PJ Fleck

Is he rowing to Tennessee? He’s been vetted for Volunteers job.

Lou Holtz 2.0?

No, Holtz was legit.

PJ is Brewster on Red Bull.

Dutchboy wrote:

PJ is Brewster on Red Bull

LOL good one

belletaine wrote:

Is he rowing to Tennessee? He’s been vetted for Volunteers job.

Think it will float that far??

Consistency can be a real team killer. Kids get recruited by a coach that ends up leaving etc.. Until the Goph’s play at higher level they’ll be a rung on a coaches ladder to the top.

Personally I think it’s too soon in his career. Tennessee is a big time program.

Would that be like leaving a sinking ship?

He isn’t going anywhere. Why in Gods name would Tennessee bring him in down there? New AD down there, he would get run out of town if Fleck was his first hire.

He’ll leverage it for a new contract.

Got to give him some credit, the football team just posted the highest combined GPA in MN history.

Gosh, I thought Fleck just got his contact extended and has like 3 years left.

It is total BS that contacts are signed by both parties but only the taxpayer funded U is bound by the terms.

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Gosh, I thought Fleck just got his contact extended and has like 3 years left.

It is total BS that contacts are signed by both parties but only the taxpayer funded U is bound by the terms.

Grouse

Partially correct. It’s the AD that approves these things. He received his last extension when the AD was convinced Little Falls High school was eyeing him up.

Even if he doesn’t get the Vols job, doesn’t a coaches name being tied to other openings hurt recruiting?

Tennessee is a big time job, but you’re at the bottom of a big mountain with the teams they play and an ongoing investigation. He could likely help if they think recruiting is their issue. That’s going to be PJs strength as a younger energetic guy at that type of program. He’d better be surrounded with a superb staff though, as the leash at those types of schools is short. A couple bad losses to the wrong rivals and the Boosters literally will front the money to buy you out and send you on your way. It’s crazy the lengths things have gone that coaching is a career where you can be paid your salary in advance as you’re packing your belongings for underperforming.

My gut tells me PJ leaves Minnesota eventually in the next few years, but it won’t be for there. He’s going to need a place that’s a bit more patient for his “process” to take hold, not just a couple years. His personality just seems like a walking dartboard for some of those coaches he’d play in the SEC that damn near fight officials, their assistants, the media, etc. I see his younger praise driven approach fitting better with the Big 12 programs. The SEC is a different monster.

61orbt wrote:

Or just a Brewster that knows how to coach, recruit, and win ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Gophers were better in 2019 than they were any year since the 60s but ole dutchy cant get over his “RTB rah rah” mantra. How terrible!!

One good season does not represent a pattern. They gave him a contract extension a couple seasons ago after they lost 38-0 to Northwestern. Riddle me that one

This program is notorious for taking 1 step forward and 3 steps back. Not to mention the fact that they hold exactly zero of the rivalry trophies at the moment.

It would be highly unlikely that PJ would take a job outside of the upper midwest due to his custody situation with the kids from his first wife. Its been stated many times. His name is mentioned, but it will likely go nowhere. Its pretty funny how so many people can’t stand the guy, but the kids love him and they work hard for and are loyal to him. Cannot deny that. He isnt coaching middle aged fat men who would pull a hamstring getting up from the couch. These are young men and they thrive off his enthusiasm.

Maybe that’s the whole idea behind rowing the boat, it’s easy to lift anchor and row to a bigger school for more $$. I agree he has a great talent & show to get 18-21 year olds to drink the coolaid, but personally I see his shtick as more of a constant spotlight on himself instead…maybe i’m wrong, but that’s what it sounds and looks like to me…

For the non-powerhouse schools, college football seems like it’s just a yearly song & dance to get enough pre-conference wins against creampuff teams to make yourself bowl eligible and cash a bowl acceptance check, rinse and repeat each year. Outside of those 4-6 powerhouse schools that get all the top recruits, nobody else really has a legit chance to win the championship. I do thank the NCAA for finally having a top 4 team playoff though (which in turns makes them more money) the whole voting for the champ was just a joke….

When is the last time multiple Gopher’s played in the Super Bowl? I think there are 3 or 4 between the two teams this year and they don’t just ride the pine either.

As far as Tennessee, there’s no way they hire a Midwestern guy to coach an SEC team. Nope, not going to happen. Anyway Tennessee has more NCAA problems than Minnesota did. Not to mention they are still living in 1997 looking for the next Peyton Manning.

Dutchboy wrote:

No, Holtz was legit.

PJ is Brewster on Red Bull.

+1

61orbt wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
PJ is Brewster on Red Bull.

Or just a Brewster that knows how to coach, recruit, and win ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Gophers were better in 2019 than they were any year since the 60s but ole dutchy cant get over his “RTB rah rah” mantra. How terrible!!

Dutchy understands Big 10 football and the U’s history. You haven’t been alive long enough to understand.

PJ is perfect for the old Big 2 & little 8. He could get them to compete for the little 8 but he would never crack the Big 2. Same today. He goes to bowl games by beating up the 4 give me’s and then scape 2 wins against the division. You can argue all you want, but this guy isn’t doing anything except giving the young fans false hope. He will get pummeled next year and will look for a way out A.S.A.P.

Do you really think Tennessee wants a guy who can’t consistently win when they are in the SEC?

He has made a great living for his family but he will get chewed up and spit out if he wants to take his carnival to play the big boys.

I’m done. I don’t need to argue what my eyes can see.

Les Miles is an Ohio native, played OL at Ann Arbor coached all over & won a NC @ LSU.
Urban Meyer is another Ohio guy, played DB at Cincinnati. Coached all over & won a NC or 2.
Nick Saban, Ohio guy, who was a DB at Kent State & won NCs at both LSU & Alabama.
Looks to me that a SEC pedigree is not a requirement for SEC success.
I played in college with guys who went on and coached in the NSIC, MIAC, NCC, & WIAC. We are all in our 60s now. A comment one guy who is / was an excellent DC made about PJ is that, “These kids now are different than how we were or even 15 years ago. He seems to be able to communicate & relate to them. I just wish they would get the plays in faster and not burn so many timeouts.”
I don’t want him (PJ) to go any place. OSU is the bully in the B1G but the program is more relevant now than anytime in the last 60 years.
At least he is not Scott Frost.

Here we are, 3 years later and ready to throw out a coach that went 11-2 in his 2nd season… he drastically improved the recruit ranking and is basically just getting started. He has 20 wins in 2 1/2 seasons ! Mn has no patience in their FB program.

Dont forget- In 2013, his first year as HC at WMU his team went 1-11, by 2016 they finished 13-1. He took the MN job a few months later.

[/quote]

Who beat them in 2016?
Asking for a friend.

61orbt wrote:

That loss occurred in 2017, his first year as HC. In my opinion its unfair to hold the coach fully accountable for the first year or two after he was hired. It takes a few years to recover from previous recruits leaving from a coaching change and his new recruits to arrive to campus as freshman and begin producing

That’s fair. I agree with that, but why on earth would you give someone a contract extension 2 days after his team just got slaughtered? Something smells like fish slime on the timing of that one. A lot of coaches get fired after a loss like that but PJ gets an extension.

“You guys just got smoked, didn’t score any points, but we want to give you a lot more money for a few years.” – Coyle

big_g wrote:

Here we are, 3 years later and ready to throw out a coach that went 11-2 in his 2nd season… he drastically improved the recruit ranking and is basically just getting started. He has 20 wins in 2 1/2 seasons ! Mn has no patience in their FB program.

You cannot just cherry pick some pieces of a coach’s tenure with a team to make a case for extensions.

His career record at MN is 26-19. Is that solid or mediocre, sure.

Does that warrant extensions and raises before another contract is up? To each their own, but me no way. I think his name being “mentioned” with so many other jobs forced the AD’s hand into the extension. PJ is calculated and understands his image and popularity as a tool more than even his record. He doesn’t mind having his name floated with all of these other jobs. However, if you think a guy with a 57% winning percentage (in the Big 10 West and with a cupcake non conference schedule) is going to leave and succeed in the SEC, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

buckybadger wrote:

However, if you think a guy with a 57% winning percentage (in the Big 10 West and with a cupcake non conference schedule) is going to leave and succeed in the SEC, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

They bank on those 3 non-conference games against high school caliber teams every season to stash extra wins in their pocket because they know the ultimate goal is to make a bowl game…ANY bowl game. And you need a .500 record to be eligible. Maybe if they started scheduling better opponents in those non conference games they would be better prepared for their big 10 games, especially their rivalry games against Iowa and Wisconsin. If PJ can recruit better players, certainly he should be able to recruit better opponents too.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
However, if you think a guy with a 57% winning percentage (in the Big 10 West and with a cupcake non conference schedule) is going to leave and succeed in the SEC, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

They bank on those 3 non-conference games against high school caliber teams every season to stash extra wins in their pocket because they know the ultimate goal is to make a bowl game…ANY bowl game. And you need a .500 record to be eligible. Maybe if they started scheduling better opponents in those non conference games they would be better prepared for their big 10 games, especially their rivalry games against Iowa and Wisconsin. If PJ can recruit better players, certainly he should be able to recruit better opponents too.

I don’t disagree. However we cannot just pick on Minnesota. This is the same blueprint every mediocre program with high hopes follows. Win easy non-conference games, win some of the easier conference matchups, hope to steal an upset or two in conference, make a bowl game proclaiming success…and reap the rewards and benefits in $$$ and recruiting.

The big question is always how do you take the next step? PJ clearly has the first step down and down well. How does Minnesota go from this blueprint to the one that is Iowa and Wisconsin? No, Iowa and Wisconsin are not a threat to be National Champions in the current system and neither will Minnesota be. However, they are teams that are ranked most of the time and can compete with anyone in the country and have consistent success year after year atop the Big 10 West. They also have a realistic shot at beating good non conference opponents. Minnesota could work their way into a similar position, but they have quite a ways to go (which is why some people don’t understand or agree with the PJ extension, raise, and hype)

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
Here we are, 3 years later and ready to throw out a coach that went 11-2 in his 2nd season… he drastically improved the recruit ranking and is basically just getting started. He has 20 wins in 2 1/2 seasons ! Mn has no patience in their FB program.

You cannot just cherry pick some pieces of a coach’s tenure with a team to make a case for extensions.

His career record at MN is 26-19. Is that solid or mediocre, sure.

Does that warrant extensions and raises before another contract is up? To each their own, but me no way. I think his name being “mentioned” with so many other jobs forced the AD’s hand into the extension. PJ is calculated and understands his image and popularity as a tool more than even his record. He doesn’t mind having his name floated with all of these other jobs. However, if you think a guy with a 57% winning percentage (in the Big 10 West and with a cupcake non conference schedule) is going to leave and succeed in the SEC, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

Fair enough, but I am in no way saying he should leave and that he will make it in the SEC… I am saying, to think other schools would not see the value in him as a coach and that they are out of their minds to consider him, is not fair either. Like said, he has proved he can turn a team around, rebuild it and make them a winner in 3 or 4 years… it should only get better from there, given a chance, which is something MN fans do not afford their FB coaches. That contract extension after NW was already inked before the loss… again, cherry picking or 1 game defines a coach ? Nope. Leave him be for 3 more years, so far the naysayers are being proven wrong.

I guess the talk is all moot because PJ came out saying he’s not interested in the job.

big_g wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
Here we are, 3 years later and ready to throw out a coach that went 11-2 in his 2nd season… he drastically improved the recruit ranking and is basically just getting started. He has 20 wins in 2 1/2 seasons ! Mn has no patience in their FB program.

You cannot just cherry pick some pieces of a coach’s tenure with a team to make a case for extensions.

His career record at MN is 26-19. Is that solid or mediocre, sure.

Does that warrant extensions and raises before another contract is up? To each their own, but me no way. I think his name being “mentioned” with so many other jobs forced the AD’s hand into the extension. PJ is calculated and understands his image and popularity as a tool more than even his record. He doesn’t mind having his name floated with all of these other jobs. However, if you think a guy with a 57% winning percentage (in the Big 10 West and with a cupcake non conference schedule) is going to leave and succeed in the SEC, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

Fair enough, but I am in no way saying he should leave and that he will make it in the SEC… I am saying, to think other schools would not see the value in him as a coach and that they are out of their minds to consider him, is not fair either. Like said, he has proved he can turn a team around, rebuild it and make them a winner in 3 or 4 years… it should only get better from there, given a chance, which is something MN fans do not afford their FB coaches. That contract extension after NW was already inked before the loss… again, cherry picking or 1 game defines a coach ? Nope. Leave him be for 3 more years, so far the naysayers are being proven wrong.

I agree in that he doesn’t deserve to lose his job, be perceived as a bad hire, or for people to think other schools wouldn’t be interested. To me, I’d rate his job so far as fairly status quo and the extension was based more on keeping other tire kicking schools away than rewarding him for success. He is good for Gopher Football, I am not debating that. He’s won games, lost games, had one amazing season, and laid some eggs along the way. I’d argue that the fans you reference who think he deserves to be mentioned as less are the ones who bought in a little too aggressively to the antics and propaganda about changing MN’s place in college football and are now disappointed. I also wouldn’t trust that he won’t leave for greener pastures with the same propaganda that has gotten him to where he is today. Those pastures definitely are not the SEC though.

I think we agree… and yes, the fans in MN never give a coach long enough to actually bring about a change. Not every team wins the Championship every year… only 1 does. Seems the team has been keeping its nose clean and getting good grades as well… sometimes the “change” does not all end up on the scoreboard, very few athletes make it to the pro level and need that degree. I just wish people would not be so negative and could see the positive change happening. I guess I seen the Hawkeyes referenced… if after 20+ seasons, Flecks win percentage was what Ferentz is… .61%, I could see moving him along. Is Ferentz safe ?