OhMari--
That's I think what's happening, too. I know elsewhere the best fares are available when the dates first open up...I see this especially from people who live on the east coast.
Now before, I haven't found that to be true. I'd watch the fares as soon as they came out and I usually found what I would consider a good deal anywhere from 6-9 months out.
Maybe flights out of MSP are conforming to the rest of the country to where the best fares are only available 334 days out.