Sid Hartman: Offensive line gets credit for 10-1 start

The Vikings have two of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL in Pat Morris and his assistant, Jim Hueber, two of the first hires by coach Brad Childress. They have done an outstanding job in contributing to the fine play of an offensive line with two new starters -- rookie offensive tackle Phil Loadholt and second-year center John Sullivan.

Quarterback Brett Favre has sung the praises of the great protection he has received and compared it to the good offensive lines he has played with in the past.

"Well, since our record is 10-1, I always think we must be doing something right up front," Morris said. "Obviously, there's always room for improvement. I think we need to continue to work on our pass protection and on being able to get Adrian [Peterson] free in the run game," Morris said.

Sullivan was a backup to Pro Bowl veteran Matt Birk last year and has been outstanding in his new role as starter.

"I think Sullivan so far has done a nice job in terms of seeing the fronts we've [been] given, and especially in the pass protection, he's done a nice job," Morris said. "And I think now since he's not going against nose guards -- this game [against Arizona] we have a nose guard -- the last couple times he was uncovered, some even fronts, we got to be able to see him space a little bit more."

How do you compare Sullivan with Birk?

"That's a long haul to think that. I think he's just done fine his first year so far," Morris said.

Loadholt, 6-8 and 343 pounds, stepped in as the starting right tackle after being drafted out of Oklahoma in the second round, something most rookies don't do.

"Phil has done everything we thought about him, he's a big, rangy guy," Morris said. "Obviously, when you're a rookie new things happen to you all the time. I think the biggest thing with him is to just continue to stay low and get used to the best pass rushers in this league."

Anthony Herrera has been the starting right guard and has been outstanding, but he missed last week's game against the Bears because of a concussion. Artis Hicks filled in for him and, according to Morris, did a very nice job of filling in.

Morris added that left tackle Bryant McKinnie has enjoyed a decent year as well.

"I think he's going to face some of the finer rushers here near the end of the season, so we'll really see how he can respond to that," Morris said. "I think he's played steadily. He's been good obviously with that left tackle. We graded him on pass protection, and he's done a nice job there."

There is no question that left guard Steve Hutchinson is the best at his position in the NFL.

"Yeah, Hutchinson is his normal miserable self, but he's doing a good job," Morris said.

The Vikings rank second in scoring in the NFL only behind New Orleans. They've scored 89 more points than they did at this point last year, and while rushing yardage is about the same (1,517 yards compared with 1,421) they have passed for 851 more yards through 11 games than in 2008. They have the fewest interceptions (three), tops in the league and an indicator of the kind of protection Favre is getting.

Smith still optimistic Despite the recent losses to Portland, Texas A&M and Miami, Gophers men's basketball coach Tubby Smith said he believes his team will win its share of games.

"We need to have discipline and execute in the latter parts of the game," Smith said.

The Gophers beat a good team in then-No. 12 Butler and the three subsequent losses (by an average of a little more than three points each) were to teams that had been in the NCAA tournament last year and likely will be again this season.

The Gophers might have won the Texas A&M game had Smith not benched Al Nolen and Lawrence Westbrook in the first half for disciplinary reasons.

What could turn the entire picture around would be if Trevor Mbakwe's assault case in Miami was dropped -- and it could be -- and if Royce White were to be cleared in the investigation of a stolen laptop from a campus dormitory room. Devron Bostick, who also has been suspended, could play Saturday against Brown.

Believe me, if Smith had Mbakwe and White eligible, he would be unbeaten.

Jottings If you don't think that catcher Joe Mauer will give strong consideration to staying with the Twins, you can confirm that by the statement he gave to USA Today in a recent interview: "I definitely enjoy playing in front of my friends and family," he told the newspaper. "That's all I know ... [A new contract] will take care of itself when it needs to. I really haven't been too worried about it."

The Star Tribune carried a story recently saying that 12,000 Minneapolis residents take advantage of open enrollment and go to schools outside of the city. Maybe that points out why the Gophers have only three Minneapolis natives on the football team's roster.

Gophers fundraisers have raised some money for the new campus baseball stadium, but they still are looking for a major investor for it.

ESPN reports that Gophers linebacker Lee Campbell ranks 21st in the nation in tackles with 112. Campbell, Garrett Brown and Nate Triplett are three linebackers who will be difficult to replace next year. Unfortunately, injuries hurt the effectiveness of Triplett after the middle of the season, but he will be healthy for the bowl game.

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster is reported to have had a very good home visit with Cretin-Derham Hall standout recruit Seantel Henderson, and Brewster left feeling that the Gophers were definitely in the running for the 300-pound offensive lineman. All of the Gophers coaches are now making home visits to recruits.

Sullivan, who played his football at Notre Dame, said he wasn't surprised that his former coach, Charlie Weis, was fired, but "if it were me, I would have kept him around. I think the best decision would have been to keep him there as the head coach, but at the same time I understand why the decision was made. Both parties, Notre Dame and Charlie Weis, they'll be fine; they'll both be successful in the future."

Former Eden Prairie standout Willie Mobley, who started his college football career at Ohio State, has committed to play for Arizona. Mobley, who left Ohio State in August, is attending Orange Coast College (a junior college in Southern California). According to the Los Angeles Times, Mobley had tried to transfer to UCLA but was unable to gain admission.

Kip Smith, a kicker from Colorado who had committed to Minnesota, has changed his mind and will enroll at UCLA.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • shartman@startribune.com