Don't look now but PJ Fleck and Minnesota are 6-0.
I'm not a fan of PJ Fleck as a person, because he seems too much like a self centered douche, almost like a younger less slimy Urban Meyer from my perspective, but it seems like the dude is a good coach. He built up Western Michigan into a 13-1 Cotton Bowl team after 4 years, and after a slow start at Minnesota appears to have the Gophers looking much improved so far.
Today they destroyed Nebraska (who probably outhit them) 34-7 and has the Gophers 6-0, including over two teams that beat the Gophers last year, Illinois and Nebraska. Now, I realize they haven't yet beat any teams with a pulse, but looking at their schedule, they are likely to be 8-0 when they take on Penn State at home. If they beat 2 of Penn State, Iowa, NW or Wisconsin (whom they managed to beat handily last year) , they are looking at a 10 win season, though they are probably just as likely to finish 8-4 with that schedule.
The question for the board is, if PJ gets the Gophers to 10 or more wins this year, has he done enough to attract a higher profile job at a bigger school? Do any of you that have watched the Gophers play think they are any good, or am I reading too much into wins over poor quality opponents?
October 12th, 2019 at 11:49 PM ^
October 12th, 2019 at 11:54 PM ^
Yes I agree, but they still beat two teams they lost to last year.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:11 AM ^
I wonder if Fleck ends his interviews with "Fleck Off!"
October 13th, 2019 at 8:32 AM ^
“That’s a bullshit question”
October 12th, 2019 at 11:52 PM ^
Done enough? No. But the NCAA coaching carousel is a funny thing, and he'll get one and take it.
October 12th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
I was thinking that also, hes a young guy that the media seems to like who is good at selling himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a hot commodity all of a sudden if he gets 10 or more wins this year.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:44 AM ^
Fleck is in the process of replicating at Minnesota what he accomplished at Western. That ain't chopped liver. He will be at a new and improved job at the upper reaches of the food chain by the 2021 season at the latest. A few predictions? Tennessee. UCLA. NC State. Florida State.
October 13th, 2019 at 1:17 AM ^
UCLA? chip going to 1 and done?
October 13th, 2019 at 3:31 AM ^
This is his second year there.
October 13th, 2019 at 6:54 AM ^
Chip was there last year too bud. This is year two of awful football
October 13th, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
/End thread
October 12th, 2019 at 11:54 PM ^
Scott Frost actually said Minn was more physical.
Confidence is powerful. They keep winning and they'll think they can beat anyone. The back half of their schedule could be very interesting.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:17 AM ^
Frost only says that so he can blame the players rather than his poor coaching and play calling.
October 13th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
I watched bits of Minnesota's game
It looks like they're still headhunting as a defense. A couple tackles, the linebacker was definitely going for the injury.
October 14th, 2019 at 9:22 AM ^
What did you think Ski-u-mah translated to?
October 12th, 2019 at 11:54 PM ^
Fun to see a middling team do well, but I'm pretty certain Big Ten west results are nationally taken with a grain of salt as a result of the absurd imbalance in scheduling. Take NW for example. Started last year 1-3, won the big ten west, and played in the big ten title game. How did they build off that this year? Currently 1-4 and trending to MAYBE 1 or 2 more wins this year. Shows how that division is just a blind dart throw.
It'll be the same with Minnesota. Might finish with a shiny 10-3 or 11-2 record, but it'll be hollow and unimpressive with blow out losses in their only real games
October 12th, 2019 at 11:59 PM ^
Oh I agree with you, I don't think them being 10-3 or 11-2 would mean they are actually as good as their record, but I certainly think it would be talked up by the media as indicative of PJ Flecks coaching prowess.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:18 AM ^
Possibly. But I feel like it's in the same vein as the "praise" Fitzgerald gets. The kind that's like, hey keep it up bud but don't you ever coach my fucking team, we can do way better than you. What would even be a reasonable step up from Minnesota for him? A low level SEC job? MSU?
October 13th, 2019 at 8:11 AM ^
Michigan.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:21 AM ^
Wait, "going 10-3 and blowout losses in their only real games", that sounds a lot like Michigan. This thread shows how UM fans need to make themselves feel good about Harbaugh by denigrating other coaches like Fleck or Fitzgerald.
October 13th, 2019 at 8:00 AM ^
Right. Didn’t Michigan offer the job to fitzgerald?
October 12th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
If (If??? LOL) Minnesota beats Rutgers next Saturday and .......
then wins at home against Maryland the next Saturday (25% chance the Good Turtles show up for that game, 75% chance the Bad Turtles show up) .......
Minnesota is 8-0 on November 9th with Penn State in town. PSU could be 8-0 themselves, but they have 2 tougher games prior (vs U-M and at MSU).
GameDay wouldn't be there because they're likely doing Alabama @ LSU. But that would still be one heck of a scene in Minneapolis that day.
October 13th, 2019 at 8:39 AM ^
Would GameDay go to Baton Rouge twice in 4 weeks?
October 13th, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
Don't underestimate ESPN's hard-on for the SEC.
October 13th, 2019 at 1:15 PM ^
Very true. Go blue.
October 12th, 2019 at 11:57 PM ^
He’s building a monster in Minnesota
October 13th, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
'Bout dang time someone does. Minny has noooo reason to be as consistently bad as they have for decades. Huge school on a big metro campus with deep (but remote) history. Minny and Illinois are massive perennial disappointments.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:18 AM ^
There's a good reason actually - not a lot of high school talent in that region and a lot of it goes to Wisconsin or Iowa.
October 14th, 2019 at 9:34 AM ^
Fair point. Plus the kids probably focus on hockey more in state. Still, with all the university has to offer, you'd expect at least regular flirting with top 25-35 rankings. The Flecktones might be there now. Lovie's crew, not so much
October 13th, 2019 at 12:03 AM ^
Even Big 12 teams think Minnesota's schedule is soft.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:05 AM ^
He should be on the short list for any program including us.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:19 AM ^
He hasn't done shit. He's a younger Hoke with more charisma.
October 13th, 2019 at 9:10 AM ^
Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.
Agreed. He's fool's gold.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:49 AM ^
You a sick little guy. Time for nappy.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:07 AM ^
When can I look?
October 13th, 2019 at 12:07 AM ^
When are we allowed to look?
October 13th, 2019 at 12:37 AM ^
Hold off on looking for now. I'll post again once I determine everyone is allowed to look, but it is imperative that nobody look in the meantime.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:08 AM ^
He'll do well at Minnesota, and then fail spectacularly at a higher profile school.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:19 AM ^
I see PJ staying at Minny for a while. They built a gorgeous football facility, he’s bought two houses in the area, and he’s in the weaker side of the conference. His dream school is Notre Dame however.
October 13th, 2019 at 9:01 AM ^
I said the same thing about WMU
October 13th, 2019 at 12:20 AM ^
There are levels of corniness. Once you get to the super-duper corny level, think Michael Scott, you're almost there. If you break through to the next final level -- the corniness shucks away and you can say just about anything and it will ring true, especially to college kids. PJ has broken through. I'm afraid our guy in AA may never get there.
And the guy can coach too. So that's a plus.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:22 AM ^
I don't care for his antics, but he's done a good job.
It would be good to see him taking from Wisconsin talent pool and seeing wisconsin flounder for a while
October 13th, 2019 at 12:31 AM ^
It’s not like the cupboard was exactly bare - the Kill lineage built some capability there. Having said that - he’s a good coach, can scheme up well and will be this years big ten west team that does better than you expect that will then sink back to being middle of the road. Wisconsin is the big dog out there and along with Iowa will be for the foreseeable future. If he can be northwestern then he’s in good shape. He will coach at a bigger program before then though.
October 13th, 2019 at 1:06 AM ^
I think the way Fleck talked it up like a complete rebuild when Minnesota was actually set up pretty decently by their standards with Kill/Claeys and then basically blamed it on the transition when results didn't look good in year 1...just made you realize you're dealing with a climber who's more concerned about the optics of everything for himself than integrity.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:24 AM ^
No clue where this comes from "I'm not a fan of PJ Fleck as a person, because he seems too much like a self centered douche, almost like a younger less slimy Urban Meyer from my perspective" but I haven't seen or heard anything that would remotely back up this ::fire emoji:: take.
He seems like a good coach although it's clearly too early to label Minnesota a success but in the NCAA you only need to appear to be a success or be a success for 1 year to get a "better" head coaching offer
October 13th, 2019 at 12:34 AM ^
He doesn't seem genuine, I think that's the part that reminds me of urban. This is probably because he seems too high energy / positive all the time to be real, so he comes off more as a salesman on coke in my opinion. Not saying thats the case, he could very well be real in his row the boat stuff, but I tend to be skeptical of people that come across as televangelists.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
Poor man's Dabo.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:58 AM ^
Doesn't have that 'aw shucks' Bible Belt vibe to him, the kind where everyone thinks you're a dumbass because you sound country as hell, but in reality are building the nation's best bagman setup. Everyone's joking about you until they realize your team suddenly looks like a NFL team up front and you're putting 40 on them.
PJ Fleck's vibe is more motivational speaker/CEO of company pushing a pyramid scheme. It's definitely reeking of self-serving bullshit, but it's a sleeker corporate package than the Brother Love's travelling salvation show con that 70% of coaches in the South run.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:24 AM ^
Good for Minny! Their mascot is so dumb looking but I find I love Goldy. Almost like a Disney character that didn’t make the final cut for Chip N Dale. Also a big fan of Chip N Dale so that may explain my fondness for Goldy.
October 13th, 2019 at 12:25 AM ^
Minnesota could easily win 10 games and still be a fraud. It's the Big Ten West fallacy. Unlike Pat Fitzgerald who himself has a few of those "great seasons without great wins" under his belt, Fleck seems like the type of coach who's going to take the first big offer coming his way.
The irony is that they're likely no better if not worse than they were under Tracy Claeys and Jerry Kill regardless of the lofty win total they're likely to accrue this year.