Row the Boat 2024

Looking forward to the game tonight, and hopefully a suprisingly good season as the preseason predictions are…not great.

For the Fleck haters, here’s some fun stats for you:

-18 Former Gophers made the final cut on NFL rosters this year, which I believe is the most ever at one time
-They have at least 2 former players in the NFL from every draft class back to 2020
-The Gophers have had at least one player picked in the top 2 rounds of the last 5 NFL drafts.

For comparison in Fleck’s first year in 2017 they had 1 7th round draft pick, 2016 2 4th rounders, 2015 4 picks with a 2nd rounder, 2014 2 with a 2nd rounder, no draft picks 2013, 2012, 2011, 2 with a 3rd highest in 2010, none 2009, 1 6th rounder in 2008, and 1 3rd rounder in 2007.

Ya that’s all fine and dandy if the goal is to produce NFL draft picks.

I think the more important items should be making the Big Ten Championship and/or qualifying for a respectable bowl game.

He does at least keep his players out of legal trouble. I’ll give him that. The previous coaches could not do that.

gim wrote:

I think the more important items should be making the Big Ten Championship and/or qualifying for a respectable bowl game.

He does at least keep his players out of legal trouble. I’ll give him that. The previous coaches could not do that.

The Gophers in their entire history have made 24 Bowl Games since they started playing in 1882, PJ Fleck led them to 5 bowl games in his 7 years and won them all. Including the Outback Bowl which is the biggest bowl the Gophers have made it to since 1962 when they made the Rose Bowl. Add in no off field issues, great community involvement and players with good GPA’s that graduate. Again I’m not saying PJ is giving Saban a run for GOAT, but I am saying he is doing a far better job than anyone has at the U in my 42 years, and it’s not close. Give him the respect he has earned.

The bowl thing is kinda hard to use. In their first 120 seasons there wasnt 50 bowl games a year where you only needed a .500 record to get one. Actually werent they 6-7 last year and made a bowl game.

BigWerm wrote:

but I am saying he is doing a far better job than anyone has at the U in my 42 years, and it’s not close. Give him the respect he has earned.

I agree. They can still do better though. Certainly much better than a berth in the Pinstripe Bowl or Meineke Car Care Bowl.

It takes time to build a Powerful team… that and now a lot of NIL $$$$$ I think whoever coaches in MN, it will be a big hill to climb now. PJ is about a decade too late to the party here.

(plenty of other BIG Teams in the same boat.. so to speak !)

JEREMY wrote:

Actually werent they 6-7 last year and made a bowl game.

Yes, they actually went 5-7 and made a bowl because there weren’t enough 6-6 teams to fill all of them out.

That one should be thrown out the window IMO and making a no name bowl at 6-6 is not exactly the mark of success as I stated above.

Lets beat both Iowa and Wisconsin on a more consistent basis too. I think its been about 30 something years since they beat both of them in the same season.

Looking forward to the game tonight, hope the weather cooperates…

You have to put success into perspective, MN is never going to be an Alabama or Georgia just not going to happen. Up here in the northland, money will never be handed out like they do at the major powerhouse programs. I’d say enjoy the pinstripe bowl because it ain’t going to get much better except have surprise year every so often. And I say that not as a rip on fleck more of the sign of the times college sports is in right now.

JEREMY wrote:

The bowl thing is kinda hard to use. In their first 120 seasons there wasnt 50 bowl games a year where you only needed a .500 record to get one. Actually werent they 6-7 last year and made a bowl game.

Agreed, but anyway you slice it Fleck looks better than his predecessors. The number of bowl games expanded in 1997. Since then the Gophers have made 19 bowls in 27 seasons, Fleck has 5 of 7 including far and away the best one.

gim wrote:

Lets beat both Iowa and Wisconsin on a more consistent basis too. I think its been about 30 something years since they beat both of them in the same season.

Keep moving the goal posts. Fleck beat Iowa last year, which was one of 6 times they have done that this century/millenia. And has beaten Wisconsin 3 times, which hadn’t been done once since 2003, and you’d need to go back to 1994 to find 3 non-Fleck wins against the Badgers.

He’s doing stuff that hasn’t been done ever, or since our grandparents were kids. Yeesh, try having some REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.

I dont mind Fleck just saying the bowl thing has gotten to be a joke. Hope the get their first BIG18 win tonight.

JEREMY wrote:

I dont mind Fleck just saying the bowl thing has gotten to be a joke. Hope the get their first BIG18 win tonight.

Agreed on both points, and the one upside of all the consolidation is the CFB playoffs will be expanding and the new bowls will be dying the slow bankrupt death they deserve.

I think tonight’s game will be close and it always seems like these early season games (especially during the week) start slow with each team trying to feel the other out and not taking big risks.

I have $20 on the under at 52.

Kickoff has been moved back to 8pm

Beating Auburn a few years ago in the Outback bowl was likely the high water mark for the team. Most programs outside of the top handful in the B10 would take that.

I’m not a huge Fleck fan but they have been pretty successful under him. If they continue to go to bowl games and beat Iowa and Wisconsin every once in awhile that would be great. I’m concerned with NIL and the transfer portal they are going to struggle though. Minnesota doesn’t seem to have the boosters that are going to fund a competitive NIL program.

Maybe Fleck can keep in state kids and develop them like Wisconsin does but that remains to be seen.

Go Tarheels! Just sayin

Sounds like Fleck has been doing a much better job of keeping the best MN kids in the last couple years. That Koi Perich is an absolute stud and will probably start as a true freshman.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Go Tarheels! Just sayin

I admittedly won’t probably watch the Gophers. If NDSU can keep things close with Colorado, that’s a far more interesting watch versus PJ chomping gum and running around aimlessly shouting catchphrases

Why was the game delayed? The dangerous stuff passed an hour ago. Could have kicked off right on time without barely getting wet.

lindyrig79 wrote:

Why was the game delayed? The dangerous stuff passed an hour ago. Could have kicked off right on time without barely getting wet.

according to the news they needed to clean up the stadium and something to do with dinkytown traffic

The people need to give up the whole rah rah about Fleck. What’s important is the results on the field and in the classroom and he’s done both! RTB ski u mah and go gophers!

Pretty much a train wreck 1st quarter. I can hardly believe the missed 27 yd FG followed by the sack/fumble/turnover erased by defensive holding. Is it me or does every year just feel the same?

Max Johnson just clowning this MN defense..

And the MN vaunted O-line couldn’t stop St Cloud State…

2 illegal formations on the MN punt team so far….seems they are pretty prepared.

Starting to miss Kaliakmanis…

Colorado and NDSU is a WAY better game thus far.

What happened to “Minnesota Nice”? I’m on BigWerm side, the program as it is right now is on the best track it can be. PJ’s record at Minnesota speaks for itself! Very few of us were even alive the last time the Gophers went to the Rose Bowl. To assume we can oe will do better with a different coach is asinine! There is 60 years of futility on the field that backs up the notion that we are not a Powerhouse football program. Take the previous 10 years before PJ got here and compare it to the years he’s been here and tell how the program has regressed. Accept the fact we aren’t going to be Michigan or Ohio State in football. Sit back and enjoy the season!! Remember “Minnesota Nice” and go Gophers!!!

7-7 at the moment!!!!!! pretty good INT by Wlley and return!!!

NC QB is Brad Johnsons kid!!!!

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Go Tarheels! Just sayin

You and the Belle back together?

stout93 wrote:

Max Johnson just clowning this MN defense..

And the MN vaunted O-line couldn’t stop St Cloud State…

2 illegal formations on the MN punt team so far….seems they are pretty prepared.

Starting to miss Kaliakmanis…

I take it all back!

My comments have nothing to do with Fleck. In fact, I’ve been a vocal supporter of PJ.

It’s more of MN sports in general that has grown exhausting over the decades.

Glad to see they have righted the ship since the disastrous first quarter. Hopefully they can finish the job against a very beatable NC team without Maye and 4 new OL.