Fleck is staying!!!

Last year our games for the first time in a long time were nearly unwatchable. You guys are clueless.
Part of this was injury related on defense and transfers, and playing 5th string RB. That and a QB and back up that couldn't pass. Confluence of a lot of circumstances. Not many predicted AK would play that poorly year over year. Continuity in coaching helps. Hope PJ can start holding on to more coaches.
 

In Mason's last 5 seasons, he played 9 P5 teams just once. The Gophers do that every year at a minimum. Last year it was 10. Will be 10 again this year.

The Big Ten schedule was tougher most years under Mason as he had to play Ohio St, Michigan, and Penn St a little more often. But he also played more "cupcakes" in the non-conference too. I think the strength overall are not that different.

In Mason's 10 win season, the Gophers went 1-3 against teams above .500 and that one win was against a 7-5 WI team. Not trying to knock Mason's accomplishments either. Just think his achievements are a little exaggerated.
As our Fleck's. In 2019 we played nine P5 teams in the regular season. Only three had a winning record, and we were 1-2 against those teams. We played our three non-conference games against three non-P5 teams. Very similar to Mason's 10 win season.

During our 9 win season of 2021 we played 4 teams with winning records in the regular season, and were 2-2. Our non-conference was three very bad teams. In 2022 we again played three bad non-conference games, and we were 0-4 against Big Ten teams with winning records during the regular season. Make it 1-4 if you include WI who had a losing record in the Big Ten, was .500 in regular season. The Bowl games since 2020 are such a joke now I don't know why we even play them, unfortunately.

In many ways we are seeing the same thing. I don't think Mason's years were great although he brought us back from nowhere to have a consistently quality program. I think Kill brought us from a disaster with his predecessor, and Fleck built on that and brought consistent quality. I hope we can take another step in the future with him every few years.
 

PJ wants us to believe that he turned down UCLA. I subscribe to the Patrick Reusse view on PJ. I think Minnesota can do better than what he has done. He won 0 big ten west titles. I don't believe that he has done what is possible here.
That is not the Reusse view on PJ.
Reusse loves to make fun of the U. That’s it.

He’s said often that there probably isn’t anyone better out there than PJ for this job.

It is also true that there probably isn’t a better job out there for PJ.
 

Give Fleck his credit. Kid's come to Minnesota because they want to play for him. He's a good guy and he genuinely loves those kid's. He wants them to be successful on and off the field. That in itself goes a long way even for 18 and 19 year olds.
I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
 



I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
I agree about Pitino. I always loved his radio interviews. Seemed like a really down to earth guy. Saw him once at a Gopher baseball game too and he was just there with his kid hanging out like a regular dad.

I do think Fleck is a good guy though too, but he for sure knows when he is being watched or listened to and turns on his marketing personality. I think Fleck is good for our football program since our AD doesn't really do anything with the public, it's important to have someone out there promoting.
 

I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
Interesting on Fleck.
 

I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
This does not surprise me, in the slightest.

Fleck just seems to be this big ego, man on a mission.
 

I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
Both times I have met him and have spoken with Coach Fleck he has been very engaging and sincere. I sincerely doubt people can say the same after meeting you!
 





I disagree on Fleck playing an easier schedule.

Mason played 4 non-conference games each season to Fleck's 3, and Mason's Gopher teams caught a lot of flack for making sure the non-conference slate was well-larded with cupcakes. As for Kill, he demanded the U pay up in order to dump North Carolina from the Gopher's non-conference schedule.

Mason's bowl record was 3-4. Kill was 0-3 in bowl games.

Mason was fired, in part, because his teams lost games after holding large leads.

Mason's B1G conference win % was .400. Kill's was also .400.

I was a fan of both Mason and Kill, but Fleck is better, and it ain't close.
Neither Mason or Kill had the benefit of a round robin achedule in a Big 10 West where the bellcow program is an Iowa team who plays for the punt. The Big 10 West was the worst division in the P5 and its beat teams weren't much better than lousy. I'm.not calling for Fleck's head or anything but the Big 10 West and the teams that were part of it are on a glide path to the MAC.
 

Both times I have met him and have spoken with Coach Fleck he has been very engaging and sincere. I sincerely doubt people can say the same after meeting you!
That’s not nice :(
 



Neither Mason or Kill had the benefit of a round robin achedule in a Big 10 West where the bellcow program is an Iowa team who plays for the punt. The Big 10 West was the worst division in the P5 and its beat teams weren't much better than lousy. I'm.not calling for Fleck's head or anything but the Big 10 West and the teams that were part of it are on a glide path to the MAC.

Wow!

"...the worst division in P5..."

"...weren't much better than lousy."

"...glide path to the MAC".


Holy (negative) hyperbole!

I'm really, really glad you're "not calling for Fleck's head or anything".

Oh, well... I got a good laugh, anyway. You guys are great.
 


Wow!

"...the worst division in P5..."

"...weren't much better than lousy."

"...glide path to the MAC".


Holy (negative) hyperbole!

I'm really, really glad you're "not calling for Fleck's head or anything".

Oh, well... I got a good laugh, anyway. You guys are great.
True, can't compete yet with OSU, UM, or PSU but I think the head to head with B10 East last several years was pretty even. I could be delusional, but I saw it posted before and was suprised West was only a few games under .500 in that. So - maybe the better overall West defenses and lack of high end O skill players give this illusion West sucks.
 

Neither Mason or Kill had the benefit of a round robin achedule in a Big 10 West where the bellcow program is an Iowa team who plays for the punt. The Big 10 West was the worst division in the P5 and its beat teams weren't much better than lousy. I'm.not calling for Fleck's head or anything but the Big 10 West and the teams that were part of it are on a glide path to the MAC.

Mason and Kill played weaker opponents. Fact.

1708095060341.png
 

Mason and Kill played weaker opponents. Fact.

View attachment 30158

If anything, I'm still disappointed Mason got fired after the epic TTU loss. He should have had the chance to coach at The Bank after his efforts to get it built. His last two years had mediocre results with bowl losses but the schedules were tough and he had two Top 25 wins in 2005.
 


If anything, I'm still disappointed Mason got fired after the epic TTU loss. He should have had the chance to coach at The Bank after his efforts to get it built. His last two years had mediocre results with bowl losses but the schedules were tough and he had two Top 25 wins in 2005.
 



When will the U rename a building or buildings for PJ? We all know he deserves it with his Minnesota values by helping the U's culture.
 

I get it - met him twice. Not impressed. Once at a camp and once at a business event. Came across over the top and big-timed us. Im still bitter - I think me and my guys are cool :)

You wanna talk good guy - Pitino was super engaging every time I saw him. 100% could have a beer with Pitino. No way Fleck even drinks beer.
Agree on Richard. Actually had a couple beers with him at an event where ironically he was a late replacement for Fleck as the speaker. Very engaging and a good storyteller. Still think he will make a great announcer some day.
 


To me an interesting thing is: you can lambast Mason all you want, but the two highest ranked SOS overall seasons on that list are his last two years.

Conclusion: if you want to get fired as Gopher ahead coach, play a tough schedule?
 

Now do conference only, please.

Not trying to make a point. I have no idea what the outcome will be and am genuinely curious.

There is no conference-only SOS that I know of. It doesn't matter. Comparing full season SOS and wins is apples to apples.
 

Agree on Richard. Actually had a couple beers with him at an event where ironically he was a late replacement for Fleck as the speaker. Very engaging and a good storyteller. Still think he will make a great announcer some day.
I think Pitino would make a great analyst on a broadcast team. He could provide exemplary critiques of players' dribbling ability as he taught that so well as a coach.

Seriously, I thought Pitino was very engaging. Great interview and the times he was on with Barreiro were fun. It isn't as easy keeping the best Minnesota high school players in the state anymore (and that's probably true in just about every state as it pertains to in-state recruiting), but he couldn't seem to get much purchase here in that respect.
 

There is no conference-only SOS that I know of. It doesn't matter. Comparing full season SOS and wins is apples to apples.
So for example the 54 number for 2023 ... that's just it, they say "54" and there's no way to drill down lower than that?

I was thinking you compiled that number for each season, and thus could strip off the non-conf game components.
 

All those coaches played really low quality non-confs. You have to, as the coach of Minnesota, if you don't want to suddenly get a strong North Carolina team. Fleck was luck as hell to catch an awful Colorado team, to be like "yep, I played and beat a P5!" They weren't much better than Western Illinois, for cripes sake.

Fleck has done what he has done because the West was so weak.

No one could've predicted how awful Nebraska ... Nebraska ... was going to be at football these past several years.
 




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