NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Eric Decker will be back in Minneapolis Saturday night for the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ homecoming game, reliving the glory days.
The former NFL wide receiver starred for Minnesota, playing three years at the Metrodome before spending his senior season at Huntington Bank Outdoor Stadium.
“Just to be surrounded by that energy, relive the memories, I love PJ [Fleck]he did a great job with the program and got the best out of his guys. It’s fun to be back, especially in the fall, it’s the best time of the year. But football season on campus, I built a lot of great memories throughout my career,” Decker said in a recent interview with PK Press Club Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Eric Decker celebrates after a Minnesota touchdown in the first half. (Marlin Levison/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
“All fans are welcome to come take a quick shower, freshen up after a long day of tailgating and feel fresh as you enter the stadium…” Decker said. “The keg is relative to the college lifestyle, so it’s a fun activation, completely different from anything I’ve seen. I’m really excited that they’re doing it on campus during Homecoming.”
It’s been more than a decade since Decker last donned the gold and maroon, and he’s seen the change in college athletics from the outside.
Eric Decker of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates his touchdown in the first overtime period against the Miami of Ohio Redhawks as Minnesota defeated Miami of Ohio 41-35 in triple overtime at the Metrodome on September 8, 2007, in Minneapolis. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
SISTER JEAN, BELOVED LOYOLA CHICAGO BASKETBALL CHAPLIN AND NCAA SENSATION, DIES AT 106
Decker knows Minnesota doesn’t have the same appeal as longtime Big Ten rivals like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State — or even new ones like Oregon, Washington and USC.
“We recruit good athletes, the problem is keeping them,” Decker said.
So how do they do this? It’s simple.
“I also look at the opportunity, and it’s a challenge: Minneapolis has the most Fortune 500 companies in the region. How can we not align to create a fund where Ohio State gets $25 million outside of the allocation that the Big Ten gives each team, we should do that in order to, in a sense, buy wins,” Decker said. “We just don’t have that. It’s an opportunity that I know PJ knows about, but the philosophy of the school and their vision, these companies, there has to be some sort of marriage or merger. I hope we can bring in some big players, because financially we can.
Eric Decker of the Minnesota Gophers makes a 42-yard reception on October 17, 2009 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
“Overall, I don’t know if there’s much point if it’s not financially rewarding.”
Minnesota seeks its fourth victory Saturday against Purdue.
