short ornery norwegian
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Gopher FB coach PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle with Sid, Dave Mona - and Dave Lee filling in for Mike Max. (don't know if he brought his own Country Hearth Bread.....)
Sid: won 9 games last year. how many holes do you have to fill?
PJF: last year has nothing to do with this year. have 56 kids who are (true) FR or RS FR - 70% underclassmen - 43 returning lettermen. one of least experienced teams in country. lost a lot of SR's. lot of guys haven't played yet. have to get better every single day. get as much experience as we can in fall practice.
Sid: how are your top two 2 QB's doing?
PJF: still a battle. impressed with how they've grown. really don't know how they'll handle game situations until we get in games.
Sid: will you wait till opening of season to pick QB?
PJF: when we know, everyone else will know. I really want someone to run away with it, but if that doesn't happen, we'll do what we have to. I really don't want to play multiple QB's - but we will if we have to
Sid: what about injured players?
PJF: 1 or 2 left still not in contact.
Sid: how about WR's
PJF: little thin. Still leading receiver coming back. TJ doing tremendous job. some FR playing well - Autman-Bell, Douglas really impressed. Howard, Holland playing well. long way to go. making progress. got to have guys be play-makers. take 5-yard slant and take it 60.
Sid: how many FR will play in B1G? (translated from Sid into english)
PJF: going to have to fill gaps in depth. going to have to play a lot of them- possibly. '18 and '19 classes are important. get younger before we get older. (future recruiting classes will) provide balanced team.
Sid: Durr going to play?
PJF: looks that way. keeping a slow pace. he's doing individual (work) right now - not full live contact. give knee a little longer. still have 3-1/2 weeks till first game.
Mona: impressed with depth at RB?
PJF: Glen Mason used to say you need a pair and a spare. can't count on one guy getting 40 snaps every game and staying healthy. got to be able to rotate. happy with progress for Rodney and Shannon - becoming more complete players in pass protection, route-running. Mc Crary wonderful in pass protection - gaining more confidence as a RB- running more with pads down. other backs - really coming on. rookies, FR. got to continue to bring in RB's (in future recruiting classes)
Lee: importance of early signing period?
PJF: wish it meant a lot more. (give kids chance to) sign faster, that's a positive. advantage - sign on dotted line in Dec. what will really help us is being able to have official visits in April in future. benefit to use in the North. kids get to experience Spring in MN. have to be creative in timing - place that in time with signing.
Sid: how has practice gone?
PJF: pleased with energy kids are bringing. different level of intensity and speed. kids did tremendous job in off-season learning how to practice at our tempo. now, able to practice faster. long way to go. goal is to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday.
Sid: depth at O-linemen?
PJF: only had 4 in spring - wasn't good. now, I told Coach Warriner we have way too many linemen (kidding). we do have some guys with some experience - then a drop-off to guys with no experience. excited about future. have to get by this year with FR playing - possibly guys in starting roles or in the rotation who haven't played for us before. proud of progress.
Sid: getting people excited about Gopher FB. Murray's certificate.
PJF: RTB, Ski-U-Mah.
Sid: won 9 games last year. how many holes do you have to fill?
PJF: last year has nothing to do with this year. have 56 kids who are (true) FR or RS FR - 70% underclassmen - 43 returning lettermen. one of least experienced teams in country. lost a lot of SR's. lot of guys haven't played yet. have to get better every single day. get as much experience as we can in fall practice.
Sid: how are your top two 2 QB's doing?
PJF: still a battle. impressed with how they've grown. really don't know how they'll handle game situations until we get in games.
Sid: will you wait till opening of season to pick QB?
PJF: when we know, everyone else will know. I really want someone to run away with it, but if that doesn't happen, we'll do what we have to. I really don't want to play multiple QB's - but we will if we have to
Sid: what about injured players?
PJF: 1 or 2 left still not in contact.
Sid: how about WR's
PJF: little thin. Still leading receiver coming back. TJ doing tremendous job. some FR playing well - Autman-Bell, Douglas really impressed. Howard, Holland playing well. long way to go. making progress. got to have guys be play-makers. take 5-yard slant and take it 60.
Sid: how many FR will play in B1G? (translated from Sid into english)
PJF: going to have to fill gaps in depth. going to have to play a lot of them- possibly. '18 and '19 classes are important. get younger before we get older. (future recruiting classes will) provide balanced team.
Sid: Durr going to play?
PJF: looks that way. keeping a slow pace. he's doing individual (work) right now - not full live contact. give knee a little longer. still have 3-1/2 weeks till first game.
Mona: impressed with depth at RB?
PJF: Glen Mason used to say you need a pair and a spare. can't count on one guy getting 40 snaps every game and staying healthy. got to be able to rotate. happy with progress for Rodney and Shannon - becoming more complete players in pass protection, route-running. Mc Crary wonderful in pass protection - gaining more confidence as a RB- running more with pads down. other backs - really coming on. rookies, FR. got to continue to bring in RB's (in future recruiting classes)
Lee: importance of early signing period?
PJF: wish it meant a lot more. (give kids chance to) sign faster, that's a positive. advantage - sign on dotted line in Dec. what will really help us is being able to have official visits in April in future. benefit to use in the North. kids get to experience Spring in MN. have to be creative in timing - place that in time with signing.
Sid: how has practice gone?
PJF: pleased with energy kids are bringing. different level of intensity and speed. kids did tremendous job in off-season learning how to practice at our tempo. now, able to practice faster. long way to go. goal is to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday.
Sid: depth at O-linemen?
PJF: only had 4 in spring - wasn't good. now, I told Coach Warriner we have way too many linemen (kidding). we do have some guys with some experience - then a drop-off to guys with no experience. excited about future. have to get by this year with FR playing - possibly guys in starting roles or in the rotation who haven't played for us before. proud of progress.
Sid: getting people excited about Gopher FB. Murray's certificate.
PJF: RTB, Ski-U-Mah.