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Gopher FB coach PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle with Sid, Dave (and Max) on Sunday.
Sid: will you line up on north or south sidelines?
PJF: (laughing) I think that's the most talked-about thing in town. we have not made a final decision yet. it's been talked about. decision not been made. my job is look at every single angle in this program, re-evalute everything - give team the best chance to win on game days, and that might include the sidelines. still in the works.
Mona: Michigan going to Italy. WI planing a a trip - what about Gophers?
PJF: we'll go to an Italian restaurant in Mpls area. We've Talked about some things. like to be able to do in future. rules are changing so fast. We want to be able to provide an elite experience for our players. if it means travelling abroad, so be it. nothing in the works. thought about doing it. lot of things behind it - university, boosters, supporters put up money. want great experience for student athletes - if we can create it, we'll do it.
Sid: Do you Use recruiting services?
PJF: not necessarily. do a lot of work in house. lot of rules on using (outside) services. we use hudl - go from there.
Sid: O-Line lack of depth. any chance switch players?
PJF: might have to. more or less with FR - incoming FR - not guys on team now. lack depth now. won't be fixed until '18 and '19 recruiting classes, in order to build true depth. (o-line) not only issue. lot of depth issues.
Sid: important to have a veteran at center?
PJF: Jered Weyler looks phenomenal based on film, but we haven't evaluated him live, yet. he's doing a great job in weight room. growing as a person. with 22 guys out due to injuries, that's one of the hardest challenges we face. even in training camp, we will still going through evaluation of players. not close to mastery (of system. we will still be finding out what we have as a team (going into season).
Sid: Do you Give QB room to audible?
PJF: as much as they can handle. Zach Terrell (at WMU) had a lot of leeway. that's all taught by QB coach and OC. we have a system - QB can change plays but may only be able to change to these two plays based on the initial call.
Mona: U has struggled to put students in stadium. What can you do?
PJF: going to be different. at WMU, we had the same issue. people leave at halftime, students didn't show up. it's entertainment mixed with college FB tradition. got to make game day a lot of fun for these people - especially the students. partly FB. partly entertainment.
Max: will you get involved in that?
PJF: part of building a culture. create new traditions. this is what we want to create. (alludes to Wisconsin) "jump around" - people wait for that. we've got to find things we've never done - instead of just talking about and complaining about issues, have to do something.
Sid: worried about depth at DB's?
PJF: lot of young people will have to play. some graduated - some left program. lot of youth coming through. it will be fixed in '18 and '19 classes - that's where we set up toward the future of the program.
Max: what about Winfield?
PJF: Special player. put a lot on his plate. watch that guy lead. with lack of depth, he's going to be asked to do more. like a glorified SAM LB, S, Corner - line up all over the field.
Sid: what do you know about Oregon State?
PJF: Gary Anderson wonderful coach. saw him in off-season. we've got to worry about us. they're (OSU) getting better. going through growth - ready to break through. we have to be the best us we can be
Sid: when will you release your Practice schedule?
PJF: not made public yet. pretty much done. still in the editing process. will have ready for public soon.
Sid: will practices be Open to public?
PJF: we will have our fair share. big on that. get fans engaged. and then we'll have some practices that are closed, too.
Max: going to the State Fair?
PJF: you bet I'm going. heard all about it.
Sid: Some of (pre-season) publications say you'll win first 7 games, lose last 5. finish 5th in B1G?
PJF: (laughing) haven't seen any publications. that's reason why they get paid to write. doesn't mean anything. I've been expected to be 8-5 and went 1-11. then you flip it around. not interested in expectations. no media source, including people on other end of this phone, or anyone else, will put more expectations on this FB program than me and our players. this is a cultural build - we have a certain way of building our culture.
Mona: practice on Beaches of Lake Nokomis? take part in road trip? (getting engaged with public....)
PJF: we are the only D1 FB program in this state. 5-1/2 million people in state. we are MINNESOTA golden gophers. we are going to embrace that - the entire state, not just Twin Cities. we want our state to connect to our players on a very personal level. we are their team. want them to take a ton of pride in team. make them true fans again.
Sid: MN FB in good shape. Murray's certificate.
PJF: thanks.
Sid: will you line up on north or south sidelines?
PJF: (laughing) I think that's the most talked-about thing in town. we have not made a final decision yet. it's been talked about. decision not been made. my job is look at every single angle in this program, re-evalute everything - give team the best chance to win on game days, and that might include the sidelines. still in the works.
Mona: Michigan going to Italy. WI planing a a trip - what about Gophers?
PJF: we'll go to an Italian restaurant in Mpls area. We've Talked about some things. like to be able to do in future. rules are changing so fast. We want to be able to provide an elite experience for our players. if it means travelling abroad, so be it. nothing in the works. thought about doing it. lot of things behind it - university, boosters, supporters put up money. want great experience for student athletes - if we can create it, we'll do it.
Sid: Do you Use recruiting services?
PJF: not necessarily. do a lot of work in house. lot of rules on using (outside) services. we use hudl - go from there.
Sid: O-Line lack of depth. any chance switch players?
PJF: might have to. more or less with FR - incoming FR - not guys on team now. lack depth now. won't be fixed until '18 and '19 recruiting classes, in order to build true depth. (o-line) not only issue. lot of depth issues.
Sid: important to have a veteran at center?
PJF: Jered Weyler looks phenomenal based on film, but we haven't evaluated him live, yet. he's doing a great job in weight room. growing as a person. with 22 guys out due to injuries, that's one of the hardest challenges we face. even in training camp, we will still going through evaluation of players. not close to mastery (of system. we will still be finding out what we have as a team (going into season).
Sid: Do you Give QB room to audible?
PJF: as much as they can handle. Zach Terrell (at WMU) had a lot of leeway. that's all taught by QB coach and OC. we have a system - QB can change plays but may only be able to change to these two plays based on the initial call.
Mona: U has struggled to put students in stadium. What can you do?
PJF: going to be different. at WMU, we had the same issue. people leave at halftime, students didn't show up. it's entertainment mixed with college FB tradition. got to make game day a lot of fun for these people - especially the students. partly FB. partly entertainment.
Max: will you get involved in that?
PJF: part of building a culture. create new traditions. this is what we want to create. (alludes to Wisconsin) "jump around" - people wait for that. we've got to find things we've never done - instead of just talking about and complaining about issues, have to do something.
Sid: worried about depth at DB's?
PJF: lot of young people will have to play. some graduated - some left program. lot of youth coming through. it will be fixed in '18 and '19 classes - that's where we set up toward the future of the program.
Max: what about Winfield?
PJF: Special player. put a lot on his plate. watch that guy lead. with lack of depth, he's going to be asked to do more. like a glorified SAM LB, S, Corner - line up all over the field.
Sid: what do you know about Oregon State?
PJF: Gary Anderson wonderful coach. saw him in off-season. we've got to worry about us. they're (OSU) getting better. going through growth - ready to break through. we have to be the best us we can be
Sid: when will you release your Practice schedule?
PJF: not made public yet. pretty much done. still in the editing process. will have ready for public soon.
Sid: will practices be Open to public?
PJF: we will have our fair share. big on that. get fans engaged. and then we'll have some practices that are closed, too.
Max: going to the State Fair?
PJF: you bet I'm going. heard all about it.
Sid: Some of (pre-season) publications say you'll win first 7 games, lose last 5. finish 5th in B1G?
PJF: (laughing) haven't seen any publications. that's reason why they get paid to write. doesn't mean anything. I've been expected to be 8-5 and went 1-11. then you flip it around. not interested in expectations. no media source, including people on other end of this phone, or anyone else, will put more expectations on this FB program than me and our players. this is a cultural build - we have a certain way of building our culture.
Mona: practice on Beaches of Lake Nokomis? take part in road trip? (getting engaged with public....)
PJF: we are the only D1 FB program in this state. 5-1/2 million people in state. we are MINNESOTA golden gophers. we are going to embrace that - the entire state, not just Twin Cities. we want our state to connect to our players on a very personal level. we are their team. want them to take a ton of pride in team. make them true fans again.
Sid: MN FB in good shape. Murray's certificate.
PJF: thanks.