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Chip Scoggins

Columnist | Sports
Phone: 612-673-4484

Chip Scoggins is a sports columnist and enterprise writer for the Star Tribune. He previously covered the Vikings, Gophers football, Wild, Wolves and high school sports in nearly 19 years at the paper.


Scoggins was born in Missouri but moved to Tennessee when he was only a few months old and lived there until he was 20. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a journalism degree. He worked at newspapers in Texas, Connecticut, North Carolina and Chicago before joining the Star Tribune in 2000.
Recent content from Chip Scoggins
Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signed veteran offensive guard Dalton Risner and traded for running back Cam Akers this week.

Scoggins: Vikings problems? Nothing a couple new players, or some glue, can't fix

The Vikings added an offensive lineman and a running back for their faltering rushing attack and bought "every piece of equipment" to help solve their turnover problems.
Good luck trying to keep Kyle Walljasper out of the end zone on a QB sneak.

'Watch the QB run.' Meet UMD's bulldog of a quarterback

Football Across Minnesota: Kyle Walljasper is the hammer, not the nail as he runs through opponents for undefeated Minnesota Duluth. There's also a former East Ridge QB shredding D-II and it's prove-it week for the Gophers and Vikings.
Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis bobbled the ball under pressure from North Carolina linebacker Kaimon Rucker during the second half Saturday

Scoggins: Kaliakmanis' struggles leave Gophers with no shot at upset

Tremendous disparity in quarterback play led the Gophers to complete only 11 of 29 passes for 133 yards.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and the Gophers are searching for consistency on offense.

Scoggins: After two extremes, what's next for Gophers play-calling?

Greg Harbaugh Jr.'s first two games as Gophers co-offensive coordinator have been complete contrasts, and the next test comes at No. 20 North Carolina.
Northwestern tight end Nolan Howle listens to coaching from Boomer Roepke, the offensive coordinator for the University of Northwestern-St. Paul.

Swim, cry, drive, dream. Boomer's wild, wondrous road to coaching

In Football Across Minnesota's 2023 debut, Chip Scoggins introduces Boomer Roepke, whose journey to the University of Northwestern is a singular story. Also: Telling games ahead for Gophers, Vikings and a QB who threw eight TD passes.
Justin Jefferson had nine catches for 150 yards, most of his production coming in the first half. He was one of the lone bright spots on a day that la

Scoggins: Rising cost of Jefferson impasse adds loss to Vikings' opener

The clock is ticking for the Vikings to foot the bill to secure superstar receiver Justin Jefferson for the long term.
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck returned to what he and his team know best Saturday: Run the ball.

Scoggins: Fleck's return to conservative play just what Gophers needed

A course correction for the Gophers replaced their weak running game from the season opener with consistency.
Defensive back Akayleb Evans (21) is one of several Vikings being asked to step up into key roles this fall.

Scoggins: How will Vikings win? If young players develop quickly

Everywhere you look on the Vikings roster, you'll find a young or inexperienced player. The team's notion of staying competitive while replacing older players hinges on the D word: development.
Stan Nelson, at 102, likes to ride his mower, cook and tell stories.

Scoggins: Life story of Stan Nelson, nearly 103, is one you should know

Stan Nelson is a war hero, a Hall of Fame football coach and a family man, and he's still making memories.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, left, celebrated victory in the College Football Playoff championship on Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

Scoggins: One more A to Z college football preview before chaos descends

The 2023 college football season begins with an air of finality, with seismic changes coming for next year. Savor what's left of the good ol' days while you still can.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will look to build off a huge season a year ago.

Chip Scoggins' five Heisman Trophy candidates

Four of Chip Scoggins' five Heisman candidates are quarterbacks. The other is a Big Ten wide receiver.
Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis throws an-off balance pass over Nebraska linebacker Javin Wright in the second quarter Thursday.

Scoggins: Kaliakmanis looks the part despite U's growing pains

The sophomore quarterback put up 44 pass attempts and helped guide a comeback with his team's running game nearly nonexistent.
Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck during an open Gophers football practice at the Universtiy of Minnesota Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minn. ] R

Scoggins: Will Fleck change as a coach, as change swirls all around?

P.J. Fleck insists he's adapting as a coach, not changing, but the landscape that surrounds him has shifted dramatically as he begins his seventh season in Minnesota.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis of Edina during warmups before his team played the Vikings in a preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sat

Scoggins: Edina's Rallis is youngest NFL coordinator with old football soul

Nick Rallis, a 30-year-old former Gophers linebacker from Edina, is the youngest coordinator in the NFL after being hired to run the Arizona Cardinals defense.
Notice the hands and the eyes: Justin Jefferson reached out for a pass during warmups last Saturday.

Scoggins: You should be wowed by Jefferson's eyes as much as his hands

Take it from Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Eric Decker: Justin Jefferson's development into a superstar wide receiver involves more than just superb catching skill.
Joe Rossi is entering his fifth full season as Gophers defensive coordinator.

Scoggins: Hiring Rossi as defensive coordinator was Fleck's best move

The Gophers rank in the top-10 nationally in several defensive categories over the past four seasons. The hiring of Joe Rossi in 2018 is an undeniable success.
Vikings linebacker Luiji Vilain hit Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock during the team’s first preseason game last week.

Scoggins: Vikings new defense is a fever dream of blitzes and movement

Watching the scheme from new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores at training camp was a glimpse into organized chaos. If it will work remains to be seen.
Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and coach P.J. Fleck talked during the Minnesota-Northwestern game last season.

Scoggins: Fleck has a secret — and it may be about the Gophers offense

P.J. Fleck is being secretive, even by the standard coaching book in which preseason practices are treated like top-secret classified material. But here's a hint about what could be going on.
Brooks Lee, the Twins’ top pick in the 2022 MLB draft, was recently promoted to Class AAA St. Paul.

Scoggins: Twins' top prospect Lee races through minors, wants more

Little more than a year after turning pro, Brooks Lee is awed at being with the St. Paul Saints — just 10 miles from his ultimate destination: Target Field. But he wants more than to merely arrive.
The Pac-12 helped create its own demise with a series of missteps, but the Big Ten and Big 12 pounced when they saw opportunities to expand.

Scoggins: As greed takes root, Big Ten becomes unrecognizable

The last vestiges of a Pollyanna notion of tradition and geography providing order in college sports have been sandblasted from existence by the seductive power of TV money.
Yes, that was Kirk Cousins in the baggy No. 66 jersey at Vikings practice on Tuesday.

Scoggins: 'Goofball' Cousins is at peace during Vikings camp

Kirk Cousins' contract situation hasn't caused him to retreat into a quiet shell. In fact, it's been the opposite despite all the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Much like his teammates, Joe Ryan has been up-and-down all season, but nonetheless the Twins and manager Rocco Baldelli have remained in first place.

Scoggins: Twins shouldn't waste time acting like contenders at trade deadline

The Twins have done nothing to show they should be treated like a serious postseason contender when it comes to making moves before today's MLB trading deadline.
Harrison Smith took a pay cut to stay in Minnesota and is excited about playing for new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Scoggins: At age 34, Smith still feels 'fantastic' about being a Viking

Safety Harrison Smith knew he really didn't want to play anywhere else when presented with that option after last season, even if staying with the Vikings required accepting a pay cut.
Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison worked to get past a defender at practice.

Scoggins: Addison must learn from teammates following reckless mistake

A reckless lapse in judgment will continue to follow first-round pick Jordan Addison. Now he needs to follow the lead of Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn to get his pro career on track.
Glen Mason, shown in 2005 with members of the University of Minnesota football team, said he had a zero tolerance policy about hazing.

Scoggins: Hazing in football 'beyond dumb' and can't end fast enough

We shouldn't need a reminder. But we got one, as we watch Northwestern's football program go up in flames. "Who wants to be demeaned like that?" former Gophers football coach Glen Mason asked.
A second round draft pick who has built an unexpectedly long NBA career, Mike Muscala played in the Twin Cities Pro-Am this week in Minneapolis.

Scoggins: How Roseville's Muscala built an unlikely NBA career

The average second round draft pick lasts 3.3 seasons in the NBA, Mike Muscala is entering his 11th. The Roseville native now speaks with a veteran's clarity on the game and life.
Paige Bueckers served as guest coach Monday and drew up plays for longtime friend and current NBA player Jalen Suggs, right.

What. A. Night. Paige coached, Jalen dunked, Minnesota's stars shined

Paige Bueckers coached Jalen Suggs. Amaya Battle coached Tyus Jones. A night at Minnehaha Academy for the Twin Cities Pro-Am summer league was another showcase for Minnesota basketball.
The Mosaic Hockey Collective features 125 youth players of color who receive training and support from guest coaches.

Scoggins: Black hockey players see new path to college, step forward for players of color

HBCU Tennessee State's development of Division I programs is particularly meaningful in Minnesota.
Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns had a discussion on the court last season.

Scoggins: Reality check. Wolves must trade Towns or another key player

The contract numbers simply don't add up for the 2024-25 season to allow the Timberwolves to keep everyone on the current roster. And the longer they wait, the more challenging the situation becomes.
Sprinkler fitters Clint Rademacher, left, Tommy Lamere and Macsim Polivaev watched the fireworks pop after Byron Buxton’s blast Thursday.

Scoggins: Take me up to the ballgame — like 18 stories up

Construction workers in that can't-miss project next to Target Field get to watch day games on their lunch break. I joined them, despite my fear of heights.
Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton is no closer to playing center field than when they started the season.

Scoggins: Update on Buxton's return to center field is concerning

It's almost July. The season's halfway point is near. And Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is telling us that Byron Buxton is no closer to playing center field than when they started the season.
Praise for new coordinator Brian Flores and the defense has been a common theme among Vikings offensive players during spring practices.

Scoggins: Flores' defense looks more creative, but there's a catch

Defensive improvement under new coordinator Brian Flores is an easily attainable goal, but only if the Vikings can find a compromise on edge rusher Danielle Hunter's contract.
Tyrell Terry, the former DeLaSalle star, is back at school now, at Stanford in California.

Tyrell Terry picks up the pieces of a life broken by basketball

From Minneapolis high school star to Stanford to a $6 million NBA contract, the point guard from DeLaSalle looked to be making basketball's transitions easily. But the game turned on Terry, causing him to walk away from what he called "the darkest times of my life."
Izzy Schmitz of Hutchinson and Keenan Wilson of Eagan.

Scoggins: 2 athletes, 2 sports, 2 cases of prep athletics at their best

High school state tournaments are taking place throughout Minnesota in various sports right now. Teenagers are living out dreams. Medals and plaques are being won. The competition is wildly intense.
June 26, 1977: Rod Carew knocked this hit to boost his average to 400.

Scoggins: Twins' stunning strikeout stats frustrate me, you and Carew

Something is seriously wrong, whether it's approach, plate discipline, coaching or a combination of those factors. The Twins make striking out look comically routine.
Head coach Anna Caruso, center, and her assistant and father Glenn, led their softball team in a cheer between innings Thursday.

Scoggins: St. Thomas football coach's 'new' job — assistant to his daughter

Glenn Caruso, the longtime St. Thomas head coach, didn't need any time to think about the job offer — to be his daughter's assistant with a girls softball team in St. Paul. It's 'wicked awesome,' he says.
This is not the most important place on the University of Minnesota campus — but good luck convincing thousands of Gophers fans of that.

Scoggins: Like it or not, next U president will oversee big changes in sports

Big Ten presidents are certain to face big-ticket decisions that will shape how college sports look and operate. The next University of Minnesota president will jump into that fire.
Jhoan Duran of the Twins mowed down the Giants in the ninth inning Wednesday at Target Field.

Scoggins: Bullpen will make or break Twins; so far, it's mostly bending

Four relievers combined for four scoreless innings in Wednesday's victory over the Giants. Though the bullpen has been tagged with 13 losses this season, overuse shouldn't be an issue.
While higher-profile NBA coaches whose teams had better years are getting fired, Chris Finch is keeping his job with the Timberwolves.

Scoggins: Amid firing frenzy, Finch gets another year to coach Wolves

Timberwolves ownership decided to show patience by sticking with coach Chris Finch after an erratic season that was a bucket of cold water to the face. Was that the right move?
Gophers sprinter Kion Benjamin added two more Big Ten titles to his award collection at last weekend’s conference championships.

Scoggins: Trinidad to Dinkytown, U sprinter chases a national title

Kion Benjamin placed his name among the top Gophers sprinters in history with his performance at last weekend's Big Ten Championships.
The NCAA prohibits athletes, coaches and staff from betting on sports at any level in which the NCAA conducts a championship.

Scoggins: As more states legalize sports betting, NCAA complications mount

College sports are abuzz over sports wagering after situations involving Iowa, Iowa State and Alabama came to light the past few weeks.
Kyle and Courtney Farmer discussed Kyle’s recent scary fastball-to-the-face injury on Thursday at Target Field.

Scoggins: Relieved and recovering, Farmer ready to go after beaning

Luck was on the side of Kyle Farmer (and his family) in many ways when he was hit by a pitch last month. There have been challenges — but he's ready to move ahead. "It's going to take a lot for me not to come back and play."
Dallas left wing Mason Marchment celebrated his second-period goal in Game 6

Scoggins: Wild's playoff exits have become predictable, stale

That makes seven playoff appearances in a row without a series win, and that's the team's identity now.
Players react to the Wild’s elimination from the playoffs after their Game 6 loss to Dallas.

Scoggins: Lethargic Wild have no one to blame but themselves

They can lament injuries and curse officiating until they're old and gray, but when dissecting their latest first-round playoff demise, the Wild should look inward.
Marcus Foligno is ready to get back to playing with the Wild after his costly penalty and ejection in Game 5.

Scoggins: Wild must 'walk the walk' to avoid familiar playoff outcome

That's a quote from winger Marcus Foligno, and nobody knows better about changing behavior ASAP.
Relentless arguing with officials by Timberwolves players like Karl-Anthony Towns has reached a point where the unwarranted sense of injustice has bec

Scoggins: Injuries hurt Wolves but immaturity doomed them

With the notable exception of Anthony Edwards, the team again finds itself needing to look at all options in deciding on what steps are needed to get beyond another first-round playoff exit.
Dallas’ Radek Faksa lay on the ice after colliding with the Wild’s Marcus Foligno in the first period Tuesday. Foligno was assessed a five-minute

Scoggins: 'Grit First' is nice, but penalties are killing the Wild

The Wild moved to the brink of scheduling tee times Tuesday by falling into a familiar self-sabotaging trap. Take penalties, cave on the penalty kill, flub their own scoring chances.
Wild defenseman and former Gophers men’s hockey captain Brock Faber

Scoggins: Faber steps right in to Wild lineup during 'crazy ride'

Maple Grove native Brock Faber has impressed his new team less than two weeks after captaining the Gophers to the national championship game.
Wednesday night featured disappointing outcomes for a decision made by Wild coach Dean Evason and the play of Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Scoggins: Wild, Wolves losses feature troubling failures by Evason, Towns

The Wild coach and the Timberwolves star helped create disappointing outcomes — but there's only one sure bet about things changing when the teams play again on Friday.
Mike Conley is now the man in the middle for the Wolves.

Scoggins: Here are the two words the Wolves need to remember in playoffs

Mike Conley was a savvy point guard for a No. 8 seed during a big playoffs upset a few years ago. Can he lead another one when the Wolves take on top-seeded Denver in Round 1?
Paige Bueckers met with students before a grand opening ceremony for a new free grocery store at Hopkins West Junior High School.

Scoggins: If you want a deal with Bueckers, one thing you must do

Paige Bueckers could secure as many endorsement deals as she wants. But the UConn and ex-Hopkins star is being intentional about her NIL deals, and she has a stipulation she calls "non-negotiable."
Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson (32) made a save Monday night against the Blackhawks’ Reese Johnson (52) while teammate Calen Addison (2) defended.

Scoggins: Wild might use rotation, but Gustavsson has earned Game 1

With all due respect to the legendary career of Marc-André Fleury, Filip Gustavsson has established himself as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and should start in Game 1 of the playoffs.
Rudy Gobert (left) and Jaden McDaniels bumped into each other going after a rebound earlier this season.

Scoggins: After all the wrong moves, Wolves right to suspend Gobert

Is this real life? Punching a wall? Punching a teammate? In the season finale? Who knows what these Wolves will do Tuesday vs. the Lakers. But we do know the root of the madness.
LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark became the talk of the sports world this week.

Scoggins: Reese, Clark help women's basketball reach watershed moment

Star power, great games and controversy made the women's Final Four must-see TV even for those who knew know next to nothing about the sport. That is how women's basketball grows.
Can Bob Motzko and the Gophers bring home the team’s first NCAA men’s hockey title dsince 2003?

Scoggins: Carrying weight of history, will U end its 20-year title drought?

College hockey has undergone fundamental change since Minnesota last won an NCAA men's title. While Gophers hockey slumbered as the sport changed, coach Bob Motzko knows the target on the program never faded.
The lockers gave it away: Apple Valley boys track coach Zack Roble was timing his athletes in a school hallway.

Scoggins: High school spring sports clash with lingering winter weather

The annual issue is even more of an inconvenience this year because the cold is lingering and snow levels have been historic.
If Byron Buxton can stay in uniform and sign autographs and make plays all summer, the Twins will win.

Scoggins: Here are two things Twins need to do less often in 2023

Sonny Gray unwittingly became the most popular Twins player in uniform last week, a hero to many before even throwing his first pitch of the season. He did it by a pointed message to his bosses.
De LaSalle’s Nasir Whitlock, left, and Totino Grace’s Zy’Lerre Stewart, battled for the ball in the Class 3A title game.

Scoggins: State tournament was showcase for Minnesota point guards

Basketball fans who love and appreciate high-level point guard play were treated to some excellent performances during the state tournament. One coach called it a "historic run of talent."
Albany’s Tysen Gerads was fouled by Harrison Aligbe while driving the baseline in the second half Saturday. Gerads scored 19 points for the Huskies.

Scoggins: For Albany's Tysen Gerads, it's all in the family of champions

Tysen Gerads led the Huskies boys team to its first state title Saturday. His sister, Kylan, helped the Albany girls win one two years ago. And their mother, Shanna, was an assistant coach on a state champion.
Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates his free throws to give his team the lead over the Atlanta Hawks with 3.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Scoggins: Towns returns, kills any drama about his place on the Wolves

Karl-Anthony Towns showed why his presence in the Wolves lineup is so important and why fans who took to social media to say the team is better off without him peddled a nonsense narrative.
Providence Academy guard Maddyn Greenway made a layup against Albany during Saturday’s Class 2A girls basketball championship game at Williams Arena

Scoggins: 'Maddyn the Magician' making a name for herself

Maddyn Greenway, Providence Academy freshman and multisport star, completed a spectacular season with 31 points in Saturday's Class 2A state championship game.
Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, second from right, spent most of Wednesday morning observing the Gophers’ pro day, but he has been busy

Scoggins: Vikings moves put them on the spot to solve their QB quandary

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is betting on himself and Kevin O'Connell to find the right answer to the most important personnel decision in pro sports — and with some urgency.
Mike and Bud Grant, at a 2018 ceremony at St. John’s.

Scoggins: On being Bud's son, 'I hear my dad's voice in things that I say'

While Minnesota mourns the loss of a coaching legend, Eden Prairie high school football coach Mike Grant is mourning the loss of his father. A lifetime of memories, though, brings smiles along with those tears.
Maple Grove’s Lucas Margenau stood in the hallway and prepared to take the ice before the Class 2A quarterfinals of the Minnesota boys hockey state

One team, one dream: What it's like to make the boys hockey state tournament

From a section championship to snowball fights, bus rides and friends they'll never forget, go behind the scenes with the Maple Grove Crimson as they chased the dream of reaching the state tournament.
Denisha Cartwright, front, who hails from the Bahamas, is a Division II force in the 60-meter dash and 60 hurdles.

Scoggins: Minnesota State Mankato builds Division II women's track powerhouse

The Mavericks won an NCAA indoor track and field title last year and are favored to repeat as national champions this week in Virginia.
Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle spoke with media members Thursday after it was announced Lindsay Whalen was out as coach.

Scoggins: His hires, his problem. Coyle must get Whalen's successor right

No Big Ten school was worse than Minnesota this women's and men's basketball season. Six victories and 31 losses in the Big Ten. AD Mark Coyle's job includes fixing that with the right hire.
Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen watched her team fall behind 21-3 at the beginning of its season-ending loss to Penn State on Wednesday at Target Center.

Scoggins: Give Whalen one more season to show if she can lead the Gophers

Gophers players looked completely befuddled by Penn State's first-half press, and that falls on coach Lindsay Whalen. If the team doesn't show dramatic improvement next season, it will be time for a new direction.
If you buy a ticket to go to a Timberwolves game, there’s a very good chance you’ll see Anthony Edwards play.

Scoggins: Edwards shows his passion by scorching load management

That Anthony Edwards called out players for skipping games while surrounded by the game's best during All-Star Weekend was further proof that the Wolves have someone special.
Wild General Manager Bill Guerin has eight days until the March 3 trade deadline to decide whether he should add, subtract or ride out the remainder o

Scoggins: Guerin the Gambler should hold 'em for Wild at trade deadline

Trading prospects to bolster this Wild team wouldn't make sense, given this roster's weaknesses. It will be difficult for risk-taking General Manager Bill Guerin to stand pat.
Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck lectured during a class at the Carlson School of Management on Tuesday.

Scoggins: Professor Fleck? Yes, that's the coach in a U of M classroom

P.J. Fleck's lecturing style is fast-paced and energetic. And loud. Really loud. His students in the Carlson School of Management class get the full Hurricane Fleck experience.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, left, introduces new defensive coordinator Brian Flores during an NFL football news conference, Wednesda

Scoggins: Flores will be refreshing, even if 3-4 scheme remains

It's a standard tradition in sports — always hire the opposite. The Vikings' did just that in going from passive Ed Donatell to aggressive Brian Flores.
North basketball coach Ricky Davis

Scoggins: NBA to North High, Ricky Davis' career took bewildering turn

Davis played 117 games over two seasons for the Timberwolves and never envisioned putting down roots here once he retired from pro basketball. He understands why people were shocked by his new job.
The Timberwolves have decided guard D’Angelo Russell after three years.

Scoggins: Key question after Russell trade: What are the Wolves doing?

It's clear D'Angelo Russell wasn't the answer at point guard, but the second big move by new president Tim Connelly adds more murkiness to the future.
Cherry’s Isaac Asuma, center, cheers in the huddle with teammates before playing Fosston Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 at Cherry High School in Cherry, Minn

Iron Range standout puts tiny Cherry on top of 1A basketball

Gym lights go dark, leaving a single spotlight trained on the home bench as starting lineups are introduced. Isaac Asuma dances the Griddy through a tunnel of teammates when his name is called. Then he gets to work.
Kyle Anderson and Karl-Anthony Towns celebrated a dunk by Naz Reid during a game last month.

Scoggins: Can Wolves make Towns fit into their winning formula?

When he returns from the injury that has sidelined him for 33 games, it will be up to Karl-Anthony Towns and Chris Finch to work KAT's game into a formula that's working well right now.