Golden Nugz - 12.26.12

I sincerely hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I'm very happy that we all made it though the end of the Mayan calendar. Fortunately NASA is here to explain why the world didn't end, why the earth didn't reverse it's rotation and why it was all a big misunderstanding. Seriously, this is from NASA!

The Mayan connection "was a misconception from the very beginning," says Dr. John Carlson, director of the Center for Archaeoastronomy. "The Maya calendar did not end on Dec. 21, 2012, and there were no Maya prophecies foretelling the end of the world on that date."

I didn't bother with any MCC Bowl updates or predictions because I figured the game would never happen. Silly me. But the Gophers have still be practicing, getting ready for the Red Raiders. Interesting to note that MarQueis Gray and the baby Jesus, Philip Nelson have been splitting reps at QB.

"What we do going into Friday night's game, they're both going to be important," Gophers coach Jerry Kill said Monday. "I don't want to get into what we're going to do game plan-wise, but they're both going to be very important."

Through two practices at Houston's St. Thomas High School, Gray and Nelson have been rotating repetitions with the starting unit.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Gray said. "They just rotate us in right now. Who knows when game day comes. Most likely, I'll be playing a lot more, so we'll see."

Sounds exciting. I hope we get to see a lot o Gray under center for a couple of reasons. One, he adds a unique dimension to our offense when he has the ball in his hands which could lead to some big plays. Two, he is a senior who has put in his dues and done what was asked of him throughout his career. This is a nice gesture to your senior leader. Philip Nelson is likely the future of the program and I don't think losing reps in this one game is going to set him back (nor do I think getting all of the snaps at QB is going to propel him to great things next year). This should be a fun game where the Gophers are going to play loose and have some fun.

• Some negative news on the recruiting front. Nate Godwin has decommitted from the Gophers in favor of South Florida. New coach, Willie Taggert secured the commitment with a big push to keep the Tampa kids at home playing for their home school. Taggert is using the Howard Schnellenberger playbook to put a Florida school on the map. Best of luck to Godwin.
• But we did secure a verbal from a kicker. Ryan Santoso has given us the verbal nod of approval. The Under Armor All-American is also a Florida native but so far he does not have any offers from an in-state school.
• ESPN ranks us as one of only seven programs to have been considered a college football dynasty. I realize this was decades ago, but this is high praise and something that was so long ago it is often glossed over.
• Chip Scoggins has a Beal profile who doesn't want to give the sport he loves.
• Gopher hockey Q&A with Erik Haula.
• Gopher hoops is getting ready for Michigan State on Monday. They will have to contend with Spartan big-man Derrick Nix who is starting to become a go-to guy for Tom Izzo's Spartans.
• Here is your high school Holiday Tournament schedule. Rashad Vaugn will be playing at Bethel on Thursday and Friday. Tyus Jones will be up in St. Cloud this weekend. Hopkins will be at Augsburg beginning on Thursday. And to watch Reid Travis and his DeLaSalle squad you'll have to travel to the Corn Palace in South Dakota (but I highly recommend you go watch them play Park Center on Jan. 3rd).