Loney: Rosenfels might be your QB

While speculation continues in the media about the Vikings' perceived weakness at quarterback, Steve Loney -- who was a Vikings offensive line coach under Mike Tice from 2003 to 2005 and now has the same job with the Rams -- is confident new quarterback Sage Rosenfels will solve the problem.

Loney, who also was offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for the Gophers in 1998 and '99, was offensive coordinator at Iowa State from 1995 to 1997 during part of Rosenfels' college career there.

"I was happy that he went up there," Loney said. "You guys will like him. I think he's good.

"The thing about him is that he's more athletic than people really probably gave him credit for. When you watch him play, he had more athleticism than people really anticipated him having. He did things with the ball."

Iowa State was 9-3 during Rosenfels' senior year (2000), and the Cyclones went to their first bowl game since 1978.

"We went to the Insight.com bowl game down in Phoenix and played Pitt," Loney recalled. "We won. I can't state any statistics, but he played well."

Rosenfels completed 23 of 34 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns in the 37-29 victory over Pitt.

Loney said Rosenfels was very much a leader.

"He commands respect. He's what you look for in those things," he said. "When he came in, Iowa State wasn't winning a lot of games. Like I said, his senior year we went 9-3. That really turned it around because from that point on, in six of the next eight years, Iowa State went to bowl games. He was a big part of it."

Opener sold out The Twins' final opener in the Metrodome on April 6 is already a complete sellout. The Twins already have sold 1.2 million tickets for the 2009 season.

There will be a significant on-field tribute to the late Carl Pohlad, the Twins owner who died Jan. 5, before the start of the opening game.

Dodge has been the primary advertiser in right field at the Metrodome for years. They will be replaced this year by Stanley Tools.

"I'm also going to be doing a dozen games on the network with Bob Costas," Kaat said. "I'm really looking forward to doing those games."

Kaat worked six games in Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. "I got to see Bert [Blyleven] there as the pitching coach for the Netherlands," Kaat said. "I still can't believe what I saw -- the Dutch beating the Dominican [Republic] twice."

Gophers football lineup It might not mean anything this early in spring practice, but here is how the first teams lined up in Gophers football practice Thursday.

On offense were quarterback Adam Weber, running backs Duane Bennett and DeLeon Eskridge and wide receiver Brandon Green and Da'Jon McKnight. (Two other receivers who will start or play a significant amount weren't there. Eric Decker is playing baseball and junior college transfer Hayo Carpenter isn't here yet).

On the offensive line were tight end Nick Tow-Arnett, guards Dom Alford and and Matt Carufel and tackles Matt Stommes and Jeff Wills and center Trey Davis.

Of this group, running back Bennett was hurt last year. Newcomers starting on offense include wide receivers Green and McKnight, guard Carufel and tackle Willis.

Defensively, the newcomers include defensive ends McKinley and Jacobs and safety Royston.

Jottings The story about Tubby Smith being a candidate for the Virginia basketball job is reported to have started with some big-money Virginia boosters not connected with the school willing to pay big bucks to lure the Gophers coach from Minnesota.

Mark Setterstrom, the former Gopher outstanding lineman who didn't play at all for the Rams last year because he got hurt in a preseason game, has received a clean bill of health and will be a starter this year, according to Loney. And Adam Goldberg, the former Vikings, is still with the Rams and doing OK.

Southwest Minnesota State's baseball team is off to the best start (10-1) in school history. The Mustangs are coached by former Gopher Paul Blanchard, who is in his 13th season as the Mustangs coach. Blanchard is the son of Johnny Blanchard, who passed away last week.