Chip: Will Fleck ever come to the realization that being ultraconservative isn't the recipe for success against quality teams?

[BleedGopher]

per Chip:

They played it safe and got burned. When the moment called for guts, the Gophers coaching staff retreated into a shell.

Don't look at the end of the game and Iowa's mind-boggling gift that opened the door to a potential unfathomable finish. The tide turned at the beginning and middle. That's where the Gophers blew their chance to win at Kinnick Stadium for the first time since 1999.

Too many conservative decisions. Too many errant passes. In a game that figured to be narrow, the Gophers needed to maximize opportunities. Instead, they went risk-averse and kicked field goals.

P.J. Fleck should look back at Saturday's 27-22 loss to Iowa with nothing but regret because the outcome had nothing to do with effort. His players competed fiercely.

The difference came down to execution and leaving points on the field when being aggressive was the necessary move.

Will Fleck ever come to the realization that being ultraconservative isn't the recipe for success against quality teams? His steadfast adherence to "Tressel-ball" backfires when the opponent offers more resistance than a pushover. In one instance when they took a risk on fourth down, they were rewarded with a Cole Kramer-to-Ko Kieft touchdown pass.

Gophers burned by P.J. Fleck's conservative approach, Tanner Morgan's misfires

By settling for field goals and declining to take risks, Minnesota once again lost at Iowa.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

Fleck has gotten way more conservative this year in my opinion. It’s a lack of confidence in his offensive passing scheme and his offensive coordinator. Maybe he’s trying to develop/mold Sanford. Time will tell. This team won’t win anything significant as long as Sanford is the OC. In fact, Fleck won’t be here in 7 years if he sticks with Sanford, and it won’t be by his choice.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Fleck knows that once he has better talent this is how teams win. Right now mn doesn’t have the best talent. Soon tho.

 

[SkiUMah'ed]

Fleck knows that once he has better talent this is how teams win. Right now mn doesn’t have the best talent. Soon tho.

Sorry but the "We're a young team, patience please" isn't going to work anymore. There's 2-3 games left of year five and none of Fleck's recruiting classes have ranked higher than 9th in the conference. Fans will be exhausted with the "we're young" excuse because Ben Johnson will be using that all year for the basketball team.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Actually, because of the grad transfers, Ben Johnson's team is not that young. They are actually one of the 'older' teams on average in the B1G.

 

[fmlizard]

Fleck knows that once he has better talent this is how teams win. Right now mn doesn’t have the best talent. Soon tho.

Yes. In fact, being conservative was beating Iowa yesterday for large stretches. If running 70% of the time and possessing the ball for 40 minutes is working, do it. But this won't win consistently against Wisconsin, and not against Ohio State or the other talented teams at the next level above the Gophers.

The Gophers just have no mojo in their actual game strategy, in spite of having a semi-flashy coach. The coach pays zero attention to analytics and admits to mostly using his "gut" to make choices...and often makes disastrous mathematical choices. They fair catch all the kicks and punts, and go for it on 4th down the least in the Big Ten. They have no apparent gadget plays or even misdirection. They seldom change tempo and come from behind as fast as a soccer team.

It is hard to see the Gophers upsetting someone more talented without a little more aggression and innovation to their approach.

 

[MGGopher]

In hindsight, Fleck should've coached more aggressively...but IMO Chip (who I love, btw) contradicts himself when he says, "The game was expected to be narrow" and therefore Fleck should've been more aggressive. In a game expected to be close and low scoring isn't conventional wisdom to take points whenever you can get them? I mean this Iowa team stinks on O and I didn't expect the MN defense to give up 27 points (24 w/o the last FG). I thought Iowa would be lucky to score 20 and figured 17 was pretty realistic. In that way I get where Fleck was coming from with the decision making in the first half. They had the lead at half. If the second half had played out exactly the same, MN wins.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

In hindsight, Fleck should've coached more aggressively...but IMO Chip (who I love, btw) contradicts himself when he says, "The game was expected to be narrow" and therefore Fleck should've been more aggressive. In a game expected to be close and low scoring isn't conventional wisdom to take points whenever you can get them? I mean this Iowa team stinks on O and I didn't expect the MN defense to give up 27 points (24 w/o the last FG). I thought Iowa would be lucky to score 20 and figured 17 was pretty realistic. In that way I get where Fleck was coming from with the decision making in the first half. They had the lead at half. If the second half had played out exactly the same, MN wins.

Maybe he's thinking if Fleck were aggressive on just one of those red zone drives? I dunno.

 

[TurfGopher]

I agree with Chip. The team played well enough to win the game. PJ should have been more aggressive. Hopefully he "changes his best" after running lame conservative offensive play calling against BG, Illinois, and Iowa.

 

[FireDaveLee]

I may be in the minority, but I didn't have a problem with kicking the FG in the 1st quarter (more upset about not hitting the pass on 2nd down). Tying the game up in the 1st quarter in what is expected to be a low to moderately scoring game isn't "playing not to lose."

I do wish we were more aggressive at the end of the 1st half because Trickett hasn't exactly been automatic. But once the 4th down hit, I think Fleck played it fine; run the clock down, last play of the half FG. Trickett was solid & a bright spot on Saturday.

I did have a big problem trotting out a different kicker for that long FG. I actually wanted them to do the conservative approach there & pooch punt it & try to pin them inside the 10, possibly the 5.

It was frustrating because the recipe for the win was there; time of possession, running game success, turnover battle. But did not seize it, whether it was the offense (Morgan & passing game), defense (potential INT's & a few 3rd down give ups) & coaching (it wasn't too early to give up on the run on the 2nd to last drive with just over 3 minutes left - came out slinging the ball on 1st two plays).

 

[PMWinSTP]

Fleck has gotten way more conservative this year in my opinion. It’s a lack of confidence in his offensive passing scheme and his offensive coordinator. Maybe he’s trying to develop/mold Sanford. Time will tell. This team won’t win anything significant as long as Sanford is the OC. In fact, Fleck won’t be here in 7 years if he sticks with Sanford, and it won’t be by his choice.

Did you mean after seven years, or that this will go on for another 7 years?

 

[PMWinSTP]

Yes. In fact, being conservative was beating Iowa yesterday for large stretches. If running 70% of the time and possessing the ball for 40 minutes is working, do it. But this won't win consistently against Wisconsin, and not against Ohio State or the other talented teams at the next level above the Gophers.

The Gophers just have no mojo in their actual game strategy, in spite of having a semi-flashy coach. The coach pays zero attention to analytics and admits to mostly using his "gut" to make choices...and often makes disastrous mathematical choices. They fair catch all the kicks and punts, and go for it on 4th down the least in the Big Ten. They have no apparent gadget plays or even misdirection. They seldom change tempo and come from behind as fast as a soccer team.

It is hard to see the Gophers upsetting someone more talented without a little more aggression and innovation to their approach.

Recruiting will get much harder real fast with middling season records. I think it is already starting to happen. 2021 had nine players in the top 600 nationally, 2022 has two and is currently ranked 46th, 10th in B1G based on points, 12th based on AVG. Reality is the football program at the U has to win at a higher level consistently to sustain any kind of ongoing higher level recruiting.

 

[MplsGopher]

Fleck purposefully called a play that he hoped would fail on 4th down, against Bowling Green, just so he could give himself something to point back to and be able to say "see! that's why you don't go for it on 4th down!"

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Recruiting will get much harder real fast with middling season records. I think it is already starting to happen. 2021 had nine players in the top 600 nationally, 2022 has two and is currently ranked 46th, 10th in B1G based on points, 12th based on AVG. Reality is the football program at the U has to win at a higher level consistently to sustain any kind of ongoing higher level recruiting.

Yep. This is why the BG and IL losses are even more frustrating. 9-3 with a close loss to Iowa looks a lot better and more like a team maintaining an upward trend than 7-5 and some brutal losses.

Over time this constipated, boring brand of offensive football will also influence recruiting success. It’s time to enter the late 00s in offensive philosophy.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I agree with Chip. The team played well enough to win the game. PJ should have been more aggressive. Hopefully he "changes his best" after running lame conservative offensive play calling against BG, Illinois, and Iowa.

This may be what is frustrating me most right now. After Bowling Green, it sounded like he was saying the right things, acknowledging he did things wrong, and would be doing things differently in the future. In the back of my head, I was wondering if he was just saying it or if he really believed that he had made mistakes and would change things going forward. After Illinois and Iowa, it feels like it was just lip-service. I don't know when he is going to actually change some of his bad decision-making, because I am starting to believe he things he's doing it right.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I may be in the minority, but I didn't have a problem with kicking the FG in the 1st quarter (more upset about not hitting the pass on 2nd down). Tying the game up in the 1st quarter in what is expected to be a low to moderately scoring game isn't "playing not to lose."

I do wish we were more aggressive at the end of the 1st half because Trickett hasn't exactly been automatic. But once the 4th down hit, I think Fleck played it fine; run the clock down, last play of the half FG. Trickett was solid & a bright spot on Saturday.

I did have a big problem trotting out a different kicker for that long FG. I actually wanted them to do the conservative approach there & pooch punt it & try to pin them inside the 10, possibly the 5.

It was frustrating because the recipe for the win was there; time of possession, running game success, turnover battle. But did not seize it, whether it was the offense (Morgan & passing game), defense (potential INT's & a few 3rd down give ups) & coaching (it wasn't too early to give up on the run on the 2nd to last drive with just over 3 minutes left - came out slinging the ball on 1st two plays).

With you 100% on this one. Obviously you want to finish all drives with TDs if possible but I was fine with taking the points on 4th down in both cases. We went into halftime with a lead on the road.

Hated the long field goal try. I actually would have been ok with going for it there but if you aren't going to go for then punt it and pin them deep. Even if the kick isn't blocked, pretty high probability he misses it.

Game was there for the taking, in the end they made a few more plays than we did.

 

[MplsGopher]

defense (potential INT's & a few 3rd down give ups)

The missed int didn't hurt. We got the ball back and then scored on that drive, anyway.

What actually hurt from the defense was giving up three huge TD plays. Other than those three plays, they played easily well enough to win the game.

 

[Gold Rush]

Fleck purposefully called a play that he hoped would fail on 4th down, against Bowling Green, just so he could give himself something to point back to and be able to say "see! that's why you don't go for it on 4th down!"

Actually, I think that is a big reason why Fleck hasn't been going for 4th and 1 that much anymore. He used to go for it on 4th down all the time but got burned bad in the Bowling Green game. That fail was a big reason why they lost that game. That's why he is making the big bucks -- he has to know when it's a good time to go for it and when to punt -- and have the right play called when he DOES go for it, too!!

 

[From the Parkinglot]

I hate the field goal from the two yard line just like I hate the 53 yard field goal that was kicked by someone who has never kicked in a game. Neither of those decisions out your team or the players in the best position to win the game.

 

[FireDaveLee]

I hate the field goal from the two yard line just like I hate the 53 yard field goal that was kicked by someone who has never kicked in a game. Neither of those decisions out your team or the players in the best position to win the game.

Explain further why you don't think the early field goal to tie the game at 3 isn't putting the team in a position to win the game.

I think there are fair, valid reason on why to go for it on 4th down, but I really do want some to explain to me why tying the game in the 1st quarter at 3 is such a terrible decision.

 

[FireDaveLee]

The missed int didn't hurt. We got the ball back and then scored on that drive, anyway.

What actually hurt from the defense was giving up three huge TD plays. Other than those three plays, they played easily well enough to win the game.

The missed Whaley INT did hurt. The next drive was the blocked FG. Would have started with the ball inside Iowa's 30.

 

[MplsGopher]

The missed Whaley INT did hurt. The next drive was the blocked FG. Would have started with the ball inside Iowa's 30.

I don't think this is correct. But I've been wrong many times before, easily could be here.

I'm wrong, you are correct. It was that drive with the blocked 53 yarder.


So, looks like we would've started inside the 30. Vs, we drove to the Iowa 36, which was the 53 yard attempt.

Can't say for sure what would have happened, we will never know, but you are correct it probably would have helped.

 

[MplsGopher]

So it definitely wasn't Walley's best game ever. Kid is a true freshman.

 

[hungan1]

The 2021Golden Gophers are who they are molded by their head coach who chooses a conservative TOP offensive scheme.

They are going to live and die by it.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Explain further why you don't think the early field goal to tie the game at 3 isn't putting the team in a position to win the game.

I think there are fair, valid reason on why to go for it on 4th down, but I really do want some to explain to me why tying the game in the 1st quarter at 3 is such a terrible decision.

Cause you had not had the lead against them for like 260 minutes. You’re playing at their house in a hostil environment. You went 3 and out to start the game and then gave up a field goal. If you miss it the crowd is into it but it’s still a quarterback making his 2nd start and forcing him to go some 0 yards just to attempt a field goal.

When you hold the ball and take the air out of it you limit possession you are going to get that’s why it’s so critical to score as many points as possible on every possession cause each possession is magnified.

Part is it is also just the weird times fleck chooses to be aggressive. We won’t go for it on 4th and goal from the 2 when our running game has been very good. But we then turn around and try to kick a 53 yard field goal to end the half from a guy that has never kicked during a game. Those two plays are totally counterintuitive to being agrees vs. conservative. I have to imagine the odds of scoring from the 2 has to be close to 50% vs. a 53 yard field goal on a cold November day. That has to be like 15%.

plus I just wanna beat those pig sniffers.

 

[AZGopher8]

Explain further why you don't think the early field goal to tie the game at 3 isn't putting the team in a position to win the game.

I think there are fair, valid reason on why to go for it on 4th down, but I really do want some to explain to me why tying the game in the 1st quarter at 3 is such a terrible decision.

This is a great question.

In my opinion, whether you kick the field goal on the 2 yard line or not, is not the problem or cause for my frustration. My frustration lies in how we call plays when we get to about the 35 yard line of the opposing team. We are playing to "not give away a chance to kick a field goal". So, we go ultraconservative on the play calling and end up with exactly what you would expect....a field goal attempt. This is where we need to break out the proper plays to actually try to score touchdowns. Do not take your foot off the gas at this point.

The Iowa game was a great example of this mentality. Look at the touchdowns we scored. One was on the pass to Ko, which was the 2nd time this season the team actually called a play designed to catch a team keying on the obvious play and we scored a touchdown both times.

Our other touchdown versus Iowa was the long pass. Our only touchdowns were outside this blatant area where we go ultraconservative.

This is my frustration. This is where I feel we play not to lose. In the sage country words of Chris Stapleton, "Nobody wins, afraid of losin'"

 

[gopheraschells]

This is a great question.

In my opinion, whether you kick the field goal on the 2 yard line or not, is not the problem or cause for my frustration. My frustration lies in how we call plays when we get to about the 35 yard line of the opposing team. We are playing to "not give away a chance to kick a field goal". So, we go ultraconservative on the play calling and end up with exactly what you would expect....a field goal attempt. This is where we need to break out the proper plays to actually try to score touchdowns. Do not take your foot off the gas at this point.

The Iowa game was a great example of this mentality. Look at the touchdowns we scored. One was on the pass to Ko, which was the 2nd time this season the team actually called a play designed to catch a team keying on the obvious play and we scored a touchdown both times.

Our other touchdown versus Iowa was the long pass. Our only touchdowns were outside this blatant area where we go ultraconservative.

This is my frustration. This is where I feel we play not to lose. In the sage country words of Chris Stapleton, "Nobody wins, afraid of losin'"

Great post.

What was Fleck's offensive approach at Western Michigan? Did he run the same style offense? I thought we were finally removed from the Kill days where I got excited when we would complete a 10 yard pass, but here we are again...

I think this year has been more of a philosphy issue than a Tanner regression/talent issue.. although I am sure it is a bit of that too. I thought we looked great passing the ball against Ohio State in the opener. Our WR looked quick and dynamic (without CAB even!). It just doesn't make sense how far the offense has fallen since that game

 

[Boomtime]

Recruiting will get much harder real fast with middling season records. I think it is already starting to happen. 2021 had nine players in the top 600 nationally, 2022 has two and is currently ranked 46th, 10th in B1G based on points, 12th based on AVG. Reality is the football program at the U has to win at a higher level consistently to sustain any kind of ongoing higher level recruiting.

Agree 100%, and Illinois will dry up pretty fast with Bret taking over at Illinois.

The posters here that claim Fleck's recruiting is his biggest strength need to hope like hell that the transfer portal saves this program.

 

[AZGopher8]

Great post.

What was Fleck's offensive approach at Western Michigan? Did he run the same style offense? I thought we were finally removed from the Kill days where I got excited when we would complete a 10 yard pass, but here we are again...

I think this year has been more of a philosphy issue than a Tanner regression/talent issue.. although I am sure it is a bit of that too. I thought we looked great passing the ball against Ohio State in the opener. Our WR looked quick and dynamic (without CAB even!). It just doesn't make sense how far the offense has fallen since that game

I thought the same thing!

I remember watching Fleck's Western Michigan team playing in the MAC Championship and the Cotton Bowl. His teams did look to the sideline every play, but the offense was much more dynamic than we are seeing now. They ran and passed up and down the field. They were fun to watch and you could see the offensive genius of what was called keeping the defense on their heels. We have seriously detoured from that offensive scheme and play calling.

 

[benlaur]

per Chip:

They played it safe and got burned. When the moment called for guts, the Gophers coaching staff retreated into a shell.

Don't look at the end of the game and Iowa's mind-boggling gift that opened the door to a potential unfathomable finish. The tide turned at the beginning and middle. That's where the Gophers blew their chance to win at Kinnick Stadium for the first time since 1999.

Too many conservative decisions. Too many errant passes. In a game that figured to be narrow, the Gophers needed to maximize opportunities. Instead, they went risk-averse and kicked field goals.

P.J. Fleck should look back at Saturday's 27-22 loss to Iowa with nothing but regret because the outcome had nothing to do with effort. His players competed fiercely.

The difference came down to execution and leaving points on the field when being aggressive was the necessary move.

Will Fleck ever come to the realization that being ultraconservative isn't the recipe for success against quality teams? His steadfast adherence to "Tressel-ball" backfires when the opponent offers more resistance than a pushover. In one instance when they took a risk on fourth down, they were rewarded with a Cole Kramer-to-Ko Kieft touchdown pass.

Gophers burned by P.J. Fleck's conservative approach, Tanner Morgan's misfires

By settling for field goals and declining to take risks, Minnesota once again lost at Iowa.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

If I were to complain about the offense, I would say it is too predictable. You shouldn't make it so easy for you your opponent to prepare for you. Big plays are as much a function of misdirection as they are aggressive play calling.