I am not a huge Fleck fan still - however, he is winning me over. I think it is still too early to make a judgment call on this team - I could see us running the table and I could see us dropping a game to Rutger where we are favored by nearly 30 and imploding. Mainly, this is due to the early season struggles - W's, but in less than impressive fashion. Maybe it is too many seasons of "Mason scheduling" where we win early and lose out the rest of the year.
So, I am less being won over by the record and more by the week to week improvement. That is such a refreshing change from prior years were we limped to the finish line dreading the games vs. WI. WI will be a huge challenge if they keep rolling, but the way Fleck has the guys playing now is impressive. I watched the Frost post-game presser - he was clearly disappointed by the way his team was pushed around on the line. Fleck is winning by lining up and over powering the other side, not be gimmicks. I never thought we would have the talent to do that. Frost basically said we ran the same plays over and over and those were the same plays that they schemed against - but they couldn't stop them. I love to hear that.
Nothing would make me happier than to see a Rose Bowl in my lifetime and to be able to admit I was 100% wrong on Fleck. He is getting us much closer to that goal - and much faster than I ever thought he would be able to turn it around. Literally midway through last season I was ready to throw the towel on him him as a coach - now, he looks like a genius. But, I think he ability as a coach will really be tested this week - how the team comes out and performs will say a lot.
So, I am less being won over by the record and more by the week to week improvement. That is such a refreshing change from prior years were we limped to the finish line dreading the games vs. WI. WI will be a huge challenge if they keep rolling, but the way Fleck has the guys playing now is impressive. I watched the Frost post-game presser - he was clearly disappointed by the way his team was pushed around on the line. Fleck is winning by lining up and over powering the other side, not be gimmicks. I never thought we would have the talent to do that. Frost basically said we ran the same plays over and over and those were the same plays that they schemed against - but they couldn't stop them. I love to hear that.
Nothing would make me happier than to see a Rose Bowl in my lifetime and to be able to admit I was 100% wrong on Fleck. He is getting us much closer to that goal - and much faster than I ever thought he would be able to turn it around. Literally midway through last season I was ready to throw the towel on him him as a coach - now, he looks like a genius. But, I think he ability as a coach will really be tested this week - how the team comes out and performs will say a lot.