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Eric Decker will return to Minneapolis on Saturday night for the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ homecoming game, reliving the glory days.
The former NFL wide receiver played for Minnesota, playing three years in the Metrodome before spending his final season at Huntington Bank Outdoor Stadium.
“Just being around that energy, reliving the memories, I love PJ [Fleck]He’s done a great job with the program and brought out the best in his guys. It’s fun to come back, especially in the fall, which is the best time of year. But football season on campus, I’ve made a lot of wonderful memories throughout my career,” Decker said in a recent interview with Pak Gazette Digital.
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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 little shower, freshen up a little after a long day of walking and smell fresh when you enter the stadium…” Decker said. “The keg is related to the college lifestyle, so it’s a fun activation, completely different than anything I’ve seen. I’m really excited to have them do it on campus during homecoming.”
It’s been more than a decade since Decker 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 reception in the first overtime 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)
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Decker knows Minnesota doesn’t have the same appeal as the school’s Big Ten rivals like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, or even newcomers like Oregon, Washington and USC.
“We get good athletes, the problem is retaining them,” Decker said.
So how do they do that? It’s simple.
“I also see the opportunity, and this is a challenge: Minneapolis has the most Fortune 500 companies in the area. How can we not line up to create a fund where Ohio State gets $25 million outside of its allocation that the Big Ten gives to each team, we should do it to, in a sense, buy wins,” Decker said. “We just don’t have that. That’s an opportunity that I know PJ knows about, but the philosophy of the school and their vision, these corporations, there has to be some kind of merger or merger. I hope we can attract some big players, because financially we can do it.
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 that there’s much to do if it’s not financially rewarding.”
Minnesota is aiming for its fourth win on Saturday against Purdue.
