Keeping PJ Fleck at Minnesota

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Barreiro was not trying to stir the pot in regards to PJ Fleck. There was an article written by Pat Forde on Yahoo! Sports that mentioned PJ Fleck as a possible candidate at USC so it was a topic of conversation on the radio show.

His ratings have been leading this market for many years, so people must listen to him.

As far as PJ Fleck, the only other jobs I could see him going after are Michigan State or Michigan. He has a pretty good job at Minnesota....Big Ten is one of the best conferences both in academics and athletics. Lots of history at Minnesota. You get to play for the Axe and Floyd each year. Strong athletic program located in a large metropolitan area. Elite facilities. Power 5 conference. He seems to be a midwest guy and I am not sure he would be even be good fit in the SEC. Success at Minnesota would be consistently winning 8-9 games with an occasional 10 win season. I could be wrong and PJ could decide to leave, but people need to stop thinking like Minnesota is a MAC school.
 

I suspect that what Coyle is looking at is the vision and trajectory of this team? Can he envision this team with PJ Fleck leading it with an upward trajectory resulting in sustained success? If so, he should extend him. I think Coyle sees a bright future with PJ and will act accordingly. On the other hand, if he doesn't think the future is bright he will not. But I doubt an extension would be based on anything in the present time.
 

We talk about having to start over with a new coach...unless Fleck likes to be a turnaround coach, don't forget HE has to start over too. That's hard work and time consuming. He has to uproot his kids from their schools and his family from their friendships. There is an incentive to stay put at a place where you've finally got everyone on board and you get to call all the shots. Personally, I've loved Fleck since day 1. I love his HYPRR stuff, RTB and all. I am particularly proud of the team's GPA. I love that we don't have a bunch of thugs and that players are held accountable for their behavior off the field. I know I am in a minority, but probably says more about my age. I know I speak for a bunch of old fart big donors...we like supporting young men who are role models in our community and I suspect we will open our wallets when the time comes to make sure Fleck stays here.
 

CoMn said:
We talk about having to start over with a new coach...unless Fleck likes to be a turnaround coach, don't forget HE has to start over too. That's hard work and time consuming. He has to uproot his kids from their schools and his family from their friendships. There is an incentive to stay put at a place where you've finally got everyone on board and you get to call all the shots. Personally, I've loved Fleck since day 1. I love his HYPRR stuff, RTB and all. I am particularly proud of the team's GPA. I love that we don't have a bunch of thugs and that players are held accountable for their behavior off the field. I know I am in a minority, but probably says more about my age. I know I speak for a bunch of old fart big donors...we like supporting young men who are role models in our community and I suspect we will open our wallets when the time comes to make sure Fleck stays here.
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+1

I don't think you are in the minority. I think most Gopher fans agree with you.

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I hope we also open up the coffers to Coach Ciarrocca and the rest of the assistants.
 


matt said:
I hope we also open up the coffers to Coach Ciarrocca and the rest of the assistants.
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Generally that goes hand in hand.

Even if it didn't the HC usually advocates for that, but I suspect everyone involved knows that it's a general upgrade for everyone if new contracts are being handed out.
 

salzie said:
For those calling to do it now, you don't think PJ realizes he has more leverage if he waits until season end? It might not solely be up to the U...

For now, I'm just enjoying season. Not going to worry about locking up PJ or PJ Leaving. I don't think he leaves, but if he does, can always raid NDSU coaching staff
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This is the truth. Just because Coyle would offer something by the end of October doesn't mean Fleck is accepting it. The bottom line is that if we're winning, Fleck will stay if he wants to stay and leave if he wants to leave.
 

When Zimmer decides to retire or gets fired, the one place RTB would fit would be with the Vikings. No uprooting of kids or moving either.
I believe if he leaves for somewhere it will be the NFL, not another college.
 

GFBfan said:
When Zimmer decides to retire or gets fired, the one place RTB would fit would be with the Vikings. No uprooting of kids or moving either.
I believe if he leaves for somewhere it will be the NFL, not another college.
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The Vikings aren't elite.
 



GFBfan said:
When Zimmer decides to retire or gets fired, the one place RTB would fit would be with the Vikings. No uprooting of kids or moving either.
I believe if he leaves for somewhere it will be the NFL, not another college.
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I don't know if Fleck's style would work in the NFL as a head coach. He really strikes me as well suited to college and that age of player.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I don't know if Fleck's style would work in the NFL as a head coach. He really strikes me as well suited to college and that age of player.
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I agree... although mismatches have never stopped coach's before. Saban in the NFL, Chip Kelly inexplicably going back to college.
 

stocker08 said:
Barreiro is probably the only person on KFAN that I can't listen to. Takes pompous to another level. And when he's consistently wrong, never admits it, and continues to hate on local teams.....I don't understand what his draw is.
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Sounds like other "leaders" in our society. Great traits in a person: pompous, wrong, hates.
 

An extention won't happen until after the season. Both PJ and the University will probably want to see how this year plays out. I am happy as can be with the start this team has had this year, but what would everybody be saying had they actually played some compeition so far and were lets say 3-3 or 4-2 with a 1-2 BT record? Also, as noted, Fleck knows that if he ends up taking this team to a New Years bowl or the like that he will be a great position to demand basically what he wants as far as a contract goees.

Also, folks making it seem that Minnesota is a mecca type job or why are we comparing to a MAC school I don't think understand it. Minnesota has been for the better part of a quarter century been terrible in the athletics that matter. For quite some time, there was no support from the University. They have started to turn that around IMO. And we play in the Big Ten. But don't think for a minute if USC or UCLA or an SEC school comes calling that PJ won't consider it.
 





MNVCGUY said:
I don't know if Fleck's style would work in the NFL as a head coach. He really strikes me as well suited to college and that age of player.
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That guy in Seattle seems to make it work...
 

Go Gophs said:
But don't think for a minute if USC or UCLA or an SEC school comes calling that PJ won't consider it.
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People who keep bringing up UCLA show their ignorance. UCLA isn't a better job than Minnesota. USC? Yes, absolutely, along with many other jobs across the country. But UCLA? Please.
 

dpodoll68 said:
People who keep bringing up UCLA show their ignorance. UCLA isn't a better job than Minnesota. USC? Yes, absolutely, along with many other jobs across the country. But UCLA? Please.
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I’d agree with you with the caveat that UCLA is nationally perceived as a better job.
 

dpodoll68 said:
People who keep bringing up UCLA show their ignorance. UCLA isn't a better job than Minnesota. USC? Yes, absolutely, along with many other jobs across the country. But UCLA? Please.
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UCLA can bring in good croots based on its name, that's not a thing here and that's a big part of the job.

They just were dumb and crooted a coach who doesn't like crooting...
 

dpodoll68 said:
People who keep bringing up UCLA show their ignorance. UCLA isn't a better job than Minnesota. USC? Yes, absolutely, along with many other jobs across the country. But UCLA? Please.
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USC was pretty up and down in the 20 years before Carroll. UCLA has been pretty up and down for the past 20 years after having a nice stretch of success. It's a high profile program in a big splashy media market. The weather and the ocean. It consistently pulls in top 25 recruiting classes. Those and the opportunity would be attractive to Fleck.

Do I think Fleck is going anywhere in the near future? Nope. Do I think UCLA would take a flyer on him in 2-3 years if Kelly doesn't pan out and Gophs have strung together 3-4 years of 9+ win seasons? Absolutely.

Coyle will redo his contract if this season is 9+ wins. Coyle will redo his contract next year if it happens again.
 

Curious what some of you mean about locking him down or extending him? He already gets an annual extension “so he can recruit” that makes his contract 4 or 5 years already at present. So you guys are thinking 10 years or lifetime? Based on 6 and 0 with the easiest schedule in 20 years?

A fair number of people in the summer thought anything less than 9 wins would be disappointing...10 wins would match Glen Mason...I’d prefer to see where we are after 12 games before we go beyond the present 4 or 5 years.
 

60's Guy said:
Curious what some of you mean about locking him down or extending him? He already gets an annual extension “so he can recruit” that makes his contract 4 or 5 years already at present. So you guys are thinking 10 years or lifetime? Based on 6 and 0 with the easiest schedule in 20 years?

A fair number of people in the summer thought anything less than 9 wins would be disappointing...10 wins would match Glen Mason...I’d prefer to see where we are after 12 games before we go beyond the present 4 or 5 years.
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I think the idea is somehow "lock him up" so other teams don't get him.

Granted nobody is untouchable but maybe some folks are thinking of a Kirk Ferentz type deal.
 

stocker08 said:
Barreiro is probably the only person on KFAN that I can't listen to. Takes pompous to another level. And when he's consistently wrong, never admits it, and continues to hate on local teams.....I don't understand what his draw is.
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The thing is, you just have to accept that everything he says is a "bit." Every single word that comes out of his mouth is designed to push buttons or create false controversies. I honestly don't think that Barreiro means a single word he says. And his shtick with the guy who plays an obnoxious Packer fan is un-listenable.

Honestly, I think the only time he's actually serious is when he talks politics or interviews authors. I just get the sense that he's totally bored with sports and only talks about sports because he has to.
 

On Fleck - again, his current contract runs through 2023. This year he's making $3.6 mill. if the U fires him by Jan 1, buyout is $9mill. If Fleck leaves after this season, he has to play the U $4mill.

In the other Fleck Contract thread, I said this, and I still believe it:

After the Season, Coyle will announce another one-year extension with a small salary bump. his current 2023 deal calls for $3.8 mill. So, let's say they add 2024 at $4 mill.

And this will go on for perpetuity. After every season, they'll add another year to the contract, so it becomes a perpetual 5-year deal, allowing PJ to promise recruits he'll be here for their entire career. This will go on as long as Coyle is the AD.

the only fly in the ointment would be if the new Prexy has an objection and presses the matter with the Board of Regents.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
The thing is, you just have to accept that everything he says is a "bit." Every single word that comes out of his mouth is designed to push buttons or create false controversies. I honestly don't think that Barreiro means a single word he says. And his shtick with the guy who plays an obnoxious Packer fan is un-listenable.

Honestly, I think the only time he's actually serious is when he talks politics or interviews authors. I just get the sense that he's totally bored with sports and only talks about sports because he has to.
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You are right about everything except Gerbschmidt. Kevin Seifert does an awesome job satirizing Packer fans with that but.

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short ornery norwegian said:
The thing is, you just have to accept that everything he says is a "bit." Every single word that comes out of his mouth is designed to push buttons or create false controversies. I honestly don't think that Barreiro means a single word he says. And his shtick with the guy who plays an obnoxious Packer fan is un-listenable.

Honestly, I think the only time he's actually serious is when he talks politics or interviews authors. I just get the sense that he's totally bored with sports and only talks about sports because he has to.
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Over generalization. There are plenty of times where he has straightforward sports related conversations, like when Louie is on, when he's talking with Leber. When Lavelle is on they have a lot of banter but there is a lot of good baseball talk mixed in.

One thing I know for sure, JG is a a great sidekick/#2...but is horrible when he slides into the host seat.
 

JZsportswhiz said:
If Minnesota truly wants to be like Iowa or Wisconsin when it comes to sustained success in college football they need to be willing to pay for sustainability at the top of the program.
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I’m not sure if Dan B attempted to make your point above. But if he did suggest that, he’s a liar.

Fleck is paid about the same as Chryst and Fitzgerald (within 6%). But Chryst has a much smaller buy-out; it is the smallest buy-out of any HC in the Big Ten. And both of them have already won the division. Chryst’s contract is basically just a rolling 1-year deal.

Fleck was the 34th highest-paid coach in the nation last year. If Minnesota finishes the season strong, Fleck will likely get an increase and extension, but he has a very fair deal right now. He is currently paid more than Ed Orgeron, Chip Kelly, Brian Kelly, Mike Leach, Mario Cristobol, Brian Harsin, Herm Edwards, Kevin Sumlin, Dave Doeren, and many other accomplished HCs.

I am sure Dan B knows this is a very silly topic, and is attempting to get people riled-up as a bit. If Fleck ever decides He wants to go elsewhere, it will not be because he wasn’t paid enough.
 

60's Guy said:
Curious what some of you mean about locking him down or extending him? He already gets an annual extension “so he can recruit” that makes his contract 4 or 5 years already at present. So you guys are thinking 10 years or lifetime? Based on 6 and 0 with the easiest schedule in 20 years?

A fair number of people in the summer thought anything less than 9 wins would be disappointing...10 wins would match Glen Mason...I’d prefer to see where we are after 12 games before we go beyond the present 4 or 5 years.
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From measurements I've done this schedule has been tougher than last years and some other recent years.
 

dpodoll68 said:
People who keep bringing up UCLA show their ignorance. UCLA isn't a better job than Minnesota. USC? Yes, absolutely, along with many other jobs across the country. But UCLA? Please.
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I'm curious why you think that.

UCLA has much better recruiting grounds in LA and had 6 straight years of top 20 recruiting classes form 2012-18, some of which were top 15 or even top 10 classes and had multiple 5 star kids according to 247's composite rankings. Gophers have had nowhere near that amount of success recruiting. We've had one top 20 class since 2009, right?

UCLA has also had five 10 win seasons since 1997 and eleven 8+ win seasons. Gophers have had one 10 win season and six 8+ win seasons since 1997 and if you go further back into the 70's and 80's, that doesn't change. They have 6 RoseBowl appearances since 1975 while the gophers have zero. They have had 10 conference championships since the gophers have had 1 and 8 since 1975.

They also have a bigger national brand than Minnesota, much better weather, what many would consider a more desirable city to be in etc.

Now I'm not saying PJ would leave Minnesota for UCLA. I don't think UCLA is that much better of a job than Minnesota to the point where I'd worry a coach would leave us for them.

But based it's hard to argue that UCLA isn't at least a little better than UCLA as a coaching job.
 
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I guess there are several issues at UCLA which are in issue.

Little brother to USC
Stadium far away from campus
Generally not viewed as an esteemed school by those in that area.

I just read an article about this and they had numerous other reasons.
Made it sound worse than Iowa St.

TV networks like UCLA, but I think it doesn't go much deeper than that.

They might rank higher than the U of M, but it's not a wide margin.
 

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