If Jackson can't go, Frerotte will be ready

With Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's knee still not 100 percent heathy, and possibly not ready to start Monday night against the Packers, Gus Frerotte could start his first season-opening game since 2005 at Miami.

The Dolphins beat Denver 34-10 in that game, and Frerotte started the next eight games before hurting his finger against the Patriots. He didn't start the following week against the Browns, but played. Frerotte and the Dolphins then won their final six games to finish 9-7.

Scott Linehan, then the Dolphins' offensive coordinator after leaving the same position with the Vikings, liked Frerotte's performance so much that he took the quarterback along when Linehan got the head coaching job at St. Louis in 2006.

Frerotte, who played here when the Vikings were 9-7 in 2003 and 8-8 in 2004, said he believes this team has the potential to be better than either of those teams.

"We have a lot of good players on this team and guys are working really hard, and it's really exciting to see these young kids out here improving everyday," he said. "It's unlimited. It all depends, I think, as every team goes, as long as guys can stay healthy and you can keep your core unit together, that's how your year is going to go.

"If you get major injuries to certain players, then things usually tend to break down, so I've seen both. We have a really good team, a lot of really talented players and we just have to go out and execute and do our job and let the chips fall where they may."

Frerotte is confident Artis Hicks will do a good job replacing the suspended Bryant McKinnie at left tackle.

"Everybody knows the left tackle is always important," Frerotte said. "Artis is just going to step up and this is his shot to shine. He's got to make plays and he's got to come out and have a heck of a game for us, and I think he's going to be ready to do that.

"Yeah, he's looked great in practice and I think he's smart. He knows what he's doing, and obviously playing beside Hutch [Steve Hutchinson] they're going to be a good duo over there I'm sure. Bryant, we're going to miss him for awhile, he's been a staple there for a long time."

Frerotte had some thoughts about what Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers might be going through as the successor to Brett Favre at Green Bay.

"Yeah, that's tough, but he's had time to sit back and watch and he knows the offense," Frerotte said. "He's been back there and he's watched one of the greatest ever play the game. So I think that people aren't giving him enough credit. I'm sure he's going to come out and he's going to have hard times, but I think when adversity hits we're going to see, that's when it's going to be a tell-tale sign of who Aaron Rodgers is going to be."

One reason the Vikings won't sign or try to find an experienced offensive tackle this week is because if they picked up a vested NFL player before next week, they would have to guarantee his contract. This is not the case starting Monday. Former Bengals tackle Willie Anderson was available for a few days, but he signed a three-year, $11 million contract with the Ravens on Thursday.

Since the start of the 2006 season, Justin Morneau has 350 RBI, which ranks him third in all of baseball during that period. Only Ryan Howard of the Phillies (404) and Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees (367) rank ahead of the Twins first baseman. ... August was a big month for Twins starters Kevin Slowey, Francisco Liriano and Glen Perkins, who combined to post a record of 12-1 and a 2.48 ERA. ... When Joe Nathan blew a save Wednesday night, it was only the fourth time in his career he has blown consecutive save opportunities. Since becoming a full-time closer with the Twins, Nathan has a sensational 1.61 ERA and converted 196 of 216 save opportunities. He never has had a stretch where he failed to convert three of four save opportunities prior to his current streak. In his past four games, with three blown saves, he has allowed only one earned run in 4.0 innings. What has hurt the Twins on the current road trip is that they have committed 10 errors, leading to seven unearned runs and several losses on the trip.

Three years ago, former Gophers center Greg Eslinger earned All-America football honors and was rated by his coach, Glen Mason, as one of the best centers he had ever coached. Well, Eslinger is out of an NFL job after being released by the Broncos, picked up by the Texans and not making the cut this year. Currently he is not listed on any team's 53-man roster.

Former Gophers basketball forward Dan Coleman leaves for Portugal on Saturday, where he will play pro basketball. Earlier, Coleman's former teammate, guard Lawrence McKenzie, signed to play in Greece and center Spencer Tollackson did the same in Germany. So all three Gophers senior starters from last season got pro contracts. A fourth senior, Ryan Saunders, will be a graduate coaching assistant with the Gophers.

Blue Ridge Sports & Entertainment, Inc. has control of the National Association of Basketball Coaches four-team basketball tournament that will be held at Williams Arena on November 14-16. With the Gophers unable to get a fourth Division I team, the sponsors decided to add Concordia (St. Paul) to play with Minnesota, Bowling Green and Georgia State. However, there's still a possibility a Division I team could replace Concordia. ... All of the 13 members of the Gophers basketball team are in school and eligible for the 2008-2009 season. They held their first two hour individual practice session this week. ... Travis Busch, who last year was a walk-on guard/forward who transferred from Cal Poly, was given a scholarship for a second year from coach Tubby Smith.

Gophers associate athletic director Marc Ryan has been named to a four-year term on the NCAA men's and women's cross-country and track and field committee. Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi just completed his term on the NCAA Division I men's hockey committee.

Former Gophers defensive lineman Greg White was a holdout with the Buccaneers, but recently signed a one-year contract for $320,000. A year ago, White had 26 tackles, eight sacks and seven forced fumbles in 16 games.

The Elizabethton Twins won the Appalachian League Championship for the third time in four years with a 41-25 record, and the Gulf Coast League Twins finished second in that league. ... Aaron Hicks, the Twins' No. 1 draft choice this past June, wound up hitting .318 for the GCL Twins.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on his Podcast once a week at www.startribune.com/sidcast. shartman@startribune.com