SID's JOTTINGS

• Jerry Kill was asked his impression in spring practice of junior college linebacker Cody Poock. "Wow, this kid is going to be pretty good," Kill said. "He's very good in special teams and is going to be a very, very good linebacker. He has great instincts, still has much to learn, but he'll hit you now, and he's physical and can run. So that was a big deal for us."

• Toby Gerhart was paid $1 million last season as a part of his original Vikings rookie contract. His new contract with Jacksonville calls for three years and a total of $10.5 million.

• Lou Nanne was asked if it's hard to be away from high school hockey because after his grandson Tyler graduates he won't have any more family members playing: "No, because I've had the good fortune of having a grandson in the state tournament for the last five years, but for 45 before that I didn't and I still enjoyed high school hockey. I get to see a lot of it."

• The Barber family was in Gophers news again the other day when former Gophers and Houston Texans safety Dominic Barber became a member of Jerry Kill's staff. No doubt Marion Barber was a great running back, but the word is that the youngest Barber, Tommy, an RB/LB for Robbinsdale Armstrong this fall, may turn out to be the best in the family.

• Next year the Gophers will play Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin in home and away games in men's basketball. They will have home games only with Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio State and Rutgers. There are away games only at Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Michigan State.

• When it comes to the Vikings signing defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who was paid $31.5 million over five years, Joseph said that the last offer from the New York Giants, who drafted him, was "nowhere near" the Vikings' contract offer.