Shama chimes in:
The surprise news yesterday that Notre Dame’s
Brian Kelly is leaving for LSU prompts speculation Minnesota’s
P.J. Fleck will be on the candidate list to become the next head football coach of the Fighting Irish. There are more prominent names than Fleck for Notre Dame to consider but his name could be top 10.
Several years ago Kelly was going through a difficult stretch at Notre Dame and Fleck—then at Western Michigan and among the hottest young coaching names in the country—was in the rumor mill as a successor in South Bend. Fleck’s energetic personality and success making the Broncos a national story had drawn impressive media coverage including in-depth features by the
New York Times and
Sports Illustrated.
Notre Dame’s legacy is all about rah-rah and few coaches can give a butt-kicking Friday night campus pep-talk better than the creative and passionate Fleck. Critics might scoff that his Row the Boat mantra wouldn’t be accepted by the conservative Catholic school in South Bend, but not so fast with that. Fleck could dump Row the Boat at “Touchdown Jesus,” explaining that program building at Western Michigan and Minnesota required cultural changes, but not at storied Notre Dame.
The Irish coaching history has often focused on leaders from the Midwest whose background and values fit the school and team. The list includes national championship coaches
Ara Parseghian,
Dan Devine (from Proctor, Minnesota), and another colorful personality who coached the Gophers,
Lou Holtz. Fleck, an Illinois native who has made his coaching reputation in the Midwest, fits the Irish coaching profile in multiple ways from leading a faith-based life to relishing recruiting to demanding accountability from his players. And, oh yes, his conservative run-first offense, is a perfect fit on those snowy, sleeting Saturdays at Notre Dame Stadium.
Maybe
Luke Fickell,
Dave Aranda,
Matt Campbell,
Lane Kiffin or another headliner will be the next Notre Dame coach. Maybe Fleck, the 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year, doesn’t even want the job if offered. “America’s team” is a pressure cooker assignment where every year the playoffs are the expectation. The annual schedule serves up few “cupcakes,” and the Notre Dame environment, with its emphasis on church and academics, isn’t a fit for certain recruits.
Fleck has a new seven-year contract with the Gophers. He likes working for his boss, athletic director
Mark Coyle. He and wife
Heather are genuine in their liking for the lifestyle here, including summer celebrations at Lake Minnetonka. They refer to Minnesota as home. Their commitment could also get a test in coming days and weeks.
Go Gophers!!
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