Big Ten Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025 ("if they win nine games or so, he’ll be on the hunt to move.”)

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Athlon:

Minnesota​

“P.J. [Fleck] has built a consistent winner even though it’s not at an elite level. So the good news is the bad news, depending on your expectations, because it is more of the same.”

“I think [Drake] Lindsey is the starting quarterback based on what we saw coming out of the spring game, and they need to establish the wide receiver group.”

“The offensive line lost a lot of experience, and they’re portaling a group together, so that could be a potential problem.”

“Jaxon [Howard] is a special talent on defense. He could be a real game-wrecker.”

“It’s no secret Fleck wants to be at a high-end, title-contending program. This doesn’t look like a ’19 season on paper, but if they win nine games or so, he’ll be on the hunt to move.”


Go Gophers!!
 

A few things pop into my mind.

1. Doesn't our offensive line have a lot of experience via the returners and portal?
I get it, it takes time for them to jell and come together as one.

2. Isn't Anthony Smith projected to be our main guy on the D-Line?
I would love Jaxon Howard to be the real deal.

3. I'm curious to hear the opinions of others on how the current roster stacks up against
the 2019 roster? The obvious is Bateman and Johnson were special.

4. Fleck on the hunt to move?
My opinion only. Fleck stays in Minnesota for a long period of time unless he's fired.
Minnesota is a great fit for him. Why would he want to start over?
I think he wants to accomplish big things at Minnesota for a while.
 

Lifeleadership said:
A few things pop into my mind.

1. Doesn't our offensive line have a lot of experience via the returners and portal?
I get it, it takes time for them to jell and come together as one.

2. Isn't Anthony Smith projected to be our main guy on the D-Line?
I would love Jaxon Howard to be the real deal.

3. I'm curious to hear the opinions of others on how the current roster stacks up against
the 2019 roster? The obvious is Bateman and Johnson were special.

4. Fleck on the hunt to move?
My opinion only. Fleck stays in Minnesota for a long period of time unless he's fired.
Minnesota is a great fit for him. Why would he want to start over?
I think he wants to accomplish big things at Minnesota for a while.
Click to expand...

There will be interest in Fleck if makes the CF Playoff, but I can't see him leaving unless its for a top blueblood. And he understands very well that if he stays here for 20 more years, he'll end with a statue outside the stadium. He was there to be taken several times already, but never quite had the right success here to get the right job offer. Every year he stays, the more likely is it he does a Ferentz and stay the rest of his career.
 

I totally believe that. He’s been in MN for 8 seasons and had one excellent one. He’s done about as much as anyone could here.

My heart hopes he stays and I really like him here, but I’d be shocked if he wins 10 and doesn’t have a big school come after him. By big school someone like a FSU, Florida, USC, Oaklahoma, or somewhere like that.
 

Lifeleadership said:
A few things pop into my mind.

1. Doesn't our offensive line have a lot of experience via the returners and portal?
I get it, it takes time for them to jell and come together as one.

2. Isn't Anthony Smith projected to be our main guy on the D-Line?
I would love Jaxon Howard to be the real deal.

3. I'm curious to hear the opinions of others on how the current roster stacks up against
the 2019 roster? The obvious is Bateman and Johnson were special.

4. Fleck on the hunt to move?
My opinion only. Fleck stays in Minnesota for a long period of time unless he's fired.
Minnesota is a great fit for him. Why would he want to start over?
I think he wants to accomplish big things at Minnesota for a while.
Click to expand...
Nobody including myself knows what PJ's plans are, but whoever made this anonymous comment gave the reasoning within the comment.
 



I think Fleck wants to take Row the Boat and all that goes with it to the biggest stage possible. He views it bigger than football.

2019 ended too late to make him a hot commodity that cycle and then Covid stopped the program's momentum. Yes he talked with UCLA and UCLA couldn't get close to what he wanted. Good news is he needs to make the Gophers nationally relevant for him to get that next job.
 

MilosRevenge said:
I think Fleck wants to take Row the Boat and all that goes with it to the biggest stage possible. He views it bigger than football.
Click to expand...
I don't think it'll work on bigger stages. Do you think these top QBs asking for at least a mil per season are gonna put up with his schtick? High-end 3 stars and a few 4 stars will, and that's what he's doing it with at MN.

I guess I'd say, "good luck" at getting that $10M michigan QB or anyone like him to stand around and wave goodbye to the female hockey team or any of the other life-building stuff he does.
 

Lifeleadership said:
A few things pop into my mind.

1. Doesn't our offensive line have a lot of experience via the returners and portal?
I get it, it takes time for them to jell and come together as one.

2. Isn't Anthony Smith projected to be our main guy on the D-Line?
I would love Jaxon Howard to be the real deal.

3. I'm curious to hear the opinions of others on how the current roster stacks up against
the 2019 roster? The obvious is Bateman and Johnson were special.

4. Fleck on the hunt to move?
My opinion only. Fleck stays in Minnesota for a long period of time unless he's fired.
Minnesota is a great fit for him. Why would he want to start over?
I think he wants to accomplish big things at Minnesota for a while.
Click to expand...
The commenter has to mean Anthony Smith on DL. Huge bonus if Jaxon Howard turns out to be the real deal, but Anthony Smith already is. So is Jalen Logan Redding.

i think our defense stacks up with 2019 team, with superior talent in a few places—but CB and LB groups will need some seasoning and leadership. The 2019 team, on offense, had three legitimate B1G WRs (Bateman, Johnson and Autman-Bell). and three legitimate B1G RBs (Smith, Brooks and Mo). That gave it a LOT of versatility and staying power. Whether our 2025 WR corps and TEs can dominate—Johnson and Bateman finished one-two in B1G receiving yardage in 2019—benefiting the running game immensely, will IMHO be the key determinant for 2019-level success on the offensive side.
 



gopherbadgerman said:
I totally believe that. He’s been in MN for 8 seasons and had one excellent one. He’s done about as much as anyone could here.

My heart hopes he stays and I really like him here, but I’d be shocked if he wins 10 and doesn’t have a big school come after him. By big school someone like a FSU, Florida, USC, Oaklahoma, or somewhere like that.
Click to expand...
Agree. If he has a 10 win season in the new world of NIL and the portal, He will be paid handsomely by someone. His culture is that of stability and it works in today's game.
 

GopherTheJugular said:
I don't think it'll work on bigger stages. Do you think these top QBs asking for at least a mil per season are gonna put up with his schtick? High-end 3 stars and a few 4 stars will, and that's what he's doing it with at MN.

I guess I'd say, "good luck" at getting that $10M michigan QB or anyone like him to stand around and wave goodbye to the female hockey team or any of the other life-building stuff he does.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree. Before NIL I could see the potential for PJ to successfully establish RTB at a bigger program, but now that the money is flowing, I'm hugely skeptical that he could create the same culture he was able to here at any helmet school. The buy-in here is endemic and I truly believe that once he gets guys in the door it's tough to leave. Being able to establish that at a bigger program now seems like it would be practically impossible.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Agree. If he has a 10 win season in the new world of NIL and the portal, He will be paid handsomely by someone. His culture is that of stability and it works in today's game.
Click to expand...
Can you establish your culture with 5 star guys who know they'll be able to make as much money as they want wherever they want? He asks a lot out of the players in terms of things that aren't football related and are typically outside of the scope of what would be encouraged of high level athletes, at least based on what I've seen. Money is creating the stability at these high end programs, not culture IMO.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Agree. If he has a 10 win season in the new world of NIL and the portal, He will be paid handsomely by someone. His culture is that of stability and it works in today's game.
Click to expand...
I truly believe there is more too it than just money for Fleck. Not saying he wouldn't leave but I do think it is a fairly narrow window of teams that he would leave for. Would have to be a situation he viewed as perfect.
 




BleedGopher said:
Per Athlon:

Minnesota​

“P.J. [Fleck] has built a consistent winner even though it’s not at an elite level. So the good news is the bad news, depending on your expectations, because it is more of the same.”

“I think [Drake] Lindsey is the starting quarterback based on what we saw coming out of the spring game, and they need to establish the wide receiver group.”

“The offensive line lost a lot of experience, and they’re portaling a group together, so that could be a potential problem.”

“Jaxon [Howard] is a special talent on defense. He could be a real game-wrecker.”

“It’s no secret Fleck wants to be at a high-end, title-contending program. This doesn’t look like a ’19 season on paper, but if they win nine games or so, he’ll be on the hunt to move.”


Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Is this based on what people think he wants or what he actually wants? I feel like there's a lot of people that just assume a lot about Fleck.
 

GopherTheJugular said:
I don't think it'll work on bigger stages. Do you think these top QBs asking for at least a mil per season are gonna put up with his schtick? High-end 3 stars and a few 4 stars will, and that's what he's doing it with at MN.

I guess I'd say, "good luck" at getting that $10M michigan QB or anyone like him to stand around and wave goodbye to the female hockey team or any of the other life-building stuff he does.
Click to expand...
I’m kind of the other way. A $10 million QB will be all in on PJs for the time he’s here. Not because he’s bought into it, but that’s what he’s getting paid to do.

While we may never have those highest paid players, I think there is more NIL cash to be found in Minnesota. If we make the top 25 for a number of weeks this season, we’ll have more donors. If we make the playoffs, I think we can double whatever is coming in now. I also think we have a short window to be in the top half of the B1G and remain there. Over time, the low end NIL schools will find it harder to make the jump out of the basement.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I truly believe there is more too it than just money for Fleck. Not saying he wouldn't leave but I do think it is a fairly narrow window of teams that he would leave for. Would have to be a situation he viewed as perfect.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you. I truly believe Fleck looks at Minnesota as a perfect fit for him, his family and his CULTURE. They just built a beautiful home on Lake Minnetonka and he appears to love Minnesota. Just my opinion. I don't believe it's all about money for Fleck. He is taken care of well here and he is building a very competitive program. I don't believe he would be as good a fit at a top Blue Blood. He has it quite nice where he is at and his CULTURE works very well. Just my 2 cents.
 

Ever since he got here, opposing coaches and pundits have said he's looking for bigger deals, blueblood, etc, yet here he is - still here how many years later.

I do think he likes it here. Has a nice life and a good program with not a ton of external pressure and it would take a big, big payday to get him to move. One that at least 75% of other coaches would take as well.
 

TNGophfan said:
Ever since he got here, opposing coaches and pundits have said he's looking for bigger deals, blueblood, etc, yet here he is - still here how many years later.

I do think he likes it here. Has a nice life and a good program with not a ton of external pressure and it would take a big, big payday to get him to move. One that at least 75% of other coaches would take as well.
Click to expand...
If PJ leaves for a bigger job I don’t think it will be so much a money grab but more of a case of wanting to compete for a title.
 


Would love to think PJ would stick it out here no matter what, but he is undoubtedly a competitor and wants to win more than anything.
 

Didn't this rumor show up a year ago in a similar-themed article? One poster here thought for sure the anonymous source in 2024 was Bielema. I tend to think that is who was the "leaker."
 


Not sure 9 wins gets him a job at a program with substantially a better shot to sneak into the playoff than MN

If we win 11 it would and I would take it
 

For me it's actually refreshing to have a coach that we're discussing moving on because of his success rather than if he should be fired
 

I went through and read the other comments for other coaches and going to be honest -- this comment is probably the biggest amount of "shade" someone threw onto someone else. While most comments seemed complimentary with the occasional slight, this one was the only "aggressive" slight in the bunch. Think the timing of the WI hates MN article, with PJ stealing WI top recruit makes me think that the issue comes from that side, but PJ's our program is more than football program and that seems to get under people's skin.
 

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