SID's JOTTINGS

• One big reason Dallas couldn't sign running back DeMarco Murray is it is only $12 million under the cap while the Vikings are some $25 million under. It didn't help the Cowboys that in order to keep wide receiver Dez Bryant, they had to apply the franchise tag to him, paying him $12.82 million this year, a contract richer than Adrian Peterson's $12.75 million. Still, the Vikings have had two meetings with Peterson and have not come to an agreement, but let's face facts, he is under contract.

• The happiest grandfather in town Thursday was former Gophers wide receiver and athletic director Tom Moe when he found out his great-grandson Carter Coughlin committed to the Gophers. Rivals.com rates the Eden Prairie junior linebacker as a three-star recruit while 247Sports.com has him as a four-star recruit and the nation's 22nd-ranked outside linebacker in the 2015 class.

• The Gophers offered a scholarship this week to Eden Prairie's all-around talent J.D. Spielman, son of Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman. He also has offers from Iowa and Michigan and will visit Nebraska next week. His brother, Ronnie, is on the Ohio State lacrosse team.

• A good sign for Gophers men's basketball coach Richard Pitino: 2015 recruit Kevin Dorsey, a 6-foot point guard, was named Player of the Year in the Capital Beltway League in Washington, D.C.

• Former Gophers tight end Matt Spaeth has signed a new two-year contract with the Steelers after playing with them for most of his career.

• Jared Berggren of Princeton, Minn., is the starting center for Telenet Oostende in Belgium. The former Wisconsin Badger is averaging 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this year.