.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Gopher Football News & Notes
5/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
We have plenty of Gopher Football-related news to pass along in this blog entry, highlighted by an amazing senior year of high school for future Gopher Bryant Allen.
If the old saying “success breeds success” is truly accurate, then Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster is probably chomping at the bit for freshman-to-be Bryant Allen (pictured to the left) to join his squad. Allen has firmly etched his name in Maplewood-Richmond Heights (Mo.) High School lore. He will leave MRHS as one of the most successful student-athletes his school has ever seen.
It has been a great run for the Blue Devils in the 2008-09 academic year and Allen has been a big part of it.
Most recently, Allen set a new Missouri Class 2 state record for the 300-meter hurdles and came home with four gold medals. In fact, Allen set a new record in the 300-meter hurldes twice during the state championship meet last week. He recorded a time of 38.95 seconds in the preliminaries and then shattered that record with a 38.23 clocking in the finals.
In addition to the record-breaking performances in the 300-meter hurdles, Allen also brought home gold as a member of the Blue Devils’ state champion 4x100-meter, 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams.
On top of his recent track success, Allen helped lead Maplewood-Richmond Heights to a Missouri Class 3 state championship in basketball this past season. Allen was recently named the St. Louis Post Dispatch Prep Basketball Player of the Year. With his recent track success, he also bolstered a resume that already included being named the Suburban Journal's West County Male Athlete of the Year.
Did we mention, that the thought of Allen in maroon and gold also probably brings a smile to Tubby Smith’s face? Allen is planning to participate in basketball as a walk-on.
While his Blue Devil football team didn’t win a state championship, Allen and his teammates advanced to the state semifinals in 2008 and have compiled a 25-2 record over the past two seasons.
Honorary Captains Named, More Coming
Coach Brewster has already announced that Bobby Bell and Sandy Stephens (who will be represented by his brother Ray) will be honorary captains for the Sept. 12 opener at TCF Bank Stadium. But there are more honorary captains to come and a few other people who will be honored as well. Stay tuned here at GopherSports.com for more information on this.
Stephens Named to Hall of Fame
Speaking of former Gopher great Sandy Stephens, he will be among the inaugural class of the new Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame in Uniontown, Pa. The induction ceremony will take place July 18, 2009.
Stephens passed away on June 6, 2000, at the age of 59. The University retired Stephens’ jersey during halftime of the Minnesota-Iowa game on Nov. 18, 2000.
Stephens had a very successful Gopher career. But his senior season of 1961 is one that Gopher fans still talk about. He ended up winning the 1961 Big Ten MVP and was named the Los Angeles Times Back of the Year and the College Back of the Year. He also finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy ballot that season.
But most importantly, he became the first African-American to be named an All-American at quarterback as he was chosen First Team on virtually everyone’s list. He ended up leading the Gophers in total offense and scoring all three years he played. He even led the Gophers in interceptions in his senior season.
Weber Named to Hall of Fame
No, not that Weber ... Adam still has a number of years of football left in him.
But his grandfather Dick Weber was recently inducted into the Lakeshore All-Sports Hall of Fame in Manitowoc, Wis. Dick joins his son Bob (Gopher fans probably know him either as Bobby or as Adam’s Dad) in that same Hall of Fame.
We’re guessing it won’t be too long before there are three Webers in the Lakeshore All-Sports Hall of Fame. We’re also guessing that would be some sort of record for the organization.
Stacking the Deck
As most Gopher fans know, wide receiver Eric Decker is playing baseball for Coach John Anderson’s squad once again this spring.
Decker caught fire at the recent Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio and was named to the all-tournament team. Decker led the Golden Gophers in batting average during the tournament, as he was 9-for-20 (.450), with a home run, four runs scored, two stolen bases and five RBI.
Decker and the rest of the Gopher baseball team will take part in an NCAA Regional Tournament in Baton Rouge, La. They will open NCAA Tournament play Friday, when they face Baylor at 6 p.m. CT.
-Andy Seeley
