News

Former Detroit Lions tight end and Class of 2007 Inductee Charlie Sanders stopped by the Hall of Fame. Charlie Sanders (right) was in Canton to meet with Hall of Fame officials about his upcoming enshrinement this August. Sanders, along with Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Thurman Thomas, and Roger Wehrli, will be formally inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday August 4, 2007.

Sanders is seen here with the Pro Football Hall of Fame's President/Executive Director Steve Perry.

Duluth, Mn. - March 14th, 2007 - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of former teammate and all around great guy, Chet Anderson. Chet passed away March 14th, 2007 in Duluth, Mn. A former Golden Gopher football player, Chet was best known throughout the State of Minnesota as one of it's finest all-around High School athletes. An all around athlete at Duluth Central, Chet starred not only in football, but as a member of the Duluth Central State Basketball teams as well. Chet went on to play tight end for the 65 and 66 Gopher teams, continuing and long list of stars at that position for Coach Murray Warmath.

Chets personality and gift of 'gab' equaled his prowess on the field. He will be missed by many. Our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family.
[A special thanks goes out to teammate Rick Holmstrom for notifying us of Chet's passing.]

Six named to Hall's Class of 2007!

February 3, 2007

Guard Gene Hickerson, wide receiver Michael Irvin, guard/tackle/center Bruce Matthews, tight end Charlie Sanders, running back Thurman Thomas, and cornerback Roger Wehrli make up the Class of 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees.

The six-man class was elected by the Hall of Fame's 40-member Selection Committee who met today in Miami, Florida. The newest members of the Hall were selected from a list of 17 finalists that had been determined earlier by the committee.

Hickerson was the lead blocker for three Hall of Fame running backs during his 15 playing seasons with the Browns. He was named first-team All-NFL five straight years and was voted to six straight Pro Bowls.

Irvin, the Dallas Cowboys' first round pick in 1988, caught 750 passes for 11,904 yards and 65 touchdowns during his 12-season career. He was named to five Pro Bowls and is a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

Matthews starred at every position along the offensive line for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers-Titans franchise. He was named All-Pro nine seasons and selected to the Pro Bowl a record-tying 14 straight times.

Sanders caught 336 passes for 4,817 yards in 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions during an era when tight ends were mostly used as blockers. He was voted to seven Pro Bowls and named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

Thomas, a multi-dimensional running back, helped fuel the Buffalo Bills' "No-Huddle" offense of the 1990s. The NFL's MVP in 1991, he rushed for more than 12,000 yards and added another 4,458 yards on 472 receptions during his career.

Wehrli recorded 40 interceptions during his 14-season career with the St. Louis Cardinals. Named to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 1970s, he was named All-Pro five times and voted to seven Pro Bowls.

The 2007 class will increase to 241 the number of all-time greats permanently honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Formal enshrinement ceremonies will be held in Canton, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, on Saturday August 4 at 6:00 PM ET. The ceremony will be televised live on NFL Network and ESPN.

January 24, 2007 - The University of Minnesota and State of Minnesota lost a great citizen, coach and former athlete today as longtime U of M wrestling coach Wally Johnson passed away at the age of 91. Wally, also a freshman football coach for many of the 1967 team members, made wrestling a big time sport at the University. His early program set the stage for the success later realized by present day coach J. Robinson. Johnson coached 28 individual Big Ten Champions. Gopher starting guard Dick Enderle was one of Johnson's standouts on the wrestling squad as a heavyweight. A part of winning football teams during the Bierman, Wally will be missed by many.

August 24, 2006 - Former University of Minnesota Football standout Charlie Sanders was nominated and has been selected as one of two 'senior' finalists to be inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sanders, who played his entire pro career with the Detroit Lions in the 'old Black 'n Blue" division of the NFL , was an All Pro Tight End for several seasons. "Satch" as many of his former Gopher teammates called him was a key-member of the 1967 Big Ten Championship team. During his career at Minnesota, he went from a 178# freshman flanker, to defensive end and finally a 228# Big Ten All Conference tight end. Following his career, Charlie has been a member of the Lions staff for many years and his announcement comes as a great joy to all who know him. Congratulations Charlie !!
[read Charlie's inspiring poem and more details on the Memoriam and Season pages]

Monday - Dec. 19, 2005 - Another Former Minnesota High School and Gopher Football star passed away.
Del Jessen, a three year football letter winner at the 'U', 1966-68, passed away Monday at the age of 58 of cancer.
Del, who teamed with fellow Minnesotan Bob Stein to give the Golden Gopher's one of the nations most dynamic defensive end duos in 1967 and 68, was also a three sport star at Luverne High School. Jessen led the Luverne Cardinals to the 1964 Minnesota State High School Basketball Championship. Luverne, a small rural community in southwestern Minnesota, defeated Minnetonka, a much larger Twin City suburban school for the title that year.
Coach Butch Nash, who also passed away this year, often said, "Bob Stein may have been selected as an All-American, but Jessen was just as good. In fact Jessen often graded out higher after each game's films were analyzed."

Del Jessen was a friend, a teammate, a father, a husband and a true Minnesotan. He will be truly missed.

The Great Butch Nash has died.

Wednesday the 'Maroon and Gold' lost one of it's most popular and successful Asst. Coaches, Butch Nash. His funeral is to be held Friday July 22 in Minneapolis.
Coach Nash, after his high school career at Mpls. Edison, was himself a star football player for the Gophers in the 30's and went on to a lengthy career as a Gopher asst. football coach. Butch for years groomed several All- Americans such as Aaron Brown and Bob Stein. He was most famous for coaching the defensive ends and was widely remembered for his pre game speech that preceded the Gophers great win over Michigan in 1977.
Butch was a gentleman and a true 'Maroon and Gold' legend. He will be missed by all.

Congratulations Ben and Bob !!!

Ben Stein, [son of former Gopher football player Bob Stein] an all-around athlete at Edina High School, is one of the 2005 winners of the Mercury Club's Hy Truman/ Don Goldberg Award. This award is given to outstanding senior high school Jewish athletes in the Twin Cities.

Thursday March 03, 2005 - To My 67 Big Ten Teammates:

It has been a while...but I am still mad at Purdue!!! At the time, who would have thought that by not going to the Rose Bowl and tieing for the 67 Big Ten Crown, that would cast us into the annals of Minnesota Football history! I could have taken not playing in the Rose Bowl a lot better back then, if I had know we would be the last Big Ten Champs for 30 plus years!

By the way, this is Hubie Bryant, Assistant Head Football Coach/ Offensive Coordinator at St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. St. Paul's is the smallest (450 students), and the poorest school in the CIAA Conference. We are a Division II, HBCU. I have been coaching on the collegiate Division II level for 15 years at Norfolk State University 1984-88/91; Virginia Union 1998-2004; and St. Paul's College 2004-present. I also have been a head men and women track coach at NSU-7 years;VUU-1 year. Coached high school football and track in Pittsburgh for 10 years after retiring from a seven year pro football career that landed me in the Continental League, NFL, and the first World Football League. Both my parents are deceased. I am not married, but I have the most amazing 25 year old daughter-LaKeesha Monet and 6 year old grandson-Marquise. The "creator has truly blessed me over the years, and I am doing what I love...coaching and mentoring young people in the game, and sports that I am passionate about! My prayers and best wishes go out to "all" of my teammates and coaches, and their families. May God continue to bless you, Yours in Education and Sports, Hubie...a.k.a. "Coach B!"

December 2004 - Las Cruces, New Mexico - Dr. McKinley Boston named Athletic Director at New Mexico State University. Boston, former Vice President and A.D. at the University of Minnesota, hired Hal Mumme this past week as head football coach at NMSU. New Mexico State will enter the WAC - Conference next season