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Last Thursday night, Minnesota fullback Jon Hoese scored all three Golden Gophers touchdowns in their 24-17 season-opening victory at Middle Tennessee State. In the locker room afterward, his teammates awarded him the game ball and hoisted him upon their shoulders, chanting his name. That salute was for more than just Hoese's outstanding effort -- he also recovered a fumble on a fourth-quarter kickoff. It was a demonstration of support, since Hoese had decided to suit up just one week after his father, Terry, suffered a stroke.
On Monday evening Terry Hoese, 53, died.
"He was just like Jon, always happy," Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber, Hoese's roommate, told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "That's what's so sad. We lose a great person, a true bright light in the world."
The younger Hoese has long been a beacon to his Golden Gophers teammates. The 6-2, 240-pound senior originally walked on to the team in 2007, but now is an offensive team captain. He has never lost yardage on any of his 41 career rushing attempts. Besides his touchdown runs of two, one and two yards versus the Blue Raiders last Thursday, his recovered fumble on a fourth-quarter kickoff allowed Minnesota to possess the ball for the game's final 12:19.
"There are people here who want to talk to him and hug him and make sure he's okay," Weber told the Star-Tribune on Tuesday, after the elder Hoese had died. "I know in a heartbeat everyone on this team would do everything we could for Jon."
One week ago Monday, Hoese missed practice to return home to Glencoe, Minn., about an hour west of the Twin Cities, to be with his family and discuss whether he should accompany the Golden Gophers to their season-opener in Tennessee. His mother, Sharon, sister Tammy and brother Chad persuaded him to play. His dad, after all, was extremely proud.
"Terry was at every Gopher victory walk, was at every game since I've been head football coach at the University of Minnesota," Tim Brewster told the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Born on the Fourth of July, Jon Hoese grew up on the family farm in Glencoe. He averaged just under nine yards per carry his senior season at Glencoe-Silverlake High School in leading his team to a 13-1 record and the Minnesota AAA state championship. Besides making the Golden Gophers as a walk-on in 2007, he was named to the Big Ten All-Academic team last season. Even before playing under emotional duress last week, Hoese had been a favorite among Golden Gopher fans.
Funeral services for Terry Hoese will be Friday in Glencoe. Jon Hoese has yet to decide whether he will participate in Minnesota's home opener Saturday versus South Dakota. He was able to be with his father over the weekend and on Monday when the Hoese family decided to take Terry off a ventilator. Before that moment, though, Jon Hoese gave his father the game ball that his teammates had given him.
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