Reusse: Meet Jimmy ‘The Foot’ McNeil, undersized Totino-Grace tackle and heroic kicker

Totino-Grace is not quite the powerhouse it used to be as it went head-to-head with this state’s large football machines. Only two years ago, the Eagles were 1-8 against Class 6A competition, then moved down a couple of notches to 4A, where they more reasonably belonged.

Grace was losing some enrollment and there were new suburban powerhouses arriving, ready to challenge Eden Prairie and the Lakevilles.

Jay Anderson, a key assistant to Jeff Ferguson during Grace’s golden era, took over as head coach after “Fergie” resigned after the 2019 season.

Ferguson was the Eagles coach for 18 seasons, with a record of 187-35 and eight state titles. The first seven of those came from 2003 to 2012 in Class 4A, when 5A still was the largest.

There was enough complaining about this domination from rivals that the Eagles took a run at the largest class, splitting Class 6A title games with Eden Prairie in 2014 (a 28-27 loss) and 2016 (a 28-20 victory).

Then came the slippage — fewer students, fewer outstanding athletes with an interest in football. Lately, enrollment has been hanging in there, but Anderson said Friday:

“We probably should have moved down a couple of years earlier.”

Totino-Grace was back at U.S. Bank Stadium, where it had defeated Eden Prairie to win that 6A title eight years ago. This was a Class 4A semifinal vs. Orono, a familiar rival, and Anderson was compelled to use a weapon rarely relied on by Ferguson during the glory days.

Three times, the coach sent Jimmy McNeil, a 190-pound left tackle, out to attempt field goals. It did not seem to be a big deal when Grace was stalled just inside the 10 in the first quarter and McNeil kicked a 26-yarder for a 3-0 lead.

For sure, that field goal appeared to be a minor issue in the last minute of the half. The Eagles were leading 17-7, inside their 40 and facing third-and-7 — presumably content to head to the locker room that way. Orono did not permit this, calling a timeout with 26 seconds left.

So, Grace gave the ball to its swift and talented back, Marquel Keten, and he kept going down that right sideline, dodging tacklers, and tumbled over the goal line for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 24-7.

Quite the opposite of the defensive battle these teams had earlier — 11-8 for Grace, on its home turf field, with McNeil kicking his lone field goal in the regular season for his team’s first points late in the first half.

This time, Orono came out flying for the second half. The Spartans opened with a sudden drive, forced a three-and-out, then drove for another touchdown.

The Eagles’ lead was now 24-21.

Grace moved a bit, stalled, and McNeil was sent to try a 36-yard field goal. An unnamed veteran scribe from the Minnesota Star Tribune confided to a late arriver: “I don’t think this lineman has a chance to make this.”

Thump! Down the middle. “That was good from 45, easy,” said the late arriver.

The sparring resumed. An interception inside the 10 stopped Orono. A couple of Keten runs moved Totino-Grace, but it finally was fourth-and-7 at the 19.

“I didn’t have a choice but try the field goal, not the way Orono had moved the ball against us,” Anderson said. “Letting Jimmy kick another 36-yarder was our best chance.”

Pause. “We all had confidence in Jimmy,” the coach said.

No smile. Anderson meant it. So did McNeil’s teammates later, celebrating the 30-21 victory and an Eagles return to a state title game (where they will be large underdogs to Becker).

What’s the deal, Jimmy — you only kick field goals against Orono?

“No, I had one against Hill-Murray in a playoff game,” McNeil said. “I played soccer when I was younger. My mom, Kate, is a soccer coach. If she had the choice, I’d probably only be a kicker in football.”

You’re a left tackle who doesn’t weigh 200. Mom might have a point.

“I’m big enough,” McNeil said. “That’s the part of football I like. The hitting, the competing in there.”

What the heck? Only 70 years ago, Lou Groza was a left tackle for the winning Cleveland Browns and carried the nickname “the Toe.” Now, Totino-Grace has McNeil, “the Foot.”