Gophers football preparing for “ghosts” in opener against Nebraska

[BleedGopher]

Per Randy:

The University of Nebraska football team has been known as the Cornhuskers since late in the 19th century. To Gophers coach P.J. Fleck, another nickname applies to Nebraska, at least for Thursday's season opener at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Ghosts.

"We're preparing for ghosts. We have no idea what we're going to face," Fleck said Thursday during a State Fair appearance — comments he reiterated Friday during his news conference.

The Huskers, under new coach Matt Rhule, have the advantage of being an unknown commodity as they try to rebuild after six consecutive losing seasons.

Fleck has had his staff study film from Rhule's time as coach at Temple, Baylor and the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. In addition, the Gophers have analyzed the tendencies of Nebraska offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and defensive coordinator Tony White at previous coaching stops.

Nebraska's 3-3-5 defensive alignment — which uses three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs — is built to confuse by using multiple looks and angles. The Gophers faced a similar alignment against Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl in December and emerged with a 28-20 victory.

"What they do in a 3-3-5 creates a lot of issues because you can be in a three-down front before the snap, and a five-down front when the ball is snapped," Fleck said of Nebraska. "… It's a very complex defense and without any game film to know exactly how they're going to run it. That's what it means to be preparing for ghosts."

Gophers football preparing for the unknown against Nebraska's new coaching staff

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck's staff has studied video from Matt Rhule's previous stops before Nebraska.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

PJ is the spin master. When he is in his first year, we are in year 0 and thus are at a disadvantage. When anyone else is in their first year, we are still at a disadvantage because we are playing against ghosts.

 

[btowngopher]

PJ is the spin master. When he is in his first year, we are in year 0 and thus are at a disadvantage. When anyone else is in their first year, we are still at a disadvantage because we are playing against ghosts.

I missed the part where he said we are at a disadvantage. Sounds more like he is just pointing out the challenge of facing a new scheme.

 

[60's Guy]

I missed the part where he said we are at a disadvantage. Sounds more like he is just pointing out the challenge of facing a new scheme.

And creating doubt among fans and players we are prepared to play. Offering an excuse to why we might lose. So, from game two on no opponent will add wrinkles to their scheme or game plan in playing the Gophers?
Also suggesting we don't tailor any of our game plans to that week's opponent? We just do the same thing thing every week.
You practice for an opponent but you build your system to be able to make adjustments to whatever any opponent does. We don't just have one defense or one offense. We aren't installing a whole new foundation each week.
I prefer...whatever they do we are prepared for. My guys are ready.
Versus, I'm a little worried we might get out coached.

 

[Stuff]

 

[pharmacygopher]

Gotta love that people found something negative in that quote....spin master... making excuses

I swear PJ can't win with some people. If he doesn't give the info you want then he's speaking in Fleckisms and isn't transparent enough. He gives an honest answer and now he's making excuses.

Listened to his full segment at the Fair for the PJF show. Addressed watching tape from past stops and player tape from HS and college (portal player) to prepare but acknowledged the difficulty of not knowing for sure.

 

[Crosby]

Gotta love that people found something negative in that quote....spin master... making excuses

I swear PJ can't win with some people. If he doesn't give the info you want then he's speaking in Fleckisms and isn't transparent enough. He gives an honest answer and now he's making excuses.

Listened to his full segment at the Fair for the PJF show. Addressed watching tape from past stops and player tape from HS and college (portal player) to prepare but acknowledged the difficulty of not knowing for sure.

This is 100% right. There is another thread full of people saying that PJ is pumping this team up too much. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in what he said about Nebraska and Rhule that even comes close to lowering expectations. PJ is transparent for sure. Maybe he is too transparent. But he is telling you what is actually going on within the program. His quotes about Nebraska and the coaching change this year are simply that. It has to be hard to prep for a team with a brand new coach, who has not coached in college for a while. That's obviously true. So why is it a problem to admit that?

I swear that many here would prefer if PJ just said things at his press conferences like:

"We'll take it one day at time."
"We're improving every day."
"We have to control what we can control."
"If we do these things, we have a chance to be good."

And the list goes on...

Give me a transparent coach any day.

 

[BilldGopher]

This is 100% right. There is another thread full of people saying that PJ is pumping this team up too much. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in what he said about Nebraska and Rhule that even comes close to lowering expectations. PJ is transparent for sure. Maybe he is too transparent. But he is telling you what is actually going on within the program. His quotes about Nebraska and the coaching change this year are simply that. It has to be hard to prep for a team with a brand new coach, who has not coached in college for a while. That's obviously true. So why is it a problem to admit that?

I swear that many here would prefer if PJ just said things at his press conferences like:

"We'll take it one day at time."
"We're improving every day."
"We have to control what we can control."
"If we do these things, we have a chance to be good."

And the list goes on...

Give me a transparent coach any day.

"We're good enough and dagnabbit are going to play some good football."

 

[Plato]

I have to admit PJ makes my teeth itch,
So I will put "The Ghosts" comment as more of his BS as an advance excuse if MN loses

 

[StCroix]

I read it as saying we have no game film to look at. We looked at tendencies, but thats all we have to go on. The rest of the the B1G will have at least one game to review with Nebraska before they play them. I didn't see this as an excuse, but an absolute fact. You prepare your guys to play their game and adapt to tendencies...nothing concrete.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

This is 100% right. There is another thread full of people saying that PJ is pumping this team up too much. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in what he said about Nebraska and Rhule that even comes close to lowering expectations. PJ is transparent for sure. Maybe he is too transparent. But he is telling you what is actually going on within the program. His quotes about Nebraska and the coaching change this year are simply that. It has to be hard to prep for a team with a brand new coach, who has not coached in college for a while. That's obviously true. So why is it a problem to admit that?

I swear that many here would prefer if PJ just said things at his press conferences like:

"We'll take it one day at time."
"We're improving every day."
"We have to control what we can control."
"If we do these things, we have a chance to be good."

And the list goes on...

Give me a transparent coach any day.

I totally agree with you.

 

[MplsGopher]

There's plenty of film.

Neb's DC was the DC at Syracuse 2020-2022. Literally the last team we played (in the Pinstripe bowl).

Neb's OC was the OC at South Carolina 2021-2022. Also Offensive Line at Carolina Panthers in 2020 (Rhule's first year of HC there).


I'm sure it won't be exactly the same schemes as those places, but those are going to be the best guesses and I would think they'll be studying that film extensively.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Gotta love that people found something negative in that quote....spin master... making excuses

I swear PJ can't win with some people. If he doesn't give the info you want then he's speaking in Fleckisms and isn't transparent enough. He gives an honest answer and now he's making excuses.

Listened to his full segment at the Fair for the PJF show. Addressed watching tape from past stops and player tape from HS and college (portal player) to prepare but acknowledged the difficulty of not knowing for sure.

Was going to post something similar but you nailed it. It is amazing how hard people work to find a negative angle to anything a coach says.....but if the coach says nothing those same people would complain about that as well.

The Ghosts things has become a common phrase Fleck uses at the start of seasons to describe teams that had a ton of turnover in the offseason in terms of coaches and players. It isn't an excuse for why we might lose or a way to lower expectations it is just simply pointing out the reality that when a team has a coaching change and brings in a whole new staff there are a ton of unknowns heading into the first game.

They can make educated guesses as to what Nebraska is going to do but they can't study film that will show them exactly what Nebraska is going to do because that film does not exist and won't exist until after our game against them is played.

The fans that come in here and pretend like Fleck or any coach for that matter is trying to make excuses before a game really don't understand how these coaches are wired. They want to win every game, they work their butts off trying to win every game, and nobody is more disappointed when they don't win the game.

 

[MNVCGUY]

There's plenty of film.

Neb's DC was the DC at Syracuse 2020-2022. Literally the last team we played (in the Pinstripe bowl).

Neb's OC was the OC at South Carolina 2021-2022. Also Offensive Line at Carolina Panthers in 2020 (Rhule's first year of HC there).


I'm sure it won't be exactly the same schemes as those places, but those are going to be the best guesses and I would think they'll be studying that film extensively.

this is exactly what Fleck means when he says they are preparing for ghosts....they are still studying film but film from a previous coordinator at a different school under a different head coach with different personnel is not the same as studying film of what that coordinator is running at his current school with his current personnel under the current head coach.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I have to admit PJ makes my teeth itch,
So I will put "The Ghosts" comment as more of his BS as an advance excuse if MN loses

Newsflash.......Badger fan admits he doesn't like head coach of his teams rival.....

 

[btowngopher]

And creating doubt among fans and players we are prepared to play. Offering an excuse to why we might lose. So, from game two on no opponent will add wrinkles to their scheme or game plan in playing the Gophers?
Also suggesting we don't tailor any of our game plans to that week's opponent? We just do the same thing thing every week.
You practice for an opponent but you build your system to be able to make adjustments to whatever any opponent does. We don't just have one defense or one offense. We aren't installing a whole new foundation each week.
I prefer...whatever they do we are prepared for. My guys are ready.
Versus, I'm a little worried we might get out coached.

Wait a minute, you were getting on him about “hyping” up his own players on another post not long ago, and now you’re getting on him for “hyping” the opponent?

 

[Jack jones]

First game with new D also means they will make a lot of mistakes to capitalize on.

Not necessarily. Schemes might be similar but the “Jimmy and Joes” are the ghosts.

 

[PMWinSTP]

This is 100% right. There is another thread full of people saying that PJ is pumping this team up too much. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in what he said about Nebraska and Rhule that even comes close to lowering expectations. PJ is transparent for sure. Maybe he is too transparent. But he is telling you what is actually going on within the program. His quotes about Nebraska and the coaching change this year are simply that. It has to be hard to prep for a team with a brand new coach, who has not coached in college for a while. That's obviously true. So why is it a problem to admit that?

I swear that many here would prefer if PJ just said things at his press conferences like:

"We'll take it one day at time."
"We're improving every day."
"We have to control what we can control."
"If we do these things, we have a chance to be good."

And the list goes on...

Give me a transparent coach any day.

So when's his depth chart getting released?

 

[FredCoxRocks]

So when's his depth chart getting released?

Who cares?

 

[PMWinSTP]

Who cares?

I mean, transparency, and having a little fun with that...did you read the post I responded to?

 

[BTChamp]

So does this mean the uniform color is all white?

 

[highwayman]

And creating doubt among fans and players we are prepared to play. Offering an excuse to why we might lose. So, from game two on no opponent will add wrinkles to their scheme or game plan in playing the Gophers?
Also suggesting we don't tailor any of our game plans to that week's opponent? We just do the same thing thing every week.
You practice for an opponent but you build your system to be able to make adjustments to whatever any opponent does. We don't just have one defense or one offense. We aren't installing a whole new foundation each week.
I prefer...whatever they do we are prepared for. My guys are ready.
Versus, I'm a little worried we might get out coached.

Gamesmanship. It's a new concept.

 

[60's Guy]

Gamesmanship. It's a new concept.

Exactly…: the practice of winning a game or contest by doing things that seem unfair but that are not actually against the rules.

Except PJ does not coach Nebraska. He coaches Minnesota. You get what you emphasize.
Maybe stand up and open your eyes to the possibility that the guy you are on your knees bowing down to actually … despite ALL the good…he says some pretty stupid shit on occasion.

 

[60's Guy]

Wait a minute, you were getting on him about “hyping” up his own players on another post not long ago, and now you’re getting on him for “hyping” the opponent?

I was asking a question that nobody answered. And yes, do you see the contrast?
We are effing fabulous… one day. To crying about a debut coach having the advantage in the game because he’s new. PJ has coached some his guys for 6 and 7 years but the guy who has coached his team 6 or 7 weeks has the advantage according to PJ - BS assinine.
Coach your own team. Continue to hype them- not the opponent.
His players believe what he says, you know. Why create the doubt?

 

[Mulligan]

Wait a minute, you were getting on him about “hyping” up his own players on another post not long ago, and now you’re getting on him for “hyping” the opponent?

This guy has been bitching about PJ since day one. He happy when the Gophers win but "Dang nabbit. This coach is just too slick and too gimmicky. Not like the good old days. You can't trust a coach that is a used car salesman. Not the way we used to do it in Bumf...k back in the 60's"

 

[Dave H]

Was going to post something similar but you nailed it. It is amazing how hard people work to find a negative angle to anything a coach says.....but if the coach says nothing those same people would complain about that as well.

The Ghosts things has become a common phrase Fleck uses at the start of seasons to describe teams that had a ton of turnover in the offseason in terms of coaches and players. It isn't an excuse for why we might lose or a way to lower expectations it is just simply pointing out the reality that when a team has a coaching change and brings in a whole new staff there are a ton of unknowns heading into the first game.

They can make educated guesses as to what Nebraska is going to do but they can't study film that will show them exactly what Nebraska is going to do because that film does not exist and won't exist until after our game against them is played.

The fans that come in here and pretend like Fleck or any coach for that matter is trying to make excuses before a game really don't understand how these coaches are wired. They want to win every game, they work their butts off trying to win every game, and nobody is more disappointed when they don't win the game.

People last year believed PJ was intentionally playing worse players out of spite or loyalty...are you surprised?

If PJ talks up players he should calm down and if he talks up the opponent he is sandbagging. Certain fans just dont like him so they latch on to whatever they can.

 

[btowngopher]

I was asking a question that nobody answered. And yes, do you see the contrast?
We are effing fabulous… one day. To crying about a debut coach having the advantage in the game because he’s new. PJ has coached some his guys for 6 and 7 years but the guy who has coached his team 6 or 7 weeks has the advantage according to PJ - BS assinine.
Coach your own team. Continue to hype them- not the opponent.
His players believe what he says, you know. Why create the doubt?

Where did he say Nebraska has the advantage in the game? He said they have the advantage of being a new scheme so no game film with the personnel they will be facing. Which is obviously true, so not sure why you are so worked up about it.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I was asking a question that nobody answered. And yes, do you see the contrast?
We are effing fabulous… one day. To crying about a debut coach having the advantage in the game because he’s new. PJ has coached some his guys for 6 and 7 years but the guy who has coached his team 6 or 7 weeks has the advantage according to PJ - BS assinine.
Coach your own team. Continue to hype them- not the opponent.
His players believe what he says, you know. Why create the doubt?

Good lord man you are just making stuff up at this point. Did you actually bother to watch the press conferences that these articles are based on?

Fleck isn't crying about anything......look we get it....you don't like him.....but stop pretending he is doing something he isn't.

The simple reality is that we are at a disadvantage when it comes to game prep for week 1 because we are facing a team with a new coach and new coordinators. But don't think for one second that Fleck doesn't expect to win this game and that he and the staff are not doing everything in their power to have the players as prepared as possible for whatever Nebraska may throw at them on Thursday.

 

[60's Guy]

Good lord man you are just making stuff up at this point. Did you actually bother to watch the press conferences that these articles are based on?

Fleck isn't crying about anything......look we get it....you don't like him.....but stop pretending he is doing something he isn't.

The simple reality is that we are at a disadvantage when it comes to game prep for week 1 because we are facing a team with a new coach and new coordinators. But don't think for one second that Fleck doesn't expect to win this game and that he and the staff are not doing everything in their power to have the players as prepared as possible for whatever Nebraska may throw at them on Thursday.

If he is not "crying about anything" why does he bring it up each time it happens. I just don't believe in planting seeds of doubt into the heads of the players. It can be the situation without articulating it to the world. Why say it out loud???? Who does that benefit? Could it inspire Nebraska to say hey...never thought of that...we can beat these guys. Could it cause his team own team to panic if Nebraska stops early drives or scores quickly...the Gophers trust PJ and now they go ... oh,oh we are in trouble. It's just a dumb thing to articulate out loud beyond the coaches room.

Your reading comprehension is quite poor. I have lauded PJ on many occasions.
I have stated there are maybe one, two other college coaches I'd trade him for. Zero in the Big Ten.

We have new offensive coordinators too ... I haven't seen Nebraska in a panic about preparing for ghosts.
We disagree. A lot guys on here believe praise has to be one million per cent obedience to PJ. He never does anything wrong and if someone says he does they are an idiot.

A very big part of coaching preparation are the words, the presentation, the mindset, the emphasis, the seeds you put in your players heads. The things you say or sometimes don't say haunt you as a coach following the outcome. I speak from experience.

The only reason PJ talks about ghosts is to cover his butt if we lose. Why else say it out loud?
All that is left is so he can be praised for winning under such difficult conditions as an amazing coach.

 

[MNVCGUY]

If he is not "crying about anything" why does he bring it up each time it happens. I just don't believe in planting seeds of doubt into the heads of the players. It can be the situation without articulating it to the world. Why say it out loud???? Who does that benefit? Could it inspire Nebraska to say hey...never thought of that...we can beat these guys. Could it cause his team own team to panic if Nebraska stops early drives or scores quickly...the Gophers trust PJ and now they go ... oh,oh we are in trouble. It's just a dumb thing to articulate out loud beyond the coaches room.

Your reading comprehension is quite poor. I have lauded PJ on many occasions.
I have stated there are maybe one, two other college coaches I'd trade him for. Zero in the Big Ten.

We have new offensive coordinators too ... I haven't seen Nebraska in a panic about preparing for ghosts.
We disagree. A lot guys on here believe praise has to be one million per cent obedience to PJ. He never does anything wrong and if someone says he does they are an idiot.

A very big part of coaching preparation are the words, the presentation, the mindset, the emphasis, the seeds you put in your players heads. The things you say or sometimes don't say haunt you as a coach following the outcome. I speak from experience.

The only reason PJ talks about ghosts is to cover his butt if we lose. Why else say it out loud?
All that is left is so he can be praised for winning under such difficult conditions as an amazing coach.

You keep referencing panic....where is this panic you speak of? Again, have you actually watched the press conferences that these bits are being pulled from? There is no panic, he isn't planting seeds of doubt and he isn't making excuses ahead of time thinking that will somehow cover him if we lose.

He uses the term Ghosts to articulate the concept of preparing for a team when you don't really know what they are going to do because as I said before the first game film of this head coach with these coordinators and Nebraska's personnel won't exist until after the game on the 31st.

Your first paragraph above is just complete nonsense. If you really believe that you are putting WAY too much stock in what is said at a press conference....that again....I feel pretty confident in saying you haven't watched.