#40 Jim Kleinsasser 6-3, 274 lbs North Dakota

Games and Starts

(reg. season, playoffs): 1999 (13/7, 2/1), 2000 (14/8, 2/0). Total (27/15, 4/1).

Professional Info

Imposing physical presence in the backfield...Showed his ability to be an effective receiver in 2000...Key element to leading Robert Smith to 1,000-yard seasons in 1999 and 2000...Helped pave the way for Robert Smith to set Vikings' single-season rushing records with 295 carries for 1,521 yards in 2000...Played fullback, H-back, and tight end during his rookie campaign...Made his first start in the NFL vs. Oakland (9/19) at fullback...Drafted in the second round (44th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft...Vikings traded picks 59, 73, and 163 to the Steelers in the 1999 draft in order to acquire Kleinsasser with the 44th pick.

2000: Helped open holes for Robert Smith to set the team record for single-season rushing at 1,521 yards and run for a career-high seven TDs...Played in 14 and started eight games on the season, both career-highs...Posted first NFL carry in season-opener vs. Chicago (9/3), finishing the day with five yards on two carries, and setting career-high with 32 yards on two receptions with a career-long 21-yarder...Had a postseason career high with two catches for 18 yards with a long of 11 in Divisional Playoff vs. New Orleans (1/6/01)...Tied season-high with two catches for 11 yards and a carry for three yards in regular-season finale at Indianapolis (12/24)...Had 15-yard catches in back-to-back games vs. Green Bay (12/17) and at St. Louis (12/10)...Returned from injury to carry the ball once for four yards vs. Detroit (11/30)...Inactive for games at Dallas (11/23) and vs. Carolina (11/19) with hamstring injury...Had a carry for four yards vs. Arizona (11/12) before leaving game with a hamstring injury...Had a pair of carries for season-high nine yards at Green Bay (11/6)...Rushed once for three yards and caught two passes for 22 yards at Tampa Bay (10/29)...Notched first career special teams tackle vs. Tampa Bay (10/9) on Monday Night Football...Had a carry for four yards at Detroit (10/1)...Had two carries for four yards and caught a pass for four yards at New England (9/17)...Posted his career-long rush with a 7-yarder for a first down vs. Miami (9/10) and caught a pass in the game.

1999: Played in his first NFL game in season opener at Atlanta (9/12), lining up at tight end, H-back and fullback...Started his 1st game lined up at fullback vs. Oakland (9/19), and caught his first pass, a 6-yard strike from Randall Cunningham...Had his first multi-catch game vs. Tampa Bay (10/3), finishing with two catches for nine yards...Inactive for games vs. Detroit (10/17), vs. San Francisco (10/24), and at Denver (10/31) with a shoulder injury...Started at fullback vs. Dallas (11/8) after missing three games due to injury...After returning from injury, he helped Robert Smith average 102 yards-per-game and 4.9 yards-per-carry over the next eight games...Made the position change from tight end to fullback during bye week practices leading up to the San Diego game (11/28), as well as changing jersey numbers from #85 to #40...Responded to the move by making a career-long catch on an 11-yard pass from Jeff George...Started at fullback at Kansas City (12/12) and vs. Green Bay (12/20)...Caught a pass for seven yards from Jeff George vs. Dallas (1/9/00) in the first postseason game of his career, as well as blocking for running back Robert Smith, who finished with a team-playoff-record 140 yards rushing in the Vikings' Wild Card Playoff win. College Info

Ranks ninth on UND's career-record list with 1,314 yards receiving and 10th with 10 touchdown catches...One of three players drafted by the Vikings from UND, Dave Osborn, 13th round, in 1965 and Ron Green, ninth round, in 1966...Senior year honors include being named consensus All-American and unanimous All-NCC first team pick, Daktronics First-Team All-America, Football Gazette First-Team All-America, Gannett News Service First-Team All-America (the only Division II player to be named)...Starter in the 1999 Senior Bowl...UND Team Captain...Started every game and led the team with 45 receptions for 710 yards (15.8 average) and five touchdowns as a senior ...Carried the ball nine times for 86 yards and one touchdown...Team Rookie of the Year as a freshman...Became the first Fighting Sioux player to start as a true freshman in the 1990's.

Personal Info

Two time All-Region, All-State and Gatorade Circle of Champions North Dakota Player of the year at Carrington (ND) High...Participated in North Dakota Shrine and Montana-North Dakota All-Star game...All-Region and two time All-District in basketball...Won the state shot put title as a junior and senior and the AAU national shot put title...Won the state discus championship as a sophomore and as a senior...Financial management major...Resides in Eden Prairie in the offseason.

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#33 Harold Morrow 5-11, 232 lbs Auburn

Games and Starts

(reg. season, playoffs): 1996 (8/0,0/0), 1997 (16/0, 2/0), 1998 (11/0, 2/0), 1999 (16/0, 2/0), 2000 (16/0, 2/0). Total - 67/0, 8/0.

Professional Info

Has 105 special teams tackles in 67 regular season games...One of the team's best special teams players and a capable backup at fullback...Played in every game for the second straight season and third time in his career in 2000.

2000: Caught first career pass on a 2-yarder from Daunte Culpepper vs. Carolina (11/19)...Notched a season-high five special teams tackles and recovered a fumble vs. Tampa Bay (10/9) on Monday Night Football...Returned a kickoff for 17 yards vs. Buffalo (10/17)...Notched first career postseason carries with three attempts on the final drive of the Divisional Playoff vs. New Orleans (1/6/01)...His 17 special teams tackles on the season ranked third on the team.

1999: Led the team in special teams tackles for the second time in his four-year career with the Vikings...Recorded a team- high 20 solo tackles and six assisted stops...Also made four postseason special teams tackles...Recorded two special teams tackles and forced a fumble on Tim Dwight in the season opener at Atlanta (9/12)...Had one special teams stop and recovered a fumble at Detroit (10/17)...Made two special teams stops and carried the ball for the first time on the season, gaining one yard on two carries with a long run of five yards...Had three special team tackles at Denver (10/31)...Posted his season-high four special teams stops at Kansas City (12/12)...Returned a kickoff for 20 yards as well as making a team-high three special teams tackles at N.Y. Giants (12/26)...Had two special teams tackles in each playoff game vs. Dallas (1/9/00) and at St. Louis (1/16/00).

1998: Tied for second on the club with 16 special teams tackles despite missing five games early in the season with a hamstring injury...Had three carries for seven yards, including a career-long 8-yarder vs. Jacksonville (12/20) for his first offensive action of his career...Forced and recovered a fumble on the same play vs. New Orleans (11/8)...Had season-high three special teams tackles vs. New Orleans (11/8) and at Baltimore (12/13)...Had a pair of special teams stops at Tennessee (12/26)...Had two tackles on kickoff coverage at Dallas (11/26) in Thanksgiving Day game...Inactive for games vs. Tampa Bay (9/6), at St. Louis (9/13), at Chicago (9/27), at Green Bay (11/5) and vs. Washington (10/18) due to hamstring injury.

1997: Set team record for special teams tackles in a season (32)...Finished the season with five kickoff returns for 99 yards (19.8 avg.)...Played in all 18 games, including playoffs...Had forced fumble at Green Bay (9/21) that led to a touchdown...Had career-long kickoff return (42 yards) at Detroit (11/16)...Had four special teams tackles vs. Philadelphia (9/28), Green Bay (12/1) and Indianapolis (12/21)...Had three special teams tackles in the postseason.

1996: Finished third on the team in special teams tackles (14) despite only playing in half of the games...Signed with the Cowboys as a rookie free agent in spring...Led Dallas in kickoff returns during the preseason with a 23.2-yard average...Claimed off waivers by Minnesota from Dallas on Aug. 26, 1996...Played on most special teams units...Second on the club in kickoff return average (19.5)...Had season-high four special teams tackles vs. Arizona (12/1)...Third on the club in kickoff returns (6) and kickoff return yards (117)...Team's main kickoff returner in season finale at Green Bay (12/22)...Finished with 83 yards on four returns, including a season- long of 26 yards against Packers...Active for final eight games.

College Info

Averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 1995...Finished third on Auburn squad in receptions (31)...Caught four passes for 82 yards (20.5 avg.), including a career-long 62-yarder, against Tennessee-Chattanooga (9/9)...Named Auburn's Most Improved Running Back in '94...Finished third on the team in catches (15)....Led the Tigers in special teams tackles (12) as a junior...Received Auburn's ?Mike Neel Award? for hustle in '93...Limited to nine games due to a deep thigh bruise in '93...Played mainly in passing situations and on special teams in '93...Had 16 special teams tackles as a freshman despite an auto accident during the season that cost him playing time...Was redshirted in '91.

Personal Info

Harold Morrow, Jr...Lettered as a running back, defensive back, kick returner, punter and placekicker at Maplesville, AL, High School...Gained over 3,000 all-purpose yards, including 2,200 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground in senior year...Lettered in basketball and baseball in high school...Majored in adult education-distributive at Auburn...Cousin of former NFL fullback Tommie Agee.

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#45 Shaun Paga 6-1, 233 lbs California-Berkeley

Professional Info

Signed by the Vikings as a rookie free agent on April 23, 2001...Moved to fullback from linebacker in June...Will compete in the backfield and on special teams.

College Info

Returned to the California football team in 2000 after sitting out two seasons to concentrate on rugby...Lined up at defensive end and recorded 25 tackles (15 solos) and a safety during the 2000 season...Lettered as a special teams performer in 1997...Mainstay on the the Golden Bears kickoff and punt return units...Walked on and redshirted in 1996 while serving as a scout team linebacker.

Personal Info

Born in Auckland, New Zealand...Lived there and learned to play rugby before moving to California at age 9...Joins fellow New Zealand native David Dixon on the Vikings roster...Standout linebacker at Menlo-Atherton High School (Redwood City, CA)...Earned first-team Peninsula League and San Mateo county honors as a senior...First-team all-state selection for mid-sized schools in 1995...Majored in American Studies at California...Featured in ESPN The Magazine for his exceptional rugby playing ability...Youngest member of the 1999 U.S. World Cup rugby team...Recognized at the No. 1 college rugby player in the nation...Played on five consecutive national championship rugby teams at California.

IZ

-- Iz (izmorrow@yahoo.com), June 08, 2001