Bowl Blog: One is Done

Gophers Hit the Practice Field
Unlike Gopher fans back in the Twin Cities, sunny skies and mild temperatures greeted the University of Minnesota football program Saturday morning in Scottsdale. The Golden Gophers hit the ground running after a quick breakfast and a brisk round of meetings, making the nine-mile trek to their practice facility for the week at Desert Mountain High School.

It was a glorious day to be outdoors with temps in the high 50s and little wind to speak of. And the Gophers appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the sun-splashed conditions with plenty of smiles plastered on the players' faces throughout the practice.

The team drilled for just under two hours in preparation for its New Year's Eve battle with Iowa State in the Insight Bowl. Head coach Tim Brewster said afterward that he was pleased with the workout, though he would have liked things to be a little more crisp.

"You could tell that the players were really excited to be out here," Brewster said. "The conditions are just excellent and I think the team enjoyed itself. It was a good practice, not a great one but a good one and I will expect things to be sharper tomorrow."

You can check out some of the sights from today's workout by clicking on the photo album above.

The Gophers will practice again Sunday morning before heading across town to the MetroCenter area in Glendale for a community outreach event with the Phoenix chapter of Hope Kids at Coasters and Castles.

Hope Kids, which was which was founded in Phoenix and sponsors ongoing events and activities in an effort to create a powerful, unique support community for children with cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions, is one of the primary organizations with which the Gophers volunteer back in the Twin Cities. This will be the second straight year that the team will entertain the Hope Kids Phoenix chapter during its visit to the Insight Bowl.

Running Man
Head Coach Tim Brewster wasn't about to let his team be the only ones to enjoy a workout in the Valley of the Sun's Chamber of Commerce weather conditions.

Following the Gophers' two-hour practice, Coach Brewster had the busses drop him off about five miles from the hotel and got in a workout of his own, jogging his way back to the team hotel.

Staying Sharp
Ever wonder how the Gophers' specialists stay sharp between long layoffs in games? It will be 40 days since Minnesota faced Iowa in its regular season finale by the time the Gophers take the field at the Insight Bowl, and senior punter Blake Haudan has been taking on extra work on his own in addition to the team's scheduled practices and conditioning program.

Haudan says that he has been doing some workouts in water that were taught to him by former Minnesota Vikings and current Denver Broncos punter Mitch Berger. Haudan worked out with Berger for four days last summer in Scottsdale. Ironically, the pair, who have worked with the same private kicking coach, punted on the exact Desert Mountain High School Stadium field the Gophers are practicing on this week.

"He was great, and I really learned a lot," said Haudan, who credits Berger with helping him improve his technique and take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to him this season. "It was like 108 degrees when I was here, so we would kick early in the morning and then come back out in the early evening. I really appreciate the time he spent with me. It definitely made me a better punter."

In addition to the water work, Haudan said he's been punting in the Metrodome to help stay sharp. The Gophers' indoor practice facility, while great for most football-related activities, does have one drawback - a ceiling that's height is not conducive to punting.

As for this week, Haudan said his plan will include a little extra running.

"After finals I went home to Ohio and ate nothing but Christmas cookies for two days," he said. "I'm going to find a trail to run on when I get back to the hotel."

Be sure to stay with us here at gophersports.com for all the sights and sounds of Insight Bowl week from the Valley of the Sun.
- Garry Bowman

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