What I see in this thread is a lot of hyperbole.
Like always, the reality lies somewhere in the middle.
Example 1: Poster X says that our record in year 1 (or 0, or whatever) doesn't matter, because hiring Fleck has always been about the future. Poster Y says that 9+ wins in year 1 (or 0, or whatever) is all that is acceptable because we won 9 games last year. REALITY: Somewhere in the middle. I don't think anyone thinks 5 or fewer wins this season is acceptable. I also think if we get to 10+ wins it would be an unbelievable accomplishment.
Example 2: Poster 1 says our talent is way down this season. Poster 2 says our talent is as good as it's ever been. REALITY: Somewhere in the middle. No question we are inexperienced at QB. We brought back some nice pieces on D. OL is lacking in depth. RBs are as good as we could ask for. It's not the same team as last year in terms of talent, but certainly more stocked than some Gopher teams in the last decade. Personally, I think we have SLIGHTLY less talent and experience than last year, but certainly more than Kill had at the beginning of his tenure.
Example 3: Poster 1 says Poster 2 hates PJ no matter what he does. Poster 2 says Poster 1 loves PJ no matter what he does. REALITY: Somewhere in the middle. Most real Gopher fans want to support PJ, but may find his personality off-putting or his lack of immediate change disheartening. A few Gopher fans will never give him a chance despite the fact that any coach would need time as he is still taking over a program that hasn't won a B1G championship in over 50 years and is surely fighting an uphill battle against the Michigans, Penn States, Ohios States, and (gulp) Wisconsins out there. (And no, Wisconsin is still not on the same level as those other 3.)
Personally, I think a realistic expectation is 6 or 7 wins in the regular season. Would have said the same at the beginning regardless of who was the coach. I think it is fair to say that the number of expected wins climbs in Fleck's future seasons as head coach. It is also fair to say that the number of expected wins in year 1 does not change regardless of who is head coach.
That's my opinion.