13 prospect in draft): Miller does stuff you can’t really teach. He’s a big ballhandler who hits the glass and can really attack and cover ground quickly with long strides but also decelerate and change direction with the ball. His athleticism is a rare blend.

He’s an elite finisher with incredible touch around the basket – the touch that kind of gives you hope long term that an elite shooting coach will be able to fix it. There’s some passing ability here. There’s some defensive upside here. It’s all just in the form of an entirely unshaped diamond who may never reach its full form because he’s starting from such a deficit in terms of experience.

John Hollinger – The Athletic: This pick was traded to Minnesota for two future seconds. I had a top-20 grade on Miller so I highly approve of this pick; Miller is a young forward whose shot needs work, but he’s big, he can handle the ball, he’s a good rebounder, and he was very productive as a teenager in the G League last season.

Adam Finkelstein – CBS Sports (A) : The Spurs made this pick and flipped it to Minnesota, giving the Timberwolves — for my money — a lottery-level talent and one of the better value acquisitions of the night. Miller has a funky-but-effective game as a big wing who can put the ball on the floor, pass and defend with versatility. He’s a high motor forward who will fit nicely as they build around Anthony Edwards

Zach Buckley – Bleacher Report (A-) : If the Timberwolves stay patient with Miller and really invest in his development, they may have nabbed the night’s top theft here. He is far more fascinating in theory than reality for now, but that’s fine. He doesn’t have to enter this league as a finished product. Instead, he’ll go in as a possible jumbo-sized ball-handler who can finish, distribute, defend and knock down shots from distance. Some of those are theoretical skills, but the framework is in place for a pretty special player at some point.

No. 53: Jaylen Clark (UCLA) grades/analysis

Sam Vecenie – The Athletic (ranked Clark #51 prospect in draft): Clark is a prospect of extremes. The defense is elite. You could put him on an NBA court right now after about a month of adjusting to his team’s scheme, and he’d be able to impact the game.

He has a very strong case as the best perimeter defender in this draft class, and he’s one of the better ones I’ve evaluated in the last few draft cycles. But the offense is a real worry outside of running the court in transition. In his jumper’s current state, I’m worried teams won’t have to guard him when he’s spacing the court.

John Hollinger – The Athletic: A ball-hawking guard whose draft stock may have suffered due to a late-season Achilles injury, Clark is short for a wing and his 3-point shot is suspect, but he has some discount De’Anthony Melton potential if everything clicks.

Adam Finkelstein – CBS Sports (A) : Defense, defense, defense. That’s what Clark brings to the table for Minnesota. He had an Achilles injury at the end of last season that might’ve pushed him down the board, but the two time All-Pac 12 defense honoree is a disruptive defensive presence worth betting on.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Dennis Evans III, the five-star, 7-foot senior from California, informed the Gophers earlier this week he wanted to be released from his signed letter of intent, sources told the Star Tribune.

The official request was submitted Friday, and the Gophers are likely to grant it, according to sources. Gophers coach Ben Johnson declined to comment on Evans’ request Friday.

Marcus Fuller – Star Tribune

Dennis Evans (Hillcrest High School – CA) is the 18th ranked high school prospect in the entire nation, according to 247Sports.com. For context, Daniel Oturu was ranked 48th nationally, in the 2018 class. Only past commits, Kris Humphries (2003 class) and Royce White (2009 class), had a higher recruiting rating when they committed to the University of Minnesota.

Bad basketball has consequences

The Gophers are 1-15 in conference play this season, and it’s HIGHLY unlikely they match the three Big Ten wins they accumulated in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach. Johnson can try all he wants to convince recruits that the future is bright, but words can only go so far.

Evans claims, per Fuller, that the Gophers’ current 11-game loss streak has nothing to do with his decision to back out of his NLI, but people close to him admit that watching the team play this year has made Dennis feel like the Gophers ‘might not be the right fit’.

Minnesota’s current 11-game losing streak didn’t appear to be the determining factor for Evans, who picked the Gophers last fall over Texas Christian. People close to Evans told the Star Tribune that he and his family had been thinking for a while that the Gophers might not be the right fit after watching this season.

Marcus Fuller – Star Tribune

This is a devastating blow for Minnesota Gophers basketball. If Johnson were to have a tough offseason in the transfer portal, it could doom the program he’s trying to build.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

It’s the second-straight difficult season Johnson has gone through, to start his career as Gophers head coach. His in-conference record now a sad 5-23 and likely to get worse before it gets better (more on that in a moment).

Gophers’ Bad Injury Luck

Johnson’s slow start, however, has as much to do with injuries and timing than it does coaching deficiencies. Two of his best and most experienced players, Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen, both blew out knees before the start of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. Same players, same injuries — nearly one year apart from each other.

In 20-21, Parker Fox averaged. 22.1 pts, 9.6 rbs, 2.5 ast and 3.2 blks a game and was named a D2 All-American

He chose the #Gophers over Florida St, Ohio St, Creighton and soo many others. Just horrible injury luck for such a talented player. Massive blow for UMN and their fans. pic.twitter.com/AjVY3Qvb0V

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) June 22, 2022

And the hometown head coach couldn’t have picked a more difficult time to take over a job at the University of Minnesota, a school that doesn’t have near the NIL resources other power five schools possess. Not only that, but new transfer rules allowed every single player from the Richard Pitino era to transfer before Ben Johnson coached his first game.

Pitino’s Transfer Portal Exodus

Those transfers include some of the best guards in the country, a position the Gophers are incredibly thin at. Marcus Carr is averaging 17.4 points and 4.2 assists for #10 Texas. Gabe Kalscheur is now at #12 Iowa State and he’s one of the best “3 and D” players in the nation, averaging 12.8 points per game and locking up the best offensive player for every opponent.

And don’t forget about Jamal Mashburn Jr, who went with Pitino to #25 New Mexico, where he is averaging 19.3 points per game as he quickly ascends to one of the best guards in the MAC conference.

Notable #Gophers from 20-21 roster

– Jamal Mashburn Jr. (N. Mexico) 19.3p, 3.4r, 1.7a
– Marcus Carr (Texas) 17.6p, 2.9r, 4.3a
– Gabe Kalcheur (I. State) 13.1p, 2.2r, 1.6a
– Liam Robbins (Vandy) 13.2p, 5.9r, 2.9b

This team went 14-15 in Richard Pitino's final season at Minnesota pic.twitter.com/iaAKRsHL6c

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 25, 2023

I’m not giving Ben Johnson a free pass on his poor start but, for these reasons and more, he deserves patience from Gopher basketball fans. Johnson was brought in because of his hometown ties and proven track record in high school recruiting, both areas in which we’re seeing early payoff, allowing hope for the future.

Ben Johnson’s future is still bright

The Gophers currently have nine Minnesota kids on roster. They’ve come via the transfer portal and local high school circuit. Dawson Garcia, who went to Prior Lake high school and transferred from North Carolina during the offseason, is leading the team in both points (14.9) and rebounds (6.3) per game. He still has three seasons of eligibility, should he choose to play college basketball that long. Garcia is a VITAL piece to Minnesota’s short-term success.

The other offensive force already on roster, Jamison Battle, graduated high school from De La Salle and transferred in after two collegiate seasons at George Washington University. He is averaging 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, after leading the Gophers in scoring last year. Battle has one year of eligibility remaining.

Only 2 Power Conference players averaged 17+ PPG, under 1.5 TO:

Keegan Murray and Jamison Battle.

Battle is one of the most efficient high-volume scorers in the country and scores in just about every way imaginable. Great player for Ben Johnson and the Gophers to build around. pic.twitter.com/zc0nXf5SXT

— Danny Johnson (@dannyjohnson_23) October 18, 2022

Both Battle and Garcia will be huge factors in Ben Johnson’s eventual turnaround at the University of Minnesota. But they aren’t the only current Gophers who have already shown promise for the future. The others are just younger or injured.

As mentioned earlier, Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen should both contribute immediately, when they eventually become healthy. They’ll be two years removed from their last game action, however, so questions surround both of their futures.

Minnesota Youth Movement

But it’s the coming youth movement that should have Gopher basketball fans excited. Currently, Minnesota men’s basketball has FOUR freshman who are playing over 16 minutes per game.

At 6’9″, 255 pounds, Ben Johnson says Pharrel Payne (Cottage Grove, MN) is the most physically developed freshman he has ever coached. He’s already averaging 22.1 minutes per game (7.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG), the most of any of the four freshmen. Payne looks like he’ll be a force down low in the Big Ten for years to come.

Welcome to the House of Payne. ????@pharrelpayne x @GopherMBB pic.twitter.com/VVuAt4zg7V

— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) December 22, 2022

Braeden Carrington (22.0 MPG) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (19.6 MPG) are the other two minute-eating freshman from the state of Minnesota, Jaden Henley (16.4 MPG) is the only 1st-year out of state player getting healthy minutes. He hails from California, an out of state pipeline that proved very important in the most recent recruiting class.

More Talent Incoming

While the youngsters already on roster are worth being excited about, it’s next year’s freshman class that sheds the most hope on the future of Minnesota Gophers basketball. That’s the recruiting class 7’1″ high school phenom, Dennis Evans is a part of.

Evans (Hillcrest, CA) just missed out on the McDonald’s All-America roster but he’s still the 3rd highest-rated high school men’s basketball recruit in school history (247Sports). The other two — Kris Humphries (2003) and Royce White (2009) — both played in the NBA.

In his senior season at Hillcrest, Dennis is averaging 14.5 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocks per game. He can hit from deep, play down low and he’s a blocking machine. But Evans isn’t the only 4-star recruit committed to the Gophers’ 2023 class. Cameron Christie (IL) will have a chance to make an immediate impact next season too.

Dennis Evans is a problem! pic.twitter.com/Vcqdh2bwLP

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) September 9, 2022

2023 Cam Christie highlights from the NY2LA Swish N' Dish! @24CameronC @WolvesILL @ny2lasports pic.twitter.com/7gnNFLU1nV

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) April 6, 2022

I expect a lot more losing than winning, as the Minnesota Gophers continue to navigate the 2022-23 season. But injury-willing, they should be a different team next season. By 2024-25, they could be a team ready to compete among the top teams in the Big Ten.

Especially if Ben Johnson can find more talent from the transfer and prep portals. Closing the walls around Minnesota high school recruiting will prove vital to success during Johnson’s tenure. That’s why he was hired.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

But it’s been since 2009 that Gopher MBB has received a commitment from a higher-ranked recruit than 7-1 (4-star), Dennis Evans (Riverside, CA), who just committed to Ben Johnson’s Gophers on Monday night. 247Sports’ own ratings system has him as the 27th best college recruit in the 2023 class. Their composite ratings (which includes ratings from ESPN and Rivals) ranks him 31st in the country.

Evans is the 3rd-best high school basketball recruit of the internet era to commit to Minnesota MBB. Only Kris Humphries (2003) and Royce White (2009) had a higher composite rating than Evans does. He can play down low, he’ll block a ton of shots and he can shoot it from deep. In other words, Dennis does it all.

“This is me. This is where I will be” . 7’1 Dennis Evans has committed to the University of Minnesota @GopherMBB
Sincerely, Dennis Evans III pic.twitter.com/GOKqzpEpna

— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) October 17, 2022

Gophers beat out TCU, others

Dennis Evans chose the Minnesota Golden Gophers over TCU and Kansas, among others. Even after Kansas reportedly fell out of the race last week, the Gophers were seen as trailing the Horned Frogs. But that tune started changing as last week turned into the weekend.

By Monday, optimism was running dangerously high. But, all is good. Because this time, if only once, that national top-50 recruit didn’t just have the maroon and gold ‘M’ hat on the table. He had it on his head.

What a signature moment for Ben Johnson’s program.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

A Riverside kid, Evans stands at a lanky 7’1+” and his wingspan stretches a reported 7’7″. His composite 4-star (.9881) rating (247Sports) is ranked 31st in the nation for the 2023 class. How good is he?

If Dennis were to sign a National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Minnesota, his aforementioned .9881 composite grade would slot in as the school’s 3rd highest rated signing of any men’s basketball commitment in the internet era. Only Kris Humphries (2003) and Royce White (2009) have graded out higher.

Who are Gophers competing with?

What are the chances Ben Johnson can flag Dennis in from the West Coast? Well, Minnesota is one of three favorites to land Evans. The others are Kansas (2021 National Champs) and TCU. While the match may seem odd on its face, there are forces working in the Gophers’ favor.

One of those friendly forces is Jaden Henley, a 2022 signee from Ontario, CA. Evans and Henley are best friends and their relationship is playing heavily into the big man’s college decision. Gopher fans could get to know Henley pretty well, as soon as this season. Henley is one of a few Minnesota freshman currently battling for playing time at wing.

Do Gophers Have Realistic Shot?

Dennis Evans has told 247Sports that he likes the way Minnesota plays, and that he doesn’t want distractions outside of football or school. NIL prospects aren’t at the top of his priority list, either. Judging by what Evans’ AAU coach told Marcus Fuller (Star Tribune), the Gophers are definitely a favorite.

“He’s definitely going to visit Minnesota. He might end up going to Minnesota to be completely honest. Ben and [assistant Marcus Jenkins] have done a tremendous job recruiting Dennis.” – AAU Coach Elvert Perry (via Star Tribune)

“Dennis would change the game for them because he’s a tremendous shot blocker,” Perry added. “Dennis is a lot better offensive player than people imagine. He can shoot the three. If he comes there, they’ll be in the tournament. I can tell you that.” – AAU Coach Elvert Perry (via Star Tribune)

Dennis Evans’ film confirms what his AAU coach said above. For a youngster, who clearly hasn’t grown into his body yet, the Hillcrest High School star moves really well. He has great coordination and a damn smooth shooting stroke, for a kid his size. Evans appears comfortable with the ball in his hands, both on the block and outside the 3-point arc.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

PJ Fleck and his staff now have NINE total commitments for 2023, so far. These are kids who will play their senior season of high school football in the coming fall, so it’s still early. What’s interesting is that FIVE of those early commitments are local, which would tie Fleck’s career high for one recruiting class (2022).

We have to go all the way back to the 2016 recruiting class to find a recruiting class with more local commitments than what PJ Fleck and his staff have collected already for 2023. You may remember the self-described “legacy class” that included Carter Coughlin, Kamal Martin, Antoine Winfield Jr, Tyler Johnson, Thomas Barber and many others who helped achieve things back in 2019, that most of us had never seen in our lifetime as Gopher football fans. That class had TEN Minnesota kids.

New Emphasis on In-State Recruits

Clearly, the Gophers are putting a new emphasis on local talent. They’ve even made offers to kids of late, who we may not have seen offered (or taken) in year’s past. Their logic seems obvious. In this new age of college athletics, where players are free to transfer without consequence, schools like Minnesota need to stock up on talent that is more likely to stick around through good and bad times. A player who is from the state and has a local support system to lean on is more likely to stick around if they find early success or find that college football life is more difficult than expected.

The Gophers, for example, have lost 23 players to the transfer portal since October. Yet, just TWO of those outgoing transfers are originally from the state of Minnesota (Jonathan Mann – WR – Rosemount and Peter Udoibok – WR – St. Paul). The other 21 were one-time import recruits from other states.

Talent only matters if it stays in Dinkytown

Mar’Keise “Bucky” Irving (Rockford IL), for example, was PJ’s prized recruit from the class of 2021. He and his staff had to work day and night to keep him in the boat through National Signing Day. It was a huge recruiting victory. Maybe the biggest since holding onto Rashod Bateman.

Then, after a true freshman season where he went off for 699 yards on 133 carries (5.5 YPC), Bucky announced his entry into the transfer portal. He’ll play for Oregon next season, one of the richest CFB donor groups in the country. His partner in crime, Ky Thomas (RS Freshman), also transferred this offseason. He is from Topeka and wanted to get closer to home, committing to the University of Kansas.

The transfer portal isn’t going away and neither are big NIL opportunities at helmet schools with deep booster pockets. Sure, Fleck would love to grab all the best talent from around the nation. But, if those guys aren’t going to stick around, then what does it matter?

Grabbing more local kids, who are more likely to stick around, is a smart recruiting maneuver. We’ll see if it pays off like it did in 2016.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Thank you Minnesota. No love lost. pic.twitter.com/O1tDUPdAwU

— Anthony Brown ⁷ (@anthonybrownn_) February 7, 2022

This shouldn’t be a shocker. Brown committed really early and stood as the highest-rated recruit in Minnesota’s 2023 class, one that had only three total commits when he announced today. But can you “re-open” your recruitment if it never really closed?

Brown dated, but never married Minnesota.

Brown committed to the Gophers on September 4, 2021. Only weeks after (September 22), a story was written in The Athletic about Ohio State and Notre Dame having possible interest in the Ohio native. Brown was quoted in the piece and tried to remain loyal to Minnesota.

“Coach P.J. Fleck is building something great there,” Brown told The Athletic. “I want to be a part of that. I wanted to be a part of something that’s being built, not something that’s already built.”

“As I’m getting older and going through the process, I’ve learned to block it out,” he said. “It’s not really as much to handle for me as you might think it is. Ohio State is still in contact with me. I don’t really know what to do right now. I’m just committed, and we’re good.”

Anthony Brown (via The Athletic)

But by December, Brown was announcing new offers on Twitter, which is never a good sign for a committed recruit. The new offers include Boston College, Duke, Akron and UMass. He’s also held previous offers from Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and Cincinnati, among others. We’ll see if the schools get more prestigious now that he’s officially decommitted from Minnesota.

Outside Influences

Anthony Brown is an underrated wide receiver recruit, even as a 4-star and it’s clear many believe his stock will rise exponentially over the next year. At 5-10, 170 pounds, the high-major offers could start rolling in if Brown could add a couple inches during his junior and senior seasons.

With offers can come hesitation. Especially when you’re constantly reminded of the Gophers’ TERRIBLE passing attack over the last couple seasons. You can tell throughout The Athletic’s article that there are a lot of influences involved in the situation, including his high school head coach, who’s a huge Kentucky fan and has obvious reservations about “fast-talking” PJ Fleck.

“I was shocked that he made that move that quick because there’s so much time,” Douglass said. “He got out to a lot of places this summer. But you’re talking about being in your junior year now, and (coaches) can really talk to you. I just think there’s a lot of time in between now and when he has to sign. I’m not saying that means he isn’t going to Minnesota. I know Coach Fleck and they were priming the pump. They were priming the shit out of that pump that weekend. You know? He’d be saying, ‘What a great time to be here,’ and he’ll be talking fast. He’s a fast talker. I like him, but he’s a fast talker. So, we’ll see what happens down the road.”

It was funny to hear Douglass say that as he wore a Kentucky hat, mask, shirt and shorts. The 11-year NFL veteran played defensive back for the Wildcats. He reps his alma mater proudly, and they’re one of the programs keeping in contact with Brown despite his commitment to Minnesota. Kentucky has offered, so that isn’t necessarily surprising.

The Athletic

The Good News

There is some good news for the many Minnesota Gophers football fans who this will indeed disappoint. Out of all the decommitments in recent Gopher memory, this one should be the least surprising and might contain the most hope for a reconnection. It’s rare that recruits end up with a school they already decommitted from, but Anthony Brown could be the exception.

His brother, Michael Brown-Stephens, already plays wide receiver for the Gophers and that connection was a big part of his early commitment. Which brings me to my second positive point. It’s very early on in the process for 2023 recruits, Brown isn’t leaving Fleck and the Minnesota staff hanging high and dry in the last moments of a recruiting cycle. The Gophers aren’t out of the running for Brown. In reality, unless he gets better offers coming up, I see them as a favorite. So does 247Sports.com.

Hopefully, Anthony Brown realizes he’s destined for greatness in Dinkytown. This dude is a playmaker.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan